From Day One | JENSOO

Chapter 39

Stay close, don't go.

A month later

"This is crazy. We shouldn't be doing this yet. She shouldn't be doing this yet," Jinyoung moaned, his knee bouncing up and down as he sat in the wooden chair.

Jisoo observed the seated crowd outside the window. Everyone was ready for the ceremony to begin and they were getting fidgety with how long it was taking. The sun was shortening their patience and Jisoo was happy she was shielded from it for now.

"She's more than ready, Jinyoung. So are you. And it's not like you have to do much."

Jinyoung wasn't really listening and focused on the bothersome thoughts in his head. He stood up and pulled at his tie. He hated ties, they felt like a noose. Jisoo caught him doing so and stepped over to him to adjust it. Again.

"If I'm like this," he said, twisting his neck from the tightening cloth.

"I can't imagine what she's going through."

*

"Irene!" Jennie shouted as she fanned at the poor girl's head resting on her lap.

Nayeon came just in time with a cup of water. She crouched in front of Irene and tilted the cup to the girl's mouth, letting Irene drink. Once Irene was done Nayeon set the cup down and helped Jennie with fanning.

"I shouldn't be doing this yet. Not now. Not yet," Irene repeated to herself with closed eyes.

Jennie looked at her watch and noted they only had a few minutes before Irene had to be up there.

"Irene, I know you're scared and I know this is a pretty big deal for you but it'll be over before you know it. Just take a few deep breaths. You'll do great."

Nayeon wasn't good with words so she nodded to what Jennie had said in agreement. Irene did just that, her chest filling with air then gradually depleting.

"Okay. Let's do this."

Jennie let Irene stand and Nayeon made sure she wouldn't faint and fall. With her shoulders squared and her head high, Irene walked out of the room wordlessly.

"For a scared-y cat, she really does know when to gather her shit and push through it," Nayeon commented.

Jennie let out a small laugh and smiled proudly at Irene's courage. She saw the tail end of a similar smile on Nayeon's face. They hadn't become instant friends but Nayeon seemed to be making a greater effort to be less of a complete bitch and Jennie responded in kind.

She believed Irene had something to do with it. They put their differences aside for Irene, their common ground.

"Yea, she's really good at that."

*

"Jennie!"

Jennie whipped around to the loud whisper. Jisoo was hiding behind a thick tree, motioning for Jennie to come nearer. Jennie glanced back to the crowd and to the stage where Irene was making her speech (she would be such a bad friend to miss it) but promised herself it'd only be a few minutes.

"Why are you here?" Jennie asked, wanting to reach over and fix Jisoo's hair and cap but strangely found herself repressing the desire.

"I already have my diploma. I'm just doing this as a formality," Jisoo said with an apologetic smile. She'd been smiling that way for weeks now.

"Okay. Well, I'm going to go. I don't want to miss Irene's speech."

"Jennie, wait." Jisoo caught Jennie's arm to keep her from leaving. Jennie stopped but kept her back to Jisoo.