Between Spotlight and Shadows (NewJeans x M!Reader/OC)

Chapter 3 - Time to Breathe

An UPDATE so SOOON????? lowkey i feel kinda good, like i cooked a little bit with this one.

also how do people write long chapters, my brain was actually dying, i think i spent more time sitting here thinking about what would be good rather than writing.

a lot goes on here, i tried to get a bit of everything.

As always, please enjoy and all feedback is welcome <3

~6.7k words

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July 20th 12:00pm @Dormitory - Taejin POV

The dorm felt different today—buzzing with an energy that had nothing to do with practice or training. We had the rare gift of the whole week off, and the excitement we hard to ignore. Each of us was grappling with this free time in our own way.

"Alright, movie marathon lineup!" Jisoo announced proudly, scrolling through his phone as he sprawled out on the living room couch.. Ryu peered over his shoulder, his usual serious expression softened with a flicker of interest. "If you pick anything with zombies, I'm out," he muttered, though his face lit up when Jisoo started reading out his list of options.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Minho and Sungjin were already busy clanging pots and pans, clearly thrilled to have a break from the strict dieting we'd been doing. Sungjin carefully chopped vegetables while Minho hovered over a sizzling pan. "Hyunwoo! Jaeyoung!" Minho called out. "Don't think you're escaping—come taste this."

Jaeyoung poked his head around the corner, grinning. "Chef Minho strikes again," he teased. "You'll have us all gaining weight before our debut!" Hyunwoo, still bleary-eyed from just waking up, just gave a thumbs-up before leaning against the counter, probably only half-awake.

I sat on the floor nearby with my guitar, watching everyone go about their business. Despite the lightheartedness, there was something tugging at me. A strange sort of emptiness that had lingered since last night.

Sungjin, always quick to pick up on my mood, paused his chopping to glance over at me. "You all right, Taejin?" he asked softly, a touch of concern in his voice.

I forced a smile, nodding. "Yeah just... processing it all, I guess." The thought of debuting felt surreal. It had been my goal for so long, and finally, I was on the brink of making it. But that nagging feeling, like something was missing, wouldn't leave.

MInho overheard and gave a hearty laugh. "That's natural! You're practically part of the family already," he said, wrapping an arm around me from behind. "By the end of this break, you'll be as sick of us as we are of you!"

Everyone laughed and I couldn't help but feel a little better as the tension in my chest eased.

Jisoo motioned toward the couch, patting the spot next to him. "Come on Hyung! We're starting with some classic action movies to kick things off. Nothing too heavy," His grin was infectious, and I slid into the seat next to him as he started up the first movie. The room filled with laughter and chatter as we settled in, letting the familiar comfort of the group's energy wash over me.

July 20th 2:45pm @Dormitory - Taejin POV

The movie marathon was in full swing, with Jaeyoung animatedly acting out parts, while Ryu watched quietly, laughing to himself at Jaeyoung's antics. I noticed Hyunwoo was dozing off in the corner, his head nodding slightly with every passing minute. The day was warm and lazy, an almost surreal break from our relentless training.

After the second movie ended, Minho suggested a walk to clear our heads. "Come on, let's get some fresh air," he said, pushing himself off the couch. "I need to stretch after sitting so long." The idea caught on quickly, and within minutes, we were all pulling on shoes and heading toward a nearby park.