Reaching My Star | A Chaennie AU

Chapter 48: Some Fantasy Part 3 (Jennie 30; Rosé 33)

No one slept that night. Every word, every emotion hung in the air, clinging like smoke. The apartment was filled with tension and exhaustion, the conversation looping in circles, as if everyone was running a marathon of accusations and explanations. Jennie had cried so much her eyes were swollen, her cheeks streaked with tear stains. Her voice, once strong and determined, now trembled, worn down by the weight of trying to defend a love that didn't need defending to her but felt like a crime to everyone else.

Rosé sat next to her, silent but present, her hand gripping Jennie's like it was the only thing keeping her from unraveling completely. She felt the sting of every harsh word, every judgment from both sides, but she stayed strong. Not for herself—she was shattered inside—but for Jennie, who needed her more than ever.

Jennie's mother had been the loudest voice in the room, her frustration and disappointment cutting through the hours like a blade. She paced back and forth, unable to sit still, her same words firing like bullets. "You're going to ruin everything, Jennie. Your life, Hayoon's future... even Rosé's career. You know this can't last. This isn't how things are supposed to be!" Her voice cracked, betraying the deep-seated fear behind her anger.

Jennie wanted to scream, to shout that it was her life, her choice. But instead, she kept trying to explain, over and over again, why she and Rosé weren't some mistake or fan obsession gone too far. Her throat hurt from talking, from crying, but nothing she said seemed to reach her mother.

"Mom, How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not some fan anymore! I haven't been for a long time! This is real!" Jennie had cried even more, her voice raw with desperation. "I love her. We've been together for more than TWO YEARS. How can you not see that?"

Her mother had just shaken her head, her face contorted with disbelief. "You really think this is love? You're delusional, Jennie. You're obsessed! Rosé is famous, and you've convinced yourself this is something more than it is. But it's not real. You're living in a fantasy!"

Rosé had wanted to step in, to defend Jennie, to explain how much they meant to each other. But every time she opened her mouth, Jennie's mother would shoot her a glare, as if daring her to speak. So, she stayed quiet, her heart aching for Jennie, her mind swirling with guilt and anger. This isn't a fantasy, she thought, this is my life too. Why can't you just understand?

Rosé's parents had sat quietly through most of it, their faces unreadable, though their eyes betrayed their shock. They didn't know what to say, didn't know how to process the fact that their daughter—their famous, successful daughter—had been hiding a relationship for so long. They were embarrassed, not necessarily by the relationship itself, but by how little they had known about their own child's life. Rosé's mother had kept glancing at her, as if trying to see through the surface, trying to make sense of everything.

"I'm sorry," Rosé's mother had finally whispered at one point, her voice tentative. "I still don't... fully understand. But I'm sorry for whatever our daughter did to cause this mess."

Rosé's father nodded silently, though his expression remained tight with confusion.

Jennie's mother had seized the moment, her voice growing sharper. "This isn't just about your daughter. Jennie's just as much to blame. They're both so immature, living in this bubble like they're teenagers! They're acting like this is some schoolgirl crush."

"Mom, stop it!" Jennie had snapped, her voice finally cracking under the pressure. "This isn't just some phase or crush. I've been through enough to know what I want, and I want her. I've chosen her."

The room had fallen silent after that, Jennie's declaration hanging in the air like a fragile thread. But the silence wasn't relief—it was the weight of everyone trying to grasp what Jennie had just said. Her father had shifted uncomfortably, while Rosé's parents exchanged looks of worry, clearly unsure of what to do or say.

"How can you be sure?" Jennie's mom finally whispered, her anger ebbing into something softer, though no less painful. "After everything you've been through... how can you be sure this won't just break apart like the rest? What about Hayoon? You've put her through so much already. First the divorce, now this? If this falls apart... you'll break her heart, Jennie."

Jennie had no answer to that. The truth was, she was scared. Scared of what might happen if things didn't work out, scared of how this would affect Hayoon in the long run. But she also knew that living a lie, denying her own happiness, wouldn't be any better for her daughter. Rosé wasn't Minwoo, and this wasn't the same. She felt it in every fiber of her being. But how could she explain that to her mother when even she had her own doubts?

"Seriously, how could you both hide this for so long?" Rosé's mother asked, her voice a mixture of disappointment and disbelief. "You've been dating for two years? Without telling us? Without telling anyone? Does your company know?"

"Other than us, only Mrs. Choi." Rosé looked down, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "We didn't want the world to know. We just wanted to... live in peace, without all the noise and opinions. But I love Jennie, Mom. I've never been more sure of anything."

Her parents were stunned into silence, still processing everything. Jennie's father sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "This... this is a lot to take in."

Finally, after hours of the same arguments going around and around, Rosé's parents stood to leave. Rosé's mother hugged her briefly, her grip tight, like she was afraid to let go. "The decision is yours," she said quietly. "And so are the consequences. Just... be careful. Please."

Her father, less expressive but no less concerned, nodded. "We'll support you, but this won't be easy, Chaeyoung. For either of you."

Jennie's parents lingered, their emotions still a whirlwind of conflict. Her mother shook her head one last time, her voice thick with unshed tears. "We'll take Hayoon for a few days. She doesn't need to be here for this... mess. Focus on what we said. Think hard about what you're doing, Jennie. For once in your life, really think about it."

Jennie could barely say goodbye to Hayoon, her heart breaking as she watched her parents lead her daughter out of the apartment. When the door finally closed, the silence that followed was deafening.

Jennie and Rosé sat down on the couch, the weight of the night finally crashing down on them. Jennie curled into Rosé's side, her body trembling as fresh tears began to fall.

"I don't know what to do," Jennie whispered, her voice barely audible, cracking with the rawness of emotion.

Rosé wrapped her arms around her, pressing a kiss to Jennie's hair, her own tears falling silently. "I don't either... but we'll figure it out. We always do."

They sat there for what felt like hours, the sun rising higher in the sky, filling the room with light, but neither of them moved. All they had in that moment was each other, and for now, that was enough.