Chapter 10 – First hurdle

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Mina

 

“What do you mean I have only this job?” I asked staring at my manager at the cleaning company.

 

“Well you must have pissed off someone really big to be getting this much heat.” He shrugged.

 

“I don’t understand. I didn’t do anything wrong at any of the places I went to.”

 

“That’s not the reason why you are being taken off of them.”

 

I felt the sense of doom I have been feeling since I royally messed things up with Jungkook rise to the forefront.

 

I walked out on V after that disastrous encounter, asking him to make amends with Jungkook for his own damn mistakes. I had done enough already and there was no way I was getting even more involved by going to their place like Jungkook had demanded. At least not straight after going through that heart rendering experience. There was only so much I could handle within a few short hours before I broke. I had sacrificed my relationship with Jungkook so V can save his with him for god’s sake.

 

I knew it wouldn’t be that easy but couldn’t help the hope that rose when everything went without a hitch or without any trace of Jungkook for the last two days. I knew there was no way Jungkok was going to let me walk away after the way he thought I played him but I was hopeful that his silence meant that he’d decided to just simply moved on, as hurtful as that was. It hurt to think that he could move on so easily but at the same time the idea of him coming after me in anger was even worse for my sanity.

 

“It is a major deal Mina, so when the pressure came that one of the cleaners that we sent there was going to have to be you, the management was more than happy to accommodate to get this job under us.” He shrugged as if it was no big deal. But it was a damn big deal. He had no idea. “It’s a full time job, and you’ll be getting a pay rise too. The managements pretty much willing to go a long way to get you to accept this because otherwise we have been warned that they will be seeking services elsewhere. I’ll ask again, who exactly did you piss off?”

 

Yeah, like I was going to tell him that. “Wow.” I whispered, reaching behind me to pull a chair so I could sit down because my legs felt too shaky to keep standing. I knew Jungkook was under Big Hit Entertainment but did he have enough influence in the company to have a say in deciding who their freaking cleaning staff was? I guess he did.

 

For a few minutes I contemplated quitting. There were plenty of other cleaning companies around that I could join but I knew I would be getting a really bad reference from this company if I did so now which meant my only other option would be talking to Alice about Crimson Wings. I dismissed the idea instantly, I wasn’t that low down on my list of options. Yet. Maybe I would have quit if mum wasn’t so unstable right now but either way it wasn’t an option with how things were at the moment.

 

So less an hour later, here I was reporting to the office at Big Hit Entertainment building, to start my new job. I went through the whole process of being signed in to the system to get me access to closed doors and what not, which wasn’t exactly new but what was new was the fact that I apparently had to wear a badge that declared me as part of the staff at all times. I’ve worked at big companies before but this was my first stint with an entertainment company. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that they had a risk of people trying to intrude, passing off as staff.

 

I thanked the guy that sorted me out and went in search of the lady I was meant to be reporting to. All I knew was that her name was Park Sun Hwa, my boss here.

 

“Ms Park?” I asked, interrupting and older looking women in her mid fifties, looking at her staff badge which said she was in fact Park Sun Hwa. She looked up with a clueless look on her face. “My name is Mina. I’m here from the CCS.” When she still looked clueless, I elaborated. “Corporate cleaning solutions.”

 

“Uh right.” She stood up straighter with a disapproving look on her face. I’m not exactly sure how much she knew or how far up the company ladder she was but it was clear that she had a pretty damn bad opinion of me already. Oh joy! “Get to work.” She said, leading me toward where the cleaning aprons and all the cleaning supplies were. “The rubber boots are only to be worn when you are cleaning the toilets. So don’t let me find you walking around in them.” All I did was nod. “Any questions?”

 

“Uh – Where do I start?”

 

“You can start from the lounge on the top most floor and work you’re way down. I’ve already sent the other two of your colleagues to clean up the first and the middle floors.” It was good to know that I didn’t have to clean the whole building by myself. I had been so startled after being told about the change in my job situation that I had forgotten to ask.

 

“Thank you.” I was quick with tying an apron around my self. Then picked up a pair of boots and put them on the bottom of the cleaning trolley. I loaded the trolley with what I thought I may need and made my way to the elevator. So far so good.

 

For the next few hours I worked my way through a number of lounging areas, a few practice rooms and a few dirty showers and toilet areas.

 

I was scrubbing at a particularly stubborn black shoe scruff on a practice room floor, when I heard a commotion as a group of rowdy guys entered. At first they didn’t notice me, I was almost furniture to them.

 

“No that looks like a floppy octopus.” One laughed. “It should be going like this.” He did a poor imitation of a move that looked like someone writhing and jerking while being electrocuted. Everyone laughed.

 

“Octopuses are meant to be floppy.” Another added in.

 

What sort of conversation was this?

 

“No no look, this is the move.” J-Hope repeated the move and everyone tried to imitate as they laughed along not taking him seriously after all the joking.

 

“It still look like a floppy octopus when RM does it.” Jin teased.

 

“You are one to speak.” RM teased back but then he looked in my direction, as if following his lead I felt six more pair’s of eyes turn to me.

 

I stood back up awkwardly. Well hell. Do I say Hi? Do I ignore them like any cleaning personal would do in such a situation? Because I was very well familiar with how the cleaning staff came right at the bottom of the company hierarchy and had pretty mush zero association with the big wigs.  Did they even recognize me?

 

“Jungkook you didn’t.” Jimin was the first to break the awkward silence. I felt like a baboon for ruining their fun mood all of a sudden.

 

I finally managed enough courage to look at Jungkook and saw the satisfied smirk as he took me in, from my ratty t-shirt, loose pants and finally stopping at the now dirty apron on my torso. Yeah, he liked seeing me like this. I grimaced at the hurt and shame I felt. I looked to his side and saw V standing there with his hand over Jungkooks shoulder with a blank expression while he avoided looking at me altogether. At least they seemed to have worked things out.

 

“Fancy seeing you hear Mimi, You look good.” He mocked me with his words.

 

“Don’t call me that.” I snapped. I hate the way he just called me Mimi. It had been a term of endearment between us but he made it sound derogatory now. I knew as soon as the words were out however that it was the wrong thing to do. He was baiting me and it was exactly the way he expected me to react. It was clear on the grin that was spreading on his face.

 

“Did I just get told to shut up by the damn cleaning staff?”

 

“Jungkook what the hell are you doing?” Jimin cut in and moved next to him looking shocked with the way he was talking to me.

 

“I thought you guys were friends?” RM asked unexpectedly. I thought he never liked me but his concern this time was aimed at Jungkook and not my presence.

 

“Yeah a friend who left me to go Tae.”

 

I gasped at his crude explanation as I felt the heat rise to my face while the room fell in to sudden silence for a second before pretty much everyone looked back at V.

 

V lifted his hands up as if in surrender. “Jungkook, I told you nothing happened.”

 

All he did was lift a doubtful brow at V before shaking his head. “Like I said, don’t care anymore.” He turned around and looked at me again. “Get out, we need the room now. You will have to clean after we finish up.”

 

That was a clear dismissal if I heard any. I nodded before packing up my supplies back into the trolley and pushing it out. I kept my eyes down as to avoid looking into anyone. I was almost out the door before my vision became hazy with unshed tears.

 

“Good riddance.” Jungkook mumble and gave the door a small shove with his foot to close just as I stumbled. I caught the door frame to stop myself from falling to the ground just as the door came into close, with my fingers still between the frame and the door. I yelped at the pain and tried to jerk away but the door was too heavy.

 

Instantly the door was pulled open again and I clutched my had to my chest, trying to swallow down the pain. I would be lucky if none of my fingers were broken. I could already feel them tingling as they started to swell. There was no stopping my tears now however. The hurt and pain mixed from Jungkook and my fingers made it impossible to keep my composure.

 

“I’m uh-.” He trailed off with a visible gulp looking from my face to my hand clutched to the chest repeatedly and reached towards my hand as if he was going to touch it. I stepped back instructively trying to stop him from making contact with my hands but regretted it as I watched his face fall along with his hand. His stare was locked on my injured hand now.

 

I looked behind him seeing the other members who stood there watching the two of us. RM Suga and J-Hope looked at me with Pity. Jimin and Jin looked concerned while V just looked plain guilty.

 

RM was the first one to step forwards. “You didn’t do it purposefully.” He said laying a comforting hand on Jungkook’s shoulder.

 

“Yeah, it was an accident.” I agreed with nod and moved my hand behind my back. I hated the way Jungkook just kept staring at it as if in a daze.

 

“If you head down to the first floor, towards the back of the building there’s a medical room.” RM stopped to look at his watch. “If you make it within the next few minutes our physio should still be there. If not get it checked out at the hospital.” He said before pulling Jungkook back.

 

I didn’t stick around to see what he did next. I just nodded and started pushing my trolley away. I heard the door close behind me and gave a sigh of relief as I slumped against the wall. I looked down at my hand. It looked all bruised swollen and ugly already but it wasn’t painful enough for me to suspect of any broken bones. I was lucky for once I guess.

 

I did manage to catch the physio just as he was headed out the door. He was kind enough to strap my fingers before he left. He too didn’t suspect any of them to be broken but warned me to get them checked if the pain got worse.

 

“Mina.” I heard my name being called as I headed up to the second floor.

 

“Yeah?” I answered, hiding my hand behind my back. I didn’t want to be sent home early or anything like that.

 

“The other two left since they started from early morning and since you’re the one that was scheduled to start mid day you will have to stay behind to do the close up cleans.” I nodded already being familiar with this. I usually started mid day to late evening after my classes which meant that I had to clean up after the workaholics who stayed behind late at work before I left. “There are a few office’s and practice room’s that are still occupied, the rest have all been cleaned. So wait until people start leaving to clean them, then you can go. Security will do the locking up so you don’t have to worry about it.

 

*****

 

During the past three hours one by one people started emptying their offices and trainee’s, other idols and dancers left the practice room’s behind to hit the showers. I cleaned up the room’s at a snails pace because my fingers were starting to ache but I got them done nonetheless. All expect the practice room and the showers because BTS was still going at it.

 

I stayed hidden behind in a side room close to the practice room they were in so I could hear it when they came out. It was almost nine by the time I finally started hearing them come out. They were being their loud selves as usual.

 

“You looking for something?” I heard someone ask.

 

“No.” Jungkook answered and I heard their voices fade as they moved down the hallway towards the elevator. I gave it another good ten minutes, just in case before I pushed my trolley into the practice room. I frowned looking around. It looked to be in pretty much the same state I left when I had left it earlier. I don’t know why but I had expected them to be really messy. I emptied the trashcan which was filled with various snack wrappers and food containers and cleaned the floor’s up. That was pretty much all that needed to be done there.

 

I bode my time waiting around before I moved closer to the showers so as not to run into any one of them again. I heard their loud chatter and laughter so I knew they were still there. I parked my trolley towards the opposite end from where they would exit and sat down to wait them out again.

 

While waiting I decided to hit up Alice to see whether she could give me a ride. It was getting later than I expected and the later it got the harder it would be to catch a bus home. I didn’t want to spend all my earning for the day on taxi fare. Besides I knew she was off today.

 

Mina: You free for a pity ride?

 

Two minutes later she replied.

 

Alice: It depends.

 

Mina: Long story short, I got pushed into cleaning at the Big Hit Entertainment building where the devil works.

 

Alice: ! I can just imagine.

 

Alice: I’m free let me know when you finish. I’ll pick you up and we can go to drive through and have a pity party.

 

Mina: Like the time we both had a ty day, parked at the side of road and cried our hearts out because the guy at drive through forgot to give us the ketchup sachets with our fries?

 

Alice: Exactly that kind of hang out.

 

“Hello.” I got so startled that I dropped my phone and winced when my battered fingers clenched on to the phone instinctively. I looked up and met a kind but curious pair of eyes.

 

“Oh hey.” I answered back. “I was just waiting for everyone to finish up at the showers.” I blurted, feeling the need to explain my suspicious behaviour.

 

He shrugged, reaching out his hand towards me. I hesitated for just a second before I took it and he pulled me up from the ground. “So Taehyung huh?”

 

“What?”

 

“Taehyung. That’s you’re type?” He asked with a mischievous grin that didn’t sit well with me.

 

Was this a trick question? “Uh-.” I wasn’t exactly sure how to answer that. I mean let’s be honest. V was everyone’s type. Girl’s love him, boy’s love him, kid’s love him, grandma’s love him, granddad’s love him etc. You get my point. So yes I’ve had my fair share of fangirling over him but I doubted that was what Jimin was asking me about. Somehow saying ‘Yes, but it’s not that simple.’ didn’t seem like a wise move so I just clenched my lips shut.

 

There was an awkward moment of silence while I shuffled from feet to feet that was broken by his laugh. “Yeah, guessed as much.” He mumbled to himself before giving me the wide toothy grin that he was well known for. Honestly I felt a little disorientated with all that dazzle aimed at me, while his hair was still dripping wet from the shower.

 

“You should probably get to the point of this conversation before I embarrass myself by having a terrible fan girl moment.” I confessed. Hell! Bad case of word vomit.

 

He laughed even more. “You’re a fan?”

 

I just looked around, avoiding eye contact so I wouldn’t have to answer but whom was I kidding? There was no way I could keep my cool in this situation. “Yeah, try huge.” I admitted with reluctance. “Been following you guys since the beginning.”

 

“Because of Jungkook?” He questioned, his smile still there and just as blinding. He seriously needed to tone down his charm factor before I melted.

 

“Initially yeah.” But then I had seen and learned about the others and had fallen head over heels in fan girl over every single one of them.

 

“So what’s up with you and Jungkook?” He pried.

 

I felt my guard rise back up and let my silence answer him. He should be asking that from Jungkook so I wasn’t sure why he was having this conversation with me.

 

“You do know how close V and I are right? How we all are?”

 

What the hell did that mean? That V told him the truth? That he knew? But I couldn’t risk it so that too I avoided answering.

 

“If everyone’s done, then I should probably go clean the showers so I can go home.”

 

He looked like he wanted to protest for a second but then shrugged again. “Sure, I was the last one. It’s empty now.” His smile was tentative this time. What an angel, I almost sighed.

 

I pushed my trolley in front of me and saw V standing outside the shower, running a towel over his hair. There went my good mood but can I say, like damn, how can such a casual act be so cool coming from him. I needed a good ing smack up the head.

 

“Everyone’s done?” I asked him, nodding towards the showers.

 

V hesitated a little before he shrugged and nodded. “Yeah.” I thought it meant his guilt but it wasn’t until I was inside and staring at Jungkook, with nothing but a towel hanging low on his hips that I realized I’ve been set up.

 

Oh come on! Give me a break.

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A/N: I wasn’t able to update yesterday like I was planning to so here’s an extra long one to make up for it. Hope you like the little bit of interaction Mina’s getting with the rest too. Jimin, the fairy strikes :)

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