Bangtan Inc. 04
Group: BTS Pairing: Min Yoongi X Reader | appearances by the rest of BTS Rating: Fluff | Angst Prompt: You’re working as a production department manager of a marketing agency, called Bangtan Incorporated. With a new project coming your way, you’ll have to work together more closely with the new CEO, Min Yoongi. And as if the tension between you two wasn’t enough, a scandal occurs. | Business!AU Word count: 2,5K
Warnings: swearing
01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05
Another day, another meeting. And the recent ones went really well.
Hoseok apologised for his attitude towards you and even agreed with your idea. You still had to fight for some of your other suggestions – because old habits seem to die hard – but the foundation of a better collaboration between the two of you had started to materialise.
The last two weeks were chaotic. After making some decisions, the project got on a roll. There were lots of different things to organise. One of your tasks was to find someone that fit the image of both GD Fashion and its new clothing line, which proved to be quite difficult. After some discussion with Hoseok – which was inevitable, of course – you had contacted a famous influencer. She was a fashion blogger with quite the following online. When you showed him that she embodied GD Fashion’s sense of style, even Hoseok was convinced this campaign might just be successful.
After today’s meeting you were set for the studio, preparing both the video and photo shoot for some of the campaign’s content. After your little outburst Hoseok had apologised and was significantly more lenient with your ideas. It seemed like he had listened and had tried to trust you with a lot of the campaign’s design. This made it a lot easier for the both of you, and caused the campaign’s preparations to progress.
Your exchanges with Yoongi were of the bare minimum. You felt kind of awkward, but your determination to let him stew for a little bit overpowered that feeling. You had Yoongi’s question go unanswered that day, as well as requested some time to think it over. But you had seen that little spark of uncertainty in his eyes whenever your eyes locked, even though he tried so hard to hide it. It was as if he showed more of his vulnerability, or you just got a little better at seeing through the mask he so often used to hide whatever thoughts went through his mind. Did he really grow softer? Or was it just your capabilities of seeing right through him that caused you to feel sympathetic?
During today’s meeting he had acted professionally, but his very subtle fidgeting was uncharacteristic to the CEO you had come to know. You couldn’t help but wonder if you were the only one who noticed that change, or even whether it was because of you. But you had quickly tried to shake those thoughts off.
As the meeting of updates ends and small pleasantries are exchanged, you say goodbye to Taehyung and Hoseok before going on your own merry way. You’re not surprised, however, when you feel a hand wrap itself around your lower arm when you walk towards the elevators.
“___, do you have a moment?”
His voice wavers a little at your name. You doubt anyone else was able to catch it if they listened in, but it was there.
You turn around to face him, a hopeful gaze meeting yours. “Yeah, sure,” you nod.
His eyes scan around the perimeter, making sure that no one’s close enough to make out what he’s about to say. “Well, about last time. I promised you I would give you some time to think it over-”
“But you want an answer now,” you interrupt, confirming his worries.
“Well, yeah,” he says.
You had, of course, thought about his question a lot. Between work and your struggles with Hoseok, it was all you could think about. It was kind of complicated to be honest. It had all started with your one-in-a-million encounter at that bar that night. There was clearly a spark. And although it had been a shock to find out that it was the new boss you hooked up with and you definitely knew it was a mistake to continue your set of encounters, it somehow couldn’t be helped. There was clearly something there. You both felt it. Also, things were already messy as it is. Most of the damage was already done, right?
At the thoughtful look in your eyes, Yoongi seems to be losing a little of his patience. He’s squirming again. “Just dinner,” he adds. “Nothing more, nothing less.”
You let out a big breath. “Okay, I think I can handle that. I just hope you think you can too.”
A relieved smile appears on his face and he chuckles. “I guess we’ll see.”
Yoongi decided to invite you over for dinner at his place straight after work. Normally you would make a bit of an effort in dressing up for a date, but you were taking it slow and you weren’t about to make a big deal out of it. Slow was good. Both for your protection, but also for Yoongi’s first steps into the dating life.
Yoongi lived in the better part of town, high-rise apartment buildings towering above the rest of the city. And of course, the man lived on the highest floor. You had nudged his shoulder when you arrived at the building, mumbling an ‘I knew it’ under your breath. A shy smile made its way to his face when you were looking up at the building in amusement. The next discovery also didn’t really surprise you. His apartment gave off the same vibe as his office: modern and minimalistic. With most of his time spend running a multi-million company, he explained as you looked around the sleek and empty space, he didn’t feel the need to decorate it. Just the bare necessities, he called it.
The third revelation, however, did surprise you. After throwing your coats on one of the leather chairs in the living area, he immediately moved to the kitchen and swung open the fridge, announcing he’d be making risotto for dinner.
“I didn’t know you cooked,” you had teased him.
“Only when I have time,” he’d replied. “I guess I still have some surprises left in me.”
You took a seat at the bar in the kitchen as Yoongi served some wine and started on the meal. Conversation had flown as heavily and smoothly as his expensive merlot. You talked about work, family and friends, and awkward childhood stories. It felt like you were talking with that guy you met at the bar again. You two just clicked and without all of the ambiguity of what you were, walls slowly started to come down. And also, just like that night, alcohol in your systems, the evening ended much the same way too.
Another week went by quickly. You were on a roll with the project and both your collaboration with Yoongi, Hoseok and Taehyung went smoother than it had ever gone. Everyone turned out to work together surprisingly well when you didn’t feel the urge to scratch each other’s eyes out.
However, the next obstacle was about to make itself known.
The morning started off like any other quiet morning, but when you step into the office, the peaceful and hushed atmosphere you’re used to is nowhere to be found. People seem stressed, phones are ringing everywhere. A little more confusing than the usual office chaos. You don’t think much of it at first; it was a little off but some days were bound to be a little busier, you figure. It’s only when you see Namjoon’s face when you walk into your own office that you really suspect something is wrong.
“Nams, what’s going on? Did something happen?” you say.
Namjoon looks at you as if it’s obvious. “You haven’t seen the news?”
“What? Why?”
“Look for yourself,” your assistant says while handing you his phone.
It shows a news site with an article about Bangtan Inc. You scroll through the article, your mouth in a silent gasp. ‘Lawsuit Against Copycat Bangtan Inc. Stocks Plummet.’
The article mentions an advertisement for a brand that the company created a while ago. The article claims Bangtan Inc had copied this ad directly from an ad that its competitor had created prior. JMarketing now threatens with a lawsuit causing the faith of Bangtan’s shareholders to decrease, and stock prices falling because of it.
You sit back, speechless. You can’t believe it. You’d worked closely with the team that was responsible for that campaign. They worked their asses off for it. There was no way these people would have copied the other’s ads. It was an original idea. You are absolutely certain that there’s no way the idea could have been stolen. How could this have happened? This is a disaster!
You gasp. Yoongi.
After Namjoon leaves, you scramble for your phone. Yoongi had to have known about this since this morning. He was probably swamped in phone calls, emails and having to take the brunt of his shareholders’ fury. And as you hear the dial tone continue on the other end, your assumptions are met. The line is occupied.
Just when you slam the receiver back, your phone rings. Jung Hoseok is calling... Great.
You take a deep breath, but you know you’ll never be prepared for what that man has to say. You pick up with a ‘good morning, Mr Jung’ in your most cheerful voice, but you know he isn’t happy to speak with you either.
“Miss ___.” His tone is clipped. “What is the meaning of all this?”
“Are there any problems, sir?”
“Of course there’s a problem! I don’t like putting our business on the line, Miss ___. GD Fashion does not like to associate itself with scandals like this.”
You don’t know what to say to that. This thing has only barely manifested itself in your own brain, let alone that you can come up with answers for the same man who had taken his time to try and respect you as an equal.
“I apologise, Mr Jung,” is the only thing you can come up with right now. But those words didn’t matter anymore with the words Hoseok speaks next.
“As you can imagine, in reference to Bangtan Inc’s precarious situation, both in reputation and finances, my supervisors have advised me to terminate the contract that we have come up with during our recent cooperation.”
No. Oh no!
“Of course, the payment for your work up until this point will stand, but we will be going to look into doing business elsewhere-”
“Mr Jung,” you interrupt. You don’t know what else to say. You’re going to lose your biggest project yet only five months into your hard-earned promotion. The company is about to go into a rough patch and your job will probably be the first one to go should that be necessary. The faces of your parents and your sister, who has yet to finish university, flash through your mind. You cannot lose this project. You cannot lose your job now.
“Please. Don’t terminate the contract just yet. Let me talk this over with Mr Min first. I promise you won’t regret it. We’ll figure this out.”
It stays silent on the other end of the line for a few seconds. You pray your little plea has reached somewhere in his heart where he would give it some time.
You hear a sigh. “Okay, Miss ___. You get three days. Our situation calls for an immediate withdrawal. I can’t give you any more than that.”
You let out a relieved breath. “Thank you, Mr Jung. I will get back to you on this. Thank you for having some faith in me.”
Your reply earns you a soft rumble on the other side. It may have even been a low chuckle. You shake your head. This was still Hoseok you were talking about.
Yoongi turned out to be unavailable for the rest of the day, which killed you. This scandal had already put a lot of stress on the company as well as him as the CEO. You longed to at least speak with him, for both of your sakes, but that was going to have to wait: you were going to support him in another way. With Yoongi occupied fully, you were going to have to think of a solution for the GD Fashion account on your own. He hadn’t reached out to you, which means he trusted you. Hell, even Hoseok more or less put faith in you. Now you had to follow their example.
Even with how bad the situation turned out to be, you decided you’d continue to project on your own and to the best of your abilities. Determined to let this project run smoothly, you had made an appointment with your task’s subject. With a fashion event taking place in the city this week, Hana had flown over and you weren’t about to let this opportunity slip through your fingers.
With purpose in your step, you walk through the doors of the hotel you were supposed to meet. Hana had warned you about the little wiggle room she had in her schedule, but you had come prepared. Your idea would only take a couple of minutes to pitch.
After announcing your arrival for your appointment at the hotel’s front desk, you take a seat in one of the comfortable chairs in the lobby. You sit there for a couple of minutes, shuffling through your notes, before hearing a small whistle. You look up from your papers to see a familiar figure approaching you.
“Hey, ___. Didn’t expect to find you here,” he says, playfully.
“Jungkook.” You frown. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He shrugs. “Just here for work.” He makes his way to the seat next to you. “So,” he starts. “I was sorry to hear about all the drama going on at Bangtan.”
You push back the urge to roll your eyes and let out an amused huff. “Like you mean that.”
“I do, actually.” He leans forward, elbows dipping the fabric of his pants above his knees. “It’s not like I want to see other people fail. I’m not heartless.”
You’re ready to let out a scoff once more, but catch yourself when movement catches your attention. A woman approaches. “Miss ___?”
You rise, ready to leave Jungkook before he is able to start moving onto more dangerous conversational territory.
“Hey, ___,” Jungkook calls out. You turn back toward him reluctantly. “Our company is always on the lookout for talent. Especially with Bangtan’s issues... I could put in a good word for you.”
It takes a lot of effort to keep your jaw in place. You shake your head, not quite believing what you’ve just heard, before silently making your way to the lady who called your name. So, that was what he came for, you think, disappointed, but not surprised. He wanted to coax you into switching sides. Should’ve known that asshole had an alternative motive for talking to you. He reminds you of a vulture, hovering and circling, waiting for its meal to fully surrender so he can pick on the bones left behind.
But no time for that now. You clear your throat and introduce yourself to the woman that introduces herself as Hana’s assistant. You focus on your task at hand. That’s all you can do right now to help the company. And Yoongi.