Mina's Turn

The morning light was just starting to creep through the gaps in the curtains of the window. With a gentle sigh, I swung my legs out of bed and padded to the bathroom. The dorm was quiet, which was rare. Usually, someone was up causing chaos, but I guess the "girls' night out" had tired everyone out.

I took a quick shower, letting the hot water wake me up. After drying off, I walked back into my room to get dressed. That’s when I saw it.

Her grey shirt was lying on the floor right where she’d left it yesterday. I picked it up, shaking my head with a small smile. Another one of my shirt gone. If this kept up, I was going to run out of clothes faster than I could wash them.

I walked over to the closet, in the designated corner that marked for each members I folded the shirt and placed it gently on Jihyo’s side.

As I turned back to my dresser, my mind drifted back to last night. To the quiet moment after we’d made love, when the room was dark and the only sound was our breathing.

I could still feel the phantom sensation of lying on top of her. She was on her back, and I had rested my head right on her full chest, listening to the steady thrum of her heartbeat. Her skin was soft and warm against my cheek. One of her hands was running through my hair, her fingernails scratching lightly against my scalp. It was soothing. Hypnotic.

I had never felt that peaceful in my entire life. All the stress of the job, the fear of messing up, the pressure of the schedule—it had all just melted away.

"Did you see the look on Mina's face when I broke the news about tomorrow's meeting?" I had whispered into the dark. I felt guilty just thinking about it. "I broke her heart before it was even her turn."

Jihyo’s hand didn’t stop moving. She kept stroking my hair, her touch rhythmic and calming.

"How perfect can you be?" she’d whispered back, her voice vibrating through her chest. "Nothing gets past you, does it? Even the things we try to hide."

She had kissed the top of my head, her lips soft. "She was probably looking forward to some alone time with you. She’s been counting down the days. You know Mina... she might not show it loudly like Sana or Nayeon, but she has a huge crush on you already."

I had smiled against her skin. "Really?! So, I was thinking... maybe I should arrange a date night with her. To make up for it. It can’t be too fancy, though. My account is still frozen, and you know JYP pays me with dirt. But I want to treat her nice."

"Gosh, you're too cute," she had laughed softly, the sound rumbling under my ear. "But if you want, maybe I can help you with that."

I had tilted my head to look up at her. "You?"

"Have you heard of Otsu Seiromushi?" she had asked. "It’s a Japanese restaurant. One of my friends co-owns it. He owes me big time because the picture we posted on Instagram when we went there gained them massive popularity. They have a private rooftop table. It’s really popular among celebrities for secret dates."

She had tapped my nose. "You don't have to pay a dime. It’s all inclusive. Just let me know when."

I had stared at her, overwhelmed by her kindness. "You would do that for me?"

"Absolutely," she had said without hesitation. "For you and for her. I'm the leader, remember? Taking care of them is in the job description. Making sure they are happy... that includes their love life, too."

I had sighed, feeling a wave of gratitude. "Okay. That sounds amazing. But... do you have any tips? To make the date more special? I want to make sure I don't mess it up."

Jihyo had stopped stroking my hair. She’d looked down at me, her expression serious but full of affection.

"Okay, now you are pushing it," she had teased gently. Then her face softened. "Listen to me, John-ssi. Since you got here, I've been testing you. These girls and their happiness mean everything to me. I can't let just anyone into our lives like this. So, the man who gets to date all nine of us needs to be suitable. He needs to be perfect."

She had smiled, her eyes crinkling. "So far, you've been doing an exceptional job. You care. You notice things. That’s rare. So, trust your gut. I'm sure she'll love whatever you do, as long as it's you."

She had leaned down, kissing my forehead. "Now, stop with the puppy eyes and kiss me."

The memory made me smile as I pulled on a fresh pair of jeans and a hoodie. Jihyo was right. I just needed to trust myself.

Today was going to be a busy day. We had the early meeting about the fanmeet—the one that had ruined Mina’s weekend plans. I had to sit through that, pretend to be the professional manager, and then somehow pivot into being the perfect boyfriend for a shy, elegant princess.

I checked the time. 7:45 AM.

I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and opened my bedroom door. Time to face the music. But tonight... tonight was going to be for Mina.

The atmosphere in the dining room was heavy enough to crush the table. Usually, this place was a chaotic symphony of laughter, clinking silverware, and shouting. Today, it felt like a funeral home.

I sat in my designated seat at the head of the table, looking down the line of girls. Nayeon was resting her chin on her palm, staring blankly at a plate of untouched toast. Jeongyeon was aggressively stirring her coffee, looking like she was calculating the trajectory of a thrown mug. Even Dahyun, the resident energy pill, was slumped over her fruit bowl, her eyes half-closed.

We were all probably thinking the same thing: ten different ways to murder Park Jin-young and get away with it. I was currently drafting number four in my head. It involved a very complicated set of dominoes and a rubber duck.

But as the manager, I couldn't let them wallow. It was my job to pick up the pieces, even when JYP was the one smashing them.

I cleared my throat, tapping my fork gently against my glass. Cling, cling.

The sound cut through the gloom. Nine pairs of eyes shifted toward me.

"I know," I said, keeping my voice soft but firm. "I know everyone is resenting this morning. The last thing you want to do on a Sunday is sit in a boardroom. Trust me, I get it. If I could cancel this meeting, I would, but it’s top priority. The fanmeet is a big deal."

Silence. Jeongyeon took a long, dark sip of her coffee.

"So," I continued, trying to inject some brightness into my tone. "How about this? As an apology for ruining your weekend, I will treat you guys to a breakfast of your choosing. Anything you want. My treat."

Jeongyeon slammed her mug down. "Oppa, stop. JYP is already paying you shit. We all know it. We won't let you spend your last won on us."

"I'm serious," I insisted. "I want to do it."

"Absolutely not," she said, crossing her arms. Her face was stern, but I saw the warmth in her eyes. She was protecting me.

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Okay. How about... JYP's money?"

That caught their attention. Nine heads snapped up.

"What?" Nayeon asked, one eyebrow raised.

"The company card," I said, pulling the black plastic from my wallet and waving it slightly. "Technically, keeping morale high is 'management logistics.' So, technically, a team breakfast is a business expense. Let's call it... a strategic bonding session."

The change was instantaneous. The gloom evaporated.

"Strategic bonding," Tzuyu repeated, a slow smirk spreading across her face. "I like that."

"I want waffles," Sana announced, sitting up straight. "The expensive ones with the strawberries and gold leaf."

"I want the giant platter from that place in Gangnam," Momo demanded, her eyes wide. "The one that serves ten people."

"Done," I said. "Everyone, get dressed. We leave in fifteen."

They scrambled out of their chairs, the room suddenly buzzing with life. Shouting erupted from the hallway about shoes and makeup.

"Girls! Wait!"