Sauvage | Jeon Jungkook

Twenty-Four

Jungkook

I pet Bam one last time before thanking Maria, the woman who watches Bam while I'm at work and cleans the house twice a week. Closing the door behind me, I get into my car and leave for work.

The sun hasn't risen completely yet, but that's nothing new for me because I always leave at the crack of dawn. I always like to be at the company very early because it's quiet and I don't have to deal with anyone.

We are two months into the new year and I must say that I can't complain. Everything is going as planned, we are actually ahead of schedule. I appreciate everyone's hard work and in fact, none of this would be possible if we didn't have our competent employees.

Jimin and I made the decision to start our own business, to bring our names to the public with our own efforts and diligence. It wasn't always easy, we had very hard times that we got through together.

But it has left its scars.

After taking all the legal and necessary steps to establish Jeon&Park, we couldn't keep up with the already successful advertising companies for the first two to three years, which left us wounded.

My parents as well as Jimin's parents wanted us to join the family business, but that was not what we wanted. So they decided to withdraw all support and help to make us understand how real life really works and that not everything is a colorful dream.

We didn't let them intimidate us, we still wanted to show everyone what we could do and I'm glad we fought through it because now we are where we want to be.

However, it drained me emotionally and I had a hard time coping with the successive defeats in the beginning. It hurt my ego and I didn't want everyone to think about us as a disappointment.

It resulted in me overworking myself, something I can't say I've gotten out of the habit of doing today, but I'm feeling better. Constant rejections from clients resulted in me always adding an hour to my work time.

I was later diagnosed with depression and anxiety disorders. The reason I went to therapy was that I couldn't fight the feeling of inferiority anymore. I still find myself getting anxious when we start a new project.

Social gathering is a horror for me and until this day, I abhor any kind of it. I'm not saying Jimin had it easier than me, but unlike me, he has always been the one to keep us both on our feet with a hopeful and positive attitude. I am grateful for him.

I brush all those thoughts aside, thoughts I have on a daily basis because I still carry that fear of losing and defeat. Pulling into the garage of our company, I park my car and take the elevator to the forty-second floor.

Like every morning when I find the company half-empty, there are still many computers turned off and empty chairs as I walk to my office. Kiyara hasn't arrived yet either, but I allowed her to drop her daughter off at daycare before coming to work. She didn't even have to ask me.

Unlocking my laptop, I get right to work. There are many things to do, but for most of the paperwork, I have to wait for Kiyara. She should be here in an hour, which gives me time to check the emails that have accumulated.

I continue to work until there is a knock on my door. Jimin enters before I can tell him to come in, but I don't mind because it's him. "You're early," I remark, seeing him in the corner of my eye as he approaches.

"You're late." he grins. Jimin usually gets here later than I do, and when he's early, he likes to tease me about it. "Haven't you heard that the early bird catches the worm?"