She found Jennie asleep in her own bed. It wasn’t until she was steps away from the bed she spotted a familiar lump of curly white hair next to Jennie’s head; Jennie had practically been using Dalgom as pillow.

“Dalgomie,” Jisoo whispered, affectionately, as the dog raised his head and greeted her with a to her hand. “Time to go to your own bed.” She carefully picked up Dalgom and placed him on the floor. Jennie’s bed was smaller than Jisoo’s; They needed all the space they could get.

Jennie was now stirring, half-awake. “You’re home.” She cried, happy but groggy.

“I am.” Jisoo slipped under the sheets, and spooned Jennie.

Jennie sighted peacefully, “How was it?”

Jisoo didn’t quite know what to answer. “It was fine.”

Jennie rolled around, to face Jisoo. She was significantly more awake now. “I want to hear all about it.” She said.

“Tomorrow, okay?” Jisoo whispered.

Jennie nodded. They look into each other eyes for a long moment. Jisoo finally smiles, “I couldn’t stop thinking about last night, and you waiting at home for me.”

Jennie smiled, suddenly shy. “Really?”

They had been so busy that day, they barely had any alone time to go over the events.

Jisoo bit her lower lip and nodded, slowly, before running her fingers through Jennie’s hair. “Last night was amazing. Perfect.”

“I’m so glad you think so,” Jennie said, sounding relieved. “I do too, for the record.”

“Was it-“ Now it was Jisoo’s turn to get shy, “as good as?-“ She didn’t have to finish the sentence.

“Way better.” Jennie said, without missing a beat.

Jisoo levelled her with a look. She didn’t need Jennie to exaggerate for the sake of Jisoo’s pride; she knew she was inexperienced, and she had fumbled at times. Still, she had gotten Jennie to reach the goal, so she couldn’t have been that bad.

“Baby,” Jennie whispered, vehemently, cupping her face. “You have no idea how good you were. And how amazing it was for me as well.”

It was hard to not believe Jennie when she spoke that earnestly and convincingly. Plus, when Jisoo really thought about it, Jennie had never really lied to her. Maybe she had hidden things from her at times (her feelings, at some point) but she didn’t lie.

“We will have to repeat it, then,” Jisoo joked.

“Oh, yes, I’m sure we will.”

Jennie was already leaning in for a kiss, but Jisoo spoke, stopping her mid-way. “What are you doing on Saturday?”

Jennie seemed confused, “You know the schedule better than I do. Oh, is it our day off?” Jisoo nodded. “Oh, in that case I hope to be spending it with you.”

“It’s my mom’s birthday. We are having lunch at my parents’ house.” Jisoo let her know.

“Oh.” Jennie seemed disappointed, but hurried to make up for it. “I mean, I’m happy you get to be with her for her birthday, but I wish we got to spend the day together.”

Jisoo frowned. “I want you to come, silly.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you act like I’ve never invited you over,” Jisoo was confused herself; Jennie was always implicitly or explicitly invited to all of her family’s events. She’d spent many birthdays and national holidays in Jisoo’s parents’ backyard. She had eaten with Jisoo’s parents almost as much as Jisoo over the years, since they were trainees.

“No, of course you have, it’s just that now it’s different.” Jennie confessed.

Jisoo hadn’t thought about it. “Oh. Because we are?-“ There was no word for it, Jisoo noticed. Officially, at the very least. Jennie nodded. “Right. Well, obviously I don’t think we are ready to let them know, but- I’d like you to be there. With my family.”

“Then I’d love to be there.” Jennie said, with certainty.

“Baby,” It was Lisa cooing, her tone extra whiny for the sake of annoying Jennie. “Can I please have some of that water?”

“You know, just because you make yourself laugh, that doesn’t mean you are funny.” Jennie told her, shaking her head slightly, but still handing her water bottle over to her, who was sitting next to her in the car. Lisa had been calling her baby ever since her slip up to Jisoo.

“I make lots of people laugh,” Lisa replied, defensively, taking a swing of the water and handing it back to Jennie. “Do you want to hear a joke?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Jisoo and Jennie had answered at the same time. Jennie glared at Jisoo.

“Okay,” Lisa chose to listen to oldest girl, “Why did the Mexican throw the girl into the fire?”

Rose grinded her teeth, pulling a face. “I don’t think I want to hear the end of that.”

“Te-qui-la.” Lisa finished, and it took them a second to grasp the joke.

Jisoo burst out laughing, which was all the encouragement Lisa needed. While the joke had gotten a few smiles at most, Jisoo’s laughter was contagious, and soon enough, there were a few reluctant chuckles around the car.

Jennie even managed a smile, but it wasn’t due to Lisa’s joke; it was just a reaction to watching how immensely happy and relaxed Jisoo looked. With an audience like Jisoo, it wasn’t a surprise that Lisa thought she was a comedian. But, in reality, Jisoo laughed too easily; humour was her approach to life.

“Hmm.” Yuri mumbled, moments later, as he scrolled through his smartphone.

“What?” Rose asked, observantly. Something about his tone had caught the girl’s attention.

“The photos are out,” He said, simply, before briefly looking Jisoo’s way. “Dispatch just put them on their website.”

“What photos?” Lisa was clueless.

“The Dior event,” Rose whispered to her, as she leaned over Yuri’s phone, “with the guy.” She nodded meaningfully.

“Oh. Oh!” Lisa’s delayed understanding turned into a nervous look Jisoo’s way, just as the girl sank into her seat.

Jennie wasn’t sure if she wanted to see the photos. She knew, eventually, her curiosity would get the best of her, and she would look them up, but, for now, she remained frozen in her seat, out of principle.

“At the very least, you look gorgeous, unnie.” Lisa tried, after glancing at the photos. She was met with complete and absolute silence in the car.

After a few minutes, Rose tried, “Got any more jokes for us, Lisa?”

They all desperately needed a reason to laugh.

Jisoo’s parents were really good at making Jennie feel welcome but also making her not feel like the odd woman out. It made Jennie feel like part of the family, and she genuinely loved going around.

Jisoo’s family was big and tight-knit, not like Jennie’s. Jennie was an only child, and most of her family was spread around Korea and New Zealand; Jisoo had an older brother and her sister, both married with kids, who both lived within a 10-minute radius of their parents.

In a way, Jisoo’s family was what Jennie had always wished to have growing up; big, loud, a bit crazy, and couldn’t help but think that, that day, a little more than before, she was part of it. They just didn’t know it.

Was this her future? Would it be possible that she and Jisoo would not only stay together, but their families would accept them with open arms, such that they were still invited to come over for barbecue?

It was a terrifying thought, the one of being the cause of Jisoo’s falling out with her family. But Jennie also had to focus on the fact that Jisoo loved her enough to invite her over and want her to be around her family; this was a decision Jisoo was capable of making herself.

And it was not happening anytime soon. They hadn’t even told Rose and Lisa and, asides from maybe them being concerned about how this would impact work, it was pretty clear those two would take it well. Their families’ acceptance wouldn’t be something they would have to worry about for a while; so Jennie was decided to enjoy spending time with Jisoo’s family as much as possible, until then.

Seeing how Jisoo glowed around her family was probably the best part of it all; her affectionate relationship with her older sister, Jiyoon; her bickering relationship with her older brother, Jung Hun; and how her equal parts affectionate and bickering relationship with her parents.

“Jennie-ya, tell her she’s too thin,” Her mom cried, as she kissed Jisoo’s forehead. “She needs to eat more.”

Jisoo was slim, but not unhealthy so. And while her weight had fluctuated along the many years they had known each other, she’d never once not been absolutely hot, so Jennie didn’t see the point in commenting on it.

“Oh, she has no problem eating in the dorms, I guarantee you.” Jennie said, smiling lovingly at Jisoo who was trying to wiggle out of her mother’s hold.

“Jennie cooks for me everyday, mom.” Jisoo let her know, proudly, her eyes shining in Jennie’s direction.

“Jesus, poor Jennie, I hope Jisoo is appreciative of all you do for her,” Before Jennie could prepare for it, she was being pulled into a hug by Jisoo’s mother. “Thank you for taking care of my baby.”

Jennie could cry, the unexpectedness of it all only intensifying the feelings within her. It was so not true – Jisoo was the one that took care of her. Jisoo was her rock, she kept Jennie grounded, safe and happy. Yes, Jennie had many ways to thank her for it; like being affectionate to her, caring for her, protecting her and, yes, cooking for her. But still, Jennie wasn’t sure she could ever properly give back everything that Jisoo gave her. Maybe her love would make up for it.

“Mom.” Jisoo was embarrassed. “I’m not a baby.”

“The Yoda backpack you are using today says otherwise!” Jung Hung mocked, from where he was standing, next to Jisoo’s father, monitoring the barbeque.

“Jennie-ya, you are an absolute sweetheart, but you should not be spending your only day off babysitting.” Jiyoon declared warmly, after she and Jisoo had watched Jennie spend the past 20 minutes playing with her 3-year old daughter Suki and her dolls.

“Oh, I’m just happy I found someone with similar interests,” Jennie joked, waving her hand dismissively, from where she was sitting, on the grass of Jisoo’s parents’ backyard.

“Suki, we need to keep an eye on Jennie to make sure she doesn’t swallow any small parts, okay?” Jisoo recommended, teasingly.

Jennie threw her a glare, but happily resumed playing immediately. Jisoo could not stop staring at the picture; Jennie being so gentle, so soft, so patient with Suki. It was doing things to her heart. She believe Jennie truly would be a great mother. To their kids, God willing. Except, before Jisoo made her her wife and the mother of her kids, there was a simple step that she still needed to take. Making her