Chapter II

the last time

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It’s 4:30 in the afternoon and classes are finally dismissed. Jisoo decides to wait for Rosé outside the school gate. Since the first day of school happened, Rosé proposed an idea, since they found out that they lived just a few blocks away from each other, that they will walk each other from home to school and vice-versa. They’ve been doing that for a while now.

Jisoo realizes that they have a lot of common and she thinks that Rosé is a good friend to have around. Meanwhile, Rosé can’t deny the fact that she’s drawn to Jisoo’s 4D personality. However, behind Jisoo’s exterior, Rosé feels that there’s more to her funny personality and her pretty face. She thinks that Jisoo’s an enigma that she wants to uncover yet want to keep to herself. She’s never drawn to a person this fast before. Not even her past boyfriends made her feel quite like Jisoo does. Since Rosé once mentioned to Jisoo, when they were hanging out, that her ideal type is someone who is mysterious and adventurous, the kind that makes her insides jump, but also she wants someone who can make her feel light and happy. Somehow, Jisoo made it so easy to find her way inside Rosé’s heart. She’s just happy to have Jisoo as her new found friend and she doesn’t want to waste this opportunity this time.

It’s been a month since the school has started and the bond between Jisoo and Rosé is undeniably adorable and genuine. It’s like no one can come between them except their no-jam teachers who keep separating them when it comes to grouping, especially pairing, for school projects. Although they’re unfortunate to not have each other in working on school projects, they’re still fortunate to have each other around and they’re excited for what awaits them in the future.

“Jisoo!” Rosé calls out. “Ya, Jisoo!”

Jisoo has her earphones plugged in and she’s been tapping her foot from time to time because of the music that’s blaring through her eardrums. Whenever she waits for Rosé outside the school gate, she plugs in her earphones so that she wouldn’t feel uneasy and awkward to the passersby that are her schoolmates. She still feels uncomfortable around the school campus but she’s getting used to her surroundings, thanks to Rosé for always reassuring her.

When she feels a soft yet harsh pat on her shoulder blades, she turns around, only to find out an angry chipmunk that is Rosé. She shoots her a smile and the auburn haired girl couldn’t help but feel less mad at her.

“Finally! So... shall we go home, Chaeyoung-ah?” Jisoo beams at her.

Rosé grins and nods. She low-key loves it when Jisoo calls her by her Korean name. However, she also dislikes it because it reminds her of the past.

“Ya, it’s Rosé for you, you dork!” She says, sliding her arm to Jisoo’s.

“Then, don’t ‘ya’ me! I’m older than you, Chaeyoung-ah!”

“And besides, I love your Korean name. I don’t understand why you hate it,” Jisoo mumbles.

Rosé heard it though. She’s got a good pair of ears, mind you. She can probably hear you talking about her even though you and your friends are whispering, 20 meters away from her.

“Hey, I don’t mean to disrespect you, halmeoni. If you heard me calling out for your attention, then I would haven’t ‘ya’d your ,” Rosé retorts, ignoring what the raven haired girl just mumbled under her breath.

Every once in a while, they banter as if they’re little kids. It’s normal. Most of their banters are just playful and silly, like this one.

“Aigoo, whatever, chipmunk.”

They continue to talk about trivial stuff about school and just anything while walking and making turns, leading to their respective and humble households. The two girls are just enjoying the company of each other while under the nightfall. When they reach Jisoo’s block, Rosé hesitates and stops walking, unconsciously untangling her arm with Jisoo's.

Jisoo stops and takes a look at the puzzled expression on Rosé.

“Hey, you okay?” Jisoo asks, worry laced on her tone.

Rosé snaps back to reality, quickly recovering from her previous state. She brushes away the flashback of memories that occured suddenly. She is quite surprised for a moment. She is sure that those memories were tightly suppressed and were remain buried somewhere inside her head. But then they suddenly resurfaced and she’s not sure on how and what to feel.

“Ya, Park Chaeyoung,” Jisoo calls out, slowly stepping in Rosé’s personal space. “Is something wrong?”

Jisoo wonders for a moment. And then again, she’s just threading her way to the path that’s leading to the same spot. If Rosé thinks she’s a mystery, Jisoo thinks the otherwise. Jisoo always wonders what’s going on inside Rosé’s head when she goes on an abrupt silence. Some introverts, like Jisoo, like being with people who are talkative, like Rosé. Because they keep you from being lost in your thoughts. And Rosé has that ability to keep Jisoo from being a prisoner of her own thoughts. Jisoo doesn’t like prying on people’s lives because she’s had enough in the recent years but she realized that it’s time to make an exception. And that exception will be Rosé. Although they’ve been friends for a month, it feels like they’re just old friends who are reconnecting and filling the gaps. But there’s still a thick line drawn between them, making it hard for them to open their door for one another.

“I’m okay,” Rosé says. “I just remembered something and I really really need to rush home. See you tomorrow, Jisoo!”

There she goes, running while clasping the straps of her backpack in the most adorable and purest way possible.

Jisoo opens but no words come out of it. The corner of forms a small smile once she realizes that Rosé’s just as quick as the wind. In the blink of an eye, she disappears from her sight. So quickly and frightening.

“Park Chaeyoung, you’re such a wonder,” she whispers to the wind.

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