EDIFICE | tk (✓)

INTERLUDE | kim taehyung

:: FIVE YEARS LATER

Kim Taehyung had been stupidly late for his interview. He had been so stupidly late in fact, that the receptionist refused to allow him access into the company building to attend it. As if that hadn't ruined his day enough, Taehyung was also escorted off the premises by two burly security guards, who had recognised the look of frenzied desperation in his eyes.

Just that morning, he had promised Min Yoongi that by the time he arrived home in the afternoon, he'd have scored himself a new job. Yoongi had laughed his lungs out for a reason unbeknownst to him — at least until Hoseok, Yoongi's boyfriend of three years, had kindly pointed out that he was already fifteen minutes late in leaving.

Hyuk had sent him a sweet text only an hour ago, wishing him the best of luck, reiterating that he was going to blow the interviewer's mind away, all without having to take his clothes off. It had made Taehyung laugh a little too loudly on the bus-ride and earned him a death-glare from the frail grandma who had the misfortune of sitting next to him. She reminded him awfully of Mrs Yi, whom he missed painfully at times.

Another good-luck message from Bogum had brought a smile to his lips. These days, the guy was immensely famous in showbiz and truly, it was well-deserved. Taehyung had never seen him happier and despite the fact they weren't able to meet so often, seeing him on billboards and the sides of buses was a pleasant reminder of his friend's success. 

Namjoon had called the night before to give him courage, with Jin yelling in the background for his boyfriend to relay to Taehyung his wishes too. They had spoken well into the night, catching up on all incidents in the past week or so, ending with a promise to meet soon.

However, it was just Taehyung's luck that despite all these people rooting for him, he had screwed up his first chance. What with working his current job to simply place food on the table and gain experience, definitely not one he could see himself doing for the rest of his life, he had hoped that this interview would be the turning-point to his budding career.

But he had been late. Stupidly, ridiculously late by forty minutes almost. Really, it was not his fault that the bus had chosen today to break down of all days and he had to sprint the rest of the way.

God, he hated exercise.

So here Taehyung was, in the café across the road from the company building, queuing in the line of waiting customers to order the bitterest mug of coffee available to help him get through this seemingly shîtty day. Five years since high school and he was still losing precious opportunities for the silliest of reasons, despite now being armed with a Business degree.

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In these last five years, much had changed. Taehyung prided himself on being a different man to the one he was before. He liked to think he had matured, that he was now truly understanding of his priorities and how exactly to find happiness in his own life.