Precious Things || Jensoo

Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Gym is our last class of the day. It's a Krystal-free class which is always good. Unfortunately for me it's an Jennie-and-Jongin class and that is not something I'm looking forward to today.

I don't want to look at her. I remind myself of how pathetic it is that I got upset over her little tease and how I should have just taken it on the chin.

If only it hadn't felt like she meant it.

If only she hadn't said it after actually telling me she understood, that she knew about my grandfather, that she had figured it out.

If only she hadn't said it at all.

I shouldn't let Jennie get to me like this, but then again, she always had the potential to. It's just that previously we were having no interaction, keeping potential angst down to a minimum.

She tries to grab me just inside the door to the locker room but I push past her and ignore her. I always get changed in a stall, because I'm far too self conscious to do it out in the open, and I use it as my getaway.

By the time I'm out, there's barely anyone left, but Jennie is there waiting for me. She's already in her t-shirt and gym shorts. Those damn shorts, figure-hugging and way too short, always make me feel like hyperventilating. For a few short seconds I forget that I'm mad at her and lust flows through me. But then it comes back and I turn away.

"Jisoo, come on." She grabs my elbow but I shake it loose. She follows me to my locker as I throw my bag in with judicious force and slam the door closed. "Please, Jisoo, I'm sorry. Just talk to me."

Instead of replying or looking at her, I stalk out of the locker room into the gym. They've been redoing the field outside so we're stuck inside the gym today. That always means the same thing: dodge ball.

I walk to the benches and try to avoid Jennie. She ends up on the other side of the crowd where I can see her talking to Jongin in a rapid fire manner, her hands moving as she accentuates what she's saying. I look straight ahead, still able to see them out of the corner of my eye but not actually looking at them. I can see Jongin's head turn to me and then back to Jennie.

He says something, angrily, and then leaves her.

Jennie is left standing alone, her arms crossed protectively across her.

For a moment, I feel sorry for her, then the flames of hurt and embarrassment flare a little and my sympathy subsides.

We're split into two teams, and Jennie is on the opposite side.

I'm the first person out on my team. It's not that I'm particularly unathletic, it's just that I'm everyone's first target. Don Ames first ball glances off my shoulder painfully and Coach blows his whistle.

"Out, Kim. And, Ames... aim a little lower."

I move to the bench where I slump down.

To my surprise, Jennie is out not long after me. She's pretty good at sport, although she's a chronic non-joiner. My suspicions that she let herself get hit are somewhat confirmed by her presence on the bench next to me. As I get up to move she puts her hand on my arm gently.

"Don't, Chu. Please hear me out."

It's the 'Chu' that does it. No one calls me 'Chu', not since my father died. On Jennie's lips it sounds like a prayer. It makes my spine tingle.

"What?" I say in a low voice. It's not an angry tone, just a little sad.

"I'm sorry."

"Fine."