MANAGER | newjeans x reader

Chapter Twenty Four

The kitchen was bright with morning sunlight, but the mood around the table was heavy. Three of the girls sat quietly, looking a bit down, while the others were in a lively debate about what kind of clothes giraffes should wear.

Hyein, noticing the quiet girls, stopped chewing and asked, "You guys okay?" She sounded genuinely worried.

Haerin joined in, "Yeah, you seem kinda sad. Did something happen?"

Hanni, trying to lighten the mood, suggested, "Maybe they had a little argument or something."

Minji, who usually lights up the room, seemed lost in thought. Y/n noticed and gently said, "Hey, Minji, you've got that photoshoot later,
Okay?"

Minji managed a weak smile and nodded before going back to her food, still looking troubled.

After a hearty meal, Haerin, Hyein, and Minji retreated to their rooms for some well-deserved rest. With another day of collaboration practice ahead, it made sense to recharge.

Left in the kitchen were Danielle, Hanni, and Y/n. The atmosphere felt tense, like a balloon ready to burst.

"Dani, why don't you head off? Y/n and I can handle the cleanup," Hanni suggested, reaching for Y/n's arm, but before she could, Danielle beat her to it, flashing a smile.

"Nah, let us do it. You cooked, Hanni. It's only fair we help out," Danielle said, her smile a little too forced. Y/n sensed the tension and awkwardly smiled, unsure of how to diffuse it.

Hanni, crossed her arms feeling irritated at Danielle's pretentious manner. "I don't mind helping Y/n, so you can go now, Danielle"

Y/n let out a sigh of relief. "You should go, Hanni. Get some rest." Hanni couldn't help herself but to roll her eyes at the two.

As Hanni left, Danielle couldn't help but feel a flutter of warmth at Y/n's words. She watched as Hanni walked away, a mix of emotions swirling within her.

"Y/n," Danielle called out, her voice soft but filled with urgency, "Can we talk about what happened between us?"

Y/n sighed, her shoulders slumping. She knew this conversation was inevitable, but she still wasn't prepared for it, especially with the memory of her intimate moment with Hanni still fresh in her mind.

"Danielle, I..." Y/n trailed off, struggling to find the right words to express her feelings.

But before she could continue, Danielle closed the distance between them and enveloped Y/n in a tight embrace. Y/n froze for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden gesture, she didn't bother to return the embrace instead she just let both of her arms by her side.

"Y/n, I really like you, and I would do anything to prove it to you," As Danielle spoke, her voice muffled against Y/n's back, Y/n felt a knot tighten in her stomach. The sincerity in Danielle's words tugged at her heartstrings, stirring up a whirlwind of conflicting emotions within her.

"I know, Danielle," Y/n murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, "But I don't think now is the right time..."

But Danielle didn't seem to hear her, her grip on Y/n tightening as she poured her heart out. Y/n couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt mixed with a hint of comfort at Danielle's touch.

Finally, Y/n gently peeled herself away from Danielle's embrace, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts. She knew she needed to tread carefully, to handle this delicate situation with care.

"Danielle, you're important to me," Y/n said softly, meeting Danielle's gaze with a mixture of empathy and uncertainty, "But we can't risk everything for this. You are an idol and you worked hard for it, it is not worth sacrificing your dream just because of this"

"Do you like someone?" Danielle's sudden question echoed in Y/n's mind, causing her to pause mid-clean. "Danielle, it's not like that," Y/n began, but Danielle's grip on her shirt tightened, her expression wrought with uncertainty.

"I just... I need to know," Danielle's voice wavered, her eyes searching Y/n's face for answers. Y/n sighed, feeling the weight of the moment settle between them.

"I don't, Danielle. You're overthinking things," Y/n said gently, trying to calm the rising tension. But Danielle's frustration seemed to only grow, and before Y/n could say anything else, Danielle stormed out of the kitchen, leaving Y/n alone with her thoughts.