Reaching My Star | A Chaennie AU

Chapter 54: Without You (Jennie 30; Rosé 33)

Hayoon wandered back into the living room, her tiny hands clutching a stuffed bear that Rosé had bought her during one of their vacations. She had that same look of innocence, the one that always tore at Jennie's heart. For a moment, all Jennie wanted to do was scoop her up, shield her from everything, and pretend none of this was happening.

But pretending wasn't going to fix this.

"Mommy, Auntie Rosie, are you gonna talk to me now?" Hayoon asked, her little voice breaking the quiet tension. She was looking up at them with wide, curious eyes.

Jennie and Rosé exchanged a glance. This was it—the moment they'd been dreading, the one they couldn't avoid any longer.

Rosé was the first to kneel down to Hayoon's level, pulling her close with a soft, reassuring smile. "We're here, sweetheart," Rosé said, her voice tender but filled with a heaviness that didn't go unnoticed. "There's something we need to talk to you about."

Jennie sat on the couch, her hands clasped tightly in her lap as she watched Rosé speak to Hayoon. She admired how patient Rosé was with her, how calm she always seemed. It was part of what made Hayoon love her so much—why Hayoon always felt safe around her.

Hayoon looked between them, her little face scrunching up with confusion. "What's wrong?"

Jennie swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak. "Sweetie," she began, her voice quiet but steady, "Auntie Rosie and I... we've had a hard time recently. We've been fighting, and we're trying to figure some things out."

Hayoon's brow furrowed. "But you're not mad at me, right?"

Jennie's heart shattered at the innocence of the question. She quickly shook her head and reached out to pull her daughter close. "No, honey. Never. We're not mad at you. We love you so much."

Rosé added, "We're trying to make sure everything is okay for you, Hayoon. We just need a little time to work things out."

Hayoon seemed to mull over their words for a moment before asking, "So... are we all gonna live together again?"

The question hung in the air like a dagger between them.

Neither Jennie nor Rosé knew how to answer that. They exchanged a look, both struggling to find the right words. This was the hardest part—explaining to a child that things might not go back to the way they were, even if both adults were trying to figure out if they could repair what was broken.

Rosé was the one who spoke first, her voice soft but honest. "We don't know yet, sweetie. But no matter what happens, we both love you. You're the most important thing to both of us."

Hayoon seemed satisfied with that answer, at least for now. She nodded and hugged Rosé tightly, her small arms wrapped around her aunt's neck.

Jennie watched them, her heart aching at the sight. She wished they could just rewind everything, go back to before things got so complicated, before all the fighting and the doubts. But there was no going back.

When Hayoon finally went back to her room, Jennie and Rosé were left alone in the quiet apartment once again. The conversation they had just had with Hayoon lingered between them like unfinished business. Jennie stared at the floor, unsure of what to say next.

Rosé stood at the window, her back to Jennie, her silhouette framed against the city lights. The night outside seemed so still, so distant from the turmoil in the room. Her fingers traced the edge of the window, lost in thought, her heart heavy with all the things she hadn't said yet.

Jennie stayed on the couch, staring at the floor, her mind spinning. The apartment felt suffocating, the silence between them thick with unspoken apologies. She had thought about this moment a thousand times, about what she would say if she ever had the chance, but now the words stuck in her throat. But, she couldn't take the silence anymore. It was too much—this distance between them, the weight of everything they hadn't said to each other in weeks. She stood up slowly, her feet feeling heavy as she made her way across the room to where Rosé was standing.