I frowned onto the device I held. Still no reply? How very odd. i thought everything was fine with Jennie but the older wouldn’t reply to my texts. The contents of my texts weren’t even suggestive or concerning my feelings albeit I wanted to, I am determined to give Jennie the space she needs. I’ll follow the older girl’s pace if i have to.

Hello, Jennie-Unnie! How are you this morning? I have a photoshoot today and will be busy. Will respond when I can. – Chaeyoung, 6 a.m.

On my break! Miss you and the girls. – Chaeyoung, 11:45 a.m.

Are you okay? I hope you’re eating well. I can’t wait to come back. – Chaeyoung, 3 p.m

Manager-Oppa is taking me to eat some pasta… again. Although I like eating them, I’m ready to come back home and eat what you cook, Unnie. – 7:30 p.m.

Jennie? – 9 p.m.

I sighed looking at the recent text I just sent. Did I do something that might have upset her? I checked my previous message with her after the bear hat-scarf and everything was fine. Even the morning after I sent her a Good Morning text and she replied back with a smiley. Am I too clingy or…suffocating?

I chose to hit my forehead with the tip of my phone continuously, closing my eyes as I do so. This is torture, I just want to know if she’s fine. At this point if I call her up, I fear she won’t even pick up and if I ask the girls, they’ll be even more suspicious of our current situation.

I don’t even know why we’re not talking!

An old woman that looked to be in her 70s passed by the aisle I was at and observed my odd behavior. Smiling sheepishly, I greeted her in the littlest French I knew which earned me a slow nod from the woman. It was awkward but it didn’t matter, I’m glad there weren’t many people here. Wondering around by myself had brought me to a secluded area of the city with a tiny shop that sells some good snacks I’ve been wanting to try but I wasn’t allowed to before because of my tight schedule. Also, manager-oppa had strictly warned me to take care of my food-intake.

Slipping out of the hotel was a bit tricky since Manager-Oppa wouldn’t allow – come on I’m in one of the greatest tourist destinations and I get stuck in the hotel for the majority of my free time? Yeah, I’m not going to lose my chance to walk around. I made sure to put on my grey hoodie over my white tee, black slacks clasp my legs firmly and an Adidas sneaker. Lastly, a mask and a baseball cap to cover my appearance. Can’t do anything about the hair though, but so far no one has noticed who I am.

Gummy worms, I muttered under my breath. These are good – oh sour patches? I pondered over whether I should grab these. Gummy worms or Sour Patch? Both respectively in my hands and I raised them in interval as if I was weighing the items. Why is it so difficult to choose…

“Both are good, just go crazy with them.”

I jump a little at the voice and looked to my side where the stranger was busy searching for nuts in the shelf next to mine. Just then I finally registered the words she said – or more to the language she used. Korean.

I titled my head slightly in confusion trying to catch a glimpse of the woman with red hair fallen down just pass her shoulders. It moved and slide along her shoulders when she craned her neck. It looked healthy but I could tell that she had colored them that way, speaking from experience. Although hers were a darker shade than mine back then.

“You’re staring.”

The woman spoke again but this time with a smile as she rummaged through her handbag before slowly looking at me. My mouth dropped. This cannot be real. Wait is this real? Is she real? No way this is –

“Bae Suzy?”

“Yours truly.” The woman chuckled with a nod. “And you’re Rosé, right?”

My eyes widened and remembered that I was wearing a mask to cover my face and quickly attempt to take it off but she stopped me by putting a hand over my wrist. It was a gentle touch, felt as if she was unsure of putting her hands over a stranger and I respect that.

“Don’t! I assume you’re out on your own accord?”

“H-How did you know?”

“I’ve heard how your company likes to keep their idols in close wraps unlike mine. And judging by the place you’re in, I’m guessing you’re avoiding crowded places where people would recognize their rising star.” Suzy lowered her hand from mine and side smile.

“I wouldn’t say rising star but if you put it that way…” I smiled dorkily and started to swing my arm sideways like a shy fan meeting her idol. Geez was it always this hard to accept compliments? Again, the woman infront of me laugh with a tilt of her head. I can’t believe I have made The Bae Suzy laugh, and I didn’t even make a joke! Would anyone ever believe this if I told them?

“Um yes, my manager doesn’t know my little escapade – it’s Paris, who wouldn’t want take this chance to explore. What about you Suzy….Unnie?”

“I almost forgot that I’m older than you. But you can just call me Suzy and forget about the formalities.” She put out her hand for me to shake and I looked at my hand before wiping it against my black slacks which made her giggle and I smiled bashfully. Oh my gosh I made a celebrity laugh twice in a span of 30 seconds. Grabbing her hands gently she looked at our connected hands with a glint her eyes. She’s so sweet looking, I’ve binged her dramas several times and she’s always been pretty but seeing her up close her pretty aura multiplies by a ton.

I can feel my inner fangirl shaking.

“Oh my gosh I’m shaking hands with a celebrity.” I said breathlessly.

After realizing what I said, I looked away almost embarrassed. I meant to say it in my head but I guess inner fangirl can’t keep her feelings at bay. Suzy suppressed a laughter, raising an eyebrow.

“I can’t believe I’m meeting with a fellow celebrity too. I guess I’m here for something similar.” Shaking the contents in her hands. Ah, Snacks. “I’m actually surprised how many coincidences we’ve had really.” She grabbed the Gummy worms and Sour patches from me and proceeded to head for the cashier. Dumbfounded, I followed her.

“Coincidences? What do you mean – hey you don’t have to pay them, I have cash.” Taking out the money from my pocket, she shook her head and pushed my hand away.

“It’s alright, I got it.”

Oh my gosh, the celebrity is paying for my candy. Suzy smiled sweetly at me and I feel myself combust by the cuteness and quickly look down crumpling the money in my hands. Said celebrity is treating me candy like I’m her dongsaeng. I waited patiently behind her while she exchanged pleasantries with the person behind the counter. Like a kid, I looked around the store and played around with the items displayed. Picking up nutrient bar and inspecting its ingredients without really processing the information just to waste the time. Another customer walked in and I instinctively looked down, angling my head with the help of my cap to hide my face. Fortunately, the customer didn’t do a double take and went to the alcohol section with a grunt. I let out a breath and looked at Suzy-unnie who rummaged through her purse before handing the paper to the cashier. My eyes caught an item that intrigued me on her wrist and it happened to be a scrunchie wrapped around it.

Christian Dior.

Of course, she endorses it! Brand suits her. I nodded to myself in agreement. I feel giddy like a little kid as she smiled at me, following her out of the store. I held up my hand for the snacks, opening and closing them excitedly.

“Okay, okay. Hold on.” Suzy laughed. “Who would have thought Rosé of Blackpink is a sweet tooth.”

We turned a corner, leaving the small convenient store and walked into a long road where these preserved buildings stood in between it. The road was quite empty compared to the busy ones you see in the center of the city. I looked back and saw where my hotel was and shrug it off, I could stray a bit before going back.

“I eat technically everything – except for Avocados.”

“What!? I like Avocados! They’re delicious.”

“I just don’t like the texture.” Chuckling at her, I pocketed the small sour patch packet into my jacket and proceed to rip open the gummy worms. I took a piece and offered her some but she shook her head. I pouted but still insisted and nudged her forearm playfully before she finally accepts.

“Like you said, go crazy with them, right?”  I said.

“I just fear I won’t be able to stop once I eat one.”

“Then it’s fine! We can just finish it together. It’s not every day I get to share my Gummy worms with a celebrity.” Bumping her shoulders which she rolled her eyes and bumped into me back.

“Speak for yourself much. What’s with the ‘celebrity’ thing anyways, is this because you feel anxious to call me by my name without honorifics?”

“I – “ Well… she caught on to it. Stopping by a lamp post, I grabbed onto it and circled it slowly with a pursed of my lips. “I’m just used to calling my seniors that way. It’s not that I’m putting a barrier between them by doing so! Believe it or not, I actually feel closer when I call them Unnie.”

I stopped infront of the pole, blocking my view from Suzy who sported a silly smile when she tilted her head to the side to look at me.

“So if you don’t mind?”

“I guess if you feel comfortable say that way then I’m okay with it.”

“And you can call me Chaeyoung if you want.”

Déjà vu. This feels like the conversation with Ha-yi back in the bar.

“Chaeyoung…ie? Is it okay if I call you Chaeyoungie?”

Chaeyoungie? There’s only one person that always call me that and it sort of did a number on my heart causing it to ached in the most painful way. I blinked away the sadness and stretched my lips into a strained smile but good enough to earn a genuine one from her. I nodded and continued to walk with her, I noticed she still sported a small smile and I wonder how she’s not tired from doing it or that’s just her resting face. I wish I was that pretty. It’s already night time and I wonder how she’s not tired yet and her looks don’t deteriorate like I have – dark circles formed under my eyes, hair slightly a mess and I’ll make sure to wash it when I get back. It’s been one tiring day, like any other day really.

I was now walking on the road and Suzy-Unnie kept her distance on the sidewalk which made her an ich taller than me but slowly our distance decreased where we strolled only a meter apart. I adjusted the cap on my head and looked around, the air was nice and the way the atmosphere surrounded you is different than in Korea. I guess it’s because I was unfamiliar with new surroundings.

Gosh I better remember the way back.

My ears suddenly perked up hearing a weird sound behind us and I glanced over my shoulder but saw nothing. Something felt off. Sounded like foo