^ Jennie Kim
Jennie watched nervously as her professor thumbed through her portfolio. She tried to act like she didn't care- but this was one class she actually did give a shit about. She ran a hand through her dark hair and began to chew on her bottom lip.
Her professor slowly flipped the page, tapping her chin with her finger slowly, before flipping another page. "They are good." Her professor spoke lazily, flipping the page again.
Jennie smiled slightly, feeling a bit relieved. Coming from Professor Jung, that was a huge compliment. She had work published in multiple magazines, as well as installations of her work in galleries across the country. If she said your work was good, it was.
"But.."
Immediately her smile was replaced with a frown.
Jennie's professor shut the portfolio and handed it back to her, "Its lacking emotion."
Jennie stared at her blankly.
Her professor sighed, "Look. You've got the skill. Technically, everything is great. But there is nothing behind it. They are just photos." She shook her head, "They are pretty. But I want more than pretty. I want to feel something."
Jennie clenched her jaw. She had spent all semester working on getting those photos and in a few seconds her professor had completely dismissed them. Jennie watched her professor walk out of the room, leaving her standing there completely frustrated. She had to figure out what her professor meant if she was going to convince her mother that she could actually make living doing this.
She dropped the folder on the table in front of her and slowly opened up the cover, looking back over her own photos. Jung was right. Lines, lighting and angles... they were all there. But they were just pictures.
Jennie sighed and shut the book harshly. She didn't know what she needed to do to give it that extra thing. But she needed to figure it out.
Looking up at the clock she realized she had completely missed her first class of the day. What made it worse was the email she had gotten that morning from the professor of that same class asking her to meet with him.
Coffee.
If she was going to have to deal with anyone else that day, she was going to need coffee. A lot of it.
—
"College is hard." Jisoo grumbled as she dropped down onto the bench next to Lisa.
"Uh huh" she replied without looking up from her book.
Jisoo slid the straps of her backpack off her shoulders and set it on the ground, "Did you even hear what I said?"
"Uh huh" she repeatedly automatically.
Jisoo rolled her eyes before smirking, "oh look, there's Chaeyoung." She said cheerfully.
Lisa automatically looked up with wide eyes, "Where?" She looked around before realizing Jisoo was completely lying. She glared at her playfully, "very funny."
Jisoo chuckled and tilted her face up towards the sun.
"Now that you have my attention, what did you say?" Lisa shut her book and set it down on the bench, finally giving Jisoo her attention.
Jisoo smiled over at her, "I was just saying... College is hard."
Lisa rolled her eyes, "Come on Jisoo, you've been doing this for a year now. That shouldn't be a surprise."
"I know but seriously, this semester is killing me." Jisoo pouted and let out a sigh.
"Let me guess, Professor Lee class?" Lisa grabbed their book and started shoving it in their bag.
"How'd you know?" Jisoo grabbed her backpack, catching on that Lisa was getting ready to leave their bench.
"Everyone struggles in his class." She slung their bag over her shoulder, "coffee before our next class?"
Jisoo groaned and nodded, standing up to follow Lisa towards the coffee kart. She was watching her feet as she walked and didn't notice the girl walking right towards her, also not paying attention, until they collided.
"Goddammit!" The stranger growled as coffee spilled all down the front of her body and a folder clutched in her hands.
"Oh my gosh!" Jisoo's eyes went wide as she lifted her head to look at the person she had just slammed into, "I'm so sorry!"
Her words died out at the end as she took in the girls features. Raven black hair, falling in soft curls unevenly over her shoulders, chocolate brown eyes that seemed to hold more years of life than seemed possible, lips so red the contrast against her tanned skin should have been off putting but it only made her that much more gorgeous.
Realizing she was staring, Jisoo cleared her throat and stuttered out a continued apology, "I really am so sorry, I wasn't paying attention--"
Brown eyes snapped up in a glare, "No shit, Sherlock." The dark haired girl grumbled and pried the wet shirt that was now clinging to her away from her skin. She held the folder out to her side and looked around before deciding to wipe it off on her pants that were thankfully still dry. She looked Jisoo up and down quickly before shaking her head and walking away as she mumbled to herself, "Fucking great."
"Making friends I see." Lisa commented as Jisoo watched wide eyed at the very angry girl walking away from them.
Jisoo huffed in shock at how rude the girl had been before replying sarcastically, "Oh you know me, completely suave and not at all awkward. Especially when dumping hot coffee on strangers."
Lisa patted her on the back, "Aw Chu, it has been a rough day for you, hasn't it?"
Jisoo frowned and gripped the straps of her backpack, "You have no idea."
——
Jennie stared at herself in the mirror with a frown. She knew she should have stayed in bed that day. Her shirt was soaked with coffee and completely see through. The see through part didn't bother her, it was the damp stain she was going to have to deal with the rest of the day.
A girl walked into the bathroom and stalled immediately at the stare Jennie was giving her. A mumbled "sorry" followed by a quick exit left her alone in the bathroom once again.
She shook her head looking over her reflection once more, "fuck it." She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the bathroom.
She sauntered into the classroom and up to the professor at the front, "You wanted to see me?" She asked lazily.
Her lack of respect for authority figures was something that drove her mother crazy, but somehow it made her professors enjoy her in class more.
"Ah, Miss Kim." Her professor set his pen down and leaned on the podium in front of him, "Nice of you to show up. 20 minutes after class has ended."
Jennie shrugged her shoulders, "If you wanted to tell me you missed me you could have just included that in your email."
Her professor chuckled and shook his head, "I'm afraid not." His expression switched to a more serious look, "You're failing my class."
Jennie scoffed, "That's impossible. I'm your best student. Probably your favorite too."
She wasn't wrong.
"I'm not saying they are, but even if those statements were true, it doesn't make up for the fact that you haven't completed a single assignment this entire semester." He watched as she rolled her eyes, obviously not grasping the seriousness of the issue. "And as much as I enjoy your presence in class on the days you actually decide to show up, I really don't want you to have to repeat it."
That seemed to be the ticket to get her attention as her disinterested expression switched to a scowl.
Two professors in one day. She really should have stayed in bed.
"If you want to make up the credit and have a chance at passing, you need to start showing up to class. And there is a peer tutoring program-"
"I don't need a fucking tutor." She snapped. She knew immediately it was the wrong move but couldn't help it. She was already frustrated from her conversation with her last professor.
Her professor gave her a look to tell her she was dangerously close to crossing a line, "As i was saying, a peer tutoring program that I think you would be great for. I have a few students in lower level classes that could use some help."
"You can't be serious." Her eyebrows shot up. She was not a people person and anyone that spent 2 minutes with her would know that. Her being a peer tutor was the stupidest idea she had ever heard.
"I can be and I am." The professor replied firmly. "I'm giving your information to one of my other students that needs a little guidance to pass her own class. Her grade will determine your grade."
Jennie shook her head angrily as she rolled her eyes and turned around to storm out of the classroom.
"I don't offer this to just anyone Jennie, don't make me regret offering it to you." Her professor called after her as she walked out the door.
Only a few steps out of the classroom and she was met with a thud to her chest and a pile of books dropping onto her feet.
"Seriously?" Jennie grumbled as she saw the familiar girl standing in front of her, cheeks flushed and a panicked look on her face.
If it was possible to die from embarrassment, Kim Jisoo would be dead right now.
Jisoo's mouth dropped open wanting to apologize but realized it was the same girl she had spilled coffee all over earlier and couldn't form the words. How was this happening twice in the same day?
"You just going to wait for me to pick them up for you, princess?" Jennie's tone was dripping with sarcasm and annoyance. As if this day couldn't get any worse.
"I—I was just.." Jisoo bent down and started to gather her books, she stood up clutching them to her chest awkwardly, "I didn't mean to, I mean, I'm not running into you on purpose or anything." Her voice seemed nervous than she expected it to. She wasn't sure if that was because she felt like she was about to get murdered or if it was just because it's what happened to her when she was around, well, gorgeous women. Rude or otherwise.
"No?" Jennie glared at her before stepping around her, "Then maybe you should watch where you're going, cupcake."
"Jerk." Jisoo muttered under her breath, her eyes following the mystery girl as she walked away, once again.
"I'm sorry?" A deep voice startled her into nearly dropping her books again.
Jisoo whipped her head around quickly to see her professor standing in front of her. "Oh no, not you! There was, someone else."
Professor Lee chuckled before ushering Jisoo to follow him down the hallway. "Its fine, Miss Kim."
Jisoo smiled sheepishly and readjusted the books in her arms, "In your email you said you wanted to see me? Did I do something or..?" She trailed off, following him down the hallway.
"No. I'm just a little concerned with your grade." He nodded at another passing professor and kept walking.
"I know." Jisoo wasn't sure if she should apologize or just promise to do better, "I swear I've been studying-"
"I know. Which is why I'm going to suggest a tutor." He fished in his pocket for the keys to his office, "YG has a great peer tutoring program and I have a student that would be happy to help you. If you're interested." He pushed open the door and walked inside, not bothering to watch to see if Jisoo followed.
"No, yeah, of course. I really just want to pass this class and I think a tutor would be a great idea because I know sometimes it's better to be able to work with someone instead of alone and I think that would be great-"
"Jisoo." Professor Lee cut her off with a sigh.
Jisoo clamped her mouth shut knowing full well she had been ranting. She hugged her books to her chest and rocked back on her heels as she watched her professor grab a note pad and start writing on it.
He ripped the page and handed it to Jisoo before sitting down at his desk and booting up his computer, "Despite her lack of people skills, she's probably the smartest student I have." He looked over the top of his glasses at her, "Keep that in mind if she becomes... difficult."
After that his attention turned to his computer and Jisoo took it as her cue to leave. She tucked the scrap of paper into one of her books and made her way out of the building. She would have to contact her later, right now she was late for a date.
——
"Heeey, sorry I'm late." Jisoo scooted into the booth next to Soojoo and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Soojoo smiled down at her and put her arm on the back of the booth around her shoulder, "It's ok, I already ordered your favorite." She wrapped her hand around Jisoo's shoulder and pulled her closer, "Everything ok?"
Jisoo just smiled up at her, "yep."
Lie number one.
"Just lost track of time talking to Lisa."
Lie number two.
The waitress came by and set down two plates on the table, along with the check.
Jisoo shifted a little in the booth, putting some space between her and Soojoo before picking up her fork and starting to eat. She usually was very much against lying and she honestly felt bad that she was doing it but it just kind of started happening.
She had met Soojoo in her English Lit class last year. Soojoo was Jisoo's TA and she instantly had a crush on her. It took a few months before Jisoo realized Soojoo was interested too. Not that Soojoo wasn't giving her all the signs, it's just that Jisoo can be oblivious sometimes. Especially in that department.
Things had started out great. Soojoo was smart, beautiful, full of drive and a desire to right wrongs and help people... everything Jisoo thought she wanted. But at the beginning of this school year Jisoo had started to notice things here and there that were starting to really bother her. Like...
"Babe, just cut it with a knife." Soojoo chuckled and reached over with her own knife to cut the stack of pancakes on Jisoo's plate.
Like that.
"Soojoo, it's fine." Jisoo pushed Soojoo's hand away, forcing a smile.
Jisoo understood that it was just Soojoo caring about her, but sometimes it felt like Soojoo was her parent. Not her girlfriend. And having grown up with an overprotective father, she was done with someone watching her every move to make sure she was okay. She was a big girl, she could cut her own darn pancakes.
Jisoo's utensils hit the plate with a loud clank, "I have to make a call." She stood up abruptly and walked hurriedly out of the diner, leaving a shocked and slightly confused Soojoo in the booth.
—
Jisoo stepped outside and took a deep breath. She was probably just on edge from being stressed about her grades. Soojoo was just being helpful, nothing to be upset about. She was just over reacting.
Taking the scrap of paper she had shoved in her pocket before leaving her place, she flipped open her phone... yes she had a flip phone... and typed in the number scribbled on the paper.
It went straight to voicemail and Jisoo was getting ready to leave a message when it politely informed her the mailbox was full. She hit the end button and decided to send a text instead.
It took her a minute to decide what to say to this stranger but decided on something quick— Hi I'm Jisoo, i'm failing, help me please.
Ok, it was more wordy than that, this is Kim Jisoo, after all. But that was the general idea.
She shut her phone and turned back to the diner, seeing Soojoo watching her from their booth through the window. With a sigh she headed back inside and slid back into the space next to her girlfriend.
Soojoo gave her a small smile before looking down at her plate and pushing around a piece of pancake with her fork. Jisoo immediately started feeling guilty. She knew Soojoo cared about her- even if sometimes the way she showed it was a little overwhelming. It wasn't fair to shut her out.
"I'm failing one of my classes and my professor suggested a peer tutor and I was nervous and embarrassed to tell you and thats who I just left to text to set up a tutor session because I really don't want to fail and I really don't want to lie to you either so when you asked me earlier if everything was ok, thats what was going on." Jisoo sucked in a breath, having depleted what her lungs had been holding before her nervous rant.
Soojoo just gave her a small smile and leaned over to kiss the top of Jisoo's head before going back to eating her pancakes.
"You're not mad?" Jisoo asked, turning slightly to face her better.
"Why would I be mad?" Soojoo asked as she took another bite.
"I don't know?" Why had she thought Soojoo would be mad? "I just thought— I guess I don't know what I thought."
"Look," Soojoo sat down her fork and turned a little as well to face the brunette, "Do I wish you would have just told me? Yes. Do I wish you would have let me help? Yes. But I get it, and I'm just glad you're telling me now." She reached out and took Jisoo's hand in her own, "You know part of being your girlfriend means you can talk to me about this stuff, right?"
Jisoo let out a sigh, feeling even more guilty after Soojoo reacted like the perfect girlfriend to the situation, "Yeah I know, I'm sorry."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Soojoo brushed her thumb along the back of Jisoo's hand, her eyes soft and completely sincere.
Jisoo smiled, realizing she should feel lucky to have Soojoo as a girlfriend. She could do a whole lot worse. "No, I think once I start these tutoring sessions I should be ok. Thank you though." She leaned forward, her hand sliding into place in dark hair, bringing Soojoo's lips down to meet her own.
——
Jisoo rolled over at the sound of her phone chiming. She glanced at the clock and saw the flashing red numbers telling her it was just after 2 in the morning. She groaned and reached for her phone next to her bed. Rolling on her back and held the phone open above her face, trying to let her eyes adjust to the light binding her from its screen.
Just as her eyes were adjusting the phone slipped from her hand and smacked her in the face.
"Ow!" She sat up quickly, her hand coming up o pat her face gently where her phone had assaulted her. She reached over and clicked on the lamp next to her bed and looked around for her phone. She glared at it when she saw it laying on her yellow pillow.
"Who is even texting me this late?" she grumbled as she grabbed it and held it in front of her once again, this time, staying sitting up.
unknown: Library couches. tomorrow at 3
Maybe it was the fact that she had just woken up, or the blow to the head from her phone a second ago, but Jisoo reread the text and stayed just as confused as she was the first time.
Until she remembered the text she had sent of to her peer tutor earlier that evening.
She sat up a little taller, feeling excited to have gotten a reply- even if it was at an odd hour. She shot back a text confirming and letting them know she was excited to get started.
She didn't receive a reply.
——
The next day Jisoo made through her morning without spilling coffee or assaulting anyone with textbooks, so it had been a pretty decent day. She was finishing up her last class for the day, copying some notes at her desk when Chaeyoung interrupted her concentration.
"I haven't seen you at home lately. Everything ok?" Chaeyoung's eyebrows raised high on her forehead, her hands clasped together on top of the desk. She watched Jisoo scribble down some notes, with barely legible handwriting, before she met her eyes.
"Uh yeah, I've just been super busy trying to get caught up with class." Jisoo forced a smile, "And I've been crashing at Soojoo's on the nights she helps me study."
"I see." Chaeyoung hummed to herself, leaning back in the desk. "Do you think you'll be home Wednesday?"
Jisoo didn't bother looking up, she was just about done and was already running dangerously close to being late to meet her tutor. "Um, maybe. I don't know yet, why?"
She smiled to herself and sat up after finishing copying the last bit of Chaeyoung's notes before sliding her notebook back across the desk to the red head sitting beside her. She started packing up her own bag when she noticed Chaeyoung was lost in thought, "Everything ok, Chaeng?"
"Hmm?" Chaeyoung glanced over, "Oh! Yes." She nodded quickly. "Lisa and I were just going to have a movie night and I wanted to see if you would be able to join us."
Jisoo tried not to roll her eyes but it was difficult in moments like these. "I promise its okay for you guys to have a movie night without me."
Chaeyoung, Lisa and Jisoo had all gotten an apartment just off campus together at the beginning of their second year. It had been great— Lisa was brilliant and was usually up for helping Jisoo with studying when they could. And Chaeyoung was good about not letting Jisoo only eat cookies and hot chocolate all the time. The only downside was how oblivious the other two girls were to the fact that they belonged together.
"I wouldn't want to interrupt, anyway." Jisoo threw her bag over her shoulder, "I'm late for a tutoring session though, so I'll catch you later, ok?"
Chaeyoung smiled warmly and waved her off before squaring her shoulders and letting out a sigh. Jisoo chuckled to herself as she walked quickly towards the library.
——
Jisoo rushed into the library, hands gripping the straps of her backpack tightly and made her way through the stacks of books back to where a group of couches sat. She was only a few minutes late, so she wasn't too worried.
She came around the corner and stopped abruptly as her eyes locked on the scene in front of her. Sitting on one of the couches, where she was meant to be meeting her peer tutor, was a pair of students making out. Spiritedly.
Jisoo rolled her eyes and let out a quiet groan at the sight. Really? The library? She glanced around the rest of the space and realized she was now the third wheel in the otherwise empty area. She made a face of annoyance at the couple still going at it before turning around and slowly walking through the nearby rows of books.
Maybe her tutor walked into the same thing and decided to walk around.
Not seeing anyone else looking like they were looking for her— Jisoo pulled out her phone and opened up the text conversation from the night before.
Jisoo: Hey! Sorry i was running late but I just got to the library. you here already?
She heard a text chime from the other side of the shelves and made her way towards it. She walked around the corner and was back in the clearing with the couches. And the pair of faces apparently stuck together.
Jisoo checked her phone to see if she had gotten a reply.
Nothing.
She typed out another quick text.
Jisoo: Where are you?
Once again the text chime sounded and Jisoo's eyes went wide. The sound had come from the lap of one of the students sitting on the couches.
Of course. Jisoo thought to herself. She glanced around, not sure what to do. They were obviously ignoring the phone, so sending another text wouldn't help. But she really needed help with this class, so she didn't just want to leave.
Jisoo took a step closer to the pair of students that were clearly ignoring her and cleared her throat. When they didn't move she did it again, a little louder.
She watched as the brunette that had her back to Jisoo separated herself from the other girl on the couch. She couldn't see their faces, but the angry grumble let her know they weren't exactly happy about the interruption.
"Um, Hi." Jisoo cleared her throat again awkwardly as the brunette turned around to look at her. She immediately recognized her from her anthropology class, Irene, she was pretty sure.
So her tutor must be the other girl. The girl she hadn't quite seen yet.
"I'm Jisoo. You must be, Jennie?"
"Must I be?" A raspy voice responded sarcastically just as Irene leaned back, unblocking Jisoo's view from the other girl on the couch.
Jisoo's jaw dropped when she saw who had responded. Same dark hair, tanned skin, and red lips... along with the same frown she had seen twice before.
"You?" Jisoo asked, realizing her peer tutor was in fact the same girl she had spilled coffee on and attacked with her books the day before.
Jennie raised an eyebrow and looked Jisoo up and down before throwing her arm on the back of the couch, "You've got to be kidding me."