The Love We Had | JENSOO [18+]

Chapter Twenty-One: Saving The Treehouse

The next afternoon Jennie sneaked away from Jiyong and Chaerin as they played on the lawn darts. When Mr. Dong finally put away his lawnmower and headed into the house, she scooted across the lawn as quickly as she could.

She passed through the few yards of trees between the properties and emerged on Jisoo's side.

Looking out over the water she saw that the reporter-infested boat was gone. Jisoo was a media pro. She knew they'd give up, she knew it was a passing thing. She was right. She was smart.

Knowing Jennie was being a total desperate creep, she slinked to the little bungalow's windows and, standing on tiptoe, peeked inside. No signs of life.

She strolled absent-mindedly to the waterfront and noticed the big, luxurious hammock swinging in the breeze. She carefully hauled herself into it and spread out flat on her back. She inhaled deeply, almost certain she could smell Jisoo's subtle cologne in the padding.

Or maybe I'm just officially batshit crazy.

As she swung back and forth, the guilt and anger began to consume her. She wasn't a liar, or a cheater, or a cheap lay down for meaningless summer sex. It infuriated her that Jisoo could misconstrue the situation so badly. She'd never in her life put her hands on a man or woman she didn't care for.

She replayed the pool game conversation about exes and searched her memory for any details she had given Jisoo. Neglect. She'd used the word neglect. But that was about it. She was embarrassed at the time but now wished desperately to be able to tell Jisoo every detail about her failed relationship with Taehyung, and to make her understand that a passionate kiss from her ex was the last thing she ever would have expected.

Passion, psh please. That wasn't passion. That was a pathetic attempt to revive something long dead. That was Taehyung experiencing a trick of the brain, thinking he wanted me because I was gone. And because he saw that I was happy. That fucking saboteur.

**********

Wearing adidas cap and jacket with sunglasses on, Jisoo made a quick trip to the convenience store to satisfy her craving for popcorn and beer. Holding up in the hotel room and sulking had brought out all of her bad habits. She considered buying a pack of cigarettes, but decided against it as she paid for her items.

The clerk handed over her change and as she reached down to stuff it in her sweatpants she noticed a headline in the newspaper on the rack beside her. Her knees almost gave out under her.

There was Taehyung, the ex, glaring intensely into the camera in a not-so-flattering black and white portrait beside the words 'Jennie Kim is a Cola Fish. Her Ex tells all.'

"Fuck!" Jisoo cried.

A woman ushered her young son out of the store, covering his ears and shooting Jisoo a scowl. She picked up the paper, threw her change on the counter, and ran from the shop and back to the hotel. Mrs. Seo tried to ask her a question as she flew by the reception counter, but she had gone up the stairs in an instant, shouting back to her that it wasn't a good time.

Jisoo tossed the paper onto the bed and frantically flipped to the story. She didn't want to read it, but she had to read it.

Kim Taehyung, ex-boyfriend of Jennie Kim, comes clean about his relationship with Kim Jisoos' new lady.

"All of these photos of them making out and holding hands. I think it's all a lie." said Taehyun. "She was a prude, a real cold fish. Frigid."