A so-called home, no matter how huge or narrow the space is, regardless if it means a house or a person, it is where one can be herself. Jennie will never be ashamed of living alone in this tight and limited space of her humble home and show it to Chaeyoung whose own personal space can be ten times bigger than this small place.

“Sorry if I don’t have a huge house like you do. If you’re not comfortable then you can leave.” Jennie said blunt as she welcomes the reserved Chaeyoung inside.

Chaeyoung however replies jolly, “Oh no. I like your place actually. It feels like way back when I was in the orphanage. I used to have this kind of room for myself too. It’s cozy and it’s comfortable.”

“Oh yeah. I almost forgot you used to be unfortunate.” Jennie realized as she proceeds to find clothes from her scattered luggage.

Chaeyoung was left alone in the narrow living room as Jennie went to her room for a second. She lurked around, finding nothing much of furniture around, even surprised she has no television equipped. Her low table is small enough for her own. And lastly her eyes landed on the shelf where the urns of Jennie’s parents were placed, together with their separate photos.

Needless to say, Chaeyoung knew it’s her parents. “She looks like her mom a lot. I wonder if she also takes over her personality.” She noticed and smiled at this.

“I hear that a lot.” Jennie caught her grinning on her parents’ pictures as she came out holding some new shirts which she tossed to the startled musician. “Go and change your clothes quick in the bathroom and I’ll boil some water. I only have instant cup noodles if you don’t mind having one to warm yourself up.” She then ordered and offered.

Chaeyoung isn’t in her territory, thus obediently complying with Jennie’s orders and went straight to the bathroom. She has expected it won’t be as extravagant as hers which didn’t bother her. However, what caught her attention were Jennie’s underwear and freely hanging on a corner in her bathroom’s clothesline. It wasn’t her intention to stare at these, but those pink with bear designs made her burst into laughter and echoed all over.

Jennie heard her radiating laughs from the outside, and realized what the musician must have seen in her small bathroom. She rushed to her which fortunately wasn’t closed yet and found Chaeyoung trying to hold back her laughter while facing the she forgot to collect before letting her in, too close she could sniff it if she takes another step closer.

“What’s funny?” Jennie barked at her as she grabbed all her underwear and from the clothesline. “I hanged them there to dry them off and I don’t have spaces left in my balcony to hang more! I’m sorry if I don’t have dryers like you do and if my underwear aren’t branded!” She growled and shamelessly marched out of the bathroom.

Chaeyoung playfully peeks and smirks at the flushing Jennie, “They’re cute though. Ella has the same one, the pink bear.”

“Shut up! Just do your own thing, will you?” Jennie roared as she threw her shoes towards the door that Chaeyoung quickly closed.

Jennie took this chance to call her best friend whom she knows dead worried while waiting for the water to boil. Playing typical and casual around Chaeyoung strained her, not because it’s tiring her physically but because her heart just won’t calm down beating around the same space, under the same small roof with her.

“How’s everything? Have you talked?” Jisoo immediately asked as she answered, being in the middle of work yet coolly using her phone.

“Well… she’s with me.” Jennie breathed to ease.

“Where?”

“At home. She’s in the bathroom. She even found my for God’s sake and she even teased me about it. Gosh this is so embarrassing!” She grumbled as low as possible.

Jisoo almost choked on her own breath as Jennie disclosed restlessly. “Okay, wait… let me digest one by one.” She then took a deep breath and reiterates, “You went to meet her at the park and surely you bombarded her. I can just imagine. Yet you brought her with you back home? Just the two of you? As far as I can remember, no one entered your place before except me and yet you let her?”

“Unnie, relax. It’s not like we’re doing something inappropriate.” Jennie rolled her eyes. “I just feel sorry if I send her away. And I don’t want to risk anything either if we talk somewhere else. She’s famous, you know.” She then reasoned.

Which Jisoo acknowledges, “Oh yeah. You might end up being responsible if she gets caught by stalkers in the middle of the night and under the rain too.” Then she turns serious, “But hey, Jennie… what do you think? Are you going back to her and Ella or accept Lisa’s better job offer? She’s there to talk, right?”

Jennie sighs heavy, “I don’t know yet unnie. I’m so torn right now, though I’m kind of inclined more on going back to being Ella’s nanny. That young girl somehow made connection with me too and I somewhat feel bad if I leave her like this, no talk, no show. And here’s Chaeyoung desperately begging and I would feel bad if she resorts on going down to her knees.”

“I think so too. Lisa might be disappointed but if I were you, my own personal choice comes first and I don’t want to disappoint myself either. Besides, Chaeyoung sacrificed so much just to talk to you and try to get you back. Imagine waiting alone under the rain, that’s so risky. It could end her whole damn career if she was caught. All of these troubles she went through to get you back and work for her again and apologize.” Jisoo shared her thoughts solemn.

Chaeyoung first appeared arrogant for Jennie, then turned into being strict, then she became caring and understanding, but also a protective unnie to Ella which she’s coming to realize now why she berserk one time trying to protect her. Chaeyoung may be a woman with complete package, all the ‘goods’ and the ‘bads’ are in her, this is what Jennie is thinking while blankly staring at the boiling water.

Acknowledging her defeat, Jennie chuckles, “You’re right unnie. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so cold to her too. I suddenly feel bad that I didn’t listen to her apologies the first time. If I did then this wouldn’t have happened to us too.”

“See? Give her a chance and she’ll give you too. You made mistakes too and so she is. Both of you deserve apology from each other and explanations. I hope you two will get along better now.” Jisoo giggled as she feels glad and also excited for her best friend’s fresh start with the musician.

“I’m done.” Chaeyoung announced as she came out and that’s when Jennie ended the call.

Jennie’s white blouse is too short for Chaeyoung’s height that it looked like a cropped top for her, fitted her too well it shaped her curves. The baggy pants she provided didn’t even reach her ankles to cover. This time, it’s Jennie turn to laugh at her appearance, causing the musician to blush in embarrassment.

And before Jennie could even speak out her reaction, Chaeyoung pointed at her as she warns, “Don’t dare you say anything. It’s not my fault that I’m tall and you’re short.”

“I didn’t even say anything and I’m not thinking anything like that.” Jennie constrained her amusement as Chaeyoung is obviously embarrassed that she just looked away and sat on the floor, in front of the low table.

Jennie served the instant cup noodles on the table, together with some hot tea to warm up their bodies after being soaked under the rain. Chaeyoung’s stomach grumbled the moment it was placed in front of her. She waited in the park for long hours without taking a break, not even chewed a candy to satisfy her hungry stomach. And her hunger is no surprise for Jennie anymore, not even teasing her about it as she is aware of the musician’s hardship through the hours.  

The wait for the noodles to cook is too quiet, thus Jennie takes the initiative to speak up first as she asks frankly, “Tell me, how long were you really planning to wait for me there at the park without even knowing if I’ll come or not? That was one of the most dangerous moves for someone like you. You could have been attacked there by some random person.”

“I wanted to atone for my sins. It’s not that I wanted you to feel guilty or anything like that. I just wanted to show you that I’m serious with my apologies. And if there’s anything more you want to hear or you want me to do, then I’ll do it.” Chaeyoung answered straight while directly looking into Jennie’s eyes for she is being truthful and serious.   

Jennie felt her heart skipped at her answer and couldn’t find a better response to tell, not even a simple act of coldness, she cannot spill a single word out for her loud thumping heart is choking her. And Chaeyoung could feel her shrinking from across the table and deliberately looked away, bringing a smirk on her lips as she feels she’s finally getting into Jennie’s soft and delicate heart.

“The noodles will get soggy if you won’t eat it now.” That’s all that Jennie could say.

And the awkward silence is back. Jennie is blushing madly and there’s no way she can hide it. Her face is too exposed to be seen. Her hair is still in moist and her face is bare. Thus, she can only avoid Chaeyoung’s gazes and started to dig in on the foods, wherein Chaeyoung silently followed, joining her for these late-night foods. The air is dead and this always happens whenever they eat.

“Ella is really looking forward to have you back.” Chaeyoung blurted out in the middle of enjoying their small feast. “That girl has been regretting about what she did to you and about her lies too. And I’m sure she would love to have your dishes every day and you should have probably noticed how she actually likes it but because she’s stubborn, she didn’t want to admit it before.” She went on saying as Jennie kept her silence.

Jennie put down her chopsticks and finally decided to start grilling, “I’m aware that your company once oriented me that I’m not allowed to ask you anything personal. But since you fired me and I’m not in connection with your company as of the moment, perhaps I am allowed to ask now, right?”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” Chaeyoung cooperated and even leaned towards the table to show her interest on whatever she’ll be asked.

Jennie breathes deep and demands carefully, “Then it’s about Ella. I don’t know anything much about her and I want to know more than her favorite breakfasts and meals. The internet isn’t giving me any answers about her.”

Without hesitancies, Chaeyoung relays, “Ella is from California. I first met her during one of my tours there. She was my fan, always getting VIP tickets and backstage passes, and I love kids so I easily got attached to her. She used to come with her father on my tours and I started to get to know them more. And time passes by, I gradually became close to them. I hang out with them during my vacations and it was fun. Not until an unfortunate circumstance unfolded…”

“Unfortunate circumstance?” Jennie pondered.

“Her father was diagnosed with a serious heart disease and soon, he died, leaving Ella alone. Ella never met her mother because she left when she was born. It was only her father who was there with her. And yet he died.” Chaeyoung sighed and remorse kicked in as she reminisced pieces of memories.

Jennie was hit right through her heart. She herself lost her parents but Ella lost hers when she was a lot younger than she is. Jennie had the hardest time in her life to lose them and she was in high school yet there’s Ella losing hers when she still needed them the most. If it was hard for Jennie, then surely, it’s the same or worse for the young Ella.

When Jennie said none but a frown, Chaeyoung went on, “Before her father died, he asked me to adopt her and of course, I would love to. It’s written in his last will too, that I am authorized to get her if I want to. Ella doesn’t have decent relatives that they can trust. No one wanted to keep her too. So, there’s only me. No one can take care of her better than I do. Since then, you know the rest. I went on hiatus from my career to take care of her and help her adjust living with me.”

“Poor Ella. It must have been hard for her.” Jennie sighed.

“Which is why you need to come back home to us. Help me out so I can officially adopt Ella.” Chaeyoung replaced her scowls with a smile and leaned closer towards the table to persuade Jennie.

Jennie playfully smirks, “Well, that’s a smooth way to connect your intentions.”

“Ella needs you. We need you and I need you to be there with us. Ella might be quite cheeky sometimes but trust me, she’s a lovely girl. It’s only that she never tried opening up to someone else aside from me that’s why she was that distant from you. And now look at her, she also wants you back because you were able to break that wall. You’re the only one who could do that to Ella aside from me.” She went on persuading, keeping that triumphant smile on her face as Jennie stared at her delicately.

Jennie softly snorts, “You’re really determined, huh?”

“I told you. I wo