Our Old Manager.

She took her power back.

The hall way felt longer than usual. Y/N's footsteps echoed softly against the floor, steady, controlled, but louder in her head than they should have been.

She did not stop. She did not text. She did not hesitate.

The door to the meeting room was just ahead. Closed and locked.

That alone was enough to make her pause. It was never locked. Y/N reached for the handle anyway.

A second.
A breath.

Then, she knocked.

The room was too still. Not quiet but still.

Like something had just ended the second she walked in.

Jennie stood near the table, her posture straight, too composed. Rosè was by the window, arms loosely crossed, but her shoulders were tensed. Lisa stood closer to the center of the room. Too close. Like she had just stepped back from something.

And Jisoo? She was nearest to the door. Like she had been about to open it or close it.

Y/N did not move as her hand was still on the handle. "Hey," She said. No one answered immediately. Just a second too long.

"Y/N eonnie," Jennie said, like she had not expected to see her. "You did tell me that you were coming."

"I didn't think I needed to. You were the one who told me I can always come here whenever I want to." Y/N replied. Her voice was calm. But her eyes, they were moving.

Scanning. The chairs. The table. The space between them. Something felt shifted. Like the room had been rearranged without actually changing. "Is everything okay?" Rosé asked, gently. Too gently.

Y/N's gaze flicked to her then back to the room. "Yeah," She answered.

A beat.

Then, she stepped in fully, letting the door swing shut behind her.

Click!

The sound echoed. And for a split second, she thought she heard something else.

A faint movement. Behind her? No. Not behind her.

Somewhere to the side. Like, like, a door? A door being shut. Y/N turned her head slightly, just enough to glance. There was a smaller door at the far end of the room. Closed. Completely still. Her chest tightened.

"Was someone else here?" She asked. The question came out before she could stop. Too direct. Too soon.

Jennie answered first, "No."

Lisa shifted slightly. Just a small movement, but Y/N caught it. Jisoo did not speak. Rosé looked at Jennie for half a second. That was all it took. Y/N noticed. Of course, she did. Her eyes drifted again back to the center of the room, to the chair slightly pushed out.

Not messy.
Just not aligned.
Like someone had gotten up quickly.

Y/N has no idea where all of these were coming from but whatever has been happening lately had tingled her senses.

Her gaze dropped onto the floor. Near the left of the table. A faint scuff. Like a shoe had dragged too hard. Too sudden. Her chest tightened again. "Are you sure?" Y/N asked, tone dropping.

Jennie held her gaze the answered, "Yeah." The usual calmness and controlled. Y/N did not look away. She did not respond.

Because now, it was not just a feeling. It was not just messages.

Or guesses.
Or fucking coincidences.

Something or someone has been there. And they were gone just seconds before Y/N walked in