The Surrogate || kth au || EDITING

33

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kim taehyung
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I walked into the graphics department and I noticed that as I walked in everyone went silent. Literally everyone. And that was odd. Because not everyone was at the club last night. I put my things down at my workspace and walked over to Nayeon who was leaned up against the counter, slowly sipping her coffee and dazing off.

"Hey, Nayeon. I just wanted to talk to you about last night...I'm really sorry."

"Yeah, it's fine. I just didn't know you acted like that, you don't seem like the type."

"I'm not! Me and her have bad blood and I lost it. I'm really sorry." I assured her. She sighed in response and began to speak.

"I have to get to work, Y/n. Excuse me." She said before walking off. I felt my stomach sink. Everyone was still looking at us. And suddenly Jennie walked in and sat her stack of folders on the table, beckoning all of us to have a seat. I took my seat and watched her lecture on what the marketing team wanted us to create.

"You'll all be grouped into three for this assignment so we can be more efficient. The deadline is fast approaching and marketing needs results. Don't slack off." She glared at me while she said the last part. "I'm not holding back on anyone who I think isn't taking this project seriously." She said finally before assigning us groups. I was paired with a girl and a guy who I wasn't really familiar with.

I went to our workspace with a few things I had sketched. They were both whispering lowly as I approached but I heard my name. I had a burst of confidence so I decided to confront them about it.

"You said my name?" I asked, putting my hand on my hip.

The guy looked nervous but the girl seemed unperturbed. "Yeah, we did."

"And what was said?"

"Oh cut the crap. Everyone in the office knows you are an unruly single mom. You don't deserve to be in a company like this. I'm sure administration knows by this point and it's only a matter of time before something is done." My confidence quickly plummeted. I felt like my entire life had been out under a microscope.

There was an ugly stigma in South Korea about being a single mom. Women become ostracized, disowned, and some even lose their jobs. I felt helpless all over again, like I had been reduced to nothing all over again.

My mind was moving at such a fast pace, I wanted to know who had spread this and why but I also wanted to cry because I could feel that everyone in the office was against me all at once.

As I stood there in shock I could sense all eyes going on me again. "No one wants you here. Just leave." The girl said to me as if she was pitying me. She spoke to me like I was a child. I felt like a child all over again too.

I rushed out the door, grabbing my bags on the way out. I tried supressing my sobs until I made it outside but I couldn't help it. I cried as I swung my bags over my shoulder in the lobby, no doubt drawing more attention and gaining more embarrassment.

And as I walked outside my tears dried on my face as the cool wind blew. I was still hysterical, feeling even more lost.

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My driver pulled up in front of the headquarters and I got out, grabbing my briefcase. I was already running late, I was tired because of last night. As I approached the doors I saw Y/n outside the building, sobbing like crazy woman.

I quickly walked over. "What happened?!" She looked to see who I was and continued crying. I pulled her into my shoulder and rubbed her forearm trying to console her, I urgently waved my car back over.

I held onto her as we walked back to my car. I opened the door for her to get in and I put up the partition in the car to give us privacy. "Y/n, calm down. Speak to me and tell me what going on. Why are you out here like this?"

She stuttered in between sobs trying to explain. "Every—one—knows." She cried. "They all—hate me." She continued.

"They know what?"

"They know — I have a baby." She finally got out. I concealed my concern.

"Okay just breathe, and calm down." I reassured her. She sat silently sniffling, but as she calmed down I began to get fired up. I know how terrible people can be to unmarried mothers, I can only imagine how it felt to walk in there and feel exposed.

"Okay, now tell me what they said." She told me everything that happened and I felt myself becoming upset all over again. "Come with me."

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Taehyung practically snatched my hand and opened the door and led me inside, he drew a few stares from employees in the lobby. I tried to hide my face as best as I could as he stormed in like a mad man. I figured he was taking me up to his office but when he pressed the floor number for the graphics department in the elevator I got anxious. I snatched my hand away from his.

"What're you about to do Taehyung?" I said, my voice rising with concern.

"What needs to be done. No one is ever gonna treat you like that. Not in my company, what the hell would I be if I allowed that to happen to my only son's mother?"

"No—" my protests became meaningless as the elevator doors opened. He walked out of the elevator and once he realized I hadn't followed behind him he hurriedly snatched me out the elevator.

He aggressively pushed the door to the graphics department open everyone jumped as the wide door slammed against the wall. "HEY!" He yelled garnering everyone's attention. "I see everyone here thinks they're the boss. Like this is some democracy!" After some silence he continued. "THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON IN CHARGE, AND ITS KIM TAEHYUNG. I DECIDE WHO STAYS AND WHO GOES!!" He yelled so loud that a few people that were on the floor came to see what was going on and quickly left when they saw it was him. "I have a question since you all are SUDDENLY SOOOO QUIET! Who here is brave enough to say what you said to her to me?!!"

As expected no one stood up. "Who said it?" He asked me quietly. "Point to them." His chest heaved up and down in rage. I was honestly afraid of what he'd do if I pointed to the people responsible.

"I think they understand.."

"This is not up for debate. Now point." He demanded. I pointed to the two people responsible.

"Both of you are fired. Turn in your work ID's downstairs. I'll make sure you never work at a place like this again, since you deem her so unfit!" He said finally. The two sat in shock, they were glued in place just like the rest of the department. "I SAID GET UP!" He shouted at them, they each got up and left.

"And if anyone else has anything to say about her, you are saying it about me. She is the mother of MY child and if you think I will let this kind of offense pass you are sorely mistaken."

That last part shocked even me. I looked at him in surprise, why would he tell them? He turned and walked away, I followed him out and I saw Jennie in the hallway outside, watching everything unfold. We both stopped at the sight of her. I hope he had a good explanation for all this, because things are sure to become more complicated.

A/N: this chapter was kinda dry tbh. but tell me how you guys feel about what Taehyung did and what you think will come of this?

Do you think Taehyung was right to expose the true nature of his relationship with yn?

Do you all feel bad for yn at all considering all she has to deal with?

Do you feel any sympathy for Jennie and if so, why??

anywho this chapter is dedicated to all of you who comment and inspire me to get off my ass lol! most recently gcfocus your comment amongst others ofc really gave me a push to release the last chapter and motivated me to write another in one sitting!