CHAPTER 2

Kim Taehyung woke up convinced he was about to be fired.

This was not paranoia.

This was experience.

He stared at the ceiling of his tiny studio apartment—peeling wallpaper, a fan that squeaked like it was judging him, and a pile of scripts he hadn’t booked—and sighed.

“Okay,” he told himself. “Worst-case scenario, I get blacklisted. Again. Best-case scenario, he forgot my face.”

His phone buzzed.

A message from Han Jiwon.

Jiwon:

Are you alive?

Taehyung:

Unfortunately.

Jiwon:

Good. Get dressed. Wear something that says ‘I did not assault a billionaire.’

Taehyung groaned.

The moment Taehyung arrived on set, he knew something was wrong.

People were… polite.

The assistant director bowed to him. Someone handed him coffee—hot coffee. His name was spelled correctly on the call sheet.

Taehyung stared at it.

“Jiwon,” he whispered. “Why does my name look… expensive?”

Jiwon peeked over his shoulder.

“…Oh,” she said. “Oh this is bad.”

“Bad how?”

“This is ‘someone powerful is watching you’ bad.”

Before Taehyung could panic properly, Seo Minchae, the makeup artist, waved at him shyly.

“Taehyung-ssi? Your call time changed. You’re second now.”

Taehyung nearly dropped his script.

“Second?” he squeaked. “As in—not last?”

Minchae smiled gently.

“Yes.”

Taehyung looked around, waiting for someone to laugh.

No one did.

From a distance, Kang Daehyun observed the set with military precision, tablet in hand, expression unreadable.

Daehyun was the kind of man who:

* Knew everyone’s contracts

* Remembered birthdays accidentally

* Scared executives without raising his voice

He leaned toward Jungkook.

“Sir,” he said quietly. “Kim Taehyung’s schedule has been adjusted.”

Jungkook didn’t look away from the monitor.

“Good.”

“And the producer?”

“Still employed,” Jungkook replied calmly.

“For now.”

Daehyun nodded.

Jiwon dragged Taehyung behind a prop wall.

“Okay,” she whispered intensely. “Be honest. Did you sell your soul?”

“What?! No!”

“Then why do you suddenly have:

* Respect

* Coffee

* A call time before lunch?”

Taehyung rubbed his face.

“I think… Chairman Jeon remembers me.”

Jiwon gasped.

“Oh my god,” she whispered.

“He’s imprinting.”

“He’s what?!”

“That’s not important,” Jiwon said seriously. “What’s important is—does he look at you?”

Taehyung hesitated.

“…Sometimes.”

Jiwon grabbed his shoulders.

“TAEHYUNG. THAT’S HOW IT STARTS.”

“How what starts?!”

“Every BL I’ve ever read.”

Choi Yunjae noticed everything.

The attention.

The whispers.

The way people stopped laughing at his jokes.

He scoffed loudly during rehearsal.

“Must be nice,” he muttered, “to trip your way into favor.”

Taehyung flinched.

Before he could apologize—because apparently that was his instinct—Jungkook’s voice carried calmly across the set.

“Is there a problem?”

Everyone froze.

Yunjae stiffened.

“N-no, sir.”

“Good,” Jungkook said.

“Then focus on your work.”

It wasn’t loud.

Wasn’t dramatic.

But Yunjae didn’t speak again.

Jiwon leaned toward Taehyung.

“…He just verbally deleted him.”

By noon, the internet had opinions.

📌 StarTalk Live — Trending Thread

Title:

Who is Kim Taehyung and why is Chairman Jeon suddenly everywhere?

Top comments:

🗨️ He’s cute. That’s reason enough.

🗨️ Industry plant?

🗨️ Nah, Chairman Jeon doesn’t plant—he harvests.

🗨️ Why do I feel like I’m witnessing a K-drama in real time?

Reply:

🗨️ If this turns into a romance, I CALLED IT.

Jiwon showed Taehyung the thread.

Taehyung stared at his phone in horror.

“…Why do strangers know my name?”

Jiwon grinned.

“Congratulations. You’re famous-adjacent.”

Later, Jungkook approached Taehyung during a break.

Just walked up.

No entourage.

Taehyung nearly choked on his water.

“Did you sleep?” Jungkook asked.

“Yes—no—maybe?” Taehyung answered honestly.

Jungkook nodded.

“You should.”

“…Sir?”

Jungkook looked at him evenly.

“You don’t owe anyone exhaustion to prove your worth.”

Taehyung felt something twist gently in his chest.

“I like acting,” he said suddenly. “Even when it’s hard.”

Jungkook’s gaze softened.

“That’s why you’re here.”

That evening:

Fan post:

Kim Taehyung smiles like he’s grateful to be alive. Protect him.

Anti reply:

He won’t last.

Somewhere, Yoon Seoyeon scrolled past the posts.

She paused.

Her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“So that’s him,” she murmured.

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