mean it (jensoo)

chapter 1

Jennie Kim wasn't a quitter. She'd once said, 'I don't bend, I don't break, I don't stand down for anyone.' And she'd meant it.

But things were different with Jisoo. No, she couldn't give up. She couldn't. But the temptation was there, especially when the taste of Jisoo's lipstick remained on her own lips.

The CEO's smell would linger, surrounding her, for hours after she was gone, if only in Jennie's mind. And that was probably the worst part, because despite being increasingly arousing, it was also a painful reminder that Jisoo wasn't there. That she'd left.

She always left.

It was never at Jisoo's penthouse that the two had their dalliances. No. It was always – only – at Jennie's apartment. But that meant that after Jisoo was gone, Jennie was stuck with the smell of her, and the feeling of Jisoo's lipstick smudged all over her.

Jisoo would show up at random, always carrying a bottle of champagne with her. It was an offering, like an olive branch, to repair their friendship. 'I'm sorry,' she'd say, referring to their most recent dalliance. 'I shouldn't have done that.'

But Jennie knew she wasn't sorry, because after the glasses were poured and Jisoo had finished hers – Jennie's left forgotten on the coffee table – Jisoo would always slide right back in. It would start with something small, like a touch on the back of Jennie's hand while laughing hard at something only moderately funny, and end with smeared lipstick and slick fingers.

And then Jisoo would excuse herself and disappear abruptly, without messaging Jennie, despite the her request that she text her when she got home. Jennie was left alone in her bed, surrounded by the intoxicating smell of Jisoo's perfume and the stench of her own inability to set boundaries.

The days following, they'd see each other at work, and Jisoo would make sure to sit on Jennie's desk, leaning over just enough for her cleavage to be at the reporter's eye level, all while talking about her conflicts with Jongin Kim. Jennie wasn't sure what was more disgusting: the fact that Jisoo was sort of dating her ex or that Jisoo was complaining about him to her after fucking Jennie the night before.

It sent Jennie's head reeling, and it distracted her from work, so much so that the quality of her articles began to suffer, and Jisoo quickly noticed.

"What the hell is this?" Jisoo snapped, having pulled Jennie into her office to scold her about her latest article.

Jennie flinched.

"I..." she started, averting her gaze and not knowing how to respond.

Nothing she could say would be right, anyway. Jisoo was pissed.

"This," Jisoo barked, "is a fluff piece about Lisa Manoban being gay. Who the fuck wants to read about Lisa Manoban's sex life?"

"But it's not about her s—" Jennie tried desperately, daring to look up only briefly before seeing the look of fury on Jisoo's face and dropping her gaze again.

"Save it."

Jisoo slapped the drafted article down before bracing herself on the desk, leaning over as her eyes darkened.

"I want you to write another piece," the CEO demanded, "and if it's garbage, I'll suspend you without pay until you remember how to write a good article with repute worthy of this magazine. We might be friends, Jennie, but I'm also your boss and the CEO of this company." Then, as an afterthought, Jisoo told her, "Oh, and I want it tonight." Mouth agape, Jennie stared, making Jisoo scowl and add, "Is that clear?"

The reporter nodded her understanding and rose from her seat like a beaten puppy, then waited to be released from the excruciating verbal assault.

Finally, after staring at her for several long moments, Jisoo asserted, "You can go."