The Angel Next Door (Rosé X Female Reader)

25: Let's be friends

Word Count: 2,092

"Jennie! Y/N! Let's eat together!"

It was lunchtime at school, and I was on my way to get lunch with Jennie as usual when a voice I had recently gotten used to hearing called out to me. As expected, it was Chanyeol, one hand waving in the air, exuding his bright and amiable smile as always. Normally, Chanyeol ate lunch with other friends, but apparently today was different as he approached us, wallet in hand.

Chanyeol had been speaking to us more frequently since we started our second year, but we still weren't especially close or anything. But thanks to me listening to Chanyeol's troubles the other day, an affinity had grown between us, and more importantly, I had realized that Chanyeol was actually a pretty nice guy. In fact, he's kind of a brother to me.

"It's fine with me...," I said.

"Well, you don't mind, do you, Jennie?"

"Why do you assume I won't mind? I mean, I won't, but..."

"Then it's all good, right?"

"Yeah, it's cool. Like, this girl here might have been sorta suspicious of you for no good reason, but she warmed up to you pretty quick. And looks like you've gotten pretty attached to me, too, Chanyeol."

"Attached...?" I muttered. "He's not a dog."

"But Chanyeol is kinda like a dog. He's the type where, once you win his trust, he'll always stay close by, wagging his tail off. He's like... What's the breed...? Like a golden retriever."

"You guys shouldn't call people dogs right to their faces," Chanyeol scolded.

But sure enough, once I pictured him as a golden retriever, I couldn't help but laugh. Chanyeol noticed my shoulders shaking with mirth and made a sour face, but I could tell that the teasing didn't really bother him.

"Don't laugh, Y/N."

"Ha-ha, sorry."

"I was thinking the same thing, I knew it."

"I mean, it was a pretty accurate description..."

"Oh come on, not you too, Y/N. Look here, I only wanted to be your friend because I thought you were a decent person, you know?"

"Well, I guess it's a good thing Y/N is finally getting a little recognition," Jennie said. "Anyway, c'mon, have a seat."

"Geez, who do you think you are?" Y/N retorted, slapping Jennie playfully. Chanyeol obediently sauntered over, and when he made eye contact with Y/N, he broke into a beaming smile. If he had pointed that smile at any straight girl, she would have been out cold. Y/N smiled wryly back. "...Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"Do you really want to be my friend?" Y/N inquired. "I mean, I can't really imagine what you'd get out of it, you know?" She hadn't intended to say such a thing, but it slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it.

Chanyeol was almost certainly trying to be Y/N's friend because he liked her, but Y/N's memories of what had happened in the past might have been clouding her perception. Chanyeol looked puzzled by Y/N's question. "You don't hang out with your friends because of what you could gain or lose, do you?"

"I guess not, but-"

"Well then, there's your answer. I'm talking to you because I want to get to know you."

Chanyeol's smile was like a bright sunny day. Y/N squinted at how dazzling it was.

"...Okay," she eventually agreed.