Minji thought she had processed everything, but the more she sat with it, the more her mind spun in circles. She spent the rest of the afternoon pacing back and forth in her room, trying to reconcile the image of her uncles—always the goofy, overprotective figures in her life—with the sudden revelation that they were all harboring feelings for her dad.
Was it normal for them to feel this way? They were her uncles, after all. Sure, they were idols, and sure, her dad was a famous star, but this... this was different.
As if on cue, there was a soft knock at her door. “Minji?” It was Uncle Jungwon’s voice, tentative, as if he was worried she might slam the door in his face.
“I’m fine,” she called back, though the words sounded weak even to her own ears.
There was a pause before the door creaked open, revealing Jungwon standing in the doorway with a sheepish look. “Can I come in?”
She gestured for him to enter, her mind still buzzing with everything she had learned. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. His expression was softer than usual, more earnest.
“Look, Minji,” he began, sitting down on her bed, “I know this is a lot. We never meant to spring this on you, but it was getting harder to hide, especially around Sunoo.” He glanced at the floor before meeting her eyes again. “I... we didn’t want to make things awkward for you.”
Minji ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. “It’s already awkward! I don’t know how to process this. You guys... I never saw it coming. And now you're telling me you've all got these... feelings for my dad?”
Jungwon winced. “I know. It’s confusing, and it’s not something we planned. But we’ve all been through a lot together. A lot of time, a lot of moments—it's hard not to develop feelings.”
Minji crossed her arms, trying to hold onto her frustration, but something in Jungwon’s eyes softened her resolve. “I get it, okay? I really do. But... it’s still hard to wrap my head around. You guys are my uncles. You’re supposed to be the goofy, protective figures in my life. The adults.”
Jungwon chuckled softly, the corners of his mouth twitching into a small, wry smile. “Well, we might be adults, but we’re not perfect.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “And sometimes, things get messy. Especially when you’re spending every waking moment with someone as... captivating as Sunoo.”
Minji let out an exasperated sigh. “I get it. I do. But what now? What happens next?”
“Minji, we don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable,” Jungwon said earnestly. “We just thought you should know. We didn’t want you to find out from someone else or have it blow up in your face.”
She stared at him, considering his words. “So, what, do I just pretend this isn’t a big deal?”
“No, not at all.” Jungwon smiled gently. “But we’re still family, Minji. Whether or not we have feelings for Sunoo, we’ve been there for each other for years. And we’ll always be there for you. No matter what.”
Minji stared at him for a moment, and then something inside her clicked. These were her uncles—she knew them better than anyone. They weren’t perfect, and they might have some feelings that were complicated, but at the end of the day, they were her family.
“You know,” Minji said with a small smirk, “I can’t even stay mad at you guys. You’ve always been weird and unpredictable. This is just... another level of it.”
Jungwon laughed softly. “Sorry about that.”
Just then, the door opened again, and Uncle Jay stuck his head inside, looking slightly nervous. “Minji, we... we want to make sure you’re okay.”
