Lost in your lens - NewJeans' Minji x M!Reader

Ch. 6 - Dark Room

The campus café was unusually quiet for a Thursday afternoon. Most students were busy with end-of-semester preparations, but our corner remained a pocket of calm – at least until Minji suddenly lowered her camera and cleared her throat.

"So," she started, fiddling with her camera strap in that way that meant she was nervous. "The Cultural Affairs Office called about the festival photos."

I looked up from my literature notes, catching something different in her voice. Across the table, Haerin paused mid-highlight, her marker hovering over a textbook.

"They, um," Minji continued, her fingers still playing with the strap, "they showed them to the director of the Songmi Gallery. The small one near the east gate?"

"The one that did that amazing contemporary exhibition last month?" Hanni asked, suddenly very interested.

Minji nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "They want to give me an exhibition. A small one, just in their side gallery, but..."

"But it's still an exhibition," Haerin finished softly, her quiet voice carrying a weight of understanding.

"When?" I found myself asking, watching the way Minji's hands had finally stilled on her camera, like she'd found her center.

"Three weeks," she said, and now the smile was breaking through properly. "They want to feature the festival photos, but also... other things. A broader perspective of campus life and..."

She trailed off, her eyes meeting mine for a moment before quickly looking away. Something fluttered in my chest, a feeling I'd been trying not to name.

"This calls for celebration," Danielle announced, already reaching for her phone. "I'm thinking cake. Exhibition cake. Is exhibition cake a thing? It is now."

"CONGRATU—" Hyein began, but caught herself at Haerin's raised eyebrow. "Congratulations," she stage-whispered instead, bouncing slightly in her seat.

I watched Minji absorb our reactions, her smile growing more confident. She'd been doing this more lately – lowering her camera, letting herself be part of the moment instead of just capturing it. Something about that thought made the unnamed feeling in my chest grow warmer.

"Will you..." she started, then paused, adjusting her camera strap again. "I mean, I could use some help. Selecting photos, arranging things..." Her eyes found mine again, holding longer this time. "Sometimes it helps to have another perspective."

"Of course," I said, too quickly. "Whatever you need."

A look passed between the others that I pretended not to notice. Hyein opened her mouth, probably to say something that would make everyone cringe, but Hanni smoothly interrupted.

"So, what kind of photos are you thinking of including?"

As Minji began explaining her ideas, her hands gesturing with growing enthusiasm, I found myself watching her instead of listening. The way she lit up talking about composition and lighting. The way her Korean got faster when she was excited, words tumbling out like she couldn't contain them.

Click.

The sound made me jump. Haerin lowered her phone with a tiny, knowing smile.

"Sorry," she said quietly, not sounding sorry at all. "The lighting was perfect."

Minji laughed, the sound carrying a note of surprise, and suddenly we were all laughing – at the role reversal, at Haerin's perfect deadpan delivery, at the way everything felt both exactly the same and somehow different.

"I should go," Minji said finally, gathering her things. "Need to start sorting through the festival photos." She hesitated, then added, "Tomorrow afternoon? In the photo lab? For... perspective?"