The Best Thing I Ever Did

She's not just here

Mina

I woke up to noise.

Not the bad kind, no shouting, no panic—but the soft chaos of everyone being awake at once. Cups clinking. Someone laughing too loudly. Footsteps moving back and forth like the dorm had suddenly remembered how to breathe.

I blinked, still half-lost in sleep.

Then my phone buzzed.

I frowned and reach for it.

Manager-nim:
I’m back. We’ll talk later, Mina. Get some rest

My heart skipped.

Back…?

I sat up too fast, dizziness rushing in. The room felt unreal for a second like I was still dreaming. My hands trembled as I refresh the message again and again afraid that it will disappear.

They didn't.

Before I could process it, the door opened and Jihyo walked in.

She looked tired—but lighter. Like someone who had finally set something heavy down.

“You’re awake,” she said softly.

I swallowed. “Jih… what’s going on?”

She didn't answer right away. She just came closer and sat beside me on the bed.

"The President backed off." She said calmly. "Your manager's back and he won't interfere with your personal life anymore."

My chest tightened.

“…Why?” I whispered.

Jihyo exhaled, then told me everything.

About the office.
About the confrontation.
About the warning.

About how close she came to burning everything down—for me.

I didn’t realize I was crying until my vision blurred.

"I didn’t want you to—” My voice broke. “I didn’t want you all to fight because of me.”

Jihyo pulled me into her arms immediately. “Too late.”

That was when the door burst open again.

Sana, Momo, Nayeon, Tzuyu, Chaeyoung, and Dahyun all piled in like they’d been waiting for permission to exist in the same space.

Sana hugged me from the other side.
Momo patted my head awkwardly but sincerely.
Nayeon handed me tissues like she’d prepared for this exact moment.

I cried harder.

Not because I was alone.

But because I wasn’t.

Tzuyu crossed her arms, face completely serious. “Honestly, unnie, if he didn’t stop… I was ready to burn his office.”

I hiccupped through a sob. “You—what?”

She nodded. “Metaphorically. Or not. Depends.”

Chaeyoung grinned. “I was thinking of getting a really scandalous tattoo and blaming it on company stress.”

Jihyo snorted. “That would cause chaos.”

Dahyun clasped her hands together earnestly. “I was going to pray nonstop for the president’s enlightenment.”

She paused. “Very aggressively.”

Despite everything, after a very very long time a laugh slipped out of me.