The One I Love

14:00

Hanbin's fingers wrap gently over hers. They cradle their conjoined hands up close by their cheeks, skin warmed by slow breaths. Jennie watches as he falls asleep, observing the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest.

She notices for the first time the thin pink scars along the smooth skin of his arms.

What kind of life had Hanbin lived before she met him?

Had he been sad?

Had he struggled all by himself?

Did he have many friends, did his family love and take care of him?

She drifts to sleep with these thoughts, her grip on his hand tightening.

Jennie wakes in the middle of the night. Her eyes open slowly, meeting Hanbin's gaze. His hand that had been lightly stroking her hair pauses.

She can see his face redden in the dark.

"I want to kiss you again," She tells him. It's a warning, or more like a way out.

Hanbin shuts his eyes for a long moment. Jennie wonders if he's gone back to sleep, if he'd only woken in a lucid dream. She lets out a sigh and rolls over onto her back. The bed shifts as Hanbin gets up onto his side, resting his weight onto his elbow.

He hovers over her for a moment, again brushing the hair from her face. He dips down, pressing his lips softly against her forehead.

Her lips open in shock as Hanbin rolls over with a satisfied chuckle. She can feel his skin against hers, their bodies have gotten closer.

"So you and Hayi grew up together?" She whispers, facing Hanbin in the dark.

"Yeah, we lived in a tiny town where everyone knew each other." He brushes his thumb across her cheek. "Her parents died when we were maybe eight or nine, so her aunt and uncle raised her."

"Her aunt and uncle?"

"Mm. They lived down the road from us, so we played a lot. She always seemed really happy, despite it all."

"And then they moved."

"Yeah, and then they moved."

He doesn't move his hand, but keeps it nestled against her face as he falls back asleep. Jennie shuts her eyes, a smile teasing on her lips. His hand is so warm.

She shouldn't try anything again, he's no match for her.

He's kind and gentle and considerate.

She doesn't deserve him.

...

"Oh, you're awake?"

Lisa stumbles into the kitchenette, wiping at her eyes. She stops, raising her chin to sniff the air.

"Did you make me coffee?"

"Not just for you. I wanted some, too." Jennie answers, scrolling through her phone without looking up at Lisa.

"That guy left already?" Lisa pours herself a cup of coffee before joining Jennie at the table. She tries not to snort at 'already,' as if it weren't early in the afternoon. "I like him more than Jaewon."

"You should date him, then. He's single." Jennie smiles slightly, still on her phone. "But not for long, probably."

"Because you're gonna snatch him up?"

"No, not me." Jennie pulls up a picture, and shows it to Lisa across the table. "Do you know what club this is?"

"Verve, probably? It opened up in Itaewon last month."