Walking down the grocery shop aisle, Jisoo spotted a specific kind of fried snacks she knew Jennie loved. Her instinct was to call Jennie, who was in some other aisle of the shop where they had stopped on the way to their hotel after that night’s show. However, something stopped her from doing so.

There was a bit of awkwardness there. It was to be expected, and Jisoo would guess it to be a usual consequence of drunken make-out sessions (with your best girl friend). However, it was only intensified by the fact that this make-out session had made her realise she definitely wanted more out of her relationship with said best girl friend – such feeling that was, apparently, not mutual.

Jennie’s friendship was very important to Jisoo, and she knew that she never wanted to lose her. The feelings that had been now awakened with their kiss would have to be pushed down and ignored long enough for them to disappear – and then, her and Jennie could go back to being just friends. Well, it wasn’t like they had ever been something else.

Jisoo needed to move on, which was particularly hard to do when they seemed to spend just about every awakened hour together. So Jisoo looked for distractions. She mostly leaned on Lisa’s never-ending energy to keep her occupied, and Rose’s natural calming aura to keep her sane. And she kept a certain distance from Jennie. Just enough in order to keep her heart protected.

It was difficult though, because her and Jennie had been attached at the hip for such long time. She couldn’t even walk down a food aisle without thinking of Jennie and what she would want to buy for herself.

She got to the car and, only when inside she realised that someone else had beaten her to it: Jennie.

“Hey.” Jisoo greated, trying to sound casual and not at all regretful. She hoped someone would come soon. “What did you get?”

Jennie sighted. “Chocolate. I shouldn’t have to worry about my diet while I’m on tour right? I’m guessing we burn like 2000 calories every night we perform.”

“It’s not just about calories. A good balanced diet will give you all the nutrients and energy you need to get through the day.” Jisoo found herself saying, in sing-songy, lecturing kind of way.

“Ugh, I know-“ Jennie rolled her eyes. “I’m an emotional eater, okay?”

It was almost as if Jennie was begging Jisoo to ask her what was wrong, so Jisoo relented. “Everything okay? You seemed a bit off today.”

“Just tired.” Jennie shrugged, when Jisoo nodded and looked away, through the van’s window, she suddenly added. “And, you know, the fact that you’ve been avoiding me.”

Jisoo’s head snapped Jennie’s way again. “That’s not true,” She lied, and Jennie levered her with a look that said she did not buy it. “I’ve not been avoiding you, Jennie. I was just giving you space.”

“Who said I needed space?” Jennie enquired, eyebrow shooting up in a defiant manner.

“Well, I don’t know, I guess I needed it, and assumed you did too.” Jisoo admitted, running her hand through her hair.

“You need space? From me?” Jennie’s voice was winy, and she seemed genuinely hurt by such admission.

“Well, yes, in a way- I can’t just forget what happened, and it made me feel-“ She hesitated. “Weird. I don’t want to feel weird around you, Jennie. So I’m just letting it die down, so we can get back to normal.”

“What if never goes away?” Jennie asks, pointedly.

“It will, Jennie.” Jisoo kept telling herself that. The alternative was too scary.

Jennie crossed her arms. “How long?” Her eyebrow raised pointedly, when Jisoo stared at her incredulously.

“I don’t know.” When that answer was obviously unacceptable to Jennie, Jisoo tried again. “A few days.”

Jennie glared at her. “You have until Chicago.”

Jisoo’s forehead scrunched in confusion. Was Jennie really trying to dictate how fast Jisoo was to get over her? She really was that bossy. Jisoo couldn’t help to be equal parts amused and annoyed at it.

“Why?” She asked.

“Because it’s our next free day.” Jennie reminded her. “And we are going to spend it together. I want my friend back.”

“You’ve never lost her, I mean me, I mean-“ Jisoo shook her head confusedly. “Fine. It doesn’t work that way, but I’ll do my best to be over it by- Saturday? Geez, thanks by the way, for giving me 4 full days to sort out my head.”

“You’re very welcome, don’t you know I’m generous and patient?” Jennie replied sardonically.

They couldn’t help the slight smile that crept to their lips.

When they landed in Denver, their stop before Chicago, it was past 8pm, yet, still, Yuri called two taxis: one that was going to the airport and another that was going to the concert hall where they would be performing tomorrow evening. After Jisoo almost got hit by the fireworks during her solo, they had decided to rethink the staging of her performance altogether. This, unfortunately, meant she had to go and learn the new staging/choreography before tomorrow’s performance.

Lisa and Rose said their goodnights and gave Jisoo their sympathies, but Jennie hesitated. “Can I go with her?” She asked Yuri. She didn’t want to leave Jisoo alone; she felt bad enough that she was the only one who had to work that night.

She stayed backstage while their main choreographer and the stage manager directed Jisoo and their dancers. From the sofa she was sitting on, she could see glimpses of Jisoo, walking in and out of sight. She looked focused and determined to get the new staging down perfectly. She was nothing if not a hardworking, professional performer, and Jennie was so proud of her.

Jennie didn’t even realise she had fallen asleep, until she was gently awakened by Jisoo, who was kneeling down on the floor in front of the sofa, smiling softly. “Ready to go?” Jisoo asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Jennie managed a nod, her eyes barely open.

Jennie had insisted on accompanying Jisoo to her late-night rehearsal. She had no reason to be there other than pure sympathy for Jisoo, and Jisoo appreciated it. It didn’t matter that there was still the awkwardness between them; she knew Jennie cared for her, perhaps just as strongly as Jisoo cared for Jennie (although, maybe, in different ways).

After a couple hours, Jisoo seemed to get the new choreography down, at least well enough to be dismissed for the night (she still would have the dress rehearsal the following day to iron out the new moves). She walked backstage and found Jennie curled up on a leather sofa, fast asleep.

She couldn’t help but pause and admire how adorable Jennie was. She had always thought so; from when they met as pre-teens and Jennie was skinnier and had more protruded cheekbones than nowadays. It wasn’t maybe until they became teenagers and Jennie got her curves, (or maybe just Jisoo going through puberty) that Jisoo started to look at Jennie and find her hot. She had an incredible ability to one minute look like and act like a sensual temptress and the next minute, by simply smiling, turning into the adorable Jendeukie that melted Jisoo’s heart.

Waking Jennie up would mean Jisoo could no longer stare and marvel at her cuteness, and their awkwardness as of lately would set back in; however, Jisoo couldn’t stand there all night, and they needed to get back to the hotel and get a good night sleep.

Jennie’s eyes were so heavy with sleep, Jisoo wasn’t even sure if she was watching where she was going on the way outside. To prevent any mishaps, Jisoo held her hand and directed her to the taxi carefully. Once they got to the taxi, Jennie again nodded off, this time leaning against Jisoo, head on her shoulder.

Jisoo enjoyed the physical closeness, and felt guilty about it. She also felt her chest heavy, because there was something big she needed to confess to Jennie, and she had sort of convinced herself to do it in Chicago, however, with that being 2 days away, she felt nowhere near ready for it.

It was a weird feeling to look forward and dread something at the same time; however, Jisoo had come to terms t