Enchanted (Bbangsaz)

21

Minji stepped into the studio, her heart still racing from the photoshoot she had just abandoned. She barely had time to process the emotions swirling inside her when she saw Jennie waiting for her, arms crossed and a look on her face that said everything. The tension between them was palpable, and Minji knew she couldn't avoid it. Not this time.

Jennie's eyes narrowed as soon as Minji walked in. "Sit," she commanded, her voice cool but with an edge to it.

Minji's stomach twisted, but she did as told, sinking into the nearest chair. The silence between them stretched longer than it should have. She tried to brace herself, but she could feel Jennie's frustration thick in the air.

"You walked out of a photoshoot, Minji. In the middle of it," Jennie said sharply, her voice cold but controlled. "Do you realize what that looks like?"

Minji swallowed, trying to find the right words. "I had a reason," she started, but Jennie didn't let her finish.

"I don't care what your reason was!" Jennie's voice broke through, sharp and impatient. "You just left. Do you have any idea how unprofessional that looks? You can't just drop everything."

Minji's jaw clenched. "I wasn't just dropping everything. Hanni needed me. She was freaking out, and I couldn't just ignore her."

Jennie let out a frustrated sigh, shaking her head. "And what about your commitments? What about the people who are depending on you? Your team? Our whole staff? You can't just act on impulse every time something goes wrong in your personal life. This isn't high school anymore, Minji."

Minji's chest tightened at the mention of high school. "I know. I'm not a kid anymore. But this is different. It's Hanni. She's... she's important to me."

Jennie took a deep breath, clearly trying to control her anger. "I get that. I do. I'm not blind. I know what's going on with you two, but you need to learn how to juggle it. You can't just throw everything away because of one situation. You can't be impulsive like this."

Minji leaned forward, frustration creeping into her voice. "So you're saying I should've just ignored her? Let her deal with it on her own? That's what you're asking?"

"I'm saying you need to handle things like an adult," Jennie countered, her voice softening just a little, but the disappointment was clear. "You're not just representing yourself anymore. You're representing your team, your career, everything. And acting without thinking isn't going to help you in the long run."

Minji fell silent, the weight of Jennie's words sinking in. It was hard to hear, but Jennie was right. She had let her emotions get the better of her, and now everything felt out of control.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left in that way," Minji muttered, her voice quieter now, more introspective.

Jennie's gaze softened, but her tone remained firm. "You're not the only one who has a career, Minji. And I understand you care about Hanni and she needed you, but you can't act like this every time. You have to learn to prioritize or at least you need to be careful handling things."

Minji nodded, knowing Jennie was right. It wasn't just about her anymore. It wasn't just about her relationship with Hanni, either. It was about balancing it all.

Meanwhile, in Hanni's world, the conversation with her team was far from over. After discussing the potential media fallout from her relationship with Minji, the conversation shifted toward something more personal—her album.

Hanni sat at the head of the table, arms crossed, trying to focus. Her manager, producer, and Danielle as well sat around her, but it was clear that her mind wasn't entirely on the task at hand. Still, the conversation had to happen. The album needed to come together, despite the chaos outside her personal life.