LOVE MAZE - Taekook

Three

The halls of the prestigious law firm echoed with the click of heels and the hushed conversations of attorneys in tailored suits as Taehyung walked into his workplace on a Monday morning, eight days after the wedding he attended of his high school friend. He set his briefcase on his worktable and sat down at his desk in the shared workspace. As a junior lawyer with only five years of experience, he worked under a senior lawyer, with two other junior lawyers.

Just as he started to settle down, he was met by the secretary of the department he worked at. Taehyung greeted her, though not too excited to be filled in with the workload he had to do for the day. He already had work left from the previous week that he had to complete.

"Mr Kim, it's about the case Mr. Lee assigned you last week" Minhee, the secretary said in a hurry, making Taehyung raise his eyebrows in confusion.

"Mr. Lee?" the senior lawyer he worked under. "Which one?

Minhee sighed. "The one of Mr. Park"

"Shit!" Taehyung cursed. "Wait... don't tell me I have to meet the client today"

"You do!" Minhee groaned. "I was going to ask you what time I should set up a meeting"

"I didn't have time to go through the case facts yet" Taehyung grunted. "I'm defending Mr. Park on that... personal injury claim, right?"

"How am I supposed to know the case facts?" Minhee said, exasperated.

Taehyung started going through the pile of files at his desk and fished out a massive case file. "Personal Injury lawsuit against StarCorp Corporation"

"Yup, that's the one. So what time should I arrange a meeting?"

"At one," Taehyng said sternly. He started flipping through the file but froze when the organisation's name registered in his brain. "Wait.... StarCorp?"

"Yes?" Minhee said.

"That's..." Taehyung gulped. That's the corporation Jeongguk was the Chairman of. "Oh"

"What?"

"Nothing" Taehyung gulped, flashing a sweet smile at the secretary. "I will be ready by then"

"Okay, good luck!"

"Thanks...I'll need it" Taehyung muttered. It's fine. It's only the corporation Jeongguk owned. He had been part of the lawsuit against the company Namjoon's father owned and things had gone fine. It's not like Jeongguk would turn up for the settlement negotiations. He's the Chairman! The Chairman wouldn't come for the settlement meeting!

Right?

Wrong.

It was five minutes before one in the afternoon that Taehyung walked out of the Men's room at his office, not a hair out of place and his suit impeccable. The sharp lines of the deep navy suit jacket accentuated his broad shoulders and tapered down to a perfectly cinched waist, projecting an image of confidence and professionalism. He was on his way to the meeting room when he saw two figures standing at the elevators.

Taehyung felt himself pause, eyes widening the moment his orbs landed on the shorter figure among the two men, dressed in a black, two-piece tailored suit that fit the man like a second skin, accentuating his lean, athletic frame. He was smiling with his lawyer– Taehyung assumed, and they slowly walked towards the office.

Taehyung didn't know how to act seeing his ex-boyfriend walk into the place he worked, for a lawsuit that Taehyung was representing the plaintiff, of the lawsuit against Jeongguk's company.

If the Chairman himself was attending the settlement negotiations, Taehyung was sure that many things were at risk if this lawsuit reached the public ear. A chairman wouldn't attend a meeting like this if the case didn't involve significant financial implications, reputational risks, or strategic importance to the company. The chairman himself showing up could give them an upper hand against the plaintiff.