𝐉𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐄

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟖

*JENNIE POV*

The next day, I woke up later than usual. The sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. I rubbed my eyes and stretched before heading towards the bathroom. The shower helped a little, but the tension from last night's message still lingered. I picked out something comfortable to wear and tried to shake off the unease.

As I was getting ready, Chaeyoung knocked on my door and peeked inside. "Morning, unnie. You okay?" she asked, her face full of concern.

I tried to muster a smile, but it felt forced. "Yeah, just a bit tired," I replied, hoping she wouldn't press further.

She frowned and walked into the room, sitting on the edge of my bed. "You look really tense. Did something happen?"

I hesitated, unsure if I should burden her with my worries. But the sincerity in her eyes made me feel like I could trust her. "Actually... something did happen," I admitted, sitting down next to her.

She tilted her head, giving me her full attention. "What is it, Jennie? You know you can tell me anything."

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. "Last night, I got a message from my stalker. They said I look beautiful when I sleep."

Her eyes widened in shock. "What? That's so creepy! How do they even know what you look like when you're sleeping?"

"I don't know," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "It freaked me out. I checked the windows and everything, but I still feel like I'm being watched."

Chaeyoung placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Jennie, you need to tell our security team about this. They can help keep you safe. And we'll all be here for you, okay?"

I nodded, feeling a bit more at ease with her support. "You're right. I'll talk to them today. I just... didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

"It is a big deal," she said firmly. "Your safety is important. We all care about you, and we want to make sure you're okay."

"Thanks, Chaeyoung," I said, giving her a grateful smile. "I appreciate it."

She hugged me tightly. "Anytime, unnie. Now, let's get some breakfast and face the day together."

I got to the kitchen, and to my surprise, I saw Jisoo unnie at the stove, diligently cooking breakfast. The aroma of freshly made pancakes and sizzling bacon filled the air, making my mouth water.

"Wow, Jisoo unnie, I didn't know you could cook!" I exclaimed, genuinely impressed.

Jisoo turned around with a playful grin. "Well, there's a lot you don't know about me, Jennie," she teased, flipping a pancake with expert precision. "I thought I'd give our usual cook a break and surprise you all."

I smiled, feeling a bit lighter after my talk with Chaeyoung. "It smells amazing. What's the occasion?"

"No occasion," Jisoo replied, waving her spatula dramatically. "Just felt like it. Plus, I figured we could all use a good breakfast before another day of practice."

Chaeyoung entered the kitchen behind me, sniffing the air appreciatively. "Jisoo unnie, this smells so good! Are we having a feast?"

"Only the best for my favorite girls," Jisoo said with a wink. "Now, sit down and let me serve you."

We all took our seats at the kitchen table, and Jisoo started piling our plates high with delicious food. For a moment, the worries from last night faded away, replaced by the warmth and comfort of being surrounded by my friends.

"Thank you, Jisoo," I said as she placed a stack of pancakes in front of me. "This is exactly what I needed today."

"Anything for you, Jennie," she replied, patting my shoulder. "Now, let's eat and get ready to rock our rehearsal."

As we were eating, I felt Chaeyoung's legs bump against mine under the table. She gave me a meaningful look, gesturing that it was time to tell Jisoo unnie and Lisa about the stalker. I took a deep breath, nodding at her, and decided it was best to come clean now.

"Unnie, Lisa," I began, setting my fork down and looking at them seriously. "There's something I need to tell you both."

Jisoo stopped mid-bite and looked at me with concern. "What is it, Jennie?"

Lisa's expression mirrored Jisoo's, her playful demeanor shifting to one of worry. "Yeah, Jennie, what's going on?"

I took another deep breath, steadying myself. "Last night, I received a really creepy message from someone. They said I look beautiful when I sleep."

Jisoo's eyes widened in shock, and she put her fork down. "Wait, what? How do they even know what you look like when you sleep?"

"I don't know," I replied, feeling a lump in my throat. "But it really freaked me out. I checked the windows and everything, but I still feel like I'm being watched."

Lisa leaned forward, her face serious. "Jennie, that's really scary. Do you have any idea who it could be?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't. But I blocked the number and deleted the message. I'm planning to talk to our security team today."

Jisoo reached over and squeezed my hand. "You should have told us sooner. We're here for you, Jennie. We'll make sure you're safe."

"Yeah," Lisa added, her voice full of determination. "No one messes with our Jennie. We'll stick together and figure this out."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "Thank you, guys. I really appreciate it. I was just scared and didn't want to worry you."

Jisoo gave me a reassuring smile. "We'd rather be worried and help you than not know what's going on. We're a team, remember?"

"Exactly," Lisa said, nodding vigorously. "We'll get through this together."

Chaeyoung, who had been quietly supportive the whole time, gave me a warm smile. "See, Jennie? We've got your back."

Jisoo unnie then asked, her voice gentle but serious, "Jennie, have you received anything else from the stalker? Any other messages or... things?"

I hesitated for a moment, but then I nodded. "Yes, actually. There were two bouquets of roses."

Lisa's eyes widened. "Two bouquets? When did this happen?"

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the confession. "The first one was after our performance at the award show. I found a bouquet of red roses in my room with a creepy note. I thought it might be a joke at first, but then the second bouquet appeared in my bathroom last night."

Jisoo's face hardened with concern. "Jennie, this is serious. You should have told us right away."

Chaeyoung nodded, her expression mirroring Jisoo's. "She's right, Jennie. This isn't something you should deal with alone."

"I know," I said, my voice shaky. "I just... I didn't want to scare you all. But when I saw the second bouquet and the message last night, I realized how serious it is."

Lisa leaned in, her eyes fierce with determination. "What did the notes say, Jennie?"

I swallowed hard, recalling the unsettling words. "The first one said that I was so beautiful that the roses paled in comparison. And the second note... it said that he sent another bouquet because he thought I had forgotten to admire the first one properly. He promised to send even bigger things."

Jisoo's grip on my hand tightened. "This is getting out of hand. We need to go to the company and tell them everything."

"I agree," Chaeyoung added. "We have to make sure you're safe, Jennie. We can't let this stalker keep terrorizing you."

"Thank you, guys," I said, feeling a mix of relief and gratitude. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Jisoo gave me a comforting smile. "We'll go to the company right after breakfast and report everything. They'll have to step up security and make sure you're protected."

Lisa nodded, her expression resolute. "We'll stick together and get through this. No one is going to harm our Jennie."

With their unwavering support, I felt a bit more at ease. We would face this challenge as a team, and I knew I wasn't alone.

TO BE CONTINUED...