RED ROSE REDEMPTION (Rosé x Reader)

IV - Rosé's Story

You gaze into Rosé's dark, mysterious eyes as she begins to tell you about her life. You're entranced by everything about this girl beside you in your tent, and you can't look away.

She clears her throat. "Ok so... before I begin, Rosé isn't my real name actually."

"It's not?"

She shakes her head. "No, it was my stage name when I sang at the saloon."

"Wait- stage name, saloon? What?"

"Yeah. I was a singer before."

"Wow" you breathe, "I had no idea." Somehow it makes perfect sense; she's definitely more of a singer than an outlaw to you.

"Yeah. Not many people know this, but my real name is Roseanne. Chaeyoung in Korean. I don't really tell anyone, I think only Lisa, Jennie and Jisoo know to be honest. I don't know why... but I trust you."

You crack a smile, "Well it's not like you have much of a choice do you? Who else is there out here?"

For the first time in a long time she laughs a little. "No, I suppose I don't. But even if I did have a choice, I would still choose you y/n."

"You're a sweetheart" you reply. So what should I call you? Rosé, Roseanne or Chaeyoung?"

"Hmm" she frowns, thinking for a moment before getting a cute smile. "You can call me Rosie."

You marvel again at how sweet her voice is, like golden honey. "Ok then Rosie. Let's hear your story."

She nods. "I'm originally from South Korea. I don't really remember anything from there because when I was really young, only two or three I think, I was taken from my parents. They put me and a bunch of other Korean children on a boat to America to be factory workers - slaves essentially. All of us were really scared, we didn't know what was happening. I wish I could erase it from my mind but the trauma won't let me. That's my earliest memory, I don't even remember what my parents were like."

She wipes a tear from her eye and continues.

"For a while I worked in a textiles factory down South with a bunch of other children. Most of us were kidnapped and shipped from poor countries in Asia, although there were some Black and Native American children there as well. We worked from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM sewing fabric for clothing. They fed us scraps and we all had to sleep together crowded on a hard floor."

"It sounds awful" you remark solemnly. No child should be taken from their parents, especially not to become a slave, you think. Although problems are aplenty out here in the West, the freedom is one thing you can't imagine living without.

"I suppose it was, but I didn't know any other life" Rosie says sadly. "The worst part were the beatings we'd get it we didn't work hard enough. A few children even didn't return from them, I can only assume what happened..." she says, trying hard not to choke up again. "But thank the Lord that I met Lisa, Jisoo and Jennie there. For as long as I can remember in that factory, we stuck together and became sisters. We had each other's backs and took care of one another. I really just, oh I miss them so much."

"Are they ok now?"

"I have no idea" Rosie says, looking frightened as she stares off into the distance. "We were separated a few months ago, but I'll get to that in a bit."

"Ok, sorry to interrupt."

"Not at all, it's fine. So yeah, we worked in the factory for years and protected each other. There was one older unnie too, Min-"

"Unnie?"

"Sorry, Korean word for big sister. Min, she was like a mother to us, since none of us had one. One night we managed to escape with her. We were still so young at the time - Jisoo was twelve I think, Jennie eleven and Lisa and I ten. Min must've been 18 or 19. The West is a crazy place for young girls without a family, without her I don't think we would've survived. We went North where we settled in the small town of Strawberry."