Since the disagreement, both women have been exhibiting unusual behavior, acting out of character. They made a conscious effort to avoid each other and acted as if the altercation had never occurred between them.
Jennie was well aware that the words she had spoken that day were brutally honest, but witnessing Jisoo's aggressive response only reinforced the realization that Jisoo was still unwilling to face the truth. It was almost as if she was holding out for a miracle. It pained Jennie deeply to witness her beloved friend spiraling down a self-destructive path, causing her heart to ache with sorrow.
Jennie's curiosity was piqued when she noticed that Jisoo had been spending more time with her father than usual since the altercation. The memory of Jisoo's words from that day resurfaced in Jennie's mind, hinting that Jisoo's father was seeking something in return for their increased interactions.
As Jennie walked past Jisoo in the kitchen to transfer the hot oven plate to the other side of the table, her gaze kept drifting towards Jisoo's movements with the mixing bowl. Jisoo caught onto this subtle observation, causing a small, knowing smile to tug at the corners of her mouth. It was clear to Jisoo that Jennie had something on her mind, prompting an unspoken conversation between them.
"What is it?" Jisoo asked, tilting her head slightly to get a better look at Jennie's face. Startled by Jisoo's sudden question, Jennie was taken aback and accidentally grazed the hot edges of the plate. "Omg, are you okay?" Jisoo exclaimed, concern evident in her eyes as she witnessed the mishap. Despite the pain, Jennie managed a smile as she looked back at Jisoo standing in front of her.
"It's nothing! See, I'm fine!" Jennie reassured, displaying her unharmed hand to Jisoo. A sigh of relief escaped Jisoo as she glanced into Jennie's eyes. "What's been going on with you lately?" Jisoo inquired, her eyes narrowing in curiosity. Jennie responded with a lighthearted smile.
"What do you mean?" Jennie asked, pretending to be confused. Jisoo shook her head and returned to her previous position.
"I know what you're curious about... It's about my father!" Jisoo declared, swiftly adding chocolate chips into the mix. Jennie watched Jisoo with a mix of surprise and confusion in her eyes.
"He wants me to accompany him to all his dinners and meetings with potential partners for his political campaign!" Jisoo revealed, a hint of amusement in her smile. Jennie's jaw dropped in astonishment at the revelation. It was evident that Jisoo's father was attempting to arrange a marriage for her.
"You're letting him dictate your personal life like that?" Jennie questioned, disbelief coloring her tone. Jisoo paused in her pastry-making, her gaze fixing on Jennie's face.
"He's assisting me in locating my husband! He's even hired one of the top detectives to track him down, Jennie!" Jisoo exclaimed, a spark of hope shining in her eyes. Jennie felt a tightness in her chest as she struggled to digest Jisoo's words.
"Jisoo, what's happening to you? You realize he'll stop at nothing to get you married off to one of those men, don't you? Did you not see the look in his eyes that day he came to collect you from the bakery? They were pleading for you to return! He wants his daughter back, to see you settled in marriage, not toiling away in a small bakery in the heart of the city!" Jennie spoke firmly, her gaze steady. Jisoo felt her muscles tighten in response to Jennie's words.
"You read all of that in his eyes? You're really overthinking this now! I understand... you don't want me holding onto the hope of getting my husband back... but the reality is... it's not about your wishes for me... it's about what I choose for myself! I have the right to decide whether I want to live alone with memories of my husband! It's my decision to make!" Jisoo declared, her eyes growing more intense. Jennie let out a deep sigh and shook her head in disbelief.
"Do you know what I see in your eyes?" Jennie countered. Jisoo felt a flicker of fear rising within her. Yet, she couldn't shake the belief that Jennie could never truly discern her innermost thoughts and emotions.
"I see a woman who is struggling to convince herself that she will be satisfied with whatever bleak and solitary future lies ahead. But what I truly see is someone yearning for a hand to reach out and lead her to a place where she can feel secure, joyful, and above all, loved," Jennie shared with empathy.
"That's what I see... desperation," Jennie asserted, unwavering. Jisoo crumbled under the weight of Jennie's words, her eyes brimming with tears as sorrow etched across her face.
"You've become unbearable to be around, do you realize that? I detest the way you've been treating me lately... I wish you would cease causing me pain... and return to being the friend who stood by me even when I was mistaken," Jisoo expressed through teary eyes. With a heavy heart, she removed her apron and dashed out of the kitchen.
Hours slipped by, and Jisoo's absence lingered in the bakery. Following the disheartening exchange with Jennie, she made a swift exit, unable to endure another moment in her presence.
As she applied some powder to her cheeks, Jisoo's thoughts continued to dwell on the words Jennie had spoken earlier.
"No... she's wrong! She's wrong...!" Jisoo murmured to herself, gazing at her reflection in the mirror. A faint smile crept onto her lips as she tried to persuade herself that all she had heard was merely a misguided and baseless notion that Jennie harbored about her.
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Her hand reached for the vibrant red lipstick before her, gliding it across her lips. The simple act of adorning herself with makeup brought back a sense of nostalgia and longing. Once, she had relished in caring for her appearance, but now it felt like a distant memory. Siwon's absence had truly left a void in her life.
In the past few days, she had dutifully attended every event her father had insisted she accompany him to. It was a necessary sacrifice in her quest to reunite with Siwon. Although she found the charade tiresome and burdensome, she was adept at maintaining a composed facade in front of her father's social circle, which mainly consisted of his friends and acquaintances. This was a role she had played many times before.
Jisoo was well aware of her father's desire for her to move on and find someone new, but she played the part to appease him. Deep down, her resolve to locate her husband and reunite with him remained unwavering. She had no intentions of starting a new life with another man.
Walking through the spacious aisles of the upscale restaurant in the northern part of the country, Jisoo found herself beside her father. She observed his beaming smile and proud demeanor as she clung to his arm, following his lead. As they reached a stop, her father's smile widened upon spotting someone at a large table. Jisoo shifted her gaze to meet the warm smile of an elderly man who stood across from them.
"KIM!!" Jisoo heard the old man exclaim with warmth and delight. She watched as he approached them, embracing her father in a heartfelt hug.
"JUNG... my dear old friend!" Jisoo's father reciprocated warmly in the embrace. Jisoo observed the touching reunion with a soft smile, but her attention was soon drawn to something peculiar. Her body instinctively turned back to the table, and there he was, locking eyes with her in a state of panic. No one else at the table rose at the sight of her, leaving an uneasy feeling in the air.
