TRAPPED | BTS

25 | bait and negotiations

"I can't what?" I asked in a very crazy tone. "What's 'liking Jungkook' having to do with me?"

"It is what it is." He replied. "You can't fall for him because I can sense that you might."

"Sure. Of course." I said back. "I mean, I'm here for work so, I really don't care about personal matters. But, what made you assume that I would like him?"

"He likes you, Alex. Jungkook likes you a lot."

Oh.

What?

Who does he like?

Me?

"And you are against him." He added. "You can't be dragged further more into this... mess."

I can't process what he just informed me about. How can Jungkook like me? I'm not likable. Heck, I don't even trust my own emotions.

"Or maybe that could work out." A new voice added in.

"Hyung.." Taehyung was as shocked as I am. "Have you been listening all along?"

Draped along his figure was his minty green blanket as he leans on the wall. Yoongi's eyes were trained on mine.

"Liking him, I mean," Yoongi added completely ignoring Taehyung's question. "That could work out."

I looked at Taehyung then Yoongi in a bewildered expression.

"But I haven't asked you properly yet." Taehyung trailed off. "Do you by chance, like Jungkook?"

This is getting way out of hand. The last time I remembered liking someone was in high school. Sure, Jungkook's good looking and all but I don't see him more than a friend. He makes my heart flatter but maybe that goes because I sort of has a little crush on him. And, that's not enough to actually

"I don't know..." I replied. "Why are you suddenly asking me this?"

And that's the truth.

"Do you like Seokjin then?" Taehyung questioned again.

"Well.."

Seokjin is a sweet guy. There is something in him that made me feel safe. I'm not so sure though. I want to be professional with them. This is business. Just business.

"That's not important anymore." Yoongi interrupted and who is now nearing our spot still covered in his blanket. "You're here for work right?"

"Yes."

"You want to publish your article as soon as possible right?"

"Yes."

"Then change Jungkook's mind." His blade sharp eyes cutting me through. "I've been thinking about this a lot this past few days. We can only lean on you now."

"Wait. So when you said I could change someone's mind before all of these things happened, you were referring to Jungkook?" I let out as I knitted my eyebrows together.

All response I saw was a curt nod from him.

Wow.

I keep getting 'the only option' lately. The company I work in made me the only option to feature the brothers. Now, the brothers are using me to lure their brother away from being a potential murderer. Great.

I can't get enough being used.

This is what negotiations are right? To risk something up for the greater good even if it means risking myself like bait for the bigger fish.

When I assured myself before that I was in this situation with them, was I really expecting all of this fucked up crap? Or all along I know that from the beginning this was all gonna turn into something like this but I chose to stay?