The flowerbed - Aespa's Giselle x Reader

The Tokyo lights (Part 2)

Dawn crept over Tokyo, painting the city in watercolors as I reviewed technical specifications in the venue's control room. Something felt off about the sound system setup, though I couldn't quite place what.

"The levels look wrong," Winter said quietly, appearing beside me with coffee. She'd swapped her usual camera for a tablet displaying sound metrics. "Like someone's adjusted the baseline frequencies."

I glanced at her. "Since when do you know about audio engineering?"

"Since I started documenting everything," she shrugged. "You pick things up. Also," her voice dropped, "Chaewon-unnie sent over their technical logs from last week. There's a pattern."

Before I could respond, the control room door opened. Jung stood there, immaculate in his grey suit despite the early hour. My chest tightened at his artificial smile.

"Ah, getting an early start?" His voice dripped false warmth. "How... dedicated. Though perhaps some things are better left to the technical staff?"

"We were just reviewing-" Winter started, but I touched her arm lightly.

"Actually, Winter-ssi, could you check on the others? I think Ningning was looking for her in-ears."

She hesitated, clearly reluctant to leave. "But-"

"They're in her left pocket," I added meaningfully. "Where she always keeps them."

Understanding flashed in her eyes. Our code for 'I need you to update the others' had become second nature lately.

"Right," she nodded, gathering her things. At the door, she paused. "I'll tell Karina-unnie you're reviewing sound levels. She'll want to know." The emphasis on 'levels' was subtle but clear.

Once she left, Jung's facade dropped slightly.

"Touching," he said coldly. "How they all rally around you. But loyalty only goes so far, doesn't it? Especially when technical difficulties start piling up."

"Is that a threat?"

"A reminder," he smiled thinly. "That some of us have been in this industry long enough to know how... fragile success can be. How easily things can go wrong during live performances."

The implications hung heavy in the air. I thought of the adjusted frequencies Winter had noticed, of Sakura's warnings about technical staff.

"If anything happens to them-" I started, but he cut me off with a laugh.

"Happens? Why would anything happen? Technical issues are just part of live performances. Equipment malfunctions. Sound systems act up. Just one of those things that make success so... unpredictable."

He moved to leave, then paused. "Oh, and about that special project you're working on..." his eyes glittered with malice. "The personal one? Best keep that professional. Scandals can be so messy."

My blood ran cold. The way he emphasized 'personal' made it clear - he knew about Giselle. About us, whatever we were becoming.

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me alone with the implications of his threats. My phone buzzed almost immediately:

Winter: "Told everyone. Giselle is checking backup equipment. Karina's called in favors with local staff. Ningning actually found her in-ears in her left pocket (I'm documenting this historic moment)."

Followed by:

Sakura: "Our tech team is on standby. Kazuha's sister sent trusted replacements for key positions."

Then:

Giselle: "We've got this. Together. 💪"

Taking a deep breath, I turned back to the sound board. We had hours until the show, a compromised system, and an enemy with too much influence.