Encounter | MYG & KTH

Human

"A girlfriend?!" Yoongi almost thought he heard wrong. "How is that going to fix anything?" The man must have lost it after all this time.

"I've actually been thinking about it ever since BTS went worldwide," the director answered, taking his reading glasses off.  "I think it's finally time to lose the ridiculous no dating rule of the K-Pop industry. It's demeaning and sends the wrong type of expectation and message to impressionable young fans. Not only that, and I'm sure you know this well, that kind of agenda is extremely toxic to all artists."

Yoongi's brows furrowed trying to follow PD-nim's logic. He only nodded in agreement and listened silently.

"With help from other progressive companies and our international fanbase, I think right now we have enough support to finally initiate a change in the industry. And we start with you. We can use this scandal to revolutionize the K-Pop industry. It'll be like killing two birds with one stone." Bang PD explained, going into lecture mode.

"How exactly though?" Yoongi asked, concerned now as to how this new idea involved him.

"We reform the industry while getting rid of your nasty image brought on by the scandal. Changing the narrative from 'BTS Suga following a random girl to her hotel room' to 'BTS Suga,  just a human who is hopelessly in love'... Specifically with Kim Eun-Ha of Solar6 from JYP." Bang PD stated matter of factly, seeming almost too excited for Yoongi's comfort. One would think he sounded like a mad scientist.

"Kim Eun-Ha? What does any of this have to do with her?" Yoongi asked, his voice raising an octave. He could feel a pit growing in his stomach. This whole idea made him anxious.

"She got into a similar scandal recently and JYP is looking for a way to recover her image. As you know, Solar6 is their most profitable group. With a big company like JYP joining us to make a bold statement like this, I think our plan should pan out well." Bang PD was grinning now.

"So we say she's the one I went to the hotel with...? I don't like it. I don't even know her." Yoongi frowned.

Bang PD's smile dropped. "Yoongi, I don't think you have a choice," he warned the rapper in a measured tone. "It's this or your silence which to the public is an admission of guilt."

Min Yoongi's eyes darkened. PD-nim was right. But why is that he felt even more trapped than ever before? If their big scheme was supposed to do away with the stigma that restricted K-Pop artist's freedom, why did he not have a choice..? He'd be living the life of a puppet.

"Don't worry," Bang PD started, noticing Yoongi's grim expression. "It's just for a few months Yoongi. Only until everything settles," the director spoke softer now, as if talking to his own child.

Yoongi nodded numbly. "Okay."

Bang Shi-Hyuk smiled. "I'll see you soon. You and the others be careful and stay close to security."

With that the video call was disconnected leaving Min Yoongi sitting alone in the empty lounge room. He stood up, lowering the laptop screen closed. He stood there for a minute, clenching his hand into a tight fist. Yoongi wanted to scream, instead he punched the marble table top with all his might. The bones of his hand almost vibrated with the impact as sharp pain traveled up his nerves. Yoongi winced biting down on his lip hard so he didn't yell out in pain. He shook his hand and looked at his knuckles that were now turning a purplish shade of red.

Yoongi rubbed his hand and walked out of the door silently. As soon as he turned the corner, he found all the members waiting for him. They stood up at the sight of him, eyes full of concern. Namjoon who had been pacing obsessively about the hallway walked up to Yoongi, skin paled by anticipation. "How'd it go?" he asked, placing a hand on Yoongi's shoulder.

Yoongi sighed. "PD-nim has a plan to fix this. So I think it'll be ok...For now he said stick close to security," he said, trying to convince himself too, that it'll all be ok.

Yoongi could hear all of them audibly release the breath they've been holding. "I'm sorry guys," he said looking at all of them. 

Jimin ran up to Yoongi, ambushing him in a tight hug. "It's ok, we've all made mistakes like this," Jimin said in a nasally tone. He was definitely trying to hold back tears.

Hoseok, ran up to them as well and joined the hug. "We're human after all."

Soon they all joined in the group hug, with Jungkook actually bursting into tears.

Disclaimer: Kim Eun-Ha of Solar6 from JYP is a character/female idol group I made up. I'm not saying JYP is a progressive company in any way. In this universe JYP is reforming.