Apartment 34 // Jenlisa

Chapter 19

Central Park was pretty crowded due to the sunny weather that day. There were people lounging in the meadows, kids playing soccer and families on bike rides. Everyone appeared rather happy – except for the blonde girl walking silently beside Jisoo.

After Lisa and Jennie had left the restaurant, Chaeyoung had become even quieter than she already had been and Jisoo didn't have the heart to make some stupid joke – even though she wanted nothing more than to lighten the mood and maybe, just maybe, make her smile again.
But even Jisoo knew that that wasn't appropriate in the current situation, so she just kept her mouth shut – hoping that the other girl could still feel her support somewhat through her presence.

It was strange to her. Besides Jennie, the raven haired girl knew many people – but none of them she would consider her friends. They were acquaintances and even though Jisoo liked hanging out with them, she would never talk about serious topics with them - telling them her secrets or dreams. That part had always been reserved for only Jennie and her siblings – for the people she really trusted. People she had known all her life – so it more than confused her when she realized that there was suddenly another person she wanted to share her deepest thoughts with.

"You don't have to do this, you know.", Chaeyoung's voice cuts through the silence between them and pulls Jisoo out of her thoughts.
She looks up into soft eyes and knows immediately what the blonde girl means.

"I know. I want to though.", the Korean returns – a small smile showing up on her face.

Chaeyoung only looks back at her for a few seconds, before her sight shifts and she looks straight ahead again. There's a frown on her forehead but before Jisoo can comment on it, it's gone again. Still, it's enough evidence for Jisoo to confirm what she had been fearing, so she stops in her tracks – holding back the other girl by reaching for the sleeve of her jacket.
Chaeyoung turns to look at her with a puzzled facial expression – not knowing what's going on.

"You think you're a burden, am I right?"

The tall girl doesn't move one muscle – her face as tense at it had been the whole day up until now.

"Because she couldn't love and treat you right, you somehow came to the conclusion that it must've been your fault. That you were asking too much of her. That you are too exhausting to be with."

The blonde's eyes cast downwards to the floor – as she is clenching her jaw plainly.

"You're not a burden, Chaeyoung.", Jisoo clarifies emphatically and frowns when she earns a dry laugh from the other girl.

"How would you know, huh? You've known me for 3 days tops."

"Yeah.", Jisoo mumbles and shrugs. "You know, time is a funny thing. Sometimes it's the most important thing on earth and other times... well, other times time really doesn't fucking matter at all."

She sends Chaeyoung a pointed look and takes a deep breath. She knew it wouldn't be that easy to convince her.

"I've maybe only known you for a few days, but you see, within those days I've learned that you have one of the biggest hearts I've ever met. You went and helped Jennie pick up Leo even though the worst thing happened to you that same day, because you wanted to keep your word and you wanted to be there when your best friend finally got one of her biggest dreams fulfilled. That's how much you love Lisa. That's also why you accepted Jennie immediately – and you supported the both of them from the start. You made Jennie feel welcome and you made room for her in your life as well, because you knew that she was now a part of Lisa's life and therefore yours too. You have no idea how many times Jennie called me to tell me how relieved she was that you were the way you are. You're selfless and would much rather have your friends have a nice breakfast whilst you die inwardly because you received fucked-up news, than to ruin their morning. You're nice to everybody – even to the annoying best friend who visits out of the blue and says inappropriate things almost all the time. You constantly look out for everyone, no matter how drunk or upset you are and don't even get me started about the fact that you radiate contentment and love with every move you make. I've noticed how people on the streets look at you when you smile, because I know I look at you the same way. You see, people around you just can't be unhappy. Because of you. And now tell me, girl with a voice like a rose and an aura like the sun, how can someone like you be a burden when all you do is make others happier?"