“Jennie, we need to talk. Call me back as soon as you can.”

The voice was calm, sweet and gentle.

Kai.

Jongin.

It drove her crazy. It made her feel like the least deserving person in the world.

Jennie screamed into her pillow, her whole body shaking as she hit the mattress of her bed with her trembling fists.

Why could she not love him? Why could she not revel in his gentle love?

Why? Why? Why?

Why did she long for another? Instead of loving the gentle ocean and letting its breeze dance over her skin, she yearned for the fire, the never ending supernova that sent tingles of fire over her body.

She yearned for Mino.

Since her dating news with Kai had broken out one month ago, she had been nonstop on the road with Blackpink. Concerts, award and variety shows, interviews and in between fashion shoots and dance and singing practice.

She felt exhausted.

And when Mino had sent her the bouquet of blue roses for her birthday, all hell broke loose.

She had jumped on a plane in the middle of the night, foregoing all security that had been tripled. YG’s president had taken her dating news very badly, putting her under a constant strain of pressure and control. And when Jennie had snapped she had run to the only person she felt safe with.

Again.

Clad in an all-black outfit, Jennie had hailed a cab and drove straight to Winner’s dorm. It was four a.m. in the morning when she stood in front of the door. She knew the door code by heart and snucked into the spacious apartment.

She had not faltered in her steps one bit when she slowly opened the door to Mino’s room. His tabby cat sleepily raised his head from his spot at the end of the bed. It was semidark in the room, only indirect light on the wall illuminating the cozy bedroom. The cat recognized her smell and relaxed instantly, quietly meowing a gentle Hello.

Jennie had to choke back a sob. She had missed this room so much. The smell. The noises.

Him.

He was laying on the bed, on his back, dressed only in red gym pants. His skin had a golden tan since Winner’s trip to Thailand a few days ago. His chiselled chest rose up and down slowly in deep sleep, his hair a tousled mess on his forehead.

She slowly approached the bed, kneeling down so her face was level with his, which was turned in her direction.

She just drank him in. His lips, his cheekbones, his eyebrows.

Missing him had become such an integral part of her that she could not remember when it had started. Weeks, months or years ago?

She did not know.

“Jen.”

She looked up at him, afraid that she woke him, but he was still in deep sleep. But his forehead was creased and his breathing had become ragged.

Jennie heaved an internal sigh at that. Mino had the uncanny ability to feel when she was in duress. Whenever she felt sad or lonely, he would show up.

His pain was her