𝙼𝚢 𝙲𝚛𝚞𝚎𝚕 𝙱𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚢 ٭ 𝚃𝚊𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚎 ٭

٭𝟺𝟿٭

Jennie reached over to her nightstand, her fingers brushing against the cool surface of her phone. As she blinked sleep from her eyes, she unlocked it and noticed a message from Taehyung. She sat up, brushing her hair out of her face, and opened the text.

"Morning, love. I hope you slept well. Had to leave early for a mission. I'll be back around 2 pm. Don't worry, it's nothing dangerous. I love you. We'll talk more when I get home. Stay safe. - Tae."

Jennie sighed, feeling a mix of relief and unease. Relief because it wasn't a dangerous mission, and unease because she knew what was coming tonight. She placed her phone back on the nightstand and slowly got out of bed. The sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room, but it did little to ease the tension she felt in her chest.

Making her way to the bathroom, she turned on the tap and let the hot water fill the tub. The steam rose, fogging up the mirror as she poured in some shower gel, watching as it created bubbles in the water. She undressed, feeling the cool morning air against her skin, and stepped into the tub. The warmth of the water enveloped her, and she leaned back, trying to let the heat soothe her.

But no matter how hard she tried, the relaxation was short-lived. Her mind kept circling back to the task ahead of her. The thought of facing James tonight, of ending his life, weighed heavily on her. It wasn't just about pulling the trigger; it was about confronting the fear and pain that he had caused her. The memories of what he had done, the scars he had left on her body and soul, resurfaced, and she found herself trembling.

Tears began to fall, silent and unbidden, sliding down her cheeks as she hugged her knees to her chest. She wasn't sure if she had the strength to do it. The fear was overwhelming, wrapping around her like a vice, making it hard to breathe. But as the tears continued to fall, she thought of Taehyung. He had been her rock through everything, the one person who had shown her that she could survive, that she could be stronger than her past.

She took a deep breath, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. She wasn't alone in this. Taehyung would be there, by her side, supporting her. With him, she could face anything, even her darkest fears.

Jennie exhaled slowly, forcing herself to gather all the courage she could muster. She could do this. She had to. For herself, for her future, for the life she wanted to build with Taehyung. Slowly, she stood up and stepped out of the tub, wrapping a towel around herself as she moved to the sink. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes still red from crying, but there was a determination there now, a fire that hadn't been extinguished.

She got dressed, choosing a simple yet elegant outfit. As she styled her hair and applied her makeup, she focused on the task, pushing the fear to the back of her mind. She had made up her mind. She wasn't going to let James control her life anymore. Tonight, she would take back the power he had stolen from her.

Once she was ready, she left the bathroom and made her way downstairs. The house was quiet, peaceful. Mina, Mingyu, Rosé, and Lisa were still asleep, their soft breaths the only sound filling the house. But Jisoo was awake, sitting in the living room with the TV on low volume, her attention focused on the screen.

Jennie walked over and without a word, snuggled close to her. Jisoo, sensing her friend's need for comfort, wrapped an arm around her and held her tight. The warmth of Jisoo's embrace brought Jennie a sense of peace, if only for a moment. They didn't need to speak; the silent understanding between them was enough.

They sat there together, watching the TV, the noise of the show playing softly in the background. In that moment, with Jisoo by her side, Jennie found the strength she needed to face the day. No matter what happened tonight, she knew she wasn't alone. And that made all the difference.