Stolen Moments | Yang Jeongin

Three

"Are you guys ready?" I called out as the boys gathered in front of the big black van that would take us to the airport. They were scattered around like actual stray kids, distracted and aimless. I took the opportunity to count them, just to make sure we hadn't left anyone behind. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... but wait, where was number 8?

"Okay, guys, who's missing?" I asked, the irritation creeping into my voice. We were on a tight schedule, and the last thing I needed was for someone to go missing at the last minute.

"Hyunjin can't find his jacket," Changbin said nonchalantly, his eyes still glued to his phone. I groaned, feeling the tension rise in my chest.

"I'm going to get grey hair because of you boys," I muttered under my breath. "Someone go get him. We have a flight to catch! The rest of you, get in the car!"

The boys obediently climbed into the van, with Changbin finally heading back inside to fetch Hyunjin. Jeongin, however, lingered beside me. He placed his hands gently on my shoulders, his touch both reassuring and calming.

"You should relax a bit," he said softly, his voice a soothing balm to my frazzled nerves.

"Well, I'm the one who'll get in trouble if we're late, Jeongin," I complained, though the tension in my voice was already beginning to melt away.

Jeongin just smiled and pulled me into a warm embrace, his arms wrapping around me in a way that made the stress of the moment seem insignificant. "We'll manage. Come on, let's get inside already," he said, guiding me toward the van as Changbin and Hyunjin finally emerged from the building. The sight of them, jacket in tow, allowed the last of my anxiety to dissipate.

When we arrived at the airport, it was the usual chaos. Fans and paparazzi crowded around us, cameras flashing and voices shouting in every direction. I pulled my hood down lower, trying to make myself as inconspicuous as possible. Even though I had done this countless times, it still felt overwhelming. I wasn't the main focus of attention—thankfully—but the sheer intensity of the crowd was still disorienting.

Or so I thought. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a man managed to slip past the security guards and lunged toward me, shouting my name. "Minji!" His voice was frantic, and for a moment, I was frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

Jeongin reacted instantly. His hand shot out, grabbing my arm and pulling me away before the man could touch me. He quickly moved his hand to the small of my back, steering me away from the commotion as the security guards detained the man.

"Thank you," I mumbled, still shaken. Jeongin didn't respond, but he did something that surprised me—he wrapped his arm around my waist, keeping me close as he guided me through the crowd. His grip was firm, protective, and suddenly, the airport didn't feel so overwhelming anymore.

I was used to Jeongin being protective—he'd always been there for me, whether it was standing up to school bullies or making the lives of boys who broke my heart miserable. But this felt different. He had never acted like this in public before, and I could already imagine the rumors that would circulate because of it. But at that moment, I didn't care. I was grateful for his presence, for the way he made me feel safe.

As we finally boarded the flight, I took my usual seat next to Jeongin. The adrenaline from the airport encounter was still coursing through me, but as soon as I was seated, I felt the exhaustion hit.

"You okay?" Jeongin asked, breaking the silence between us. He took my hand in his, his touch grounding me once more.

I nodded, leaning my head against his shoulder. "Thanks to you," I murmured. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer.

"I'll always protect you," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the hum of the plane. His words sent a warmth through me, one that settled deep in my chest and made my heart race.

Was it possible that I was starting to catch feelings for him? I had never thought about Jeongin that way before, but something had shifted between us. The way he held me, the way he looked at me—it all felt different now. Was this just a phase, or was it something more? Should I worry about it?

As I felt the weight of Jeongin's head rest on my shoulder, his breath warm against my neck, I realized that even if I did have feelings for him, I could never act on them. Our friendship was too important, and I couldn't risk ruining it—or disrupting the group dynamic—over something that might just be in my head. I swore to myself that I would never let him know, no matter how much it hurt.

Before I knew it, the gentle motion of the plane lulled me to sleep, Jeongin's steady breathing beside me a comforting lullaby.

***

When we finally arrived at the hotel, the boys were buzzing with excitement, eager to check out the hotel bar. As we gathered in the lobby, Jeongin turned to me, his eyes searching mine.

"Are you coming with us?" he asked, a hopeful note in his voice.

"I'll join you guys later," I replied with a tired smile. "I just need to take a shower first."

Jeongin nodded, looking a bit disappointed but understanding. "We'll save you a seat."

I watched as the boys headed down to the bar, their laughter echoing in the hallway. Once they were out of sight, I headed up to our room, ready to wash away the stress of the day.

After a long, hot shower, I felt like a new person. The water had done wonders to relax my tense muscles and clear my mind. Wrapping myself in a towel, I stepped out of the bathroom, assuming that Jeongin was already downstairs with the others. But when I walked into the room, I was startled to find him sitting on the edge of his bed, waiting for me.

"Oh," I breathed, clutching the towel tightly around myself. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the air between us thick with tension.

Jeongin's eyes roamed over me, taking in the sight of my damp hair, the towel barely covering me. He'd seen me like this before—we'd grown up together, after all—but this time felt different. There was something in his gaze that made my heart race, something that made me feel vulnerable in a way I hadn't before.

He stood up slowly, taking a step toward me, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. Our room suddenly felt too small, the space between us shrinking with every passing second. His hand reached out, brushing against my arm, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

I was drawn to him, unable to look away from the intensity in his eyes. My mind was screaming at me to pull back, to keep things from going any further, but my body had other ideas. I could feel the pull between us, the magnetic force that was drawing us together.

He leaned in, his breath warm against my skin, and I felt my eyes flutter shut, ready to close the distance between us.

But before anything could happen, the door burst open, and Felix strolled in, oblivious to the moment he had just interrupted. "Hey, do you guys have a charger I can borrow?" he asked, rummaging through my bag near the door without even glancing up at us.

Jeongin and I sprang apart, the spell broken. My face burned with embarrassment as I practically threw the charger from my nightstand at Felix, muttering something about knocking next time. I could barely look at Jeongin as I fled back into the bathroom, my heart still racing.

As I leaned against the bathroom door, trying to steady my breathing, I couldn't believe what had almost just happened. The tension between us was undeniable now, and I wasn't sure how much longer we could keep pretending that everything was the same.

But I knew one thing for certain—I couldn't let this go any further. No matter how strong my feelings were, I had to protect what we had. Even if it meant burying my emotions deep down, where they could never come to the surface.

When I finally emerged from the bathroom, the room was quiet. Jeongin was lying on his bed, his back to me, pretending to be asleep. I hesitated for a moment, watching him, before climbing into my own bed.

As I turned off the light, I felt the weight of what had just happened settle over me. The tension between us was thicker than ever, and I knew it was only a matter of time before something gave.

But for now, I would keep pretending that everything was fine, that I wasn't falling for my best friend. Even if it was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do.