black ribbons (jensoo)

chapter nine

'Breathe,' said Lisa firmly, the instant Jisoo opened her mouth to answer the phone.

'Why, good morning to you too. How nice of you to call. I'm fine, thanks for asking.'

'You can act like it's a normal day all you want, except that it's six o'clock in the morning and you picked up on the first ring.'

'And you can tell me to breathe all you want, except that it's six o'clock in the morning and you were the one who called me .'

'Which I only did because I knew you'd be awake.'

Jisoo rolled over and smothered a groan in the comforter. 'Lisa, everything is fine. I'm breathing. My skin is clear. My alarm is set. As is my second alarm, and my third.'

'And your ankle's okay? Nothing hurts?'

'I feel like I've been run over by a truck, so nothing new there. Seriously, Lisa, go back to bed. You know I never freak out on show days.'

'Exactly. You get so zen that sometimes I have to remind myself you're still alive and sentient.' The choreographer hesitated audibly. 'Well. I just wanted to make sure. And since I'll be at the theater all day anyway I thought I might take company class. Just barre, of course, but. Only if we're okay.'

After ten years Jisoo thought she knew all of Lisa's moods, but it was completely new for her to be this apologetic, this careful. It was a sign of how high she thought the stakes were. 'Mistakes were made. I like to think we can get over it.'

'Yeah. Good.' Jisoo heard a soft thump as Lisa let herself fall back onto the bed. 'Right. See you for class, then?'

'Bring your shoes. You can use my locker if you need to. And if you want to make it to the gala in one piece you'd better not be late.'

'I have met Dara. And while I've got you, Mrs Taeyon wanted me to say good luck, and to tell you that she lit some candles at mass and mentioned us to St Jude.'

Mrs Taeyon was Lisa's landlady, and formerly Jisoo's, and had a firm belief in the power of the candle. 'Isn't St Jude...'

'...the patron saint of lost causes, yes he is. I think,' concluded Lisa darkly as she hung up, 'she thought she was being helpful.'

***

Lisa's greeting was short and to the point. 'Breathe.'

'What?!' said Jennie, hopping around her bedroom, balancing her phone in one hand and trying to pull on her tights with the other.

'Oh, it's you. Ignore me, it's a jerk reaction on premiere days. Everything okay?'

'Yeah, fine.' Tights conquered. Balance restored. 'I was just calling to say that everything you need for tonight will be sent straight to the hotel.'

'That's very nice if you, but I was copied into that email too.'

'Oh, yeah. Of course. No, wait, don't hang up.' On second thoughts, Lisa didn't seem the sort of person to appreciate the softly-softly approach. 'I've just remembered' - lie - 'I was also wondering what Jisoo's favorite flowers are.'

The choreographer snorted. 'Jisoo's a complete slut for flowers, I really don't think she's fussy. Why?'

'Isn't that what you do to ballerinas when they perform? Give them flowers?'

'Oh, Kim, Jisoo will get enough flowers tonight to open a florist.' Lisa sighed, crockery clattered, water splashed. Jennie waited. 'Listen, don't get her flowers. Not during show season, anyway. If you want to get her something to mark tonight, make it...I don't know, a bottle of wine. Or get a poster framed.'