Don't Wanna Be Your Girl || Jensoo

Chapter 28

Jisoo is in her element talking about her artistic influences. Pointing out techniques. Discussing composition and lighting and form.

Jennie listens, enthralled. Occasionally asking questions, mostly just appreciating how animated Jisoo becomes. The jargon might as well be a foreign language to Jennie, but Jisoo explains the concepts patiently and without patronising her.

It's while they're admiring one of Sungjae's abstract paintings—a riot of green that's supposed to represent the renewal of life or nature or who the fuck knows, it's all just paint splatter—that Jisoo admits, "You're only, like, the second person to take any interest in my art. Outside of classes."

Sensing that Jisoo has more to say, Jennie just holds her hand and waits. They both look straight ahead, not taking their eyes off the painting. There's something oddly calming about the overlapping splotches of colour, varying in shade from chartreuse to deep, forest green, with glimpses of the bare canvas peeking through like light streaming through a dense canopy of leaves.

"It was my dad who encouraged me to pursue painting. Mom was so hung up on career prospects, how I'd support myself, but Dad just wanted me to do something I was passionate about."

There's a lull and, when Jisoo speaks again, her voice is softer. "I switched majors after the funeral. I'd been mulling it over for a while, and then he—he..." She takes an audible breath, draws herself up. "Maybe it sounds like pseudo self-help bullshit, but I had this epiphany, you know? I didn't wanna be filled with regret because I wasn't brave enough to go after the things I wanted for me ."

Jennie doesn't say anything. She only turns and puts her arms around Jisoo, pulling her into a tight embrace. They stay like that, soaking in the warmth of one another, Jisoo clutching at Jennie's back as though she's a life preserver. When they pull apart, Jisoo's eyes are glassy and Jennie feels like she's the one drowning in that ocean blue.

"I wish you could've met him." She smooths out the wrinkles in Jennie's blouse from the hug. "He would've teased you for being so serious. Probably given you some goofy nickname like J-Dawg."

At the grimace she receives, Jisoo laughs. "That's how he was. Just the biggest dork. We used to listen to hard rock and hair metal on the drive to and from school every day, from kindergarten right up to junior high. One time he got so into doing a one-handed air guitar solo on The Final Countdown, he nearly swerved into a lamppost. Made me swear not to tell Mom because she would've freaked."

She snorts at the memory and shakes her head.

"By the time I was a sophomore, I told him it was beyond lame to have my dad drive me to school." She lowers her gaze. "If I'd known within a few years he'd be..."

Jisoo swallows and presses her lips together, fighting back the swell of emotion. She blinks a few times to clear her vision and gives Jennie a sad smile.

"I'd give anything to sing along off-key to Livin' On a Prayer with him again."

"Well," Jennie says carefully, "I draw the line at hair metal, but maybe that could become one of our traditions too. As long as we can throw some 90s R&B jams into the mix occasionally."

Jisoo is silent, wide eyes darting between Jennie's while she absorbs the full meaning of the offer.

"I think I can cope with that."

She steps into Jennie's body again, toying with one of the buttons of her blouse. And, just like that, Jisoo's vulnerability turns on a dime so fast Jennie half wonders if she imagined it. Because the way Jisoo's looking at her now is the definition of sultry assurance.