Your Song • Chaelisa

The Only Exception

And no one would dare question it, after all, it was my invitation.

He received everyone's applause and I noticed Rose shyly walking away from him, but when I went to approach him, he was with her again. I didn't need to introduce myself, he did it himself, he said that Rose was his friend and a guest, no one there knew about my dealings with her apart from Jennie, although probably some of them had already seen Rose around the record label.

She started to look around and our gazes finally met, she stared at me leisurely and lowered her eyes to my clothes. I took another sip of champagne and walked over to Dong-hae, hugging him.

- Congratulations on everything, you deserve it.

- If I'm here it's because of you Lisa, this applause should be for you too.

- Don't worry, I got plenty at the meeting. - he laughed along with me and after greeting me he walked over to Min-ji Jennie and Brandon who were chatting near the stage.

Rose and I were left alone.

- Good evening, Lisa. - was the only thing she said without looking at me.

- Good evening Rose, we haven't seen each other for a while.

- Yes, I can imagine how busy your days must have been, don't worry about it.

- I do. - She still wasn't looking at me and that was making me nervous. - You can look at me, I won't bite. - I said, smiling in a corner and receiving her gaze, she bit her lower lip. - I'm sorry I've been away, how are your days at the record company?

- Lisa, I won't lie to you, I've really enjoyed all these days here. - I felt the sincerity in her words, but I was afraid of what would come next. - But me.

- No Rose, you promised me a month.

- I miss my parents from Jisoo, from Australia. - I knew that feeling and now I understood the things that Dong-hae had noticed.

I should have known that would be the worst part, being away from the ones you love.

- Rose, the life of an artist is unfortunately sometimes a lonely one, which is why it's such an important choice. Look at Dong-hae. - We faced him at the same moment.

Dong-hae was already preparing to sing, talking to the musicians and arranging his microphone.

- He practically lives at the record label, I've supported him countless times when he cried because he missed his parents. - I looked at Rose again, her gaze was sad, it broke my heart. - But ask him if he regrets it, if he'd come home.

- Dong-hae is an incredible artist Lisa, I'm not, this is all too crazy, look at me and look at him.

- I'm looking at you Roseanne Park, I'm doing things I've never done with any artist who has left my label or is still on it.

- I don't want to waste your time anymore.

- You can't leave, understand? I won't let you.

- I'm sorry Lisa, I'm sorry for the time I took and for having you. - she stopped talking and stared at me.

- Do you regret what we had? - she didn't answer. - If that's the problem, I promise I'll never bring it up again, I can pretend nothing happened.

- I don't want you to pretend. - I was starting to get confused by that conversation, Rose had dismissed me, not the other way around.

- Was it bad? - she looked at me again now as if I'd said the most absurd thing in the world.

- You have no idea what your gaze does to people, do you? - she said, laughing humorlessly. - I know I was just another one.