The Clandestine Us

Twenty-four

───── ❝ Rosé's POV ❞ ─────

Everyone in our room was starting to get tipsy, and Jennie and Jisoo were no exception. I had a decent tolerance for alcohol, but I still paced myself—unlike these two beautiful ladies beside me, who showed no signs of slowing down.

Jisoo and Jennie were laughing and smiling at everyone engaged in conversation, and it was obvious that the guys were loving this carefree side of them.

Hwasa was clearly drunk, while Wheein, like me, remained in a stable condition despite drinking a lot.

Yuta and Johnny were fully enjoying the drinks, while Taeyong seemed like he wasn't much of a drinker.

Wonpil still looked composed, while Dowoon didn't seem too pleased whenever it was his turn to drink.

Ahn Hyo-seop appeared unbothered, and Nayeon was enjoying being the center of the conversation while drinking in moderation.

"So, Johnny, you really like Yoona-sunbaenim?" Nayeon asked again, even though Johnny had already answered that question.

Johnny chuckled before replying.

"I did, but she was way out of my league—too elegant for me to even try shooting my shot."

"Agreed. She defined visual perfection in so many ways," Jisoo added with an approving smile.

"I'm curious..." Hwasa suddenly said, drawing everyone's attention.

"Hmm?" Jennie looked at her, her cheeks slightly puffed with food still in her mouth.

"Why is Ahn Hyo-seop here? I didn't know he was an idol. I've only ever known him as an actor."

Wheein laughed awkwardly and nudged Hwasa in the ribs, whispering something to her.

Ahn Hyo-seop smiled and placed his drink down.

"I debuted as an idol before, but my group disbanded, so I decided to focus on acting."

"One O One, right? I loved your debut song." Jennie beamed, still chewing. "And you guys were all so tall."

Jisoo nodded in agreement, making Ahn Hyo-seop chuckle as he thanked them for the compliment.

"Jennie's cute," Wheein commented, reaching for her cheek and giving it a playful squeeze.

Jennie giggled, her nose scrunching up in response. Jisoo joined in, pinching her other cheek.

"Mandu, mandu," Jisoo teased, making everyone laugh.

The room buzzed with questions about Ahn Hyo-seop and how he and Nayeon became friends. He answered them all with a friendly smile.

As the music from the speakers grew louder, everyone started singing along. Then, Jennie, the girl I had known for years, leaned in and asked me to accompany her to the restroom. I agreed without hesitation, even asking Jisoo to come along, but she refused, staying behind to chat with Wheein.

Jennie swayed to the upbeat music as we walked, her hands resting on my waist while mine settled on her shoulders.

Each floor had a restroom, so it wasn't a hassle to get there, and since there were several stalls inside, there was rarely a line.

Jennie went in while I stood by the door. That's when I spotted Jimin near the stairs, talking to a girl with a glass in his hand. My eyes narrowed.

This flirt.

"Hey," I called out as I approached them.

The girl looked foreign but spoke Korean fluently, though her accent was noticeable. She was probably a rich kid who had studied abroad, likely with a Korean mother.