Jennie

Chapter 7

               

        I was watching our last year dance competition. Ji-Hoon Oppa was leading the team and of course by Kochi Si-Yeon's guidance we brought home the bacon. Last year was memorable and exciting. I hope this one would be the same. Other than that, I have this feeling in my gut. There's something boiling and hopefully I won't get charred. I paused the video when I heard a faint knock on the door.

"It's open!" I shouted knowing it was probably Cho-Hee Unnie, one of Jisoo's closest friends.

Jennie Unnie came in wearing a multiple faded coloured cardigan, white crop top and loose jeans.

"Annyeong, Lisa-ya! How are you feeling?" She greeted cheerfully.

"Oh—" My eyes bulge out, "Un-unnie—?"

Due to my surprise, I stumbled on my butt with my blanket to the floor. Jennie Unnie sprinted to my side.  I pulled the clothe off my face and see Unnie kneeling to help me. Her face was quite close to mine and the air between us has annihilated.

"Lisa are you okay?" Her voice was soft and comforting like in the dream. My face goes red, remembering her bare self.

I jerked to stand up and hit her in the process and next thing I know she was on floor. Her jaw gone pink from the impact.

Jennie was moaning which another memory come into view. "Unnie, I'm so-so-sorry!"

I waited for her to gave me a signal before I tugged her to stand and assisted her to a near by chair.

"Why did you do that?" She groaned when she saw her jaw in the mirror.

"I'm really sorry Unnie, you surprised me. I thought you were Cho-Hee Unnie." I explained, also observing her jaw in the mirror. Then the dream again reminded me of it so, I looked away.

Since I was young, my clumsiness is always the main source of any destruction in my life. And Jennie Unnie happens to come along. By guilt even though I was not feeling well myself, I ran to the nearest bending machine in our floor. I got her a cold drink and sprinted back to my room.

"Here, Unnie." I placed the cold can on her jaw which she followed by fixing her hand on mine.

"Thanks, that's feels nice." She acknowledged. Her face softens like in the dream. Shit!

I backed away and sat on my bed. A safe and good distance away from her. "I'm really sorry about that Unnie, I am such a klutz."

"Don't worry about it, let's hope it won't bruise." She smiled giving me a look that signifies a bit of teasing. "By the way, how are you feeling? Jisoo Unnie told you have a fever."

"I think I'm fine now." I told her touching my forehead with my palm. She was about to stand up to check me for herself, but I stopped her.

"No!" I blurted, "I mean just...um—its fine Unnie-I'm fine."

She aborted back down with a disappointed expression. But I try not to dwell on the meaning. "Alright." She hummed.

The room fell into silence as secretly glance the girl across from me. She put her hair into a ponytail today and she's wearing light make up which she always does. Although, her cheeks a bit flushed. Giving her a sweet and innocent look.

"So—um..." She cut my train of thoughts, "do you want me to leave?"

"Of course not." I exclaim enough to startled someone. "Um-I mean-ah-you can stay Unnie just stay there." I said in a calmer voice this time.

"Alrigggght." Her tone was unsure, but she just shrugged it off and got comfortable on the chair.

"I just don't want you to get sick, that's all." I explained to change the flow of the air in the room.

"Its's fine Lisa." She sent me an assuring smile, "So, how long have you known Jisoo Unnie?"

"Actually, Chaeng met Jisoo-um..." I paused, contemplating if I should call Jisoo an Unnie in front of Jennie Unnie. I don't want her to think I'm disrespectful. I cleared my throat before I continued, "Sorry my throat kinda sour but its fine—where was I..oh-yes, Chaeng and Jisoo Unnie met in krump class two years ago and Chaeng introduce me to her when we had drama classes and since then we just sunk in together."

"I see, Jisoo Unnie talks about you two a lot."

I chucked nervously, "I guess, Chaeng and I are just lucky to have her in our lives," I said meeting her eyes, "and now...I have you—"

I blink restating the words I just spoke, "I meant—you're lucky to have Jisoo Unnie too."

What the heck am I saying? I screamed in my mind. Why am I keep on digging a hole? Can I please stay on that hole, now?

"How are you liking the trainings?" I added, shifting the palpable atmosphere between us.

"Pretty much the hardest thing I ever done in my life," She said smiling that even though it was difficult, she loves the challenged. "I am surprised, like I feel...the competitiveness of each person here but I found good—great friends than my previous school."

"Which do I belong?" I asked.

She chuckled and answered, "the good-great-friends."

Hearing said that made a big grin on my face. "Your old friends should be jealous because like you're so cool, talented and so-so-sexy Jennie Unnie."

A blush appeared on her cheeks, "I guess they were like that because I was different," she explained, "and—thank you for saying that."

"It's their lose Unnie and you're welcome."

Jennie Unnie continued telling me about her life in New Zealand as I listen to her attentively. Her mom took her to New Zealand when she was young, and they live there for five years. Since she was a child, both of her parents were always busy. She was mostly alone in her childhood. I pitied her as she talks about her past but at the same time, she was glad it happened to her. She may have walked in a path full of broken glass, but her goals and ambitions are more important than the pain she felt inside. I have been so aloof recently; dancing has turned into a routine rather that doing it because I love doing it. For that, she inspires me.

***

"LISA-YAH! We're back!" Jisoo burst in with paper bags on hand while Chaeng parade next to her with pizza and more paper bags.

"Unnie keep your voice down, the other dormers!" I reminder her but she sent me a weird look.

"Me? Unnie?" She stopped and stared at me and Jennie Unnie.

"We brought food and drinks!" Chaeng cut in. Thank God for her.

The night filled with meaningful conversation with friends. We had eaten all the food that Jisoo and Chaeng brought. Jisoo got the part, and we were celebrating it. She was talking non-stop about it. While the three of us listen in glee of our Unnies achievement. Then Chaeng pulled her guitar to play us some music, next thing we knew the four of us sang along with her.

We were gathered in a circle on middle of the room. Laughing about our childhood stories and empathetic to our melancholy past. I see Jennie Unnie laughed so hard and the next a bit blue. She was very beautiful, and I had to portion my gazes at her. Every time her expression changes, her cheeks were cute as ever like a dumpling. It made me smiled, though.

Jisoo Unnie is witch or something, she can easily read the room at ease. She was giving me weird glances, but I ignore it. Chaeng and Jennie Unnie were in deep conversation of which song we would sing as Jisoo nudged me with her elbow.

"Yeah?"

"Is there something I should know?" She whispered.

"What do you mean?" I act dumbfounded.

Before Jisoo could continue her interrogation Chaeng and Jennie Unnie butt in concluding they have found the song. As rest of the night, the four of us ended up sleeping on the floor. We were having to much fun that we didn't notice it was already 5 in the morning. Jisoo and Jennie Unnie decided to sleep in. We made a fort as the four of us slumber in contentment.

Author's Note:

This chapter is a short one. Enjoy! Thank you much. 

- ofelia