Stolen Moments | Yang Jeongin

Fourty

I marched into the JYP building with a fire burning inside me, my heart pounding harder with each step I took. I had been here so many times before, but never like this. Never with this kind of anger simmering beneath the surface, threatening to boil over. The polished floors and sleek hallways of the agency felt foreign now, cold and impersonal. But none of that mattered. I was on a mission.

As I approached his office, the familiar nameplate on the door sent a rush of memories flooding back. But I didn't hesitate. I grabbed the handle and pushed the door open, storming inside without so much as a knock.

"Minji! You can't just—" His secretary, flustered and out of breath, came running after me, but I ignored her, striding straight to the desk where my old boss sat.

He looked up from his paperwork, his eyes narrowing as he took me in. "Minji. What are you doing here?"

"I think you know exactly what this is about," I snapped, standing firm in front of his desk, my hands clenched into fists. "We need to talk."

The secretary stood at the doorway, unsure of what to do. Mr. Kang waved her away with a sigh, clearly annoyed. "It's fine, leave us."

She nodded and quickly closed the door behind her, leaving me alone with him. He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands on the desk in front of him, a thin smile stretching across his lips. "I don't appreciate unannounced visits, Minji."

"I don't appreciate the games you're playing with Jeongin and me," I shot back, my voice steady but laced with anger. "You said you'd ruin us if our relationship went public, and now that it has, you're pulling strings to make sure we get torn apart."

He didn't even blink, his expression calm, as if he'd been expecting this. "I told you the consequences if you pursued this relationship, and yet here you are, acting surprised."

"Consequences?" I scoffed, stepping closer to his desk. "You're sabotaging Jeongin, and for what? Because you're holding a grudge against me? This has nothing to do with him, and you know it."

He sighed, leaning forward slightly. "It has everything to do with him, Minji. I warned you that mixing personal relationships with this industry would never end well. And now look at what's happening. The rumors, the backlash—it's exactly what I said would happen."

"Because you're making it happen," I argued, my voice rising. "You're the one refusing to let him clear his name. You're the one pulling strings behind the scenes to make sure the rumors keep spreading."

He stood up slowly, rounding the desk to stand in front of me, his expression hardening. "If you cared about Jeongin as much as you claim, you'd see that this is for his own good. Relationships like yours are bad for business. You're a liability."

I felt the anger rising in my chest, the frustration bubbling over. "A liability? All because I love him?"

His eyes flashed with something cold and calculated. "Yes. And if you want me to help clear his name, there's a simple solution."

I braced myself, knowing the words that were about to come would hit me hard.

"Break up with him," he said calmly, as if it were the most logical thing in the world. "End the relationship, and I'll make sure Jeongin's career is safe. I'll get the rumors to die down, and he'll move on from this unscathed."

I stared at him in disbelief, my heart pounding in my ears. "You're asking me to break up with the person I love to protect his career?"

"I'm giving you an option," he replied, his voice cold and detached. "A way out. For both of you."

My mind raced, the weight of his ultimatum crashing down on me. I felt my throat tighten, but I stood my ground, refusing to let him see how much his words affected me. "That's not going to happen," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "I'm not going to sacrifice my relationship for your twisted sense of control. I didn't do it the last time and I won't do it now."

He shrugged, clearly unbothered by my refusal. "Then don't be surprised when things get worse. I warned you, Minji. You can't have both."

I felt the sting of his words, the threat hanging over me like a dark cloud. But I turned on my heel and stormed out of the office, not giving him the satisfaction of a response. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I rushed down the hallway, but I refused to let them fall until I was out of that building.

***

When I finally got back to Jeongin's dorm later that evening, I was emotionally drained. I found him sitting on the couch, his face lighting up when he saw me, but his smile faltered when he noticed my expression.

"Minji, what happened?" he asked, standing up and coming over to me, concern etched across his features.

I tried to hold it together, but the moment his arms wrapped around me, the dam broke. The tears came fast, and I couldn't stop them. "I went to see him," I choked out, my voice muffled against his chest.

Jeongin pulled back slightly, his hands on my shoulders as he looked down at me, his brow furrowed. "Your old boss?"

I nodded, wiping at my eyes. "He told me... he told me he'd fix everything. Make the rumors go away. But only if I break up with you."

Jeongin's face hardened, anger flashing in his eyes. "He said that?"

I nodded again, feeling the weight of it all crashing down on me. "I told him no, of course. But Jeongin... I'm so scared. I don't want to ruin you. I don't want to be the reason your career gets destroyed."

"Hey, hey," Jeongin said softly, pulling me back into his arms. "You're not ruining anything, okay? This isn't your fault. He's the one trying to manipulate you, trying to control us. You did the right thing."

"But the rumors," I whispered, my voice breaking. "The hate we're getting online... it's all because of me."

Jeongin shook his head firmly. "No, it's because people can't mind their own business. This isn't on you. And even if it were... I don't care. I'm not letting him, or anyone else, come between us."

I clung to him, feeling the warmth and comfort of his words, but the fear still gnawed at me. "What if it gets worse? What if they won't stop?"

"Then we'll face it together," Jeongin said softly, his hand gently running through my hair. "I'm not going anywhere, Minji. No matter what happens."

I pulled back to look at him, tears still streaming down my face. "I don't want you to lose everything because of me."

He smiled, wiping a tear from my cheek. "I already have everything I need right here."

And even though the fear still lingered, in that moment, I believed him.