Accidentally

Learning The Ropes

Updated 02/2023

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Jennie nearly jumped out of her chair in surprise when Jisoo shot through her apartment door, carrying a box of random items, settling them on her kitchen table with a huff. She was dressed casually, her hair tied behind her in a low ponytail.

Jennie rolled her eyes as Jisoo's unceremonious slamming of the door behind her knocked over the little wooden chess pieces she'd been busying herself with. Scrambling to pick them up and return them to their designated spots on the board, she felt Jisoo gaping at her, her dark gaze boring into Jennie's general direction.

She felt nervous, fluttery and unsure of herself under that gaze, and that gaze alone.

It was pathetic.

"Chess?" Jisoo scoffed. "By yourself? Seriously?"

"Hello, Jisoo." Jennie drawled in exasperation.

"Hello, nerd." Jisoo grinned, sitting across from her with a huff, eyes catching the way the light framed Jennie angelically as she clenched her jaw in focus.

"Was the art of knocking not part of your...intensive art schooling and education?" Jennie asked plainly, emerald eyes glinting with humor.

Jisoo smirked. "Girlfriends don't knock."

Jennie glanced up in surprise, mouth parting slightly. "I...right." She sighed, shaking her head.

Why, oh why, did Jisoo do that to her? She was bright, the best of her class. She was more than capable of coming up with witty responses, and Jisoo was just a bubbly, funny,...beautiful, intelligent....

Focus, Jennie.

"So...I seemed to have walked in on you playing with yourself."

Jennie's jaw actually dropped this time as a crimson blush made its way to her cheeks, her now shaking hand knocking over a poor bishop.

Jisoo bit her lip to keep from laughing at her own juvenile joke. "You okay there, slick?" She smirked.

Jennie took in a sharp breath, steadying herself. "This game requires focus, Jisoo."

Jisoo reached over and propped the bishop back up, eyes never leaving Jennie's gaze. "Sorry." She murmured, but her voice was clearly unapologetic.

"Let's...see what you have..." Jennie made a motion to rise, but Jisoo caught her wrist.

"No, Jennie..." Jisoo stifled a laugh. "That can wait. We have, like, months. Let's play."

Jennie's eyes widened in surprise as she slowly sat back down, wrist burning where Jisoo touched her. "You...know how to play?"

Jisoo rolled her eyes. "I'm not an idiot, Jennie."

Jennie immediately reproached herself mentally. "I...That's not what I meant. I...it's just...from what I gather, you were the...cool girl, in school. The socialite with fantastic art skills and no time for...menial games."

Jisoo quirked a brow, wearing a smirk. "You weren't cool? No way." Jisoo folded her arms over her chest, leaning back in her seat.

Jennie shook her head. "No one wants to be friends with the foster kid, Jisoo." She spoke like it was an old wound that had scarred over without ever completely healing.

Jisoo's very soul ached for Jennie.

She'd heard the stories. Jennie was a product of the foster system, sent from house to house until her final years of high school, where she'd forced herself to get perfect grades for scholarships to prestigious schools.