Hank's Heartbreak Playlist [CHAENNIE]

Track Twelve: Tell Me The Same

The past belongs to the past. Otherwise, it'll ruin the present. Reminiscing won't hurt but when it gets too much, and one gets stuck in it. It opens a series of complications and copious amounts of unresolved pain or worse, regret. At least, that's probably what would happen if the two ever collided. And that's why it's never good to dwell on it for so long. Chaeyoung probably would agree to that statement. 

When Jennie fondly pats her head in greeting, brushes her fingers along Chaeyoung's cheek and slides it down to her chin before she walks off to the table across them, Chaeyoung wonders if this is what it's like to be standing in the middle of both the past and the present.

Café Pink abruptly closes it's doors to new customers at the presence of Kim Jennie, seemingly having been paid beforehand to do so. If Chaeyoung didn't know better, she'd say Jennie has had the café reserved for the day. 

Jennie wasn't that excessive or overly extravagant despite her status and wealth. She never flaunts it even though, two years after her debut, the intrusive media has uncovered the secret just to how prestigious and rich her family is. Jennie has, until now, remained mum of it but, according to Lisa, whenever her mother drops by from abroad looking like she owns half of South Korea, Chaeyoung doesn't doubt it. She's even heard from Jisoo that Jennie's father had been disappointed at her decision to become an idol at first. What with his only child giving up studying abroad to audition for YG and pursue the grueling life of an idol. 

But in spite of having been labelled a chaebol, a Korean term for those born into families that have, through generations, an excessive amount of property, power and wealth, the idol would rather come by at a dead hour, wearing plain hoodies, scarfs, caps and anything to help cover her face and avoid being crowded by fans rather than seek attention. And that is why Chaeyoung knows a good number of 24 hour restaurants, cafes and stores. She's also seen the idol remain quiet than aggressively complain about the lack of service. Jennie would rather walk out, still leaving a generous tip, than demand to see the manager. Which is so unlike what the tabloids paint her out to be, a privileged bitch who flaunts her riches, never waits in lines and complains at the slightest inconvenience.

Kim Jennie is not and will never be that woman. Not to Chaeyoung who has seen her offer an old lady her seat, wait in line at a cake shop whilst lightly bouncing on her heels excitedly and would rather stay by her team in the cold than go to a much comfortable place solely offered to her.

At the moment, it's quiet in her table with Suzy looking out the window and Chaeyoung staring down her coffee. The only noise is from the other table where Jisoo and Lisa are making a fuss about adding another set of orders.

Chaeyoung admits, it's kind of comforting to know that they're there.

"Roseanne," Suzy starts, "I never wanted what happened. That time. . . everyone around me kept telling me things. I was swayed, I got scared. . . Rose, if I could only turn back time—"

"You can't. We can't," Chaeyoung quietly mumbles and the sting is back. She loved her. So much so that she'd been Chaeyoung's world, the only one she ever cared about aside from family. It's hard not to feel pain even though that love has lessened through time, gradually disappearing when her heart slowly bloomed again for those dark chocolate eyes that had held her up when she felt like drowning.

"I still. . .I still love you."

Five years ago, Chaeyoung would've melted right then and there, giving in and running back to her without a second thought. Now there's a jumbled mess deep within her that she can't seem to untangle.

"You don't turn your back on people you love," Chaeyoung quietly replies, yet the impact of her words are as loud as they can possibly be. She knows it sounds bitter but the pain she had went through after what she did was so unbearable it changed her.