weakness of queens - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

The morning after our night out felt strangely peaceful. For once, there were no urgent messages, no threats lingering in the shadows, and no need to be on constant alert. It was almost unsettling how normal things seemed.
I stretched, rolling onto my side, only to groan at the dull ache in my muscles. Maybe I had let loose a little too much last night. The memories were a pleasant blur of laughter, dancing, and conversations that felt... easy. A stark contrast to the world we usually lived in.
The sound of soft knocking at my bedroom door pulled me from my thoughts.
"Jennie? You awake?"
Rosé's voice was unusually gentle, and that alone made me sit up. "Yeah, come in."
She pushed the door open, her blonde hair slightly disheveled, eyes still heavy with sleep. "We're all meeting in the living room. Irene's making breakfast."
I raised an eyebrow. "Irene? Cooking?"
Rosé smirked. "Well, watching the chef cook. But still, she's supervising, which is close enough."
I chuckled, shaking my head as I climbed out of bed. "Alright, give me a few minutes."
She nodded before disappearing back into the hallway. I took a deep breath, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. It had been so long since we had a morning like this-one where we weren't immediately strategizing or dealing with some new enemy.
Maybe things were finally starting to settle down.
The scent of freshly brewed coffee and pancakes filled the penthouse by the time I made my way to the kitchen. Lisa was already at the counter, sipping her drink, while Jisoo and Seulgi sat at the dining table, engaged in an animated conversation.
Irene stood near the stove, arms crossed, watching as the chef plated the food with precision. She nodded in approval before finally addressing me. "You look like you slept well."
I pulled out a chair, sinking into it. "I think I did."
Lisa smirked. "You mean you don't remember?"
I shot her a glare, but she just grinned, taking another sip of her coffee.
Jisoo leaned forward, her expression curious. "So... what's the plan for today?"
For once, I didn't have an immediate answer. Usually, our days were structured-meetings, business dealings, keeping everything in order. But today? I hesitated before finally shrugging. "Nothing. No business, no strategies. Just a normal day."
Rosé clapped her hands together. "In that case, we should go out."
Seulgi nodded. "Agreed. We barely get to do anything outside of... well, you know."
Lisa smirked. "I second this plan. I could use another distraction."
Irene tilted her head. "Where would we even go?"
Jisoo's eyes lit up. "The amusement park?"
I blinked. "You want to go to an amusement park?"
Jisoo shrugged. "Why not? We missed out on a lot of normal stuff growing up. Might as well make up for it now."
For a moment, no one said anything. Then, to my surprise, Irene sighed. "Fine. But we take security with us."
Lisa grinned. "Deal."
The amusement park was nothing like the clubs or high-end restaurants we were used to. It was chaotic, filled with the sound of laughter, excited screams, and the scent of sweet and salty food.
For once, no one treated us like mafia queens. No one looked at us with fear or respect. We were just a group of girls enjoying a day out.
Lisa and Jisoo raced toward the biggest roller coaster, arguing over who would scream louder. Seulgi, hesitant at first, eventually let Rosé drag her to the ferris wheel.
Irene and I found ourselves near a cotton candy stand, watching the others from a distance.
"They're happy," she murmured.
I nodded. "They deserve to be."
She turned to me. "And you?"
I hesitated. "I think... I'm starting to be."
Irene studied me for a moment before offering a rare, soft smile. "Good."
I looked back at our friends-Lisa laughing as Jisoo screamed on the ride, Rosé feeding Seulgi a piece of cotton candy, and for the first time in a long time, I felt something close to peace.
Maybe this was what we had been fighting for all along.