Acts of Hate | Taennie

14.

"Jennie! Yah Jennie slow down!"  Sera yelled with a laugh as a 16 year old Jennie only smiled.

"Hurry up, or we'll miss it!" The said girl yelled back as Taehyung paused with his hands on his knees running out of breath.

"How do you not have energy for anything but things like this..." he mused at the girl who kept jumped up and down waiting for the two to reach up the hill viewpoint where she was waiting.

"Come on! Hurry up!" The girl said impatiently stomping her feet as Sera only laughed lovingly.

"Okay okay. We're coming." She chuckled as she took a hold of Taehyung arm and pushed him to run with her to Jennie, who only smiled wider despite Taehyung's annoyed expression.

"Finally! Look it's starting!" Jennie exclaimed happily as the group neared the railing pushing against a crowd and finally at the view.

Just then, bright fireworks lit up the sky, as the three teens stood side by side, admiring the abnormal view in Busan.

"It's so pretty." Jennie smiled, the youngest amongst the three as the two on either side turned to look at her, and then back at the view.

15 minutes later, after the display and an annoyingly long photo session at Jennie's request, the three sat at the foothill at a table, Taehyung and Sera sitting across from Jennie, a calmer demeanour in comparison to the noisy one earlier.

"Are you finally happy now that we came here?" Taehyung asked with his hands in his pocket as he commented on the days Jennie had been rambling on about this for.

"Yep! Every year we're usually away. At least from now on I'll be in town for this." She spoke as she excitedly fumbled through their pictures.

"Whatever makes you happy, Jen." Sera said with a smile as Taehyung glanced over at her, not missing the glance that lasted a lot longer than what he deemed normal.

The way her eyes always strayed to Jennie, and how she would never be late to help the girl.

The fondness she had for the girl, the loving glances.

At first the thought it was just because she had taken a liking to the girl and thought of her as a younger sister, as she was the youngest in the group.

However, Jennie was only a few months younger.

And the more he observed her, the more he realised.

That Sera was in love with Jennie.

He didn't know how to feel about it, so he never brought it up with her himself. In the end of the day, if something were to happen, it would happen in due time, and there was no need to create an awkward atmosphere when it was not needed.

But the only problem with that was, he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy when the other two seemed to be a lot closer than normal, when she would hold her hand and give her hugs that lasted longer.

Maybe it was normal to Jennie. To be able to be physically closer with a female friend.

But to him, it certainly wasn't. Especially since he knew that those actions weren't purely platonic both ways.

But who was he to comment.

Instead, he sat there wordlessly and looked up at the clear night sky, one he could not find in Seoul when the three would return to school.

"Guys, this one is the best." Jennie said suddenly as the two looked back at the grinning girl showing the picture with the proudest face ever.

"If you like it, then it's enough." Sera said as Taehyung nodded, with a slight automatic glance.

"Yah Sera, he careful with those words. When Jennie debuts as a famous idol and that picture resurfaces of us as proof of our friendship, you don't want people to think that Jen has an ugly friend." He joked, knowing she would know he was teasing.

"Yah! Kim Taehyung!" Sera yelled with a smile, as she shoved his arm in mock offence.

"What famous idol.... I can't even land a debut right now." Jennie said, pursing her lips as her smile faded, and the two turned to her.

"You're only 16 Jen, debuting minors is tricky nowadays, especially with the night rule. Besides, we all know that the minute you debut, you'll be unstoppable." Taehyung encouraged with a smile as he kicked her, to stop the serious expression.

"Exactly. What can't you do? You're an all rounder, something not everyone can say they are. Your debut will be soon Jen, trust me." Sera said but the pair didn't miss the way her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Anyways!" Jennie said, attempting to change the topic as the other two only went along with it.

"Let's come back here next year too. This can be our yearly tradition, okay? No missing out. Promise me." Jennie looked up as the two only sighed, knowing there was no way of going against the girl once she made up her mind.

"Alright."

"No. Promise me.

"Okay okay fine. I promise."

"..."

"Taehyung."

"What?"

"Promise me."

"You know w-"

"Promise me."

"Alright Jane, I promise."

But little did they know, there was no firework trip next year, no yearly tradition.

The promise broke as soon as it was made.

Because that was the night everything went wrong.

———————

Jennie awoke with a gasp, as she panicked unable to catch her breath.

Her fist hit against her chest, desperate to ease the tightness as her other hand reached for the glass of water on her counter.

Taking a big gulp, her breathing evened with deep exhales.

She couldn't help but panic at the reminder of that night.

That was 7 years ago.

The night where everything fell apart.

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Chapter 14
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Acts of Hate
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JJENINII
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