The flowerbed - Aespa's Giselle x M!Reader

The soft ruins of a quiet heart undone

Three months into managing aespa, I'd learned to read the subtle signs in each member's behavior. The way Ningning hummed when she was content, how Karina's leadership softened around the dorm, Giselle's quiet glances that still made my heart skip - and Winter's surprising perfectionism that sometimes bordered on concerning, and that showed itself today.

The practice room was supposed to be empty that evening. Promotions for "Armageddon" were winding down, and I'd insisted they take the night off after noticing the exhaustion hiding behind their smiles. But passing by, I heard music - just fragments, starting and stopping, accompanied by the sound of footsteps that couldn't quite find their rhythm.

I found Winter alone, her reflection multiplied infinitely in the practice room mirrors. She was running through the bridge section of "Armageddon," but something was off. Her usually precise movements were sharp, almost angry, and her face held none of the cool confidence she showed on stage.

She didn't notice me at first, too focused on the sequence she was drilling. Start, stop, rewind, repeat. Each attempt seemed to frustrate her more until finally, she missed a step and stumbled.

"Fuck!" The outburst was so unlike her usual composed self that I froze in the doorway. Winter never cursed.

She stood there, hands on her face, breathing hard. Then her legs seemed to give out, and she sank to the floor, shoulders shaking.

"Winter-ah..." I moved without thinking, crossing the room to kneel beside her.

She stiffened at my voice but didn't look up. "Manager-nim, I'm fine. I just need to practice more."

"You've been practicing for hours." I kept my voice gentle, the way I'd learned worked best with her. "The choreography is perfect."

"It's not." Her voice cracked. "Nothing is. I keep making mistakes in the lives, my expressions aren't natural enough, and yesterday I saw comments..." She broke off, pressing her palms against her eyes.

"Hey." I sat down properly next to her, "Look at me?"

It took a moment, but she lowered her hands. Her eyes were red, makeup smeared slightly, and she looked so young suddenly - not the poised idol who could command a stage, but a tired 22-year-old carrying impossible expectations.

"You don't have to be perfect," I said quietly. "None of you do."

"But I-"

The practice room door opened, cutting her off. Giselle stood there, concern written across her face. Behind her, Karina and Ningning appeared, all of them still in their casual clothes.

"Winter unnie?" Ningning's voice was small, worried.

There was a moment of stillness, then Winter broke. A sob escaped her, and suddenly all three members were moving. Karina reached her first, pulling her into a tight hug. Ningning pressed against Winter's other side, while Giselle knelt in front of her, taking her hands.

"We came looking when you didn't answer your phone," Karina explained softly, running a hand over Winter's hair. "We were worried."

"I'm sorry," Winter managed between tears. "I don't know why I'm being like this."

"Because you're human," Giselle said firmly. "Because we're all tired and stressed and trying so hard."

"And because you never let yourself rest," Ningning added, her own eyes watery. "You're always taking care of us, unnie. Let us take care of you too."

I started to stand and back away, feeling like I was intruding on a personal moment with them, but Winter's hand shot out to grab my wrist. "Stay," she whispered. "You're part of this too now."

Giselle caught my eye over Winter's shoulder, and something passed between us - understanding, maybe, or recognition of how our close we had all grown over these months.

We sat there on the practice room floor, the five of us tangled together while Winter finally let herself break down. Ningning hummed softly, an old comfort song from her childhood. Karina kept up a steady stream of gentle reassurances, leader-mode softened by sisterly affection. Giselle just held on tight, grounding Winter with her presence.

"I think," I said after Winter's tears had subsided, "we need a real break. Not just tonight - a proper rest."

"The company-" Winter started, but Karina cut her off.

"Will understand. Promotions are almost over anyway." She looked at me. "Right, manager-nim?"

I nodded, already planning how to rearrange their schedule. "I'll handle it."

"Can we have a movie night?" Ningning asked hopefully. "With snacks and blankets like we used to during training?"

A small smile finally appeared on Winter's face. "That... sounds nice."

As we helped each other up, cleaning away tears and straightening clothes, I caught Giselle watching me with an expression that made my chest tight. She mouthed a silent 'thank you' before turning to fuss over Winter's makeup.

Walking back to the dorm together, Winter tucked safely between her members, I realized something had shifted tonight. The careful professional distance I'd tried to maintain these past months had finally cracked completely. Watching them support each other, being allowed to witness and share these vulnerable moments - there was no going back now.

And when Giselle fell into step beside me, her hand brushing mine in a way that could have been accidental but wasn't, I found I didn't want to go back anyway.