Parties were never a dilemma for her, but this one was somehow different. It even felt different, she felt different. Christmas was right around the corner; it had been snowing since Monday, she changed her sheets into pine tree and reindeer-printed ones, and all Jisoo could hear on the radio her mother brought with her was loads of carols and Christmas songs. 

Jisoo's dress was as plaid, school girl style with straps over a white long-sleeved blouse. Green and Red; mistletoes, apples, chilli peppers - she shakes her head, trying to shake her thoughts away too. She was in a nervous state, and she had one of her seniors to thank (read: blame) for this. 

Jisoo was in the convenience store a block away from her apartment building, in her sweats nonetheless, when she bumped into Kang Seungyoon. He was always so loud and rowdy and that's why Jisoo tried to steer clear of him in school, but the "oh! what a surprise" encounter caught her offguard and it was too late for her to look away when he turned his head.

And to make the story short, Seungyoon invited her to their curriculum party. Everyone in their class and even department was going, and the thought made Jisoo queasy at first. She had to say "no, thank you" but won't open, her lips wouldn't move, her tongue didn't budge. 

Jisoo had hesitated. That meant she wasn't sure, that meant that some part of her - no matter how small - had wanted to go. 

Seungyoon just smiled, big and cheery. He winked at her and patted her on the back. "Alright, I'll see you then." He had said before walking away, leaving Jisoo hanging and unable to give him a proper answer. 

But, you know, maybe when Seungyoon walked away her hesitance already gave him one. 

"You look pretty," her sister, Jennie, said while eating cereal out from a mug. She had her feet on the table and Jisoo told her for the nth time since she arrived yesterday morning, to never put her feet on top of the table. "You know, for once." She laughed out loud.

Jisoo glared at her annoying, younger sister before smoothing the front of her dress and walking towards the guest room, where her mother was staying. Chaeyoung's roommate went home for the holiday break, and she took the chance to tell her mother and sister to come over to Seoul so they could spend the holidays here. With her. She's glad they're here.

"Beautiful," her mother said, caressing her daughter's cheek before patting it softly. "You look nice, darling. You really do. What a knockout you must be when you walk in to that party."

Jisoo smiled, leave it to her mother to make her feel good about herself. "Thanks, mom. I look nice?"

"I take it back," her mother said, eyeing her from head to toe. "You look more than nice. Absolutely stunning is what you are." she smiled, warm and loving; a mother's smile. "What time was the party? It's late already, you should get going." 

"I'll see you later." 

"Have fun."

Jisoo wasn't one for social gatherings, but she didn't want to be such a party-pooper either. Nayeon was going and Bona was even invited too, she wouldn't be so out of place and this was a party with her fellow English majors and some other people from different departments. She'd know people, and she'd take her mom's advice to head.

She'll have fun. 

> ; <

Nayeon was all smiles and Bona greeted her with a big bear hug as if they haven't seen each other for years. They both looked beautiful, everyone got dolled up for the event and Jisoo was glad she at least exerted a little effort in looking pretty for tonight. 

"You are so adorable," Bona said, holding both of Jisoo's wrist as she looked at every inch of her. "I'm glad you came. " She led them to the corner of the main room, at the center everyone was already dancing and some were even a little tipsy. There were DJs and Jisoo even saw an ensemble of instruments at the other side of the room. 

She pointed towards the instruments lying idly, just waiting to be played. "There's even a live band?"

"Yeah," Nayeon said, looking at where Jisoo was pointing and then back at her. "Seungyoon is a vocalist for a local band, I think they're performing tonight."

"His band is really good," Bona says, nudging Jisoo playfully. "Come on, let's eat first. They're playing around ten thirty or eleven, I think."

The buffet table was long and loaded. It had all sorts of food, from pastries to dishes to local to foreign, Jisoo lost count at how many types of food were present in front of her eyes. She savored each and every bite of whatever food Nayeon offered her.

"You guys really outdid yourselves," Bona said, pointing at Nayeon and Jisoo. "I just wish our curriculum threw parties like this." she said, kind of distatefully. "Who organized this though? The seniors?"

Nayeon wiped the cream off of her bottom lip from a cupcake, before nodding. "Yup. They got together and decided to spend some of the department money on a party just for the students, they got to rent the place -" she gestured to the whole place "- because of Nam Taehyun's participation. Isn't it cool?"

"They got a rich kid on their backs, of course it is." Bona said, laughing. "Oh, Jisoo, you got a little something on your chin."

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter