The Handmaiden - Jensoo

Chapter 5

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Jisoo laid awake in her closet bed outside Jennie's bedroom. Picking at her pillow case, she thought about all the things she wanted to do in her life. Becoming rich, sailing off to a distant harbour, eat food she scarcely recognised, buy her fill of glittering baubles, and... not think of Jennie. Never think of Jennie-- 

Jisoo was jerked out of her thoughts at the jingle of the servant's bell above Jennie's door. The ringing was constant and loud. Jisoo covered her ears with her arms as she tried to ignore Jennie's need for attention. A final bell rang out before it broke under the pressure of the consistent ringing.

Frustrated, Jisoo pulled open the sliding door and marched her way over to Jennie's bed, where she sat against the headboard waiting for her handmaiden. 

"I returned and you didn't even come to me." Jennie said sharply.

Jisoo replied faintheartedly. "It was late, I must have fallen asleep. My apologies."

The young handmaiden looked over Jennie's appearance. A pink, silk dressing gown was wrapped around her small frame, her long dark hair was put into a loose, low ponytail and her favourite dolly sat in her lap. "You know how hard it is to do those readings? Must I remove my makeup and change all by myself?" Jisoo stared at her blankly. Jennie moved over on her bed and pulled back the duvet, inviting Jisoo. "I feel a nightmare coming. Sleep here." She said carelessly.

With their backs together but not touching, neither of them even tried to close their eyes. After a few short moments that felt like hours, Jennie spoke up, "He proposed to me." Jisoo glared at the wall opposite her. "On the 15th, when my uncle visits his mine, he wants to elope in Japan."

"What did you say?" 

There was a long pause before Jennie continued, "I said I wasn't sure."

"Why?"

"I'm scared." Jennie closed her eyes softly, her voice a low whisper.

"Of your uncle's anger?" Jisoo asked.

"Of the Count." The words were barely audible as Jennie breathed them out, trailing at the end. 

Jisoo could feel her vulnerability even with her back turned. "What's to be scared of? He's so kind." The handmaiden reassured, but the words felt mostly aimed at herself. She fidgeted under the covers. 

"I don't know, I just feel it." Jennie allowed herself to open up to Jisoo, making it easier for herself with their backs turned, while playing with the ends of her hair. "It's like the reflex of pulling your hand back from a flame." Jisoo could feel Jennie shift so that she was facing her back. "Tell me..." Jisoo mimicked her movements and leaned closer so the heiress could whisper in her ear. "What is it that men want?"

Jisoo pulled back. "Pardon?"

The soft tone of Jennie's innocent voice prickled Jisoo's ear. "I mean after getting married, at night..." Jisoo frowned. "How would I know? I'm practically a child with no mother. There's no one here to..." She couldn't help but notice how Jennie's eyes flickered to her lips every now and then, eyes blinking rapidly. Jennie bit her lip in thought. "First, I guess we'd kiss?" Jisoo nodded, a playful smile emerging on her lips. "And?"

Jennie shifted a centimetre closer, awaiting Jisoo's instructions. "He would hold you in his arms." She shifted more.

"Standing?"

"Only when there's nowhere to lie down or you're in a hurry." Jisoo explained to the eager woman. "Normally you do it on the bed. You'll know when it happens. It's like drinking for the first time."