aespa's 5th member (aespa X Male reader)

Part 29

(Y/N POV)

The MAMA Awards (Mnet Asian Music Awards). The "Grand Stage."

Tonight, the Tokyo Dome was packed with the elite of the K-pop world. Every major idol group was in attendance, sitting in their designated sections, dressed in outfits that cost more than my first car.

"Y/N, stop fidgeting. You're going to wrinkle the silk," Karina scolded gently, though she was currently gripping her own velvet dress so hard her knuckles were white.

"I can't help it, Noona. The collar is digging into my neck," I whispered back, adjusting the high-fashion cravat that the stylists had insisted on.

We were sitting in the artist area, the five of us in a neat row. We had already performed a 12-minute medley that included a dance break where I literally had to flip over Winter (a move we practiced fifty times and still made me sweat). The performance had gone viral instantly, but the "Big One" was still coming up.

Artist of the Year.

"If we win, who speaks?" Ningning whispered, leaning over Giselle.

"Karina, obviously," Giselle said. "And maybe Y/N should say something in English for the international fans."

"Me?" I blinked. "No way. I'll probably just trip on the stairs and become a meme for the next decade."

"You already are a meme, Maknae," Winter chirped, not looking away from the stage where a girl group was currently performing. "Remember the 'confused Y/N' face from the LA airport? It's a classic."

"Focus, guys," Karina commanded, though I felt her hand find mine under the table. She gave my palm three quick squeezes. Maybe a morse code that only she knows.

The Announcement

The lights dimmed to a deep, dramatic purple. The tension in the dome was thick enough to cut with a knife. Two legendary actors walked out onto the stage, holding the golden envelope.

"The Artist of the Year award," the presenter began, "is given to the artist who showed the most outstanding achievement and global influence..."

I felt the girls go still beside me. We all held our breath. This was the first year I was eligible to be on the trophy since my return.

"The winner is..."

The giant screens flickered through the nominees. Then, the music swelled—the heavy, metallic beat of Supernova.

"AESPA!"

The roar from the crowd was a physical wave of sound. For a second, I didn't move. I just watched the four girls stand up, surprised and hugging each other.

"Y/N! Get up!" Giselle laughed, pulling me by my arm.

We walked toward the stage in a daze. As we climbed the stairs, the other idols were standing and clapping. I saw the members of NCT and Red Velvet cheering particularly hard, Irene giving me a dignified nod and a "told you so" smirk. Still sad that Haerin and her group are not here though. (She basically disappeared after the NewJeans breakout)

We stood behind the microphones, the golden trophy shining in Karina's hands.

"1, 2, 3..Hello, we are aespa!"

Karina began the speech, her voice trembling slightly. She thanked the fans, the staff, and the families. Then, she stopped. She looked at the trophy, then she looked at me.

She stepped back from the mic and pulled me forward.

"Actually," Karina said into the microphone, her eyes shimmering with tears. "This year was... difficult for us. There was a time when we weren't sure if we would ever stand on this stage together again. But our Maknae... he worked harder than anyone to make sure we stayed a family."

She handed the heavy trophy to me.

"Y/N-ah. Say something."

I stared at the golden statue in my hands. The weight of it felt like the last three years of my life. The training, the debut, the hate, the hiatus, the return.

I leaned into the mic. "I... I didn't prepare anything."

A light chuckle rippled through the audience.

"I just want to say thank you to my four noonas," I said, my voice cracking slightly. "Thank you for not giving up on me when it would have been easier to go on as four. And to the fans... thank you for waiting. We are five, and we will always be five."

I looked over at Winter, who was uncharacteristically crying, and Ningning, who was trying to hide her face behind Giselle's shoulder.

"And to anyone who feels like they're in a hiatus in their own life," I added, gaining confidence, "The sun always comes back up. Just keep moving forward. Thank you!"

The After-Party (The Dorm)

We skipped the official company after-party. We were too exhausted, and quite frankly, we just wanted to be ourselves.

We were back in the dorm, the "Artist of the Year" trophy sitting on the kitchen counter next to a half-empty box of cereal. We were all in our pajamas—the high-fashion suits and dresses discarded in heaps on the floor.

"We did it," Ningning said, slumped on the floor, leaning against the fridge. "We actually did it."

"I'm going to sleep for forty-eight hours," Giselle announced, though she was currently busy filming a 'thank you' video for her Instagram story.

Winter was in the corner, holding the trophy and examining it. "It's heavy. Can I use this as a dumbbell? I need to work on my biceps."

"Don't you dare, noona," I laughed, tossing her a bag of chips.

I went out onto the small balcony to get some air. The Tokyo air was cold, but it felt good after the heat of the stadium.

A moment later, the sliding door creaked open. Karina stepped out, wearing one of my oversized hoodies over her silk pajamas.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hey."

She leaned against the railing next to me. "You were good tonight. Your speech made the CEO cry, apparently."

"I just said what I felt."

"I know." She turned to face me, the city lights reflecting in her eyes. "Y/N? Do you remember what I told you at the Han River? About not growing up too fast?"

"I remember."

"I changed my mind," she said, stepping closer. She reached up, her hands cupping my face. "I'm glad you grew up. I'm glad you became the man you are today. Because I don't think I could have handled this year without you."

The playful "Noona/Maknae" energy shifted. It became something much heavier, much more real.

"I'm not the baby anymore?" I whispered.

"No," she murmured, her thumbs tracing my cheekbones. "You're my partner. In everything."

She leaned in, and for the first time, it wasn't a forehead kiss or a playful nudge. It was soft, hesitant, and filled with everything we hadn't been allowed to say for three years.

It lasted only a few seconds, but when she pulled back, the world felt different.

"Wow," I breathed.

"Yeah," she whispered, a blush creeping up her neck. "Don't tell the others. They'll never let us hear the end of it."

"TELL US WHAT?" Winter's voice boomed as she stuck her head out the balcony door, narrow-eyed. "Are you guys eating snacks out here without me? I smell secrets!"

Karina and I jumped apart, laughing nervously.

"No snacks! Just... looking at the moon!" I yelled back.

"Liar! I'm telling Ningning you're being suspicious!"

As Winter dragged us back inside to join the group hug, I looked at the four of them—my members, my sisters, my family. And then I looked at Karina, who gave me a secret, radiant smile.

The "hidden" member was hidden no more. And as for the future?

We were aespa. We were five. And we were just getting started.

[THE END]