October 28th, 11:30am @HYBE, NewJeans Practice Room - Danielle POV
The opening notes of "Ditto" swirled through the practice room, soft yet insistent, tugging at something deep inside me. The familiar beat was comforting, almost hypnotic, but today, it felt sharper, like every word and melody had been tailored to scrape against the raw edges of my thoughts.
As we moved into formation, my body should've followed the rhythm on autopilot. But my mind? My mind was elsewhere.
"Stay in the middle, like you a little..."
The lyrics struck a chord, the words echoing my own conflicted emotions. I wanted to stay—close to him, connected somehow—but I couldn't help but feel like I was teetering on the edge of losing him entirely. Was it already too late? Had I pushed him too far?
My steps faltered again, the instructor snapping her head toward me. "Danielle-ssi, focus," she barked, her voice cutting through the gentle ache of the music.
"말해줘 say it back, oh say it ditto."
The words reverberated in my chest, each syllable pulling me deeper into the memory of Taejin's last message. His frustration, his hurt—it was so clear now, but I'd let my fear keep me silent. What if I'd already let the moment pass? What if there was no going back?
"Sorry," I muttered, my voice cracking slightly. I forced my feet into motion, trying to follow the choreography as the song swelled, but the weight in my chest dragged me down with every step.
"아침은 너무 멀어, so say it ditto"
As the lyrics echoed, I saw us back in the trainee rooms, Taejin's laugh filling the space as he teased me over missing a beat. That warmth... it felt so far away now.
October 28th, 12:30pm @HYBE, NewJeans Practice Room
There was an awkward air around me, something nobody seemed to want to touch. For all of practice, they could tell my mind was lingering elsewhere. Every step, every turn—it all felt off, like I was just a half-second behind everyone else.
"From the top," our instructor said, clapping her hands sharply. The room echoed with the sound, cutting through the muffled rhythm of the track. The other members nodded, their focus sharp and unwavering. Mine? It drifted, caught somewhere between the beat of "Ditto" and the message still sitting on my phone.
"Danielle-ssi, focus," the instructor's voice was stern, her gaze sharp enough to pin me to the floor. "You're dragging behind again."
I nodded quickly, a rushed "Sorry," escaping before I could even think. Hanni threw me a brief glance, her brow furrowed in quiet concern, but she didn't say anything. No one did. The silence around me felt heavier than usual.
We started the choreography again. The familiar beats of "Ditto" filled the room, but this time, every word felt like it was aimed directly at me.
"Stay in the middle, like you a little..."
The lyrics wrapped around my thoughts, tightening like a rope. Taejin's reply echoed in my mind, harsh and unyielding.
"So now you want to talk? After three months of nothing?"
My stomach twisted, and my steps faltered again, just enough to draw attention. This time, it wasn't the instructor who noticed—it was Minji. She stopped mid-spin, her hands dropping to her sides as the others froze around her.
"Danielle, are you okay?" Her voice was gentle, but the question hit like a spotlight, forcing the others to look my way.
"I'm fine," I lied, my voice too quick, too defensive. "Let's just keep going."
YOU ARE READING
Between Spotlight and Shadows (NJZ x M!Reader/OC)
RomanceFirst Story, so bear with me a little bit lol ----------- The spotlight. Blinding, it reveals only what's in front of it. The shadows. Where truth and fear hide from that unforgiving light. For years, Kang Taejin had yearned to be in the spotlight...
