Jihyo's Turn

I stood in the middle of my room for a moment, listening to the silence. Sana had left a few minutes ago, skipping out the door with a satisfied smile and a spring in her step. I ran a hand through my hair. My lips still tingled, and I could still taste her—the sweet, musky reminder of how the morning had started.

It was the weekend. Finally.

For the first time since I arrived at the TWICE dorm, there was no rush. No 6 AM wake-up calls. No frantic running to the van. The hallway outside my room was quiet. Usually, by this time, the dorm would be chaos with hair dryers and shouting, but today, everyone was sleeping in. It felt like a luxury.

I washed my face and brushed my teeth, trying to wake up properly. When I walked into the living room, the curtains were drawn, letting in soft, morning light.

But it wasn't empty.

Jihyo was standing by the kitchen island. She looked different from the strict Leader Jihyo I saw every day. She looked... soft.

She was wearing a simple, cozy outfit: a soft white long-sleeve top layered over a striped crop top, and comfortable grey shorts. Her hair wasn't styled for the camera; it was pulled up in a loose, messy bun. She was busy plating food.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," she said, looking up with a warm smile. "Or should I say, good afternoon?"

I checked my watch. It was nearly eleven o'clock. "Wow. I didn't realize it was so late."

"Sana kept you busy, huh?" She winked, her eyes crinkling. She pushed a plate across the counter toward me. "I made brunch. Just for us."

I looked at the plate. It was perfect. Fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and toast cut into little triangles. There was even a small cup of fresh fruit.

"Jihyo, you didn't have to cook," I said, sitting down on one of the high stools. "You're supposed to be resting."

"I know," she said, sitting down next to me with her own plate. "But I wanted to do something nice for you. You've had a crazy first week. You deserve a treat."

My heart warmed. This was the Jihyo the members talked about—the mom of the group who took care of everyone.

We started eating. The food was delicious.

"So," Jihyo said, taking a sip of her coffee. "How are you holding up? Truly? No 'manager' talk. Just... you."

I thought about it. I really thought about it.

"Honestly?" I said, poking at my eggs. "It’s been a whirlwind. A completely insane whirlwind. Nayeon was... intense. Jeongyeon was sweet and deep. Momo was cozy and warm. And Sana..." I shook my head, feeling my face heat up. "Sana was fire."

Jihyo laughed softly. "That sounds like them."

"But," I continued, looking at her. "I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying it. I was so worried I would mess up. I thought I would just be... the staff. But I feel connected to you guys. Like, actually connected. I feel closer to all of you in four days than I ever did to NewJeans in a whole year."

Jihyo reached out and covered my hand with hers. Her fingers were warm. "I'm glad, John. We picked you for a reason. We wanted someone who could be part of the family, not just an employee."

She squeezed my hand and pulled back. 

"What about you? How was the recording yesterday while I was gone?"

"It was good. We were able finished the song. I heard you had a wild evening," Jihyo grinned. "And I saw the scratches on your back earlier."

I choked on my bacon. "You saw?"

"I have eyes everywhere, Oppa," she teased. "I'm just glad you're keeping up with them."

We finished eating in a comfortable silence. It felt easy with Jihyo. She didn't demand constant energy like Sana, or deep conversation like Jeongyeon. She just was. Solid and calm.

"So," I asked, leaning back. "What's the plan for today, Leader? Do we have a schedule?"

"No schedule," she said, stretching her arms above her head. I heard her joints pop. "Ah, that feels good. The company gave us the weekend off. But..." She rubbed her shoulder, her face twisting slightly. "My body is killing me. The choreography for this new comeback is no joke. Everything aches." She looked toward the glass doors leading to the balcony. "It's such a nice day. And we have that jacuzzi outside that never gets used."

She turned back to me, a playful glint in her eyes. "I think we should make good use of it. Soak our muscles. Relax."

"The jacuzzi?" I asked. "Outside?"

"Why not? It's private enough," she stood up, taking our empty plates. "Go put on your swim trunks, Manager Oppa. I'll meet you out there in ten minutes."

She walked to the sink, her grey shorts swaying slightly.

"Okay," I said, standing up. "Jacuzzi it is."

I walked back to my room, feeling a strange sense of calm. After the fire of Sana and the intensity of the week, a quiet, relaxing day with Jihyo sounded exactly like what I needed.

The water in the jacuzzi was hot and bubbling, wrapping around me like a heavy blanket. It was quiet out here on the balcony, just the sound of the jets and the distant hum of the city.

Then Jihyo stepped out of the changing room.

I stopped breathing for a second. She was wearing a blue bikini. It wasn't just any bikini—it was tiny. The top was barely holding her full, soft breasts, and the bottoms were high-cut, showing off her strong, dancer's legs.

She looked incredible.

She walked down the steps into the water, sighing happily as she sank down. The water made her skin glisten.

"Don't stare too much, Oppa," she giggled, splashing a little water at me. "You'll burn a hole in my swimsuit."

"Sorry," I said, looking away, feeling my face heat up. "You just look... really nice."

"Thank you," she smiled, swimming over to me. She didn't sit across from me. She turned around and leaned back, settling herself right between my legs. Her back pressed against my chest. "Is this okay?"

"Y-yeah," I managed to say. "It's great."

She let her head fall back against my shoulder, closing her eyes. The water bubbled around us. "This feels amazing. My back was killing me."

I hesitated, then placed my hands on her shoulders. "You said you were aching. Do you want a massage?"

Her eyes opened slightly, looking up at me. "Do you know how to give massages?"

"I actually took a course," I admitted, rubbing my thumbs gently into the tight muscles of her neck. "I thought it might come in handy managing a girl group."

Jihyo laughed, a deep, throaty sound that vibrated against my chest. "A massage course? And you say you didn't have ulterior motives when you applied for this job?"

"Hey," I protested, smiling. "I was being proactive! It’s hard work being an idol."