TAEGI | Pathetic

Chapter 1

"Five, six, seven, eight."

The music blasted from a cheap stereo placed on the floor filled with shoe prints and finger prints. Where did these trainees practice? In a farm? The main dancer started them off. The seven boys worked on their cheoreography for their new album 2 Cool 4 Skool. Six boys became dancing machines while one lagged behind.

'What the hell is this guy doing?' One of the six boys thought. Yoongi dismissed the thought as soon as the boy got back into sync with the others. He harshly shoved him to the back when it was time for his solo rap. This caused him to lose balance and bump into the oldest, Kim Seokjin.

"Kim Taehyung." He warned him once the other members covered them.

"I'm sorry hyung." He lowered his head and apologized. They continued dancing for another hour and took a break. Taehyung, who seems to be our main character, sat down on the floor next to his best friend.

"Jimin, can you help me with the dance?" The said hyung took a sip from his water bottle.

"I really don't have any time Taehyung. Sorry." He looked at him apologetically. Taehyung nodded.

Yoongi noticed him sitting on the floor alone after the rest of the group went out to eat. The younger boy surprised that someone else was still here.

"Hey, kid." Yoongi called making Taehyung jump up a little to look at him just for a split second. "Can you look at me when I'm speaking to you?" Taehyung quickly got up on his feet after noticing how intimidating Yoongi can be. He mumbled an apology and lowered his head, half to be polite and half to not have to meet eyes with the man in front of him.

"You got a name?" Yoongi questioned him again. He knew he seemed familiar but never got to know his name.

"Kim Taehyung," He said quietly. "I'm fifteen and from Daegu town." How did Yoongi not know his name by now? They've been training together for at least a year.

"I wasn't interviewing you, I just asked for your name." The rapper mumbled. 'So he's from Daegu too?' he thought. "Aren't you going to eat with everyone else?" Taehyung started fiddling with his fingers. It really did now feel like an interview.

"I want to stay behind to practice." the younger boy finally replied.

"I can tell, you really do need a lot of practice." Yoongi spun on his heel to leave. Right before he left he added, "Don't push yourself too hard." Taehyung stared at the back of Yoongi's head until the room was empty with only himself again.

'Did he just insult me?' He thought, eyes trailing back to the mirror. He ignored Yoongi's comment and turned on the stereo to do his said practice.

...

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled up piece of paper.

"Can anyone help me out?" Hoseok unfolds the paper and the bold numbers of 20000 and 50000 are displayed. 70000 won isn't enough to pay for the meal. Seokjin shuffles in his jacket pocket for a bit and takes out two bills. The boys leave paying a total of 90000 won (About 85 USD) and leaving the change as a tip.

"Ah, you guys must pay us back soon." Seokjin pulls his pockets inside out revealing that they are empty. The youngest boy, only thirteen years old, soon to be fourteen skips along feeling satisfied with his full belly.

"Don't worry hyung, I will pay you back on my next birthday with my allowance!" He grins. Jin laughed but soon realized the sad reality of that.

"Haha, funny Jungkook. Not like Bang PD pays us back anyways." He shoves his hands into his pockets which were once full of money. Jin walks ahead of the rest.

...

His fingers trail across the lid of the food container.

Yoongi thought about what just happened. 

Bang PD places a container of food on the trainee's table. He takes off his headphones and raises his eyebrows in confusion. What was he doing in his studio while he was busy?

"What?" He pushed the container away to put down his headphones. "What is this?"

"Dinner." The man replied. Yoongi almost laughed out loud. Dinner? He hasn't had a proper meal in weeks. Months.

Yoongi reached for his headphones. Judging from his blank look Bang PD inferred that he wasn't interested.

"I don't want it." He scoffed. "I don't want to be in Bangtan." Did he just give him food to persuade him about something? Bang PD inhaled and blew out a breath.

"You know you have a lot of potential. Why don't you want to debut with the lineup? Do you not like them?"  The room was still for a good five seconds. In those five seconds Bang PD didn't get the message that Yoongi didn't want to talk. He figured he would finish up with his work and tell him off, and maybe let him quit. A few clicks later and Yoongi turned off his computer.

"I'm going to debut and then quit this stupid company." He glared at Bang PD who seemed to still be unfazed.

"I'm just asking. Why would you want to leave? I promise I'll turn you into a star." Yoongi clenched his fists so hard his fingernails almost pierced his palms. Did he think he just wanted to become fake? A robot who slaves away their whole life? Is that what it meant to be an idol?

"I don't care about fame. I don't care about getting out there. I just want to make music. Be a solo rapper. I don't need a group of losers to slow me down." His face stayed the same but his breathing got rapid. "This company is going down in flames anyway. Bangtan won't last more than a few months. We're not getting anywhere."

"Please, just stay with us. We need you. Just imagine seeing yourself and your art all around the world. Everyone will know your name." Yoongi plugged his earbuds into his phone and increased the volume.

"Leave." 

He shoved the container to the floor.

Hopeless.

This company is so fucking hopeless.