The sweet smell of white jasmine lingered days after it had withered.

Jennie was smiling. She was smiling widely causing her eyes to disappear and her teeth to gleam proudly. She was out with Jisoo and she was having the time of her life. They were at a carnival; their hands full with fairy floss and their hair covered in glitter. Jisoo’s eyes were shining brightly and she danced in front of Jennie.  A light spring in her step and a sweet smile on her face that melted the heart of both old and young souls nearby.

Jennie kept on watching a few steps behind, matching her pace with Taeyong. The two were attentively watching Jisoo, their hearts burning with jealousy but also an unfamiliar affection. Her eyes, her smile, her soul and her happiness were just so pure. How could anyone not feel affectionate towards her? Jennie’s smile stretched wider and she glanced sideways at her calm friend. Lee Taeyong’s eyes were fixed on Jisoo’s figure and although his face was blank she detected a hint of warmness in his eyes. She bumped her shoulder with him lightly earning an eye roll from him. Suddenly she felt Jisoo’s warm hands on her and she was being pulled along.

“Let’s dance, come on Jennie and you too Taeyong” Jisoo gasped out drunk on the feelings of excitement and happiness.

Taeyong grimaced in embarrassment as people shot curious look their way but Jennie wasn’t bothered. She didn’t care, she wasn’t embarrassed so easily. After all she knew no one here, they were all strangers, their thoughts and feelings didn’t matter to her. No, not really. However, Jisoo’s feeling mattered very much to her.

Jennie wanted to see her eyes alight with pure joy. She wanted to see her face forever smiling. She wanted to see the laugh lines that appeared around her eyes. She wanted to hear Jisoo’s awkward laugh that left everyone else laughing. She wanted to experience that touch of happiness that she could only do when she saw Jisoo happy. So, she went along, hand in hand with Jisoo as they spun and shrieked, dancing to the Disney song playing from the carousel nearby. Taeyong parted from them content to stand at the side and watch them with that same look he reserved for stray animals that he took care of. After all besides the stray animals, there weren’t many things he was affectionate to or cared about.

Jisoo’s lively spirit had captured everyone’s attention, and soon enough people had joined them. Everyone was dancing and singing merrily. Jennie pulled away and walked away from the centre as Jisoo drifted off, her attention fixed on the kids shyly attempting to dance with her. 

Jennie made her way to Taeyong whose gaze was still stuck on Jisoo. She watched him watch her and her heart ached. Why were people so foolish? Why did they hurt their heart like so she thought? She stood still next to him, her heart screaming at her to comfort him and her brain scrambling to find a way to do so. She stood still for a moment longer struggling against herself before she shoved her face before his. Taeyong drew back startled before arching a single brow in a way only he could manage. She hesitated then. Jennie was unsure. What should she say? How could she say it?

Taeyong was still looking at her. He was looking at her face that seems to shift with emotions before finally settling at an uneasy one. He chuckled then. A chuckle that was low and heavy; with sadness. However, his eyes we