"Don't close your eyes!"
"I-It's too late for me..."
"No way!"
Jennie definitely didn't think on the day of their official wedding her white dress would be tainted with red, and her bride would be sprawled out on the floor, but unexpected things happen and this was one of them.
//Earlier//
The blinding flashes of the cameras and crowd in front of the building greeted their sight as they were glancing from the window of their limousine.
While their parents were already inside to greet the guests, the two arrived mid-ceremony. The journalists have already picked up on their presence, judging by the way they rushed to the vehicle.
Expertly the driver drove around them and hurried the two to the backdoor where they were given protection from various security guards.
"Stick close to me." Jisoo whispered, receiving a nod from the other as she clutched on her arm.
They managed to enter unharmed and could exhale relieved. Or they thought but like the vultures chasing them outside, the interior wasn't much different. All eyes were on them once again anticipatingly, judging their appearance thoroughly.
Jisoo opted for a suit because she claimed dancing in heels would be too much of a challenge. Jennie wasn't bothered by that and wore a snow white dress. The gown was covered in lace and had nude lining to show off her curves. She also wore the veil for for the walk.
Everything else passed like a blur.
Jennie remembers shaking tons of hands, taking even more pictures and cutting the cake.
The only thing she remembered clearly was how Jisoo removed the veil and kissed her softly.
Not being with the social elite for a while has made this celebration foreign for Jennie. At least she could grab Jisoo for a reminder what she was here for.
Jennie felt fingers caressing the loose strands from her pinned-up hair to the side of her face. "It's not much longer." Jisoo assured her as they sat at their table. "Do you want to go out for a breather?"
Jennie nodded her head and followed Jisoo who interlocked their arms and helped her walk with those heels.
"Can we go upstairs?" She requested since she remembered that the entire building was rented by Jisoo's family and since this was a hotel there should be plenty of vacant rooms to relax in.
"Sure."
As they walked upstairs it got really silent. The lights were also not turned on so they had to step carefully. Maybe they should have asked for a key first or anything, but they didn't really want to struggle through that crowd to reach their parents or a staff.
So they grabbed the door handle of a random door and checked if the room was unlocked, to their luck, it was.
"You two." Their hearts almost jumped out of their bodies when they heard a voice from behind them, still searching for a light switch.
Jennie even yelped until she noticed it was her mother as her face was uncovered when she stepped into the room and turned the lights on.
"You were not supposed to leave your seats."
"Jennie didn't feel well." Jisoo justified.
To their surprise Chaerin didn't drag them back to the hall, in fact she closed the door and sat on the bed, a glass of red wine was on her left hand while the other motioned for them to sit too. But they decided to stay on their feet out of doubt.
"You could get wine stains on the sheets." Jennie isn't sure why that was the thing she decided to break the silence with but she did it anyway.
And receiving a chuckle from her mother in response was even more shocking. Did she just laugh? That's a rare occurrence. She must be intoxicated, Jennie concluded.
"You know, when I found out you ran away from home I was relieved." Chaerin spoke groggily while taking sips from her wine. She placed the glass down and half-smiled at a stunned Jennie. "You did what I always wanted to do."
"Excuse me?" Jennie blinked.
"Your father is quite demanding and at the same time, he can't fulfill what he expects from others. Seeing him run the business of my family into ruins was quite a thing. You'd need to have a real problem if you are able of turning something unshakable into a wrecked ship." She chuckled once again. "I don't think I ever told you how I met your father, it was the same way you were supposed to met your spouse. I'm glad you found another way."
"Um...." Jennie leaned into Jisoo's side as the elder held her hand. "Where are you going with this mother? I don't understand... Am I in trouble?"
"This is not me scolding you because you didn't do your homework." Chaerin humoured. "This is me telling you to run. Detach yourself from us and be happier. I'm afraid this could be your last night if you don't."
"What do you mean?" Jisoo chirped in with the implication of her wife being in danger.
"Your dear mother isn't fond of your disobedient behaviour and she blames my daughter for it." Chaerin told them but they already knew that so they asked her to elaborate. "And my husband was all to happy giving her the go to hand her out to the people he owes money. As payment." She said the last word disgust in her voice. "In return Sandara will clear his debts."
"You don't have much time, so don't make me repeat myself. Leave." The woman stood up and stepped close, exchanging a tense gaze with Jisoo. "If you are serious about loving her, then promise me to protect her."
"I promise." Jisoo said without hesitation. "Where are they coming from?" She asked bluntly as the situation dawned on her.
"Your dad, Seunghyun he is stalling them but Sandara saw you going upstairs, she must have told them already. So when you leave, don't turn the lights on and be cautious. There is a back exit." She instructed them and told them the way.
"What about you? And Ningning?" Jennie frowned since she didn't want to leave just like this.
"They are not after us. You are the only one who is of use to him, as of the moment." Chaerin exclaimed.
"But-"
"I asked you not to make me repeat myself." Chaerin sighed. "Please just take her and go." She turned to Jisoo.
The raven nodded her head and dragged an unwilling Jennie to the door. Her resolve became firm and she wouldn't make her whimpers make her stop. She promised to protect her and she would.
"Stop it!" Jennie's frown deepened while she teared her arm off Jisoo's firm grip.
"You heard her Jen." Jisoo refused to let her go back. "She is not in danger, you are. Once we are in safety we can come back for your family. We can't do that if we are dead."
She spoke awfully calm but her composed manner in absolutely every situation was one of the things Jennie found attractive.
Jennie was still pouting so Jisoo cupped her cheeks and pillowed their foreheads. "If you want to come back, we will. Just please come with me for now."
With that Jennie gave in and sneaked down with Jisoo, she also took her heels off and was given Jisoo's black shoes instead. "My dress is still getting in the way." Jennie told her quietly.
Therefore Jisoo kneeled down. "Get on my back, I'll carry you."
Jennie was hesitant. "I ate two pieces of the cake."
"And?" Jisoo rebutted, out of patience.
"And you'll think I'm usually heavy when I'm usually not heavy. I just happened to stress eat today, normally I work out and-- Wait! Put me down!"
Jennie was interrupted as Jisoo bend her back towards her and forcefully pulled Jennie on her back from behind. The younger wrapped her arms around her neck while her thighs were pressed on each side of her waist.
"Jisoo!" Jennie blushed.
"You need to keep your voice down!" Jisoo whisper-shouted, her serious tone silenced Jennie and was a reminder for her to remember people were after them.
"But..." Jennie pouted, leaning her chin on Jisoo's shoulder.
"Look, I didn't mean to sound angry." Jisoo whispered. "It's just that you don't have to worry about your weight at all. I couldn't care less about that, honestly. You are pretty either way."
"No matter what?"
"No matter what."
"Okay..." Thus Jennie gave up and let her body sag against Jisoo's back.
That's when they heard heavy steps from the left that made Jisoo change her course. She walked back to the hall and let Jennie down. The two decided to mingle into the crowd as they were sure they'd be safer in plain sight than dark corridors.
"I have been searching for you!" Sandara immediately recognised and approached them. "We just popped the champagne." She gave each of them a glass.
"Cut it." Jisoo glared at her. "We know what you are up to and don't think I'll forgive you if you touch even a strand of her hair. You won't interfer with my relationships any longer. Back off." She stepped protectively in front of Jennie.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Sandara smiled. "I just wanted to toast to your happiness. So here's to a happy marriage!" She clinked her glass with that of guests as everyone joined in. Then they began to drink. "Come on you two, join in!"
There were multiple expectant eyes on them. So they sighed and complied but just when Jennie was about to chug her drink down, the glass was taken away from her.
"My sister has a super low alcohol tolerance." Ningning claimed while extending the glass to Sandara. "She'd be happy if you could take it on her behalf. You know, to their happiness.
She smiled politely and made sure to speak loud enough for the guests to hear, amongst that Sandara's business partners.
"I do not have a low-" Jennie was cut off as Jisoo pulled her to her side and whispered in her ear, "Maybe the drink was spiked."
At least she wouldn't put that past her scheming mother and for Ningning to act this way, she might have seen her do the honours.
"I'd love to." Sandara took the glass. "But let me take this to the band first, I need to tell them to play a less sad song. We need more upbeat music for this happy occasion." She excused herself and left.
"The guy at the side of the corner, next to the bartender." Ningning said quietly to them the second Sandara left. "The one with blonde hair, he is a after you. Mr. Seunghyun told me to tell you that."
The two turned around subtly and glanced at him from the corner of their eyes. He had spiky light hair and was pretty short and lanky. Next to him was another guy whom he spoke with, could be his partner. They were indeed watching them, so the two turned back to Ningning.
"He is going to follow us if we leave now." Jisoo frowned.
"Let's change clothes." Ningning suggested, looking at Jennie. "That way you could-"
"No." Jennie said sternly before she could finish. "That would put you in danger."
"Wait!" Before the two could argue back and forth, Jisoo interrupted them. "Am I seeing things or is that bartender.... Lisa?"
"Huh.."
Jennie and Ningning looked at her line of sight and noticed how Lisa gave one of them a drink before he fell asleep flat against the surface of the table?
"Wait that means!" Jennie gasped loudly, making Jisoo and Ningning wary of what she had to say. She took a pregnant pause before she continued, "We forgot to invite her to our wedding!"
The other two almost facepalmed themselves.
That was so not important right now as the other man was on his way to them.
Jisoo looked around to search for weapons or anything to fight him with but she only saw bottles of wine. That could do but they were interrupted yet again as a high pitched voice cut through the crowd.
"Hora dance!" And then people were putting Jennie and Jisoo on chairs to lift them up while starting to dance around them in a circle.
"But we are not Jewish!!" Jisoo squealed as she was lifted into the air.
The raven darted with her eyes around the crowd to look for the person who put her in this position and once she found them, her eyes widened, that was Rosé grinning at her.
"Let's get them to their car!" Rosé steered the crowd to carry them to the entrance while they were still on their chairs.
Jisoo just blinked and then she was with Jennie in her limousine as it drove off without warning. What just happened?
"Seems like we made it in time." The driver commented.
They looked to the front and saw Giselle driving the vehicle.
"Explain." Jisoo slumped back against her seat while Jennie buckled up their seatbelts.
"Well, when you were taken away in the middle of the outdoor wedding, Lisa and Rosé wanted to storm your place and save you. I told them to keep a low profile and wait for the right time, and then we got lucky. A woman called Chaerin contacted us and told us you were in trouble."
"Oh..." Jisoo digested the information. "I guess your mom isn't half-bad." She tilted her head and gave Jennie a small smile.
"Yeah." Jennie's lips tugged into a bright smile. Maybe her family did care about her (minus her father). Maybe she had a home after all.
Just when that thought popped out in her head, Giselle halted in front of their apartment.
Jennie watched the rather plain place with awe. Home.
She missed it here.
Jisoo must have felt the same as she couldn't wait to leave the limousine with Jennie and rushed to their door. She unlocked it with the key hidden in the plant pot beside their door before they stepped in.
Yet they had no time to happily take every corner of their small apartment in because a gun was pointed at them from the front, already waiting for them.
They let out no words, it was all too quick. Jennie was frozen while Jisoo dragged her body in front of her, slipping to the ground as the man pulled the trigger.
Jennie's heart dropped to her stomach, she felt sick, really sick. All the blood left her face while she flickered her eyes to the floor. She bent down quickly and grabbed Jisoo's torso but she was stopped by Jisoo herself who had her eyes looking shakily ahead. Strange.
Jennie followed her gaze and saw blood ahead of them. Seunghyun was lying on the floor covered with blood.
The attacker seemed shocked too and ran away. This must not have been part of his plan, to shoot such an influential man unauthorized by his superiors.
"Dad!" Jisoo scooted to him, her feet wobbly as tears sprang to her eyes.
She pressed her hands on his belly that was shot to stop the bleeding. Jennie was already on her way to their bedroom to get her phone and call an ambulance, leaving Jisoo alone with him.
"I'm sorry..." He started, his throat dry while he mustered up all his strength to not loose consciousness. "I never stood up for you-"
"That doesn't matter!" She interjected. "Just focus on your breathing! Don't close your eyes!"
"I-It's too late for me... I-I'm sorry, and I love you..." He shakily lifted his arm and patted her head before his arm dropped down like dead weight,waving a trail of blood on her cheek.
Jennie rushed back to the living room and saw Jisoo on the floor with blood covering her hands and part of her face while she was sobbing into his chest.