(a/n: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. All characters, places, and incidents are either imaginary or used fictitiously.)

 

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A moment of silence hung in the air after Yoona's last statement. Then, Jennie suddenly pinched her side, causing her to emit a low growl in response. The action puzzled the men, who exchanged confused glances.

 

Yoona shot Jennie an admonishing look, making a mental note to discuss the matter with her later.

 

"Well...we haven't really defined anything between us yet," V spoke up with a friendly smile, his eyes flickering towards Jennie. She didn't seem pleased. "But I'm optimistic about it," he continued, the words meant only for them to hear.

 

Yoona found it curious, even odd. Did Jennie have reservations about this man? They did seem like a good match on the surface, but perhaps Jennie's feelings were more complex than they appeared.

 

"Hey,"

 

Jennie nudged her, and Yoona snapped back to the conversation, realizing she had drifted off. Apologizing for her momentary lapse, she politely asked for the others to repeat what they had said. "Oh, about drinks?"

 

"Yes, we heard that the dancers and other members are meeting up for drinks, and they invited us too. Since you're here, it would be wonderful if you joined us. After all, you're one of Jennie's friends now," Seo-Joon suggested.

 

Jennie's immediate reaction surprised everyone as she clung to Yoona's arm. "She's quite busy, you know how her schedule can be," she chimed in quickly.

 

Yoona shook her head with a laugh, earning an eye roll from Jennie. "I never turn down a drink, Jennie, you should be well aware of that," she retorted playfully, giving her a wink.

 

"Jendeuk!"

 

"Jennie Unnie!"

The group turned their attention to the approaching voices and saw the other three members of BLACKPINK making their way towards them.

 

"We've been waiting for you! Since you've already had dinner, let's go grab some drinks!" Jisoo, the oldest among them, paused when she spotted the unfamiliar face next to Jennie. She seemed taken aback, perhaps curious about why Jennie was holding onto Yoona. "Ms. Lim," she greeted with a respectful bow, followed by greetings from Chaeyoung and Lisa.

 

As her members looked at her with a questioning glance, Jennie quickly disengaged from Yoona. She chuckled nervously and shook her head. "Is it okay if she joins us too?"

 

The members of BLACKPINK exchanged glances, their reactions causing confusion among Yoona, V, and Seo-Joon. Yoona let out another eye roll, wondering about the motives behind their actions. She was getting thirsty, and their prolonged exchange was beginning to test her patience.

 

Except for Jennie, the BLACKPINK members responded with a resounding chorus of "yes," clearly delighted at the prospect of having Yoona join their gathering.

They were all taken aback by Yoona's sudden shift in attitude. This was the first time the businesswoman had agreed to partake in their celebration. What surprised them even more was the fact that their fellow member, Jennie Kim, had not only shared dinner with her but was also holding onto her arm.

 

A multitude of questions raced through their minds, and they intended to interrogate Jennie later to get the full story.

"Alright, then let's go and have a blast tonight!"

"But we have a concert on day 2 tomorrow. Could that be an issue?" Jennie voiced her concern, prompting her members to respond with a teasing expression. She sighed and raised her hands in surrender. "Fine, whatever."

As Yoona was about to walk alongside Jennie, V preempted her, and she observed their interaction closely. She should have been the one beside Jennie, considering she wanted to discuss the matter concerning the guy.

Shrugging her shoulders, Yoona realized she had been left behind, with Chaeyoung waiting for her. "Are you coming?" the woman asked, a friendly smile on her face.

 

Yoona returned the smile, inwardly smirking as she noticed Chaeyoung briefly glancing away, possibly to hide her flushed cheeks.

"Hi Rosé, nice to meet you," Yoona greeted, striking up a conversation. "We haven't had a proper conversation before, and I think it's the perfect opportunity for us to get to know each other better."

Yoona recognized the importance of building connections with Jennie's closest friends as a way to gain insight into the enigmatic idol.

 

"Oh wow," Chaeyoung exclaimed, clearly taken aback. "Forgive me, but this is quite unexpected."

 

Yoona shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll be spending time with Jennie for a while, so you better get used to seeing me around."

 

"Fair enough. Can I ask you something?" 

 

"You just did," Yoona replied with a smirk.

 

Rolling her eyes, Chaeyoung continued, "What's with the sudden closeness to Jennie? Are you planning to offer her something more for her career, or maybe invest in her?"

"I'm actually planning to build a strip club right here in Seoul," 

Chaeyoung's eyes widened in shock. "No way! Where?"

"And Jennie would be the main stripper."

 

Chaeyoung stopped in her tracks, hand on her hip, and glared at Yoona. "You did not just say that in front of me."

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" 

Chaeyoung returned the sharp look; she had not just learned of this from their company's investor. Nobody would judge her loved ones, and Yoona would be upset with what she's about to do to her right now.

"I'm feeling like punching you right now," grumbled the blonde, ready to unleash blows. "You've gone too far."

Yoona's eyes well up with tears as she laughs so hard. She kept giggling until Chaeyoung realized she was joking. The blonde rolled her eyes before throwing side punches at Yoona.

 

"You're so annoying!" 

 

"You're the gullible one here." Yoona retorted, wiping away fake tears.

Chaeyoung smirked. "It's no wonder Jennie agreed to have dinner with you."

"Huh?"

"You're actually quite fun to be around."

"And you're just realizing that now? It's a shame it took you this long."

"And you could be arrogant, because you weren't like this before, and --"

As they bantered, Jennie's voice interrupted them, clearly not in a good mood. "Are you two coming or not?"

 

Both Yoona and Chaeyoung turned to face Jennie, who seemed visibly annoyed.

Chaeyoung whispered to Yoona, "She's really scary when she's angry. Let's go."

Nodding in agreement, Yoona watched Jennie's expression and then followed Chaeyoung back to the van.

 

Jennie Kim was clearly bothered, and Yoona couldn't help but wonder why. The reason behind her mood remained unknown.

 

They arrived at a Korean bar named Soju Bar, as most of them wanted to enjoy the popular South Korean alcoholic beverage. It was Yoona's first time trying soju, a traditional drink of the country.

 

As they settled down, Blackpink members, V, Seo-joon, and Yoona found themselves at a round table together. Nearby, the dancers occupied their seats. Yoona couldn't help but feel a bit disgruntled when she noticed V was already sitting next to Jennie. What a missed opportunity, she thought.

 

Chaeyoung waved at Yoona, signaling her to take the seat next to her. "I saved you a spot right here," she said, tapping the chair. "Lisa and Jisoo were too nervous to sit next to you. They couldn't believe you're actually here with us."

 

Yoona chuckled as she looked at Lisa and Jisoo, who were trying their best to appear composed. She waved and smiled at them, and surprisingly, they responded with shy smiles as well.

 

"See, a smile can work wonders," Yoona remarked, smirking at Chaeyoung, who rolled her eyes playfully.

 

"You're quite confident," the blonde teased, rolling her eyes again.

 

Yoona had lost count of the number of times these women rolled their eyes. Did their eyes ever get tired from all that rolling? It seemed exhausting.

 

"Why the constant eye-rolling? Is that your special talent?" Yoona inquired, raising an eyebrow.

 

Once again, Chaeyoung rolled her eyes, prompting Yoona to add, "If you keep doing that, I might think you're training for an eye-rolling competition."

 

The table fell into a stunned silence, processing Yoona's unexpected comment. Then, one by one, laughter erupted from everyone. The tension dissolved into giggles and chuckles that filled the air.

 

Yoona was taken aback when Jennie's laughter joined in. Her infectious laughter echoed through the bar, and even Yoona couldn't help but join in, smacking her knee and leaning back in her chair from the sheer amusement. Laughter spread contagiously among the group, filling the bar with joyous sounds.

 

Yoona's heart warmed as she watched Jennie's laughter, captivated by the genuine display of emotion. Something about seeing Jennie's carefree laughter made her feel a deep connection. In that moment, words couldn't express the feelings that were blossoming within her.

 

Amidst the jokes and laughter, the mood became lighter. The waiter approached their table to take their orders. When Yoona inquired about a specific Scottish whiskey, she was met with puzzled looks from everyone.

 

"It's called Isabella's Islay," Yoona explained. "A Scottish whiskey. Anyone tried it before?"

 

Confused glances were exchanged around the table. The group seemed unfamiliar with that particular brand. Chayeoung broke the silence, not wanting Yoona to feel left out. She shrugged playfully, her eyes gleaming mischievously. "We're not as wealthy as you."

 

Yoona locked eyes with Chayeoung and mirrored her playful demeanor. "Consider it my treat."

 

Chayeoung retorted, "This is a Korean bar, in case you missed that."

 

Yoona laughed and playfully teased, "Wow, I've never met someone with your level of audacity. I think Jennie might be a close contender." She paused, noticing Jennie's intense stare. "In a good way, of course. Don't get any wrong ideas."

 

Returning to her conversation with V, Jennie brushed off the comment with a nonchalant "Whatever."

 

Despite Yoona's initial boredom, she found herself enjoying the company of the group. Slowly, they were warming up to her, and their remarks about her unexpected behavior, although slightly irritating, didn't bother her much. She had a mission to accomplish — to get closer to Jennie. However, it seemed like Jennie was currently engrossed in conversation with V, leaving Yoona feeling a bit sidelined. She couldn't help but think about her ultimate goal: to find out who these people were that had captured Jennie's interest and maybe even help them win her heart. But not just yet. Because if Jennie had already fallen in love, she wouldn't be here in this situation.

 

Unbeknownst to her, Jennie had been stealing glances at her in secret. In a way, Yoona's presence was intriguing, and she was gradually getting used to the idea of spending time with her.

 

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