Jennie's

I opened my eyes at the sound of my alarm clock on my bedside table. I rubbed my eyes using my left hand and used my other to turn the alarm clock off. Another day has come upon me, aigoo. I'm always dreading mornings, always hating it when it comes everyday. It's not that I'm lazy to get up or jusy lazy in general. It just so happens that every morning, I am greeted by sunshine that gives me a little spark of hope that my misery would end. It would someday end. I hope.

Before my daydreaming has come to an end, I heard a loud banging at my door. I immediately got up, put my slippers on and rushed to open the door. "Your alarm has been going off for so many times!" my stepmother greeted me with her usual screaming at my face, "I'm sorry, I overslept." I apologised quickly and bowed my head, I heard a snicker from her. She's obviously enjoying tormenting me every morning. Eversince she married my father, she became the plague that even the most cruel human being would not wish upon their enemy. My father thought that she will be a mother figure for me, since my mother left us when I was just a few months old. Maybe that's the reason why my father lost his wits, driving him crazy to marry this witch of a woman. Ugh.

"Your father will be waking up any minute now. Make us breakfast." she commanded, I just nodded my head and sprinted away to the kitchen. You might be thinking, I should poison her but no, not yet. Just kidding! As my foot landed on the kitchen floor, I grabbed myself a pan and a few eggs and bacon for my father and stepmom. I feel like Cinderella except I don't have any stepsisters. Only a wicked stepmother that has an attitude of a rat.

In a matter of minutes, the breakfast I cooked for them was finished. I started to wash the utensils that I used in the sink after placing their food and plates on the table, suddenly the door of my father's bedroom creaked open. I dried my hands using the towel beside the sink, hoping to greet my father a good morning but.. "Darling, I cooked breakfast for you." and there she goes...

"How sweet of you." he smiled brightly at my stepmother's lie, he then took a second to look at me and raised his eyebrow, "You didn't help your mom?" he asked me, as if she'll ever be my mom. "Oh, I just washed the dishes father." I spoke softly, my stepmother plastered a satisfied smile on her face, happy that I didn't tattle her out. "Please enjoy your breakfast." I smiled curtly before leaving the both of them in the kitchen and making my way back to my room. I closed the door and leaned my back into it, I sighed.

I just finished college a year ago but I haven't found a job yet. My father kept pushing a job for me which is being an attendant at my stepmother's shop. But no, I would just run away and never come back if I'm just gonna waste my life working there. My gaze turned towards the alarm clock it was already 7:00am in the morning. I went inside the bathroom to take a morning shower before I dressed myself in my usual clothes. A sweater and some pants with a scarf and a hat. It's winter here in Seoul and I figured it would be nice to take a walk in the park. I gathered enough courage to ask my father if it would be okay to go out a few hours.

"Be back before dinner, Jennie. I have something very important to discuss with you." he said with authority, I just nodded my head and made my way out of the house.

The sunlight beamed at my face and the cold winter wind greeted me with a shiver. The thought I was out of that house, it made my lips curve into a smile, I started walking and leading way toward the park, enjoying every second that I was out. Before I could get my head out of my system, I bumped into someone that made me fall into the freshly fallen snow on the ground. "Ouch." I shrieked, I looked up and saw a man looking down at me. "Sorry, I didn't see you there." he offered his hand to help me, I accepted it and helped myself to stand up.

"It's fine, I was a little out of my head anyway." I said as I dusted the snow out of my sweater, "Are you from here? I lived here for almost a year now and I haven't seen you." he politely asked me, I nodded my head in reply "I just haven't left my house." I replied with a small smile and he smiled back at me, "Do you want to get some coffee?" he asked me while looking into my eyes, "Sure, stranger." I , subtly telling him that he hasn't introduced himself yet. "Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Kim Seok-jin. You can call me Jin." he told me and offered his hand, "Well, Jin. My name is Kim Jennie, you can just call me Jennie... as if you have any other option." I sarcastically joked making him snicker.

A few more introductions were given before we headed out to the coffee shop, we talked about almost everything except my life at home. Jin is really easy to talk to, I got so comfortable with him. Maybe I craved human contact after being a prisoner of my own home. We went to a restaurant a few blocks away from the coffee shop and he obliged to pay for lunch. I smiled at him and offered to pay next time we hang out, he ordered us the same meal, a couple of Sundubu Jigae (a tofu stew) and a few mandu (dumplings) for side dishes.

"What kind of stuff do you write, Jennie?" he asked me while we were eating, I briefly told him that I like writing stories. I was shocked at how observant and a good of a listener he is. "Fantasy? I like getting out of this world for once." I joked as he laughed in response. "What is the story about?" he asked me, "Well, it's about a man who has powers to control ice. He may be a hero or a villain, he still doesn't know his purpose." I answered him, his eyes glimmered "Really? That must be so cool." he complimented me, I mean my story. What are you thinking of Jennie?

"You know, Jennie. You're like a storybook yourself." he began, I raised my eyebrow in confusion. "Storybook? What do you mean by that?" I asked him. "A storybook. You're full of mysteries, Jennie. I just can't seeem to figure out what you're hiding." he told me, I begin to feel  my heart thrashing inside of my chest. Why am I scared? "But.." he continued, "I am willing to know you or read you, page by page."

Before I could say anything, my phone vibrated. I already knew it was my father. Fortunately, Jin noticed my uneasiness "Go, answer it. I'll wait here." he said before taking a bite out of the mandu. I stood up and took a few steps before answering the call.

"Hello, dad?"

"Go home now. Before I come down where you are and make a fool of yourself."

My heart started to beat fast, what am I going to do now? My father must've seen us together. He might get the wrong idea, aish! I hurriedly went back to sit with Jin, fidgeting. "Uhm, Jin. I think I have to go-" "No worries, I'll walk you home." he offered, as much as I want him to do that I shaked my head. "Maybe next time, it's my dad. I need to go home." I told him, "I'm sorry. This was so inconvinient." I apologised, he replied by shaking his head. "Don't worry. I'll just see you again next time." he told me with a smile, I nodded my head in response "You will, Jin. You will." I flashed a bright smile at him. I bid my goodbye but before I exited the restaurant I heard him say something..

"Finish your story, Jennie."

A few moments later, my feet reached the front door of the house. I twisted the knob and let myself in, I removed my slippers but before I could raise my head, I felt a palm hit my cheek. "How dare you, Jennie!" I touched my swollen cheek, "W-Why?" I asked, my tears were pooling inside my eyes. I tried to hold myself back and looked at my father being calmed down by my stepmother. "Why? I didn't raise you so you can around different men!" he shouted at me, my mind was left in a spiral. What is he talking about?

"Calm now, darling." my stepmother interfered, I looked up at her while still holding my reddened cheek from my father's slap. "I'm sure Jennie is just being friends with that boy. Weren't you?" she asked me, I hesitated at first before nodding. "See? You know the boy she's with, right?" she added to calm my dad. "Yes, Seok-jin." he paused before looking at me with glaring eyes, "I'm warning you, Jennie. If ever you come in contact with that boy again, consider yourself out of this house." he threatened me before he moved his feet and went inside his room.

"You better pay me for that." I heard my stepmother say in a faint voice, I knew she wasn't being nice. "Thank you." those were the only words I uttered before running towards my bedroom and closing the door after entering. I leaned my back on the door and cried myself out. I sat down on the floor and hugged my knees, what did I do wrong for them to treat me like this? All I wanted was to have someone out of this dull world I'm living in my home, someone who I could confide in, someone I could escape in. It just felt like the freedom I had a few moments ago was taken away again. 

I wiped my tear away using my fingers before a cold wind blew my curtains, sending shivers down my spine. Unknowingly, my crying had stopped and I grabbed myself a pen and paper as Jin's voice played repeatedly inside my head.

"Finish your story, Jennie"

"Finish your story, Jennie"

"Finish your story, Jennie"

I pushed my hair back and put it into a bun as I sat down my chair and started to write the story. Things have been abrupt today and I decided to escape my own reality. The cold breeze that was coming from the window helped the mood I was going for, my experiences reflected the actions of the man I was writing. Everything was cold, everything was dull, everything was inescapable but everything felt like it was needed to be like that to become something that is genuine, something that is only mine to have or his to have.

And then, everything went blurry as everything went by so fast. Without knowing it, the sun already shined again and made it's way into the bedroom. It was already the next day. 

*JANUARY 2019

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" 

I heard my roommate's voice, Jisoo, waking me up. I opened my eyes and saw a petite woman with black hair holding up a pillow just in case if I continued to sleep. "I'm up, you don't need to kill me again with your pillow." there was a slight slur on my words, "We have a job interview today! Get your off the bed and shower." she told me while grabbing my arm and pulling myself out of the bed. "I told you, I don't wanna go there. It's not my job kind of thing." I refused, slowly closing my eyes before I felt a soft pillow hitting me in the face.

It was Jisoo, she threw the pillow at me again. Aish, this girl.

"Ya! I told you don't do that to me anymore!" I shrieked, I just earned a soft laugh from her "Just shower, Jen. If you don't want the job then finish your story, it's been 3 years and I'm still wondering if Jack survives the losing his powers thing." she urged me, after hearing her sentence I immediately bolted out of bed and went straight into the shower. I heard a loud snicker before turning on the shower. I sighed as the memory of the past still haunts me, it's been 3 years. Oh God, time flies so fast after I left Seoul and found myself stepping in the land of Daegu.

I shaked myself and continued my shower, before knowing it I was already dressed up and ready to go to this job interview my roommate was talking about. Jisoo on the other hand was putting on makeup, she really wants this job huh? I rarely see her go this prepared for an interview. "You seem to be eager to get that job, huh?" I asked her while brushing my hair, "Yeah. I heard many good reviews from that company. I also heard that there is this young handsome CEO." she told me before putting on her mascara.

I chuckled, that's why she's putting on makeup. "Is the CEO going to interview us?" I asked her, "Yes, if we passed the director's panel. I applied us for assistant or just this secretary thing." she replied before standing up and dusting her skirt that has a few powder stains, "So, how do I look?" she asked me. I took a good look at her and did a thumbs up, she was wearing this navy blue plaid skirt, a white-ish/pink-ish ruffled top and some sneakers. Her long black hair was on display, making her look innocent.

"Thanks. I look good but.. you don't. Come, I'll put some light makeup on you." she ushered me into her seat and started doing my makeup. I smiled as she brushed my hair and started putting products on my face. Jisoo has been my big sister, she was the only friend I ever had after moving our or forced to move out. She became my escape even though after 3 years, she knows nothing about what I've been through and why did I left my story unfinished. I was in a deep thought before Jisoo's fingers snapped infront of me, "You're done!" she said with giddy, I stood up from the chair and examined myself in the mirror. 

"You look good, Jen. A first lady or something." she teased me and I just rolled my eyes. I didn't want the job but it looks like I really do in terms of my fashion. My father and stepmother got all the money I saved from selling my book and forced me to move out of their house as if that was my payment to them for raising me. I didn't have much money but I saved myself a couple of coin in the last three years to buy nice clothes. "Now we're both ready, let's go now!" she happily clunged her arm in mine as we stepped out of our apartment and walked down the street to hail a cab.

The cab immediately started to drive after Jisoo gave the driver where we are going, the company's called BigHit Inc. I think? Well, whatever it's name was the company sure looks so luxurious. It is a tall building with glass windows and gray walls. The windows were tinted in a navy blue color. I could see Jisoo's expression that she was beyond excited. I smiled and hoped for Jisoo to get in even if I didn't.

As soon as we got to the front of the building, we paid the cab and got out of it. Jisoo held my hand as we entered the building, we were immediately greeted by the staff, Jisoo asked where was the job interview taking place, they told us that it was on the top floor of the building. We rode the elevator and waited until the top floor comes up, as soon as I stepped out of the elevator a cold wind brushed my cheek and neck sending shivers down my spine.

"You go in there first, I think I'm getting cold feet." I told Jisoo, she patted my head softly "Ya, don't be. We can do this, I'll wait for you, okay?" I just nodded in response to her and went inside the nearest restroom to calm myself. I was not having a panic attack but it was so cold, I don't know why it was. It's almost summer but the cold breeze have been following me now and then. Aish.

I washed my hands with the warm water in the sink until I felt another cold breeze swiftly passing around my nape, I immediately got goosebumps, "Geez, what's with this cold air?" I asked myself and looked in the mirror, I fixed my hair and my makeup before seeing a man standing outside of the restroom door with white hair and piercing blue eyes looking at me in the mirror's reflection. My heart almost leaped out of my chest, I closed my eyes and opened them again to reveal nothing.

"Get yourself together, Jennie." I calmed myself before running out of the washroom and meeting Jisoo in near the line of the people who came in for the interview, "You look scared. Is everything okay?" Jisoo abruptly told me, "Y-yeah.. I'm fine." I told her, she rubbed my back and lined up behind her. We waited a few minutes until it was time for our interview, Jisoo and I were in separate rooms when we did our interviews. The interviewers were very polite and not intimidating at all, I had fun talking to them and answering their questions after a while of questioning and answering they told me that I passed and the final interview will be held upstairs by the CEO. I shaked their hands and smiled at them before heading out, I exited the room and found Jisoo waiting for me in the corner.

"Did you get in?" she immediately asked me, "Yes, I did. How about you?" I asked her after replying, she heaved a sigh and shaked her head, "No, I didn't. The ones who interviewed me said that I wasn't really professional looking." she said with regret, I hugged her and told her that everything was going to be okay. She smiled at me before saying goodbye, "Goodluck in your interview, Jen! Fighting!" she cheered me on. I looked for the office of the CEO and a few walks here and there I found myself standing next to the door of the office, I  took a deep breath before knocking..

"Come in." I heard the man say

I entered the room and it was so lavishly decorated, glass windows, a chandelier that illuminates the entire room and a big couch next to the main office desk where the front of the swivel chair was not facing me. "Good morning, sir. I am here for the interview." I politely began, he turned the chair to face me. The CEO was holding a pen in his hand and he has his dark hair that matches his tux well, he has gentle eyes and a feminine smile.. wait? Is that? It can't be.. "Jennie? Kim Jennie?" he stood up from his chair in shock.

"JIN? IS THAT YOU?"

 

TO BE CONTINUED...