Catch The Stars

Chapter 31

They just finished eating dinner when the doorbell rings, and Jennie quickly stops her grandmother from going downstairs before she dashes out of the living room.

She trips a little on the stairs, and wouldn't that be a nice way to go?

Dying in her haste to open the door because there's a minor possibility of it being Y/n.

It's not like they saw each other yesterday.

But when Jennie opens the door and finds Y/n standing there, slowly turning her head from where she was looking towards the street, and she watches that fond little smile tug on Y/n's lips when their eyes meet, Jennie thinks a day away from her is already more than she can bear.

"Hey," Y/n says. She's still in her workers' clothes, has oil on streaks on her arms, one on her cheek that Jennie wants to rub away, and Jennie thinks she's never looked better than this, no matter how greasy and sweaty.

Jennie smiles back, heart thudding heavily against her chest. She lets Y/n in, closes the door, and they stay like that for a moment, cramped together at the bottom of the stairs, gazes locking. "Did you just get home?"

Y/n nods, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. Jennie doesn't even try to hide how she stares at her mouth. The air prickles between them and Jennie has to stop herself from whining because of how much she wants to touch Y/n.

Y/n seems to understand; she gives Jennie a sympathetic smile and leans in to nuzzle her cheek, her nose pressing into Jennie's neck. Jennie steals a kiss, a quick peck against Y/n's cheek and Y/n sighs, pressing closer for a second before pulling away again way too soon. "Just dropping aunties' meds off. I have to go again."

Jennie nods, her hand brushing against Y/n's, pinkies linking together for a second before detaching again. "Any news?"

Y/n's face lights up and she quickly glances to the top of the stairs before stepping even closer. "They arrived. They're okay."

"What?" Jennie feels her heart stutter before it starts racing again in relief and excitement. "She called you? When- How- Y/n!"

"Shh." Y/n shakes her head. "Be quiet. She called from a payphone. They're at a hotel but Seulgi's already arranged an apartment for them. It'll take them a while to get a new phone and all but she promised to get in touch again as soon as she has one. Seulgi's starting school there soon and Joohyun's looking for a job."

"I wanted to talk to her." Jennie pouts a little and Y/n chuckles, reaching out to pinch her tummy playfully. "I'm glad they're okay. I was so worried... It felt like something was going to go wrong."

Y/n nods. "They're fine. They'll be okay, you'll see."

"Yeah. Yeah, of course they will be."

Y/n smiles at her and moves to walk away but Jennie stops her, reaching out to grab her wrist and letting go when Y/n glances down at the innocent touch. "What is it?"

"Y/n..." Jennie gulps nervously, shifting on her feet. "Grandma is- She's visiting her sister in law tomorrow and she's going to spend the night there. She asked me to go with her but I said... I mean, I said I'd rather spend my last few days with my friends, here."

Y/n tilts her head. "Okay?"

Jennie blushes and gives her a desperate look, wanting the older to catch on. "She won't be here. The whole night. I'm... I'm home alone."

"Yeah, okay. Why are you telling me-" Y/n stops talking and her lips part a little, her eyes suddenly comically wide. "Oh."

"It's not like that," Jennie tries to explain, her skin burning from how intensely Y/n is staring at her. "I just... This will probably be our only chance to be, uhm. Alone. I just- I don't mean it like that, okay? I thought it would be nice. I don't know. It's okay if you don't want to. I don't want to make you uncomfortable-"