The air in Jimin’s practice room was tense. She had been working on choreography, trying to focus, but the weight of everything—the scandal, the media frenzy, the constant online chatter—was making it impossible. She knew this conversation was coming, but nothing could have prepared her for how suffocating it felt.

Her manager walked in, not even bothering to knock. His expression was stern, lips pressed into a thin line as he shut the door behind him. Jimin stood near the mirror, her heart pounding, already knowing this wasn’t just a casual conversation. 

“We need to talk,” he said sharply, crossing his arms.

Jimin straightened, wiping the sweat from her brow. “I know what this is about.”

“Good,” her manager snapped. “Then you’ll understand why this needs to end. Now.”

She blinked, her stomach churning at his bluntness. “What do you mean by ‘this’?”

“I mean *your relationship* with that girl. Minjeong,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain. “This is over. You can’t keep doing this.”

Jimin’s heart skipped a beat. “What? You don’t get to decide that.”

“I’m not just *deciding* this, Jimin,” he said, stepping closer, his voice low but sharp like a dagger. “I’m telling you what’s best for your career. For the group. The backlash is growing, and it’s not going to get better. The fans are split, the agency is angry, and the sponsors? They’re already talking about pulling out.”

Jimin flinched at that last part, knowing the financial aspect would be used against her. But she shook her head, refusing to let his words shake her resolve. “I don’t care. This is my personal life. Minjeong is important to me, and I’m not going to throw her away just because the industry doesn’t like it.”

Her manager’s eyes narrowed, frustration clear on his face. “You don’t have the luxury of ‘not caring,’ Jimin. You’re not just some regular person. You’re a public figure—an *idol.* Everything you do reflects on the group, the brand. Your *image* is everything, and right now, your image is on fire.”

Jimin’s hands curled into fists at her sides. “I’m more than just an image. I’m a person, and I deserve to live my life the way I want.”

“You’re in the wrong industry if that’s what you think,” her manager shot back. “This isn’t just about you. Your decisions affect everyone around you. The group, the staff, the company—we all get hit when you make a mistake. And this is a mistake.”

Jimin’s throat tightened. “You’re calling my relationship a mistake?”

“I’m calling your decision to be *public* about it a mistake,” he said, his voice cold. “You knew what would happen. You knew the risks, and you went ahead anyway. You’re putting everything you’ve worked for in jeopardy—for what? For some girl?”

“*She’s not just some girl*!” Jimin shouted, her voice trembling with emotion. “I love her. And I’m not going to let you, or anyone, tell me that my feelings aren’t valid.”

Her manager’s expression darkened, his patience clearly wearing thin. “This isn’t about your feelings, Jimin. It’s about reality. And the reality is, if you don’t end this, you’re going to destroy your career. You’ve already damaged it, and if you keep going, it’s going to be irreversible.”

Jimin’s heart was racing, her mind spinning. The pressure, the guilt, the fear—it all threatened to overwhelm her. But she stood firm, her voice steady as she spoke.

“I’m not breaking up with Minjeong.”

Her manager stared at her, his eyes cold and calculating. “Then I’ll do it for you.”

Jimin’s blood ran cold. “What?”

“I’ll have her removed from the picture,” he said, his tone eerily calm. “The agency can pressure her to back off. We’ll make sure she understands that if she cares about your career, she’ll end things. We’ll make it impossible for her to stay by your side.”

Jimin’s heart pounded in her chest, a mix of anger and panic rising inside her. “You can’t do that.”

“Oh, but I can,” her manager said with a cruel smile. “We’ve done it before. You think you’re the first idol to get too attached? Minjeong isn’t in the industry, she doesn’t know how this works. But we do. We’ll protect you, whether you like it or not.”

Jimin’s breath hitched as the reality of his words sank in. He was serious. The agency had the power to control her life, to manipulate things behind the scenes, and they wouldn’t hesitate to hurt Minjeong to protect their investment.

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away, standing tall. “If you do anything to hurt her, I’ll leave.”

Her manager raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing at his lips. “Leave? Do you really think it’s that easy? You think you can just walk away from all of this?”

“If you make me choose between my career and her,” Jimin said, her voice shaking but determined, “I’ll choose her.”

For the first time, her manager seemed caught off guard, his smirk faltering. “You wouldn’t. You’ve worked your whole life for this.”

“I have,” Jimin said softly, her eyes filled with conviction. “But if it means giving up the person I love, then it’s not worth it.”

Her manager stared at her, his expression unreadable. The room was filled with a heavy silence, the weight of her words lingering in the air.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and dangerous. “You’re making a mistake, Jimin.”

“Maybe,” Jimin whispered. “But it’s my mistake to make.”

Jimin stood in the center of her living room, fists clenched at her sides, her body tense as her manager paced furiously in front of her. The air crackled with intensity, like the calm before a storm, but she could feel it coming—the explosion that was inevitable.

"You’re out of your mind, Jimin!" her manager roared, stopping abruptly to face her, his face twisted with fury. "Do you have any idea what kind of disaster you’ve created? What you’re doing to your career? To the group? You can’t keep doing this!"

Jimin’s heart was hammering in her chest, but she stood her ground. “I know exactly what I’m doing, and I’m not breaking up with Minjeong. I’ve already told you.”

Her manager’s face turned an ugly shade of red, veins bulging in his neck as he stepped closer, towering over her. “You think this is a game? This isn’t some teenage rebellion, Jimin! This is your entire life on the line! You’re going to throw it all away for a relationship that *cannot happen!*”

Jimin’s voice wavered, but she refused to back down. “I don’t care. I’m not going to sacrifice my happiness for this industry anymore. I’m tired of pretending. I love her.”

“Love?” her manager spat, his eyes blazing with anger. “You think love is going to protect you fr