bloom; k.js [✓]

ch. V

JULY was a season where lilies of the valley started blooming.

"lisa?"

the taller woman hummed, still half asleep. she had just finished filming another episode of youth with you season 3 before their break started and went straight back to the hospital.

"it's," jisoo glanced at the clock squinting her eyes, "it's like 3 in the morning. why are you here?"

"i just wanted to check up on you, unnie." she groggily smiled.

"ah, this kid. you need to stop tiring yourself out you know, it's not good for your health."

since the group was officially on a break, the members were free to relax for a few months. except for chaeyoung, since she was busy promoting her solo album. her friends visited often, but no one was by jisoo's side more than the maknae.

she was there to hold jisoo's hair up, whenever she woke up at midnight, suddenly having the urge to throw up.

"unnie, that's so disgusting. you're lucky i have an extra shirt!"

she was there whenever jisoo wanted back rubs because it helps her sleep.

"back rubs? what are you five or something?" she'd banter, but would proceed to do it anyways.

she was there whenever jisoo needed piggy back rides, since her legs would easily get tired from walking.

"you're so heavy! damn, what'd you eat for lunch, the entire menu?" she snickered at her own joke earning a slap in the forehead from the korean. "ow!"

"shut up and take me to the bathroom!"

and lastly, she was always there by her side. it doesn't matter if her body was exhausted from all the mentoring she did, it doesn't matter if their staff would make her stay up late for filming, it doesn't matter if she almost collapsed from being too overworked, no. she ought to find time to look after her jisoo-unnie.

in the beginning, the others tried to convince her to spend more time away from the hospital. it wasn't healthy to be cooped up inside all the time, they argued, but as they all knew, lisa was hard headed and stubborn, so they gave up.

"you should go have fun," jisoo protested more than once. "it's summer time. you should be swimming or going on roller coasters. you should be hanging out with the girls, not sitting in a hospital."

"but it's no fun without you jisoo-unnie!" the thai would pout. "i like hanging out with you the most anyway." she whispered as if the members would hear her.

they both spent almost every day together. some days they would just watch TV. other days they would play games. sometimes they would just talk.

"that's not a very nice thing to say. how would the others feel?" jisoo joked, she knew how rare it was that they got time to rest, and she didn't miss the significance of lisa sacrificing a precious break to stay by her side.

it wasn't technically a break, they postponed their comeback date the day they found out about jisoo's condition. she had to live with the guilt, feeling as if she was a burden to her members. and so one day she confessed;

"i think it's time for me to take the surgery."

jisoo was always conscious whenever it came to her career as an idol. she knew there were going to be times where it would get difficult, yet jisoo could always find ways to go through them. but this wasn't about her career—it's her love life, something she never thought she'd experience her whole twenty six years of existing. and now; her career may potentially be affected by it.

   "i can't keep feeling this way."

“i wish i could make you happy unnie,” lisa said suddenly, in an uncharacteristic moment of seriousness.

jisoo smiled at lisa, her eyes crinkling up with a light that lisa rarely saw anymore. “you always me happy lisa.” she looked like she had more to say from the way she seemed to be deep in thought, nonetheless jisoo brushed it off.

what was the point anyways? she thought. she knew chaeyoung only saw her as an olderly sister figure, so it's time she accepts it. jisoo didn't want to waste anyone's time (including hers) anymore, and chose her mind over her heart, finalizing her decision.

"i suppose chaeng's avoiding me. i haven't seen her since the first week of june." she mumbled, ignoring the pang in her chest.

the room became silent, jennie was the first to speak up.

"i haven't even visited her dorm that much seeing most of the time she's not there. she's most likely just busy with her solo project jis, she'll eventually stop by." she reassured,

"i'm sure she's not avoiding you," lisa said soothingly, grazing her thumb against her knuckles. "let me go talk to her, okay?"