A week went by that Jisoo spent most of it in school, or in the library studying. It was October's finals week and when Thursday rolled around she didn't even go home, instead she crashed at her parents' house, sleeping in her old bedroom. There were no exams on Friday which left Jisoo free to sleep in and relax for the first time. She realized that medical school wasn't as bad and that while most of her time was spent commuting, at school and studying she enjoyed learning about things she was already mostly familiar with.
"Finally someone decided to get up," Dara teased and glanced at the clock. It was nearing twelve am but she wasn't angry.
Jisoo shrugged. "Finals week. But you probably don't remember."
Dara gasped, feigning hurt. "Seunghyun, did you hear that? She called me old."
Seunghyun grinned at Jisoo. "Now, personally I didn't hear those words coming from our daughter's mouth, but if the shoe fits."
Dara grabbed a towel and smacked Seunghyun with it making Jisoo laugh. Her parents were still silly just as before. "Irene has a game tonight," Jisoo reminded them. "We're leaving around four."
"We?" Seunghyun asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Since Jisoo has graduated from college her dad was around a lot more.
"Me and Lisa," Jisoo said, though her voice shook and she knew they would catch her lie.
"And?" Seunghyun dragged out, fishing for other names.
Jisoo sighed. She knew her parents just wanted her to be happy and her mom even set her up with a girl over a year ago that was otherwise nice, but Jisoo wasn't interested. "And no one."
"Are you dating them?" Dara asked excitedly.
"No!"
"Then why won't you tell us?" Seunghyun probed even further.
Jisoo huffed. "Because. You're going to freak out and it's going to get weird and I'm still trying to get comfortable with the idea of them being back." Dara and Seunghyun were both staring at her, mouth agape and confused. Jisoo bit down on her bottom lip, contemplating whether she should tell them or not. "Jennie and June," she blurted out.
They continued to stare at her.
"Kim? They used to live a block away. I dated Jennie. Ring any bells?"
"I just... We just weren't sure if we heard you correctly," Dara said, softer this time because she knew Jennie was a touchy subject. "So they're back? How come? Since when?"
Jisoo sat down on a stool, realizing this was going to take a while. "I saw June a week ago on a bus. We went out on Saturday to play airsoft and Jennie was there. We didn't talk much. And it was really awkward. But they're back. June's studying marine biology at SM."
"Invite them for lunch," Dara said eagerly and clapped her hands together, obviously proud of the sudden idea.
"Mom!"
"What?"
Jisoo groaned. "It's weird. And awkward. And I don't know if they want to come over."
"Send a text," Dara offered. "They can say no, we won't be offended. Just try. For us."
Jisoo hated the guilt trip her mom was doing. For her parents. She sighed and picked up her phone and selecting June's name. She stared at it for few long minutes before her fingers finally moved over the keyboard.
Jisoo
[12:05pm] Hi, so I somehow accidentally told my parents that we're going to Irene's game together and they want you and Jennie to come over. It's okay to say no. Don't feel forced. Just a heads up. Sometime around 2pm would be good.
She nervously drummed her fingers on the counter until her phone vibrated. Jisoo closed her eyes, took a deep breath and reopened them. Her hands were shaky when she picked up the phone.
June
[12:16pm] Ok. Jennie says we can be there at 1:50.
Jisoo kept staring at her phone, wondering if she saw the reply correctly. Shit. They were coming over. Seunghyun peaked over Jisoo's shoulder and then patted her head. "See, they're coming over. It's going to be fine."
Except Jisoo didn't know that and now she had to change out of her pajamas and make herself look like less of a mess. She left the kitchen in a rush without eating breakfast and ran up the stairs.
Seunghyun and Dara looked at each other and shrugged.
Jisoo brushed her teeth and hair, tugging on the few tangles without a care, before glaring at her closet. She probably wouldn't have time to change again later so she needed to dress into something comfortable but also appealing. Dark grey skinny jeans and a baseball tee for now would have to do.
"You haven't eaten before," Dara reminded her.
Jisoo sighed. "Don't either of you have work today?"
"No," they replied simultaneously.
Jisoo opted to just drink something instead and would eat at the so called lunch. As the time neared though, she grew more anxious and nauseous. Her previously empty stomach was suddenly filled with nervous butterflies. Jisoo had them before. She didn't know why she was so nervous.
At one-fifty exactly the doorbell rang and Jisoo needed to take a few deep breaths before moving towards the door. Her throat was completely dry and she only managed a weak "hi".
June grinned, a beer six pack in his hand. "Jennie bought it," he added.
Jisoo was surprised at the half hug June gave her but smiled. "Thanks." She accepted the beer and looked at Jennie who looked as equally nervous. "Hey."
"Hey," Jennie echoed. "I didn't bring anything. He stole my distraction idea."
"It's okay. Come inside." Jisoo closed the door behind them and jumped when her parents were suddenly standing in front of them, looking expectantly at everyone.
June was hugged first, Dara nearly squeezing the life out of the boy. Seunghyun settled on a side hug and a pat on the back. "Such a handsome young man," Dara cooed and pulled him in for another hug. But eventually they parted and Dara's eyes drifted to Jennie. She opened her arms, letting Jennie made the decision for herself.
And Jennie did. She stepped closer, nearly collapsing in the other woman's arms. She hasn't felt a mother's touch in five years and this house always felt a lot like home. These people used to feel a lot like home.
"Oh, I'm sorry for crying," Dara apologized and wiped her damp cheeks. "It's been so long. You look beautiful. Both of you. Don't be strangers, come on. We prepared something light to snack on."
They settled around the dining table, Jisoo opening a beer for herself and taking big gulps that would hopefully make her relax. Jennie was drinking water and June was satisfied with orange juice. The silence was tense, Jisoo uncomfortably staring at the table cloth, even though there was food in front of them.
"So, uh, where's your mom?" Seunghyun asked, hoping to ease some of it.
The siblings looked at each other. "She killed herself," June blurted out. The topic wasn't nearly as hard for him to talk about as it was for Jennie. She was the one that ended up with responsibilities and had to make personal sacrifices.
Jennie roughly kicked June, making him yelp, at the same that Jisoo loudly dropped her fork. The noise of the fork hitting the floor startled everyone and then a chair moved before Jisoo bolted away from the dining table.
"June," Jennie growled.
"Sorry," he whispered back.
Seunghyun and Dara were speechless. But then Seunghyun stood up, willing to follow Jisoo who was obviously in distress. "I should go check on her."
Jennie shook her head. "I'll go." After a few seconds of staring intensely into each other's eyes Seunghyun nodded. Jennie walked down the familiar hall and to the back of the house. She pushed the sliding door to the side and stepped outside. Jisoo was sitting on the steps, facing the empty pool. Jennie noticed that the tree they used to climb on was cut down. She sat down as well, keeping some distance between them. "Sorry," she said quietly.
Jisoo shook her head. "I should be the one saying sorry," she croaked out. "You lost both of your parents."
"It hurt. But I dealt with it."
"What happened to your mom?" Jisoo asked quietly and after a few minutes of silence she was certain she wouldn't get her answer. But then Jennie spoke up.
"After we moved, it was okay. For a while, anyway. But mom had a hard time selling things in the store she opened there and eventually she couldn't afford it anymore. It was probably six months in, that she started drinking. And one day she just didn't come home. She had a bad reaction to alcohol mixed with some pills and she died," Jennie explained, her voice quiet and raspy. "I was lucky enough that I was able to stay with June."
Jisoo understood that. It still made her heart ache though. "I wish you would have called."
"Me too," Jennie admitted, scooting just a bit closer. "I didn't want to say goodbye because then it would make it real."
Jisoo let out a trembling breath. "I thought you forgot about me," she admitted in a small voice.
Jennie swallowed down the lump in her throat and reached for Jisoo's hand. "You, Jisoo Kim, are unforgettable."
Jisoo couldn't help but let out a whimper at those words, tears that were previously just blurring her vision made their way down her cheeks until she couldn't control them anymore. Jennie scooted closer, their sides touching, and pulled Jisoo in for a hug. She could feel the tears and snot on her skin but didn't want to move away. She soaked in the moment as much as she could before pulling away and gently lifting Jisoo's face with her hands on her cheeks. She wiped away the tears with her thumbs.
"Jen?"
Jennie hummed at her old nickname. Only people to ever call her that are Jisoo and June.
"Promise you won't ever leave without a proper goodbye and way for me to reach out," Jisoo begged quietly.
"Promise," Jennie breathed out. "I'm not moving away anytime soon. I got a job at the company my dad used to work at. They're offering me additional training and said that eventually I could fill my dad's previous position. But I don't want to travel as much as he did."
"You work for YG Co.?" Jisoo asked, surprised.
Jennie nodded. "I think they took me in for pity only. But the money is good and hopefully I'll be able to replace the crappy car eventually."
Jisoo nodded. She was suddenly aware of how numb her butt felt on the cold steps. "Want to head back inside?"
Jennie nodded and stood up. She offered her hand for Jisoo to take it and helped her stand up. When they returned to the dining table Jennie shot June a pointed look. He sighed and turned towards Jisoo. "I'm sorry."
Jisoo smiled sadly. "It's okay. You don't have to apologize."
The rest of the lunch went by less awkwardly and while Jennie nor June talked about their life in England they were catching up and Jisoo was almost sad when Lisa's car pulled over, rapid honk noises heard.
"I'm not waiting any longer!" Lisa yelled out, just in time when the door opened and everyone witnessed Lisa with her head through the window, yelling at the house.
"Relax," Jisoo said. "Where's your boo?"
"My woman's working," Lisa explained. "June, you can sit with me at the front."
Jisoo gasped. "W-what? That's my seat."
Lisa grinned. "You can sit in the back. Hi, Jennie."
Jennie waved half awkwardly, half shyly. But she didn't want to argue with Lisa so she sat behind June as Jisoo took a seat behind Lisa, while loudly grumbling about it.
"This is so unfair. Since the day you got your driver's license I always sat there when Chaeyoung wasn't with us. And now I'm being replaced," Jisoo kept complaining as she pressed the button to lower the window.
Lisa rolled her eyes and then they were driving down the street.
"Can I put some music on?" June asked.
"Sure. Just make sure it's good," Lisa warned.
June skipped through a few stations and then did a little jump in his seat when he heard one of his favorite songs playing. "Day after day, I get angry," he sang.
"Are you even old enough for this?" Lisa asked.
Jennie groaned. "He had a girlfriend in England. She was perky and anno-"
"Shhh," June interrupted. "My song's playing."
Jennie sighed but let June half sing, half scream through his favorite song that was definitely about sex. And Jennie really didn't need to know that. She looked through the window, trees passing by at a high speed. They were nearing the roadway. Lisa was a good driver but also a very fast one.
"You okay?" Jisoo asked.
Jennie nodded. "Just... Taking everything in."
They drove for an hour and a half before they had to stop because Jisoo had to go to the bathroom. Apparently she forgot before leaving the house and couldn't hold it for another hour.
"If anyone else interrupts the trip and says they have to pee I'm passing you the bottle," Lisa warned before they went back on the road.
Jennie chuckled while Jisoo shrugged shamelessly. "I can't control my bladder. Or would you have preferred if I did it in the car?"
Lisa groaned. "Disgusting. And Chaeyoung would probably kill you. You know it's her car. And the back seats actually belong to Spikey. Sometimes I still think that she loves that dog more than me."
"Maybe you should have a baby instead of a dog," Jisoo teased. She knew Lisa didn't want children and she was certain Chaeyoung agreed. But Jisoo enjoyed watching Lisa cringe at the thought of smelly diapers and sticky feet.
"We're not like Suho and Chanyeol. I love how things are so far and maybe, just maybe, if we decide to have a kid one day, probably never, we would choose an older one. Like the one that already goes to school," Lisa said.
Jisoo laughed and noticed Jennie was fighting a smile. "Lisa hates babies. And Suho and Chanyeol are looking into adoption. And I'm pretty sure Irene would have about six screaming kids by now if it wasn't for the sports career. She said she's waiting for the Olympic Games."
Jennie nodded, taking in all of the information. "And you?" she suddenly blurted out.
Jisoo furrowed her eyebrows. "Me?"
"Yeah," Jennie said and suddenly found it hard to form words. "Do you have anyone as w-"
"We're here," Lisa suddenly announced, interrupting Jennie. In her defense the radio was loud and Jennie was talking just loud enough for Jisoo to hear. They got out of the car. "We're a bit early but we can get our seats. Irene got us the fancy VIP tickets, so during third base play we'll get some action too," Lisa explained.
June eyed the food stands. "Jen, can I get something to drink or eat?"
"We all will," Lisa assured him. "What do you want, kid?"
"Hot dog," June answered. "And a large coke."
Lisa nodded and then looked at Jisoo and Jennie. "And you two?"
"French fries," they answered simultaneously.
Lisa suddenly got the idea and grinned. She passed them their two tickets. "Go to your seats. You can wait there. And Irene will probably see you, or you can text her."
"Are you sure we can't help you carry anything?" Jennie offered instead.
"I'm sure. Go," Lisa urged them.
Jisoo and Jennie entered the stadium after showing their tickets and had them torn. They were shown how to get to their seats and they nodded in understanding. Jisoo played with the ticket, thinking about their conversation in the car. "Before... You wanted to ask me something. What was it?"
Jennie scrunched her nose in confusion before she caught on. "Oh. Uh, it wasn't anything important. Not really."
"Maybe. But you must be curious. Six years is a lot of time," Jisoo pointed out. She was curious too but she was waiting for Jennie to initiate the conversation.
"I just wanted to ask, in the car, because you were talking about your friends and their significant others, if you have anyone as well," Jennie awkwardly got the question out. She didn't want to give Jisoo the wrong idea. She was just curious about the person that used to be her best friend.
But Jisoo laughed and shook her head. "Nah. I don't have anyone. I dated someone for a while but we broke up during the first week of med school. It was for the best probably." Jisoo bit her lower lip. "Do you have anyone?"
Jennie shook her head. "Dated two girls in England. One was freaked out by," she paused and pointed towards her crotch with both hands, "and the other broke up with me a few months before June and I left."
Jisoo really wanted to know if Jennie had any one night stands in England as well. It wouldn't be like her but Jisoo wasn't here to judge. She blamed it on the curiosity. Jisoo had one night stands. Probably too many in college, but now she was over them. She decided to focus on med school and if she meets someone she likes, she'll take it from there.
Lisa and June approached them with their hands full. "I called Irene and she said she can yell hi at us when they get on the field."
More people were starting to fill the bleachers and Jisoo bounced excitedly. She's seen enough of the games now to fully understand everything but the only exciting part was when Irene was on the field. She had 48 written on the back her jersey. It was a number Irene had the privilege of choosing herself and nobody questioned her. Jisoo mostly munched on her food as she watched the game. Irene was a pitcher and one of the best ones the team has ever had.
"Hey, selfie time," Lisa suddenly announced, her body sideways and her phone capturing Jisoo, June, Jennie and Lisa. Jisoo held a fry mid-air. "Love your pose," Lisa teased. "I'll send this to my lady. We need another one for Instagram."
They all grinned at the camera, Jisoo putting two fingers behind June's head and Lisa took the picture. "Good looking squad," Lisa complimented.
The game took nearly two hours before Irene's team, Grounders, won. Irene said it was an important game and that scouts were there, looking for players for USA's Softball Team.
Irene was so excited that she was willing to jump over the barricades and onto the bleachers were her friends were sitting but she decided to just wave at them instead.
"We usually meet afterwards and get a drink together," Jisoo told Jennie and June.
"Well, June has to study," Jennie pointed out.
June huffed. "I can study tomorrow. Besides, I'm a natural."
Jennie sighed. "Okay, fine."
Jisoo smiled widely. "It's going to be great. Let's go wait for Irene."
Lisa was already near the exit and they all pushed through the crowd to reach the exit as well. Irene took a while before she was able to meet them. Jisoo and Lisa practically ran to hug her and praise her.
"The usual place?" Irene asked after they pulled away from the hug.
The usual place was a café that also offered sandwiches and salads. Irene ordered a salad along with a sandwich, Lisa and Jisoo ordered coffee and Jennie and June ordered water.
"So," Irene began. "What was England like?"
Jisoo wasn't sure whether to be happy someone finally asked the question or mad because she didn't ask it herself.
"Rainy," Jennie answered. "I mean, it wasn't that bad and we did make some great memories there, I guess. But there was just so much rain and greyness. And uniforms in school. That was hell."
"Did you ever see London?" Lisa added her own question.
Jennie nodded. "Field trips. We went on that London Eye thingy once. And we did visit Harry Potter studio."
June laughed at that. "Jennie bought a Ravenclaw scarf and a wand."
"Do I need to remind you that entered a tournament for an online game once and won?" Jennie asked.
"You're only jealous cause you suck at League of Legends," June said and shrugged. "I'm still great."
"Jisoo played that too," Irene said and laughed.
Lisa nodded. "She was good but one day yelled about feeders and noobs or something like that and then she deleted the game."
Jisoo groaned. "Stop talking about me. Lisa, you once cried because your sim character died. Irene, you still can't win a round of Monopoly."
"Jisoo had the shortest youtube career ever known to a man," Lisa blurted out. "She posted three videos, all three are still on her channel, and she can't delete them or do anything because she forgot the password."
"Stop," Jisoo whined.
June grinned. "Jennie made a twitter account over a year ago and she still has exactly one follower. Me."
Jennie clenched her jaw. "Well, it's about to be zero because I'm going to block you."
"I still have other followers," June said and shrugged.
"Because you post shirtless selfies," Jennie replied. "Which is really gross and inappropriate and it also makes me feel like I did something wrong."
June patted his stomach. "Can't help it if the ladies love it."
"I have bigger abs than you," Jennie pointed out.
Lisa smirked. "Any picture evidence to support that theory?"
"Nope," Jennie denied.
"She doesn't take nudes. But she receives them," June teased.
Jisoo laughed at that. "Really now?"
"They were from my ex-girlfriend and it's not my fault that June doesn't understand boundaries," Jennie said and shrugged.
"Jisoo once received a dick picture from someone and she screamed really loudly," Irene confessed. "But I would too, because it just looked so gross. Apparently tinder was for more than dating."
"I deleted the app afterwards," Jisoo muttered. "That scarred me."
They kept discussing each other's embarrassing, or not so embarrassing events that have occurred to them in the past six years. Jennie learned that Jisoo got drunk for the first time at a concert and the security had to escort her out after she climbed on stage and started yelling at the singers how much she loved them. Jisoo learned that Jennie's previous girlfriend asked her out right after Jennie walked into a street sign.
It was nearing ten at night and they still had to drive back home. They said their goodbyes, Irene promising them tickets for the next game as well, before they entered Lisa's car.
Jisoo listened to the music and how to every third song Jennie would quietly sing along and eventually she leaned her head against the car window and closed her eyes. From medical school to seeing Jennie and June again it was a bit overwhelming and she fell asleep quickly.
They stopped in front of Jisoo's apartment and Jennie leaned over to Jisoo. "Hey," she whispered, gently shaking her.
At the sudden interruption Jisoo sat up and banged her head against the car window. "Fuck," she groaned, rubbing the sore spot. She realized Jennie was leaning close to her. "What?"
"You're home princess," Lisa announced, turning her head towards Jisoo. "You okay though?"
Jisoo blinked a few times before nodding. "I'm fine. Sorry, I got tired. Med school and all that. Thanks for the ride and the great day. Bye."
"Call me tomorrow," Lisa yelled out right before Jisoo closed the door.
Jisoo saw Jennie waving at her and she smiled and waved back. She sighed, exhausted, but content, and walked inside her apartment. Her stomach rumbled but she didn't feel like cooking so she settled for a banana. After eating it she changed into pajamas and fell into her bed, dreaming about softball fields and brown eyes.