Matters | JENSOO

Lantern

***

It was a good day to sail back to Seoul.

Jisoo and Lisa sat on a corner at the deck of the ferry; someone apparently tried to hide from Soojoo. They took some snacks with them; looking to the blue water and the blue sky.

"Been a while since we have time like this," Lisa chewed her favorite gummy bear.

"You don't have time for me anymore."

"Hey..." Lisa took the offense, mainly because it was true. She spent most of her free time with Rosé. Even though they spent more time together, but mostly it was study-related and they were in a group.

"It's okay...I was just teasing..." Jisoo gave her a mischievous smirk.

"Jisoo, remember when our families took a trip to Jeju together?"

"Good time."

"It was!" then she added carefully, "I'd always loved your mom's cooking."

"what about my dad's?"

"He's a terrible cook!" They laughed.

The best friends enjoyed the feel and sound of the ocean breeze.

"What are you thinking, Jisoo?"

Lisa knew this weekend was particularly- well, 'hard' is not the word- challenging for Jisoo. Jennie attending the Freshmen Reception surely made her happy but it seemed to trouble her.

And she knew why.

"Jennie?" still looking to the blue sky.

Jisoo didn't answer.

Lisa looked at her, so it was indeed that girl.

"What happened last night? I saw you keep looking at her during breakfast."

"Jennie was mad at me."

"Soojoo?"

"Yeah."

Lisa snorted.

"She was jelly of Soojoo."

"There's no reason to. I've told her but seems like she doesn't listen."

"Yeah."

"And... uhm.. I almost kissed her."

Lisa smacked her head, "Why almost?? Godammit Jisoo!!"

Jisoo threw an empty can to Lisa, "Yeah, godammit Jisoo... Shouldn't have made a silly move like that."

"Exactly the opposite, Jisoo! Why didn't you just kiss her?"

Jisoo took a deep breath,

"You know. Seeing her on the podium that morning, after Irene unnie gave her speech... made me realised... she's such a big shot. Even at her age. I mean we're just kids, right?"

Jisoo laughed nervously.

"Right, kiddo."

Even Lisa was quite shocked when she learned that her girlfriend was one of the main sponsor. Lisa's father was in a board of director for a big electronic company in the country. Still, uneasiness swept over her. Even for her, the gap was still substantial.

She felt sorry for her best friend.

"How did she react?"

"She looked upset. But she let it slide."

"She's a good girl. Scary... but good."

"I know and I was sorry for her."

"What you gonna do? Where is this heading to?"

Though it was only water all around, the ferry was surely heading to Seoul. And later she would go back to her apartment and she would take Jennie to meet her dad next week.

But where is this heading to? All this fuss but where is it heading to?

"I honestly have no idea." she finally admitted.

Lisa looked to her best friend. To her unnie. The childhood friend she had since she was five; the one who stood between the bullies and her. That one friend who swapped her finished homework with Lisa's empty book and took the punishment in place of her. It was when they were in their fourth grade.

That one friend that probably had nothing but always gave everything to the people she cared the most.

But the world is unfair. And it's cruel.

"Unnie, you deserve nothing but the best." she rested her head on Jisoo's shoulder, "A lantern has small light. It can only illuminate your path step by step; it can't help you to see beyond five steps ahead. But if you keep on walking, despite of the dark, you'll get there ."

Jisoo thought about it.

"You think I should keep going?"

"Keep on going, unnie. Morning will surely come. And in the light, you'll know what to do."

***