Reaching My Star | A Chaennie AU

Chapter 26: She Came Back (Jennie 28; Rosé 31)

Backstage after the concert, Rosé sat in her dressing room, adrenaline still rushing through her blood. The concert had gone better than she could have ever hoped—the crowd's energy was electric, and the emotional connection during the ballads had been palpable. But one moment kept replaying in her mind, a single second that stood out in the midst of all the chaos: that brief glance into the audience, where she thought she had seen... Jennie.

Rosé's heart pounded in her chest. It couldn't have been her... could it? She looked so different.

Just then, Mrs. Choi entered the room, holding a bouquet of pink roses. "These just came in from a fan," she said with a small smile, placing the bouquet gently on the vanity table. "The card says it's from a Jennie Kim."

Rosé's breath hitched as she stared at the flowers, her heart thudding in disbelief. "Jennie Kim?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

Mrs. Choi's eyes widened slightly, recognizing the name. "Wait... isn't that the girl we looked up a few years ago? The one who got married?"

Rosé nodded, her mind spinning as she tried to piece together what this could mean. "It's her. I'm sure of it."

She picked up the bouquet, her fingers brushing over the delicate petals. Jennie—after all these years, after disappearing from her life—had come back. Of all the people in the crowd tonight, it had been Jennie, standing right there in the front row, unnoticed until now.

Rosé felt a flood of emotions—shock, gratitude, and something deeper, more difficult to name. She had thought Jennie had moved on, left that part of her life behind for good. But here she was, sending flowers, attending the concert like it was old times.

Clutching the bouquet, Rosé allowed herself a soft, incredulous smile. "She came back," she whispered, her voice full of wonder. "After all these years... Jennie came back."

Mrs. Choi stood by, watching Rosé with a knowing smile. "It seems like some things are meant to come full circle."

Rosé's fingers tightened around the stems, and suddenly, the concert felt like a blur compared to this. Her mind replayed the brief moment when their eyes had met during the show. It wasn't just her imagination—Jennie had been there, watching her, after everything.

She turned to Mrs. Choi, her voice determined. "I need to find her. Have the staff search for her—outside the venue, wherever she is. Please."

Backstage, the tension was palpable as Rosé paced nervously, her fingers still wrapped around the bouquet. "Are you sure about this?" Mrs. Choi asked, her tone laced with concern as she glanced at her idol.

Rosé nodded, her mind made up. "I need to talk to her. I have to."

The concert staff, who had received the flowers earlier, assured Rosé it would be easy to spot Jennie—she was dressed in a basic, casual outfit that stood out in contrast to the more elaborate concert-goers. After some quick coordination, Jennie's name was blasted over the PA system, summoning her to the backstage area.

As Jennie was about to get in the car on her way home, she heard her name echoing through the speakers, her heart sank. What the...? Am I in trouble? she wondered, utterly confused as staff members approached her, guiding her backstage.

As they led her through the hallways of the venue, Jennie's mind raced. Was something wrong? Had she done something she wasn't supposed to? But when she finally stepped into the lounge room, all those thoughts came to a screeching halt.

There, standing in front of her, was Rosé.

Jennie froze, her breath catching in her throat. She had never imagined this. Not in a million years.

"Jennie-ssi," Rosé said softly, her voice warm and gentle. "Thank you for coming."

Jennie blinked, her shock rendering her speechless for a moment. When she finally found her voice, it was shaky, almost reverent. "Rosé-ssi, I... I don't even know what to say. I've supported you for so long, but I never thought I'd actually..." Her words trailed off, the enormity of the situation overwhelming her.

They both sat down, facing each other for the first time as more than idol and fan. The walls that had always stood between them seemed to crumble, brick by brick, as they began to talk.

"I was so surprised to see you tonight," Rosé admitted, her gaze soft and full of curiosity. "After all these years... I thought you had moved on."

Jennie lowered her head slightly, a twinge of guilt tightening in her chest. "I... I had to," she confessed. "After college, my parents wanted me to focus on my career, and I had to make a living. I'm so sorry for disappearing without a word. You deserved better, some kind of closure." Her voice trembled as she continued. "I know it would have helped me too, if I'd just... said something."

Rosé shook her head gently, her expression full of understanding. "You don't have to apologize," she said softly. "I was just worried. I didn't know what had happened to you. I thought maybe you were in trouble, or worse..."

Jennie bit her lip, nodding. "I'm okay. I'm here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

After a brief pause, Rosé's face lit up as if she remembered something. "Congratulations on your wedding, by the way," she said with a smile. "I heard about it a while back. How's married life treating you?"

Jennie's heart clenched at the mention of her wedding. She hadn't expected Rosé to know about that. "Thank you... but actually, I—" She hesitated, her voice trembling with emotion. "I recently got divorced. That's part of why I'm here tonight. Your music... I've been drawn back to it because I can relate to it so much now. I heard about your hiatus and your own breakup, I felt so bad, that must have been a lot."

Rosé's expression softened, and she reached out, placing a hand gently on Jennie's arm. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said, her voice full of sincerity. "But I'm glad you're finding comfort in my music again."

Jennie gave a small, bittersweet smile. "Yeah. I guess life's not all bad, though. I have a daughter now. She's three. Her name's Hayoon."

Rosé's eyes widened, a genuine smile breaking across her face. "A daughter? That's wonderful, Jennie. I bet she's as beautiful as her mom."

Jennie chuckled, blushing slightly. "She's... she's the best thing in my life."

Before they could continue, Jennie's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen—it was a message from her mom. Hayoon needed her.

"Oh... Speaking of my daughter, I have to go," Jennie said, standing up reluctantly. "As much as I'd love to stay, she's looking for me."

Rosé stood as well, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face. "Of course. I understand," she said, her tone gentle. "But... can we meet again? I'd love to catch up some more."

Jennie smiled, nodding. "I'd love that too." She quickly scribbled down her contact details and handed them to Rosé.

On her way home, Jennie replayed the entire evening in her mind, still in shock over everything that had happened. But one thought stuck with her, nagging at the back of her mind: how had Rosé known about her wedding? Jennie hadn't sent an invite or announced it publicly. And then it clicked—the necklace she had been drawn to ever since her wedding day. Could it have been from Rosé?

She couldn't shake the thought as she hurried home to Hayoon. There was more to this story, more she didn't yet understand. And as she tucked her daughter into bed that night, Jennie couldn't help but smile, feeling like life was going to be great again.