I built this Home for me, for you

Chapter 15

"Come on, we're going to be late if we're not out of here in five!" Jennie called out, trying to get everyone to finish up their last minute adjustments. It was the annual J-Corp Christmas gala, and Jennie was putting on a pair of Louboutin's and applying another layer of lipstick in the kitchen, watching as Lisa tried to hide the bruise ringing Seolhyun's eye, while Ryujin fussed with her pleated skirt. Chaerin was ready and sitting at the dinner table while she waited for everyone else, and Jennie gave her an exasperated glance as she listened to Lisa and Seolhyun bicker.

"My mom was right; whoever said having boys was easier was right," Lisa sighed, "what is it about girls that takes us so long to get ready?"

Chaerin made a small sound of disapproval, "Jennie used to do it on purpose to make me late."

"I'm a very flawed person," Jennie brusquely replied, "I'm well aware of how petty I can be."

"Tell me about it," Lisa snorted, "last time I told her she put too much garlic on the garlic prawns, she put garlic in everything for a week. It made me begin to wonder if vampires were onto something."

Rolling her eyes, Jennie let out a snort of laughter, "well don't criticize my cooking then."

Laughing, Lisa's eyes crinkled at the corners and she glanced up at Jennie, "the first time you cooked for me, you gave me uncooked chicken and I ate it without criticizing you once. If there was ever a time for me to criticize it, it was then."

"You've never let me live in down," Jennie grumbled, glowering at her wife as she pouted slightly. With another quick dab, and a wince off Seolhyun from the tenderness of the bruise, Lisa deemed her fit to be out in public without looking like she'd been brawling, and kissed her dark head of curls.

"Oohh, one second, you need your sweater!" Lisa said, beaming at Jennie, who was wearing a starched white shirt tucked into black dress pants. She had known this was coming, and she gave Lisa a bright smile as she watched her wife excitedly leave the kitchen.

Seolhyun muffled a snort of laughter, and Ryujin tilted her head to the side, frowning slightly as she looked at Jennie. "Mom, why do you always wear the ugly sweaters mama knits for you?"

Chaerin disguised her laugh with a cough, and Jennie raised her eyebrows at her mom, pressing her lips together to stop herself from smiling. "The first Christmas your mama and I were together, she was in Afghanistan, and so she spent months knitting me a bright red sweater to wear to the Christmas gala. I looked like bloody Santa Claus, and it was completely humiliating, but she was so happy when I told her I'd wear it. For the past twenty-one years, she's made one for me to wear every year, without fail.."

"But they're ugly as fu- hell," Seolhyun said, a smile curling her lips as she arched an eyebrow at Jennie.

She couldn't argue with her there, and Jennie just gently sighed, "I know, but your mama spends ages knitting them for me, and it makes her happy, so I wear them for her."

"But you think they're ugly too, right?" Seolhyun asked.

"Oh god yes," Jennie laughed, "I'd never tell her that – and you better not too, if you know what's good for you. I don't care how ugly it is; it's a tradition now, and I like to see the smile on her face when she thinks I like it." At the sound of footsteps coming back downstairs, Jennie lowered her voice, "okay, she's coming back. Don't mention how ugly it's going to be."

A few moments later, Lisa walked in with the sweater hidden behind her back, and she revealed it with a flourish. It was green this year – a bright bottle green – and had a snowman knitted on the front, with a shower of snowflakes falling around it. Seolhyun couldn't stop herself from bursting into laughter, and Ryujin shot her a warning look, before smiling brightly at Lisa. "Looks great, ma!"