Love Galore (Chaennie)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"I'm an idiot," Jennie says.

"Yes," Jisoo promptly agrees. "Wait, what are we talking about?"

They're sitting in Irene's living room, each nursing a glass of wine while Irene's helping her ten-year-old niece with her homework.

Jennie simply says, "Rosie."

And Jisoo understands right away. "Ah."

Jennie knows that it's childish and irrational, but she's peeved Jisoo needs no elaboration. "You knew that I might have feelings for her?"

Wide-eyed, Jisoo looks at her like she's lost her mind. "Uh, yeah. We tried to tell you, remember? On this very couch, actually. And what do you mean might? How are you still not sure?"

"I- I don't know. It's very confusing."

"It's really not."

Faced with Jisoo's nonchalance, Jennie relents. "All right, I have feelings for her. But I don't know how far it goes or what I want to do about it."

For a brief moment, Jisoo struggles with the impulse to smack her dear friend. But she controls herself. Slowly, as if speaking to a child, she says, "You could just tell her."

"Is that the right thing to do?" Jennie looks dubious at the prospect. "We have an arrangement. She has a boyfriend that she's planning to spend the rest of her life with. How do I, in good conscience, put this on her when I don't even know what I want?"

"You don't want a real relationship with her?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I don't even know if I know what that is. Apparently a relationship without drama and screaming matches is just what normal people would call a healthy relationship?"

This, to Jisoo, is not only shocking to hear, but also deeply unsettling. Incredulous, she asks, "Did you not know that?" But then something clicks. "Actually, that explains a lot."

Jennie emits a soft groan, sagging her head back against the couch, closing her eyes. "I'm a bit messed up."

Jisoo snorts derisively. "Yeah, I'll say."

Staring blankly up at the ceiling, Jennie ruminates aloud. "So how do I ask Rosie to leave her childhood sweetheart for someone who's never been in a healthy relationship or even recognizes what it looks like? Why would she even want that?"

"Maybe she loves you? Have you thought about that, idiot?" When Jennie casts a glare her way, Jisoo shrugs carelessly. "I'm just using your own words."

"Well, I can't ask her to uproot her whole life plans without figuring out what I want first."

"But don't you two have some rule about this? Something about telling the other person if you're starting to feel something?"

In fact, it had been Jennie's rule. One that she was adamant that Rosie adheres to. The hypocrisy of this doesn't escape Jennie. Not that it changes the outcome.

"We do, but I'm certainly not going to say anything while she's injured and living with me. She's vulnerable right now and I'm not going to take advantage of that."

The way that Jisoo looks at her can only be described as pitying. Jennie doesn't like it one bit. But knows that she deserves it.

"There's a fine line between being noble and being stupid," Jisoo says. "Although, for you, that line seems to be non-existent."

"Thanks for the support," Jennie mutters.

"I'll be supportive when you stop being an idiot."

Irene saunters back into the room and takes her place between the two women. It doesn't take her long to notice Jennie's bratty glare in Jisoo's direction.