Outline of You | Jensoo

Ch09.

It has been a hectic couple of days, so Jennie is particularly appreciative when she sees her Wednesday coffee on her desk this morning. She snaps a photo of it.

Please thank Soojoo on my behalf for delivering this. :) And of course, thank you too.

She sends the photo and text to Jisoo, before rubbing her cheeks that now hurt from smiling for too long.

She picks up the cup in front of her and takes a sip, enjoying the heat that slips down her throat and soothes her tummy. It's strange, though, that her heart is the organ that feels the warmest. Her mind wanders to the hug last Friday -- she can still feel Jisoo's arms around her, still catch the subtle whiffs of Jisoo's scent, still hear the racing beat of her own heart.

Her smile fades, however, as she inevitably thinks of Nayeon.

[flashback starts...]

"Nayeon?" Jennie tightens her grip on her phone when the crying on the other end does not stop. Although she has halted dead in her tracks, her heartbeat spikes in worry. "Nayeon... hey... what's wrong?"

"Jen, I-I... I screwed up," Nayeon's sobs continue, each one piercing through Jennie's heart.

"Where are you? I'll come over."

There is only so fast Jennie's legs can take her and it feels like forever before Nayeon's doorstep comes into view, and the tear-stained face that greets her pains Jennie to the core. Without a word, she steps inside, takes Nayeon's hand and leads her to the familiar couch, before gently combing Nayeon's hair back and thumbing the drops of tears from her cheeks.

If only I could bear all of this pain for you.

"Joon and I," Nayeon takes a deep breath and attempts to steady her voice, "w-we broke up."

Jennie bites the inside of her cheek. "What happened?"

Nayeon lets out a resigned scoff, "Nothing... nothing happened, that's the funny thing."

"Then... why..."

"We broke up because nothing happened, because there was nothing to begin with," Nayeon's eyes begin to water again, and Jennie cannot help herself as she pulls Nayeon into a tight hug.

"I tried so hard but I... I j-just... don't feel anything for him, I'm s-sorry," Nayeon's voice cracks and her tears roll relentlessly onto Jennie's shoulder.

Stroking Nayeon's hair as soothingly as she can, Jennie coaxes, "It's okay, no one should force love. If he's not the one, it's okay, it's not a mistake to break things off with him."

Jennie does not understand why Nayeon is so torn over someone she supposedly has no romantic feelings for, but Jennie does not question.

When Nayeon's breathing is even again, she lifts her head from Jennie's shoulder and locks eyes with Jennie. "I think it is a mistake, I shouldn't have broken -"

"No, Nayeon, it is definitely never a mistake to -"

"I shouldn't have broken things off, Jen," Nayeon leans in, her gaze is vulnerable, almost pleading, and her breathing is suddenly loud in the silence, "with you."

[...flashback ends]

With a sigh, Jennie leaves the cup on her table, her appetite for caffeine lost, and sinks in her chair, massaging her temples.

---------

"That Jennie?"

"Hmm?" Jisoo hits send and then looks up from her phone, "Sorry, did you say something?"