Snow

Chapter twenty seven

It was requested that the chapters should be longer, so this one is 952 words long, not including this. I hope you enjoy.

———————————————

After fifteen minutes, Jennie finally returns. She retakes her seat, soaking wet. I watch as she rubs her nose. Taking a closer look, I notice her eyes are red and puffy. Did I make her cry?

I place my hands on the table. Slowly, I open my mouth but no words come out. I just watch her, doing everything in her power not to cry, again.

I have never seen her like this, I doubt anyone at the company has seen her like this. It is so different from her normal appearance. It is as if all semblance of coldness or anger she once had is gone, replacing itself with something much more upsetting.

I can barely stand to watch, her tears moving me to produce my own. I do not. For once, I am the one that has to be emotionless. I have to look after her.

"Jisoo," She whispers.

"Yeah?" I go upright.

"Can we go?" She looks up at me.

I rise from my seat and grab the bag. In turn, grabs my wrist, "I take the bag," She sniffs.

"I... okay."

We leave the food place, Jennies bag safely in her arms. Putting up my hood, I turn back to Jennie. Her hair becoming drenched again, she seems confused with my sudden stop. With a small smile, I pull up her hood and tuck her hair in. Coldly, she moves back and walks around me, beginning the journey back to the dorm, I think. At least she is letting her frustration out.

The rain grows louder. Glumly, I begin to follow her through the dark streets of the city, doing my best to keep my distance. I look around and realise that I no longer know where she is going, our turn off to the dorm now long gone, what is she doing?

Jennie moves along, her head hung low. As her pace quickens, so does mine. As she slows, I follow suit.

I try to keep up with her, floating through street after street. They are quieter than the ones I am used to. The small alleys seem never ending, street after street, turn after turn.

Finally, she stops. Placing the bag on the ground, Jennie knocks on a door. A pool of warm light floods her as the door opens. She bows, smiles. The grungy light hides her tears in its murky yellow blob.

The rain is too loud for me to make out what she is saying, or maybe it is just my hood muffling it. I watch as a hand reaches out of the building and takes the bag. Soon, she bows again and the door closes, snapping her back to me.

By the expression on her face, I can tell that she is confused to why I followed her, so am I.

Hesitantly, Jennie walks over to me. She stands in front of me, her face, again, unreadable.

"Why did you follow me?" She questions.

"I don't know."

The girl closes her eyes, rubs her face, then looks back at me.

"It's not me." Jennie sates.

"Y-yes?" I blurt.

"Then I don't understand." She looks away and begins to walk back up the street.

"What?" I rush to walk beside her.

"You avoid me, but it's not about me. You argue with me, but you're not angry at me. It doesn't make sense." Her pace slows, "Why can't you make sense?"

"It's just-" I cut myself off.

"It's Just what?" Her interest seems to grow.

"I... I guess it's complicated," I decide.

"The fact you just figured that out makes me think that's probably not the case." She counters.

"I'm your elder, respect my judgement," I declare.

"No." She stops walking, turning to face me.

She looks tiny in her jacket, maybe it is just the way the lights are hitting off of her. I have been so caught up in hiding from Jennie, I forgot what it feels like to be in her presence. How could I forget how utterly beautiful this woman is?

She finally speaks again, "Do you have any idea how annoying you're being?"

"Very," I breathe.

She slaps me. No hesitation. Stumbling, I touch my face, painfully tingling against my fingertips.

I look back at her in shock, "What the hell?"

"If you use emotional abuse, I'm going to use the physical kind," She states.

"What are you-"

"I had to force you to come with me on a errand just to get you to talk to me, you barely even look at me when we're at work. Believe it or not, that gets to people, that gets to me."

"I'm just trying to make you happy, Jennie. I care about you-"

"If you care about me you would just tell me what's wrong-"

"I'm jealous, okay? I'm jealous of Kai," I release.

She looks confused, "Why?"

"Because he gets to date you, he gets to buy you things, take you places and make you feel like the most beautiful girl in the world," The words pour out of my mouth before I can stop them.

"Jisoo, why would that bother you?" Her confusion grows.

"Because," I take in a breath, "Because, for a while, that's how you made me feel and I thought you felt that way too. Jennie, I fell for you."

Jennie grows speechless. She looks at me at a complete loss for understanding. I did not expect her to be okay with it instantly, I know that it is a hard pill to swallow.

I smile, "At least you know what's going on now."

I shove my hands in my pocket and begin to walk back to the dorm, for real this time.