11: Surprises

Taehyung stared at his manager bewildered with hundreds of questions in his head, better yet a thousand. When Taehyung met his manager, there was this weird feeling when he got close to her, so weird yet so comforting at the same time. He didn't mind it, all he did was help the lady in distress, turns out it was his manager. And now, that feeling returned again, all mixed up in his head.

Manager Kyung just stared at Taehyung thinking about how she will explain it to him since he has a lot to catch up. The reason why Rina had been hiding her real identity and location for these past few years is something to do with her family. Her two step aunts, from the side of her father, black mailed her, saying that if she doesn't give up the money that her parents earned for her, the same bad guys who brought her to the slaughter house and gave her those terrifying whip marks on her shoulder will come searching for her and will not stop until she's found. Horrible it is that she knows that she cannot escape her fate.

"My birth name is Nara and the name that came out in my certificate is Rina. My parents were pretty shocked when they saw it, thought  that they will sue the midwife who miss heard my name and in the end, it was pretty useful." Rina said, taking a sip of water from a mug. 

"Why were those reporters after you so much?" Taehyung asked in curiosity, he wasn't able to hold the question in since he still have tons of questions to ask, Rina insisted that he will ask anything in his mind to lighten up the confusions. Manager Kyung took a deep breath before answering Tae's question by telling her story.

"I'm not just a manager Taehyung, I was only hired by your CEO Bang Shihyuk because of my experience, maybe sense of perfection to add it up. I was once called, The  Media Prodigy. Why? because I was sent to an Arts and Media school at 5, I barely managed to learn the basics of film making at that time, but it was fun. When I turned 13, I edited my first trailer, then months passed, I became a professional video grapher and photographer. When I reached 15, I got promoted as a production manager, it was weird for little old me to nag such old people, it was also the time when I got viral all over Seoul, but it just shrugged it off. Then at 17, that's when I directed my first drama, and film of course."

Taehyung listened to his manager with his jaw dropped, unable to take all infos of manager in.

" Little did the citizens know, that I left Seoul quietly and fled to the states to avoid my aunts. I continued my career there as a co-director and a script writer, while a person I know spread the news that I was gone for good."

Facing at her trainee, Tae looked like he has another question in mind ans she sensed that it will be a painful one.

"Why did you spread the word in Seoul that you were dead?"

"To hide." Rina answered quietly.

Taehyung's face is filled with even more confusion than understanding, felt like there is still a lot more that manager did not tell him, but his guts told him to stop the questions, because there will be time when manager gets to share her past.

Rina studied her trainee's face and noticed the confusion in his face with a hint of downcast gaze. Rina shrugged and stood up, making the atmosphere brighter.

"Nah, it's no big deal, cheer up Tae, it's just a little old story." Taehyung gazed at his manager who is now smiling, he nodded his head and went to his feet. 

" And best not telling anyone about it alright? I'll be our little secret." Rina grinned at Tae who is now smiling back.

"Okay manager, I like secrets!" 

Rina laughed at Taehyung then rubs his head like a sweet noona. The truth is, when Rina was stuck at Tae's question, she planned on telling him her whole life story. Rina never had anyone become this close to her before, aside from Mr.Bang. Well maybe they all just acted nice because she is manager, some people often do that to her back in her busy years, they all just took advantage of her and then left without leaving a credit

Rina went back to the company with Taehyung, they rode on a bus on their way there. They were supposed to be in a taxi, but Taehyung protested on riding a bus, for less pay for the ride he says. Rina went to her office as Tae hurried back to the dance studio, he recently received a message from a hyung that a lesson just started. Manager Kyung got comfy in her chair and reached for her phone . In speaking of phones, she haven't made a group chat for her and the boys yet, for easier contact so that she doesn't have to text them one by one. In a matter of seconds, the group chat is already made! she kinda got stuck in naming the group chat, couldn't think of any name,so she just typed there the most unique name she finally came up with, "The Group Chat". 

Rina read the group name over and over like a dumb kid, then she questioned herself what it 'the group chat', now she kept repeating that as a question sounding like an over used robot. Few minutes have passed, Rina and her coffee are chilling in her office, having some quality time for each other, Rina having fun consuming it slowly making sure she tasted the bitterness and the sweetness. Suddenly, her phone vibrated. She is surprised to see that her 'the group chat' got its first message.

~Manager? are you here?

Rina's eyebrows furrowed, reading the weird first message that Jeongguk sent. 

"Yeah, why?" "what is it?" she typed in. Strange, it would be an odd way in chatting the first message. There might be something wrong, or they were just looking for her.

~Manager! 

Rina's eyes bulged, her heart beating faster, mind began to create horrifying flashes of the boys taken away by kidnappers?, assassins? or even worse, black mailed?! Rina's hand numbed while typing in the message, taking deep slow breaths in choosing the letters.

"Why? What's wrong?!" she sent the message then stares at the chat, waiting for the reply felt like hours, which made Rina tremble even more, feeling a soft chill in her office. Biting her lip, more terrifying images conjured in her thoughts, the boys tied in ropes surrounded by fire, or worse being struck by painful whips like her. Shaking her head to vanish the thought, she just hoped that everything will be alright, maybe it's just a prank right? They are inside the company, more or less. Besides what could go wrong? 

~HELP US!!! 

A chill ran down to Rina's spine as she read the message of Jeongguk. Without warning, Rina jolted up from her chair, accidentally shoved her mug and fell on the floor shattered, she did not mind the mess what's important is that she gets to the boys immediately. She stormed out of the office, sprinted herself towards the dance studio without stopping. Catching her breath, she hoped that the boys will be okay for the best and wished that nothing will happen to them. The door is a couple of steps away, Rina ran faster and pushed the door open. She was hoping to see the boys okay or else the bad guys will suffer from her wrath, instead Rina shot all the individuals in the studio a terrifying look. There were no blood, no ropes, no fire, no nothing, all she saw is just 6 boys sitting on the air with their hands up and knees trembling while one is having difficulties in doing push ups. The worst part is that a man in his mid 50's is standing in front of the 6 boys with hands in his sides with his confidence and all. One trainee called Rina, she then darted to the one calling her.

"Manager..." Seokjin called, voice trembled along with his knees.

"Akkk!!!" Yoongi cried.

Slowly, the man turned his head at Rina then gave her a sneaky grin.

"Mr. Oh?!" Rina shrieked. All of a sudden her jaw dropped, and questions filled her head.

"Hello, Rina." Mr. Oh greeted.