DISCLAIMER 

This is an ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE (au), so it is not real. BLACKPINK Rosé and BTS Jungkook are their own person, everything here is the product of my imagination: events and character's facts and personalities are not (necessarily) related to reality. I do not have the intention of tarnishing/damaging the image of the idols that appear in the story. This is simply a creative story intended for fun (and for rosekookers). However, I do own the individual characters and their plot-lines/stories. 

!Beware of  grammar errors as English is not my first language!

Legend ➨ [ Italics used in dialogues = characters are speaking in English ]

➨ [ Italics used in narration = character's thoughts ]

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Auckland, New Zealand

January 3, 1998

There, outside the largest airport of New Zealand, stands Jeon Jeong-il with his family, waiting for his best friend's chauffeur to pick them up. He looks at his beloved wife telling off their eldest son as, since they have landed, he has been insisting on playing with his toys which are still inside the suitcase and, despite the prohibitions, the little devil managed to unlock, or rather break, the luggage's padlock. 

Jeong-il smiles at the scene unfolding. He admires his wife for not caring less about being in public or making a fuss if that means correcting their children's behaviour. In times like these he feels the two-year gap between them, and though Jeong-il is younger, Yeonah has never treated him as a dongsaeng—that's one of the million things he loves about her. Next, he glances at his son and observes how he is trying to look tough by furrowing his brows, but the pout on his lips gives him away. He wants to laugh at the 5-year-old child's bad attempt.

Jeonghyun is the mischievous and naughty one among his children and, then, there's Jeongguk. The new addition to the Jeon family. 

As he thinks of his youngest, he looks down and meets two big, Bambi eyes, full of life and curiosity, staring at him from the pram. The infant is still and, with drool streaming down his chin, blinks a couple of times at his father who is now drying him with the bib around his neck. Then he takes the pacifier from the little one's hand and puts it back into his mouth. When he notices that his son is still motionless, he smiles adoringly at him.

"Hey, what's wrong little man?" asks fondly Jeong-il as he reaches to touch his baby's head, gently ruffling his sprouts of hair.

As if the baby has understood what he has just said, he kicks his little legs and waves his arms while smiling around the pacifier—his pink toothless gums showing. As if he were going to have a heart attack, Jeong-il puts a hand across his chest, and maybe that was the case because the lovely sight was worth it. Call him dramatic, but he doesn't care.

Jeongguk is the complete opposite of when Jeonghyun was a baby. While the latter was a crybaby and always needed attention, the former is dependent and rarely cries. Yeonah and Jeong-il worried a lot when Jeongguk didn't cry during the birth delivery, but after some stimulations his loud cries were heard, and all their worries and concerns disappeared, especially after the doctor denied them all. Still at this moment, Jeongguk is most of the time stuck in his world, barely whimpering if he ever needs something, docile with everyone, and loves to be picked up to get kisses all over his chubby cheeks. His parents understand that their youngest child is just tranquil and calm.

"Jeong-il, your son is acting up again!" complains Yeonah not caring about her high tone of voice and people's judgemental stares. They don't even know Korean, she thinks.

Her husband turns to her as she waits expectantly, but the poor man remains clueless on what to do. 

"Well, say something," she demands hopefully.

"I think he has unders—" he stops himself as Yeonah shoots him a not-so-intimidating glare.

"Jeonghyun," he begins hesitantly, yet in a firm voice, gaining the attention of the respondent. He quickly winks at him, hoping to not get caught by the love of his life, "listen to your eomma."

Yeonah rolls her eyes, but is quite satisfied as he seems to agree with her. Little does she know that her husband has no clue about what she has said to their firstborn, and has answered so to avoid her long-never-ending ranting.

"Okay," simply replies Jeonghyun, having sensed the wink signal of the father, but this seems to irritate Yeonah, because she has to let out more air than she could've breathed in just to get a simple 'Okay'?! Is this kid her boy? Is he really a mama's boy that everyone claims?

Fortunately, the so awaited chauffeur—thankfully a Korean too—arrives, and it is a relief for both Jeong-il and Jeonghyun as they've managed to escape from their beloved woman's wrath. 

Jeong-il thanks him, "You've saved us." The dazed older man just nods and proceeds to help him load the car trunk with the Jeon family's belongings. "Mr. Park did say his best friend was one of a kind," he mutters.

"We got away with it, little buddy," he ruffles Jeonghyun's hair, which earns him a death glare, "I didn't do it for free." The boy stretches his arm to his father and moves his little fingers expectantly. He was sure Yeonah's boy.

"Aish," he hisses and gives him a lollipop, "Do not eat it now, unless you want eomma to scold you again".

The little boy nods, not really paying attention to his father but to the delicious goody in his hands.

Meanwhile, an oblivious Jeongguk is babbling happily, but he quickly turns around as if he has sensed his mother's presence. The baby makes furtive gestures, reaching out to his mother who carefully picks him up, and while doing so, she leaves several smooches on his son's chubby cheek, making him giggle.

Once all is set up, they get in the car, ready for an hour trip to their friend's house.

For most of the journey Jeongguk slept. The baby gets tired easily. His parents are worried about him, but the doctors have always reassured them of his health—he shows no weakness. Also, Yeonah feels a little guilty about spending more time with Jeongguk than with Jeonghyun, and it looks like it's taking a toll on the latter as he often misbehaves. However, the mother can't prevent herself from worrying as her baby is always sound asleep instead of playing energetically like her older brother.

The car drives through the bustling city of Auckland, passing by famous monuments, skyscrapers, and inhabited urban centers to the outskirts, where there are rows of mini villas and similar terraced houses. The driver reduces the speed of the vehicle and then turns off the engine when they arrive in front of one of the many mini villas. Once he has announced their arrival, Jeonghyun rushes out of the car along with his father, while Yeonah slowly gets out with the sleeping baby in her arms.

They are greeted by an elderly lady with Polyneasian features—probably the same age as the driver—and a familiar face that Jeong-il and Yeonah have not seen in person for nearly ten years: Park Young-bin.

Jeong-il runs to his lifelong best friend holding his son by the hand, and Young-bin stretches his arms out for a moving bear hug, but it never comes instead, he gets a strong clap on his back, making him grunt in pain.

"Young-bin, my friend! We can cry later and greet each other properly, but this little man here has the urge to piss." 

"Oh, it's the thir—" Father and son disappear even before he can finish his directions. The host sighs and says amusingly to no one, "Make yourself at home."

"Hello Young-bin," the said man turns to the voice and sees a smiling Yeonah, "Yeonah! Long time no see!" Young-bin beams widely as his eyes land on the newborn.

"Hi baby Gguk. Glad I could finally meet you," he coos softly, "I'm uncle Mason."

Yeonah giggles quietly, "He's sleeping." 

"I apologize for my husband's behaviour. He panicked when Jeonghyun said he needed to go to the bathroom fifteen minutes ago."

"Don't worry, I didn't take it to heart," he chuckles when flashes of memories come to his mind, "He hasn't changed thankfully."

"Yeah, he hasn't," she chuckles along, then her eyes wander in search of someone, and when she is about to ask Young-bin where her best friend is, a squeal catches her attention. There on the threshold stands Park Aera, her best friend from university and the wife of his husband's best friend.

"Omo, Yeonah!"

"Aera!"

The two best friends run to each other, squealing like high school girls. 

"Thank God, a woman! I love my men, but it's suffocating to be surrounded 24/7 by male hormones," complains Yeonah and Aera laughs.

They were going for a heart-warming hug, but the baby in the middle made it difficult. "Oh my, is this Ggukie," Aera whisper-shouts adoringly. It wasn't a question, but Yeonah nods anyway. "He's so cute. I can't wait for my Rosie to meet him".

"Oh right, they are the same age."

"They are, but Rosie will be one year in a month."

"Already? Time sure does move fast."

"They grow up so fast. Our children must have a playdate with each other," states Aera decisively.

"Wha—" Yeoung-bin tries to take part in the conversation as he felt being the third-wheel. What does his wife mean by playdate? It doesn't matter if he has to face toddlers, but no male gender will touch his girls. However, his intent was rejected by his own wife, "Let's go inside. Your arms are probably asking for mercy. Ggukie also needs to sleep undisturbed."

"It amazes me how he is still asleep, despite our noise earlier."

And the two women go inside, leaving a baffled Park Young-bin. Did he just get ignored?

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On the ground, there is an eleven-month-old baby girl with short, unkempt straight hair, playing carefree with a doll. The Hello Kitty's colored hair ties, which gathered them in two pigtails, are found crushed under her little body, while her socks are lost somewhere in the house.

The toddler babbles and hums to herself for a good part of the time, while rocking passionately the baby doll. With her bright dark eyes she makes it clear that she is listening to whatever is said to her. She tries to ignore the noises around her, her parents talk more than usual, and there are also people she has never seen before. She doesn't understand much, and the language seems different from what they usually speak and teach her. 

The two new persons have addressed her as "Chae," and that has left her utterly confused. Isn't her name Rosie? She's probably thought since her parents have always called her that. She was excited to play with the little boy as Alice, her unnie, is always busy with her holiday homework to do so, but apparently, she has time now.

Alice and Jeonghyun are playing with the game boy, and her parents and their friends are getting too loud for her liking, so she decides to head to the playroom. With difficulty, the little girl stands up holding onto the wall, her whole body swaying and, when she detaches from it, she tries to balance herself and goes for a first wobbly independent step, but fails miserably by landing on her . She then simply crawls to her destination, dragging the poor doll across the floor.

Luck seems to be on her side because the door is ajar, thus the ease of pushing it open. She crawls in and is confused to find a giant bed, large bags, the differently positioned furniture, and the absence of her colorful toys. She walks over to the bed and notices that there is something on top of it. She is curious about the thing and attempts to climb up on the furniture, but it is an impossible undertaking for a little one like her. She tries it anyway and grabs the comforter, but it doesn't seem to work since it is just slipping away, so she tries with the sheets. And finally the mission is accomplished.

The girl is now on the top of the bed and finds out a doll, lying with eyes wide open looking at her. Is it really a doll? The four-month-old infant woke up when the older tried to get on the bed by clinging to the comforter. 

Now the two toddlers of less than one year of age are looking into each other's eyes for a moment in silence—one with awe while the other in wonder. 

Why is the doll moving and looking at her? It is bigger than her doll, she may be wondering. She moves on her hands and knees toward the little boy who is blinking at her. The doll is like her but smaller and with less hair, and then, as if a light bulb has above her little head, she grins with her two milk teeth showing.

"B-baby," she utters.

"Baby!" she repeats more enthusiastically.

Though the said baby doesn't understand, he smiles and waves all his limbs at the little stranger, whose cheeks remind him of his chipmunk plushie back home. It is the first time for both of them to see one if their peers up close.

"Baby, Baby, Baby!" Chants the little girl happily while jumping on her knees, making the bed squeak and the said baby giggle.

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The four best friends are seated comfortably in the living room: Young-bin and Aera on the armchairs, Jeong-il and Yeonah on the sofa. They talk and talk, reminiscing about the past and catching up on each other's lives. Meanwhile, Aera doesn't forget to take a glance at her little Roseanne once in a while to make sure her youngest is okay.

"Young-bin, Mason, or whatever you want to call yourself, when will you be going to visit Korea?" asks Jeong-il after sipping on his champagne, "It's been 10 years, man."

The two women realize that that question has changed the happy atmosphere that was the