Reaching My Star | A Chaennie AU

Chapter 42: Grand Opening Part 2 (Jennie 29; Rosé 32)

Rosé stepped out of the backroom first, the door closing softly behind her. The noise of the party filled her ears instantly: chatter, laughter, the occasional clink of glasses. It felt suffocating, but she plastered a polite smile on her face. As she mingled with the crowd, she waved and greeted familiar faces, making small talk with some of Jennie's friends, influencers, and even a few of her own colleagues. But her mind was elsewhere.

Her eyes flickered around the room, searching for Jennie, even though part of her dreaded seeing her again after their argument. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. This isn't the time, Rosie. You have to put on a brave face. For her. For everyone.

It wasn't long before Jennie made her appearance. The crowd naturally gravitated toward her, the woman of the hour, and Rosé couldn't help but notice how effortlessly Jennie drew people in. But amidst the cheerful atmosphere, Rosé felt guilty seeing Jennie smile so brightly when she knew what was beneath that surface.

Out of all the guests, it was Rosé that Jennie noticed first. And it wasn't intentional, it was just... magnetic, the way they always found each other in a room.

Rosé's heart clenched as she forced herself to smile back, though the pain was almost unbearable. "Hi! So glad you could make it!" Jennie said with too much cheer with a polite hug, as if the argument earlier hadn't happened.

Rosé swallowed hard, her throat tightening. "Yeah! I just flew in this morning. Can't wait to try the new flavors! Congratulations!" She mirrored Jennie's enthusiasm, but it felt hollow.

"Thank you!" Jennie's voice was bright, but both women knew the truth beneath their words. It was a lie they had to maintain for the sake of everyone watching, but it hurt just the same. Their hearts were breaking, and yet, they kept the charade going, because that's what they had to do.

Jennie turned away to greet other guests, her interactions fluid and effortless, as if she hadn't just been crying minutes ago. Rosé, on the other hand, felt like she was losing control. The room felt too warm, the walls too close. She needed air—space to breathe, but more than that, she needed Jennie.

Unable to stand it any longer, Rosé slipped back into the pantry unnoticed, where the noise of the party was muffled. She sat down on a crate, tears spilling from her eyes as she buried her face in her hands. Why did it have to be today? Their first real fight, and it had to happen on Jennie's big day.

Rosé cried silently, she hated herself for letting Jennie down, for not finding a way to call her sooner. She hated that she hadn't been there when Jennie needed her most. And the worst part? She knew Jennie had every right to be mad at her.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, people continued mingling, sampling the ice cream, and offering their congratulations. Jennie, still managing her role as the perfect host, was caught up in a conversation with her old friend Jisoo, now a rising actress. They hadn't spoken in a while—Jennie had been too busy with the divorce, and Jisoo with her TV debut.

Jisoo nudged Jennie playfully but with concern. "Hey, what's wrong? Why did you cry earlier?"

Jennie blinked in shock, her smile faltering. "How did you know?" she asked, startled that Jisoo could see through her facade so easily.

"It's not obvious to them," Jisoo said, glancing at the crowd, "but I can tell. I've been there before."

"Just stressed with the Grand Opening..."

"What did Chaeng do to you, huh?"

Jennie tensed at the mention of Rosé's name. "What? Rosé? What are you talking about?" She tried to laugh it off, but the tightness in her voice gave her away.

Jisoo gave her a knowing look. "Come on, Jennie. I'm not stupid. There's something going on between you two, and it's clearly eating you up."

Jennie sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. She wanted to deny it, to brush off the conversation, but she knew Jisoo could read her like an open book. And maybe... maybe she needed to vent. Keeping everything bottled up was suffocating her.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" Jennie asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Cross my heart," Jisoo said, placing a hand over her chest in a mock serious gesture.

Jennie hesitated before finally speaking. "We've been dating for about two years now, and we fought for the first time. Right before the ribbon cutting." She looked down, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "I'm just... It's hard. Today was supposed to be perfect, and it wasn't. I wanted Rosé here with me, but she wasn't calling or texting, and..."

"And you feel like she let you down?" Jisoo finished for her, her voice soft but understanding.

Jennie nodded, biting her lip to stop the tears from welling up again. "Yeah. And she was with Lisa the whole day yesterday. I know I shouldn't be jealous, but I couldn't help it. It just felt like I wasn't a priority."

Jisoo placed a comforting hand on Jennie's arm. "It's not about being jealous, Jennie. It's about feeling like the person you love is there for you when you need them the most. And today, you needed Rosé."

Jennie sniffed, wiping her eyes quickly. "Exactly. But I don't want to make a scene. I don't want to ruin today."

"You're not ruining anything," Jisoo reassured her. "Look, Chaeng loves you, okay? But relationships are messy, and sometimes... we mess up. It doesn't mean she doesn't care."

"I know," Jennie sighed. "But it still hurts."

"You'll work it out," Jisoo said softly. "But don't let it fester. Talk to her, really talk to her. You two mean too much to each other to let this slip away."

As the evening wound down and the crowd thinned out, Rosé approached Jennie near the entrance. "I enjoyed the ice cream. I'll be back for more! Thanks for the invite, Jennie!"

Jennie nodded, forcing a polite smile. "Glad you liked it. Thanks, unnie! Have a safe trip home." Her voice was stiff, the formality jarring to both of them.

Jennie's mother suddenly appeared beside them, looking excited. "Wait!" she exclaimed, glancing between the two women. "Rosé, can you please take a picture with my daughter? Jennie used to be your biggest fan, if you still remember her from those fanmeets!"

"Mom!" Jennie hissed, mortified. "You're embarrassing me!"

Rosé smiled gently, though her heart ached. "Of course I remember! I'd love to take a picture." She paused, glancing at Jennie meaningfully. "Can we get one on my phone too?" she asked Mrs. Choi, trying to lighten the moment despite the heavy tension between her and Jennie.

As Jennie's mother excitedly prepared her camera, Rosé leaned in close to Jennie and whispered, "I'll meet you at your apartment later, okay? But if you're too tired, just let me know."

Jennie's response was barely audible, her voice laced with fatigue and emotional exhaustion. "I don't know... it's hard to think about it right now."

They both posed for the camera, their smiles looking genuine to everyone else. But only someone like Jisoo could see through the cracks in their perfect facade.