Typically, Chaeyoung’s scolds included high octaves, screaming, and or endless berates (depending on the situation) that ranged from calling Jisoo “dumb” or “out of her mind”, all to which Jisoo received silently and respectively. If the girl scolded her, it was always for good reason, and they’d ease it out with some comfort food after, like ice cream.

 

But there was something far worse than Chaeyoung’s vocal reprimands: her silence.

 

Simple, yet deadly.

 

“Chaeng,” said Jisoo, hands fidgeting on the kitchen table. “You’re seriously giving me the chills. Can you at least call me stupid?”

 

With arms crossed, pursed lips, and a sharp glare, Chaeyoung angled away from Jisoo – enough to not face her directly, but enough to express her blatant upset. The only sound in the room was from the clock, every tick heavy and adding weight to the thick air.

 

“Chaeng,” Jisoo said again, attempting a fond whine and reaching across for the younger girl’s arm. “I’m sorry. I really am. I know I’m irresponsible and I should’ve kept track of the time. I’m sorry for making you worry.”

 

Chaeyoung eyed her hand – so piercing it sent pricks up Jisoo’s skin – before heaving a sigh and running her fingers through her new bangs.

 

“I’m not your mother,” she huffed. “You shouldn’t be sorry for doing things that make me worry. Honestly, who cares if you stay out all night or not? You’re a grown woman. I shouldn’t be helicoptering you.”

 

That would’ve been the end of the scolding in retrospective, but from the way Chaeyoung’s nostrils flared, she wasn’t done at the least.

 

“But –” She paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. “This isn’t about me, it’s about you.”

 

“Me?”

 

Chaeyoung nodded firmly and leaned forward, folding her hands on the table. “Jisoo, how are you feeling these days?”

 

“What is this, a therapy session now?” Jisoo bursted into laughter, but it ceased just as quickly when Chaeyoung’s face remained serious. “I’m alright.”

 

“What about with Jennie Kim? How are you feeling these days around her?”

 

Jisoo winced, taken aback by the straightforwardness. “What’s with this question?”

 

“Answer it, Jisoo.”

 

“I’m feeling alright. There’s nothing much to feel when it’s a client – you know,” she shifted in her seat, “for the sake of professionalism.”

 

“Even if you spent the night with her? Practically went on a date with her? That’s professional? And you didn’t feel a thing?”

 

Jisoo frowned, disgruntled by the barrage of accusations. “This is uncalled for.” She cleared , biting her lip and heart oddly clenching, before adding, “And it wasn’t a date.”

 

Chaeyoung’s prodding gaze lingered for a moment before dropping as she relaxed from her offense. “Sorry. I just –” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Remember when I said when the job gets too much, you need to drop it immediately?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You know your limits, right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Chaeyoung studied Jisoo carefully. “You’ve been different lately, ever since you took the job.”

 

“Really? How?”

 

She shook her head. “I don’t know, but that’s not important. I trust you. You know that, right? I trust that you’re taking care of yourself and doing the right thing.”

 

Jisoo gulped. Although curious, dragging out the topic was the last thing she wanted to do; the main goal was diffusing it as quickly as possible. “Thank you.”

 

“Anyway, I’m not that mad about yesterday. It’s just a dangerous world out there and I didn’t know where you were. I’m just being overdramatic.”

 

Jisoo grinned, shooting up from her seat to pull Chaeyoung into a hug. “Awesome! No, you weren’t being over dramatic. You had the right to worry. I won’t ever do that again, I promise.”

 

Chaeyoung smiled and reciprocated the hug. “I’m just glad you’re safe and okay.”

 

“And about that movie next week.” Jisoo squeezed Chaeyoung’s cheeks. “Popcorn’s on me.”

 

The younger girl’s eyes brightened. “It better be!”

 

“Ice cream?”

 

“Ice cream.”

 

~

 

Either it was a figment of Jisoo’s imagination, or the calculus problems were floating off the page. She squinted at the variables and numbers, but her fried brain fathomed them incoherent.

 

“Jen, I seriously can’t do this anymore,” Jisoo groaned, dropping the textbook on her lap and stretching her arms, almost hitting the girl behind her who ducked just in time. “I’m losing my mind.”

 

Jennie knocked on the back of Jisoo’s head, prompting a yelp and a quick pout over the shoulder. “Homework first, play later.”

 

Jisoo whined. “It’s so hard working like this. I can’t even see you.”

 

“That’s the point. In order to finish your homework, you can’t get distracted.”

 

Jisoo leaned against Jennie’s back, resting her head on the nape of her neck. Streaks of sunlight streamed through the boughs of the overhead tree whose leaves casted a cool shade. “You don’t distract me. Seeing you helps me work twice as hard.”

 

Jennie scoffed. “Your sweet talk won’t get you out this one.”

 

“I don’t mean to sweet talk, but if you insist.” Jisoo smirked at what she imagined was a flustered Jennie from the way she coughed and cleared . “Can we at least have a little brain break?”

 

“What do you suggest?”

 

Pushing herself off Jennie’s back, Jisoo peered over her shoulder to meet Jennie’s curious eyes that were inches away. The dust of pink on her fluffy cheeks proved her theory correct, very much to her amusement.

 

“Cloud gazing!” Jisoo crawled out the shade and patted the spot next to her. “Put that book down and lay with me.”

 

As Jisoo laid down on the green grass, Jennie rolled her eyes, but grinned nonetheless as she bounded over.

 

“Can I rest here?” Jennie asked, but before Jisoo could see where she’s referring to, a heavy head plopped itself on Jisoo’s stomach, evoking a grunt of stolen air.

 

“Your head is so heavy,” Jisoo panted.

 

“Excuse me! My head is pretty small.”

 

“Still heavy. Maybe it’s that big brain of yours.”

 

Jennie laughed. “Will there be a day you don’t compliment me? You flatter me too much.”

 

“Ah, I see.” Jisoo booped Jennie’s tiny nose. “Your ego is being too inflated because of me. Alright, I’ll stop.”

 

“I didn’t say I wanted you to stop.”

 

“I know, but I’m stopping for your own good.”

 

Giggling, they basked in the peaceful silence of the park. Jisoo Jennie’s silky brown locks absentmindedly, the girl sighing under her caress.

 

“Did you do something different with your hair?” asked Jisoo. “It feels nice.”

 

“It wasn’t nice in the first place?”

 

“Of course it was. It always has been, but it just feels different right now.”

 

The latter giggled. “I didn’t do my hair today, so there’s no fancy barrettes.”

 

“Oh, that’s right.” Jisoo smiled softly. “I like it more, your hair like this.”

 

“I thought you said you were going to stop flattering me.”

 

“I’m not! I just want to say how I love you with your hair down.”

 

Jennie laughed and turned to Jisoo.

 

“Jisoo.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“There’s no clouds.”

 

Jennie was right. The sky was clear, absent of any wisps of white, save for the warm sun and a few birds flying by.

 

“That took too long for us to notice,” mused Jisoo.

 

“Welp, since there’s nothing to watch, we should get back to our home –”

 

“No!” Jisoo gasped, propping herself on her elbows as Jennie sat up. “Come on. It hasn’t even been five minutes yet.”

 

Jennie pouted in thought for a moment. “I suppose. Then, what should we do?”

 

“Just lay next to me.” Jisoo stretched out her left arm and patted it. “Right here.”

 

Jennie eyed the spot with a mischievous glint and a faint smirk. Then, rather than simply crawling over Jisoo like any normal sane person, she rolled over her.

 

“Jen –!” Jisoo’s shout was muffled by a mouthful of hair and stolen by the heavy pressure of the girl. By the time Jennie reached the other side and settled on her bicep, Jisoo was out of breath and dumbstruck from the onslaught that was Jennie’s weight.

 

“It’s so comfy here.” Jennie snuggled into the crook of Jisoo’s arm, flashing her gummy smile. “I should rest here more.”

 

“You’re getting awfully bold these days,” Jisoo commented after several gasps for air, but grinned nonetheless.

 

The sky hadn’t changed from when Jennie was laying on her stomach – still clear and cloudless – but no matter how uneventful the sky was, Jisoo was just fine laying with Jennie who’s worth a million uneventful skies. Although she was fine, there’s one worry in the back of her mind: the girl growing bored and returning to homework.

 

She simply cannot let that happen.

 

“Are you bored yet?” asked Jisoo.

 

“No, why?”

 

“Should we go watch a movie?” Jisoo faced Jennie and Jennie faced her, so close that Jisoo’s nose tickled from her rich perfume. “At least watch something mildly entertaining?”

 

“A movie?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Like, in a theater?”

 

“Yep. There’s one two streets down, if I remember correctly. I’ve passed by it a few times.”

 

“I’ve never been to a theater before.”

 

“Me either!” Jisoo exclaimed as they sat up, brushing off the few blades of grass on their uniforms. “First time for everything, right?”

 

Jennie glanced at their bookbags and opened books under the shade. “But our homework…”

 

“Just for today,” Jisoo begged with a praying gesture. “After this, I swear I will work hard.”

 

“Swear?”

 

“Swear.”

 

With narrow eyes, Jennie regarded her momentarily before rolling them. “Alright.”

 

Jisoo pumped her fists up in the air victoriously. “Yes!”

 

Gathering their school materials and bags, Jisoo led the way to the cinema with Jennie trailing behind trying to shove her big textbook into her bag already full of other supplies.

 

“Here, put some in mine,” Jisoo offered when Jennie’s struggle became too difficult that it prompted them to stop halfway down the block. “I have space.”

 

“Are you sure?” asked Jennie. “They’re pretty thick.”

 

“I have strong shoulders.”

 

By the time they reached the cinema, Jisoo’s back ached and several years of good posture was down the drain from two of Jennie’s textbooks. How did this girl walk around with this much weight? She looked lighter on her feet despite losing weight of merely two books out of the several in her bag – even flashing an unbothered, wide smile.

 

“So this is the theater?” Jennie asked, mouth agape at the place that wasn’t all that impressive: a small building between a liquor store and gated apartment complex, and a dim, faded sign that displayed what was assumed to be the name of the cinema and the names of two movies.

 

“Yep,” Jisoo puffed, craving a good back crack. “Let’s go buy some tickets.”

 

The ticket seller – a man with a gruff beard, a pipe in his mouth, and reading a newspaper – waited for them with a slack face as they read the timetable above the booth’s window. For a table displaying only two movies, they were taking awfully long to choose.

 

“The Hidden Hero or Neumi?” Jisoo muttered with an equally conflicted Jennie.

 

“Should we ask what the movies are about?” Jennie whispered, eyeing the man who returned to his newspaper.

 

Jisoo hesitated. “He looks tired of us already. How about we just choose a random one? I think that’s more fun.”

 

“Alright,” Jennie hummed. “Let’s play rock paper scissors. If I win, we’re watching The Hidden Hero. If you win, we’re watching Neumi.”

 

“Best out of three?”

 

“Best out of three.”

 

That was the day Jisoo learned that Jennie was insanely good at games, smoking Jisoo three to zero. She was born a natural winner and couldn’t help it, she claimed with a wicked grin.

 

“Two tickets for The Hidden Hero, please,” Jisoo said apologetically to the disgruntled man.

 

Once they got their tickets, they stepped inside the cinema that was as bland as its outside: an empty lobby with two cushions, worn carpet, peeled wallpaper, a potted plant that was surely fake, and a hallway that led to a bathroom and one theater room. Jisoo wrinkled her nose from the air that smelled of faint must.

 

“This looks like a place where we’d get murdered,” said Jennie, clinging onto Jisoo’s sleeve.

 

Jisoo snorted. “It really does. But we already bought the tickets, so we might as well enjoy the movie.”

 

They shuffled carefully toward the theater room with Jisoo at the front, fists clenched and up, braced for any attack. The room was nicer than the lobby – although it could be due to the darkness hiding its flaws – with lined cushions, cool air, and a projector at the back displaying the static screen on the other end.

 

“Front row?” Jennie asked.

 

“Let’s sit in the back row,” said Jisoo. “It’s easier to see the full screen and we don’t have to crane our necks.”

 

“Smart.”

 

Once they were settled in the middle of the back row, as if on cue, the screen projected the count down with the film reeling noisily above their heads.

 

“I wish we brought a snack,” Jennie whispered as the opening played. “This place doesn’t even sell popcorn.”

 

“Don’t worry, I’m right here.”

 

Jennie choked, hacking a coughing fit, and Jisoo shushed her while stifling her own laughter.

 

“Shh! We’re watching a movie,” Jisoo playfully scolded, earning a glare from the latter.

 

“It was your fault,” Jennie retorted in a whispered yell.

 

Jisoo chuckled and blindly touched Jennie’s arm on the armrest between them, gliding along it to her hand which naturally responded, opening up to lace her fingers through. They giggled shyly and turned to the movie – whose opening they entirely missed – with hands that were warm against the cool temperature.

 

And Jisoo couldn't pay attention to the rest of the movie, not when Jennie's hand fit so perfectly in hers.

 

~

 

“Long time no see, Jisoo.”

 

“Seulgi, It’s only been like a month.”

 

“A month is a long time!”

 

Jisoo snorted, cutting a delicate piece of coffee cake with her fork and sleeves of her sweater rolled up. “I didn’t think you’d be the clingy type.”

 

The older girl threw her hands up defensively. “I am not. A month is seriously a long time.” She palmed her chest, feigning hurt with a heavy sigh and a dramatic flannel sleeve to her forehead. “Were you even going to check up on me if I hadn’t reached out to you first?”

 

Jisoo popped the cake in and scratched her chin. “Probably not.”

 

“What a great friend you are.”

 

“And you love it.”

 

Seulgi smirked. “Exactly.”

 

Their chuckles resonated with the faint piano music in the background of the empty café. Jisoo sipped her frappuccino as Seulgi popped a piece of coffee cake in , humming in satisfaction from the tastiness.

 

“So did you really miss me?” Jisoo teased with a cocked eyebrow, residue from her lips.

 

“Why are you questioning my value for our friendship?” huffed Seulgi. “I should be questioning you.”

 

“Good point.”

 

“How’s everything going?”

 

“Fine. You?”

 

“Same old same old. Did you know Sooyoung is throwing a birthday party? You’re invited.”

 

Jisoo perked up at the mention of Sooyoung, a friend she had also met in college through being mutuals with Seulgi. At first glance, her towering height intimidated Jisoo, but her kindness and peppiness dissipated it quickly.

 

“Another one? I thought her birthday was last month.”

 

“Oh, not for her. For her dog.”

 

Jisoo laughed. “A whole party for her dog?”

 

“You know how much she loves dogs, especially her dog.”

 

“True. When is it?”

 

“Haetnim’s birthday is this Thursday, but the party will be on Saturday, for convenience sake.”

 

“This Saturday?” Jisoo in between her teeth. “I don’t think I can make it.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“I have an appointment with Jennie that day.”

 

“Seriously? On a weekend? Just reschedule.”

 

“It’s the only day that she’s available for a while, with all those... wedding preparations.”

 

“Then, just invite her.”

 

Jisoo’s eyebrows shot up. “She doesn’t know anyone there.”

 

“She knows you, at least. It doesn’t hurt to ask. Although you don’t consider a month long, Sooyoung misses you all the same.” Seulgi sipped her coffee mug. “You should reach out to us more, you know. What’s the point of making friends in college if you don’t keep up?”

 

Jisoo’s ears burned and she dipped her chin shamefully. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

 

“Ah, I’m just pulling your leg Jisoo,” Seulgi chuckled, although there’s truth in her words. “Anyway, just invite Jennie and ask her questions at the party. Isn’t that all you have to do for a biography?”

 

“It’s not that simple.”

 

“Why not?”

 

Jisoo’s breath hitched. “Well –”

 

“Seulgi!”

 

Their heads swiveled to Chaeyoung bounding toward them with wide arms. Before Seulgi could reciprocate the greeting, the younger girl engulfed her in a giant bearhug.

 

“It’s been forever since I’ve seen you!” Chaeyoung exclaimed, breaking away from the hug. “How have you been?”

 

“Chaeyoung!” Seulgi beamed. “I’m great. How are you?”

 

“Never been better!”

 

Jisoo leaned in and cupped to feign a whisper. “I know why.”

 

Chaeyoung shot a glare whereas Seulgi’s eyes widened in curiosity. “Why?”

 

“Because she has a gir –”

 

“Anyway!” Chaeyoung yelled over Jisoo, her threatening glower burning into her skull before regarding Seulgi with crescents. “What brings you here?”

 

“I was just telling Jisoo about Sooyoung’s dog’s birthday party. You’re invited, too.”

 

Clapping her hands, Chaeyoung hopped enthusiastically with a wide grin – manners akin to a child. “Yay! What should we buy Haetnim, Jisoo? A sweater for winter? Dogs in sweaters are so cute.”

 

Seulgi frowned and nudged her chin toward Jisoo. “Actually, this girl can’t even go.”

 

“Why?”

 

Jisoo scratched her head sheepishly. “I have an appointment with Jennie and I can’t reschedule because she’s busy on all the other days.”

 

Seulgi popped a cake in , pointing the fork at her. “I told her she could invite Jennie, whatever it takes to come. Sooyoung really misses you guys, like really misses you guys. She really wants you to come to the party, especially since it’s her dog.”

 

Chaeyoung furrowed her eyebrows. “Jennie is a very… conserved person. I don’t think it would be in her best interest to come.”

 

“You know her?”

 

“No. Just from what I heard from Jisoo.”

 

Seulgi hummed, “She doesn’t sound like a really fun person if she wouldn’t want to get to know more friends.”

 

“She is,” Jisoo asserted, a bit too defensively from the way Seulgi raised her eyebrows, taken aback. She cleared . “I mean, she is fun. She just has to get out of her comfort zone, that’s all.”

 

“Then, you can help her get out her comfort zone at the party,” Seulgi suggested. “You introduce her, we do our usual social mingle, and she’ll be comfortable in no time. We’re not scary people, and we’re all around the same age. It’ll be great.”

 

Chaeyoung hummed in agreement, “I’ve been wanting to meet Jennie nowadays.”

 

Jisoo regarded Chaeyoung suspiciously, but the girl gave a toothless, innocent smile. Seulgi regarded her over the top of her coffee cup, waiting for her response.

 

“I’ll ask her.” Jisoo swallowed thickly, uncertain of her words.

 

Seulgi beamed, “Awesome! I hope to see you guys there. I would love to stay longer, but I have a meeting to go to right now. Thanks for the service, Chaeyoung.”

 

“Come by anytime! We should catch up more,” Chaeyoung chirped.

 

After a few minutes of Chaeyoung fighting against Seulgi’s tip and finally succumbing to it with humble bows, Seulgi left the café and Chaeyoung took her seat with a sigh.

 

“We should really hang out with them more – Seulgi, Sooyoung, Seungwan, Yeri, Nayeon,” Chaeyoung hummed as she tied a bun. “We’ve been so busy adulting that they slipped our minds.”

 

“Yeah,” Jisoo replied airly.

 

“Well, I hope Jennie will come to the party. The more, the merrier.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“What should we buy Haetnim? I was thinking of a winter sweater, or socks. Did you know Lisa bought some for her cats? So cute. ”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Jisoo, are you even listening to me?”

 

Jisoo snapped from her crumbled coffee cake – whose pieces were paste from the pokes of her fork – to Chaeyoung’s frown.

 

“Yeah, I am.”

 

“Alright. Let’s go shopping later this week. I think we need a new clock anyway. Ours is too loud.”

 

“Sounds good.”

 

Chaeyoung pursed her lips before patting Jisoo’s shoulder. “Okay. I’m going back to organizing the pantry. Call me if you need anything.”

 

Once the younger girl left her alone, Jisoo placed down her fork gently on the plate with the pasted cake that was no longer appetizing. For some reason, she was nervous from the thought of introducing Jennie to other people, enough to twist a knot in her stomach, but what right did she have to hide her as if she’s a secret? The girl was entitled to make friends. It’d be for the better, since she didn’t have many friends, too.

 

What am I afraid of? Jisoo pressed on her temples in frustration. There’s nothing to be afraid of. We’re nothing.

 

Nothing.

 

Writer and client were what they were. Maybe acquaintances – friends if she pushed it – but nothing more than that. Jennie wasn’t hers to keep, to hide.

 

Not anymore.

 

In the midst of her thoughts, Jisoo sipped her drink empty, but the conclusion reflected at the bottom of the cup.

 

Seulgi was right, it didn’t hurt to ask.

 

~

 

The early morning’s damp air stuck to Jisoo’s skin, seeping through her blue knit sweater and jeans. The park was lively with birds chirping on the branches of the overhead tree, a yoga class of middle aged citizens under the pavilion, a few kids horsing around, and people strolling.

 

Jisoo sipped her coffee as Jennie – dressed in a cropped cardigan, pants, and baseball cap – tossed pinches of seeds from her palm (that a passing grandma gifted them) to two pigeons a few feet in front of their bench. The pigeons were a little funny, the way they bobbed their heads as they moved, pecking at the seeds. Jennie’s head was tilted to the side, eyes vacuous as she absentmindedly fed the pigeons. The dark eyebags didn’t go unnoticed, but when Jisoo offered her some coffee, the girl refused despite her persistence.

 

“Next question.” Jisoo carefully set her coffee cup down beside her. “Who do you admire most in your family and why?”

 

“Admire?” Jennie mumbled, tone amused as she tossed another seed. One of the pigeons impressively caught it midair. “My father, I suppose.”

 

“And why?”

 

“Obviously because he’s a kind, hard working, family man that values goodness and charity.”

 

Jisoo grimaced at the dripping sarcasm, but scribbled it down nonetheless, adding an emoticon with a raised eyebrow in the margin.

 

“Can you give a personal experience that contributes to your admiration of your father?”

 

Jennie hummed with another seed tossed, “He got me a tutor for math back in grade school. That’s very charitable, if I say so myself.”

 

Perhaps morning appointments weren’t a good idea. Jisoo crossed out the question with three quick lines. Jennie’s answers aren’t good, or maybe that’s because of the questions. Unfortunately, all the questions she had today pertained to her family and relationships.

 

“Okay, next question. How did you and your fiancé first meet?”

 

“Arranged at eighteen.”

 

“Can you expand on that?”

 

“There’s nothing to expand on. That’s literally how we met.”

 

Jisoo tapped her pen against the page. Jennie had run out of seeds and the pigeons had long flown away, but the girl still stared at the ground, the spot with a few littered seeds left behind. “At least try to romanticize it, just for the readers.”

 

“That’s a bit like lying, don’t you think?”

 

“It’s to make it more interesting.”

 

“And I thought integrity was the core value of journalists.”

 

“I’m not making you lie,” Jisoo frowned, offended by the accusation. “You’re just not giving me enough to work with.”

 

“Then, make up your own stuff, your own stories.” Jennie turned to her. “You’re pretty good at creative writing. I bet whatever you write won’t stray too far off the original source.”

 

Jisoo pursed her lips and scanned her list of questions. Her patience was running thin, but perhaps one more wouldn’t hurt. Although Jennie’s answers were frustrating, they were amusing to an extent. Or maybe she just wanted to talk to her longer.

 

“Moving on,” drawled Jisoo, dragging her pen down the list and stopping at the bottom. “What is home to you?”

 

“Home?” Jennie tilted her chin to the sky and closed her eyes. “That’s quite a vague, abstract question.”

 

“Home, like family and stuff,” Jisoo explained. “Someplace that makes you feel safe, belonged, and so on.”

 

“Does it have to be a place?”

 

Jisoo furrowed her eyebrows. “I suppose not. Home is subjective, like happiness.”

 

Jennie looked at her from the corner of her eye. “Then, what is home to you?”

 

The question caught Jisoo off guard. Jennie’s gaze never left her, so she broke away from it instead. “This isn’t about me.”

 

“If you give me an example, then maybe it’ll help me think better and give a more fruitful answer.” Jennie tilted her head, her wavy hair falling to one side and exposing her milky neck. “Also, I’m just curious.”

 

Jisoo flicked through the corners of the pages in thought. “I guess, to me, home is like a fireplace. When the world is cold, it never fails to warm me up and help me survive through the cold nights. It makes me feel safe in the darkest of nights.”

 

“That’s a little corny. Any specifics?”

 

“I gave you an example.”

 

“You gave your definition. Give me something specific, I’m still confused.”

 

Jisoo would’ve thought it was another one of Jennie’s jabs, but the girl genuinely looked lost, eyes big and patient for an answer – an answer she couldn’t quite put into words.

 

“I’m – I’m not too sure myself.” Jisoo cleared .

 

Jennie laughed. “How could you ask that question if you can’t answer it yourself? It makes stuff more confusing. Maybe you should ask it differently.”

 

“How so?”

 

“Isn’t that your job to figure out?”

 

Flustered, Jisoo chuckled meekly. “Alright, I’ll keep that in mind,” she sighed and closed her journal, mirroring Jennie leaning on the bench rest with her chin up to the auburn leaves. “I thought an appointment in the morning would be refreshing for the both of us.”

 

“You know I’m not a morning person.”

 

“Yeah. Shall we end it here, then? We’ll do afternoons from now on.”

 

“No.”

 

“No?”

 

“No. I don’t want to end it here.”

 

“I don’t have any more questions, or questions you’d answer fruitfully. It’d be a waste of time. Let’s go home.”

 

“Home?” Jennie turned back forward. “I feel fine here. Just fine.”

 

“At this park?” Jisoo chuckled. Jennie’s lips parted, but a grimace in hesitation prompted them to close. Two pigeons landed in front of them – different from the initial two – to collect the remaining seeds. Jisoo giggled at their bobbing heads, and from her peripheral vision, it looked like Jennie was equally as amused, fashioning a faint smile.

 

“Do you have somewhere to be?” asked Jennie.

 

“Kind of.”

 

“Okay. You should go.”

 

“And you’ll stay here?”

 

“Yeah. I’ll go back eventually, don’t worry about me getting kidnapped or whatever.”

 

Just invite her, Seulgi’s words echoed.

 

A pregnant pause followed Jennie’s nonchalant shrug. Worrying her lip, Jisoo bagged her pen and journal into her satchel. Just ask casually, she clasped her hands, and with a quick puff, faced the younger girl.

 

“Say, Jennie, you aren’t busy this afternoon, right?”

 

“Nope. I cleared my schedule just for this appointment.”

 

“Oh, I see.” Jisoo scratched her head. “Well, do you want to come to a birthday party?”

 

“Whose birthday?”

 

“My friend’s dog.”

 

Jennie’s lax demeanor perked up at the mention of a dog. “I don’t know your friends.”

 

“That’s okay. They’re willing to befriend you.”

 

“Really? Even if I’m a snobby rich kid?”

 

“You’re not snobby.”

 

“But I’m a rich kid.”

 

“So what?”

 

Jennie’s lips curled up. “So, the party is today?”

 

“Yeah. I was about to skip it for this appointment, but since we’ve ended early, I think I can make it.”

 

“You were about to skip a whole party just for this appointment?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Sometimes you need to get your priorities straight, Jisoo,” laughed Jennie. “I would drop this appointment for any dog’s birthday party.”

 

I would, too, if it was any other appointment with any other client.

 

“Are you down?” asked Jisoo.

 

“Yeah. It sounds like fun.” Jennie bounced into a straight posture, excitement etched in the way her legs swung and changed eyes – from dim to giddy. “Are they your college friends?”

 

“Yeah. There’s six of them. I’ll introduce you.”

 

“Very kind of you.” Jennie hopped off the bench, brushing the back of her pants. “Well, let’s get going.”

 

“The party isn’t until noon.”

 

“We need to buy a gift, don’t we?”

 

“Oh, true.”

 

“What should we buy?” Jennie wondered as Jisoo gathered up her bag and coffee cup. “A winter sweater? Dogs in sweaters are cute.”

 

“Chaeng already bought Haetnim a sweater,” Jisoo said as they walked, crunching leaves in their wake. “We could try that pet store a few streets down. Remember –”

 

She bit back on her words, throat hitched, but Jennie didn’t look bothered. Instead, she crooked a wistful smile.

 

“I remember.”

 

~

 

After a grueling session of studying, the crisp, autumn air was a relief from the pungent smell of paper and books, so much so that Jisoo stuck her head up to get as much coolness as possible.

 

“Told you I’ll work hard,” Jisoo yawned, stretching her arms and twisting her back, sighing at the cracking of bones. “I always keep my word.”

 

“If you say dozing off half the time is working hard, then I suppose,” quipped Jennie. “Did you know how many times you drooled?”

 

“You were watching me?” Jisoo waggled her eyebrows.

 

Jennie flushed red in a blink of an eye, punching Jisoo’s shoulder. “Only to wake you up.”

 

“I don’t remember getting woken up that often though –” Before Jisoo could finish her sentence, Jennie gasped at something behind her – jaw dropped and eyes wide – and pulled Jisoo’s sleeve, dragging her behind a brick wall.

 

“What –” Jisoo’s words faltered when Jennie smushed a finger on her lips, urging her to be quiet.

 

Sharp footsteps of dress shoes echoed on the concrete sidewalk. Jisoo didn’t have to try to be quiet with Jennie pressed against her, freezing her in place and stealing all breaths, save for the erratic thumping of her heart and the urge to hiccup. Jennie’s breath audibly hitched at the sight of a suited man walking past their alleyway, head turning anywhere but their direction, before continuing down the street.

 

Who’s that? Jisoo mouthed.

 

Jennie stayed silent until the footsteps were no longer heard, removing herself from Jisoo and peering around the corner cautiously. “My chauffeur. He’s looking for me.”

 

“He still doesn’t know where you’ve been running off to?” Jisoo cleared , hoping to dispel the heat in her cheeks, and the hiccup escaped. She detached herself from the brick wall and smoothened her uniform. “I thought he’d have an idea by now. It’s been months.”

 

“I think he’s starting to get an idea. Maybe it’s not a good idea to stay at the library anymore.”

 

“But where else would we –”

 

Jisoo paused when something bumped at her ankle. Glancing down, she made out a dirty ball of white fur nuzzling its head against her socks.

 

“Is that a puppy!” Jennie squealed, her attempt to be quiet thrown out the window as she dropped in front of the animal.

 

Jisoo chuckled, kneeling beside the girl. The puppy was tiny, the size of a basketball, with curly fur caked in dirt and whatnot and small, beady eyes. Its tail wagged side to side as Jennie gingerly petted it, brushing the filth away with her clean hands.

 

“It’s friendly,” Jisoo commented after a few cooes from Jennie. “What if it has rabies?”

 

Jennie gasped, hand frozen above the clueless puppy. “But it’s not biting me. Should we take it to the vet?”

 

“A vet?” Jisoo pondered as Jennie scooped the puppy into her hands and stood up. “I don’t know any nearby vets. Whose its owner, anyway? We can’t really bring it with us.”

 

Jennie patted its neck where a collar would reside. “It doesn’t have a tag. We can’t leave it out here all by itself.”

 

Jisoo wanted to tell her that they wouldn’t be able to keep it, that both of their houses weren’t suited for a stray dog, but the way Jennie held the puppy close to her chest with such affection made her succumb to the request. It was rare to see Jennie radiate this much affection, other than to Jisoo, of course.

 

“Alright,” Jisoo said. “Let’s see if the librarian knows a vet.”

 

The librarian did not, frowning at the sight of a dirty dog in her library shaking its dirt on the carpet. She redirected them to a pet store a few streets down, as if that was akin to a vet. They thanked her nonetheless.

 

“Chu, do you have water?” Jennie asked from behind Jisoo, so preoccupied by the puppy that Jisoo had to slow down significantly, much to the girl’s obliviousness. “I think it’s thirsty.”

 

“I do.” Jisoo swung her backpack to her front and rummaged through for her bottle. “Have you figured out if it’s a boy or girl?”

 

Jennie scrunched her nose. “I don’t want to look there.”

 

Jisoo laughed, handing a disgruntled Jennie the bottle. “Just peek really quick.”

 

By the time they reached the place, Jennie concluded that it was a boy. The pet store was small, much like the other buildings in the area, with worn flyers pasted on the shop window and a flapping dog bone above the door.

 

“Hello?” Jisoo called out when they stepped into the store, greeted by the jingle of the door bell. The air smelled weird, a mix of lemon and popcorn that failed to mask the pungent smell of pet food. The counter was empty, so Jisoo called out again, her voice echoing in the uneventful shop.

 

Jisoo glanced at Jennie with uncertainty, but the girl was busy observing a rack of pet toys ranging from squeak toys to balls, lightly bouncing the puppy in her arms with inaudible murmurs. The sight brought a smile to her lips and warmth to her heart.

 

A bang from the back snapped their heads to the sound, and a boy stumbled through the door with arms full of boxes. Slamming the boxes onto the counter, he huffed and ran his fingers through his disheveled dark hair before realizing Jisoo and Jennie stood a few feet away, equally as surprised.

 

“Oh my, welcome!” he exclaimed hastily, bright smiles and hands waving in the air. He flew to the counter and fixed his rumpled uniform. “Sorry, I was organizing stuff in the back. How may I help you today?”

 

“It’s okay –” Jisoo squinted at his nametag on his vest. “– Hanbin. We were just wondering if you know any vet clinic in this area? We found a stray dog and we couldn’t really leave it.”

 

“A vet?” Hanbin’s face brightened at the puppy in Jennie’s arms. “You’re just in luck. My dad’s a vet and the owner of this shop.”

 

“Really?” Jennie exclaimed, giddy. “Do you think he can take care of him?”

 

“Of course.” Hanbin smiled and held out his hands to take the puppy, but Jennie looked reluctant to hand him over, with her pout and all.

 

“Just a second.” Jennie faced her shoulders away from Hanbin to discuss with Jisoo secretly. “Chu, this is the last time we’ll see him, huh?”

 

The puppy was staring at Jisoo with doll-like eyes, tongue hanging out to the side and panting. It was adorable, so adorable that Jisoo was also reluctant to hand him over despite the short time she’d known him.

 

“Unfortunately.” Jisoo petted his head, to which he nuzzled against her palm. “Should we name him before he goes?”

 

“Yes. Let’s say it together.”

 

They counted in unison. “Three, two, one.”

 

“Dalgom.”

 

“Kuma.”

 

They broke into laughter, leaning onto each other to conceal their fit. The puppy tilted his head to the side curiously.

 

“How about…” muttered Jisoo after her giggling ceased. ”Dalkuma.”

 

“That doesn’t sound too bad, but Kuma sounds better.”

 

“Debatable.” Jisoo pressed her temple on Jennie’s, flicking her tresses over her shoulder so it wouldn’t bother Dalkuma situated between them. “It’s a compromise. I’d name him Dalgom anyday.”

 

Jennie rolled her eyes, a faux attitude contrary to her toothless smile that made Jisoo’s heart skip a few beats. “I wish we could keep Dalkuma. I really want to.”

 

Dalkuma perked up at the mention of his new name. Jisoo rubbed his ear. “Looks like he likes his name already.”

 

“I guess this is goodbye,” Jennie sighed, kissing the moderately clean spot on Dalkuma’s head that she dusted off diligently on the way here. “I hope we can reunite in the future.”

 

“When we get that cottage in the woods, we’ll come back and adopt him.”

 

“You and that cottage in the woods,” Jennie giggled, raising Dalkuma up to Jisoo’s face. “Kiss him goodbye, too.”

 

Jisoo blinked from the proximity of the puppy, grimacing at the smell. She held her breath and pecked him on the same spot Jennie’s lips touched. He her chin in turn, prompting a yelp from Jisoo and a titter from Jennie.

 

Hanbin graciously accepted Dalkuma into his hands. Dalkuma seemed like an overall friendly dog from the way he nuzzled against the boy’s chest as easily as he did with Jennie. “We’ll get this little guy checked up. Are you coming back for him?”

 

Jisoo and Jennie glanced at each other, the younger girl’s face laced with sadness.

 

“No,” Jisoo replied grimly.

 

“It doesn’t have to be soon. I can put him under your name, but the most you can hold him for would be three years.”

 

Three years? One glance at Jennie told her that the girl thought the same thing: three years wasn’t enough to get the cottage in the woods.

 

“It’s alright.” Jisoo smiled softly. “We hope it finds a nice home.”

 

Hanbin nodded. “Of course. Everyone deserves a nice home.”

 

~

 

Hanbin no longer worked at the pet store, Jisoo and Jennie learned when greeted by an unfamiliar face of another boy. He pursued music, the boy explained when they paid for a moose squeak toy they agreed on after much intense discussion. It was between the squeak toy or a noisy, plastic toy ball containing beads. The boy changed, and the smell of the shop changed to something much nicer and effective at masking the pet food, but overall, the shop looked the same as it was seven years ago – down to the dog bone flap above the door. Jisoo could tell Jennie sensed it too, but like all the other times, the thought passed wordlessly.

 

There was really no need for words when it hung in the air, clear as day.

 

After that, they trudged to Sooyoung’s apartment, walking up a few flights of stairs that left Jisoo’s legs a little sore. The tall black-haired girl greeted them at the door after one knock.

 

“Jisoo!” Sooyoung chirped and engulfed her in a hug, the soft fabric of her oversized hoodie emphasizing her towering size. “I’m so glad you could make it. I heard you weren’t coming.”

 

Jisoo chuckled meekly once they broke apart from the bone crushing hug that she hadn’t experienced in a while. “Change of plans.”

 

Sooyoung turned to Jennie and held her hand out. “Nice to meet you. I’m Park Sooyoung.”

 

Jennie regarded her hand for a moment before shaking it. “Jennie Kim.”

 

“Oh, you’re Jennie Kim. You’re so pretty.” Jennie was taken aback, but Sooyoung paid no mind and clapped her hands, ushering them inside. “Luckily, you guys came before we cut the cake. You can leave the gift on the table.”

 

The apartment was decorated with streamers hung along the ceiling, balloons tied to various furniture, and a small pile of gifts on the coffee table. At the dining table were four girls surrounding a dog bone shaped cake and a tiny white dog at the center, fashioning a party hat that looked too big for her tiny head.

 

“Jisoo’s here!” Sooyoung announced, diverting their attention toward them.

 

“Jisoo!” Seungwan, Yeri, and Nayeon chimed in unison, dropping whatever they had in their hands to rush over to crush Jisoo in a hug.

 

“About time,” Seulgi chuckled, lagging behind before joining in.

 

“Where’s Chaeng?” Jisoo asked once they parted, flashing a breathless grin.

 

“In the bathroom. Yeri smeared cream all over her face,” Seungwan said, shooting a glare at the said brunette sporting a poker face.

 

“It was an accident,” Yeri said all too innocently, evoking a slap behind the head from Nayeon.

 

“You knew exactly what you were doing,” Nayeon teased, sticking out her tongue.

 

“You didn’t have to hit me so hard –”

 

In the midst of reuniting with her friends and the entertaining bicker, Jennie almost slipped Jisoo’s mind. The girl lingered in the living room, awkwardly looking around the place and playing with a hanging streamer.

 

“By the way, this is Jennie,” Jisoo said, grabbing everyone’s attention from Yeri and Nayeon’s banter. Jennie’s head perked up at her name and Jisoo beckoned her over. “She’s who I’m working on a biography with.”

 

The girls bowed their heads and waved as Jennie shuffled over, to which she bowed back awkwardly.

 

“This is Seungwan, Yeri, Nayeon, and Seulgi.” Jisoo pointed to each person respectively. “Chaeyoung is in the bathroom, so you’ll meet her later I think.”

 

“We’re about to light the candle,” Seungwan said, beckoning everyone over. “Look how cute Haetnim is in her hat!”

 

Haetnim tilted her head when Jennie neared, regarding her carefully. Jennie glanced at Sooyoung as if asking permission to pet her, in which she responded with a nod of encouragement. Jennie placed a gentle hand on Haetnim’s head, and shortly after, the dog broke into a smile, sticking out her tongue and wagging her tail.

 

“It looks like she likes you!” Sooyoung exclaimed. “That’s great. It’s not everyday she warms up to her stranger that quickly.”

 

Everyone’s head turned at the click of the bathroom door revealing Chaeyoung patting her face with a paper towel.

 

“You know some cream got on my shirt, Yeri?” Chaeyoung whined. She paused when her eyes settled on Jennie, and the room dropped a few degrees.

 

“This is Jennie,” Jisoo gulped. “She ended up wanting to come.”

 

Chaeyoung regarded Jennie warily, but Jennie didn’t waver, even challenging the girl with daring eye contact. The air subtly thickened, and Jisoo bit her lip, hoping the latter would notice her silent plea. Please don’t do or say anything stupid, Chaeng. Weren’t you the one who wanted to meet her?

 

After a pregnant silence, Chaeyoung held her hand out and smiled. “Nice to meet you, Jennie. I’m Park Chaeyoung.”

 

Jennie shook her hand. “Jennie.”

 

The tension diminished – much to Jisoo’s relief – even more so when Sooyoung clapped her hands to bring everyone’s attention toward her. “Anyway, since we’re all here, let’s start the cake!”

 

Everyone rounded the table as Sooyoung lit the candle, harmonizing happy birthday to the puppy with a goofy smile. All the girls sported grins as they lightly clapped in beat, even Jennie who was absorbed into the playful atmosphere.

 

“Haetnim, make a wish,” cooed Sooyoung. Haetnim simply barked and panted, which Sooyoung took as her wish and blew the candle for her. A round of applause was followed by the distribution of the cake.

 

“How old is Haetnim?” Jennie asked as she graciously accepted the slice of cake.

 

“Four months,” replied Sooyoung.

 

“She’s very cute. It reminds me of a puppy I used to have.”

 

“You’re a dog person, too?”

 

“Yeah, I love dogs.” Jennie bobbed her head enthusiastically. “I could never own one, though.”

 

“But the one you used to have…?”

 

“Oh! That was a stray. I never actually had it.”

 

“Oh, I see. That’s very good that you’re willing to take care of strays. We need more people like you in the world.”

 

Jennie flushed and dipped her chin shyly. “Thank you.”

 

“If you ever want to adopt a dog, you should visit this shelter.” Sooyoung ripped a piece of napkin and rummaged for a nearby pen from the drawers. “I volunteer there a lot, so please come by and I’ll help you adopt a dog.”

 

Jennie smiled and accepted the napkin. “Noted.”

 

Much to Jisoo’s surprise, Jennie got along with everyone well, even Chaeyoung. Any previous tension was long forgotten as the girls conversed about the numerous stories of each other and their college days over some wine – just enough to not get tipsy, much to Nayeon’s disappointment who was all for getting drunk. Although Jennie didn’t have much to share in terms of life stories, the conversation flowed just as well, as if they’d known her their entire lives.

 

Jisoo stole a few glances at Jennie every so often, the girl plastering the brightest smile. To deduce it as her usual gummy smile was an understatement when there’s a certain spark in her entire person that exceeded that simple fact – like the dead revived.

 

It was a smile that had long seen day, a smile that’s one in a million. Jisoo would know because it’s one she had seen only ever so rarely – from the span of their youth until now. The notion sparked something warm within Jisoo’s chest, growing tenfold the longer she stared at the elated girl.

 

What was I afraid of? Rolling the red wine on her tongue, Jisoo smiled to herself at the sound of Jennie’s laughter from something Yeri said. There was nothing to be afraid of.

 

Maybe it was just for a moment that she was afraid, but when she’s with Jennie, Jisoo wasn’t afraid of anything.

 

The sun had set into night, and the last bottle of wine signified the end of the party. While Haetnim – dressed in Chaeyoung’s christmas printed sweater – happily played with her new gifts, everyone helped clean up the place.

 

“Thank you everyone for coming,” Sooyoung said once most of the trash was cleaned and they gathered up their belongings. “Let’s meet again soon!”

 

“Yes!” they chimed.

 

“Chaeng.” Jisoo touched Chaeyoung’s shoulder as she was fitting her foot through the tongue of her shoe.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I need to take Jennie home. Are you okay going home without me?”

 

Chaeyoung hesitated, eyeing Jennie momentarily who was playing with Haetnim on the rug next to the coffee table. “I’ll go home with Yeri since we live in the same direction. You’ll be okay?”

 

“Of course. Thanks, Chaeng,” Jisoo smiled, chest swelled with appreciation. “And thank you for today. I was scared that…”

 

“Scared of what...?”

 

“You weren’t going to like Jennie.”

 

The younger girl spared a few blinks before chuckling. “You have no faith in me. I was just testing her.”

 

“And? What do you think?”

 

She pondered for a moment. “I think she’s a good person, now that I had a chance to know her more personally.” She slipped on her shoe and stood up straight. “Sometimes things just don’t go your way, but the most important thing is to work it out no matter how tough it is. Sometimes people are born unlucky, but they shouldn’t let that factor dictate their entire life. They should work around it with what they have. Anything is possible with enough willpower – why are you smiling so silly? Is there something on my face?”

 

Jisoo shook her head. “It’s not that. You’re right. That’s why we shouldn’t give up, right?”

 

“Yep,” Chaeyoung smiled softly, “because everyone deserves a nice home.”

 

As Nayeon, Seulgi, Chaeyoung, and Yeri made their leave with many goodbyes and hugs – an exception being Seungwan who stayed back to help clean up the rest of the decorations – Jisoo approached Jennie sitting with Haetnim on her lap happily gnawing on a toy.

 

Jisoo tapped the younger girl’s head, prompting her to look up from her fixation on the dog. “It’s time to go home, Jennie.”

 

“I’m fine here,” Jennie pouted and scratched Haetnim’s fur. “I want to play with her a little longer.”

 

Jisoo chuckled and plopped down beside her, petting Haetnim who was too preoccupied with her toy to notice. “It’s late. We have to go or else Sooyoung will kick us out.”

 

“I bet Sooyoung would let Jennie stay the night if she really wants to keep playing with Haetnim,” Seungwan joked as she ripped the streamers from the ceiling.

 

“Jennie really can’t stay a night. She has stuff to do tomorrow, right?” Jisoo glanced at Jennie, egging for consensus.

 

“Don’t remind me,” Jennie groaned and cuddled Haetnim closer. “I just want to stay forever.”

 

“With Haetnim?” Jisoo teased. Something flashed in Jennie’s eyes – something unreadable – but it went as quickly as it came as she returned her attention to the puppy, brown hair curtaining further expression.

 

“You can always visit, Jennie,” said Seungwan as she rolled up a ball of streamers in her arms. “Sooyoung wouldn’t mind.”

 

Jisoo flashed a soft smile and nudged Jennie’s knee. “What she said, so let’s go. We don’t want to keep them up.”

 

Jennie pouted, but reluctantly kissed Haetnim goodbye. They bid Seungwan and Sooyoung – who just got out the shower – a thanks and a farewell before making their departure out of the apartment building. Their journey home was silent as they hailed a taxi and trudged up Jennie’s neighborhood’s slope. Jisoo would like to think it’s because the younger girl was drained of energy, but she broke the silence.

 

“I know now,” said Jennie.

 

“Know what?”

 

“What’s home to me.”

 

They paused underneath a street lamp with a moth hovering by the bulb, their long shadows merging together on the pavement. Although it was hard to see Jennie’s eyes from the lighting, the soft gaze she held was all Jisoo needed.

 

“What do you mean?” Jisoo asked.

 

“The question you asked me this morning. I think I can answer it now.” Jennie exhaled deeply. “I might be a little corny here, so bear with me. I think you’re rubbing off on me.”

 

Jisoo smirked. “Is that good or bad?”

 

“Not bad, but definitely not good.”

 

Jisoo rolled her eyes. “Get on with it.”

 

It was meant to be lighthearted. It was supposed to be lighthearted, but the air thickened despite her soft chuckle when Jennie’s gaze lingered momentarily, containing a delicate force pushing for honest conversation. The chuckling ceased into deafening silence as Jisoo’s breaths unsteadied, matched with her trembling heart, because even if it’s just for a moment, a moment with Jennie was a moment too long. In retrospect, Jisoo would’ve cherished it – every second with the girl – but she couldn’t right now. She couldn’t, not when her brown eyes were so frank and pensive and wistful and searching for something. A deep breath from Jennie, tangiblized by a mist of cold air through her pink lips, grew the pang in her chest by tenfold.

 

But it wasn’t her deep breath that caved Jisoo’s chest in with sharp inhales and shaky exhales that she was failing to stabilize. It was retracing. She was walking backwards and there they were: Jisoo eighteen and Jennie seventeen with a shiny barrette in her hair and brown eyes so bright, lovely, and simmering with glow. Her eyes, her eyes, her eyes: once a maze so easy to get lost in, now a prison of everything they were.

 

“Home is when I can smile endlessly, when I’m not afraid of anything, when I’m the safest – just like how you think it is. But because home is subjective, I think it’s fair to say you’ll know what home is – right here.” She patted her left softly, the patter resonating akin to a drum. “There’s no need to put it into words when this spot explains it all.”

 

Jisoo found herself mirroring Jennie, her palm over her heart that was being clawed and wrenched by an intangible force of emotion. “Here?”

 

“Yeah. You can feel it, too, huh?”

 

Yes. Jisoo’s throat constricted, unable to respond verbally. I can feel it all too well.

 

“Aren’t you going to write that down?”

 

“Uhm,” Jisoo gulped through the parchness and pointed to her temple. “I can store it up here, remember?”

 

“Right,” Jennie smiled softly, all too familiar with Jisoo’s antics. “Thank you for taking me home. Be safe.”

 

“No problem. Goodnight, Jennie.”

 

“Goodnight, Jisoo.”

 

The iron gates creaked as they opened and closed, and it wasn’t long until Jennie disappeared behind those big oak doors and Jisoo was left alone in the silent night. It took a lot of willpower – a lot of willpower – to move, but slowly and eventually, her feet swiveled and shuffled down the slope.

 

What is home to you? her tiny voice echoed.

 

Home is what you described it as. Jisoo glanced over her shoulder to the mansion. The window of Jennie’s room was dark, but the girl was most likely awake. Was she looking at the same moon? The same stars? You described it perfectly because you didn’t describe it at all. Because sometimes there’s no need for words, and that’s okay.

 

Jisoo’s palm lingered over her heart, steadied by the time she reached the bottom of the slope, but still pulsating a fresh ache. She sat down on the curb and hugged her legs to her chest, resting her chin between her knees as the revelation gnawed within her, the sensation almost nauseous. If she hadn’t buried her face into her legs, she would’ve made out the musky smell of spring rain that always lingered at this spot – never going away much like this sickness.

 

She was homesick.

 

Severely homesick.