Syncing Dream [Aespa x M!Reader]

24. Level Up

The anticipation for Aespa's world tour was electric. Fans around the globe were buzzing with excitement, and each passing day brought the tour closer to reality. For Y/n, this meant endless planning, logistics, and coordination. After their successful comeback with Supernova, everything was moving fast. But this time, Y/n felt more prepared. He was no longer the nervous rookie manager who fumbled schedules during the Drama era. Sure, the pressure was still there, but now, there was something different about his approach.

He glanced at his laptop screen, dozens of tabs open with spreadsheets, calendars, and tour notes. His mind raced as he juggled rehearsals, soundchecks, interviews, and media appearances. There was still so much to do, but Y/n had learned from his past mistakes. This time, he was determined to avoid the fallout he'd experienced with Karina. That argument, followed by his short leave of absence, had been a wake-up call. He couldn't afford to let things spiral like that again.

But just as he was about to close the last tab, something caught his eye.

"Wait, what the...?"

His eyes widened. He had accidentally double-booked their all-important soundcheck with a media appearance on the same day. A wave of deja vu hit him hard, and he couldn't help but laugh under his breath. This was "exactly" the kind of stuff he'd made back during "Drama" and "Supernova"—and it had led to some serious fallout with Karina.

"Hah, sike. Too easy"

But instead of panicking this time, Y/n smirked to himself, already thinking of a solution. He knew how to handle it. He had this under control now. Still, it was fun to mess with the girls a little.

Feigning panic, Y/n rushed into the living room where Aespa was relaxing after a long day of rehearsals. He made sure to put on his most worried face, eyes wide and hands in the air.

"Uh, guys... I might have fcked it up," he announced dramatically, trying to stifle the laughter bubbling up inside.

Karina, who was curled up on the couch, glanced up, her brow furrowing. "What now, Y/n? Did we lose a venue or something?"

Winter, lounging beside her, raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, what happened? You look like you just saw a ghost."

"Yeah, you."

"Aish, this guy-"

Y/n paced back and forth, doing his best to keep the act going. "Ok, but I may have, uh... accidentally double-booked our soundcheck and media appearance on the same day."

"Again?" Giselle piped up from the other side of the room, half-joking but slightly concerned. "Like you did during "Drama"?"

"...Maybe?"

Ningning gasped, holding a hand to her chest in mock horror. "Are we going to relive that disaster?"

For a moment, the room was tense. The girls exchanged glances, unsure if this was going to lead to another meltdown like the last time. But just as the panic started to set in, Y/n burst out laughing.

"You guys seriously should've seen yourself!" Y/n coughed. "Man, wished I recorded this whole thing!"

"Wait, so that means..." Ningning held her breath.

"I'm just messing with you," he admitted through his laughter, holding up his hands. "Yeah, I double-booked, but I already deal with it."

The girls stared at him, stunned. Karina blinked, completely thrown off. "You... you what?"

Y/n grinned, finally dropping the act. "It was a quick fix. I rescheduled the soundcheck earlier in the day, and the media event will be in the afternoon. Easy."