The only exception

Part THREE

I could feel myself getting frustrated at the words I was exchanging with Jennie. I shake my head, "I don't get you. What's your point, Jen? Stop fighting around the bush."

"Do you like Jisoo?"

"Of course I do."

Jennie didn't say anything, but she still looked. She opened her mouth again, "No, I mean like like my sister?"

The sound of the TV running around us had been muted but still distinct. But the minute Jennie said what she said, the minute I heard the word like, my blood started beating so fast that my pulse was all I could hear. The skin on my chest felt hot. My ears burned. I did my best to calm myself, and when I thought I had, I opened my mouth.

"I..." I found myself unable to speak. "I don't know... Of course not. Not like that."

Jennie didn't say anything nor react. She was still staring at me, and for the first time in the years I had spent with Jennie, I felt terrified under her gaze. The thought of me loving somebody was beyond my imagination. And I don't even think Jisoo would like someone like me.

I felt Jennie's hands on me. She was staring at me as if she understood what I was saying, but did she?

"Why do you ask?"

Jennie shifts, "I just want to know. It's just, you've been different ever since Jisoo came into the picture," She said as she took her hand from mine and started to explain things. "It's like you're... you're, um, becoming brighter than before."

"What?"

"The things you do for Jisoo, I've never seen you do that for me before." The things you never dared to try with me are the things you now dared to do with her," She said. "Whenever she comes into the picture, I've seen how you get all giddy, how you listen so keenly to everything she says, how you tell me you couldn't touch your paintings until Jisoo came into the picture."

"Just because I've done things I didn't do with you. That doesn't explain that I like her." All of a sudden, I could sense how defensive I was. "And I do get giddy and listen well when I'm with you. You're my best friend, Jen."

"What?"

"I'm saying that Jisoo is just a friend."

I looked at Jennie and she looked back at me.

"Okay," I hear her say before she looks down at our attached hands. "Okay."

"Okay," I said back.

"You know that I care for you, right?"

"I know, Jen."

"That I'm always here for you..."

"I know."

"Okay," She said, smiling softly at me. "Just know that it's madness to throw away all your chances to be happy because something went wrong. To no longer believe in love just because you've seen how it went wrong with other people."

That night, after she said those words, I pretended that I didn't think about what she said. I pretended that I had shrugged it off, and I guess it worked, because the next thing was she dropped the topic and decided to talk about the movies we were going to watch.

I don't think she was convinced about what I'd said. Not at all, but she was considerate enough to not talk about it anymore. We stayed in what we called "comfortable silence" but I think what I had with Jennie wasn't comfortable. At least, not for me. And we stayed like that until she realized the clock and told me that I should stay for the night.

I cleaned myself before changing into my usual pajamas, which I bought a few months ago in case there was an emergency and I needed a place to stay. I could hear the bed creaking when I landed beside Jennie, and when I did, it took me a few hours of attempting to sleep until I gave up and moved away from the room.

It was twelve in the morning and what Jennie said to me was bothering me, so I decided to visit the balcony to get some fresh air. I realized faith was playing with me when I heard a loud click from the living room, and there it was, the figure I'd been thinking about for hours, along with the scene I had with Jennie a while ago.

"Soo?" I called when I saw her tiptoeing around.

"Chaeyoung?" She called out, "Is that you? You're awake?" I saw her move her head and could not help but suppress a laugh when I realized she didn't spot me.

"I'm right here, you silly." I say to her as my eyes follow where she goes. "Upstairs!"

I could hear an inaudible murmur below her breath before she looked up and saw me. All of a sudden, the confusing expression she had transitioned to a sun shining so brightly.

I couldn't help but smile back at her. I followed my eyes, and when I saw her climbing up, she appeared beside me. A bright smile was still present on her lips.

I want to tell her just how pretty she was, but then, someone has probably done it. I shrugged off my thoughts before offering a smile back.

"So you're headed to the balcony?" She motioned her head towards the big window. "What's a girl doing on a balcony at twelve in the morning?"

"Rethinking my life choices if having friendship with you was worth it." I deadpanned, and she laughed.

"You kept sending me memes between my classes," I continued, eyeing her.

"Sorry, sorry," She says between her laughter. "It's just– it reminds me of you."

I didn't notice how mesmerizing her laugh was until now. And I surely didn't notice my heart pounding so fast until I felt it with my palm.

The heartbeat was roaring so hard like Hercules. I had never felt for anyone like this before. Not even with Jennie, and perhaps, maybe it's because I've only seen Jennie as a friend, and it was a different case for Jisoo.

Jisoo was staring at me as she spoke about her day. Her eyes were locked on me, smiling as she told me stories that I hadn't realized I had reached out my hand and tucked her hair behind her ear.

There was a feeling storming in my stomach that I couldn't identify. Nonetheless, I didn't speak any further as I leaned forward and grabbed her wrist.

"What are you doing?" She said.

I have always liked the feel of her wrist in my hand. I liked the way her perfume lingered all over me. I leaned forward and kissed her.

I don't know what I was doing. Was I supposed to kiss her like boys do when kissing her?

Is she going to push me now that I've landed my lips on her? What are we going to be if tomorrow comes?

I should have been worrying about someone who might have seen us. I should have been worried if my best friend had seen us. But all I cared about was that her lips were soft. Her skin was without any roughness. All I cared about was that she kissed me back, that she took her hand off of the cement and instead, put it on my waist.

Jisoo was the first one to break the kiss between us. I was breathless and, more importantly, so full of sheepishness inside me when I realized what I had done. What we have done together.

I looked at my feet as if it was the most interesting thing and felt her hands on my cheek, caressing it like a baby.

"Why did you–"

"I should go." I cut her off, "Jennie would notice my absence if I stayed longer." I scurried with my feet away.

I didn't take a glance at her face, but I was sure I could hear a sigh coming from her as she mumbled a soft okay at me.

I hurriedly closed the door behind me and closed my eyes as I slid out, unsure how to calm myself, how to quiet my mind.

I know I should have thought of things to get a grip on, perhaps, quiet my brain, but all I could ever think of was how soft her lips were. How it felt so natural and pounded my heart as I thought of her. thought of that moment that we just had.