Two accomplishing years followed for the family. Jennie won her last court battle, Lia seemed suspiciously giggly, the dogs were healthy and Jisoo was being Jisoo.
"Is it just me or are we getting old?" Jisoo whispered to Jennie when they saw Lia giggling in front of her phone.
They both had a hunch what she was doing but Jisoo didn't speak it out so Jennie wouldn't be upset and Jennie ignored it.
"You are getting old." Jennie mumbled.
"You are getting old with me." Jisoo grinned.
"Mom, I'm going out for a bit." Lia suddenly stood up from the sofa and walked to the door.
"Where are you going?" Jennie tried to ask intimidatingly but nowadays Lia is unfazed by her protectiveness. She is pretty free.
"Somewhere." Lia said and opened the door.
"Somewhere where-" Jennie was shocked to see the door already closing, she was gone. "Julia!"
Jisoo held Jennie's wrist to stop her from marching after her and causing a ruckus.
"Hey, hey, I'm sure she is just with her friends. I can ask Yeji if you are worried." Jisoo told her gently.
"It's not that I'm worried, it's just the way she is acting." Jennie pouted. "It's like she is-"
"In love?" Jisoo raised a brow.
"Refrain yourself!" Jennie scolded.
Seeing how Jennie was looking at her as if she just insulted her on a spiritual level sent Jisoo into bursts of laughter.
"Jisoo!" Jennie frowned, not amused.
"I'm just saying, it's okay that we are getting old... and she is too-"
"Then-"
"No we are not stalking her again like when she was a kid." Jisoo cut her off.
Jennie's lips turned downwards. She sulked, dramatically hugging Jisoo and burying her face in her neck.
"Let's call the others and hang out, I'm sure being around other people your age will cheer you up." Jisoo suggested as she ran her hand down her back.
"I'm no kid..." Jennie pouted. "But sure, might not hurt..."
*****
"Here are the drinks." Seokjin placed the glasses down at their table. Most of them had beer, others cocktails.
"The Pink Lady." He gave Jisoo the bright pink cocktail with a cherry in the corner.
"And the Black Sunday." He laid the glass of of rum and ice cubes in front of Jennie.
"That's actually mine." Jisoo took the Black Sunday and gave Jennie her Pink Lady cocktail.
"Oh, really?" Seokjin eyed them, a brow raised.
"Yes, problem? As you can see I do ballet and she is the punk." Jennie sipped on her glass without shame.
The man snorted a laugh and went back to tend to other customers.
"Should have gotten that pink drink too looks nice." Lisa drank from her beer bottle.
"You can try." Chaeyoung lifted her glass and raised it to Lisa's lips for her to take a sip, receiving a smile.
"These fries are free real estate." Dahyun grabbed a few bits from Sana's plate.
"And again I'm the driver." Seulgi sighed.
"You are not good with alcohol anyway." Joohyun exclaimed.
"That's true." Nayeon laughed. "When you and Jisoo are drunk, it's like you are in another world."
"I'm not as bad as her." Jisoo defended. "Right love?" She turned to Jennie.
"You are terrible." Jennie shook her head, causing everyone to laugh as they saw Jisoo's look of betrayal. "That's why I never let you have more than one glass."
"I come bearing chicken wings." Jeongyeon joined the table and placed the plates of hot wings on their table.
They continued their evening drinking, laughing and chatting. Sometimes they did a few bets and left their table. Jisoo just returned from the restroom when she saw her wife drinking shot after shot. There were many empty glasses on her table.
"Babe," Jisoo tapped her shoulder and scooted in to her booth since the other's were currently dancing. "I think that's enough."
"Wha-" Jennie gasped as Jisoo circled an arm around her and rubbed her hips. "I'm marrieed." She slurred, trying to push Jisoo from her.
"I know." Jisoo smiled. "That's why-"
"Bring me home!" Jennie demanded hysterically. "I have a daughter and a wife!"
"Okay, okay, calm down." Jisoo shushed her while people were starting to stare at them.
"Is this woman bothering you?" Jin asked Jennie as he grabbed Jisoo's shoulder.
"Very funny." Jisoo swatted his hand away because clearly he found it amusing with his grin.
"Yes." Jennie confirmed, bobbing her head. "I want home."
"You heard her Jisoo, go home." He said.
"I was about to." She said and made Jennie stand up. The brunette was staggering, so Jisoo had to hold her weight and pull her along.
Usually Jisoo was the one getting drunk and Jennie would stay sober since she can hold her liquor. But apparently this time she simply drank too much and overestimated herself.
They walked upstairs and Jisoo brought Jennie to their bedroom.
"Let's get you to bed." The raven said before she used wet wipes to remove Jennie's make-up.
Jennie was barely conscious anymore as Jisoo pulled her to sit on the edge of their bed. Her cheeks were all puffy and she kept nodding off to sleep and snapping awake.
"God you are so cute." Jisoo awed, leaning in and kissing her plump lips.
Suddenly Jennie's eyes were wide open and she slapped Jisoo. "How dare you." She scowled.
Jisoo palmed her slapped cheek and pouted but clearly Jennie was fuming and didn't care that it hurt. Drunk Jennie is someone Jisoo doesn't want to mess with, so she went to the bathroom and washed her face.
When she was back Jennie was gone.
"Shit." Jisoo looked around frantically and called for Jennie gently and repeatedly with a few claps as if she was calling for a dog.
Then she heard Jennie near her and she was standing at the door.
"Don't run off on your own. Come here." Jisoo opened her arms. "Let's go to bed, babe."
Jennie shook her head. "Look woman, you look lovely and all... but I'm taken."
Jisoo smiled. "Okay, would you want me to sleep on the sofa then? If I did would you promise not to leave the bed and rest?"
Jennie nodded her head and pretty much threw herself on the bed, she fell asleep immediately. She must have been tired.
Jisoo walked up to her and undressed her, then giving her something more comfortable to sleep in. Since Jennie was already asleep she stayed and joined her under the sheets.
"Good night baby." Jisoo wrapped her arms around her and kissed her forehead as Jennie snuggled on her chest, using it as a pillow.
*****
The next morning Jisoo woke Jennie because she made breakfast, they took a bit time in the bathroom to help Jennie to ease her headache and freshen up.
By the time they returned apparently Lia had a friend over, they could hear someone enter. Assuming it was one of the girls and they might be hungry too the couple opened the door to Lia's room and wanted to ask them.
However they froze in their tracks as soon as they saw the girls. To say Jennie was surprised was an understatement. She gaped speechlessly at the two embarrassed girls in front of them who quickly fumbled apart.
"I-I... W-We... Y-You see..." Lia scratched her nape and looked at Yeji for support.
"We are dating." Yeji blurted out.
The adults were surprised. How did they not see this coming?
"B-But you are still babies...." Jennie mumbled.
"No. We are 17." Lia said as a matter of fact. "You are not mad, are you...?"
Jennie was still frozen. Jisoo patted her shoulder and whispered in her ear to look at them.
Yeji and Lia were holding hands while looking nervously at them for a judgement.
In that moment Jennie looked back and thought it was cute how those little girls grew up together and ultimately their hearts intertwined somewhere along the way.
"Of course not." Jennie responded. "You are right, you are not that tiny anymore."
Every person in the room was surprised with how relaxed Jennie reacted, even Jisoo was a bit startled.
She didn't tell them they couldn't have sleepovers anymore, she didn't ask them any follow up questions, nothing, just a simple smile and she left them alone. She didn't even ask them to keep the door open. Not like anything could happen but still.
"Are you okay Jen?" Jisoo asked worriedly but Jennie only smiled brightly.
"Of course!" She beamed at her. "Why would I not be?"
Suspicious but Jisoo didn't want to ruin her mood so she didn't comment further.
Then the next day.
"You are moving out?" Jisoo echoed.
"I told you guys before I would move out for uni and well I'm almost about to graduate." She spoke cheerfully. "Ryujin, Yeji and I are going to share a place."
"That's great." Jennie's smile grew impossibly wide.
Okay, now Jisoo was officially worried. It looks like that smile is etched on her face, for her that's a clear sign of a nervous breakdown.
"Really mom?" Lia furrowed her eyebrows. "You are going to be fine without me?"
"Don't worry about your old mother. Just go and live your life." The way she spoke made Lia and Jisoo gain eye contact and then look back at her, both concerned.
"I'm just moving out... I'll still show up a lot. The university is not that far..." Lia added in order to appease her.
"That's great." Jennie repeated, smiling.
"Yeah...." Lia nodded, slightly freaked out. "You won't forget to take your medicine when I'm gone right? And don't overwater the plants, you tend to do that."
"I'll be fine." Jennie promised. "Look at you talking like I'm the baby." She chuckled. "I guess I knew this time would come. You change your baby's diapers and then you end up wearing diapers. Funny how life plays out." She giggled and walked into the kitchen.
Lia walked up to Jisoo and hid behind her. "I'm super freaked out..." She shuddered.
"So am I." Jisoo agreed. "But it's fine, you can go check on your new place and organise everything. I'll take care of your mom."
Lia nodded her head and hugged the older woman. "Thanks. If you need help, call me."
"I will." Jisoo patted her back.
Lia picked up Kuma to take him along and show him his new bedroom.
*****
Jisoo spent the next days treating Jennie like a newly hatched duckling. She was by her side all the time and made sure she wasn't alone at any second. Even when she went to the bathroom, Jisoo followed.
There was just one instance where Jisoo had lost her at the supermarket and simply couldn't find her anymore. She was so nervous that she almost called the police but thankfully someone seemed to have found Jennie.
Jisoo received the call and immediately drove to the location where a young woman apparently found her.
Jisoo was surprised to end up in a nursery home. How did Jennie get in here?
"Bingo!" Jisoo heard the voice of her wife and saw her sitting with granny's while playing a game.
"Not again!" A grandpa groaned. "You are cheating!"
"You are just jealous she won Suwon!" A granny backed Jennie up and gave her a highfive.
"Thank you Eugene." Jennie snickered with her.
Jisoo was speechless. Her wife has completely lost it. Yes, she told her they were getting old but that doesn't mean she should turn herself in to a nursery home.
"Oh that's my wife!" Jennie called, startling Jisoo. "Over here Chu! Play with us!"
"That's her?" Suwon whistled, his fake teeth clattering and almost falling out of his mouth. He had to push it in again.
"Hey, no staring." Jennie's tossed a napkin at him. "I have been married with her for fifty years!"
"You are not even fifty..." Jisoo muttered, too shocked to do anything.
"So there she is." The young woman who had called Jisoo joined them. She seemed to be working here voluntarily. "Want to go home now Mrs. Kim? Your wife came to pick you up." The girl told her softly.
"Not yet." Jennie shook her head. "I want to take a stroll." She demanded.
"Okay, Mrs. Kim." The young woman walked to her and pulled her chair. That's when Jisoo realised she was sitting in a wheelchair.
"She likes going around the field." She told Jisoo and shoved Jennie's wheelchair up to her.
Why is everyone in this place acting like they know Jennie for decades?? Jisoo swears Jennie was missing for not even one hour!
Perhaps Jisoo is dreaming. That's a reasonable conclusion, considering how much she was worried about-
"Let's go Chu! I want to pluck daisies!" Jennie poked Jisoo with a walking cane, not standing up.
Now Jisoo was about to have a nervous breakdown.
*****
"It's that bad?" Lia asked, walking with Jisoo to pick Jennie up.
"I've never seen her like this!" Jisoo groaned. "She knitted me a scarf!" The raven pointed to the purple scarf around her neck. "It's summer!"
"Do you think I should stay home? Maybe that would help." Lia suggested.
Jisoo pondered. She didn't believe Jennie would like that nor want that for her daughter. She just needed to come to terms with it. She needed to understand that this didn't mean she was standing with one foot in the grave.
"Oh my daughter and wife!" Jennie was in the middle of knitting a sweater. There was a blanket covering her thighs as she was sitting in her wheelchair, in the corner with old ladies who were knitting as well.
Lia's jaw dropped at the sight. "Wait, how old does she think she is?"
"About eighty?" Jisoo guessed.
"You didn't even turn forty yet mom!" Lia marched to her and pulled her wheelchair, taking her with her to the entrance.
"Where are we going my child?" Jennie asked while continuing to knit.
"Stop that. We are going home." Lia took the wool and gave it to an old lady they passed. Jisoo followed them outside.
"Home?" Jennie questioned.
"Yes home. I'm not moving." Lia announced.
"But you wanted to." Jennie hopped up from the wheelchair and looked at her seriously.
"I don't have to." Lia brushed off nonchalantly.
"No, you should do what you want to do." Jennie's eyes pricked with tears, her body shaking.
Jisoo patted her shoulder encouragingly. Finally she was letting her emotions out.
"Mom, I really don't have to. I can stay with you longer." Lia exclaimed softly.
Jennie felt the hot tears surge through her eyes and roll down her cheeks. Memories of how she held Lia for the first time and raised her all alone flooded through her mind.
"Y-You stayed long..." Jennie muffled a sob by placing her face into her palms. She stayed with her longer than anyone else. "I-It's okay... to l-l-leave.. Y-You are... c-coming back... r-right?" She hiccuped, speaking through her tears.
She then felt a hug from both sides as both Lia and Jisoo were embracing her tightly.
"Of course I will." Lia promised her. "I'll look after you when you are old too but please don't decide that time is now. Even though you did fit oddly well in that place."
Jennie snorted a laugh. She did get along with the elderly's but they are right, it's too early for her.
"You two have the house for yourself now. I don't know why that makes you feel old. It should make you feel young again." Lia added. "You can have fun too."
"Like I said don't worry too much about that," Jisoo smiled, planting a kiss on the crown of Jennie's head. "I'll make sure she stays happy."
That's right. Jisoo won't leave her ever. And in a way Lia won't either. Jennie definitely was too emotional and dramatic but she believes many parents feel that way when their children grow.
There is still a lot she and her family haven't done yet. And she is far from being finished with making more memories with them.
"The best is yet to come." It was as if Jisoo could read her mind and maybe she could.
Jennie would always be grateful for the way her life turned out to be even if there were hardships. When she closes her eyes, she feels happy and content and she doesn't mind spending the rest of her life like this.
If her future is anything like her present, then she is not scared of it.