rosie's rule

XVI

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Everybody Knows Everybody

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There is something about fancy parties that Rosie finds herself disliking the most.

One thing, apparently, is reuniting with an ex.

(A very dangerous ex.)

"Nayeon." Jisoo forcedly greeted as she tried her best to shoot the raven-haired girl the most genuine smile she could muster. "How are you?"

(Really, though. We're talking a wholeass six-long-year ex in here.)

Narrowing her eyes at the brunette, Nayeon retorted with a rather playful tone.

(Apparently, Rosie disliked that tone very much.)

"Isn't it Nadong for you, hon?"

(And apparently, that icky nickname, too.)

Jisoo's lips twitched upward as she shifted uncomfortably in her spot, the gesture not leaving unnoticed by a still frozen Rosie.

On the other hand, Jihyo's eyes widened at the interaction, smile growing wider when she realized, "Wait, you two know each other?"

Nayeon flashed her a sweet smile, adorable bunny teeth on display. (That, apparently, Rosie just instantly got so insecure of. Like, how the fuck are my teeth not as cute as those?! Suddenly, to her, the competition just got way more serious. What competition exactly?! Shut the fuck up!) "We might've known each other for a while now."

(So it's just then, Rosie realized that this ex, is like the almost-being-proposed-to-if-only-she-decided-not-to-leave kinda ex.) She sighed, feeling a lump suddenly growing inside her throat.

Well, it couldn't be that dangerous....... right?

Oh, who the fuck are we kidding?

"Unfair! How come I'm only finding out now?" Jihyo pouts as she approached the other three with Nayeon now standing next to her.

The latter chuckled, hitting Jihyo lightly.

"It's because we've only met each other a few years ago." Nayeon turned towards brunette, eyes crinkling as she mumbled softly. "Jisoo and I go way back."

She said that as she continued to hold a rather strong gaze towards a still uncomfortable-looking Jisoo.

(A gesture which, apparently [again], didn't please Rosie a tad bit.)

"Hey, may I cut-in?"

Another unfamiliar voice (this time to both Rosie and Jisoo) came ringing against their ears from behind, catching all five's attentions in an instant.

Four pairs of eyes watched as an arm wrapped around Nayeon's tiny waist securely, a soft peck on the latter's pale cheek following suit, before she turned to Jihyo with a grin forming on her lips. "Now, what did I miss?"

Jihyo sent the Japanese a faux-glare before leaning in to hug her as well.

"I didn't know you still had plans on actually showing up, Momoring."

The statement earned a chuckle from a newly arrived Momo. "I'm sorry, we had to stop by the office on the way here. And when we arrived, I suddenly got an urgent phone call, so I had to take it outside." She explained, pulling away from the hug.

Jihyo rolled her eyes.

"Oh, why don't you just spare me the futile excuses, now, and formally greet my guests?"

Momo laughed, looking up at the other three, and eyes immediately widening when her gaze landed on the familiar Thai.

"Wait, Lisa?" She asked, obviously surprised. "Hey, I didn't expect to see you here at all."

The greeting immediately snapped Lisa out of her daze, letting out a light chuckle as she leaned in to hug the Japanese as well.

"Well, same here. I didn't know you knew Jihyo, too."

"Yeah, I'm partners with her husband, Daniel, in real estate." Momo explained, pointing a finger towards both Lisa and Jihyo. "How do you guys know each other?"

"Oh, we've just met." Lisa said, gesturing towards Rosie by her left, "This is my friend, Roseanne Park," and Jisoo by her right. "And Kim Jisoo. She introduced Jihyo and I to each other."

"Hirai Momo. It's a pleasure." Momo smiled and bowed politely to both Jisoo and Rosie, before wrapping her arm around the raven-haired girl's waist once again. "This is my girlfriend, Nayeon."

Girlfriend. Jisoo unconsciously froze at the statement, which didn't go unnoticed by Rosie, who's standing just next to her.

Both of them felt their hearts drop.

(But for very different reasons.)

"Oh, don't bother, babe. I know Lisa." Nayeon laughed, flashing the Thai a smile before turning to her confused girlfriend. "You've mentioned her as a comrade in the entertainment industry that day when you left for an annual meeting, right?"

Momo's face showed a sudden hit of realization at her girlfriend's words, chuckling lightly as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Oh, yeah. How could I forget? My bad."

"So that's how I've heard the name Lalisa Manoban from you before." Jihyo chimed in, pointing towards a smiling Nayeon before scoffing amusedly. "Wow, isn't this a small world? I mean, everybody knows everybody."

Nayeon turned to lock gazes with Jisoo once again, and Rosie would be lying if she said she didn't notice the way the brunette immediately tensed up at that gesture.

She had to forcefully ignore the lurching in her stomach, especially when Nayeon let out rather sweetly as she continued to stare at Jisoo intensely.

"I couldn't agree more."

Right after saying that, Nayeon turned towards the direction of the only remaining unfamiliar face to her.

She narrowed her eyes at the way the unkown blonde stared at her ex, so she chose to step forward and offer her hand in order to forcefully snap her out of it.

"I believe it's now just the two of us who hasn't formally met." She said as she continued to hold her hand out for a surprised Rosie to take. "I'm Im Nayeon."

Okay, it's (just) Jisoo's ex.

Calm the fuck down.

Rosie internally scolded herself before accepting the raven-haired girl's offered hand with a forced smile.

"Roseanne Park."

"A pleasure, Roseanne."

Rosie was sure there's a subtle hint of sarcasm laced in her tone. But she chose to just ignore it, especially when Nayeon's next question had her heart almost leaping out of her chest in panic and utter nervousness.

"How do you know Jisoo?"

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