Reaching My Star | A Chaennie AU

Chapter 43: Who's at Fault? (Jennie 29; Rosé 32)

Jennie paced around the apartment, heart racing as her mind swirled with a thousand thoughts. The fight earlier at the shop still echoed in her head, and now, she couldn't shake the feeling that they hadn't resolved anything. It felt like a wound left open, festering. She had sent Rosé a message as soon as she got home, telling her to come over, but even now, she didn't know how this night would end.

When Rosé finally arrived, the air between them was thick with tension. Jennie didn't bother with pleasantries, skipping straight to the point.

"How could you?" Jennie's voice cracked, the hurt evident in every word. "An entire day. You spent an entire day with Lisa, not just a meal, not just a few hours, but the whole day. And not once did you even think to call me?"

Rosé's jaw clenched. She had expected this, but the sharpness in Jennie's voice cut deeper than she had anticipated. "I told you I broke my phone, Jen. I couldn't—"

"You could've borrowed Mrs. Choi's phone. Or hell, any phone!" Jennie's voice grew louder, her frustration spilling over. "It takes a minute to send a text! You were out there, living your life with her, and I'm here—" Her voice wavered. "I'm here dealing with Hayoon's fever, the grand opening, the apartment... You didn't even care."

Rosé's patience thinned. She had already apologized earlier, hadn't she? Why were they back here, in the same argument? Her own frustration bubbled to the surface. "Jennie, I get that you're mad. But I already said I was sorry. I can't understand why you're blowing this out of proportion. I had no choice with the phone, and you know I wouldn't ignore you on purpose!"

Jennie threw her hands up. "You don't get it, do you? You don't see how selfish it was. It's not just about the phone or the texts, Rosie. You left me to deal with everything on my own, and I felt like I didn't matter to you at all."

"That's not true!" Rosé shot back, her voice rising in defense. "I took an earlier flight just to be here for you. You think I didn't care? You think Lisa mattered more to me than you? God, Jennie, you're the one blowing this out of control!"

Their shouting grew louder, voices bouncing off the walls of the small apartment, fueled by pent-up emotions and unresolved grievances. It was as if every moment of insecurity, every unsaid word, came crashing down all at once.

In the midst of the shouting, a small cry pierced the air.

"Mommy..."

Jennie froze, her heart dropping into her stomach. Hayoon was standing in the hallway, tears streaming down her face, her tiny frame trembling. She looked so small, so scared, overwhelmed by the sight of them fighting.

"Mommy, stop," Hayoon sobbed, her voice broken and shaky.

Jennie rushed over, scooping her daughter into her arms. "Shh, baby, it's okay," she whispered, her own tears threatening to spill over. "Mommy's here. Everything's okay."

Hayoon clung to her tightly, still crying as Jennie carried her back to her room. Jennie sat with her until her breathing steadied, gently stroking her hair as she whispered apologies to her sleeping daughter.

"I'm so sorry, Hayoon," Jennie murmured, her heart aching with guilt. She kissed her daughter's forehead, lingering for a moment, letting the tears fall silently.

When she finally stepped back into the living room, Rosé was still there, sitting on the couch with a glass of water, her face pale and her eyes red from crying. She looked up when Jennie entered, her expression filled with regret.

"I'm sorry, Jen," Rosé began softly, her voice hoarse. "I didn't mean to make you feel like I didn't care. I really didn't. I know I should've done more, contacted you, anything. You had every right to be mad."

Jennie sighed, sitting down next to her. Her shoulders sagged as the weight of everything finally caught up to her. "I shouldn't have blown up like that. I bottled it all up, and it just... exploded. I'm sorry, too."

Rosé reached out, taking Jennie's hand in hers. "I'll try harder. I'll set better boundaries. I never want you to feel like you're not my priority."

Jennie's eyes softened, though the hurt still lingered. "I know you didn't mean it... I just missed you. I missed us. I've been so overwhelmed with everything, and I just..."

Rosé squeezed her hand. "I missed you too, Love. More than you know."

For a moment, they sat there in silence, just holding each other's gaze. The fight, the tension, the pain—it all began to fade away, replaced by the simple truth that they had missed each other. More than anything, that was what hurt the most.

Finally, Jennie leaned her head on Rosé's shoulder, her body relaxing for the first time all night. "I'm just glad it's over."

"Me too," Rosé whispered, wrapping an arm around Jennie's waist, pulling her closer. "We'll figure it out. We always do."

In that quiet moment, they both knew they would be okay. The fight was over, and the relief washed over them like a wave, leaving only their love to fill the space between them.