Jisoo took in the audience cheers, from her spot in the middle of the stage. The way how the audience screamed, jumped and waved their arms in an attempt to be seen, heard, had always touched her. They wanted her acknowledgment, and she tried her best to give it to them, making eye contact, waving back, blowing kisses. Her chest felt like it might explode, the way how her heart was full. Their love was so important, and, yet, it didn’t hold a light to the love she had for a girl that was currently backstage, changing into her solo outfit.

Jennie. How did one singular person could give her enough love to outshine the adoration of thousands of wailing fans?

Once off stage, Jisoo felt a little shaky, her performance of Clarity -today more emotional than ever -had caused a rush of emotions through her body which had left her a bit overwhelmed. She walked past a few stage assistants who smiled in recognition of her performance. Emily was in between them, but she had avoided eye contact. That was a conversation Jisoo still had to have.

How a night could change things. She had gone from slowly accepting her uality, to suddenly having two girls fighting over her. Not that it was a fair fight, at all. Jennie’s kiss, the night before, had been a total knock out shot.

Yuri greeted her in the green room, yet Jisoo felt the need to find somewhere quiet to wind down until she was due back in the stage in exactly 3 songs from then. The hair and make-up room was empty at that time, and in it Jisoo found the solitude she felt like she needed.

She looked at herself in a mirror, leaning over a vanity. She looked the same. How come she felt so different?

“That was amazing,” The voice startled her.

Looking up, through the mirror, she saw Jennie, standing at the door, her head tilted to the side. Her chest felt tight, but in a good way.

“You haven’t changed yet?” Jisoo asked, turning to face her, as she noticed Jennie hadn’t changed into her second outfit.

Jennie walked inside the room, “No. I was watching you.” She admitted, stopping in front of Jisoo, a little too close. Jisoo’s lower back touched the vanity, behind her.

Jisoo’s eyes instinctively fell to her lips. Jennie noticed it, and smiled teasingly. “Hi.” She whispered.

Jisoo smiled back to her, a little shyer. “Hi.”

“I missed you last night,” Jennie started, her hands grabbing the vanity counter on either side of Jisoo. When the older girl frowned, slightly confused, Jennie continued, “You didn’t have to kick me out of your room.”

Jisoo’s face softened. “I didn’t kick you out. I suggested you go to bed.”

Jennie leaned in to Jisoo, putting her weight on her, her lips finding Jisoo’s shoulder as she snuggled into it. “In my own bed.” She whispered, a little bitterly.

“Yes,” Jisoo couldn’t help the chills that swept through her skin at the feeling of Jennie’s breathing on her bare shoulder. She allowed herself to relax into it, “I felt like you and I had a lot of thinking to do.”

Jennie froze, against her. “I’ve been thinking a lot for the past month. Too much. I’m done with thinking. I just want to feel.”

The words sounded poetic, and they made Jisoo’s heart flutter. While it was a nice thought, Jisoo knew there was still a lot they needed to work out. “Okay.” She pushed Jennie’s dark hair around her ears. Jennie’s eyes fluttered at the feeling, and Jisoo basked in the knowledge that she was doing that to her. Jennie wanted her. She could barely still believe it. And she still didn’t quite understand it. When? How? Why? “But we still have a lot to talk about.”

Jennie groaned, turning her head and pressing the side of her face against Jisoo’s shoulder. “I know.” She finally looked up, into Jisoo’s careful eyes. “But can I say that you looked and sounded absolutely beautiful out there?” She asked. “I almost cried. I couldn’t believe how much emotion you put into it.” She paused. “Did it have anything to do with what happened last night?”

“In my mind,” Jisoo admitted, allowing herself to open up, “I was singing about you.”

She had always loved the song, and had been able to fantasise about singing it about her lover. But it wasn’t until that night, and while singing it, that the words had truly made sense to her.

Jennie made a small noise, and hid her face in Jisoo’s neck. Her hands were now snaking around Jisoo’s back, holding her close. “I still can’t believe it.” Jennie mumbled.

“Tell me about it,” Jisoo chuckled, nervously.

When Jennie looked up, her eyes seemed shinier (maybe wet?) than usual. Their faces were inches apart, and Jisoo felt her breath slow down as her eyes slowly dipped to Jennie’s perfect, soft lips.

“Jennie, where are you? You need to get to wardrobe, now. Lisa, stand-by, you’re up next.” The stage manager barked on their in-ear, completely ruining the moment.

Jisoo chuckled, as Jennie stepped back. “Okay. I should go.” She breathed in, hesitating on her way out the door. “Do you want to go for a walk after the show tonight? And talk?”

Jisoo nodded, “I’d love that.”

Jennie smiled to her, and held her gaze for a bit too long.

“Jennie, where are you?” The stage manager sounded again.

“Ugh, okay, I’m going, I’m going.” Jennie groaned, disappearing out the door.

“You know, I don’t think this is the sort of place people like you and me should be hanging out in.” Jennie declared, as they leisurely walked by dark, empty street along the River Seine. “This is the sort of place where people like you and me get stabbed in.”

Jisoo chuckled, “We could find a bar that’s still open at this time.” It was almost midnight, and there didn’t seem to be much going on where they were.

And give up the privacy of the dark? Jennie wasn’t a fan of that plan. The other alternative would be returning to one of their hotel rooms, but it felt slightly too intimate, and if Jisoo’s request that they sleep in their own beds last night was anything to go by, she wasn’t quite ready for that.

So Jennie would pace herself. It was important that she wouldn’t overwhelm Jisoo with the intensity of what she was feeling.

“It’s okay,” she finally said, grabbing Jisoo’s pinky and leaning her head on her shoulder, “I’ll protect you.”

Jisoo giggled, and Jennie smiled.

“So-“ Jisoo finally started, dragging out the word.

“So.” Jennie repeated. Neither of them quite knew where to start.

“Last night was-“ Jisoo her lips, thinking. Amazing. Unreal. The best. “surprising.”

Jennie’s heart sunk with disappointment. Really? That’s all it had been? “Really?”

Jisoo let out a breath, exasperatedly, “Of course, Jennie, I mean- how could I have imagined what would happen?”

“Had you secretly hoped it would, though?” Jennie asked. She thought she understood Jisoo’s feelings now, after she had kissed her back so passionately the night before, but she still needed to hear it from .

“Of course. Many times,” Jisoo admitted. “I never thought it would actually happen, though. I mean, LA was- different. You were drunk. And I chalked it up to curiosity, but now-“

Jennie tried hard to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. “You’ve not be paying attention, then. If last night was actually that surprising to you.”

Jisoo stopped, looking at her wordlessly. “I have though. So much. At every single thing you do. Every single thing you say.” Jennie felt herself blush, and she pulled Jisoo closer, curling up into the nook of her neck. “But Jennie- you are straight. Aren’t you?”

The question made Jennie tense up slightly, and she stepped back. “Maybe so. I’ve never been attracted to other girls, apart from you. But to me- uality is fluid, feelings are fluid, so I don’t quite feel the need to label myself.”

Jisoo hesitated, and Jennie tilted her head to the side. “Just say it. Whatever you were about to say.”

“It’s going to make you mad,” Jisoo warned her, unsurely.

“I won’t get mad,” Jennie knew that in order for them to clearly communicate their feelings, there must be total honesty between them. That included them asking all the awkward questions that were motivated by the doubts inside of them. “I promise.”

Jisoo bit her lower lip and hesitated again. “Just, please, be honest with me.” Jennie nodded, encouragingly. “Am I just a warm body to you?”

Jennie had to contain her urge to scoff, roll her eyes, or even walk away. She had promised Jisoo she wouldn’t be mad, but it hadn’t occurred her that promise would be so hard to keep. “No.” She finally said, steadily.

“You look mad.” Jisoo noticed.

“I’m not. Maybe a bit frustrated.” Jennie granted her, running a hand through her hair exasperatedly. “I just thought- I thought you knew better than that.”

“I don’t-“ Jisoo seemed regretful, and she ran her hand down Jennie’s arms in an attempt to ingratiate herself with her again. “You need to understand that this is my biggest insecurities speaking. Please don’t take it personally. It’s just all so overwhelming-“

Jennie sighted and relaxed. Jisoo was right. She couldn’t blame her for being extra insecure in this moment of vulnerability. And she’d prefer to have the chance to answer these questions rather than having Jisoo going on wondering about it.

“I understand,” Jennie finally said, interlocking her fingers with Jisoo and squeezing her hand softly, “But think about it. Have I not said I think you’re beautiful a thousand times? Do I not want to be around you all the time? Have I not been jealous of spending time with other people?”

Jisoo nodded. They both knew it all to be true. Their friendship had been branded as clingy, needy and even co-dependent by other people; was it possible it had always been more than a friendship?

“I know this is all confusing, but I need you to take my word and actions for it. I would never- I would never do this if I genuinely didn’t have feelings for you.” Jennie said, emphatically. “And while I fought them for a while, because I was confused and also thought you weren’t interested-“ Jisoo rolled her eyes, as if saying that thought was silly, “I am now seeing things clearly.”

“I don’t want you to fight those feelings,” Jisoo whined, leaning her forehead against Jennie’s.

Jennie chuckled, putting her arms around Jisoo’s waist. “I don’t want to either.”

Jisoo’s lips were dangerously close to hers. Jennie didn’t even had the time to properly think if this was something they should do out in the public – although this wasn’t Korea, where they could be recognised, it still felt risky. “So, do you trust me now?”

Jisoo nodded, wordlessly, but the fear was still clear in her eyes.

Jennie reached for her pocket, and pulled out the two heart shaped rings. Jisoo’s eyes fell to her hands, and her lips parted in surprise. “I bought these in Chicago, the day you came out to me. I wanted to give it to you, but after you told me you were gay, I completely forgot about them. I have been waiting for a good moment to give it to you ever since, and today I knew there was bound to be a moment.” Jennie held one of the rings between her thumb and index finger, holding her other hand with the palm up. Jisoo placed her hand on top of Jennie’s. “I want you to use it as a reminder of how much I care for you, Jisoo. If you ever have