You’re led into a TRC PR manager’s office again, much more calmly than the last time you were here. It’s the same manager, but there’s no yelling, and when you enter the office, no other instructors greet you. It’s just you and her, and it’s quiet. The air is still tense, but not nearly as overwhelming as when your last scandal broke.
The manager doesn’t say a word; she just opens the drawer of her desk and pulls out your phone you haven’t seen in months. She hands it over to you carefully. “You’ll want to charge that,” she comments before sighing and clasping her hands together on the desk in front of her once you take your phone back.
“You’ve managed to stay out of the news, and despite some outbursts, you’ve stayed under the radar. You listened to us, and hopefully you learned not to make the same mistakes again. You can consider yourself officially off of lockdown. You can use your phone again and use your time outside of training as you see fit now, but that doesn’t mean we give you permission to act out. Hopefully that goes without saying, but please, Yubin-ssi, continue to be careful. You may only be a trainee, but you still represent TRC Entertainment, and your behavior affects its reputation.”
She lets the words hang in the air for a moment, then nods her head. “You’re free to go now. Thank you.”
It was never a great experience being told she was wanted in the PR office, even as they lead her there. No yelling, no cursing, no anything her body refused to ease his the discomfort and think some happy thoughts. No all she could remember was being yelled, being told she had a ban on her life and her cell phone being taken away from it. It was all an horrible experience, something she didn't want to repeat but it would be her luck. Another scandal hit the news and she would be in the center.
Maybe this is how they could cut her?
Her looming contract renewal had been on her mind for the past two months, everyday felt like it was dragging. If they wanted her out, she wanted it to be done quickly. Just the thought sent her stomach jumping and she had to try and fight back the wave of panic. It had happened like this for the past days, it had only gotten worse. There was no day she hated more then September first right now. She had hated it for being so close but being just as far away.
There was one thing that was clear, the trust in her was still at at all time low.
Even though they saw her to the doors, and she had on hand on the handle. The two with her didn't leave, even as she looked at them they seemed to be waiting for her to step foot into the office before they thought it was safe to walk away. Did she suddenly become a flight risk? And what would they lose if they lost her? What did Yubin Kim add that TRC didn't have?
It was amazing, just how much the scandal had changed the way they treated her. Even as she closed the door Yubin wondered would they be back to make sure she got to whatever lesson's on time. The thought only lingered in her mind for a moment before she turned to the problem at hand. Nothing was said for a while so she moved to sit down on her own, every so often she her eyes would stray back to the manager in front of her but they stayed on her office. The last time she didn't have a chance to take it all, but now it seemed as if she had all the time in the world.
It wasn't something she wanted.
Then she was moving and what could it be? Out of all the idea's she had in her mind, her cell phone wasn't it. There was barely enough will power to keep her jaw off the ground. Was it a trick? But when she reached for it, the woman didn't pull it away from her. Yubin was stunned, too stunned to even think about the other's comment. It could have been an attempt at an joke, a way to smooth things over but it fell on mostly deaf ears. Even the feel of her phone had been something she missed. It was strange, the way it felt now but it was comforting. An old friend she hadn't been able to see in a long time.
Slowly her brain processed the rest of the information the manager was telling her. She looked at the other, trying to give the utmost respect but her mind was on this new development and what it could mean. It might have been a good two or three minutes before she reacted and stood up, a small bow was given. "You're welcome, thank you."
Yubin wasn't sure if the woman was expecting a long speech or anything more but it wasn't her style, it wasn't even something she could think about. As she opened the door she noticed that no one ( thankfully ) was waiting for her outside, she was able to pocket her phone and keep it moving. At least it was lunch, she found herself in the recording studio, her body was moving before she could even think about. Her hands went into her backpack to grab her charger it seemed like it was taking to long to plug it up and for the screen to light up.
Excitement finally died down and she could only stare at the device in her hand, something about seemed to good to be true, her punishment was over but she was sure it was going to last? Did this mean they had given up on her? She endured well until the end but even after seeing her talent, maybe she was too much of the risk for the business to invest too.
Her time was coming up in less than a week. Right now should have been a happy moment, tears should have come down her eyes but she was only left with a bittersweet taste in her mouth, this could be her end.
