Catch The Stars

Chapter 12

"I know but-"

"What did I tell you?"

"I don't know?"

"I said stay the fuck away from hot girls!"

Jennie clears her throat. "I don't remember that."

"Why didn't you listen to me?!" Lisa is positively screeching at this point. Jennie thinks she sees her spit flying all over the place and considers just hanging up before Lisa has an aneurysm.

"Lis it's not... it's not about the looks." Jennie covers her eyes with her forearm, helplessly picturing Y/n's smile. "Look, I can't explain it. I just get this ridiculous feeling around her and I- I don't know. I haven't felt that way since Kai."

Kai was her first ever boyfriend.

They met in middle school.

He was her first kiss and they used to hold hands and eat lunch together before they dramatically broke up via text message after three weeks. Jennie is pretty sure she knew she was different already back then, but your first love just sticks with you, no matter what.

Lisa closes her eyes and shakes her head. "Jen, you can't. Look, I know how people like them are. Why do you think I never go back to my village? Those people wouldn't look at you as a human any longer if they knew about your sexuality! This- This girl-"

"Y/n." Jennie quietly says.

"Okay. Y/n." Lisa sighs. "I don't have to know her to tell you that she'd probably beat the shit out of you if you came onto her like that. That's how those people are. It's not a joke and it's not a casual flirt, this is serious, Jen."

Jennie averts her eyes, mainly because they start burning, and it's not caused by the lack of sleep and rest. Kuma shuffles closer, nuzzling her snout into Jennie's side until Jennie lifts her arm and lets the dog cuddle up against her.

She smiles at the small comfort and pets Kuma's head in a silent thanks.

"Your grandma has a dog?"

"Yeah, his name's Kuma. Cute, right? I'm going to kidnap him and he's going to live with us."

"No chance." Lisa blankly says before shaking her head as if she remembers they were having a serious conversation. "Has this... Y/n given you a reason to think she might be into girls?" Lisa asks, a sad smile on her face when she catches the hurt in Jennie's eyes.

"No," Jennie says, starting to feel like an idiot for feeling the way she does. She's twenty-one for god's sake; she should know better by know than being so reckless and delusional given the society she's surrounded by. "Obviously not."

"She must've," Seungcheol softly says. "I know you. You don't do closet cases, much less straight girls."

"She hasn't, okay?" Jennie snaps and closes her eyes to calm down. Going this long without proper sleep has always made her more irritable. "Sorry, I just... haven't been sleeping well."

"I know. Don't apologize." Lisa mumbles. "If she was from the city, I'd say just go for it and tell her you're interested. But this is just too risky. You don't know how she's going to react, if she's going to tell everyone. Your grandma might find out, Jen. You always told me you don't want her to know. You'd never be able to step another foot into that village."

Jennie takes a calming breath and lets her tired brain process Lisa's words. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I'm an idiot. I don't know what I was thinking." She chuckles weakly and tries to shake off the memory of Y/n brushing her thumb over her skin at the waterfall.

"Jen." Lisa sighs, looking helpless. "Girl, I'm so sorry. You know I just want you to be happy but I can't just tell you to do it when I know how bad it could turn out. Plus, putting all of that aside, you're leaving that place in a few weeks. It wouldn't work out no matter how you look at it."