The flowerbed - Aespa's Giselle x M!Reader

The seventh day (Part 2)

The sun had barely risen when I jolted awake, my heart racing with a mix of anticipation and dread. Today was the day. The day Giselle returned from Japan. The day I'd have to face everything I'd been running from for the past year.

I stumbled into the kitchen, my body moving on autopilot as I started the coffee maker. The rich aroma filled the air, but even that couldn't calm the nerves buzzing beneath my skin.

One by one, the members trickled in, the same nervous energy reflected in their eyes. Karina was the first to break the silence.

"Her flight lands at 2 pm," she said, cradling her mug with both hands. "Manager Seojun will pick her up and bring her straight here."

I nodded, not trusting my voice not to shake.

The morning passed in a blur of pacing and failed attempts at distraction. The members tried their best to keep me calm, but as the clock ticked closer to 2 pm, my anxiety only grew.

And then, the sound of the door opening. The click of heels on hardwood. And there she was.

Giselle.

She looked... different. Her hair was shorter, her eyes harder. But when she saw the members, her face softened, a genuine smile spreading across her lips.

"I missed you all so much," she said, opening her arms for a group hug. Ningning was the first to reach her, practically tackling her with the force of her excitement.

"Unnie! Welcome home!"

Karina and Winter joined in, surrounding Giselle with warmth and love. For a moment, it was like nothing had changed, like the past year hadn't happened.

But then her eyes found mine over Winter's shoulder, and the warmth vanished. Her smile faded, replaced by a guarded coolness.

"Y/n-ssi." The honorific felt like a knife to the chest. "I didn't expect to see you here."

I swallowed hard, my carefully rehearsed apologies suddenly feeling inadequate. "Giselle, I... I'm so sorry. For everything. I know I have a lot to explain, and I..."

She held up a hand, cutting me off. "We don't need to do this now. I'm tired from the flight. If you'll excuse me."

And with that, she detached herself from the members and walked past me, her shoulder brushing mine in a way that felt more distant than any physical space could be.

The rest of the day passed in a haze of catching up and unpacking. Giselle was animated with the members, laughing at Ningning's jokes and listening intently to Karina's updates. But whenever I entered the room, the laughter died, replaced by an uncomfortable silence.

As evening approached, Karina suggested ordering in dinner to celebrate Giselle's return. We gathered around the table, the aroma of delivered food filling the dorm. But the usual warmth of our shared meals was notably absent, replaced by a palpable tension.

Giselle sat as far from me as possible, focusing intently on her food and the members' conversation. I tried to catch her eye, to find an opening to talk, but she studiously avoided my gaze.

Ningning, bless her, tried to lighten the mood with her usual antics. "Unnie, you have to try this!" She held out a piece of chicken, waving it enticingly. "It's the best thing I've ever tasted!"

Giselle smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Thanks, Ning. But I'm not very hungry."

Karina and Winter exchanged a worried glance, clearly sensing the strain in the air.

I cleared my throat, deciding to take a chance. "Giselle, I... I was hoping we could talk. About everything."

She finally looked at me, her eyes cold. "I don't think there's anything to talk about, y/n-ssi."