out of time |t.k|

five

"Jihoon no!", Jeongguk shouts from where he sat on Jihoon's large, oak desk.

"But Ggukie-"

"Don't call me that, I've told you!", Jeongguk shouted a little louder than he intended to.

Whether or not Jihoon noticed he didn't show it but instead continued pestering Jeongguk. 

"Gguk, come on you have to! Do you even realize how much publicity- how much attention you're gaining from that little stunt?"

Jeongguk scoffed. 

"I don't want that kind of attention! I want people to listen to my music, not watch me flounder around drunk and make a fool out of myself."

At this, Jihoon openly laughs in Jeongguk's face. "Oh please Gguk, what music? You mean the over done pop trash you've been putting out? Trust me babe, if you want to stay relevant you're going to need any attention you can get."

A pain shoots through Jeongguk's chest at Jihoon's words, because he knows how true they are. His 18-year-old self would be so disappointed. How could he let himself slip into a rut like this? A monotonous loop of learning songs written for him, TV appearances, getting drunk and going home with a random girl or two. m

He hated himself like this.

"What's wrong?", Jihoon asks with a smirk. 

"Did I hit a nerve? Don't tell me you still want to write your own songs. Or, do you still miss your little boyfriend back home?"

"Shut up!", Jeongguk growls.

"So that's what it is. You wish your boyfriend was here to write more stupid songs with you."

"Those songs were not stupid.", Jeongguk says through gritted teeth.

"Oh they weren't, were they?", Jihoon interrupts mockingly.

"Is that why your first CD didn't sell at all? Don't you remember that you weren't anything until you found me and let me have my way with you?"

Jeongguk has a million things he wants to say, things he's been keeping in for a long time, but he doesn't want to lose his career over a silly fight with his ignorant manager. He unwillingly bites his tongue.

"That's what I thought.", Jihoon says as he gently pats Jeongguk's thigh, a little higher up than he would like if he was being honest with himself. 

"I like when you don't fight back.", Jihoon teased. He placed his hand on Jeongguk's cheek and ran it down along his jawline, stopping at his chin. He used two fingers to harshly push Jeongguk's head up so that they were looking into each other's eyes.

Jihoon hummed in satisfaction. 

"You're so pretty Gguk, you know that right?"

Jeongguk turned his head, disgust evident on his face.

"Come on baby, don't be like that.", Jihoon moped. He grasped Jeongguk's chin tighter pulling him forward a bit off of the desk that he had just organized earlier in the day. He swiped his thumb gently across Jeongguk's lips before leaning in close enough for Jeongguk to feel the soft breath hit his skin. Jihoon traced a path from Jeongguk's jaw to his temple with his tongue. He smirked when Jeongguk sat still and silent.

"You can leave, baby. Just don't forget our contract.", Jihoon winked.

Jeongguk knew it was wrong. But his manager has always made sure he had a career. He always took care of him. Sometimes he has to do things he doesn't want to do, but that's just the entertainment industry right? That's what Jeongguk has been telling himself for two years now.

Jeongguk rushed out of his manager's office, running a hand through his hair. He slammed the door behind him and leaned against it as he tried to catch his breath.

Tears began to fall as he hurried down the hall, into the bathroom, into a stall, where he locked himself in. He pulled out his phone and looked through his contacts, unsatisfied, he tossed his phone onto the floor next to where he was balled up against the toilet. He sat with his knees brought up to his chest, arms wrapped around his legs as he sobbed.

"Taehyung where are you? I need you to beat up bullies for me. I can't do it this time. I miss you so much, I just want to talk to you."

He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and picked up his phone again. He signed in to Facebook and went, once again, to Taehyung's profile. He was greeted with that dreadful drunk picture of himself and he read the caption 'You're better than that, Ggukie'.

He lunges forward, loud sobs escaping his throat and echoing in the empty bathroom. 

"G-Ggukie", he chokes out between sobs and deep breaths. He looks back to his phone, types in a comment on the picture and hits send.