muse? pt. 5
pairing: kang haerin x fem newjeans!reader
summary: getting a new member way long after debut and before a comeback isn't really the best idea to haerin
category: enemies-to-lovers (?), kpop idol au
genre: slow burn, angst, and fluff
warnings: a bit frustrating and A LOT of jealousy
a/n: i appreciate all the love muse has gotten so far! tysm everyone :)
It has been a week of you being a member of NewJeans.
All of you finally finished with the concept photoshoots for the comeback along with the re-designing of the albums and completing new photo-cards as well.
While the days are hectic with everything, you feel happy with the newfound idea of being on a team. A team where the members are very inviting and warming to you. Well...all except for that grouchy roommate of yours.
You recall only exchanging a single word to her, especially after that accidental kiss. To your surprise, Haerin kind of seems like she opened up to you. (JUST A TEENY TINY BIT!) However, you don't pay much attention to her.
Practice today was going smoother than expected, especially because of the fact that no one has been in this room since that day you messed up. Everyone was so occupied with the concept shots and re-recording everything that no one had time to practice.
Much to Haerin's surprise, she might have to admit that you're actually not as bad as you made yourself seem. Of course, Haerin believes you still joining the team is a 'setting NewJeans up for failure' thing but she gives some sort of props to you, she guesses.Β
However, looking at the reflection of you through the practice room's mirrors and seeing the look of determination in your eyes, the feline-like female understands why SM was so determined to cast you. The way your eyes speaks for itself, it looks quite too good for a 4th generation idol.Β
"Alright! We'll take a quick half an hour break before countering Cool With You." The dance instructor informs the girls before turning over to you. "Impressed at how fast you're keeping up, great job, Y/N!"Β
Your eyes lit up, a smile that is so perfect for your face appears on your pretty pink lips. "Thank you, unnie."Β
Haerin bores her eyes a little too much, lingering on your features. Her lips are parted in concentration at the way you simply move; bowing at the instructor and letting out another smile before brushing your hand through your hair. She was going to stare a bit harder too but she notices the youngest with a teasing smirk on her face from her peripheral view.Β
Immediately, her pupils pull away from you and lock to the ground in hopes of Hyein not catching onto anything. She hopes that she wasn't too obvious of staring at you.Β
"I'll be back." The instructor leaves the practice room, the door shutting behind her.Β
Everyone started doing their own thing the second the door shut. Minji and Hanni are bickering again over some issue while stretching their arms. Hyein makes her way to her bag to grab a quick snack to avoid passing out while Danielle leaves the room to get her water bottle refilled.Β
Haerin picks up her phone from the couch, resting leisurely on the soft cushion to interact with 'Bunnies'. However, she takes a quick sneaky glance over at you. You stare at your reflection in the mirrors of the room, she doesn't look past the discontented expression of yours.Β
Something in the cat-eyed female feels her own heart feeling quite bitter at the way you look unpleased at your own self. And she wants to reach out to you and ask if you're alright; however, Haerin doesn't want to be distract herself with anything at this critical moment right now.Β
No one else seemed to ask if she was alright with adding you to the lineup last minute, so why should she ask if you're okay?Β
Is that so wrong of her?Β
"Is everything alright?" Minji walks over to you, concern painting over her eyes as she look at you.Β
Haerin bites down on her jaw, wondering why Minji couldn't have continued arguing with Hanni. She looks down at her phone, not caring anymore.Β
"I'm just worried." You tried to smile it off, however, being the oldest, Minji knows something is bothering you.
"Are you not feeling well?" The oldest brings the back of hand to your forehead, her eyes are down-turnt as her eyes worryingly fixed at you.
Looking at Minji, you feel your heart warming up from having a considerate leader of the team. Something you never experienced at your previous company. You feel happy for once.
Minji breath hitches at the eye contact from you. The way your eyes seem to shine a bit brighter, even in the dark room has the older nervous. She feels her ears going red and her mind is flooded by the sounds of her heartbeat that wants to jump out of her chest.
"I'm fine, unnie." You laugh a bit to lighten up the sudden concern from her. "I guess I'm just worried the fans won't like the change. I'm not too sure really."
Haerin doesn't care, yet, her eyes aren't on her phone like she wanted to. Instead, they're glancing over at you and Minji through the mirror of the room. Why does she seem to care so much about Minji touching you? Why does she care about who you talk to?
Most of all, why does Haerin want to talk to you more?
"Y/N-shi, you're a really beautiful person. Inside and out. From my eyes, you're so hardworking and you deserve to be on this team. After all, you were specially picked." The oldest gently smiles as she lightly boops your nose (she couldn't help it.)
Minji pulls out a lollipop from the pockets of her sweatpants, handing it to you with a soft adoring look in her eyes. You let out a small giggle, taking the piece of candy from her.
Haerin's eyes glower down at the physical touch, letting out a quiet scoff as she rips her eyes away from the sight. A sour taste is forming in her mouth and she despises it. After all, she's unconcerned about you. Right?
"Scoot over." Hyein towers over the cat-eyed, her bag of chips in one hand while the other is constantly moving between the bag and her mouth.
Haerin stares at the younger with a stoic face.
Letting out a grumble in frustration, the raven-haired girl puts her legs down and scoots towards the wall for Hyein to sit besides her.
"So, I saw you looking at Y/N unnie earlier."
Haerin knew Hyein was going to bring it up someday, just not now. Especially when you're literally a few meters away from them.
"No, I wasn't." Haerin lies, hoping and praying that Hyein will believe her.
The youngest stares at the cat-eyed, confused. "Hmm..yes you were."
"Why would I?" Getting a bit defensive now, Haerin puts her phone away as her mind scrambles to find more lies to get out of this investigation from the youngest of the group. "You know we don't get along so why would I look at her?"
Popping a chip into her mouth, Hyein shrugs. "Maybe cause you realize she's actually not bad and is really good at this."
"Like I said, I don't care about her." Haerin's voice is stern now, upset at what Hyein is trying to get out of her.
"You can lie to yourself but you cannot lie to me."
"Unnie, can you show me how you do that popping trick?" Hyein jumps up from the couch, rushing over to you.
You divert your eyes away from Minji and Hanni, paying attention to the youngest. In the process, you make eye contact with Haerin who only looks away while she rubs the back of her neck and letting out a cough afterwards.
Oh, screw Hyein. She did that on purpose. For you to look over in this direction.
And screw Haerin's slight excitement at the way your eyes landed on her for the first time today.
Finally exiting HYBE's building, everyone lets out noises of excitement. The night breeze feels very cooling across your face, especially after countless of practicing for Cool With You. You shut your eyes for a couple of seconds, reminiscing about the air of your hometown.
"Move, you're in the way." A voice causes you to immediately open your eyes, ruining your 'main character moment'.
Turning to the person besides you, you cross your arms with a scowl. "Let me get some fresh air."
"Well, you're in my way." Haerin retorts back, placing her hands in the pockets of her zip-up to fend for something. "And it's getting windy."
Rolling your eyes and letting out a small tsk at the other's words, you can only look at the view outside again. The night sky looks very calming today, with the streets all lit up ready for some people to have their nighttime adventure.
"The night is my favorite time of the day." You softly smile, looking at how the moon is glowing with a few stars. "It's so pretty."
Haerin can only stare at the view beside her, her eyes focuses on how your natural face seems to look pretty. She would admit that if there was a definition for beauty; you would be the first contender.
"I overheard you talking to Minji unnie earlier." She looks away, not wanting to look at your decently overwhelming eyes. "While I'm personally not a fan of you for joining the team, I think 'Bunnies' would like you."
You can't help but let out a gasp at the other's sudden words and kindness. Suddenly feeling a frenzy of a stomachache at what your teammate just said, you let out a small sigh.
"Why do you not like me joining the team, Haerin?"
The cat-eyed diverts her attention back to you at the way you called out her name.
That was the first time either of you acknowledged one another by name.
"I don't like changes, Y/N." She can only defend her reasoning, pulling out a lollipop and staring down at it. "Do you see this candy I just pulled out, it was never there but all of a sudden, it's in my pocket. That's the type of change I dislike."
What in the world is this girl talking about?
You furrow your brows, looking down at the strawberry-flavored candy in her hand.
"Here, you can have it." She hands it to you.
You don't even know whether you'd want to take it from her. "Hmm, keep it. Get used to the change, you'll like it soon."
"You think I will?" She responds back, her voice sounding cold yet unsure.
Letting out a small hum in response, you smile over at her. "It takes time, I understand."
Haerin and you stare at each other in silence.
"What are they doing out there?" Hanni squints her eyes from the car's window.
Hyein can only shake her head while she too stares at the view from the car. "Haerin is so stupid."
"I don't want them to get sick, omg." Minji stresses, head in her hands.
Ripping your eyes away from the sudden moment between you two, you cannot help but to let out an awkward laugh. Motioning with your hands at the van. "Let's go, I think the others are waiting for us."
"What are they doing over there?" Hanni squints, looking out from the window of the van.
Minji stresses, placing her head into her hands. "I don't want them to get sick omg."
"Oh they're coming!" Hyein sits up, moving her things away and placing them onto her lap. "I want to sit by Y/N unnie!"
Hanni disagrees, turning away at god speed from the front to look over at the youngest. "No way! It's my turn!"
"You've always sat next to her! My turn! Plus, you chose that front seat."
Danielle stares at the tantrums from both of them, thinking of a solution. "Let's make it simple and have her sit next to me for today."
"She's always welcome to sit next to me." The oldest proposes. "I can always move to the back."
Hanni purses her lips in an upset manner, lowering her eyes at the unofficial leader. "Bro, you're going to make a move on her."
The Vietnamese crosses her arm, squinting her eyes at the one besides her. "You heard me."
"Sorry we took long out there." Haerin opens the door, scanning the van and is met with an unsure atmosphere. "What happened?"
The youngest lets out a laugh at how the oldest members are arguing over something small again. "Minji unnie and Hanni unnie were fighting over who Y/N sits next to."
"Me?" You peek your head in from the outside, earning a gasp from Danielle at how cute you just looked.
Haerin rolls her eyes at how Minji and Hanni just automatically assumes you're some sort of property once it comes to the seating arrangement in the van. After all, at the end of the day, they're all going to leave in the same way so why does it matter where and who Y/N sits.
"You two need to stop fighting over the same thing." Haerin can only mutter to the two OLDEST members acting like immature toddlers, stepping into the van to bee-line her way towards the back of the van where Danielle is sitting.
You let out a smile while scanning where to sit. Ultimately deciding to sit between Haerin and Hyein.
"Thanks a lot, you scared her." Minji mumbles with her teeth gritted at Hanni.
The female with the bangs scoff before pointing at herself. "Me? More like you."
Finally, with everyone seated, the manager takes off for the night to end.
Haerin can only let out another thousandth sigh at how they were acting. There's too many things going on in the world than to fight over sitting next to someone (like controlling the small excitement she felt when you chose to sit next to her).
As the ride is a bit bumpy, your thigh accidentally touches the cat-eyed female's thigh as well. Feeling shy all of sudden from the physical touch, you scoot a bit closer to Hyein. This leaves Haerin a bit confused and fazed at why you didn't want to sit next to her.
"Haha, unnie likes me more than you." Hyein sticks her tongue out at Haerin, who only stares back with a blank.
"That's not true, haha~" You say. "I just wanted to give her some room."
Everyone sits near each other, huddled around the computer after the manager sent a file of all the concept photos for each album. Gasps and squeals at how each individual photo turned out while Minji scrolls through the photos.
"Hanni unnie looks so cute in these polaroids." Hyein compliments, looking at how tiny the older is.
The Vietnamese giggles, waving her hand off. "Oh stopp~"
Haerin has to admit, she liked that there was more water concept ones compared to the previous ones proposed earlier before you were added to the lineup.
"I loved the way your hair was done in these." You too compliment the Australian.
At the compliment coming from you, Hanni suddenly feels shy. Letting out a small and quiet "thank you" to you.
Minji whips her head to look over at her best friend with an unsure expression, confused as to why the Vietnamese is acting all "coquette".
"Oh! Look at Haerin's photos." Danielle proudly admires how her best friend is charming, she starts complimenting the hair, outfit, makeup and pose but stops once seeing the paired photos that Haerin took with you.
The feline-like furrows her brows at how the paired photos turned out. They look pleasing with the scenery of the tree and sun in the background. The simple picnic theme with both girls wearing light colors to balance one another.
Continuing to scroll, Minji pauses upon the photo where Haerin accidentally kisses your cheek.
"This looks so good! With the butterfly adding a touch to it." Hyein excitedly sits up, her eyes sending a teasing look over to Haerin.
"We do look cute here." You nod in agreement, trying to ignore the way your heart is beating and all of sudden you feel the need to grab a glass of water from how hot it is in the living room.
Hanni rolls her eyes, crossing her arms at the mere fact she wasn't paired up with you. "It's cute and all but Y/N and I would've been cuter."
"Too bad." Haerin replies, sticking her tongue out at the older. "Where's the one where I fixed her hair? She looked cute during it."
You have a funny feeling at the way your cheeks are starting to warm up. "Let me go get a glass of water real quick."
You need to get out of being in the same room as her.
"OOO, this one looks super good." Minji hums, satisfied with the way these looks. Especially with the fact that you and Haerin don't get along but somehow, the photos make it look otherwise.
Haerin throws out a delighted smile at how your eyes looked in the picture taken. Admiring the view points of you, from your eyes to your lips. And maybe, just maybe Haerin can admit what Hanni and the others mean by you being real.
Meanwhile, you're pacing back and forth in the kitchen.
There's no way you feel nervous around your very mean roommate, right? RIGHT?
Kang Haerin and her mean comments. Kang Haerin and her cute smile. Kang Haerin and her boba eyes. WAIT-...
prev part
june 16, 2024; publishing date
AHHH FINALLY UPDATED MUSE!! tysm for all being patient .^.
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