Jimin scrambled back in fear, the bedsheets tangling around his wrists. "What have I done to deserve this, Namjoon? I thought you loved me!"
"I do," he choked through tears. "And that's exactly why you have to die."
...
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Do you know how there are some sounds that just make you feel powerful? For me, it's the sound of an espresso machine spitting out piping hot coffee, or maybe scissors snipping away at a sheet of fabric. For the CEO of Cyprus, it happened to be the sound of her sensible heels clicking against the polished hardwood floor as she strode into her favorite conference room. The floor-to-ceiling windows on the 48th story offered a view of the city like no other. Brilliant lights of every color sparkled on a backdrop of dark buildings and darker skies.
The perspective usually calmed her, made her feel in control, but today it only isolated her. Jia accepted this career path because she worked well under pressure, but sometimes those limits were put to the test. Today happened to be one of those days.
"Ms. Kang, it says their planned release date is four weeks from now," her assistant prodded anxiously.
"Hmm. I heard five weeks." Jia was remarkably close to losing her damn mind.
"Well, that's the thing," Jinyoung continued, pulling something up on his iPad. "We don't have anything to go off of except rumors. My source told me the clothesline was set to debut on-"
"Look," the woman interrupted (she did this often; Jinyoung didn't seem to mind but I haven't ever asked him, come to think of it). "It doesn't matter if it happens now or a month from now, we have to put a stop to it! Our company has worked extremely hard on this line and I will not have another brand steal it and show it before we do. How they even got their hands on our concept art is beyond me!"
Jinyoung looked up from the tablet. He recalled he had two roles in this position: to assist Ms. Kang with her job, as well as keep her from blowing her head off when she was on the brink of insanity. Which was rather often, he'd say. "Ms. Kang, it's all going to be fine. Deep breaths."
Jia exhaled slowly. She lowered herself into one of the leather chairs around the central table and looked over at the young man with an almost motherly affection. "I'm sorry, Jinyoung. I didn't mean to shout. I'm just a bit frightened if you can't tell."
Jinyoung just smiled. He was good at that. "It's alright, Ms. Kang, I understand. Would you like me to bring you some tea?"
Finally, the woman beamed back at him. "That would be lovely, dear. What would I do without you?"
"I'll be right back, then."
As he walked to the door, however, the tablet under his arm pinged. He glanced at it briefly, then came to a halt and looked at it again. "Uh-oh," the boy murmured, slowly turning around to face his employer.
"Uh-oh what, Jinyoung?" Jia felt her headache returning at full force.
He gulped and made nervous eye contact. "I just got the confirmed date of the release. Türkiye says they are having their first runway show two weeks from now."
