Reaching My Star | A Chaennie AU

Chapter 56: Learn to Accept (Jennie 30; Rosé 33)

The silence in the hallway was thick as Jennie's mother stood by the door, gathering her thoughts. She was still grappling with everything Jennie had said, her heart heavy with a mixture of confusion and disappointment. She had always envisioned a different life for her daughter—a life that looked more like hers, more traditional, more... "normal." But as much as she resisted, there was no denying that Jennie had spoken with a conviction she couldn't ignore.

Rosé's mom, noticing Jennie's mother's visible turmoil, approached her gently. "You know," she began, her voice soft and soothing, "our girls, they've been through so much. I didn't expect this either, but the more I think about it, the more I realize how happy Rosé is with Jennie. How happy they are together."

Jennie's mom glanced over, her expression guarded but not hostile. "It's just... it's not what I imagined for her. I've always wanted Jennie to have a stable life, a normal life. And now this? It's so... different."

Rosé's mom nodded in understanding. "I felt that way at first too, but the more I saw them together, the more I saw the love they share—the way Rosé lights up when Jennie's around, the way they laugh and support each other—it made me realize that this is their normal. They've created a family, even if it's not the traditional one we might have imagined."

Jennie's mom sighed, her gaze drifting towards the living room where the two girls sat quietly, hands intertwined, their faces soft with relief. "I just... I never thought this would be her life. But you're right. I can see it—how much they love each other."

"It's not always easy for us as parents," Rosé's mom continued, placing a comforting hand on Jennie's mom's shoulder. "We want what's best for them, and sometimes we think we know what that is. But they're adults now. They've made their choice, and that choice makes them happy. We should support that. We should support them."

Before Jennie's mom could respond, a soft voice interrupted them. Hayoon appeared in the doorway, clutching her stuffed bunny tightly. She peered around the room, her eyes wide with curiosity, before spotting her grandparents. "Grandma? Grandpa?" she called out shyly, her voice small but filled with excitement.

Jennie's mom's face immediately softened as she smiled at her granddaughter. "Hayoon, sweetie, come here," she said gently, opening her arms.

But Hayoon hesitated, her gaze drifting to Rosé's parents, who sat quietly observing the scene. She shifted nervously, inching toward her grandparents but stopping short as she looked at the unfamiliar faces. Sensing her unease, Hayoon hid behind Jennie's parents, peeking out every few seconds at Rosé's mom and dad.

Rosé smiled gently, understanding Hayoon's shyness. "Hayoon, come here for a second," she called softly, patting the spot beside her on the couch. "I want to introduce you to my mom and dad."

Hayoon peeked out from behind her grandparents again, her eyes wide with uncertainty. But slowly, she stepped forward, clutching her stuffed bunny like a shield. Rosé's mom, bent down to Hayoon's level, offering her a kind smile.

"Hi, Hayoon. I'm Rosé's mom, and this is Rosé's dad," she said, pointing to her husband, who waved kindly. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

Hayoon hesitated, then glanced at Rosé for reassurance. "It's okay," Rosé said, her voice warm. "They're just like your grandma and grandpa. You can say hi."

Tentatively, Hayoon stepped forward and gave a tiny wave, still holding tightly to Jennie's mom's hand. "Hi," she whispered, her cheeks flushing pink.

Jennie's parents exchanged a look, and for the first time that night, they both seemed to soften. Jennie's dad, who had been mostly quiet, nodded slightly, as if coming to a realization. He knew Hayoon adored Rosé, and seeing how gently Rosé and her family treated his granddaughter, it began to dawn on him—perhaps this wasn't such a bad situation after all.

Mrs. Kim let out a small sigh, her heart melting at the sight of Hayoon's nervousness. Maybe they needed to start accepting this for what it was, for the sake of their daughter, and more importantly, for Hayoon. After all, the little girl clearly loved Rosé like a second mom.

As the night progressed, the mood lightened bit by bit. Dinner was served, and though the atmosphere remained a little tense at first, the conversation slowly began to flow. Both sets of parents, still cautious, started to ask questions, first about logistics—how Jennie and Rosé would handle living together again, how they planned to manage Hayoon's upbringing—but then it shifted to softer topics.

"So, Chaeyoung," Jennie's father began, surprising everyone by breaking his usual silence. "I heard you're working on new music. How's that going?"

Rosé smiled, grateful for the attempt to bridge the gap. "It's going well, thank you. I've been experimenting with a new sound, and Jennie's been really supportive."

Jennie's mom watched the interaction, and slowly, the disappointment in her eyes began to fade. She still didn't fully understand, but she was trying. And seeing Jennie and Rosé together—seeing how happy they made each other—it was becoming harder to deny that maybe, just maybe, this was what Jennie needed.

Hayoon, who had become more comfortable as the night went on, started telling stories about her time with Jennie and "Auntie Rosie". She recounted their adventures at the park, how Rosé taught her to sing silly songs, and how they had "secret" tea parties when Jennie wasn't looking.

"And Auntie Rosie makes the best pancakes!" Hayoon declared with a proud grin.

Rosé laughed, shaking her head. "I don't know about the best pancakes, but I do my best."

Jennie's parents chuckled at Hayoon's enthusiasm, and for the first time that night, there was a sense of peace. The room, once filled with tension and doubt, now seemed lighter, warmer. Bit by bit, the walls between them were coming down.

Jennie looked over at Rosé, her heart swelling with gratitude and love. The agony of the past few w—the uncertainty, the distance, the fear that they would never find their way back to each other—seemed to finally be behind them. They had fought through so much, and now, sitting here with their families, it felt like a new beginning.

Rosé caught her gaze and smiled softly, her eyes saying what they both felt in their hearts.

The nightmare was over.

This was the start of something beautiful. They were finally free to be themselves, free to love each other openly, and free to build the life they had always dreamed of—together, with Hayoon.