Reaching My Star | A Chaennie AU

Chapter 32: Not Tonight (Jennie 28; Rosé 31)

The quiet moment between Rosé and Jennie lingered, their hands still touching on the couch, warmth radiating between them. For a long second, neither of them said anything, as if speaking might break whatever delicate thread had formed in the air. Jennie's thumb continued to brush lightly over Rosé's hand, and Rosé felt a flutter in her chest she couldn't ignore anymore.

Suddenly, the spell was broken by a soft noise from Hayoon's room. Both of them turned toward the sound, and Jennie quickly stood up, giving Rosé's hand a final squeeze before letting go.

"I'll go check on her," Jennie said, her voice a little breathless, and she hurried down the hallway, leaving Rosé sitting there alone, her thoughts racing.

Rosé leaned back against the couch, exhaling deeply. The moment between them was brief but undeniable. Something was shifting between them, but she wasn't sure what to do about it. What am I feeling? she asked herself for the hundredth time. Was it just the closeness of their friendship that made her feel this way, or was it something deeper?

She tried to distract herself by picking up her wine glass again, but her thoughts stayed stubbornly on Jennie. Every time they hung out, it felt like their connection was growing stronger. It wasn't just the casual friendship she'd expected when they started spending time together. It was something else. And tonight, that subtle touch... it had felt like the beginning of something more.

Jennie returned a few moments later, smiling softly. "She just turned over in her sleep. She's fine."

"Good," Rosé said, trying to sound casual. But her heart was still racing, and she had no idea how to deal with these new feelings.

They sat back down, the air between them feeling slightly different. Not tense, but charged, like they were both aware of what had just happened but weren't quite ready to address it.

"Anyway," Jennie began, her tone light but her eyes lingering on Rosé a little too long, "where were we?"

Rosé chuckled softly, grateful for the distraction. "I think we were talking about how weird it is that we used to be... well, you used to be my fan, and now we're—" She hesitated, trying to find the right word. "—this."

Jennie raised an eyebrow. "This?"

Rosé shrugged with a playful smile. "Whatever this is."

Jennie laughed, but there was something else behind her eyes, something curious. "Yeah. Whatever this is."

The next few days passed in a blur for Rosé. She couldn't stop thinking about that night at Jennie's apartment. The subtle touch, the way Jennie had looked at her, the way her own heart had reacted. It was like the feelings she'd tried to suppress were finally bubbling up to the surface, and she wasn't sure if she could—or even wanted to—push them back down.

One afternoon, while Rosé was in the middle of a songwriting session, her phone buzzed with a message from Jennie.

Jennie: Dinner tonight? Hayoon's been asking about you all day, Auntie Rosie :)

Rosé smiled at the message, her chest tightening. It was such a simple text, but it made her feel... warm. She quickly typed back.

The plan was set. Rosé found herself both excited and nervous for the evening, not entirely sure why. They had dinner together all the time now, but something about tonight felt different. Maybe it was because she couldn't stop thinking about that touch. Maybe it was because she was starting to admit to herself that her feelings for Jennie were more than just friendly.

That evening, Rosé arrived at Jennie's apartment, a bottle of wine in hand as usual. Jennie greeted her at the door with a bright smile, and Hayoon ran up to Rosé, wrapping her tiny arms around her legs.