Chapter Text
★ ★ ★
Choi Beomgyu wasn’t one to complain, but he absolutely hated his job. He desperately despised everything about working in a corporate office, but his parents wanted him to have a stable income- something music couldn't give him. So, he grins and bears it, and trudges through the trenches of paperwork, meaningless meetings and strict deadlines for the sake of his mom’s heart.
It’s not like he can’t play guitar as a hobby, or that's what his dad always told him, and Beomgyu was grateful to have enough time for that, but it wasn’t enough. Beomgyu craved more- more peace, more music, more support for his craft. Maybe that’s what led him to record an original song (with the help of his best friend Kai). Maybe that's why he was staring at his computer screen, hovering over the upload button.
Beomgyu takes a breath. Click!
‘Maze In The Mirror- original song by Ben Bear’ successfully uploaded.
Beomgyu slams the laptop shut and heads to bed. It’s not like anyone will see it, anyway.
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Ping!
New email from: [email protected]
Beomgyu groaned. “Not this guy again,” he thought. He always dreaded his colleague’s emails. Despite never speaking to the man outside of the messages in his inbox, Beomgyu had decided that, along with every other employee in the fourteen-story office building, Kang Taehyun was just another nuisance in his daily routine. Another reminder that he was stuck.
Beomgyu opens the email.
Choi Beomgyu,
I’m emailing once again to remind you that your paperwork for last quarter is overdue. If I have to do it myself again, I will be reporting you to HR. You have until Wednesday morning.
Thank you,
Kang Taehyun
Accounting Dept.
Beomgyu swears under his breath. He groans again, even louder.
“Dude, what is up with you today?” Choi Yeonjun, his desk mate interrupts, earning yet another groan from the younger man.
“Kang Taehyun, that’s what's up with me! He literally gave me an ultimatum to get all of my paperwork for last quarter done by WEDNESDAY MORNING or else he’s gonna report me to HR!” Beomgyu pulled at his hair in frustration.
Yeonjun scoffed at the other. “I mean, technically you were supposed to have it done on Friday so… I don't think he's being too unreasonable.” Yeonjun holds back a laugh.
“Jjun, I know you’re literally the only person I respect in this godforsaken company, but could you please shut up? I’m trying to wallow here.”
“You’re worrying too much! Plus, Soobinie is the head of HR, so you have nothing to worry about.”
Beomgyu rolls his eyes. “You better not let Soobin hear you call him that. Plus, he’s so strict! You’re literally the only person he gives slack to, not to mention, he’s like, Kang’s best friend or whatever.” Beomgyu pauses. “I’m so screwed.”
Yeonjun laughs at his friend’s outburst. “Well! I’m going to lunch but you should probably work through your meal if you wanna get this done! Good luck bestie, bye!”
Beomgyu scowls as the older leaves. He slams his head on the desk. It’s gonna be a long day. He texts Yeonjun to bring him a coffee from the cafeteria.
★ ★ ★
It takes Beomgyu the entire rest of the day to even get halfway done with his paperwork. He rides the train a little later than usual, shoving his headphones in and searching for a new radio show- his old favorite went off air last week.
New show alert! The Ride Home with DJ Terry is starting now!
Beomgyu tunes in.
“Um, hello everyone, you’re listening to The Ride Home, I’m your host, DJ Terry! This is my first time ever doing something like this, but I think that everyone needs some comfort at the end of a long day at work, and I was inspired by a song I found on youtube a couple nights ago to start this show. So, without further ado, we’ll start off with the song that brought The Ride Home into being: Maze in the Mirror by Ben Bear!”
Beomgyu stops breathing. He checks the listener count- 93 people are hearing his song right at this moment. He knows he’s going red. In the grand scheme of things, Beomgyu knows that 93 people isn’t a lot- but it’s more than he thought would ever hear him.
The final note fades through the airwaves. Terry continues talking.
“I really love this song, it’s so raw and describes a feeling that I think a lot of people are afraid to talk about. I heard this song at around 2 in the morning when I was trying to find something to lull me to sleep, but, after listening to it, I stayed up another hour just thinking about how I could mirror- see what I did there- the raw emotion that Ben Bear portrays. I want to learn to be open like this, and this show is the result of that thought. So, Ben Bear, wherever you are, I hope you know I heard you. And as a response to your song, I don’t know who you are, but if no one else tells you, I won’t give up on you.
Now, up next, we have Paper Hearts by Tori Kelly, and we have some Twice and Justin Bieber coming up later in the show! Stay tuned!”
Beomgyu was stunned, to say the least. Tori Kelly’s sweet vocals faded into a soundtrack of his overthinking. He never thought his music would make this sort of impact on anyone but himself. He had always wanted to be a star, but he thought that dream was long past possible.
And yet, here he was, fighting the emotion threatening to spill out of him as the train tracks rumbled under his seat. He had to get it together- he was going to cause a scene.
“I heard you,” the host- DJ Terry- had said, “I won’t give up on you.” Fuck, it was a good thing it was almost Beomgyu’s stop. He could barely hold it all in.
Beomgyu got off the train and followed Terry on twitter when he got home. He shot the radio host a dm before he went to bed- maybe he’s finally made a friend who understands him.
★ ★ ★
Beomgyu left his paperwork on Taehyun’s desk on Tuesday evening, after the younger was already gone for the day. Just to be the menace Beomgyu prided himself to be, he made sure to leave a message for Taehyun to find.
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And that was the start of a routine- Beomgyu listened in every Monday to The Ride Home, always sending the host dms on twitter after it aired. He kept making secret songs, saving them for the perfect opportunity to post them, and kept his rivalry with Kang Taehyun going strong. With the help of DJ Terry, Maze in the Mirror became an underground hit in no time. But it was just the beginning of it all.
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