The Angel Next Door (Rosé X Female Reader)

27: Y/N, you dummy.

Word Count: 7,137

"I’m looking forward to working with you."

I was normally never on the receiving end of her angelic smile, so when she turned it on me, it made me want to groan.

"…Same here," I responded in a quiet voice.

As a rule, I never approached Rosé at campus, but I didn’t have much choice if she was the one who approached me. But this time, it wasn’t Rosé's fault; instead, it was simply because we had decided to team up, as friends.

Our home economics class was going to feature a cooking segment in several days, and the students had been given the freedom to form their own teams, as well as the right to choose what dishes they were going to prepare.

However, we were required to put together a menu that applied our lessons about nutrition, and we would be graded on that menu, so we needed to take it seriously.

There were, of course, many potential suitors hoping to be on the same team as Rosé, but she formed a pair with her good friend Lisa, and her partner Lisa pulled in her girlfriend, Jennie. I, who thought I was paired up with Jennie, naturally came along with her, so from the outside it looked like I was with Rosé. We were getting even more stares now, and I could already feel a stomachache coming on.

Lisa, the main culprit in a sense, was grinning cheekily as she arranged some nearby desks for us. "Ah-ha-ha! You look like you swallowed a bug, Y/N!" she cackled.

"And whose fault do you think that is?" I replied.

Once we had pushed four desks together and taken our seats, Rosé smiled at me apologetically, letting her angelic expression slip just a bit. "I’m sorry for intruding," she said gracefully.

"No, this isn’t your fault," I insisted. "I’m just worried about whether I’m going to be stabbed by those daggers in everyone’s eyes."

"It’s just like Y/N not to appreciate her good fortune," Lisa admonished.

"I just don’t wanna hog all the good luck, is all."

It was probably just my imagination, but I thought I heard displeased voices quietly agreeing. All the other boys must have been clamoring for the chance to eat Rosé's handmade food, and I knew they were angry to see it go to a femme who didn’t even seem to want it that badly. I was being pierced by thorny gazes full of jealousy and envy.

"But you know I’ll have a hard time if you’re not with me, Y/N," Jennie added.

"Besides, all the other teams are groups of friends."

"Hmm…" I couldn’t argue that point.

I wasn’t exactly an outcast or anything, but I certainly wasn’t popular or charming enough to insert myself into another group of friends and expect to get along well. It would have been difficult for me alone to leave our group now that we were assembled.

"Just give up and accept your fate!" Jennie insisted. "If you’re gonna whine so much, maybe we never should have been friends in the first place!"

"…I don’t regret being your friend."

"Oh, I’m getting all choked up!"

"Ugh, you know, maybe I’m starting to regret it after all," I shot back.

Jennie pressed her hands to her face. "A cruel double cross!" she moaned dramatically, and then she cackled with cheerful laughter.

I was not particularly impressed with my friend’s performance. I was just starting to think about pinching Jennie’s cheeks when I heard a quiet laugh mixed with a sigh.