Unexpected - Park Jimin

Chapter 15: First challenge

"So..." Jia looked at you with a funny look on her face. "Yoongi," she chuckled, "Showed up in my office." Your eyes grew wide, he had really pulled through with this... "His idea was-" she stopped in her words, a chuckle escaping her lips."-promising." A big smile appeared on her face, as she couldn't keep her straight face anymore. "Your album will have more songs than expected-". You were sitting on the edge of your chair, waiting anxiously for her next words, tapping your foot impatiently. She grinned. "Jiaaaa, stop the waiting! Tell me already!".

"Your album will have more songs since you will have songs with every BTS member." A big smile lit up your entire face. "Of course there'll be a song with all of them too," Jia was smiling like crazy now, obviously as excited as you were about the news. She had become a friend of yours and you could tell that she was really happy with how things were turning out for you. "Oh my god! Thank you so much Jia!" you squealed and pulled her into a hug. She laughed and gently pushed you away again. "We're not done with this meeting yet," she announced, straightening her posture while flattening out invisible wrinkles on her blazer. A more serious look appeared on her face, making the smile on your lips dim down the slightest bit. You both sat down again and Jia folded her hands over the table. "Do you know yet if you want to write all of the songs? I mean, your solo ones? Bangtan will, of course, help you with the songs you will do together."

You nodded, "If I want to be successful-" you sighed, "I shouldn't write all of the songs. It would be too hard and the overall quality of the songs would diminish. I want to show the very best of my songwriting capacities only. I don't want to make anything half-heartedly. So I'll write a few songs, but I'd be grateful for Big Hit's help."

"You made a good choice," Jia nodded, smiling softly before laying her neat silver pen back down on the wooden table.

"Sadly-" Jia's face became a bit worried, her sharp brows furrowed the slightest bit on her wrinkle-free forehead. " I don't only have good news."

You gulped and a knot had formed in your stomach when you saw the look on her face. Jia was normally very good with her poker face, so seeing her even the slightest bit worried made you feel like you were standing at the edge of a cliff waiting to be pushed down. You were wondering anxiously what she was going to tell you. Jia looked unsure of what to do but ended up pulling out a file from under her desk. "Jia, spit it out already," you mumbled as if to yourself but loud enough for her to hear. She opened the folder and laid it out in front of you, before leaning back into her black leather chair, waiting for your reaction. 

Shit.

The knot in your stomach seemed to triple, making you struggle to keep your breathing steady. This was exactly what you had feared. 

A picture of you...

You and a certain someone. 

As sharp as it could get.

"These gosh darn smartphones," you managed to mutter, voice just more than a breath as you were holding back tears, your wide eyes taking in what laid in front of you. Jia's expression seemed neutral but you could feel pity radiating off of her. She didn't know what to do to comfort you since she was at the same time supposed to scold you. She was visibly torn between acting like a friend and acting like your manager, fiddling with her fingers for the first time in front of you. She opened and closed her mouth again, thinking of what to say before finally breaking the silence.

"We were lucky. Someone sent us this picture and didn't leak it. We paid the person to keep their mouth shut, but we don't know if there's more coming. I hope not. We didn't tell Jimin anything about it, it's up to you," she said softly, wanting to reach for your hand to rub it soothingly but remaining still in her seat. 

"Thank you" you murmured, still shell-shocked about the picture. "Needless to say-" she now looked sternly at you, folding her arms over her chest to strengthen her resolve. "This can't happen again." You nodded in response, keeping your eyes down in regret.

Jia sighed regretfully, "It's not everything-" you looked up at her, concern marking your features, your eyes wide. 

"The company is considering another female trainee. We can't promote you both... We'll have to choose ". The knot in your stomach was unbearable now. You were anxious, to say the least. 

Jia looked at your weakened, discouraged state, worry getting the best of her. "It will be you. I believe in you okay? I still do," she grabbed your hands and squeezed them tightly. "You f**d up, but I know that you won't let it happen again. She got a headstart because of your mistake. A headstart that might be fatal, but you can still win this." You nodded weakly, glossy eyes not daring to look up, your expression worried and concerned. "Is she good?" you asked under your breath and Jia sighed before nodding slowly. "Yes. Very.".

"But you are better. You have more potential and personality. You have what it takes to become the next big idol," she tried to reassure you in vain as you kept your gaze on your lap. "Confidence is what you need right now. Confidence is key. If you let her walk all over you she has already won. It won't be easy, but I believe you can do it. Plus-" she grinned, trying to cheer you up "You still have Bangtan's support, don't forget that either." A soft smile appeared on your lips as you thought of your friends. It was true that they had been your ray of sunlight this far. "What will happen now is that we will continue to develop both of your projects until we can make out which one will be more successful," Jia explained. You swallowed hard, finally looking back up at Jia with a weak smile. You were worried about your new rival, but you knew you shouldn't lose your time by thinking about her. You'd have to concentrate on yourself and your work, hoping to have the upper hand in the end. 

"Is that everything for today?" you asked and Jia nodded, giving you the permission to leave for the rest of the day which wasn't much anyway considering the fact that it was already late in the afternoon. 

After a short, disheartened goodbye you left the office, pulling your mask over your nose and your hood over your head, not wanting to be recognized by anyone as you silently strolled down the busy streets of Seoul, music blaring loudly in your ears.