19
(Part 2)
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Y/N’S POVI didn't realize I fell asleep until I woke up to the soft sound of Jaehee’s breathing next to me.
The sight of her curled up in bed made me sigh in relief. I took one glance at the alarm clock placed on top of the bedside table before gently shaking her shoulder.
"Hey, Jaehee, wake up. It's time for lunch."
She stirred, her eyes fluttering open. For a moment, she seemed disoriented. When she saw me, she gave me a small, unsettled smile.
“It wasn’t a dream, was it?” she asked quietly.
I shook my head, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “No, it wasn’t. But you’re safe here with me now.”
Jaehee nodded, her smile growing a bit stronger. “I’m glad I can finally stay with you. Do you think Mom will give me a dagger too?” she added with a playful glint in her eye.
I laughed softly, the heaviness in my chest easing up a bit. “Maybe. You’ll have to ask her.”
Jaehee got up and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
While she was gone, I took a moment to collect my thoughts. Whatever happens in the future, I'm determined to keep Jaehee safe. She was my responsibility now, and I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
Jaehee emerged from the bathroom, she looked more refreshed and composed.
“Ready?” I asked, offering her a reassuring smile.
She nodded and we headed towards the door.
As I reached for the handle, I heard voices outside. I opened the door cautiously, and both of us jumped back in surprise.
Outside my dorm room, BLACKPINK and TWICE were locked in a tense stare-off. The atmosphere was thick with unspoken animosity, and I could imagine the electricity crackling in the air between them.
"Um, hi?" I said hesitantly, trying to break the tension.
Nine pairs of eyes turned to me, and I suddenly felt like I had interrupted something very important.
Jennie stepped forward from Blackpink's side, her expression softening slightly when she saw Jaehee.
"Y/n, Jaehee," she greeted us with a nod, her gaze flickering back to the TWICE members.
"We were just… discussing."
"Discussing?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow.
They all looked at me innocently, not wanting to say anything. I want to laugh, they all look cute.
Jaehee clung to my side, her eyes darting between the two groups. "What’s going on?" she whispered to me.
I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Nothing you need to worry about."
I could feel the tension between them growing by the second.
Whatever truce Blackpink and Twice had was fragile at best. The only thing they seemed to agree on was their concern for Jaehee and me.
“We’re heading to lunch,” I announced, hoping to diffuse the situation.
“Would you all like to join us?” My invitation made their eyes lit up.
"Sure," Mina said, stepping forward with a gentle smile. "We could use a break."
The others nodded in agreement, and soon we were all heading towards the cafeteria together.
It was a strange sight –– BLACKPINK and TWICE walking side by side. Apparently, I was not the only one who thinks so because most of the students are now completely glued to our group.
I noticed Jaehee starting to relax. She even started chatting with Lisa, who was doing her best to make Jaehee laugh with her goofy antics.
It warmed my heart to see my little sister smile again.
When we reached the cafeteria, we found a table big enough to accommodate all of us.
The conversation was a bit awkward at first, but gradually, everyone started to loosen up.
Jihyo and Jisoo started discussing about some upcoming events at the academy.
Even Jaehee was getting in on the conversation, asking Mina about her favorite computer games.
I sat back and watched, a sense of peace settling over me.
Despite everything that had happened, there was a moment of normalcy here, a moment where we could all just be ourselves.
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As we finished our lunch and headed back to our respective dorms, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the calm before the storm.
I took Jaehee’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Come on, let’s go," I said softly, leading her back towards our room.
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❦(A/n: This is the other half of chapter 19, lmao. I just want to make the chapters even-numbered. It's been bothering me.)
(A/exn: Chapter 20 would be the re-appearance of Red Velvet, hehe.)