Reaching My Star | A Chaennie AU

Chapter 14: No Name? (Jennie 24; Rosé 27)

Jennie and Minwoo arrived back at their new apartment after a blissful honeymoon, the memories of sun-soaked days and quiet, intimate nights still fresh in their minds. The couple had spent the morning unpacking their suitcases, turning their house into a home with each item they carefully placed. Their living room was now a maze of unopened wedding gifts.

"This one's from my parents," Minwoo said, handing Jennie a box wrapped in white and gold paper.

Jennie smiled, tearing open the package to reveal a set of elegant dinnerware. "Perfect for our first dinner party," she remarked, setting the dishes aside carefully. "Your mom really knows how to pick the good stuff," she added with a chuckle.

Minwoo laughed. "She's been planning this since we got engaged, I'm sure of it."

As they worked through the gifts, Jennie reached for a small box tucked away behind a larger one. The wrapping was simple, almost understated, with no card or name attached. "That's strange, must've fell off" Jennie murmured, turning the box over in her hands. There was something about the plainness of the packaging that made it stand out among the more ornate ones they had opened.

"Who's it from?" Minwoo asked, glancing over as he opened another package, which turned out to be a set of crystal glasses.

"There's no name," Jennie replied, her curiosity piqued. She carefully unwrapped the box, revealing a delicate necklace. The pendant was a simple yet exquisite piece of jewelry—a small, intricately designed charm that caught the light in a way that made it seem almost alive. The charm had an elegant, timeless quality, as if it had been crafted with deep care and meaning.

"It's beautiful," Minwoo said, leaning in to get a closer look. "It's definitely something special. Maybe one of your friends wanted to surprise you?"

"Yeah, maybe," Jennie agreed, but her mind was already turning over the mystery. There was something about the necklace that felt different—personal, even though she had no idea who it was from. "I wonder who sent it."

Over the next few days, Jennie casually asked her friends and family if they had gifted the necklace, bringing it up in conversations whenever the topic of the wedding came up. But everyone she spoke to denied any knowledge of it.

"Are you sure you didn't miss a card or something?" Minwoo asked one evening as they were settling into bed.

Jennie shook her head, the mystery still gnawing at her. "I've checked the box and the wrapping a dozen times. There's nothing."

"Hmm," Minwoo said, considering. "You know, it's not like me to forget something so significant. It really wasn't from me?"

Jennie looked at him, a hint of doubt in her eyes. "Are you sure? I mean, you haven't forgotten anything else, have you? It's just that this necklace feels... personal. Like it has a meaning I'm missing."

Minwoo gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm positive. If it was me, I would've made sure you knew. Maybe it's from someone who just wants to stay anonymous. Or maybe it's just one of those things you're not meant to know."

Jennie sighed, trying to push the nagging feeling aside. "You're probably right. It's just... it's a little unsettling, not knowing."

Minwoo squeezed her hand. "Don't let it bother you. We have so much to be excited about right now. Let's focus on our new life together."

Jennie nodded, though she couldn't entirely shake the curiosity. She decided to store the necklace in a safe place, nestled away in a small velvet pouch. She placed it in their bedroom's jewelry box, among other keepsakes and sentimental items. Every time she opened the box, the necklace seemed to catch her eye, almost as if it was waiting for her to discover its origin.

As days turned into weeks, Jennie found herself thinking about the necklace more often than she expected. She'd catch herself absentmindedly touching the spot where the charm would rest on her collarbone, wondering who had sent it and why. There was something about the mystery that felt unfinished, like a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit into her otherwise perfect life with Minwoo.

One afternoon, Jennie sat at their kitchen table, staring out at the city skyline. The necklace was on her mind again. "I just can't shake this feeling, Min," she said, breaking the silence that had settled between them as they both worked on their laptops. "It's like this necklace is trying to tell me something."

Minwoo looked up from his screen, offering a reassuring smile. "Maybe it's a sign of something good, something new. But whatever it is, don't let it take away from what we have now."

Jennie squeezed his hand, grateful for his steady presence. "You're right. It's probably nothing. Just a nice gift from someone who wanted to keep things lowkey."

But even as she said the words, Jennie couldn't shake the sense that the necklace was more than just a gift—it was a connection to something, or someone, from her past. And until she figured out what that connection was, the mystery would linger, quietly occupying a corner of her mind.