A/N: A LONG DRAMA FILLED CHAPTER TO MAKE UP FOR THE LACK OF UPDATES.
•••
Before they knew it the wedding day had arrived. Not their wedding day like they had wished, but Jennie's brothers.
It would be three hours away at Jennie's family lake house they used to visit as Kids. Its been years since she's even so much as thought about the place never mind having visited.
Jennie ordered a driver for them and got them a hotel to stay in for the night. It would be an outdoor wedding, so she made sure she was appropriately dressed. She remembers how bad the bugs used to be up there she doubts much has changed.
Giving herself a final once over in the hotels bathroom mirror she grabs her clutch to go and find Jisoo.
"Hey, you ready to go?" She asks.
"Yeah just give me a second." Jisoo says while putting her earrings in. "Could you grab me my purse off the bed?"
"Sure." Jennie does as shes told.
"Thank you." Jisoo kisses her on the cheek.
"You look pretty," Jennie smiles.
"Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself." Jisoo gives her another kiss.
They were matching in their black outfits. surely they would catch the attention of everyone at the wedding.
"Lets go." Jennie leads them out the door.
•••
By the time they arrived most of the guests were already there enjoying the cocktail hour. It was your typical fancy lakehouse. You had your extravagant cabin on the hill, the large luscious forestry, and of course a Pier on the lake.
Wedding decorations were strung about. It looked like martha stuart had thrown up all over the place.
Jisoo slipped her hand into Jennie's to offer some comfort. "You ready?"
"Ready as I can be." Jennie nods letting out a breath.
They grabbed champagne off of a passing waiter and looked around the crowd.
"See anyone you know yet?" Jisoo whispers.
"A few, but no one I really talked to." Jennie says.
The further they got into the crowd the more people started to look at them. Instead of random strangers Jennie could point out a few distant cousins and old aunties she used to be forced into talkinh to.
With the stares came the whispers as more more people started to recognize her. She wanted to roll her eyes. Did they really think she couldn't hear them talking about her?
"Jennie!"
Jennie turns around at the call of her name a but relieved to see Taehyung making his way over to her with a bright smile.
"You're here! I'm so glad you could make it!" He hugs her tightly catching Jennie by surprise. "And Jisoo, good to see you again."
"You too. Everything looks great." She compliments.
"Thanks," He gives her a smile. "Oh I want you guys to meet my fiancé." He says excitedly. "Joohyun!" He calls over.
The moment the dark haired brunette turns around Jennie feels her stomach drop.
"Irene?"
"Jennie?" Joohyun looks stunned. "What are you doing here?"
"You two know eachother?" Taehyung asks.
"No."
"Yes." They answer at the same time.
Jennie had answered Yes. She wasn't going to lie, Irene's 'no' had hurt more than she wanted it to.
"Oh well this is my sister, Jennie. I haven't seen her since we were teenagers." Taehyung explains. "And this is her girlfriend Jisoo."
"Hi nice to meet you," Jisoo gives her a polite smile. She wasn't quite sure what was going on with Jennie but the girl had checked out completely.
"You too." Joohyun offers. "So...you're Jennie's girlfriend? Like, dating?"
"I-I'm sorry Tae, I gotta go, I'll be back." Jennie excuses herself.
They watch her disappear into the crowd without another word.
"Uh I should go check on her. She felt a little queasy on the car ride over. We'll see you later?"
"Yeah okay. Let me know if she feels any better." Taehyung nods.
•••
As she was searching through the crowds for Jennie, Jisoo came to a sudden halt when she saw a familiar face.
No.
It can't be.
Kang Seulgi?
What would she be doing here?
Jisoo shook her head. There was no way her 'she who shall not be named' would be at the same wedding as her. Shaking it off she continued on her journey to find Jennie.
•••
After what felt like forever of searching Jisoo found Jennie in one of the cabins bathrooms splashing water onto her face.
"There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you." Jisoo says.
"Huh? Oh sorry." Jennie dries off her face.
Jisoo crosses her arms and leans against the door jamb. "Are you okay?" She observes Jennie carefully.
"What? Yeah I'm fine." Jennie brushes off.
"What happened out there?"
"Nothing, just...nothing. Forget about it." Jennie shakes her head.
"No come on tell me." Jisoo says walking over to her. She takes Jennie's hands in hers and closes the door. "What is it?"
"Its stupid." Jennie mumbles with a sigh.
"Hey, if it's making you upset then it's not stupid." Jisoo assures.
"Fine," Jennie huffs. "...my brother is going to marry my ex girlfriend and he doesn't know it."
Jisoo's brows shoot up to her hairline. "I'm sorry what now?"
Jennie nods. "You heard me."
"B-b-but-but how?"
"She's my 'girl who shall not be named' as Lisa calls her. We dated when I wasn't in contact with Taehyung. I never told her I had brothers. Because in my head I didn't." Jennie shrugs.
"How did you not figure this out before?"
"I never knew her as Bae Joohyun. I knew her as Bae Irene. She never told me otherwise."
"Wow...this is crazy." Jisoo says. "You know What's even crazier?"
"What could possibly be worse than this?" Jennie laughs.
"I think I just saw my "she who shall not be named""
Jennie gasps. "No way."
"Does your family know a Kang Seulgi?" Jisoo asks.
"My family wouldn't but I do. She was Irene's best friend." Jennie says with wide eyes.
"Oh. My. God." Jisoo covers her mouth in horror. "My ex girlfriend cheated on me with your ex girlfriend and now your ex girlfriend who is my ex girlfriends lover is about to marry my girlfriends brother!"
"Yes." Jennie nods. "But also, what?"
"Ugh!"
•••
"Jennie? Is that you?"
Jennie spins around hearing her name being said. "Oh....hi mom."
"You're here. Taehyung said you were coming but I didn't believe him. You look nice." She smiles tentatively.
"Thank you? You too." Jennie gives her a tight lipped smile. This was too awkward. Her own mother was a complete stranger to her. "Where's dad?" It was rare to see them apart.
"Oh he's—"
"Babe look it! They have chicken on a stick! Isn't that great!" Jisoo unknowingly interrupts waving a chicken skewer in Jennie's face.
"That's great honey," Jennie smiles.
"Oh hi." Jisoo finally notices the other lady. "I'm Jisoo, who are you?"
"I'm Jennie's mother, who are you?"
Jisoo chokes on her chicken skewer and her face turns red.
"This is my girlfriend. Kim Jisoo." Jennie answers seeing as Jisoo is too busy dying.
"Oh...I see. You're still-"
"Gay? Yeah." Jennie says.
"I am so sorry. It's very nice to meet you Mrs Kim." Jisoo composes herself.
"You too dear." Her mother smiles politely. "So, How did you two meet?"
"We work together. Jisoo is a journalist at Chanel." Jennie says.
"Oh well that's nice."
"Yeah. She's really good." Jennie gushes.
"Jennie..." Jisoo blushes shyly.
"What? It's true." Jennie says.
"Well as fun as this is, I should get going. I'll see you girls around." And with that Jennie's mother leaves.
"Wow she's...fun." Jisoo says.
"Don't mind her, she's always like that." Jennie sighs.
"Hey, wanna go see how many macaroons we can steal off the dessert bar?" Jisoo smirks.
"Hell yeah." Jennie grins.
•••
The wedding seemed to be going well aside from their earlier situation. Jennie tried not to dwell by ignoring the looks being thrown her way. She sat up proudly, her hand confidently holding Jisoo's. It didn't matter what they said or what they thought, she was here for one reason and one reason only.
Her brother.
Taehyung stood in front of their family with Bae Joohyun. His hands clutched in hers. It was almost annoying how good they looked together up there under the extravagant white arch her mother definitely insisted on having.
His traditional Black tux, and charming smile complimenting her godly visuals and pristine lace wedding dress.
It was the dream wedding her parents always dreamed of having for their children.
Jisoo rests her head against her shoulder as Taehyung and Joohyun exchanged their wedding vows and rings without a hitch.
"Those who object, speak now or forever hold your peace." The priest announces.
There's a beat of silence before—
"I object."
A round of gasps evoke from the crowd before their mumurs are filling the venue. Jennie's sure her mother has had a heart attack.
"I'm sorry Tae, but I can't let you do this." Jungkook steps forward from his spot in the groomsmen line.
Taehyung lets go of Joohyun's hands to turn to him.
"Jungkook, what are you doing?" He asks under his breath, eyes bouncing around in panic.
"You can't marry her. You don't love her." Jungkook says shakily, his brown orbs starting to glisten with unshed tears. "I can't stand here and watch you make this mistake. I...I love you god damn it." He says with diction.
"Jungkook please don't do this here," Taehyung begs.
"You can't keep living this Lie Taehyung." Jungkook looks him dead in the eyes.
"Taehyung whats going on?" Joohyun steps in.
"This is wrong." Jungkook glances between them. "And I won't support it." He turns to angrily walk back down the aisle as far away from the ceremony as possible.
"Jungkook wait!" Taehyung calls after him but Jungkook doesn't stop. "I'm sorry Joohyun. I have to go." He breifly tells her before following after him. Ignoring Joohyun's protest.
"What the hell just happened?" Jisoo whispers.
"I have no fucking idea." Jennie says in awe.
Whatever it was, this fairytale wedding just took a hell of a turn.
•••
The wedding becomes somewhat of chaos afterwards. The guest flock to the parents for answers or to offer their support. Joohyun dissapears and so does Seulgi. What used to be the Wedding party has now turned into a search party.
Everyone is looking for Taehyung, and Joohyun in hopes of getting some answers to the unexpected turn of events.
Her mother is in the same white chair, fanning herself as some try to comfort her. She's a ghostly pale, no longer complimenting the lavender of her overly fancy hat and attire.
She finds her father not too far from her. He's shouting. Nothing particularly new. The scolding finger pointed at his eldest son trying to find answers himself. Jennie isn't sure it's the fact that the wedding has clearly been called off is why he's angry. If anything he's probably upset all of the money put into this charade has officially gone to waste.
That's all he cared about ever since Jennie had known him. The money, and the status that came with it.
Jisoo had excused herself awhile ago to go to the bathroom. Now that there wasn't a ceremony to sit through. Jennie on the other hand was walking around the property aimlessly.
It was nostalgic for her. Passing the old tire swing hanging off the whithered willow tree, the ground scuffed up in the one spot. She remembers being the one to sit in it while her brothers relentlessly pushed her higher and higher. She could almost hear their laughter.
There was a wooden picnic table by the lake. It's legs on an uneven tilt. Jennie reckons her name is still carved into the aged out wood.
She loved this place as a kid. Whenever they visited, her and her brothers were allowed to be kids. Play around, jump off rocks, climb trees. All the things they were forbidden to do at their house. At the lakehouse they didn't need to act prim and propper. No worry of ruining her dress or being impolite.
They were free.
Having a wedding here almost tainted that. It brought their prim lives into a place of refuge where they wanted to escape all the order.
Taking a moment to herself Jennie sat down on the weathered picnic table. Sure enough she could see the light carvings her and her brothers used to vandalize the table with. Their scratchy block letters slowly fading with time.
The first one they ever made was on the brink of disappearing. Jennie remembers that one the most, promptly because she remembers arguing with Kai and Tae about it. They claimed she was too young to use the knife so she wasn't allowed to try. Granted, she was 7, and they were right. But that didn't stop Jennie from whining until they gave in.
Sure enough she ended up cutting herself. Kai and Taehyung panicked but tended to her. If their parents found out they gave their little sister a pocket knife they'd surely be in huge trouble.
Jennie found herself smiling lightly at the memory. Her blood had stained the table for awhile but it was long gone now. Completely absorbed into the worn out wood. The pad of her finger followed over the letters lightly.
'J-E-N-N-I-E. Jennie.'
Her brown eyes lifted over to the view of the lake ahead of her. She's seen so many beautiful places around the world. An endless amount of landscapes and decorated horizons but nothing ever beat this one.
The sunlight shone off the lakes rippling water allowing it to sparkle like a thousand diamonds lost at sea. The treeline so lusciously green in all different shades and sizes. The lonely excuse of a dock floating in the same spot just meters from the shore.
They used to play 'King of the hill' on that dock. The purpose was to push eachother off into the lake, last one standing won.
Jennie always won.
Her brothers never bothered to make an effort to push her off. So she'd watch them wrestle, adding in a few shoves herself. The dock would teeter back and forth on the water. Eventually Kai and Tae would both end up in the cold lake, leaving an 8 Year old Jennie standing victoriously on the dock.
'Haha! I win! You lose!' Her voice would taunt.
'You cheated!' Taehyung would say.
'We'll just target you next time!' Kai would add.
Of course that would never happen.
As they grew older they came to the lake less and less. Even so, the boys had started to become teenagers, too old to play such a childish game with their younger sister.
Even when they wanted to, their mother would forbid them, saying playing a game as such was 'inappropriate'.
Soon their land of Freedom became just like their home. So they stopped coming all together.
The smile on her face has faded now. Just like her name etched onto the wood. But what they say is true, 'everything good must come to an end.'
"Hey, mind if I join you."
Jennie perks up at the sound of the voice, she opens her mouth to answer but he sits down across from her anyways. She takes the opportunity to study him.
He wasn't the same as he used to be. She watched the light side of him fade a long time ago. Part of her blames their father.
They used to sit just like this long ago. Except now he wasn't the adventurous boy in overalls. He was a man, in a suit with more responsibilities then he could handle. A burden of being the oldest Kim in their family.
Life has worn him down. She could see it in the crinkle of his eyes when he smiled, the tighness in his shoulders when he stood tall. Like it took too much effort to fake it.
But right now.
In this moment.
He looked different.
Jennie watched as his shoulders sagged in relaxation. His brown eyes studying his surroundings like he too remembers all of the fun memories this place held.
For the first time since she's seen him she realizes the tanned line around his left index finger.
No ring.
Kai notices her observation. It makes him pull his hand away self consciously.
"You're married?" Jennie asks.
He never made the effort to invite her to the wedding like Tae had. Then again Kai had always been manipulated by their parents more easily.
"Was." Kai says. "Was married."
"What happened?" She doesn't mean to intrude. But she's merely curious. Her brother was a handsome successful man. She's surprised that there's no wife in the picture.
"She wanted a divorce." Kai says quietly. "She said I spent too much of my time working." He swallows thickly. "I never made time for her."
By the way his eyes fall down to the table Jennie can tell that divorce really hurt him. Sad to say that it surprises her. She expected her father be the one to pair Kai up with an arranged marriage for business. Just like Tae's.
"It was arranged." Kai confirms as if reading her mind. Jennie's eyes lift to meet his. "What?" He says.
"How did you know I was thinking that?" Jennie asks him.
"You get that look. When we were younger you would get the same look. When you're thinking too hard. I know you better than you think."
"Maybe when I was younger, but not anymore." Jennie says defensively.
"You're right." Kai nods clasping his hands on the table. "I don't know you, Jennie."
It makes a sadness tug at Jennie's heart. Here she was, sitting at a picnic table with her brother like they had done so long ago. But yet...they were strangers.
Somewhere along the way the rift between them became enough to make it easier to be apart then together.
"Even if it was an arranged marriage. I loved her. The reason we found eachother is the reason we spilt apart." Kai says.
"Why are you telling me this?" Her tone quieter than before.
"Because I don't want to be strangers with my own little sister Jennie."
•••
Jisoo was freaking lost.
She remembered taking a right, and then a left, and then a right to get to the bathroom. Or was it a Left, right, then left?
Ugh!
Maybe if this Lakehouse wasn't so unecessaryly big! Since she's been lost, she's found four other bathrooms.
To say she's given up would be an understatement. She's been roaming the halls with crossed arms for the better half of the hour now. Jennie probably thinks she fell in.
"What am I gonna do? My parents are going to kill me if they find out about this. I can't let that happen Seulgi. I can't. I d-don't know what to do." The voice suddenly breaks down crying.
It makes Jisoo's brows shoot up to her hair line.
Seulgi?
Everyone was looking for said girl hoping that the bride would be with her.
Jisoo carefully tiptoed closer to the door. It was open only a crack. Peaking in Jisoo has to cover her mouth to stop herself from making noise.
Seulgi was standing in the room with her arms wrapped around the bride who was crying her eyes out. Judging by the way her shoulders shook anyways.
"I love you. I'll support you in anyway possible. If that means waiting to tell them then so be it...but we can only hide this for so long. They'll find out eventually."
In love?!
Seulgi is in love with Joohyun?!
Jisoo's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets hearing Joohyun say "I love you too." Before leaning up and kissing Seulgi.
She squeaks by accident. Realizing she gave away her position she quickly turned and ran down the hall to hide.
"Did you hear that?" Irene looks over at the door.
"It's probably nothing." Seulgi assures.
Jisoo was hiding behind one of the curtains in one of the many many bedrooms. She lets out a deep breath. "That was too damn close."
•••
"What do you know about Jungkook and Taehyung?"
"They served in the Navy together. As far I know they became best friends from then on. They do everything together, practically attached at the hip. Mom and Dad seem to like him but that's probably due to his military service. They don't tend to ask about anything else. When Taehyung said Jungkook would be his best man I wasn't all that surprised nor hurt. We too drifted apart after you left. We blamed eachother." Kai explains. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd come today."
"Me either." Jennie says.
"I'm sorry. I hope you know that. I'm weak. You know that well. I've been pressed under the thumb of mom and dad for too long to have a voice of my own. In the end that cost me my little sister and I can never apologize enough for that. Nini," he reaches for her hand.
"No." Jennie pulls her hand away harshly. "You can't apologize and think that it makes it okay."
"I don't think that, Jennie—"
"Then prove it!" Jennie cuts him off. "You say you're sorry but you haven't changed Jongin. You know that what they're doing to you is wrong but you still let them! How can you live like this?!"
"It's all I know!" Jongin slams his hand on the table rattling the rickety wood.
Jennie swallows the lump in her throat as they both stare at eachother intensely. She may have been closer with Taehyung as a kid, but her and Jongin were always similar. Hardheaded, stubborn to the bone. Maybe that's what caused them to bash heads all the time.
"You can do better." Jennie says lowely. "You deserve better."
"No I don't." Kai says at the same volume. "The best thing that ever happened to me walked away and I let her. There is nothing else for me."
"Can't you see what they've done to you?" Jennie asks with tears in her eyes. Never in a million years would she let them fall in front of him. "They've stripped you of yourself and turned you into this-this-Monster! Into Dad!"
The accusation seem to hit too close. Kai's eyes glisten with unshed tears but just like Jennie he would leave before they fall from his eyes.
"Do you remember what you said sitting in that spot all those years ago?" Jennie asks rehtorically. "You said, 'when I get older I'm never gonna be like Dad'."
Kai is digging his nails so deep into his palm Jennie's afraid he might just lose it and swing at her. She can see a bit of blood drip from his fist falling to stain the table just as Jennie's had when she was 7. Funny how things work out that way.
"But I guess you're right. I don't know my brother...because my brother would never let himself become something he hated." Jennie whispers.
She turns on her heels to walk away from her but the faint sound of his voice stops her.
"What?" She turns back around.
"I did it for you." He repeats.
"Don't you dare think for one second that I owe you anything Kim Jongin!" Jennie points at him accusingly. "I never asked for this! I never wanted you to throw your life away! I never asked you to become what he wanted you to! All I wanted was my brother!" She doesn't realize how much her rage has blinded her until her arms are banging against his chest, hot tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I DID IT FOR YOU!" Jongin grabs her arms to stop her, lightly shaking her. His tears have fallen now too. "I did it to protect you so that you wouldn't be the one to turn into him!" He lets her go only to pull away. Removing his suit jacket he throws it against the picnic table. The black tie around his neck gets ripped off.
"W-what are you doing?" Jennie stutters out.
Jongin removes his shirt and throws it onto the floor. The sight makes Jennie swallow thickly. (Totally not in the way you're thinking. That's her brother man. Come on. Don't be gross.)
Theres a large laceration that runs across his torso from the top of his chest to his lower abdomen. When he turns around the scars become more apparent.
Kai has calmed down considerably. His breathing is still laboured though.
"The day he found out..." Kai starts to explain. It makes Jennie's stomach turn and twist in the most awful ways. "He was going to Kill you...at least I thought he was."
And just like that. Every memory of that night she had burried deep inside of her came splurging back up like vomit.