It Just Happened That Way || JEONGIN from skz!

15

Jeongin's POV

Thank God. Thank God. Truly, I feel like I can breathe again. Yeona and I are made up now, just enjoying ice cream, just catching up. Everything was back to normal. It wasn't so bad after all — I was just beyond nervous. I was worried that my words wouldn't come out correctly, that something would turn out wrong, or she would take something the wrong way. Silly me for thinking these things — I forgot that Yeona is level headed. She isn't one to misunderstand or to miscommunicate. She's endlessly patient.

"By the way Jeongin, I've always wondered this, and now that the secret's out, I gotta know," Yeona says, interrupting my thoughts.

"What's up," I laugh.

"How are you just out and about like this. You don't exactly have a mask on when you're eating. Don't paparazzi or saesangs follow you and take photos? Your life seems too normal for someone in a group as big as Stray Kids."

"That's true. Lately, since we haven't had a comeback or been performing much, there isn't as much paparazzi. They only come to those events because they technically can't take photos and upload them for other things — privacy and all. Saesangs are a whole other level of violation though. For all I know, there could be one following us right now..." We both glance around, suspecting any person sitting around us.

"Saesangs, I can't do much about that. I just kinda...hope for the best, and hope that other Stays online try to protect my privacy."

"Okay, then what about swarming mobs of fans?"

"That doesn't happen as often as you'd think. When it does happen, it's usually only when there's a schedule, like our flight landing at the airport, or us arriving at a concert venue. I think the bulk of our fans are global, so just number wise, there is less of a potential that a fan would run into me here. I think a lot of Korean fans only know our music, but not really each of our faces. If they do recognize me because they're a Stay and not just a fan, it's not usually a big deal, so I just meet them, sign stuff, take photos. It's not so bad."

It was definitely strange to be explaining all of this with Yeona. I had been trying so hard for the past month or so to hide this whole side of my life from her, and it felt a bit liberating to not have to watch what I say at all times.

She starts giggling a little while I had gotten lost in my thoughts.

"What."

"You know how everyone in the building has to sign an NDA to protect your privacy?" Yeona says, smirking.

"Yeah, so?"

"You know that I had to sign that too, right."

"Oh...my god wait so..."

"Yeah, so basically..."

"Even if you didn't know about me, you would have figured it out because of that form."

We both burst out laughing at my stupidity. How did I forget about that, Jesus Christ.

We throw out our ice cream cups and begin our commute back home, laughing and returning to normalcy. I felt warm and comfortable at last. I was so grateful.