​🇨​​🇴​​🇲​​🇫​​🇴​​🇷​​🇹​ | RIIZE Lee Sohee x Y/N

Chapter 3: First Day

The morning sun bathed Seoul in a gentle glow as Y/N prepared for her first day as Riize's manager's assistant. Nervously, yet with determination, she joined the group as they piled into the car and headed for the dance studio. The air in the car was charged with a mix of excitement and anticipation for the upcoming performance.

Seated beside Wonbin, Y/N initiated a conversation, trying to ease the atmosphere. "How's dance practice going? Are you feeling ready for the performance?" Wonbin, though confident, admitted to a layer of nervousness. "Yeah, I'm confident, but you know, there's always that jittery feeling before a big performance."

As the conversation flowed with the other members, Sohee's icy glares remained a constant, like a dark cloud casting shadows. Y/N determined not to let it bother her, and focused on the positive interactions with the rest of the group. Upon arriving at the dance studio, the manager entrusted Y/N with the task of overseeing practice while he attended a meeting. The rhythmic beats of the music filled the studio as Riize engaged in their intricate choreography. Y/N found herself captivated, especially by Sohee's dynamic dancing. The way he dances is precise and relaxed, it is admirable. However, she quickly shook off the admiration, remembering that her presence was an unwelcome intrusion.

Attempting to break the ice, Y/N approached Sohee during a break. "Hey, Sohee, how's practice going for you?"

Sohee's response was curt, leaving Y/N with a lingering sense of rejection. Unfazed, she tried to engage in conversation with the rest of the group. Seunghan, noticing Sohee's aloofness, pulled him aside discreetly.

"Is everything okay, Sohee? You seem a bit off," Seunghan inquired.

Sohee, brushing it off, replied dismissively, "I'm fine. Just focused on the performance."

Seunghan, unconvinced, continued talking to Y/N about how glad he was to have her on board.

Meanwhile, Sohee abruptly stormed out, and Y/N, sensing something amiss, decided to follow him.

They found themselves outside the SM building, where Sohee sought solace in the fresh air. As Y/N approached, he was taken aback, his expression shifting from surprise to anger. Without a word, he pulled her back into the building. Anton and Shotaro were talking to each other while walking towards Sohee and Y/N, not noticing them. Swiftly, Sohee pulls Y/N away from the members to talk to her privately without the members noticing.

In a secluded dance room, tension hung thick in the air. Sohee, his eyes burning with intensity, cautioned Y/N to be cautious about their interactions outside the building.

"Please be careful in public. Anyone can see us if we go outside," He expressed concerns about potential rumors and scandals, emphasizing the need to maintain distance. Stunned, Y/N apologized, recognizing the paranoia in Sohee's demeanor. However, his annoyance escalated, and he abruptly told her, "Don't talk to me from now on." In silence, he stormed out, leaving Y/N standing alone in the dance room – a mix of shock, annoyance, and a tinge of sadness lingering in the air. The complex dance of emotions within Riize had taken an unexpected turn, leaving Y/N grappling with the intricacies of her newfound role.

Despite the uneasy encounter with Sohee, Y/N was determined to carry out her duties as the assistant manager and put the incident behind her. 

Later that day, the members prepared for the glamorous photoshoot session for Louis Vuitton. Y/N, in her role as the assistant manager, coordinated logistics and ensured everything ran smoothly. The atmosphere on set was charged with creativity and high fashion. As the photo shoot progressed, Y/N couldn't help but steal glances at Sohee when he was in front of the camera. His charisma and striking features made it impossible not to admire him despite the recent tension. She shook off the thoughts, reminding herself of the professional boundaries she needed to maintain.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, a stylist rushed past Y/N and urgently called her name. "Y/N, you're needed for Sohee's makeup touch-up. I have to go due to a family emergency." Y/N hesitated, recalling Sohee's explicit instructions not to interact with him. However, professionalism prevailed, and she reluctantly made her way toward Sohee.

Approaching him tentatively, Y/N found Sohee looking visibly annoyed. "I'm not in the mood for this," he muttered, trying to avoid eye contact.

Clearing her throat, Y/N mustered the courage to speak. "Sohee, I've been asked to fix your makeup. It won't take long, and then you can get back to the shoot." She maintained a calm and composed demeanor, despite the lingering tension.

Sohee, clearly unimpressed, snapped, "Wonbin's stylist can do it. I'll wait."

Y/N felt a mix of frustration and embarrassment, but she held her ground.

Sohee turned to Wonbin's makeup artist and she hurriedly told Sohee, "I'm not done with Wonbin's makeup and hair. You'll have to wait," she explained, trying to quickly do Wonbin's makeup.

Annoyed but seemingly understanding the situation, Sohee grumbled to Y/N, "Fine, just make it quick. Hurry."

Y/N, now flustered and more annoyed, ignored Sohee, stepped away, and found a quiet corner to collect her thoughts. Anton, ever observant, noticed her distress and approached her.
"Something bothering you, Y/N?" he asked with genuine concern in his eyes.

Trying to dismiss the issue, Y/N forced a smile. "No, everything's fine. Just a small hiccup with Sohee's makeup."

Anton, unconvinced, insisted, "Tell me the truth. What's going on?"

Feeling a need to vent, Y/N confessed, "Things have been weird with Sohee. He's been distant and rude, and I don't understand why."

Before she could elaborate further, Sohee unexpectedly interrupted, walking towards them.

"Y/N, why aren't you doing my makeup yet?" He grabbed her hand and led her into a nearby makeup room, leaving Anton behind.

Seated in front of the mirror, Sohee's demeanor softened slightly as he issued a brief apology.

"We've got five minutes. Make it quick." Y/N, remembering her duty, began working on his makeup, emphasizing the dark and mysterious look required for the photo shoot. As she carefully applied eyeliner, she couldn't help but acknowledge that Sohee looked undeniably captivating. Despite the rocky start, Y/N's professional skills prevailed, and she managed to enhance his features flawlessly.

Sohee, acknowledging the improvement, thanked her briefly and returned to the photo shoot. Y/N left alone in the makeup room, couldn't shake off the mix of emotions. The tension between them remained, but the brief interaction hinted at the complexity that lay beneath the surface of Riize's dynamic. 

While Y/N was observing Sohee's solo shoot, Anton lingered behind Y/N with worry. He still was curious as to why there was tension between her and Sohee, but he decided to not ask any more questions because he convinced himself that things would ease up over time.

After some hours of the photo shoot, Y/N was completely drained. Not only was she called for more makeup touchups due to the absence of a single stylist, but she also had to manage her original tasks for the day as a manager assistant. However, Y/N loved the work she was assigned, it was what she wanted from this internship - other than the Sohee drama.

"Alright, that's all. Thank you, everyone, for helping with this photo shoot," a photographer announced to everyone. Claps followed the announcement and people began packing their belongings.

Y/N reviewed the schedule once more and informed the manager that there were no more activities for the day. The manager announced to the group that they were free to go home and that a Louis Vuitton representative ordered them some food to take him. So, subsequently, the members patiently waited 10 minutes for the food to arrive to carry to the car home.

During the wait, Y/N approached Anton, who was on his phone commenting on TikToks. She peeked over his shoulder, watching him hurriedly swipe through Riize TikToks and commenting with swiftness. 

"Wow, you are beefing on TikTok, huh?" Y/N points out, following with a giggle. Anton looks up, slightly startled, and gives Y/N an awkward smile. 

"Haha," he chuckled, "I have to prove to them that I am the one commenting. They won't believe me," Anton defensively said. Y/N looked closer to his phone to read some of the comments that said that an SM employee was the one making the comments. She reached out her hand to grab the phone, and Anton placed it gently in her hand. 

She began typing a draft comment to one comment that is arguing with Anton, "Here, you should say this."

Y/N gave back his phone and Anton checked the draft that she had written. Immediately, he bursted out laughing, drawing the attention of the members to him. His laughter roared louder than usual, which startled the members. 

"Oh my god, no this is foul. They would believe me if I told them this, but I have to keep up a good image. But, I would say this if I didn't have to keep up this nice image. You're clever and funny, Y/N," Anton complimented.

Y/N smiled in response. Her eyes shifted to the members who were staring with curiosity. Sohee's gaze was the most noticeable, Y/N couldn't help but make eye contact with him. He broke eye contact and walked away as if he wasn't staring at Y/N with an intense glare. Unbothered, Y/N shrugged it off and continued to look at the TikTok comments with Anton.

The food arrived and everyone had a bag of food in their hands. They bowed in gratitude to the representative and waved goodbye to him. The members, manager, and Y/N returned to the car and settled in. Y/N was the last to enter the car, leaving one seat next to Sohee open. 

Y/N slipped out a sigh as she entered the car and sat next to Sohee. While buckling her seatbelt, Sohee turned his head away from the window and noticed Y/N. He blinked in disbelief, letting out a sigh. Y/N rolled her eyes and sighed a little louder. Sohee noticed and sighed even louder, drawing the attention of the members to them. 

Anton, remembering his conversation with Y/N, unbuckled his seat and told Y/N, "I want to sit with Sohee."

In an instant, Y/N teleported to Anton's original seat in joy. The members, confused, decided to brush off this weird interaction between those three and continued to go on their phones. 

Throughout the car ride, Y/N pondered to herself how long this beef between Sohee and her would last.