The Maknae Manager | Twice x Reader FF

Chapter 14 - Chou Tzuyu

The conference room feels suffocating despite its spacious interior. You sit rigidly in your chair, hands clenched so tightly your knuckles have turned white. At nineteen, you're by far the youngest person in the room, surrounded by executives and senior managers who have decades more experience in the industry. 

The mahogany table seems to stretch endlessly, creating an intimidating barrier between you and the company's top brass. Senior managers with graying hair and expensive suits sit with practiced composure, their faces masks of corporate professionalism. At the head of it all sits JYP himself, his usually warm demeanor replaced by the stern expression of a CEO facing a crisis.

The atmosphere is thick with tension, everyone acutely aware of the storm brewing outside these walls. Phone notifications have been buzzing constantly throughout the morning, each ping representing another wave of controversy crashing over your youngest member.

"The other managers thought it best if you spoke for TWICE today," the head of PR had explained before the meeting, his tone suggesting this was more burden than honor. "You know the girls better than anyone, and you've been handling the situation directly."

What he hadn't said was that the other managers had collectively decided to let the youngest take the fall if things went badly. Something Sadness-unnie was fiercely against, but to no avail, the other managers had already cast their votes.

Better the rookie manager's career than their own.

"The situation is escalating by the hour," Senior Executive Park begins, his voice clinical and detached as he shuffles through printed reports and tablet screens showing social media analytics. "Weibo is exploding with negative sentiment, news outlets across Asia are picking up the story, and we're getting calls from Chinese partners threatening to pull sponsorship deals. The hashtag has been trending for six hours straight."

He pauses to adjust his glasses, scanning another report. "Our Chinese distributor called an emergency meeting for this afternoon. Three major variety shows have already indicated they might need to 'reconsider' TWICE's upcoming appearances."

You feel your stomach clench with each piece of bad news, but your anger flares when you see how casually these men are discussing Tzuyu's life being turned upside down.

"She's sixteen years old," you interrupt, your voice cutting through the room like a blade. Several of the older managers exchange glances at your boldness, eyebrows raising at the interruption. "Sixteen. She waved a flag because she was proud of where she comes from. How is that grounds for this level of—"

"(Y/N)," Senior Manager Yoon says condescendingly, her tone the same one might use with a naive intern, "you're still new to this business. These situations require delicate handling that comes with experience. International politics, cross-strait relations—these are complex issues that go far beyond a simple variety show appearance."

The dismissal in her voice is clear, and you feel your face flush with frustration. Being the youngest manager has always meant fighting for respect, but today it feels particularly grating.

"Experience?" Your voice rises slightly, drawing disapproving looks from around the table. "What does experience matter when we're talking about a child's wellbeing? She doesn't understand cross-strait politics—she just loves her home!"

Senior Executive Park clears his throat uncomfortably, clearly wanting to move the meeting along. "The simplest and most effective solution would be for Tzuyu to issue a public apology video. In Chinese, of course. She needs to acknowledge that she made a mistake, that she understands the sensitivity of the cross-strait situation, and that she respects the One China policy."