Birds of a Feather

Chapter 26

Author note: Happy New Year! Hope you are all doing well. 

I'm going to be honest. I have two different plot lines this story may potentially go down. One is a little more light hearted, but the other is the original one. It's the one I had planned on traveling down from the beginning because it represents my own healing journey.

I'm still debating which way to go. So we'll see what happens.

-Book

Walking into the press room feels like a trip to the gallows. Cas isn't sure who decided this set up, but having both packs standing on stage and her walking down the center aisle between the press was not a great surprise. She just had to keep repeating in her head to not trip and focus on the podium because the camera flashes were blinding. Honestly, now she's regretting wearing the heels, just a little bit. Like she's sure she looks amazing, and that the heels make the outfit, but trying to walk in a straight line without falling over while being flash banged wasn't really something she was used to.

To the others watching her walk down the aisle, she looks deadly. Her face is set in a firm expression, neither angry nor happy. It was more like a warrior going into battle. Her padfolio was tucked against her side, being held in one hand. She walks with a purpose and every single photographer there understood that this, this would be the money shot for them.

She was helped up the stairs by Jin, having to play the part of a happy platonic omega. Cas had been coached on her role here. Jin would make sure she made it up the stairs okay, she was to smile and bow to him to show how she valued him as her pack alpha. It was a good thing his back was to the press when he first stood next to her, or his face of surprise and a little frustration when he realized she stood a good 4 to 5 inches taller than him would have ruined the entire effect.

Cas leans in after the bow, smiling and hugging him while hissing in his ear, "Get your shit together."

His arms stiffened around her before letting her go as she turned and bowed to the Big Bang pack. What she had not been prepared for, however, was the fact that they performed horizontal bows back to her. The sound of the camera shutters is deafening as she stands there frozen in shock. Belated, she understands that this was probably withheld from her to get a genuine reaction on her face. She grumbles internally, but keeps a smile on her face as Seunghyun waves her forward to the podium. Her company had pushed that if this conference was to happen, she was the one who would control the narrative.

Cas places her open folder onto the podium and adjusts the microphone to reach her height. Nodding once she looks up and picks a spot on the back wall of the room. Giving her something to focus on while she begins her prepared remarks, "Hello. Thank you for joining us for this press conference. I will begin with a quick introduction of myself before opening up the floor to questions from the gathered members of the media. As you may already know, my name is Cassiopeia Smith. I am 22 years old and originally from the United States. I currently work with an electronics company based in South Korean, the name of which is considered classified information. I am allowed to tell you that my role there is Vice President of the Microelectronics Division, which oversees an additional 30 subdivisions. I have bachelor's degrees in Micro Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Two of those degrees were attained at Seoul National University. I have also obtained master's degrees in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, and Microelectronics at SNU. I currently hold 168 patents with the South Korean Government, 123 of which are also held on the international level. In addition to these achievements, I am the platonic omega for the Bangtan pack."

More pictures get taken here, but Cas takes a steadying breath before continuing, "Kim Namjoon and I were introduced on March 31st of 2012 through Mensa International's pen pal program. I was added to their program after scoring an IQ of 160. He and I remained pen pals for many years. He came to visit me in the US during May of 2015 with the rest of the BTS members. When it was discovered that I had obtained a full ride to Seoul National University, I received the full support of the group to move to South Korea to pursue my chosen degree paths. During this time, I was also interning with the South Korean Government."