BEHIND THE SCENES

chapter 60: when i'm falling

<OST: Boom Boom - Hong Dae Kwang>

Jieun dragged herself into the KNJ News Building later that day, for the first time in a few weeks.

Letting out a sigh, she hopped into the elevator and proceeded down the familiar-looking corridor. Taking a deep breath, she put on a huge smile and pushed open the doors. Instantly, she was greeted by an unusually solemn atmosphere in the office. No one even lifted their heads as Jieun walked into the office, even though they had hardly even seen her for a pretty long time.

Finally, Jieun spotted Hyejin near by her.

"Oh-" Jieun lifted up her hand. "Hyejin-ssi-"

"Oh, Jieun-ssi-" Hyejin said distractedly, barely paying Jieun any attention. "Sorry, I have to head out in a couple minutes - I'll get back to you perhaps tonight? So sorry!"

"Oh, no, no-" Jieun shook her head, feigning a smile. "Of course, sure - don't worry about me. Go ahead, Hyejin-ssi."

The more Jieun walked around the office, the more and more weirded out she got.

"Hoseok sunbae-nim!" Jieun called out as she tapped him on the shoulder. "I'm back!"

"Ah, Jieun-ssi-" Hoseok held up a hand, barely looking at her - unlike his usual self. "Sorry, I'm busy with something - I'll talk to you in a bit."

Jieun frowned as she took her seat at her desk - her desk that had been empty for the past few weeks.

"Jieun-ssi!"

Finally someone who wasn't busy. Jieun turned around with a bright smile.

"Jieun-ssi-" Chungha rushed past her, holding a whole stack of papers. "I'm so glad to see you back. Not on duty today?"

"He's at the company, practising hard for an upcoming gig-" Jieun frowned as she scanned the office. "Sunbae-nim, what's up with everyone today? Why does the atmosphere feel so... tense?"

"Ah-" Chungha chuckled softly as she stapled the documents together and slid it onto Hyejin's table. "This? There have been way too many cases to handle lately, we're all kinda stressed out about it."

"Ah, I see..."

"How have you been, Jieun-ssi?" Chungha asked with a smile, barely glancing in Jieun's direction. "I haven't been keeping tabs on you lately because of how busy I've been. Any new updates...?"

Jieun thought for a while about Jungkook and Jennie's situation. She did have a lot to say, but she didn't know whether or not to say it. She knew she could trust Hoseok and Chungha - the both of them had kept her secrets for her over and over again, even that time when they could have made a huge scoop out of her being the female lead of the toilet incident with Jungkook. But they didn't, and that was enough to make Jieun trust the both of them with anything from then on.

"Actually-" Jieun pursed her lips and nodded slowly. "I do have something I need to consult you about."

Chungha let out a small gasp as she glanced at Jieun briefly. "Wait, really?"

Jieun hesitated, before nodding. "Yeah."

"I have to hear it out, it seems like a huge one-" Chungha pursed her lips as she thought for a while. "Can you wait for me for a bit? I'll settle this paperwork and meet you in the coffee room in ten minutes."

Jieun nodded her head slowly.

-•-•-

"Yoongi, hi!"