Our Old Manager.

All of her problems in one waiting room.

Daniela hovered for a moment, her hand still resting lightly on Y/N’s arm. "Are you sure you want to go home?" she asked. Her voice carried that careful softness Y/N had already grown familiar with a tone that said i’ll stay, i’ll go, just tell me which version of comfort you need.

Y/N nodded. "Yeah. My place is fine."

She didn’t sound fine. She sounded tired in the bones, the kind of tired that came from four years of unresolved history crashing into a single night. But she meant what she said. Being alone tonight wasn’t an option, and Daniela’s presence wasn’t overwhelming, at least, not right now.

Nayeon crossed her arms, watching them with a quiet, protective scrutiny. She didn’t say anything at first, just observed Y/N with that cousin instinct that always picked up on micro-emotions. And right now? She saw everything. The tremble. The overthinking. The shock still sitting behind Y/N’s eyes.

After a long beat, she finally sighed. "Drive carefully, both of you," she said, tone firm but never unkind. "And text me when you reach the apartment. Text all of us, actually. Don’t play the hero."

Y/N managed a half-smile. "I won’t."

Daniela nodded at Nayeon, offering a tiny bow of reassurance. "I’ll make sure she gets home safe."

Nayeon didn’t answer at first. She just held Daniela’s gaze as if she was measuring her, testing her sincerity the same way she had done with Jennie earlier. But this time, the tension eased slightly. Daniela wasn’t a threat. She wasn’t the chaos. She wasn’t the ghost from four years ago.

"Good," Nayeon finally said. "Take care of her."

Daniela didn’t ask for details. She already understood enough.

They headed toward the car, walking slow, Y/N’s hands shoved into the pockets of her jacket like she was trying to anchor herself. Daniela unlocked the passenger door, then checked on her again.

"You really want me to come with you?" she asked one more time, not pushing, not assuming anything.

Y/N buckled her seatbelt and leaned her head back against the headrest. "Yeah," she murmured. "I trust you to drive my car and I really don’t… I don’t wanna be alone tonight."

Daniela nodded and started the engine, glancing once more at Nayeon who stood on the sidewalk like a watchful guardian. Y/N lifted her hand in a little wave.

Nayeon waved back, her expression softening just slightly. "Text me!" she called out. "Or I will show up."

A small laugh slipped out of Y/N for the first time that day. "I know."

As they pulled away, Nayeon watched the taillights fade, and only then let her shoulders drop, the weight of the night catching up to her too. Inside the quiet café, Jinho and Kwangjoo waited for her, ready for the post-battle debrief she’d been delaying.

But for now, it was Y/N and Daniela, alone in the soft hum of the car, heading toward the safety of home and all the emotions waiting to unravel there.

Daniela tried to play it cool when they stepped into the older's apartment, but the moment the door clicked shut behind them, her eyes went all sparkly, and she basically did a full 360 like she was in an IKEA showroom with the girl she liked.

"This is… really nice," she said, way too casually for someone whose heartbeat was definitely audible.

Y/N tossed her keys into the bowl by the door and shrugged out of her jacket. "It’s just home," she muttered, trying to sound normal even though her nerves were still vibrating from the entire night. "Make yourself comfortable. I’ll make drinks."