Stolen Moments | Yang Jeongin

Nineteen

The next day, I found myself pacing around the apartment, waiting for Jeongin to arrive. It was one of those rare days where I felt like I could actually breathe. After everything that had happened with JYP and the mess with management, today felt different—like a small pocket of happiness was waiting for me, and I just had to reach out and grab it.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I rushed to open it, smiling widely when I saw Jeongin standing there with that familiar grin on his face. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and I felt my heart skip a beat. Even though we'd been through so much, his presence still had a way of making everything feel lighter, more bearable.

"Hey, beautiful," he said, stepping inside and wrapping his arms around me.

I snuggled into his embrace, feeling a warmth spread through me. "Hey yourself. How was practice?"

"Busy, as usual," he sighed, but then a playful glint flashed in his eyes. "Seungmin wouldn't stop complaining about the new manager. You're officially missed, Minji."

I laughed, remembering Seungmin's rant from the day before. "I'll have to send him a care package of snacks or something. Poor guy."

Jeongin laughed along with me, but then his expression softened as he looked down at me. "I've been thinking," he started, his tone more serious now, "with everything that's happened, I realized something."

"What's that?" I asked, curious.

"We've never really been on a proper date," he said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

I blinked, a little surprised. He was right. Between managing the group, keeping things under wraps, and the chaos of our situation, we'd never had a real date. There had been stolen moments, shared meals in practice rooms, and late-night talks, but never anything official.

"You're right," I said, a smile spreading across my face. "We haven't."

Jeongin's eyes lit up at my response. "So, what do you think? Want to go on a real date with me?"

My heart fluttered at the thought. A real date with Jeongin? It sounded perfect.

"I'd love that," I said, feeling a rush of excitement. "Where are we going?"

Jeongin's grin widened. "I'll keep it a surprise. Just be ready by seven tomorrow."

I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. "A surprise, huh? Alright, I'll be ready."

We spent the rest of the afternoon together, lounging around the apartment, catching up on everything we'd missed during the craziness of the past few weeks. It felt good to just be together, no pressure, no stress—just us. Jeongin kept teasing me about the surprise date, dropping vague hints that only made me more curious.

But in the middle of our conversation, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen and saw a number I didn't recognize. Normally, I'd ignore it, but something made me pick up.

"Hello?" I answered cautiously.

"Hi, is this Minji?" a warm, professional voice responded. "This is Soojin from StarForce Entertainment. We received your application, and we'd love to invite you in for an interview."

My heart stopped for a second. StarForce Entertainment? The new company I had applied to just last night? They already wanted to talk?

"Y-Yes, this is Minji," I stammered, glancing over at Jeongin, who was watching me curiously. "Thank you for calling."

"We're really impressed with your experience," Soojin continued. "Managing a group like Stray Kids is no small feat, and we think you'd be a great fit to help us launch one of our new projects. Would you be available to come in for a meeting sometime this week?"

A wave of excitement and nerves hit me all at once. This could be it—the fresh start I'd been waiting for. A chance to stay in the industry, doing what I loved, without the complications that came with JYP.

"I'd love to," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm available anytime this week."

"Great! How about tomorrow at 10 AM? We can discuss more details then."

"That works for me," I said, feeling a rush of adrenaline. "Thank you so much. I'm looking forward to it."

After a few more formalities, I hung up the phone, still processing what had just happened. Jeongin raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"That was StarForce," I said, my voice full of disbelief. "They want to meet with me tomorrow. For a new group they're launching. They said they were impressed with my experience managing Stray Kids."

Jeongin's eyes widened, and then a huge smile spread across his face. "Minji, that's amazing!"

"I can't believe it," I said, laughing in disbelief. "It feels too good to be true."

Jeongin stood up, pulling me into a hug. "You deserve this. After everything you've been through, you deserve this opportunity."

I wrapped my arms around him, feeling a sense of relief and excitement. "I guess this means I'll be working with a new group soon. It's not Stray Kids, but..."

Jeongin pulled back slightly, looking at me with that gentle, reassuring smile. "You'll be great, Minji. They're lucky to have you."

"Thank you," I whispered, my heart swelling with gratitude.

As much as I had loved working with the boys, this new opportunity felt like a lifeline. It was my chance to start fresh, to keep doing what I loved without the fear and restrictions that had come with my previous job. And the best part? I could still be with Jeongin, even if it meant we wouldn't see each other as much during the day.

"Now I really can't wait for our date tomorrow," I said, grinning up at him. "We have a lot to celebrate."

Jeongin laughed, his eyes sparkling. "You're right. Tomorrow is going to be perfect."

And for the first time in a long while, I truly believed it.