LIFE IS A HIGHWAY || Manon's Little Racer Series
Pairing: Manon Bannerman x Child!Reader.
Synopsis: Manon has spent years carefully separating two worlds: KATSEYE, the group she trained endlessly to debut in; and Y/N, her two-year-old car-obsessed toddler and the sun around which her earth revolves. Born from a mistake she’s long since tried to bury, Manon has quietly raised her baby (with the help of her aunt) in the City of Dreams. The problem with keeping these two worlds separate? No one in the group even knows Y/N exists. But when circumstances suddenly leave Manon with no choice but to bring Y/N to the dorm, the members of KATSEYE come face-to-face with her mini-me. And the life she’s been hiding finally collides with the one she built.
Warnings: Fluff, Toddler!Reader, GN!Reader (no gender specified in the fic), Mom!Manon, Platonic!KATSEYE x Child!Reader, accidental pregnancy (mentioned), anxiety, shame, soft kats, the girls acting like aunts to Reader, Google Translate was used so translations may suck, just cuteness all around, this fic also takes place during the SIS era (late August/early September).
It started during rehearsals. Of course it did. The bass of the track rattled through the practice room speakers, the sound vibrating the floorboards underneath their feet as they worked. Sneakers squawked against the wooden floor as the group snapped into their formation.
"Again, from the top!" Grant, one of their choreographers, called out.
The girls moved automatically, muscle memory carrying them through the choreography. They had been here countless hours before, practicing the same dance, the same move, the same rhythm they had all been chasing.
The room smelled like sweat and adrenaline; it was full of heart and maxed-out effort. Sweat clung to the back of Manon's neck, her damp curls pressing against her skin as she moved.
Arms cut through the air in sync. A sharp turn, then a step back. Another formation shift. Manon hit every move perfectly. Her body was on autopilot. But her focus wasn't really there.
Her gaze flicked toward the bench against the mirrored wall for the third time in less than a minute.
The chorus hit, and the choreography sped up, bodies moving faster and sharper. Manon pushed through the routine, ignoring the quiet knot twisting in her stomach.
The music finally cut off mid-beat.
Daniela groaned, dropping dramatically onto the floor. "You're trying to kill us."
A collective chorus of exhausted laughter filled the room.
"Break," Sohey said, checking the time. "Ten minutes."
The girls scattered almost immediately. Manon walked toward the bench, grabbing her water bottle first. She took a long drink, cool water washing down her throat. Her eyes dropped to her phone. It was still turned off, with no new notifications. Pure radio silence. She unlocked it anyway, out of habit.
No missed calls. No messages. Her thumb hovered over the screen before she locked it again, setting it back down. Her own worry would be the reason of her own death one day, she thought—
"Manon?" Her head snapped up.
"Are you okay?" Daniela stood a few feet away, eyes watching her like a hawk. "You keep looking at your phone like it's about to explode."
"Just tired, that's all." Manon offered her roommate an effortless, sleepy smile. She hoped she had bought it.
Daniela studied her for a second before she shrugged. And she must have, because the girl didn't ask any more questions. She was instead dragged into one of Sophia's yapping sessions, something about a new show she's been dying to watch. Lara and Megan were play-fighting rather than resting for the next two hours of choreographed torture. They clearly still had some energy in them. Meanwhile, Yoonchae sat in the corner, quietly observing her chaotic surroundings while taking small sips of water.
For a moment, everything was fine. It was the familiar aftermath of hours of practiced synchronization. Manon leaned back against the mirror, letting the cool glass press against her overheated skin. The sensation grounded her back into the moment. Her muscles ached pleasantly from the hours of rehearsal. It was the price she paid for hard work.
Her phone suddenly lit up on the bench. The vibration rattled loudly against the wooden surface. Manon frowned slightly. Almost no one called her during rehearsals. Her eyes flicked to the screen, and her heart dropped straight into her stomach as she read the caller ID.
Her aunt never called her during rehearsal. She always waited until after to call.
But if she was calling Manon now, that could only mean...
Manon reached over and grabbed her phone, already making her escape to the hallway. The practice room door screeches as she pries it open, and she barely registers the sound of someone's voice (Lara's? Sophia's?) calling her name as she swipes to answer the call. The sea of words spews out of her mouth before she has time to put the phone to her ear.
"Hallo, Tante? Ist alles in Ordnung?" ("Hello, auntie? Is everything alright?")
"Hallo auch dir, Meret." There came a shaky chuckle from the other end of the line. "Es tut mir leid, dass ich dich beim Üben störe." ("Hello to you, too, Meret. I'm sorry that I'm interrupting your practice.")
"Nein, keine Sorge. Es passierte nichts allzu Wichtiges." Manon shook her head, even though she knew her aunt couldn't see. "Aber warum rufen Sie an? Stimmt etwas nicht?" ("No, don't worry. Nothing too important happened. But why are you calling? Is something wrong?")
The sigh from her aunt did not calm her nerves one bit. ""Es ist alles in Ordnung," her aunt said gently. "Wirklich. Es ist nichts passiert." ("Everything is alright. Really. Nothing happened.")
"Ich wollte fragen, ob du heute Abend auf Y/N aufpassen kannst." ("I was wondering if you could watch Y/N tonight.")
Manon blinked. "...Heute Abend?" ("Tonight?")
"Ja," her aunt replied quickly. "Es tut mir wirklich leid, dich so kurzfristig zu fragen. Ich weiß, dass du Training hast." ("Yes. I'm really sorry to ask you on such short notice. I know you have training.")
Manon paced back and forth. "Was ist passiert?" ("What happened?")
"Meine Schicht wurde plötzlich geändert," she said. "Eine Kollegin ist krank geworden, und sie brauchen jemanden dringend." ("My shift was suddenly changed. A coworker got sick, and they need someone urgently.")
"Wann müssen Sie gehen?" Manon asked. ("When do you have to leave?")
"In etwa einer Stunde," ("In about an hour.")
Manon inhaled deeply. This most likely wasn't going to end well for her, but she couldn't care less right now. She needed to see her baby. She needed to make sure they were okay.
"...Okay," she said quietly.
"Wirklich? Bist du sicher?" Her aunt sounded relieved instantly. ("Really? Are you sure?")
"Natürlich," Manon replied. "Ich komme vorbei und hole sie ab." ("Of course. I'll come pick them up.")
There was another small pause.
"Sie haben den ganzen Nachmittag über von dir gesprochen." Her aunt added softly ("They've been talking about you all afternoon.")
Manon felt something warm tighten in her chest. "...Ich bin bald da." ("I'll be there soon.")
Well, this wasn't how Manon thought her day would go.
The drive there felt impossibly long, even though it was only a drive across the city. Manon's grip on the steering wheel had yet to release itself. Every red light, every traffic stop, every moment of stillness felt agonizing. She didn't remember leaving practice. She had gone back inside to collect her bag and some other items. She remembers voices asking where she was going or if she was okay; all Manon could mutter was something about a family emergency before she flew out of the HYBE building.
Her phone now sat idle in the cup holder, silent except for a few messages from Missy and the group chat—the girls asking how she was doing and saying they would be there for her if she needed anything.
The familiar streets of the Hollywood Hills finally came into view. The suffocating weight on Manon's chest loosened a little at the sight. Her aunt's house sat at the edge of the road, its formal exterior blending in with the rest of the high-rise estates, but Manon knew where it was by heart. She practically spent her whole training period here, occasionally staying in the dorms or staying at Sophie's place, but this was always where she returned. It was her shelter in the uncertainty.
The car quickly came to a stop, the ignition dying with a whisper as Manon threw open the car door. It only took a few steps before she stood at the front steps. She reached over and knocked on the wooden door. A moment later, the door swung open to reveal Manon's aunt.
"Hallo, Mer, it's so good to see you." Her aunt pulled her into a hug, one she gladly accepted. She always drowned in the comfort of her arms.
"Hallo to you too, Tante. I hope I'm not too late," she answered.
Her aunt shook her head. "Ah, no worries; you're actually early," she said. She stepped back from the hug to get a proper look at her niece's face. "I'm sorry that I don't have everything all ready. I expected you to be later."
"Don't worry, it's fine, really." Manon's head peered over her aunt's shoulder, observing the inside of the house. "Speaking of, where's my little troublemaker at?"
A cloud of dark curls waddled toward her, crashing right into her legs. You looked like a miniature clone of Manon. Same warm skin, same dark eyes, same wild curls. Your cheeks were still full of baby softness. Her heart melted instantly.
"There you are," she murmured softly, crouching down to scoop you into her arms.
"Mama kam!" You announced loudly. Your little body wiggled in excitement. ("Mama came!")
"Natürlich bin ich gekommen." Manon said, pressing a kiss into your curls. ("Of course I came.")
You pulled back just enough to become face-to-face. Your eyes carefully traced her face, like they were studying all of its features. Your small hands grabbed onto her cheeks, squishing them a little as you came closer.
"Mama müed?" You asked. ("Mama tired?")
Manon huffed a quiet laugh through her nose. Give it to her kid to notice when she is feeling down. She could never hide anything from you.
"Ja, chli," she admitted softly. ("Yes, a little.")
Your brows furrowed in deep concentration for a moment before you leaned forward and planted a sloppy toddler kiss right on the tip of her nose. "Besser." (Better.)
Manon's chest tightened instantly. "Ja," she murmured, pulling you closer. "Viel besser." ("Yes. Much better.")
Her aunt cooed softly at the sight. "They've been talking about you all afternoon. They've been waiting for your car."
You perked up at the mention. "Mama Auto fahren!" You declared, lifting the little red toy car that was clutched in your hand. ("Mama drive car!")
Manon laughed softly. "Ja, ich fahre ein schnelles Auto." ("Yes, I drive a fast car.")
"Sehr schnell!" You repeated proudly. ("Very fast!")
Manon's aunt, who had left down the hall for a few moments, returned. In her hand was a small red backpack. It was covered with various stickers and old keychains Manon remembered collecting. But one stuffed toy stuck out from the rest.
You noticed immediately. "Monkey!" You gasped, reaching for it.
Manon passed it over and watched as you hugged the plush toy to your chest. You refused to sleep without it. Maybe it had to do with it being the toy Manon gave you when you were only a few months old. Whatever the reason was, you cared very deeply for it. If anything bad were to happen to that monkey, no one would hear the end of it.
Her aunt handed over the backpack. "Everything you'll need is in here," she said. "Pajamas, toys, a few snacks."
Manon slung the bag over her shoulder while still holding you on her hip. "Thank you, auntie."
The older woman smiled warmly. "It's no problem," she said. "Where will you be watching them tonight?"
Manon hesitated for a moment; she shifted you slightly, adjusting your weight. "...To the dorm."
"Do the other girls know?" she asked.
"No," Manon shook her head. "But I don't really have any other choice..."
Her aunt studied her face carefully for a moment before giving a small understanding nod. "It will be okay, I'm sure the girls will understand."
You tugged lightly on her sleeve. "Mama?"
"Jetzt Auto fahren?" ("Now car ride?")
Manon smiled faintly. "Ja, jetzt fahren wir." ("Yes, now we go.")
Manon hoped her aunt was right about this. Because once those dorm doors opened, there would be no hiding this part of her life anymore. Her biggest secret of all would be revealed. Her two lives would become intertwined.
It may have taken Manon longer than it should have to rebuckle your car seat, but she eventually got it. The heavy door of the car clicked shut, sealing out the humid LA evening. In the back sat you, tiny legs kicking against the upholstery in a steady, rhythmic thud. Your attention was on the red car crushed between your chubby little fingers. The toy moved up and down as you played with it.
Manon slid into the driver's seat, her seatbelt connecting with a soft click. She reached over and shifted the car into gear. The car slowly merged onto the main road with careful precision. It was calming, as calm as it could be with a buzzing three-year-old who never knew when to shut up, but it was close enough.
"Schau, Mama! Auto!" You chirped as you pointed to a silver Sudan passing by. ("Look, Mama! Car!")
Manon smiled. She always adored your fascination with cars. She didn't know where you got it from. It wasn't like she was crazy about them herself. Maybe it was from the Cars movie constantly being put on in the background growing up.
"Ja, Süße. Es ist ein Auto." She said. "Can you say car?" ("Yes, sweetie. It's a car.")
You paused for a moment, your brain attempting to process the foreign language. "C-caw." You blurted.
"Good job, my Schatz." She said, her voice was low, but it was wrapped in warmth. "Can you tell me what color the car was?"
"Silber auto!" ("Silver car!")
"Sehr gut, Liebling." Her smile grew a little more. "Now, can you say, silver?" ("Very good, Darling."
Again, you paused. Your eyes drifted to Manon's in the rearview mirror. "...car."
Their adventure continued, with Manon almost colliding with an oncoming vehicle at some point, but she was sure you hadn't noticed. She could hear your soft babbles from the backseat. The sight of you, a worn stuffed monkey in your lap, as the world unfolded before your eyes, made Manon's heart swell with warmth. She wouldn't trade it for the world.
The car pulls into the driveway much too soon for Manon's liking, and she can feel her stomach drop—with excitement or nervousness, she couldn't decide—at the thought of seeing the five of them. They were here. Behind those doors were the six girls she spent nearly every waking moment with. From basic vocals lessons to performing for thousands of fans in sold-out arenas, they had done so much together.
But these are also the same girls who had no idea that her entire life revolved around the small human currently humming in the back seat.
Manon pulled into the parking lot slowly, turning off the engine. The car went quiet. For a moment, she just sat there. She needed a moment for her brain to catch up. You, meanwhile, kicked your feet lightly against the seat, like you had no care in the world.
Manon exhaled slowly. "Ja?" ("Yes?")
Manon looked back at you. Your curls were messy. Your cheeks, although barely noticeable, were a bit rosier from the LA heat. The stuffed monkey was tucked under your chin like it always was.
Her whole world packed into one tiny human.
"Ja," she said softly. "Wir sind da." ("Yes, we're here.")
Manon spends a few more seconds in her head before she's pulling herself out of the vehicle and unbuckling your car seat. She places you on her side before slinging the bag over her other shoulder, which she could've sworn was ten times lighter just a few seconds earlier. Despite knowing everything is in her control, a black hole-sized pit forms in her stomach as she approaches the front door.
Her fingers try to push the door open as gently as possible, but it's a little harder than she thought, with a toddler practically glued to her side, let alone one with the personality of a ball of constant energy. She closes the door with her foot, a trick she's mastered by now. Now here comes the tricky part of all this.
Manon grabbed you by the armpits and slowly placed you back onto the ground, much to your confusion. But one finger to Manon's lips makes you freeze in your tracks.
"Ich verspreche dir, du hast keinen Ärger, Liebling." Her tone is soft; it's the same tone that makes your heart go from 100 to 0 in an instant. "Ich muss mich nur kurz zurechtfinden. Ich brauche, dass du für Mama ganz still bist." ("I promise you are not in trouble, darling. I just need to get situated. I need you to be quiet for Mama.")
A shake of the head is all Manon needs to start focusing on herself. She pulls the boulder from her shoulder and begins sorting through the bag. It would be a shame if she had forgotten anything at her aunt's. She didn't know if she could risk leaving again.
Shit, shit, shit. Manon didn't need to see the silhouette passing around the corner to know who it was.
"We were so worried about you." Megan's voice grew closer, and Manon was beginning to wonder if she had enough time to pick up you and the bag and just run back to the car and leave. "I get that you have personal stuff. It would've been nice to get a warning, though-"
The sound of something soft hitting the wooden tiles makes Manon's head jerk up. And the sight in front of her sent a nervous chill down her spine: Your head craned upwards at the sight of Megan, your body held with timid innocence, while your eyes acted as if they had never seen something so fascinating. Megan, on the other hand, stood frozen, her mouth agape at the miniature sight in front of her.
Manon starts to stand up slowly, her hands out like she's already trying to fix the situation. "Meg, let me explain-"
"Sophia, I need you in here! Please!" The younger girl's voice wavers with uncertainty as she keeps her eyes trained on her older bandmate and on a random child bending down to pick up a torn stuffed monkey.
The house is quiet, something that KATSEYE has never been good at, but today presents a different story. The six of them were spread out between couches and armchairs in the living room. You were sitting on her lap, too distracted playing with your red toy car to notice any of the unspoken tension floating in the air. Manon swore this sight was more nerve-racking than all those weeks spent watching eliminations, wondering if she was good enough to be in a girl group at all.
"I don't even know where to begin." Manon's leg bounced up and down. You unconsciously tried to do the same, but your little legs only dangled off the leather sofa. Sophia reached over, intertwining their hands
"That's okay, mahal. Take your time." Murmurs of agreement flow through the room, but it does little to calm the thumping in Manon's chest. "We just want to understand what's going on." Sophia's warm tone almost makes Manon want to burst into tears and collapse into her arms.
Manon took a deep breath, trying to compile her thoughts into words. "Guys, this is my kid... Y/N." She gently nudged your side, capturing your attention. "Can you say hi, baby?"
"Hewo," your little voice shook as you continued to play with the red car. If you had looked up, you would've noticed how Sophia's eyes began to water at the softness of your voice or how Lara folded her hands over her mouth to hide the smile forming on her face.
"How old?" Yoonchae watched you play, but the question was directed towards Manon.
"They're two, almost three." Gosh, Manon hadn't realized how much time had passed. It felt like yesterday when she remembered how her mascara stained her cheeks as two faint red lines appeared.
Daniela's face was full of confusion and slowly building realization. "But T&D...Dream Academy"
"I gave birth a little bit before they reached out." Manon laughed, but there was no humor behind the sound. "Could you imagine they would still want me if I were pregnant then?"
The room is engulfed in silence, and Manon takes that as a sign of them saying 'Yes, you idiot. Only someone so stupid would let themselves get pregnant during the prime of their youth-'
A tap to the side of her head pulls Manon's attention to the weight in her lap. Tiny orbs of hazel stared into her own, almost making her forget about the situation at hand. Another tap to her cheeks made her realize you had her cheeks in the grasp of your tiny palms.
"What is it, baby? What's wrong?" Her voice unintentionally dropped to a softer tone. It was a trick she had picked up from the long nights she spent trying to coax you to restless slumber.
"Hungrig." You said flatly, and Manon would be stifling her own laughter if it were any other moment. "Essen?" ("Hungry. Food?")
Never had Manon stood up faster than she had in that moment. Her mind spiraled with thousands of solutions to fix your hunger. "Okay. Okay. Was möchtest du essen? Wir haben-" She couldn't remember what they had in the kitchen. Gosh, she's such a terrible mother. She doesn't even know what her kid wants to eat. The girls are going to think she's disgusting and incapable of taking care of a kid. And they're going to the fans she sucks at parenting and-("Okay. Okay. What do you want to eat? We have-")
"Whoa. Whoa. Sit down for a second." Sophia's hands gently pull her back onto the sofa with a plop. "Why don't one of you go in the kitchen and see if we can find anything for this little cutie to eat?" She kept her voice steady but firm enough to get her point across.
Lara instantly volunteered and went to retrieve a snack. Sophia turned back to the oldest member, rubbing her hands up and down her arms in a soothing motion. "Listen. Everything is fine. Nothing to rush about. We just want to understand the situation because we love you. We want to help you."
"I just—I just feel so out of control." Manon feels childish for how shaky her voice has gotten suddenly. "I mean, I can't even get my kid a snack without freaking out. I feel stupid."
Daniela reaches from the other side of Manon to grab her free hand and squeeze it. "Manz, look at me." She forced herself to meet the Latina's eyes. Both of their faces were full of fear, but the look in Daniela's eyes was one of love, not judgment.
"You do not need to be perfect for us to accept this. You are our sister. Nothing is going to change that. Kid or not. We all love you just the same." She finished the sentence with a kiss to her hand. Lara walks back into the room with an open bag of miniature teddy bears. She held it out to you, observing how you cautiously looked at the bag before taking it with gentle hands. Your hands made quick work of stuffing the crackers into your mouth. The sight of your puffy cheeks brought a little happiness to the chaos.
"Thank you, guys. You mean so much to me. I was just so scared about this whole thing. People don't usually react so well." Megan mockingly tilted her head. "Well, good thing we're not most people, huh?" Her response earns a round of murmured laughter before they turn the attention back to you.
Each one of them went around, bidding their hellos and introducing themselves to you. Some interactions were more successful than others, but overall, it went well. They all wanted you to feel as comfortable as possible.
"They look just like you; practically your mini-twin." Manon smiled at Sophia's remark. And she was right; you did resemble her uncanonically. The halo of curls that enveloped your head and the rich bronze skin that covered you. It was like looking into a mirror and seeing the past.
The girls make sure to keep the vibe and the conversations light, still filled with their usual playfulness at times. "What if we watch a movie?" Yoonchae suggested, and the six of them reached a collective agreement.
"What are we going to wa-"
"Cars!" Your stuffy voice from the crackers interrupts Megan's question before she can finish. Laughter and big smiles fill the room. The ginger's eyes widen a bit at the sudden volume. But she just reaches over to the coffee table and opens the Disney+ app without putting up a fight.
A movie hits the screen, and your attention is instantly captivated by the vehicles rushing across the screen. The room falls into hushed quiet, and despite the previous panic and worry, Manon feels calmer than she has in months.
As the rest of the movie plays out, Manon keeps her fingers in your hair, softly twisting them in between her fingers and lightly scratching your scalp. It is so comforting that your little eyes start to close, and your head falls backwards onto her chest. Your body instinctively curls into her, arms tightening around your worn-out monkey, before it relaxes at her touch.
Your sighs capture the others' attention, too. They coo at the sight before them. They bask in just how cute Manon and her sleepy mini-me are. Manon's cheeks heat up at the looks, but she doesn't dare move.
She's found her forever home: with you and her girls right by her side.
HELLO LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND NON-BINARIES!! I FINALLY FINISHED A FRICKING FIC
I KNOW, I KNOW IT’S CRAZY!!!
Thank you, guys, so much for reading this. I am so sorry that this took a billion years to get published. If you guys want a part two of this or other types of scenarios, just let me know!
This is unedited, so any mistakes will be fixed in future rereads.
(Also I need to go to bed right because I have like three major tests tomorrow 🥹)
REMEMBER TO STAY GOLD, EVERYBODY!!
