『JenSoo Short Stories ₂』

5 Bad Dates Until You Fall In Love (3/3)

Nobody brings up the being-in-love-with-your-ex stuff the next morning. Jennie feels guilty about how she acted (she seriously needs to grow up and get way more mature) but not nearly enough to apologise.

But Jisoo, amazing and forgiving Jisoo, tries to cheer Jennie up by telling her the story of her second-last date.

It turns out it's probably the most amusing one she's told yet — even Jennie lets out a reluctant chuckle. The first scarlet red flag about Jimin was that his mother appeared five minutes into the date and sat down next to him. Reluctantly, not wanting to make a scene, Jisoo stayed there, thinking up desperate and violent emergencies that could get her out of this. Jimin's mother was praising Jisoo's black silky hair (which Jennie can understand; she's always thought Jisoo's hair is gorgeous) when all of a sudden the mother was asking Jisoo to cut her hair, right there and then, so they could keep some of 'her beautiful locks.' And Jisoo (being a patient angel) still stayed put until Jimin demanded how soon she could get pregnant and pass down that beautiful hair to his daughter. Upon which Jisoo excused herself to the bathroom and blatantly walked out the door.

"So," Jisoo sighs. "It's over. I really can't believe there are real people like that."

Jisoo wraps her arms around Jennie in the kitchen, and they snuggle together for a moment there. And it's only because Jennie loves her best friend so much that she makes her next decision.

"I've got an idea for the fifth date," Jennie announces.

Jisoo sighs and unwraps her arms. Immediately Jennie feels a lot colder in the chilly morning breeze.

"Really? Now?"

"I'll take the lead this time!" Jennie says.

Jisoo raises an eyebrow.

"You want to come on the date like that mother?"

"No, no!" Jennie cries, her cheeks flushed. "But I'll set it up. I've got a friend in mind. He is so great, all the women I know are in love with him."

"And why do I want someone like that?" Jisoo says. "I'm not interested in someone else who'll break my heart."

"That's not what I meant!" Jennie protests. "He's cute and sweet and funny and nice to animals. You'll love him for sure!"

Jisoo giggles in spite of herself.

"Are you in love with this friend too?"

Jennie swats her arm away, chuckling. "Look, I'm meant to make you go, remember? I'll arrange this one for you. I'll do everything."

"Fine," Jisoo sighs. "And then I can really give up."

---------------------

It was a lie: Jennie didn't have someone in mind. So she has to do some quick friend evaluation to find the perfect person. That weekend, Jennie makes a spreadsheet of all her male friends, scoring them in various categories and adding a critical, negatively correlated final category (potential of hurting Jisoo and ruining her life). She analyses all the numbers, sorts by the highest average, and finds one name at the top.

Do Kyungsoo.

Jongin's friend. When she used to go out with Jongin, Kyungsoo was always there, a steady and rational person who kept them sane. He's the only person in the group that Jennie occasionally still talks to. Kyungsoo is now a partner at a law firm (at their age, really!) and he always remembers to text cake emojis on her birthday.

Jisoo will love him.

"Fine, then," Jisoo sighs that evening, and she marches out the door grimly, looking more like she's heading to a funeral than a date. "The last date of my life."