Circles and Circles || Jensoo

Chapter 5

Jennie looked as though she'd been slapped.

"Jisoo," she stuttered. "I know what you must think, why you'd feel that way, but..."

"Yeah, I guess you would know why I'd feel that way," Jisoo bit back with venom. "And nothing you do or say is ever going to change that. But let's get one thing clear. You do not know how I think, what I think, or have any say in what I do anymore. You're not going to get me to talk to you by deception and you're not - I repeat NOT - going to be any part of my life. Can I make myself any clearer?"

Jennie nodded slightly and cocked her head to one side, her eyebrows slightly raised. "Funnily enough, Jisoo, I didn't ask you here for me. That's why I wasn't upfront with where all this was coming from. I've known where you were for a long time. If I wanted to see you, I guess I could have come myself."

Jisoo laughed bitterly. "And I'm supposed to believe that? What the hell is all this about then, Kim?" She spoke Jennie's last name like it was a dirty word. She was so angry she was shaking.

"This was for Ella," replied Jennie, softly.

"Ella?" Jisoo looked incredulous before comprehension dawned. "Jesus, Jennie, you're picking them younger and younger."

"Don't even suggest that!" Jennie shot back, her voice suddenly sharp. "Ella and I do not have that sort of relationship and never will. But, despite what you may think, I am capable of doing good things for people and all of this was for Ella. I've seen your work, Jisoo. It's incredible. And it's perfect for this. That's all I wanted."

Jisoo folder her arms and stared at Jennie.

"I still want you to work on this," Jennie murmured.

"Are you crazy? Why the hell do you think I would have anything to do with you, Jennie? I meant what I said, I hate you. I'm not doing you favours, I'm not working with you or for you. You can go get fucked!" She turned on her heel and reached for the door handle.

"Jisoo, wait, please. Please!" Jennie stepped forward, reaching out despite being a good couple of yards away, as if to stop Jisoo leaving. "Hear me out, this is important."

Jisoo stopped. Her head was buzzing and her face was burning. She needed to leave and leave immediately. She needed to run until her lungs burst and her muscles melted. Then she needed to run some more. She reached for the door but something in Jennie's voice, that pleading note, stopped her from opening it. She hated that Jennie could still have so much effect on her. She was supposed to be over this!

"You never have to see me again. You don't have to do this for me, but for you and for Ella." Jennie's voice was strained with pleading. "I know you met her and I know you liked her. She has no idea what's between us and she doesn't need to. I can tell her if you need me to, but I, I think it would be best if I left my offer at this: work with her, Chu. You'll get paid better than you can possibly believe, and you won't ever have to see me if you don't want to. Make demands. Whatever you want, whatever you need, it's yours. She deserves this, Jisoo, you can't believe how much, and I want her to have the best. She's not just another artist I've signed. I think you know that. Please, Chu."

Jisoo stood facing the door, her hand ready to open it. Her voice was low and soft.

"You can't give me what I need, Kim. You took that away eight years ago. You really should learn better than to make promises you can't keep." With that, Jisoo pushed the handle down and opened the door a crack. She paused and without knowing why, she turned her head to look at Jennie.

"I'll think about it."

And with that she left.

Jennie made her way around to her chair and sat down, breathing as hard as if she'd run a marathon. She leaned over and picked up one of the two silver frames sitting on her desk. The photograph was nine years old, but it felt to Jennie as if it had been taken yesterday. From the frame, the smiling face of Jisoo shone back. Jisoo was sitting on Jennie's lap, her head leaning on Jennie's and the two of them looked happier than Jennie could remember being in a long time. They had been that happy once. Once. Jennie put the photograph back down and picked up the only other frame on the table. In this photo, she was standing under a tree, one of the giant sequoia of northern California, her arm slung around Ella's shoulders. The young girl looked a lot thinner than she was now, gaunt, but she was smiling and it lit up the photo. Jennie put that photo down too and sat back in her chair, exhausted.