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Chapter 15: February Part II

The chapter you've all been waiting for.

*****

February Part II

Jennie and Jisoo had split for the lunch period, Jennie calling an impromptu football meeting to go over some last minute changes from Henry, while Jisoo returned to her table. Things had settled between them, and though it was calm, it was far from comfortable.

Mostly because Jennie found that, despite her best efforts to look as if nothing happened, she had a small bruise on her cheek.

One that, the more she thought about it, caused her blood to boil.

Nobody laid hands on Jennie Rubyjane Kim.

Nobody.

And so, with balled fists and tight jaw, she approached the bleachers, where Chaeyoung, Bogum, and the rest of the players awaited their captain.

Jennie was hoping for a small, football related talk.

The moment Chaeyoung's eyes made contact with her regal cheekbones, it was over.

Chaeyoung was out of her seat like a bullet, hands cupping Jennie's cheeks as she inspected the moderate damage.

"Who?" Chaeyoung spat, body tense like a bowstring.

"What?" Jennie's brow furrowed as she attempted to play it dumb.

"Oh my god." Chaeyoung growled lowly, the sound rumbling in her throat. "Was it blondie? Did Jisoo Kim fucking hit you?"

Jennie's eyes lit up with pent up rage. "No, of course not." She ground out.

Chaeyoung looked disbelieving. "Jen, look at you. You could kill anyone here. You don't take hits. The only person you'd allow to hit you is Jisoo, and you were in a fight, so don't you dare-"

"Your girlfriend did this." Jennie murmured, watching as Chaeyoung's jaw dropped.

"Lisa?" Chaeyoung practically whispered, hands balling up similarly to Jennie's.

Jennie gave a curt nod.

Chaeyoung looked feral. A vein ran alongside her throat, dangerously prominent. "What the fuck did she touch you for?"

Jennie waved it off. "Chaeyoung, it's done."

"No." Chaeyoung caught her hand. "Jennie." She hissed. "No one gets away with hitting you."

"She was defending Jisoo." Jennie sighed offhandedly. "It doesn't matter, can we just-"

"Did you cheat on her?" Chaeyoung snapped.

Jennie's eyes widened in horror. "Did I what?"

"Did you cheat on Jisoo? Yes or no, Jennie." Chaeyoung demanded.

"What? God, no, never. I...It was a small fight about her mom dating Kane-"

Chaeyoung didn't listen after her denial. "So you didn't deserve it."

Jennie fell silent at that, blinking away her anger.

"Did Jisoo see this?" Chaeyoung demanded once more.

"Yes."

"And what did she say?"

"She kissed it."

"Oh, she kissed it?" Chaeyoung snarked. "Like that's gonna fix the giant fucking hole this has created?"

"What?" Jennie glanced up exasperatedly.

"This is an issue. It's an issue because Jisoo is okay with her friends treating you like shit. It's an issue because now I am furious at my girlfriend."

Jennie's jaw tightened. "Let it go, Chaeyoung."

"Fuck no." Chaeyoung growled, digging into her pocket for her phone. "I'm calling her now."

"Listen." Jennie hissed. "Everyone was against me, Chaeyoung. I probably deserved this."

Chaeyoung sucked in a breath, surprising Jennie by yanking her cousin into a tight hug, Jennie's arms going slack, and then eventually tightening around her. "Listen, Jen. We're a kru. We're family. I've always got your back. And this? It's unacceptable. You got that?"

Jennie sighed, feeling content to lean against Chaeyoung, her best friend, mentor, and closest family member besides June. "You giving out orders to your Commander?" Jennie teased gently.

"I'm protecting her." Chaeyoung shrugged with a smirk. "It's my job."

*****

"Oh my fucking-" Lisa breathed out, eyeing her phone with nearly bulging eyes. "What the fuck? Kim? Where's your girl?" She demanded frantically, yanking Jisoo aside from the table so that the rest of the Delinquents wouldn't hear the ongoing drama.

"Who, Jennie?" Jisoo asked with mild concern. "Football team meeting."

"Yeah?" Lisa practically growled. "More like a Commander-hardass is ruining my relationships meeting."

Jisoo's eyes widened slightly, brown depths now fully interested. "What do you mean?"

Lisa glanced at the phone, reading Chaeyoung's text aloud. "We need to talk. You think it's okay to put hands on Jennie?"

Jisoo felt a guilty kick in her stomach. She'd been so selfishly trying to avoid that. Every time she saw the bruise, she was reminded of how her friends had treated Jennie.

"She's defending her cousin." Jisoo reminded with a grain of salt to her tone.

Lisa's brows shot up. "And I was defending you from her insensitive ass."

Jisoo tensed. "Don't...don't talk about her like that, Lis."

"Are you serious right now, Jisoo?" Lisa scoffed. "You're defending them? You were in a fight!"

"And that was my fight." Jisoo murmured, shaking her head. "Not anyone else's business."

Lisa's jaw dropped. "Are you fucking serious? This is the thanks I get for defending you?"

Jisoo took a breath, stepping forward, gaze hardening. "No, Lis. You don't get to do this. You don't get to act irrationally on my behalf and say it was in my defense. You don't get to treat Jennie like shit at every turn. You know what? For some reason, I let it happen. I let it happen thinking you were defending me since Finn, and then my dad, and I let you walk all over my girlfriend. She's been nothing but patient with me, Lis." Jisoo grit out, watching Lisa's shocked expression. "Please...don't ever touch my girlfriend again."

"Oh my fucking god." Lisa gasped. "You're seriously choosing her? Over me? Your best friend?"

Jisoo rolled her eyes. "If you were my best friend, you wouldn't make me choose, Lis." She turned on her heel, but then whipped around, biting her lip. "And...I think I'm in love with her."

At that, Lisa blinked, catching Jisoo's wrist. "You...you are?"

"...Yes." Jisoo exhaled. "And...I think I may have just ruined any chance at her reciprocating that love, Lisa."

Lisa shook her head almost immediately. "No." She remembered Jennie's exact same words, her faulty confession of love for Jisoo. "I did. I promise you didn't."

Jisoo sighed. "We all need to talk this out, Lisa," She turned on her heel to leave once more, a worried expression on her face.

"Where are you going?" Lisa demanded softly.

"To fix this, before it ends us." Jisoo stated simply, darting in the direction of the stadium, hoping it wasn't too late.

"Blondie, you've got some fucking nerve trying to even approach Jennie right now." Chaeyoung snapped as she barred Jisoo's entrance to the field, where Jennie was demonstrating a few plays with a clipboard, surrounded by her team.

"So we're back to blondie, huh?" Jisoo muttered, glancing over Chaeyoung's shoulder.

"Yes. You're lucky I'm even acknowledging you." Chaeyoung grunted.

"Listen." Jisoo sighed. "I came here to apologize."

"Wow." Chaeyoung snorted. "Lisa couldn't keep her mouth shut. Huh?"

Jisoo shook her head. "No. This goes way deeper than this incident. I...I haven't been completely fair to Jennie."

"Understatement of the year." Chaeyoung grumbled. "Listen, June is in love with you, and he can't see straight. Me? I can. Jennie deserves better than what you've given her. She treats you like a princess, and your friends...Hell, my girlfriend...treat her like shit. She didn't have this issue with Nayeon."

Jisoo winced visibly at that, and Chaeyoung sighed.

"Chaeyoung!" Jennie's voice sounded, and when Chaeyoung turned, Jennie's gaze locked with Jisoo.

When Jisoo was expecting a soft smile, since they'd been okay that morning, she was surprised to find a grim look.

Okay, so Chaeyoung had definitely talked her up.

"Jen." Jisoo called, trying not to let her voice waver.

"She's busy." Chaeyoung grumbled, turning to Jennie.

Jennie, however, jogged over, passing the clipboard to Bogum, muttering, "Explain this." She shot Chaeyoung a look as she stopped just short of Jisoo, folding her arms.

"Jen." Jisoo breathed, rather awkwardly. "Am I interrupting something?"

Jennie shot her a glance as if to say, "Obviously."

Jisoo reddened, and she felt suddenly very awkward. "Jennie..."

"Jisoo?" Jennie clicked her tongue slightly impatiently.

"Can we talk?"

"Jisoo, I have-"

"Please." Jisoo begged, voice wavering slightly. "Jennie, if I don't tell you this right now, I'll start sobbing."

Jennie's cold demeanor instantly broke. "Jisoo?" She asked, touching her elbow gently. "Jisoo? What's going on?"

"Oh look, blondie playing the victim again," Chaeyoung muttered darkly, "how original."

"Chaeyoung," Jennie chided, previous anger mellowed with her concern for Jisoo, "it's fine."

While her cousin looked as if absolutely nothing was fine, she didn't bother arguing with Jennie, and instead turned on her heel and stalked out of the football field, likely to go corner the two delinquents currently on her shit list.

Jisoo winced. "We need to talk, Jennie."

Jennie shot her a look of mild terror.

"Please?" Jisoo begged once more. "Just...walk with me."

Jennie glanced at her team, and once she realized that they clearly had a handle on things, she nodded, following Jisoo up the track and out onto the street, toward their flower field.

"Lunch hour ends really soon, Jisoo." Jennie reminded gently.

"This is worth ditching for, Jen." Jisoo sighed as she plopped down onto the grassy clearing, Jennie wordlessly following suit.

Jisoo took in the aroma of the flowers, leaning back onto her hands. Jennie was silent, allowing Jisoo to get into the right headspace to speak.

She was always so considerate, and Jisoo was realizing each and every way in which she adored her.

She just hoped it wasn't too late.

Jennie was glancing at Jisoo rather quizzically, jaw set, arms folded. "You know..." She drawled with a hint of anger in her tone. "I spoke to Chaeyoung."

Jisoo bit her lip, pausing herself in the process of readying her speech. Jennie needed to vent. Hell, she deserved to. Jisoo knew when to bite the bullet and shut up.

"It had me thinking about our relationship." Jennie began quietly, reaching to tenderly run her fingers over her faintly bruised cheekbone.

When she glanced up again, Jisoo was crying. Not a few tears, not a measly pity cry. Jisoo was shaking, sobbing, the whole bit.

It broke Jennie's heart. Her jaw dropped, as she reached forward to embrace Jisoo, but found herself pushed away.

"I know." Jisoo began, seemingly fighting to breathe correctly. "I know."

"Oh." Jennie swallowed the lump in her throat. If Jisoo knew, then maybe they didn't have to have the talk after all. She just wanted Jisoo to know that she wouldn't stand for any-

"We should break up." Jisoo murmured, pursing her lips in a failed attempt to stop her crying.

Jennie felt as if she'd had all the wind knocked out of her. She felt gutted. She felt her world crumble beneath her, and anger well in her stomach. She'd been nothing but good! She'd taken everything with a grain of salt! How could Jisoo possibly justify this?

"Because of me." Jisoo breathed raggedly, as if it pained her to say it. "I mean...Look. Look at me, Jennie, I'm a mess. You were so good, and...I just..."

"Jisoo." Jennie choked out, cutting her off. "No." She shook her head rapidly. This was nothing like the sweet sorrow of parting with Nayeon. This was shattering her, killing her slowly and painfully. Jisoo was really all she had. All she looked forward to. "You promised."

Jisoo glanced up in surprise at Jennie, brown eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"You promised you wouldn't leave." Jennie ground out. "Everyone leaves." She muttered, fingers digging into the blades of grass beneath her.

Jisoo realized that she'd tapped into something much deeper within Jennie.

"I...was alone. I am alone. I am, but I'm not. Does that make sense?" Jennie struggled to find a steady rhythm to her argument. "I have June, and...Bogum, and Chaeyoung. But really, it's me. I had to do everything. My parents just..." She motioned with her hand, to signify their vacancy in her life. "And it hurts , Jisoo. And every single time I let myself feel..." She shook her head. "Look at Nayeon. Look where that ended."

Jisoo drew a shuddering breath, composing herself for Jennie's sake.

"And now there's you." Jennie spoke quietly now, voice reflecting her vulnerability. "So soft, and beautiful, and mine. And...you don't expect anything from me. You just...see me the way I am." Jennie cleared her throat, a melancholy smile on her face. "And...Yesterday, during our fight...I didn't say anything because I really, really don't want to lose you, Jisoo."

Jisoo felt her protest erupt within her before she could register it in her mind. "Jennie, that's not fair!" She cried indignantly. "You have to...you have the right to...say what you feel, and god..." She eyed Jennie's bruise with a steely gaze. "What happened to you was my fault. They were my friends, overprotective of me. That isn't healthy, Jennie. No one should have touched you." She mumbled through gritted teeth.

Jennie nodded slowly, allowing herself a glance at Jisoo, wanting nothing more than to embrace her. "...So we work on it." She murmured. "We talk things out. But we can't...or at least, I don't want to...give up on this. On us."

Jisoo sniffled, nodding her head. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "And it kills me because I should've said this earlier. And no apology fixes what I've done... But I don't want to give up on us, either, Jennie. As long as you give me a chance to explain..."

"Jennie." Jisoo sighed, turning towards the brunette, heart pounding in her chest. "I fucked up."

Jennie cocked a brow, but allowed her time to continue the sentiment.

"I'm fucked up. I have been, for a while now." Jisoo breathed. " A lot has happened to me. Finn cheated on me in freshman year. And then, I got into an accident. My dad...he...he died. You know..." Jisoo sniffled, and Jennie reached out to cup her cheeks, but Jisoo deflected her hands.

Jennie blinked away the mist in her own eyes at Jisoo's pain.

"I'm not telling you this for a pity party, Jennie." Jisoo sighed. "I'm trying to explain why my friends are so protective. Lisa...she lost something in that accident, too. I... I just..." She paused, struggling to find the words, and Jennie interjected.

"You don't have to tell me, Jisoo," she assured.

"I want to," Jisoo said stubbornly, "it was just a little over a year ago..."

*****

"Girls! Hurry up! We're going to be late!"

Seunghyun Kim's voice carried up the halls of the home, deep and kind and familiar, and Jisoo peeked out of her room, brown hair falling over her eyes.

"One second dad!" she called. "We're just finishing up!"

She could hear his baritone laughter through the floor, the deep, rumbling chuckle she'd come to know and love in her sixteen years of life thus far.

"We're going to Irene's soccer game," he responded, "not a gala."

"But there could be cute soccer players!" Lisa insisted, hopping out of Jisoo's room on one foot as she pulled up her black jeans, which easily slid onto her slim legs.

"You and your constant need to search out cute people," Seunghyun sighed, "just don't go getting with any of the wrong crowd, alright? I don't want to have to abandon my nice-guy act and chase someone off."

"What do you mean act," Jisoo teased, pressing a quick kiss to her father's cheek, "you're just a nice guy, dad."

"I can be tough if I need to be," Seunghyun defended, and Jisoo rolled her eyes fondly.

"Sure, dad." He scowled playfully and ruffled Jisoo's hair, laughing as she whined at his actions.

"Are you guys leaving?" Dara walked into the living room, still dressed in her scrubs from her shift at the hospital. Seunghyun grinned at her and pulled her in for a quick kiss, ignoring the way Jisoo rolled her eyes.

"Well, I think Irene might be a little upset if we miss her first game of the season," he told her seriously, "and if we're going to make it on time we need to leave... about eight minutes ago."

"Seunghyun Top Kim," Dara scolded, lightly slapping him on the shoulder, "what happened to your punctuality?"

"Teenage girls," he responded equally as serious, and the two exchanged a knowing glance.

"You sure you don't want to come, mom?" Jisoo asked. "I'm sure Irene would love to see you there as well, and Taeyeon would love the company."

"As much as I'd like to go see Irene kick ass," Dara responded, hugging Seunghyun close to her, "I have some paperwork to fill out before tomorrow that I need to finish." Jisoo's eyes narrowed and she shook her head.

"You just want to catch up on Real Housewives," she accused, and Dara threw her hands up in surrender.

"You have no proof," she teased, before walking and hugging both Jisoo and Lisa. "You have fun though, girls, make sure Seunghyun doesn't eat half the food from the vendor again."

"Hey!" he defended. "I get hungry."

"You're always hungry, honey," Dara sighed, and he just grinned, winking conspiratorially at Jisoo and Lisa.

"Alright, we're officially late," he announced, kissing Dara briefly, "goodbye, dearest wife of mine, I love you."

"I love you too," Dara laughed, and Jisoo smiled. She wanted to love someone the way her mom and dad loved each other someday.

"I love you too, Jisoo," he said seriously, turning to her and kissing her forehead, "you too, Lisa."

"Aw shucks Papa S, I'm flattered," Lisa smirked, "does this mean I'm an honorary Kim?"

"Well, you certainly have the wits to match mine," he responded, "not quite up to par with the chess skill though, that's a must." Lisa pouted, and Jisoo preened.

"Kim cheats," she accused.

"Lisa you can't cheat at chess."

"She figured out how to," Lisa insisted, "somehow. She's crafty like that."

"She gets it from me," Seunghyun responded.

"And the humility, too." Jisoo tacked on as they walked to the car together.

"Shotgun!" Lisa called, just as Jisoo opened her mouth to do so, and the brunette girl scowled. "You snooze you lose, Kim."

"Those are the rules, Jisoo," Seunghyun pointed out, and Jisoo begrudgingly got into the back of the car, and made quick work of buckling her seatbelt.

Lisa followed suit in the front, but quickly threw her feet up on the dash.

"Feet down, Manoban," Seunghyun warned, "or you'll lose shotgun privileges." Lisa sighed, shaking her head.

"Being a killjoy must run in the family, too," she complained, "mama needs her comfortable leg space."

"You stretch your legs out all the time around the house, I think you can do without for a little while," Seunghyun reasoned, "I mean, really Lisa? The kitchen table?" She grinned at him and shrugged.

"What? It's comfy." She stretched her arms, folding them behind her head. "Hey, Kim, Papa G, what say you about me trying out for lacrosse?"

"Were you considering it?" Seunghyun asked, and Lisa nodded.

"Mhmm," Lisa responded, "I'm pretty quick on my feet, and hitting people with sticks sounds fun. Plus, the captain, Soojoo Hong, is smoking hot." Jisoo rolled her eyes, but Lisa caught her from the mirror. "Oh, like you can deny it Kim."

"I wasn't denying it," Jisoo shrugged, "you two totally wouldn't work out though."

"Why not?" Lisa exclaimed belligerently. "I'm such a catch."

"You're too similar, though," Jisoo told her, "that'd almost be as bad as you and Chaeyoung Park dating." Lisa paused, looking penchantly out the window for a moment.

"You know, Park is pretty hot too, I hear her cousin's even more attractive though."

"Yeah," Jisoo scoffed, "and untouchable. The daughter of multi-billionaires Jiyong and Chaerin Kim? No way."

"I've met Jiyong," Seunghyun said from his position at the wheel, "he came to a NASA event once, seemed nice enough, if a bit distracted. I think I saw his kids there, too, a girl about your age and a younger boy who kept fidgeting with his tie."

"Sounds right," Jisoo responded, "but I think you should go for the lacrosse thing, Lis, you'd be great at it. And colleges go crazy with sports scholarships."

"Not that I'd need a sports scholarship," Lisa grinned, "I'm a genius."

"And there's that famous Kim modesty," Seunghyun laughed, "you really are one of us." Lisa preened and Jisoo smiled. Over the past two years, Lisa really had become more of a sister to her than she'd ever thought the girl could be, what with the both of them being the victims of Finn Collins' little games.

"Do you think we can go get ice cream with Suho and Irene after?" Jisoo implored, and Seunghyun winked at her from the mirror.

"Don't tell your mom, she thinks I eat too much sugar."

"Dara won't hear it from us," Lisa swore, nodding vehemently, "right, Jisoo?"

"We'll take it with us to the grave," Jisoo assured, and Seunghyun smiled.

"Alright, it's a deal, then."

It happened far too quickly for Jisoo to comprehend the severity of the situation.

The song on the radio had just switched from Dark Horse to Happy , and Jisoo and Lisa were humming along, while Seunghyun complained about no music living up to the standard of his coveted classic rock. The light was green, the intersection clear.

Until suddenly, it wasn't.

It was an out-of-body experience, and Jisoo could hear screaming. It took her a while to realize that it was she who was screaming. There was a pain in her midsection, clawing at her body until all she felt was white-hot agony. Red clouded her vision as blood dripped from a cut on her forehead, but she could briefly make out her father slumped over the wheel, groaning, and Lisa, unconscious in her seat.

"Dad!" she couldn't stop her screaming. "Dad! Lisa!" Time became skewed, but she was focused on the rise and fall of her father's chest. Her ears rang, and she felt as though she was going to vomit or pass out, whichever came first.

"Jisoo," she could barely make out his voice, "Jisoo, baby, I love you."

"Dad! Dad!"

Her vision went fuzzy, and Jisoo felt no more.

The first sound she heard was the steady beeping of a heart monitor, and cerulean eyes cracked open to see her mother, slumped over on a chair next to her hospital bed, hands tightly gripping one of Jisoo's own.

"Mom?" Jisoo whispered, and Dara's brown eyes snapped open immediately.

"Jisoo, baby," she sobbed, "oh Jisoo, thank god." The events of the previous night suddenly came rushing back, and Jisoo shot up, wincing as pain ignited once more in her stomach, and her mother pressed her down gently.

"Lisa?" Jisoo asked desperately.

"Lisa's in recovery," Dara whispered, but Jisoo could see the despair in her mother's eyes, and her heart stuttered as she opened her mouth to ask the next question.

"...dad?" Dara's eyes filled with tears and she shook her head, and Jisoo's mind went utterly blank. She was vaguely aware of the concerned shouts of her mother and the crazy beeping of the heart monitor before she was once more lulled into a blissful darkness, eager to escape the harsh reality.

Seunghyun Kim was dead.

*****

Jisoo had started crying as she recounted her story, and Jennie had quickly followed suit, tears spilling from her eyes as she held Jisoo to her tightly, thanking whatever gods or forces of nature existed in the world that Jisoo had survived, that Jisoo was here, with her, that Jisoo was safe.

"It's not an excuse for their behavior, I know," Jisoo said shakily.

Jennie nodded mutely.

"But I want you to know that they've been like this since then. And god, I love them. They're everything to me...They were . Until you." Jisoo turned, reaching out to squeeze Jennie's hands. "They're...I'm not used to having someone I...Care about, this much. Someone I let in so closely. Closer than them." Jisoo explained softly, voice rasping. "So our first fight was a bit dramatic. But she had no right to..." Jisoo's lower lip wobbled as she traced Jennie's cheek.

"Jisoo, it's-"

"No." Jisoo shook her head, brows furrowing in anger. "Not just this. It's every time they think I'm threatened, or vulnerable...And they step all over you, Jennie. And you..." Jisoo sighed, stroking her cheek. "You, the fucking Commander. You're the toughest person I know. And yet, you let them."

"Because of you." Jennie murmured, leaning into Jisoo's touch.

"Because of me." Jisoo laughed bitterly. "Well, not anymore." Jisoo huffed, staring into Jennie's virid gaze. "I'm setting my foot down. I'm choosing."

"Jisoo." Jennie scoffed. "You don't have to choose."

Jisoo's smile appeared at that, through her tears. Those were words of love. Jennie didn't want to force the divide that her friends did. Jennie was perfect.

"But I am." Jisoo sighed, leaning forward. "You're always so good to me and I...That's why I...that's why you're you." Jisoo finished, pressing her forehead against Jennie's.

Jennie took a shuddering breath, arms wrapping around Jisoo as she pulled her in.

"I'm sorry." Jisoo sighed against her lips. "You're mine, and I choose you from today, and everyday forward. I'm sorry I didn't see that before."

Jennie blinked away her misty vision, Jisoo leaning forward to kiss the fading bruise.

Jisoo sighed contentedly, pushing Jennie onto the grass as she curled into her open arms.

"We're alright, Jisoo." Jennie assured her softly, doubtlessly overjoyed at Jisoo's apology and confession.

"I have a feeling we'll be together for a long time." Jisoo murmured into Jennie's neck. "I want to do this right. From this point on, I'm always on your side."

"And I'm always on yours."

*****

While one relationship was being mended, another was teetering on the edge.

Chaeyoung stormed up to the Delinquents' table in the library, where they'd retreated for lunch that day, the shine of sweat still evident on her face from the aftermath of her football practice.

"Alright, Delinquents ," she hissed, "we need to talk."

Xiumin and Sehun looked confused, Irene somewhat caught-off guard, and Lisa and Suho terrified, but, perhaps the most interesting of all the reactions was Chanyeol, who usually stayed uninvolved in such matters.

"Xiumin, Sehun, scram, you aren't a part of this," he told them, and the two boys gladly took the offered escape, grabbing their bags and scampering out of the room.

As soon as the door to the library closed, and she'd looked to ensure that the librarian was out, Chaeyoung was off like a shot.

"You're fucking ridiculous," she seethed, "what gave you the right―" Before she could continue, Chanyeol cut her off, usual bored expression replaced by one of mild irritation. He could already see Lisa's hackles raising and Suho getting ready to jump to her defense.

"Alright, all of you, sit down." He fixed Chaeyoung with a hard look which she returned with just as much fire, but sat down all the same.

"I would like to open this with saying, Lisa, Irene, Suho, you three have been acting like fucking two year olds." As expected, he was immediately met with their very vocal disagreement, but he continued. "No, really, it's exhausting." He paused, and looked at Chaeyoung, and then at Lisa.

"Lisa, you had absolutely no business hitting Kim."

"No business?" Lisa scoffed. "I was protecting Jisoo . You know, our friend? Or have you forgotten?" Chanyeol's eyes narrowed.

"I haven't, Manoban, unlike you three seem to have," he ground out, "you seem to forget that Jisoo is just a person like we all are. People get into fights, especially couples, and it wasn't Jennie's fault. She didn't even know the full extent of the situation."

"What is the full extent of the situation, if I may?" Chaeyoung practically growled, "I'd like to know what it is that makes princess Kim so untouchable and what makes the people I've started dating such absolute assholes ."

Irene opened her mouth to say something, but Chanyeol cut her off.

"You may not have been the brunt of the problem, Irene, but you certainly haven't been helping either," he said simply, "I know how much you egg Lisa on. And it isn't as though she needs any help getting angry."

"Oh like you're one to talk, Chanyeol," Lisa grumbled, but Chanyeol, as always, remained unbothered by her words, whatever intent they'd had.

"Jisoo can handle herself," Chanyeol said again, "and Kim isn't always to blame for everything. In fact, she hasn't done anything wrong this entire time, and you keep attacking her. And for what? Because you've got some skewed sense of chivalry to protect your friend?" Chaeyoung was nodding along with his words, and Chanyeol knew she'd likely have said the same thing, if only with more expletives and a lot more yelling.

"I just don't want Jisoo to be hurt," Lisa tried again, but Chanyeol shook his head.

"The only one hurting her at this point are you guys," he responded simply, and Lisa looked as though it had been she, not Jennie, who'd been slapped in the face. "Jisoo's already going through her own problems, she doesn't need you messing up what's probably been the most constructive relationship for her in a long time." He shook his head.

"We've all got issues, Manoban, but you don't see me slapping people in the face for mine."

There was a long, pregnant pause, in which none of the teenagers gathered said anything, merely staring at one another. Unabashed guilt shone on Irene's face, which was mildly mirrored by her brother, but Lisa? Lisa looked close to tears.

She sighed, pressing her hands into her temples as she blinked furiously.

"I fucked up," she said succinctly, and Chaeyoung scoffed.

"No shit, Sherlock." Chanyeol fixed her with a quick, hard look, and the girl bristled slightly but quelled.

"Nothing's going to get accomplished by more yelling and anger," he started again, "I've learned that lesson time and time again. I don't know what this means for your relationship―" he looked pointedly between Lisa, Chaeyoung, and Suho, "―but from here on out, you can't get away with giving Jennie so much shit. Jisoo especially won't let you, not now." He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder as the Suho signalling the end of lunch period rang.

"Where are you going?" Irene asked, voice small.

"We have class, Bae," he answered simply, "and you and I are going to go before Yang kicks our asses, and these three are going to work things out." He pursed his lips at the three remaining teens. "Fix this."

Regardless of Chanyeol's attempt at peacemaking, Chaeyoung had too much of the hotheadedness of her mother to be quelled completely.

Before either Lisa or Suho could speak, Chaeyoung took the floor.

"I let both of you get away with harassing my cousin for too long," she seethed, "and I can't help but feel that it's partially my fault for being so caught up with you two to see the injustice of it all." Her eyes were steely, her voice cold. "And seeing as you've been too juvenile to see the error in your ways, well." She paused, taking a breath. "Someone has to end it."

At this point, the metaphorical lightbulb went off in Suho's head, and his jaw slackened.

"Chaeng, you can't mean―"

"You brought this upon yourself," Chaeyoung shot back hotly. "And I'm not about to associate myself with assholes that keep hurting my family. My kru ."

"We were just worried about Jisoo," Suho reiterated.

"And now I'm worried about my cousin!" Chaeyoung responded just as quickly. "So until the two of you clean up your acts, work through your issues, this―" she motioned between the three of them "―is over."

Lisa clearly hadn't anticipated this as a consequence of her actions.

"But―"

"I expected better from you," Chaeyoung told her coolly, "and then you went and hit my cousin, so, I'm not really in the mood to argue with you right now, Manoban."

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind?" Lisa practically begged, a desperation in her eyes that Chaeyoung had never seen before.

"You should've thought more carefully about hitting my family," Chaeyoung brushed off, blinking rapidly, "and this isn't up for discussion. Until you can prove to me that you've gotten better, I'm gone." Before either of the other two could say anything, Chaeyoung turned sharply on her heel and left them alone in the library.

There were tears in Lisa's eyes that persisted no matter how hard she blinked, and Suho didn't look much better off.

"I really messed this up, didn't I?"

"We both did," Suho admitted, clearing his throat briefly.

"I'm sorry," Lisa whispered. She knew, though, that the apology was better suited for someone else.

"Hey," Suho consoled, pulling the girl close to him in a soft, reassuring hug, "we'll get through this, yeah? Nothing can stop the unstoppable Lisa Manoban." She chuckled softly, wiping away at her tears.

"I've got to clean up my act," she admitted.

"And I'll be with you while you do it," Suho swore, "you and me both, but for now, we should get to class."

*****

Jennie whistled softly as she walked around the kitchen, making herself some tea.

Jisoo was at the Dropship, and Chaeyoung was occupied with who knew what, so Jennie had some relative solidarity, just soaking in the events of the previous day or so.

Jisoo had given her some cream for the bruising on her face which was supposed to help, and Jennie didn't feel the pain from it anymore. She was relieved, at least, that she and Jisoo were okay. They still had some things to work through, some problems they hadn't shared with one another, but they were okay, and, to Jennie, that was all that really mattered in that moment in time.

Jisoo's friends, however, were another matter entirely.

The more time passed, the more angry Jennie grew at her treatment by the hands of the delinquents, especially seeing as she hadn't done anything to earn that sort of behavior from them. For the most part, she was alright with them, and the majority of her problem rested with Chaeyoung's two, Lisa and Suho.

She could care less about them at the moment.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the small voice at the entrance to the kitchen.

"Jen?"

June was peeking from around the door, looking entirely too guilty for Jennie's comfort, and she frowned.

"What's wrong strikbro? " she asked gently. "Why are you waiting outside?" He entered tentatively, almost like a frightened mouse, before sitting across from his older sister.

"June?" Jennie asked, eyes softened and shining with unhidden concern. "Are you alright?" He nodded distractedly, and then looked up at her, and Jennie was horrified to find a light sheen of unshed tears in his eyes. "June?"

"I just wanted to say sorry," he said softly, "because I didn't ask how you were feeling when you and Jisoo were fighting and I just got all caught up in making sure that you stayed together and I blamed you and I know it wasn't your fault and I feel awful and I'm a horrible brother..." he was babbling almost nonsensically, and Jennie walked around the breakfast bar to cup his face in her hands, and her heart ached.

"Hey," she cooed, "you aren't a horrible brother, June."

"I feel like it, though," he told her honestly, "you've been nothing but good to me for as long as I can remember and I just... I didn't think twice before not taking your side." Jennie pressed a soft kiss to his forehead and brought him in for a hug, chest constricting as she felt the intensity of which June burrowed himself into her embrace.

"I'm sorry, Jen," he repeated, voice muffled from where his face was buried in the crook of her neck.

"It's okay, June," Jennie assured, "I'm not mad at you." She could never really bring herself to be mad at him. June was by far the most kindhearted, gentle person Jennie knew, which was astounding considering their rather lackluster parental guidance, and she knew he didn't have a single bad bone in his body.

"You aren't?" he asked, and Jennie knew he thought she should be.

"No," she promised, "you didn't do anything wrong, June." She kissed the top of his head again before releasing him, and June offered her a small smile before wiping at his eyes quickly.

"Go do your homework," Jennie encouraged, "we're good, strikbro ." He nodded, moving out of the kitchen, and Jennie breathed deeply.

How a simple fight had turned into a mess so quickly was astounding to her, but she was glad, at least, that she still had Jisoo and her kru by her side.

Though the relationship between the so-called kru and delinquents was still uneasy, the air had settled a bit just in time for the dawning of the YG school carnival, which was one of the most highly anticipated weekends of the year.

"I don't understand why everyone's so excited," Jennie huffed, plopping down next to Jisoo in English in an attempt to drown out the bustle of the classroom, "it's just a carnival."

"Yeah, babe," Jisoo responded, "but this is YG . The most interesting thing that's happened here in forever was when Bobby M took a goat to prom like fifteen years ago..." she trailed off at Jennie's raised eyebrow. "You've never heard of Bobby M and the goat? Wow, you're really behind on school lore."

"I did just come here this year, sunshine," Jennie reasoned, but Jisoo shook her head.

"Still, not knowing about Bobby M and the goat? That's like, legendary here. Anyways, it's really fun, Jen, I can't believe you've never gone. I've seen plenty of Mt. Weather kids there in the past year."

"I didn't have any reason to go before," Jennie answered, "but now I do." Jisoo raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, really now? And what might that be?"

"Well," Jennie teased, "I have to impress my lady with my prowess in carnival games, now, don't I?" Jisoo laughed and leaned into Jennie, sighing contentedly as Jennie's arms wrapped around her stomach.

"I dunno, Jen, I'm pretty hard to impress," Jisoo responded seriously, "nobody's been able to top the time Ben Finnegan won me the giant teddy bear in first grade." Jennie's eyes narrowed at the challenge, even though it'd been issued playfully.

"I'm going to win you something from every single stall," she swore, "set the new record." Jisoo rolled her eyes and turned to press a quick kiss to Jennie's cheek.

"Your competitiveness is cute, babe."

"I'm gonna do it!" Jennie insisted. "Just watch."

"Alright, Jen, whatever you say."

The week leading up to the carnival, it was all anybody was talking about. The underclassmen wondered which of their teachers would be volunteering to get dunked in water or pied in the face, and Jennie heard June rather vocally campaigning for Henry to be among those involved in the public humiliation to benefit the school as a whole.

While still not entirely convinced that the carnival was as exciting as all the students claimed it was, Jennie still found herself looking forward to it, if not just for the sole purpose of proving her superiority to her girlfriend. Jennie couldn't have some first grader of days past besting her.

Speaking of the first graders, the first night of the carnival also happened to fall on a Little Grounders meeting, which would last until the metaphorical holy gates and high schoolers were allowed to over indulge themselves in funnel cake and cotton candy.

As soon as Jennie strolled into the grassy field in front of the school, she was assaulted by a weight to her knees, as a tiny person barrelled into her.

"You're back!" Niki was even more enthusiastic than the last time Jennie had seen her, eyes bright and a brilliant smile on her face.

"Nice to see you too, Niki," Jennie chuckled, exchanging a look with Jisoo, whose hand was linked with hers. It took the first grader only a few moments to notice the change, and she shot a smug look at Jennie.

"I told you she was your girlfriend," Niki said matter-of-factly, "I'm always right."

Jisoo, not having had to deal with the little girl's insistent questions the first time she'd been with Jennie, merely tilted her head in confusion, which Jennie answered with a mouthed 'I'll tell you later'.

"You can help Jisoo with art today," Niki decided, "that way I can talk to both of you."

Knowing that there was no sense in trying to argue with the girl who always got her way, Jennie merely shrugged and followed Jisoo to the sunny courtyard area where the kids painted and drew under her tutelage, and was surprised to find Chanyeol already sitting there, a few kids climbing all over him, including the one Jennie remembered to have fallen out of a tree.

"That's Sam," Niki told Jisoo and Jennie, "they're my best friend."

"...they're?" Jennie asked, befuddled.

"Sam isn't a boy or a girl," Niki said fiercely, "Sam's just Sam, okay?" They nodded, and Niki smiled, before making her way to the smaller child, saying words at miles a minute that Jennie couldn't quite catch.

"Looks like you've got a fan," Jisoo chuckled, and Jennie scoffed.

"You should've heard how she talked about you," Jennie informed her, "like you put the stars in the sky."

"I'm just that cool," Jisoo grinned, and Jennie couldn't help but agree.

"Chanyeol," she greeted, and the brown haired boy offered her a half-smile as he shrugged a little boy of his shoulders.

"Theo, I'm a Big Grounder, not a tree, go sit with Kelly." The boy pulled a face, but followed the instructions. Chanyeol, no matter how nice he might have been, didn't exactly come across as friendly, and wasn't someone Jennie would've messed with when she was younger. "What brings you to the humble art corner, Kim?"

"Niki insisted I come," she responded, and Chanyeol actually smiled somewhat at that.

"She's a persistent little urchin, I'll give her that," he chuckled, and before Jisoo could reprimand him about calling the children urchins, Niki's friend, Sam, piped up.

"Did you know that red sea urchins have the longest lifespan on earth?" Jennie hadn't, in fact, known that, and she wondered why on earth the child did in the first place. "Up to two hundred years."

"Are sea urchins your favorite animal?" Jisoo asked, and Sam looked at her as though she'd said something fundamentally stupid.

"Of course not," the first grader scoffed, "I just like em cos they're red. I like red pandas better."

"Can we draw animals again?" Niki pleaded. "I've been practicing my elephants."

"Can we draw giraffes?" Theo suggested, and Chanyeol groaned, just as another girl, who'd been eating oreos, piped up.

"Giraffes are my favorite!"

"If we draw giraffes I might actually ki..." he trailed off as Jisoo fixed him with a hard stare, "...kick myself because I can't?" She nodded, and Chanyeol smiled tightly.

"Jen, babe, why don't you go help Sam and Niki?" Jisoo suggested. "I'm gonna go over to Theo, Kelly, and Maria because Chanyeol might actually scream if he has to draw giraffe legs." Jennie nodded before walking over to the two kids waiting for her.

"I can draw elephants really well, now," Niki informed her once more, hunched over her paper, tongue sticking out in concentration.

"She wants to impress Tori," Sam whispered, dodging the small swipe Niki sent their way.

"Do not," Niki scowled.

"Yes you do, don't lie," Sam frowned, "lying is bad." They turned to Jennie. "Niki wants to be girlfriends with Tori like you're girlfriends with Jisoo." Niki flushed and Jennie bit back a laugh, smiling brightly.

"Well, you're more like me than I thought you were."

The hour passed relatively smoothly, only a minor mishap occurring when the kids bickered over who got to draw with Jisoo and who got to eat the oreos, but Jisoo quickly quelled them, and Jennie melted at how good her girlfriend was with kids.

Clean up was another story though.

Jennie may or may not have laughed when Chanyeol ended up with a handprint-shaped paint splatter on his cheek courtesy of Sam.

"My lady," she offered her arm to Jisoo as they headed out of the elementary school and back to the direction of their own.

The fields around YG were bustling with more life than Jennie had ever seen.

There were several different rides erected, the most memorable being the ferris wheel, the cliche of all high school cliches, and booths filled every possible surface, sporting giant stuffed animals and games that were supposed to be impossible to beat.

Jennie was going to beat every single one of them.

The first stall she and Jisoo came across, armed with tickets, was the High Striker. The operator for the game, a gangly teenage boy with crooked teeth and bad breath, smirked at the two of them, obviously unaware of Jennie's status as a virtual stud.

"You ladies think you're up for the challenge?" he offered, making a wide sweeping motion towards the game. "Tell you what, I'll be nice and give you two tries to win the giant bear."

Jisoo and Jennie exchanged a look, and the football player smirked, taking the hammer from him smoothly.

"You're so nice," she cooed, "let me see if I can do it."

She threw the first hit on purpose, striking it pitifully, and the operator smirked, leaning back against the ticket booth looking entirely too pleased with himself.

"Not bad for your first attempt," he snickered, "why don't you try again, doll?"

Jennie shot him a dazzling smile, before hefting the hammer and slamming it down on the machine with all her might, and her efforts were rewarded with the loud, clear ring of the bell.

"I'll take the giant bear," Jennie said, sickeningly sweet, " doll ."

Thoroughly embarrassed, the boy took down the bear from the hook and handed it to Jennie, who quickly passed it to Jisoo.

"I'm pretty sure he'll be mortified for weeks," Jisoo giggled, and Jennie grinned at her, linking their hands together.

It was, perhaps, the most cliché teenage date that Jennie had ever been on, but she found herself loving every moment of it.

In between carnival games and discount rides, Jennie stole kisses from Jisoo that were sweeter than any of the confectionary being offered (and with the added benefit of no calories!), and took pictures of the two of them just... being. Jisoo's face was flushed pink with joy, and, already on a bit of a sugar rush, dragged Jennie around the booths, pointing out her favorite games and which of the prizes most caught her eye.

True to her word, Jennie won every single one of them.

Carrying all of the hard-earned tokens of victory, though, was another story, so Jisoo began handing stuffed animals out to the kids she saw staring at her in awe, including Sam, who was running underfoot. As always, the sight of her girlfriend with kids made Jennie melt, and she felt herself falling deeper and deeper for the other girl with every passing moment.

"C'mon, Jen, time for the ferris wheel," Jisoo grinned, tugging on her girlfriend's sleeve, "this date has to be as textbook high school rom-com as possible."

"A football player and an artist, how original," Jennie laughed, following Jisoo with ease, "except we do have a bit of originality in the fact that we're both girls and this is a very gay relationship."

"Already better than half of the YA novels out there, then," Jisoo quipped, and with a few flirty comments towards the ticket boy for the ferris wheel, the line was skipped and the two found themselves being lifted into the sky.

"You can see everything from up here," Jisoo exhaled breathlessly, looking out as the sun crept below the horizon, "it's beautiful."

"Mhmm," Jennie agreed, eyes never leaving the expanse of Jisoo's face, tracing the rosy tint to her cheeks, the brilliant smile fixed on her face, the way her eyes shone in the fading sunlight.

"Oh look," Jisoo pointed out, "there's June."

Sure enough, Jennie's little brother was a few seats below them, talking excitedly, from what Jennie could make out, with his brown-haired friend, Adam or something.

"I wonder when Hanbin's going to make a move," Jisoo wondered aloud, and Jennie's head snapped around so quickly Jisoo was sure she'd get whiplash.

"What?" Jennie gawked. "Make a move? On my baby brother?"

"Jennie, June's not a baby," Jisoo laughed, "he's in high school."

"He's a baby!" Jennie repeated incredulously. "He isn't allowed to date until I'm in the grave."

"Which hopefully won't be for a long time," Jisoo laughed, leaning into her girlfriend, "your protectiveness is cute, babe, but you need to let your little baby bird leave the nest someday."

Jennie shook her head petulantly.

"Over my dead body," she repeated, "if that little punk pulls anything..." She trailed off, leaving the threat open ended, and Jisoo rolled her eyes.

"Hanbin's sweet, you'd like him," she told Jennie, knowing full well that Jennie didn't like anyone she even thought was trying to get with her little brother, "he does well in his classes, he plays soccer, he's a proper gentleman."

Jennie made an annoyed noise, and her eyes widened as the two of them observed Hanbin skillfully slip his arm around June's shoulders, and before she could open her mouth to yell at them, Jisoo captured her lips in a sweet, sugary kiss that soon had Jennie forgetting all about her little brother and the treacherous boy trying to woo him.

By the time she and Jisoo detached, their feet once more brushed against the ground, and Jennie pulled Jisoo up gently.

"Come on, ladykiller," Jisoo laughed, "there's one more thing you haven't won me."

There were legends throughout YG of the unbeatable ring-toss game, theories on how it was rigged with magnets, how the lips of the bottles had tiny little force-fields to ward off all attempts at victory. There were even a few rather outlandish claims that the woman who set up the booth every year was a witch who implemented dark magic in order to make sure nobody won.

Jennie, of course, disproved all of those claims in about three seconds flat.

And Jisoo found herself the proud owner of a new goldfish.

"What should we name him?" she asked Jennie as they headed towards her car, having visited all the booths and taken a spin on all of the rides.

"I think Jennie Jr. is a good name," Jennie told her matter-of-factly, waving June over from where he was loitering with a few of his friends.

"I'm not naming our fish Jennie Jr., babe," Jisoo sighed, "maybe Sushi?"

"You want to name our fish after a food with fish in it?" Jennie gasped, scandalized. "That's awful."

"It's a lot better than Jennie Jr.!" Jisoo defended, and June rolled his eyes at the two of them, shaking his head.

"Well how about Rex?"

"Rex is a dog's name, Jen."

"You should name it Dog," June piped up, opening his car door as the couple bickered, "I bet nobody's named their fish that before."

And so, Dog the fish was born.

After Jennie had dropped Jisoo off at her house, ensuring that she returned by the strict curfew Dara had set, she and June headed to the nearest PetSmart, over a dozen tabs on proper goldfish care opened on June's phone.

"Jennie, I'm pretty sure we don't need a tank that big," June frowned, looking at the 30 gallon tank Jennie was pointing at. "WikiHow says that you only need one for fifteen or twenty."

"Listen, strikbro ," Jennie said seriously, "this is going to be the best cared for goldfish in human existence. You said that they can live as long as dogs. We're the Kim family, we don't do things in halves. Dog is going to live forever."

"I don't think even you can pull that off," June told her, gently pushing Jennie's hands off of the thirty gallon tank and to a twenty gallon one, "I'm sure Dog will be just fine in this tank, especially since he's the size of a guppy right now."

"He's going to be like Clifford," Jennie said, "he's going to grow as much as I love him."

"You're an idiot," June deadpanned, and his sister scowled at him.

"Ok, so we're going to need some dechlorinator... or do they sell distilled water? We can always break into Pike's lab and use that, and a water filter, and some gravel, some fake plants, and a centerpiece."

"This one looks like the coliseum," Jennie grinned, pulling it into the cart, "I'm sure Dog will appreciate it."

"He's a goldfish, Jen."

"That doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings, June."

"Alright, alright, sheesh, you're like a worried mother hen already, I can't imagine what you're going to be like with kids. OW! Jen, that hurt!" June rubbed his head, scowling, while Jennie ignored him, browsing through the different fake plants and small objects to put in the tank.

"Hey, look at this one!"

" Beware of Dog , I like it. It's to the point."

"Alright, now onto filters..."

"Jennie! That one's three hundred dollars!"

"If it's the best, then we're buying it. Dog deserves the best."

"Jisoo's going to kill you when she finds out how much money you spent on a goldfish ."

"Jisoo doesn't need to know," Jennie brushed off, "and if you tell her, I'll just have Harper publish your baby pictures in the school paper."

*****

The YG High art showroom was alight with color and passion as students and parents alike filtered in to see the greatness of their art program.

Jisoo was the "artist of honor" and therefore, her pieces were hanging everywhere. And rightfully so.

They were the best works Jennie had ever seen.

No one else compared, and Jennie was damn proud as she strode along every inch of the showroom, knowing Jisoo was busy at the back with several parents and talent scouts. She was content just staring at her art, for now.

"Hey! Earth to Jennie, there are free snacks in the- Whoa." Chaeyoung's voice faded as she brought her eyes up to what Jennie was staring at. "Holy shit."

Jennie took in a breath, eyeing the oil painting before her. On it, were two rich brown eyes, surrounded by a familiar black mask of "war paint". Within the eyes were trees, both darkened and lit by the night sky that hung over them, stars dotting their expanse.

It was a rendition of the first painting of Jisoo's that Jennie had ever seen.

In the corner, on the placard, it was entitled, just as the first had been: The Earth and The Sky.

Jennie felt tears well in her eyes, and had to blink them away rapidly, swallowing the lump in her throat. Jisoo had done this for her.

She was so, so in love with Jisoo Kim. It took seconds, really. From the first time she heard Jisoo's voice, stubborn and unwavering. She was in love with Jisoo Kim. Just the thought put a smile to Jennie's lips.

"Do you like it?" A shy voice purred from her ear, and before she could protest Chaeyoung being so close, Jennie felt two familiar arms wrap around her, and she was home.

"Jisoo." Jennie practically choked out, turning to gaze at her. Jisoo looked beautiful, wearing her formal presenter's suit as mandated by the staff. Her brown locks were done up in an elegant bun, and her smile sparkled.

"Oh my god, Jennie, are you crying?" Jisoo grinned, biting her lip as she dabbed at Jennie's practically unshed tears.

"You are so amazing." Jennie whispered, wrapping her arms around Jisoo's waist, despite the stares of the onlookers.

Jisoo blushed a crimson shade, lacing her fingers together behind Jennie's neck. "You didn't have to come you know." She whispered. "I could always show you privately-"

"Jisoo." Jennie interrupted her, shaking her head in awe. "What you've done...what you're doing...You're so incredible, Jisoo. These deserve museums, and...and galleries. I don't believe it, I-"

Jisoo's heart just about burst with happiness. Jennie was genuinely floored, not just for show. How had she ever gotten so lucky?

"You were the inspiration." Jisoo admitted quietly. "If you couldn't tell."

Jennie nodded slowly, casting a glance in the direction of the rich emerald hue.

"You're my earth." Jisoo shrugged as if it was effortless. "You keep me grounded, and steady."

Jennie smiled, leaning down to kiss Jisoo, whispering, "Then you must be the stars in my sky."

"Ugh." A voice sounded from behind them, and they barely turned to witness Chaeyoung looking at them as if they smelled foul. "Do you two know we're in public?"

A little growl sounded at the back of Jennie's throat, and Jisoo chuckled. "Sorry guys."

"I'll let it slide." Chaeyoung smirked, watching Jennie tense as she strode off to find Bogum.

"She might have a point." Jisoo laughed as she leaned up to kiss Jennie's cheek.

"I'm proud that I managed to catch someone as brilliant as you...." Jennie motioned to all the artwork, lacing her hands with Jisoo's. "At the very least, let me tote you around and brag about you."

Jisoo grinned when Jennie lifted their entwined hands, pressing a kiss to Jisoo's soft skin. "These hands are incredibly gifted, Jisoo."

Jisoo smirked, wiggling her eyebrows. "You don't even know that...yet, Kim."

Jennie just smiled, allowing Jisoo to lead her from piece to piece, falling deeper and deeper in love with each one.

*****

Jisoo glanced at her laptop screen with a guarded expression as she felt Dara cast a glance from over her shoulder before slipping out of the room, laundry basket in hand.

As soon as she was gone, Jisoo minimized the window of Sunmi's class homework page and reopened Skype, where she'd been messaging Jennie, since her phone had been confiscated.

Yes, Jisoo Kim, all around wonderful daughter and perfect student, was grounded.

Dara had grounded her, over her outburst over her mother seeing her teacher. Jisoo knew she'd crossed a line, but really? What was she, twelve? And now, she couldn't text Jennie every five seconds. And that really killed her, because she really enjoyed the constant accessibility to her girlfriend's calming words and cocky quips.

She knew her teachers and elders would likely bitch about how pathetic it was to constantly have to be in communication with someone but...it was Jennie.

And Jisoo didn't really give a damn about some jaded old generation's concept of technology, anyway.

She glanced back at her screen when a little chime sounded.

Jennie Kim <3 :
I can hear you thinking, Jisoo.

Jisoo Kim :
Oh? What am I thinking about?

Jennie Kim<3 :
Hmm. The meaning of life.

Jisoo Kim :
No.

Jennie Kim<3 :
The Multiverse theory?

Jisoo Kim :
No.
Is there a universe where you're a better guesser?

Jennie Kim<3 :
You wound me. Are you thinking about my abs?

Jisoo Kim :
....
Mhmm.

Jennie Kim<3 :
Jisoo Kim, stop objectifying me.
Would you like to feel them? ;)

Jisoo Kim:
Is this your lame way of inviting me over?

Jennie Kim<3 :
Yes. A date. Lots of kissing.

Jisoo Kim:
You know I can't. Even though I really really want to.

Jennie Kim<3 :
Oh, right. Grounded. My poor heart.

Jisoo Kim :
I can't even video call you, my mom would hear.
And it's a shame because I miss that jawline.

Jennie Kim<3 :
I miss you too, Jisoo.
What are you doing tonight?

Jisoo Kim :
Studying for Kane's test. Crying. Take your pick.

Jennie Kim<3 :
Oh.
I'm sure you'll do well. I've seen the test.
...I can just give you the answers, Jisoo.

Jisoo Kim:
Thanks, babe, but studying is all I have to do, anyway.
Have fun at practice. Think of me.

Jennie Kim<3 :
Always, Jisoo.

Jisoo was never entirely sure how to end a conversation with Jennie, simply because she always felt the compulsion to type: "I love you."

But she hasn't said it yet, either. Neither had. It was beginning to kill Jisoo, thinking it without an utterance to Jennie's face.

And she certainly wasn't about to do it over Skype. Shutting her laptop, she buried herself back in her history textbook, trying not to think of her girlfriend's lovely abs.

Two hours after Jennie had stopped messaging Jisoo, just as the dusky sky had faded into a silent, black finale, Jennie pulled up just a little short of Jisoo's residence, in a car that was not her own.

She quietly slipped out of the vehicle, careful to avoid triggering Jisoo's automatic front lights as she slowly swept around towards the back of the house, unlocking the gate with the key she'd kept from their spat earlier.

She heard a rustle in the bushes and tensed momentarily, before recognizing it as a cool breeze rustling a few leaves.

She wasn't afraid, per se. Well, not for her own wellbeing, but Jisoo's. If Dara caught her...things wouldn't go well for her girlfriend. But...this wasn't trespassing, right? It was only eight o'clock. And besides, she and Jisoo were dating.

Jennie stopped short of Jisoo's window, whipping out her cell phone to pull up the Skype app. She texted a quick message to Jisoo's laptop, smirking to herself when she heard it ring from Jisoo's room, one floor up, and then bit her lip.

The tree beside Jisoo's window was strategically placed for this very mission, it seemed. Jennie sighed as she rolled her shoulders back in her leather jacket, praying she wouldn't injure herself too badly, as she had the remainder of the football offseason to complete.

She dug her heel into the bark, and with a determined leap, she began climbing. She dug into the tree with tense hands as she hauled herself onto the first branch, thankful for the muscles she'd spent her life building up. She began the slow crawl up the branch that tapped against Jisoo's window, slowly so that she could test her weight on it.

Luck was on her side, and it was more than sturdy. With a determined will, she threw herself forward, crouched and tense, just as the window in front of her opened. She landed with a small thud, safely on Jisoo's floor, scaring the life out of her girlfriend.

Jisoo's eyes widened as she dropped down onto Jennie, checking her for any injuries. "Jennie?" She hissed, voice low.

Jennie took a moment to take her in, in her elegant beauty. She was wearing a t-shirt and sweats, her hair done up in a messy bun, her eyes alight with a joy she couldn't mask if she wanted to.

Jennie licked her lips as her hands found Jisoo's hips, pulling her to straddle Jennie's prone body on the floor. Jisoo immediately melted into her touch, leaning down as they met in a hot kiss, Jennie clearly having missed her.

"Jisoo." Jennie breathed against her lips, sitting up, keeping Jisoo in her lap.

"Jennie. Babe. What are you doing here?" Jisoo asked breathlessly, feeling entirely too turned on to talk.

"You were grounded..." Jennie trailed off, pressing a soft kiss to Jisoo's cheek. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Jisoo responded instantly, glancing hesitantly to the door.

"Is your mom home?" Jennie asked quietly, stroking Jisoo's hair.

"Yeah." Jisoo muttered. "We're not really talking. I need a break from her, but...I'm stuck here."

"Is that so?" Jennie smirked, standing up, pulling Jisoo up with her. "What would you say if I told you I had a surprise date planned for you, Jisoo?"

Jisoo gasped slightly. "It'd have to be in this room, because I can't leave. How the hell did you get here, anyway?"

"Tree." Jennie murmured.

"Just to see me?"

"Just to see you..." Jennie trailed off softly, arms slipping around Jisoo's waist. "Just to hear your voice." Jennie hummed, leaning in to kiss Jisoo. "...Just to sneak you out."

Jisoo was closing her eyes, swooning, until the last part. "Huh?"

Jennie smirked. "An adventure."

"Jen, I'm not dressed-"

"You look stunning. Besides, no one else will see you." Jennie assured.

"Where, Jennie?" Jisoo cocked a brow.

"My secret to know, yours to find out."

"Well...Jennie. I can't climb trees like you can. How will I-"

"Jisoo." Jennie smirked, and Jisoo couldn't help but feel drawn in. "Do you trust me?"

"I do." Jisoo replied with a sigh.

"Then..." Jennie grinned. "Follow me, sunshine." She winked as she slipped out the window, leaving Jisoo to gape after her, watching as Jennie nimbly slid down the branch, skidding down the trunk as she stuck her landing with a smile. "See?" She whispered. "Nothing to it."

Jisoo took a breath. She wasn't exactly scared of heights, but...she didn't have a death wish either. "Jennie." She felt her stomach lurch. "I can't do this."

Jennie's gaze softened as she schooled her excitement. "Jisoo. You were born for this." She smiled. "Just...Yeah, there you go. Easy. Onto that branch right there."

Jisoo slowly moved, doing as she was instructed with shaky hands and a vice like grip. She moved onto the branch, crawling her way towards the center, until she glanced down, muscles tensing up. She felt herself slipping, slowly.

"Jen!" She hissed. "I...I can't...I'm gonna fall."

"Jisoo, it's okay." Jennie insisted softly. "Let go."

"What?" Jisoo hissed once more. "Are you insane?"

"Jisoo, baby, just fall. I'll catch you." Jennie instructed, her voice gentle and coaxing. "I've got you no matter what."

Jisoo couldn't believe it. She actually listened to Jennie, squeezing her eyes shut and abandoning her instincts as she released her slipping grip on the branch, awaiting the harsh impact of the ground.

She never found it.

Instead, she opened her eyes to Jennie's smile, leaning forward to kiss her on her forehead. "I've got you, Jisoo." She cooed softly, steadying Jisoo with a smile. "Are you alright?"

Jisoo clung to the hood of her leather jacket, wrapping her arms around Jennie's neck as she muttered, "I cannot believe I did that."

Jennie let out a soft melodic laugh, leading Jisoo out to her car.

"Jennie...?" Jisoo questioned with a raised eyebrow as they approached the truck. "Did you steal someone's car?"

Jennie smirked, rubbing Jisoo's shoulders as she walked behind her. "Would you get in if I said yes?"

Jisoo contemplated it momentarily, hopping onto the passenger seat as Jennie opened the door, then coming to stand between Jisoo's legs as Jisoo pressed their foreheads together. "Yes." She replied, tugging Jennie forward by her collar. "We could be Bonnie and Clyde."

"We could...minus the ending." Jennie chuckled, biting Jisoo's lip. "I already told you. I'm bulletproof."

Jisoo smiled, burying her nose between Jennie's collar and neck, kissing the tender skin there.

"Someone's affectionate tonight." Jennie hummed teasingly, pulling apart to go around to the driver's seat.

"After the romantic stunt you just pulled?" Jisoo scoffed. "How couldn't I be?"

Jennie smiled, turning the key into the ignition as she linked her free hand with Jisoo's, sending the truck rolling into motion.

"Don't worry." Jennie laughed as she started down the road. "It's Bogum's. I borrowed it for a very special evening."

*****

"Jen?" Jisoo offered as they made their way up of one of YG's curvier mountainside roads. Jisoo had hiked it dozens of times with Wells, but she'd never been there at night.

"I'll admit. It looks a bit misleading." Jennie laughed. "Lonely mountain road at night, I snuck you out....kind of sounds like the beginning of a horror movie."

Jisoo rolled her eyes, kissing Jennie's hand. "If I were with anyone but you, I'd be worried."

Jennie winked as she pulled the car off road into the dirt lot towards the top, coming to a rolling stop. She stepped out, murmuring a quick "Stay here."

Jisoo watched with a cocked brow as she moved to the bed of the truck, making several noises as she climbed in and started maneuvering around. Jisoo couldn't see what the hell she was doing. A light turned on, reflecting from back by the truck bed, and then Jennie hopped off, darting to Jisoo's door, extending her arms out around Jisoo's waist.

"My lady." She offered huskily as she lifted Jisoo, leading her to the extended truck bed, where Jisoo's breath caught in her throat.

Jennie had set up a series of blankets and pillows, unrolled and unfurled, as well as a few snacks in the corner. She'd strung fairy lights to the edges of the railings, smirking when she saw Jisoo's jaw drop.

"Jen." Jisoo choked slightly, climbing in beside her as she leaned against the pillow, head propped up, taking in Jisoo's expression.

"I know it isn't much, and Bogum will kill me for the fairy-lights on his car, but you like them, so I figured it's a little escape from-"

Jisoo's lips were on Jennie's and her hands were on Jennie's hips, pulling her impossibly closer as she kissed her like a madwoman.

Jennie's eyes widened before they softened, her arms curling around Jisoo, a drunken smile on her lips.

"I love it." Jisoo whispered. "I can't believe you did this."

Jennie's smile widened. "Believe it, I did it for you." She whispered. She turned to the solar lights, flicking them off with a switch. Jisoo glanced at her curiously, as Jennie noticed Jisoo's goosebumps.

"Oh, baby, here." Jennie murmured, shedding off her leather jacket as she coaxed Jisoo into it.

"No, Jen, I'm not taking your jacket again." Jisoo mumbled cutely.

Jennie smiled, draping it over Jisoo's shoulders. "You'll have to keep me warm again."

Jisoo grinned at the reference to their first kiss at Irene's party, and wrapped her arms around Jennie, head falling back onto the pillow as she glanced up.

She realized why Jennie had turned off the lights.

The sky was beautiful without the distraction of the city lights, and Jisoo could clearly see every constellation she'd been telling Jennie about before.

She was breathless. Or, she thought she'd been, until she turned around to meet Jennie's gaze.

"You love space, so..." Jennie smiled sheepishly. "I can't take you to the stars, just yet."

Jisoo shook her head. "You do, Jennie." She protested, eyes alight with love, heart hammering in her chest. She had to say it.

She just had to.

"Jennie..." She opened her mouth, but closed it, as Jennie opened hers.

"I...got you one more thing." Jennie murmured, stroking Jisoo's hair.

"What else could I possibly want?" Jisoo murmured back.

"Check your right jacket pocket." Jennie nuzzled her neck affectionately.

Jisoo smiled and raised a brow, but followed her instructions.

She felt something slightly cold and rectangular. Cocking a brow, she pulled it out, glancing at it somewhat quizzically. "Your phone?" She asked softly.

Jennie smirked, shaking her head. "Mine is in my pocket. That's your phone."

Jisoo's jaw dropped, and Jennie couldn't resist grinning.

"Wh...what?" Jisoo sputtered. "My mom took my phone away for a few weeks, not forever...Jennie, this is brand new...I can't...accept this!"

Jennie chuckled. "This one, we won't tell your mother about. This is so that I can always hear that beautiful voice of yours."

Jisoo's heart stuttered. "You're too amazing..." She whispered. "I don't...who does this? Who is this amazing of a girlfriend?"

Jennie waved her off affectionately. "Jisoo, relax."

Jisoo shook her head in awe, pressing at the home screen. It lit up, and a picture of Jennie, her arms around Jisoo, kissing her cheek, filled the screen.

Jisoo swore she was going to cry.

She was going to say it.

She had to.

"Jennie..." She began, but Jennie was already on about something else.

"Shall we test call it?" Jennie asked, without waiting for an answer, dialing the number into her phone.

A pause filled the air.

And then it rang out into the silence of the evening, a smile forming on Jisoo's face.

"Well?" Jennie prodded her with her brows raised. "Aren't you going to answer it?"

Jisoo rolled her eyes playfully but picked up, holding the phone up to her ear. "Hello?" She teased.

"Hello, Jisoo." Jennie leaned forward, taking a breath. "I just called to tell you that...I love you."

A lump formed in Jisoo's throat as the words echoed in her ears, in her mind, in her heart. She blinked rapidly, tears forming as she hung up the call, flinging her arms around Jennie's neck. "I love you too." She whispered against Jennie's lips, grinning against Jennie's smile. "I love you, I love you, I love you..." She murmured breathlessly. "I've been wanting to say that for a while."

The tears in Jisoo's eyes were matched by Jennie's, as both girls couldn't help the wave of emotion that rolled between them.

"I love you." Jisoo repeated softly.

Jennie grinned. "What was that? Say it again?"

Jisoo grinned right back, her hands slipping up the expanse of Jennie's tight abdomen, soothingly rubbing her skin. "I." She trailed her lips down Jennie's jaw, slowly moving to straddle her. "Love." she lifted Jennie's shirt, leaning down to trail her lips across her skin. "You." She murmured, rocking her hips slowly into Jennie's, lacing her hands with Jennie's as well.

"You're really beautiful." Jennie whispered, entranced. She held Jisoo's hand as Jisoo bit her lip, still slowly rocking into Jennie as she kissed her neck.

"Me?" Jisoo whispered in disbelief. "You're like a Greek goddess. And you're not just beautiful here..."Jisoo whispered, kissing her face gently. "But..." She moved down to Jennie's chest, kissing right under her left breast, sending chills up her spine. "Here, too."

Jennie smiled, exhaling a breath into the night air as her hands found their way to Jisoo's hips, gently supporting her weight. She noticed the conviction in Jisoo's gaze and whispered, "We don't have to, tonight, Jisoo."

Jisoo cocked a brow in surprise, stopping her actions momentarily. "I...But..."

"You won't hesitate when you're ready." Jennie murmured, hands snaking up Jisoo's shirt to rub against her back. "And when you are, I'm here, my love."

Jisoo found herself grinning, whether it was at the new pet name, or Jennie's chivalry, she wasn't sure. She took Jennie's hand to her lips, pressing soft, succulent kisses to each digit. "You're too good for me." She whispered.

"Don't say that." Jennie admonished softly. "We're perfect for each other."

Jisoo blinked thoughtfully. "My dad used to say that soulmates came from the same star. Made of the same stardust, bound together, until they meet again."

Jennie nodded, taking her turn to absently press kisses against Jisoo's fingers. "Do you believe that?"

Jisoo smiled, leaning down as she felt Jennie's arms wrap around her once more. "I don't know." She admitted, seemingly high on her love for Jennie. "I'm not sure if it's stars we share in common, Jen, but I do know he was right about something else."

"And what was that?" Jennie questioned with a look of love and curiosity.

"He told me that, whenever I found the one, I'd know. I thought he was crazy. He said I'd just feel right, with them."

Jennie paused, allowing Jisoo to finish her sentiment,

"But that's not how I feel with you." Jisoo croaked out.

Jennie froze, her heart stopping. Before she could question it, Jisoo was continuing.

"It's not even close to how I feel about you." Jisoo whispered. "You still, after all these weeks, make my hands shake, and my heart stutter, and I get excited just seeing your smile every morning." Jisoo admitted, as though she feared rejection, though the word wasn't even in Jennie's vocabulary in that moment. "And..." Jisoo continued. "I didn't even know feelings like this existed. So, if I got a chance to talk with him now...I'd tell him he was wrong, just a little bit. He never predicted someone as amazing as you, Jen."

Jennie's watery eyes had turned into full fledged tears as she buried her face in Jisoo's neck, taking in her scent and closing her eyes, murmuring her love for Jisoo again and again.

Jennie took in a shaky breath as she pressed kisses against Jisoo's neck. "I love you, Jisoo Kim. I'm in love with you." She uttered the words like a holy confession, as if she hadn't been practicing them over and over again, hoping not to stutter in front of her love.

Jisoo sighed contentedly, curling into Jennie's embrace. "Jennie Rubyjane Kim, I love you too."

It was the greatest moment of either of their lives.

*****

"Jisoo!" Dara shouted from the top of the stairs, down to where Jisoo was waiting by the foot of the stairs, medium sized travel bag by her legs, on her phone in a furious pre- Valentine's Day Group Chat. The chat, started by Lisa (who had made vast improvement in her behavior) and Irene as a last ditch effort to try and decide what to wear on their respective dates (or rather, lack of a date, in Lisa's case), was entitled: Get The V.

Yes, it bore multiple meanings.

"Mom?" Jisoo questioned slightly dryly, still not back to being at a fully calm relationship with her mother.

"Where's the pink lip gloss?" Dara asked timidly, from her perch atop the stairs.

Jisoo shivered. "In my bag, mom."

"Why?" Dara's brow furrowed. "Why do you need a bag to- Oh, Jisoo, dear god. Do you have a change of clothes in there?"

Jisoo looked mortified. "Mom, we're not having this conversation." She fiddled with the bag, digging for the lip-gloss. She had more, and she figured her mother needed it more.

"So." Dara blew out a breath, and Jisoo took in her beautiful, sleek black dress, the way it hugged her perfect figure. Even her mom had more confidence than her, it seemed.

"So." Jisoo echoed emptily.

"You're going out with Kim?" Dara tried, rather awkwardly.

"She has a name, mom. It's Jennie." Jisoo defended with a sigh.

"Right." Dara clicked her tongue. "So, she's the one, huh Jisoo?"

"The one what?" Jisoo repeated, a challenge seeping into her tone.

"You want to give your virginity to Jennie Kim?"

Jisoo's brows shot up as she fumbled with the lip gloss. "Oh, god, mom!" She tossed the lip gloss at her. "Are you seriously asking me that-"

"Well, you clearly came prepared." Dara mumbled, motioning to the bag protectively.

Jisoo looked affronted. She had no intention of sleeping with Jennie...in that sense. Well...maybe a little. Okay, so she did, and if her stupid inhibitions and fears weren't holding her back, she wouldn't have settled on "I brought some overnight stuff so I wouldn't have to come home to you and Kane, my teacher!" Jisoo cried out, noticing that her phone was buzzing like crazy. She smoothed out her dress, hearing the sound of a familiar crisp engine pulling up to the house.

"It's my girlfriend." Jisoo motioned to the door. "Bye, mom."

"Jisoo..." Dara sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Please, be safe."

Jisoo nodded slowly. "And mom?"

"Hmm baby?"

"You look really nice."

Dara smiled as she watched her baby walk out the door.

Jennie was out like a bolt when she noticed Jisoo approaching before she'd had a chance to knock. Smoothing a hand through her hair, she approached Jisoo with a grin, bouquet in hand as she presented it to Jisoo, heart melting at the sight of her girlfriend in a simple floral dress, hair down freely.

"We promised each other no flowers!" Jisoo admonished, though she was grinning as Jennie wrapped her arms around her, leaning down to kiss her tenderly.

"I'm just not a good listener." Jennie smirked against her lips. "But for the record: Hello Jisoo, beautiful girlfriend of mine. Happy Valentine's Day, I love you."

The words sent tingles down Jisoo's spine as she latched onto Jennie, deepening the kiss, eliciting a soft moan from the brunette. "And I love you." She murmured, leaning forward to capture Jennie's lips once more.

"You ready to go?" Jennie mumbled against her lips.

"Wait." Jisoo grinned. "I need to put these in water. Come with me?"

Jennie smiled just as brightly, allowing Jisoo to lead her back to the house and into the kitchen, where a vase with flowers sat, card still attached.

Jennie gasped, turning to Jisoo. "Ugh. You totally got me flowers too." She grinned, eyes lighting up. Jisoo had noticed that Jennie was, as Lisa so eloquently put it, a flower hoe.

"Should they bunk together?" Jisoo teased as she slipped the flowers into the same vase, turning to Jennie with a smile so she could be kissed once more.

"Thank you, Jisoo." Jennie breathed.

"Thank you, Jen. Now, romance me," Jisoo ordered gently, laughing when Jennie picked her up in a sweeping motion, planting kisses along her jaw as she carried her to the car, once again opening the door for her.

"I have this whole date planned out." Jennie smirked. "Prepare to swoon, Kim."

"Make me." Jisoo giggled when Jennie leaned forward and pecked her cheek before going around to the driver's seat, intent on making her promises a reality.

"My love." Jennie spoke up, effectively gathering the attention, and affection, of Jisoo.

"Hmm?"

"I don't know where your beautiful mind is at, but your phone has been buzzing non-stop." Jennie informed her dutifully, hand laced with Jisoo's, eyes on the road.

"Oh." Jisoo frowned, holding her phone. "Siri, who are my messages from?" She commanded, holding the button down.

The monotonous voice read: "You have twenty five messages from group chat: Get the V: Irene said, "Fuck yeah Kim, you're right. Kim looks hot. You and Kim gonna get nasty or-"

Jisoo leapt out of her seat, effectively silencing the embarrassment. She turned beet red, squeezing Jennie's hand. "Oh my god." She mumbled. "I'm so sorry, I can't believe-"

"Hey." Jennie laughed, a smirk on her pillowy lips. "So, you think I look hot?"

"Are you serious?" Jisoo cocked a brow. "All that, and that's what you got?"

"Answer the question, Jisoo." Jennie pressed teasingly.

"Of course I think you're hot. Hence the fact that we're here. You know. Dating." Jisoo scoffed, laughing when Jennie kissed her hand.

"That's a relief." Jennie feigned nervousness. "I was worried."

"Oh, shut up." Jisoo rolled her eyes. "You don't need to be told."

"I do when it's someone as beautiful as you who tells me." Jennie murmured, pressing another kiss to Jisoo's palm.

"Why is it so hard to hate you?" Jisoo wondered aloud, smiling contentedly.

"Hmm?" Jennie pretended to look thoughtful. "...Is it because of my devilishly good looks?"

"You're an ass." Jisoo decided, though she gently rubbed Jennie's hand with her thumb.

"I'm your ass." Jennie specified with a grin, bringing the car to a rolling stop.

Jisoo glanced up, eyes wide. "The lake?" She grinned.

"A picnic for my lady, of course." Jennie grinned right back, stepping out, though Jisoo beat her to the punch, racing to get her door for a change.

Jennie pouted in defeat and Jisoo laughed, leaning forward to kiss her pout.

"Are you hungry?" Jennie asked hopefully, lacing her hand with Jisoo's as she pulled apart.

"I could eat." Jisoo replied shyly.

"I hope so..." Jennie popped the trunk, smiling as she reached for the basket. "Because I brought way too much food."

"Need help carrying that, Commander?" Jisoo offered wryly as she watched Jennie's bicep muscle tense under her shirt.

"What kind of romantic would I be then?" Jennie scoffed, arm sliding around Jisoo's waist as they walked down the extensive grassy expanse, stopping short of the shore.

Jisoo squinted, and she could barely make out the outline of other people, likely couples, on the other side of the distant shore.

"Jennie." She turned, watching as her girlfriend laid out a blanket for them to sit on, humming to herself.

"Love?"

"We're on the residential side." Jisoo noted with a wry smile.

"...yes." Jennie answered with a smirk.

"How did you-"

"I can pull a few strings." Jennie grinned, tugging Jisoo down to fall into her lap as she peppered her face with kisses, laughing at Jisoo's contagious laughter.

"Okay, I'm romanced." Jisoo huffed as she laid back on the blanket, watching the sunset shimmer in golden waves over the glassy lake.

"Baby I'm just getting started." Jennie smirked, sitting up to reach into the basket. "Champagne?" She grinned, pulling out two of Minzy's flutes.

"You're driving." Jisoo pouted. "It wouldn't be fair."

"Well, it's a good thing it's actually just sparkling cider this time, isn't it?" Jennie chuckled when Jisoo slapped her arm, though she kept her hand steady to pour drinks.

The girls drank, and they ate, and they sent off the sunset with laughter and adoring gazes, inching ever closer as their date progressed. Jisoo found herself mirroring Jennie's position, laying on her side, head propped up by an elbow as she watched Jennie fiddle around with the basket.

"What more could you possibly have packed?" Jisoo laughed as Jennie's eyes widened, as did her smile, when she pulled a small container, grinning at the sight.

"My absolute favorite." Jennie announced proudly. "Besides you, sunshine."

Jisoo smirked. "Chocolate covered strawberries?" She reached over, yanking the box from Jennie's hands, causing her girlfriend to pout. "Here." She patted her lap, where Jennie instantly laid her head, smiling up at Jisoo.

"I'm feeding you." Jisoo announced, but first, she plucked a strawberry, biting into it, moaning softly at the taste.

Jennie blinked a few times, trying to reassure herself that no, this wasn't some beautiful fantasy. Jisoo was very much real.

"I want that one." Jennie protested petulantly.

"Ew." Jisoo laughed, finishing the strawberry teasingly. "Here. Open up."

Jennie cocked a brow as Jisoo pushed the strawberry into her mouth, leaning down to simultaneously kiss her forehead. Jennie hummed her contentment as she allowed the taste to wash over her palate, and the feel of Jisoo to wash over her senses.

Jisoo ran her hands through Jennie's luxurious brunette locks, smiling when Jennie let out what sounded like a content purr.

"Jisoo." Jennie breathed, and Jisoo took the cue, leaning down to press a sort of upside down kiss to her lips. "I'm in love with you."

Jisoo grinned against her lips, and it was answer enough, as she deepened the kiss as best she could, ignoring the darkening sky around them.

"Jen." She whined softly.

"Yes?"

"Can I stay with you tonight?" Jisoo asked, sounding intensely vulnerable in that moment.

"Always." Jennie breathed out, sitting upright reluctantly. "We can watch your favorite movie."

Jisoo gasped, clutching her heart dramatically. "You'd watch Pride and Prejudice for me?"

Jennie laughed at that, shaking her head. "What have you done to me, Jisoo Kim?"

*****

Jisoo and Jennie were stumbling into the door together, basket dropped on the floor as Jennie opted to pick Jisoo up instead, sending her into a fit of giggles as she carried her through the kitchen, stopping to pick up snacks for their decided movie night.

"Oh my god, you guys are home!" June's familiar voice sounded and he scampered into the kitchen, practically slamming into Jisoo, throwing his arms around her.

"Hey!" Jisoo grinned, hugging June tightly. "What's up?"

"Everyone was out." June shrugged sheepishly. "I'd forgotten what civilization felt like."

"Minzy and Daesung too?" Jisoo questioned.

"Yeah." Jennie sounded from the pantry. "Daesung is actually a romantic."

"Hmm." Jisoo seemed satisfied, grinning when she realized June was still latched onto her.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Jisoo." June offered meekly, suddenly realizing he might have interrupted their date.

"Aww, thanks June." She kissed his cheek, causing him to redden slightly, earning a scowl from his sister.

June eyed the bags of popcorn. "A movie night? Can I come?"

Jennie looked horrified at the mere suggestion, but before Jisoo could offer a seat to him, his phone buzzed several times. Digging into his pocket, he fumbled, his phone flying in the air.

Jennie caught it with lightning reflexes, squinting at the screen. "Hanbin. Why are you so nervous about a call from Hanbin-"

June scurried away with the phone in his hand, leaving Jennie gaping after him, holding a deflated bag of microwavable popcorn.

Jennie stood there with a slightly raised brow.

"I think someone might have a crush." Jisoo smirked.

"Yeah, on you." Jennie rolled her eyes, slipping the bag into the microwave.

"On June, genius." Jisoo retorted with a smile.

"You have a crush on June?" Jennie snorted. "I mean, I knew you liked both of us, but that's-"

"Hanbin has a crush on June." Jisoo sighed, shaking her head. "Jen, you're a genius, but sometimes you're so dense."

Jennie's eyes widened. "June? And Hanbin? No way."

Jisoo shrugged. "Whatever you say, babe."

Jennie furrowed her brow as she reached for the hot bag delicately. "It's June. He's a baby."

"A baby?" Jisoo scoffed. "He's fifteen, Jen. He's in high school."

Jennie shrugged with a small smile. "He's my baby brother."

Jisoo's heart melted at that and she leaned over to kiss Jennie's cheek. "I love how good of a sister you are."

Jennie smiled, linking her free hand with Jisoo's. "Enough about June. I'm the attractive Kim sibling."

"Of course." Jisoo assured her with a teasing grin, laughing when Jennie pinched her side.

"Come on. Pride and Prejudice won't watch itself."

Jennie was enamored. Jisoo knew every single word that was uttered on the screen, complete with appropriate facial expressions. She smiled and laughed, and Jennie had never seen anything cuter in her life. Jisoo was wrapped up in Jennie's arms, snuggled into her on Jennie's bed, as the movie played on the TV before them.

Jennie had busied herself with kissing Jisoo's neck, gently sucking on the exposed skin from time to time.

Jisoo let out a wistful sigh as her brown gaze took in the expansive ballroom on the screen, filled with couples twirling about.

"I wish we lived back then." Jisoo mumbled, Jennie's lips grazing her cheek.

"Why?" Jennie tried gently. "That seems...dull."

"Dull?" Jisoo scoffed. "It was romantic."

"Jisoo, we couldn't even be together back then." Jennie reminded teasingly.

"But you'd risk an affair for me, wouldn't you?" Jisoo smirked. "Oh, I can see it now. You'd be royalty."

Jennie rolled her eyes. "You dream too much, Jisoo."

"I dream about us." Jisoo defended in a murmur. She gazed dreamily at the screen once more, and Jennie seemed to get the message. Jennie stood, gently sliding off the bed, noticing Jisoo's frown. She turned, in time with the music, and bowed.

"Lady Jisoo, may I have this dance?" She batted her eyelashes expressively.

"Nerd." Jisoo gasped, though her eyes lit up as she offered Jennie her hand. Jennie smiled and lifted Jisoo off the edge, bringing her to her own level. She wound an arm around Jisoo's hips as Jisoo's found her shoulder, the other two hands meeting and clasping.

They began to sway around the room, laughing and giggling at their imperfect missteps, completely ignoring the movie after a while.

Jisoo felt the lights of the room spin, and she felt a lump in her throat that wasn't entirely uncomfortable. The butterflies in her stomach intensified, and she knew immediately what it was.

Oh, god, she was so in love with Jennie Kim.

Jennie smiled, leaning down to kiss her, and she reciprocated eagerly, hooking her arms around Jennie's neck as she leapt up, wrapping her thighs around Jennie's body. Jennie held Jisoo with one hand as she effectively shut off the TV, their labored breaths not quite as disruptive.

Jisoo let out a soft moan when Jennie bit down on her bottom lip, and she deepened the kiss, her thighs clenching at the sudden rush of heat rippling through her body.

Jennie's hands had her dress hiked up, though they were careful not to wander. Jennie felt impulse control her as she backed Jisoo onto the bed, crawling over her as she attacked Jisoo's neck with passionate, open mouthed kisses.

"Jen." Jisoo whined, and then, in one swift motion, flipped her over, smirking as she assaulted Jennie's lips once more. Her hands, desperate and eager, found the hem of Jennie's dress shirt, sliding up onto the expanse of Jennie's flattened, muscled abs.

Jisoo groaned as she dragged her fingers across them, earning a smirk from Jennie.

"Shirt." Jisoo demanded, lifting the shirt all the way, allowing Jennie to pull it up and over her head. Her eyes hungrily took in Jennie's toned body, and she leaned back down to kiss her, hands raking Jennie's abdomen, perhaps her favorite feature of Jennie's. Besides her eyes...and her lips...and her smile...okay, she loved every inch of Jennie. "So hot." She mumbled against Jennie's lips, feeling a fire ignite in her stomach.

She'd never wanted, no, needed Jennie this badly.

"Jisoo?" Jennie asked tentatively, knowing her girlfriend's reservations about these levels of intimacy and beyond.

"I'm fine." Jisoo assured her, though her heart was pounding in her chest. Jennie wasted no time reattaching to Jisoo's lips as she slid her hands down Jisoo's dress straps, revealing her bra first, pausing at the zipper down the side. She felt Jisoo stiffen.

"Jisoo." Jennie's breathy voice was more pointed this time. "We don't have to."

"No." Jisoo croaked. "Jennie, do it."

Jennie bit her lip and slowly peeled the dress off, feeling Jisoo go rigid in her grip. When her eyes made contact with the beautiful expanse of Jisoo's milky skin, she understood why. From under Jisoo's breast, extending all the way down to the side of her hips, near the line of her panties, was a cross body scar. It looked more painful than anything, and Jennie's heart ached at the sight of the angry red flesh.

Jisoo looked as if she were on the verge of tears, hearing Jennie gasp slightly like that. She was shaking, leaning back. "J...Jennie." She whispered. "We can stop. I can go. I know it's ugly, I didn't mean...for...for you to see it, I...-"

Jennie was on her knees in an instant, arms encircling Jisoo.

"Hey." Jennie whispered, tucking a stray lock of hair behind Jisoo's ear. "Shhh." She murmured. "It's alright, my love." She leaned down tentatively, her lips grazing the cloth of Jisoo's bra as she pressed her lips to the scar, moving down along it in a trail of kisses.

Jisoo felt all the tension in her body melt away.

A year.

She'd been carrying self-hate for that scar for over a year.

And Jennie didn't even mind.

Jennie kissed it. And she smiled when she did.

Jisoo thought she was going to die of happiness. She felt tears glisten in her eyes, and then realized Jennie's brown gaze was misty as well.

"You're beautiful, Jisoo." Jennie whispered against her skin, like a sacred prayer, whole and true. "You're absolutely stunning. I love every single inch of you." She murmured, looking up into Jisoo's eyes, her lips pressed against the end of the scar. "Always."

Jisoo felt a lump in her throat that seemed unconquerable. "I...I want to." She nodded breathlessly. "But...I don't know how.... I've never..."

Jennie gave her a soft smile. It wasn't a triumphant smirk. It wasn't a devilish grin. It was a soft, understanding smile. "Jisoo." She murmured. "Let me love you. I'll show you."

Jisoo nodded her acceptance, feeling as if she were giving a lot more than her numb body to Jennie.

Jennie leaned up, kissing Jisoo once more. "Jisoo." She whispered. "Look at me."

Jisoo brought her gaze up to Jennie's, pupils dilated from the stimulation she felt at every inch of her being.

"If you're ever uncomfortable. If you ever want to stop..." Jennie reminded softly. "Don't hesitate. Don't feel like you have to do or accept anything. Okay?" She tilted Jisoo's chin up.

"Okay." Jisoo echoed, hands tugging Jennie closer by her bra straps. "Please, Jen. Kiss me."

Jennie smiled as she leaned in, lips attacking Jisoo's soft, swollen lips as her hands ran down Jisoo's sides, giving her shivers. She heard Jisoo moan her name against her lips, tasting faintly of strawberry lip gloss.

Jennie felt Jisoo push into her, and she seemed to understand, lips lowering to suckle at Jisoo's pulse point, hands grazing the edge of Jisoo's bra, as if asking for permission. Jisoo gave her a breathy "Please." And Jennie had her answer.

Her somewhat calloused, athletic hands found purchase on Jisoo's bra hook, and in one deft motion, it was removed. Slowly, tenderly, she peeled away Jisoo's bra from her body like the petals from a rose, continuing her soothing kissing of Jisoo's throat as a distraction.

Jennie leaned back, glancing up at Jisoo's expression. She closed her eyes, seemingly in a nervous state of bliss. Jennie gently pushed her back against the pillows, straddling her, careful to put her weight on either side of her.

Jennie then leaned down, hands lacing with Jisoo's comfortingly as she set about placing soft butterfly kisses trailing down Jisoo's chest, feeling Jisoo writhe with anticipation beneath her.

"Jennie." Jisoo breathed.

"Patience, my love." Jennie replied gently, slowly trailing her way to Jisoo's exposed breast, kissing around it as she gently brushed a thumb over it, experimentally. Jisoo's shiver was all she needed as she gently ran her tongue over the now stiff nipple, enclosing her mouth around it to suck ever so gently.

"J-Jennie!" Jisoo gasped slightly, fingers clawing at Jennie's back. Jennie smiled from her work for a moment before releasing it, going to do the same to the other breast. Jisoo was practically gasping for air beneath her, eyes sparkling with want and adoration.

Jennie was slow, gentle, and thoughtful. She didn't return to Jisoo's mouth, however. Instead, she began trailing a hot number of kisses down Jisoo's abdomen, reaching the lace edge of Jisoo's panties. She made her way up, kissing Jisoo's lips once more with soft, intense delight as she brought a hand to rest on Jisoo's abdomen.

"Jen." Jisoo murmured against her lips. "I..." She gasped when Jennie's long fingers danced at the edge of her panties.

"Slowly, Jisoo." Jennie whispered, reaching down with a long finger over the wet fabric, pressing into Jisoo's folds ever so gently. Jisoo hissed in satisfaction as she gripped Jennie closer. Jennie smiled softly and instead, gently wedged a knee between Jisoo's thighs as she returned to distracting Jisoo with heated kisses, filled with nips and moans of bliss.

"That feels..." Jisoo breathed, rutting up against Jennie's knee involuntarily.

"You like that?" Jennie chuckled huskily, kissing Jisoo's neck once more, making a bruise, fresh with the intense love of the moment.

Jisoo nodded, white hot flashes of pleasure echoing soundly throughout her body. "Jennie, I...I need you to touch me..."

Jennie nodded slowly against her skin, retracting her knee. Jisoo's hips bucked at the loss. Jennie reached down, gently hooking her fingers in the lace of the fabric, slowly peeling it back.

Fresh, cool air assaulted Jisoo's senses as she was finally stripped, gasping at only the knowledge that Jennie was seeing her. All of her. Jennie was taking her.

Jennie Kim, her first and only love, was going to touch her there. To feel her, to stroke her, to kiss and make love to her.

She nearly passed out at the thought alone.

"You with me baby?" Jennie murmured, pressing a kiss to Jisoo's chest.

Jisoo gave some feeble attempt at a nod, feeling her heart practically combust when Jennie laced her free hand with Jisoo's. "You're so beautiful." Jennie murmured as she kissed Jisoo's jaw, her long, elegant fingers gently running over Jisoo's folds, causing the brunette to jerk beneath her. "So beautiful. So wet." Jennie gently added pressure as she dipped her fingers into Jisoo's soaked folds, running them delicately over the expanse of her sex, barely brushing her clit.

"Oh ...God." Jisoo groaned shamelessly. "Jennie..."

"Do you like that?" Jennie murmured into her skin, rubbing a thumb over the hard, swollen bud of Jisoo's sensitive clit, biting back a grin when Jisoo practically spasmed underneath her.

"You're doing so well, Jisoo." Jennie murmured, kissing her slowly, feeling Jisoo's tongue sweep into her mouth, tugging Jennie tighter, as if to force more contact.

"Jennie." Jisoo gasped when Jennie moved in small, tight circles around her clit, sending godly feelings and visions of bliss up into her muscles.

"Easy, Jisoo." Jennie whispered as she took a single finger, pressing at Jisoo's tight entrance. She gently pushed forward, and Jisoo bit her lip at the initial discomfort, trusting that Jennie would bring her pleasure. "Jisoo, you're so tight..." She whispered, feather light, pressing her finger into Jisoo's pulsing center, slowly and delicately. The pain began to subside as Jennie drew a miniscule, ever slow rhythm, working her finger into Jisoo, curling it slightly.

And then, the pain was sweet. It was the light circles Jennie was drawing on her clit, followed by the second digit Jennie was slowly adding, working into Jisoo.

Jisoo felt her hips buck up in search of more of the sweet, sweet contact.

"Jennie. Jennie....Jen..." Jisoo kept mumbling incoherently, clenching Jennie's free hand, eyes shut in pure happiness. "Yes....mmm. Please. ...P-..please keep doing that."

Jennie smiled in relief at Jisoo's apparent enjoyment, slowly increasing the speed and pressure with which she thrusted into Jisoo's entrance, enjoying the feel of Jisoo's incredibly tight, hot walls clenching around her fingers.

"Do you like that, baby?" Jennie whispered as Jisoo rutted against her fingers. "Do you feel good?"

"So...good...Jennie, I...I...." Jisoo trailed off, biting her lip, and Jennie felt a surge of heat well up within her. Nothing mattered except Jisoo's happiness.

Jisoo felt her lower abdomen tighten as Jennie continued her godly work, clenching Jennie's hand tighter. She moaned out into the small space between them, occasionally silenced by Jennie's luscious lips on hers.

Jisoo had never felt anything like it before. Jennie was inside her. Jennie was working her open, all of her knots and defenses falling at Jennie's feet with a simple brush of her thumb or curl of her fingers.

And then it began to build. It began swelling up inside her, and her hips were frantic to push at Jennie's fingers, to envelop her deeper. "Yes..." She found herself uttering. "Yes, Jennie..." She felt the crescendo rattle her body with an intense force she'd never felt before.

It was like a wave of bliss had washed over, and Jisoo could only think, feel, taste, smell, and hear Jennie.

Jennie, Jennie, Jennie.

"More..." Jisoo begged, not able to recognize her own husky, demanding tone. "Fuck, Jen, more..."

Jennie began pumping into her with increased speed, brushing against her clit expertly as Jisoo rocked her hips intensely with every motion, as if she'd perish without Jennie buried within her.

"I...I think..." Jisoo stumbled, her brain not at all in a proper functioning state. The build was so, so sweet. She didn't know what the fall would be like, but if it were anything like that, it would be the single greatest moment of her life. "I think I'm going to..."

Jennie's lips found her neck, her teeth softly grazing the sensitive skin there. "Come for me, Jisoo." Jennie murmured into her skin, and Jisoo knew she just had to satisfy that soft demand. "I love you." Jennie told her wholly, lovingly, without a single modicum of doubt.

That sent Jisoo sailing way over the edge, and god, it was delicious.

Her stomach tightened, her hips froze, and her thighs clenched around Jennie's already soaked digits.

Jennie's fingers gave a last curl within her, her thumb gave one last brush over her clit.

"Fuck!" Jisoo found herself crying out, burying her face into Jennie's body. "Fuck, Jennie, you're... fuck ..."

And then she was soaring. The sweet, sweet burn she'd felt within her roared as she went slack, limp in her lover's arms, her hips quaking, riding the wave of pleasure that seeped from her in the form of wetness, coating her thighs, Jennie's hands, the sheets beneath her.

And Jisoo couldn't think a single coherent thought.

She moaned, blissfully writhing as Jennie gently massaged her clit, careful to keep from directly stimulating the tender bud.

Jisoo whimpered with pleasure when Jennie slowly withdrew her fingers, kissing Jisoo's cheek as she leaned up.

Jisoo opened her brown eyes to Jennie, who'd brought her fingers to those plump lips, delicately sucking Jisoo's juices from her digits.

That sent another ripple of pleasure and surprise tearing through Jisoo's body, and Jennie's throaty chuckle did nothing to help as she bent over Jisoo, the vibrations absolutely delicious and maddening all at once.

"Did you like that?" Jennie asked, pleasure lacing her tone as she brought her lips to Jisoo's kissing her slowly and tenderly.

Jisoo tasted herself on Jennie's lips and felt shivers wrack her body. "Oh..." She gasped slightly, trying to regain her voice. " Jennie.... fuck ." She managed, smiling weakly, as Jennie brushed a stray lock back behind her ear.

"I love you." Jennie murmured into her kiss. "I know I told you a million times...."

"Never stop." Jisoo groaned against her lips, tugging her closer. Her body was sparkling with the after effects of Jennie's brilliance. "How are you...so...good...at that?" Jisoo huffed, feeling Jennie's arms wrap around her.

"You liked it, then?" Jennie teased, nipping at Jisoo's bottom lip,

"You...fuck." Jisoo gasped when Jennie dipped a hand back down to her folds.

"We just did." Jennie smirked, trailing lazy kisses down Jisoo's neck. "And now..." She crawled back, pressing kisses down the expanse of Jisoo's skin, lips marking and slightly bruising her girlfriend's body as she reached Jisoo's mound, pressing a kiss there.

"Jennie." Jisoo gasped, body going rigid in anticipation.

Jennie smiled against her skin, and trailed another set of kisses, directly into Jisoo's folds. And then, with one, broad, flat swipe of the tongue through Jisoo's dripping sex, Jennie had her squirming all over again.

"Oh my god!" Jisoo screamed slightly at the entirely new sensation, feeling Jennie's strong arms lift up around each of Jisoo's thighs, anchoring Jennie's lips to her sex.

Jennie smiled into her licks when she felt Jisoo gasp and let out a long string, a litany of curses. "God...I...Jennie...." Jisoo shivered beneath her, hips bucking violently into Jennie's mouth, before she'd really even done anything at all.

Jennie smirked, carefully avoiding Jisoo's clit as she pressed into Jisoo with her tongue, and the rest of the words came tumbling from Jisoo's lips, breathless chants of approval.

"I... fuck ...please...right there, Jennie ..." Jisoo gasped, cheeks flushed. She hadn't even known where the words came from, but Jennie seemed to be spelling messages of her own with her tongue. She gently buried her fingers into Jennie's brunette mane, tugging at once a bit too hard. She winced and glanced down as best as she could, but Jennie paused momentarily to glance up at her, eyes shining with delight, pressing a soft kiss to Jisoo's sex instead. "Pull harder, if you need to, Jisoo." She murmured, continuing her earlier routine of frighteningly accurate thrusts.

Jisoo's heart once again ascended when she was reminded that Jennie was an absolute angel.

Jisoo realized, with immense need, that she was trying to ride Jennie's mouth, and after that, tried to ground her hips to the mattress, with little success. She dug her fists into Jennie's sheets, squeezing her eyes shut when Jennie worked her way back up to Jisoo's clit, wrapping her lips around the swollen bundle of nerves.

And then she gave a few, gentle sucks, and Jisoo was writhing, juices spilling from her as she screamed out, thankful that Jennie lived apart from the rest of her housemates.

"Jen..." She breathed, rocking her hips into the soft kitten licks while Jisoo tangled her hands in her own hair this time. Her body quaked and rolled, but Jennie kept her pressed to the mattress, kissing her way up to Jisoo's lips, chin glazed with Jisoo's release.

"Oh...my god..." Jisoo breathed, though her breaths were short and unsteady. She felt bliss tingle in every corner of her body, and she wondered if maybe she'd died and went to heaven.

She leaned forward to kiss Jennie, now overwhelmed with the musky, slight tang of her own flavor, which Jennie seemed to adore, licking against Jisoo's lips.

Jennie pulled apart, for once seemingly breathless, her strong arms pulling Jisoo into her embrace. She placed a kiss to Jisoo's neck, savoring her girlfriend's scent, murmuring, "I love you, Jisoo."

Jisoo let out a blissful sigh. So that's what she'd been missing. "I love you too, Jennie." She whispered hoarsely, rising from her prone position.

The notion that Jisoo had anything left in her astounded Jennie, but Jisoo tentatively bit her lip, going to straddle Jennie's body, throwing a leg on either side of Jennie's waist.

Jennie gasped slightly in surprise, and that was all the ammunition Jisoo needed to understand that she was on the right course.

"Jisoo, you don't have to-"

"I want to." Jisoo leaned down, nipping at Jennie's exposed neck. "Bra. Off." She demanded wearily, and Jennie's brows rose as she fumbled with her own bra strap.

Jisoo began marking Jennie's neck with a quiet hum of appreciation for Jennie's tan, soft skin. She kissed a trail down Jennie's tightly muscled abs as she began to grind down, not entirely sure what she was doing, rather answering the mindless, filthy calls of her body.

As it turned out, grinding her wetness down onto Jennie's abs was the right choice, and Jennie was gasping below her, her hands reaching out to squeeze at Jisoo's hips. Jisoo gave her a small smile of pleasure, pleased at her apparent success. She leaned forward, eyeing Jennie's exposed breasts with more of an uncensored hunger than Jennie had given her, slowly rocking her hips forward as she decided to test her luck and pinch a nipple between her thumb and forefinger.

She was rewarded with a breathy gasp of her name, and Jisoo felt emboldened. She ran the pads of her fingers over Jennie's breasts, palming them while she returned Jennie's gasps with wet kisses, enjoying every inch of Jennie beneath her touch.

"Jisoo..." Jennie gasped, parting from her lips for much needed air, hands still digging into Jisoo's soft hips.

Jisoo slid off of Jennie's body, ignoring Jennie's whine of protest as she reached for Jennie's panties, tugging them off in soft gesture. She gazed down at Jennie, in all her wet, dripping glory, tentatively leaning down to kiss Jennie's stomach, her fingers barely grazing Jennie's skin as she dragged them down below her kiss.

She let all her inhibitions go as she ran her hand into Jennie's folds, gasping along with Jennie when she felt the hot silk wrap around her fingers. Jennie's hips canted upwards in search of contact, and Jisoo took a breath.

Jisoo, using Jennie's stellar performance as her muse, began rubbing gentle circles over Jennie's clit, amazed that Jennie, her strong, beautiful, unshakeable warrior, was reduced to a whimpering mess with glassy eyes and swollen lips under her touch.

Jisoo felt a now familiar heat surge through her as she leaned down, taking Jennie by surprise when she dragged her lips through Jennie's folds, drawing her tongue out to sweep through.

"Jisoo!" Jennie hissed and for a moment Jisoo thought she'd made an error, until she took in the look of sheer bliss on Jennie's soft features, her hips bucking into Jisoo's mouth. Jisoo stilled herself and began with gentle, somewhat clueless laps of her tongue, stroking Jennie's clit in various forms and patterns, gauging how she enjoyed certain strokes, certain intensities.

Jennie seemed to appreciate everything and anything, unable to keep her hips from canting upwards. Jisoo smiled into her, pressing a quick kiss to the silky skin before gently pushing a finger at her entrance, circling there for a moment. It was Jennie who ended up impaling herself on Jisoo's positioned fingers before Jisoo even had a chance, now thrust into the tight warmth, experimentally turning and curling her finger as Jennie had done.

"Jisoo..." Jennie croaked from above. "You..can...it's okay..."

Jisoo seemed to understand, slowly inserting a second finger before pumping into Jennie slowly and steadily, feeling Jennie flex around her, willing her deeper. Jisoo was nothing if not an attentive lover, leaning forward to gently lick through Jennie's folds as she gradually increased her pace.

Jennie was throbbing in her hand, rocking forward with every thrust, the image of lust and perfection. Sweat beaded her brow, her eyes were squeezed shut, and a hand tangled into her hair. Jisoo was stricken by her beauty in that moment particularly, saving a mental image if she could ever survive the evening and recreate it in her artwork.

Jisoo realized then, that since Jennie had seen her, she'd been deprived of this intense bliss, waiting for Jisoo. Jisoo felt that she owed it to Jennie to make it as perfect as she could.

Slowly pushing in a third finger, Jisoo reveled in Jennie's cry of pleasure as she pushed in with increased speed, slowly pulling Jennie's clit into her mouth with her lips as she recalled Jennie had done. She sucked gently, watching her girlfriend unravel beneath her.

Jisoo could feel Jennie come, being as close as she was. At first, Jennie's canting hips, her desperate rocking and crying out ceased. All that was left was Jennie's motionless body, and her gasping for air. And then Jennie's body shuddered, delicately, beautifully, and her blissful expression took over. She threw her head back into the pillows as she rode her orgasm, flooding into Jisoo's hand, still moving ever so gently within her, despite the confined space due to Jennie's tight clenching.

Jisoo lapped gently at Jennie's entrance, curious as to how her love tasted. She tentatively took in Jennie's juices, closing her eyes as she reveled in the sweet tang. She officially loved every single thing about Jennie. She slowly withdrew her fingers, licking them off slowly as she glanced up, finding Jennie gazing at her with wide, adoring eyes.

Jisoo had just discovered her new favorite hobby.

With what little strength she had left, Jennie reached down and pulled Jisoo up to her lips, kissing her in the soft form of a thank you, her arms wrapping around Jisoo to pull her flush against her body.

"Was that..." Jisoo trailed off, unsure of herself, despite Jennie's reactions.

"You're perfect." Jennie replied gently, a blissful smile on her features. "You learn quickly." She chuckled softly, fingers gently rubbing at Jisoo's hips and back, where she held her.

"That was..." Jisoo began, pressing her forehead against Jennie's. "...I don't think there are words."

Jennie hummed her agreement, one hand reaching down lazily to pull the covers over Jisoo, while she slipped out of bed hazily. She blinked for a moment, regaining her footing, sending a swell of pride through Jisoo as she disappeared wordlessly into the bathroom.

Jisoo took a breath, glancing up at the ceiling. She'd just had sex with Jennie. Except, it didn't feel like everyone told her sex was supposed to feel. It wasn't filthy or rushed, it wasn't something Jisoo could ever be ashamed of.

It was love. It was warm and soft, incredibly saccharine and tender. Jennie was so careful and loving. It was raw and soulful, and Jisoo wanted to remember the feeling in her bones for as long as she lived, and then some.

Jennie reemerged from the bathroom, and Jisoo took in her beautiful nude figure, blinking slowly, trying to burn the image into her mind. Jennie was stunning. Jennie was hers. Jennie thought of her the exact same way.

Jisoo hardly noticed the damp, warm towel Jennie clutched in her hands until Jennie leaned forward, kissing her forehead. "Jisoo, baby, can you open your legs for me?" She requested softly, and Jisoo didn't need to be asked twice.

Jisoo pulled back the covers, opening her legs questioningly, watching as Jennie hovered over her, swiping the damp towel between her thighs, where she'd spilled over time and time again. It was so soft, and tender, that Jisoo found the threat of tears stinging in her eyes. The towel was warm as Jennie gently wiped her down, pausing to lean down and kiss Jisoo's thighs.

"There..." Jennie murmured, grabbing the towel. "I'd recommend a shower, but it's already so late."

"Jen." Jisoo huffed, catching her wrist as she turned to leave the towel in the bathroom.

"Hmm?" Jennie asked, virid gaze fixing on Jisoo.

"I...Thank you." Jisoo murmured, squeezing Jennie's wrist.

She didn't have to say the rest. It wasn't a thank you for just the towel, or the aftercare. It was a thank you for all the unspoken tenderness. It was a thank you for accepting her, where others hadn't. It was a thank you for giving Jisoo time and love until she was ready, and when she finally was, for taking her time, to focus all on Jisoo's pleasure.

Jennie smiled and kissed Jisoo's wrist, eyes promising she'd be right back, as she dispensed the towel and returned. She slid into bed, immediately sliding under the covers and wrapping herself around Jisoo, leaning in to place a chaste kiss to her lips.

"You're going to be a little sore, tomorrow. It's normal, for the first time." Jennie reminded gently in her ear, lips pressed to Jisoo's cheek as Jisoo burrowed into her warmth, feeling the safest and happiest she ever had in her life.

She felt sleep clawing at her, threatening to steal the moment away from her, and yet she found herself defenseless to it.

"I love you." Jennie murmured softly, voice fading. "Goodnight, Jisoo."

"Goodnight, Jennie. I love you more." Jisoo smiled when she felt Jennie brush her arm in protest, but she was already asleep, cocooned in her lover's arms.

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