𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮 - 𝒋𝒆𝒏𝒌𝒂𝒊.

the way you smile

Jennie was just about to put the pill into her mouth when she heard Lisa's shout from the living room.

"E-Eonnie, you have a visitor!"

A visitor?

At this hour?

Jennie glanced at the small clock on the bathroom sink. It's already 9 pm and she was just about to tuck Jinri into bed after she finished on what she's doing right now: taking a sleeping pill.

The dosage of it wasn't too much really, but she felt the need to take some since the past few days she had been having trouble on falling asleep. She didn't exactly know what caused it, but one thing she knew for sure was that she really does need sleep. A constant headache had been plaguing her and she already could feel her body temperature grew warmer than usual- signs that she should have a good rest.

So sleeping pills were the only answer to that.

"Eonnie!" Lisa called her again after getting no response from her.

"I'm coming," she said, hurriedly putting in the pills inside her purse and went out of the bathroom.

She didn't found Lisa on the living room, but instead, it was Jongin who stood there- in a rather awkward stance, she must say. A beanie and a mask covered his face, while his hand held a paper bag with something sticking out of it. A small black case in the shape of an ukulele.

"Jongin?" she said, somewhat breathy as she failed to mask her surprise upon seeing him. "You... uh, didn't say anything about coming again today."

She just blurted out whatever passed on her mind without thinking. And now she realized that what she said could easily be taken in a wrong way, especially considering they weren't really in a good term right now.

'Jinri is his daughter too, Jennie. He doesn't have to tell you anything if he wants to visit her,' she scolded herself.

With him, she felt like she was treading a thin line; constantly feeling somewhat afraid that she's going to make a mistake that could cost her her daughter's happiness.

She was bracing herself for a harsh reply from him.

"Uh- I'm sorry, I mean-"

"I know," he answered instead. "I wanted to tell you but I... don't exactly have your number," he said, eyes fixated on the carpeted floor.

The other day he threw his gaze away out of anger, not even sparing a single glance at her as if she was the Medusa herself, or simply just giving her a disdainful side-eye.

But right now he didn't seem like those things she mentioned at all. Instead, it looked as if he avoided her eyes out of guilt.

Guilty for what, though?

"So can I- can I go in?" he asked her after a long silence between them. "Is she asleep yet?"

Pulling herself out from her thoughts, she shook her head, saying, "Not yet, but I was just about to tuck her in."

She was quiet for a moment before adding, "Um, perhaps you could do it again for her tonight, instead of me..."

"Right," he replied shortly. He took a step backwards to walk into Jinri's bedroom but ended up stumbled upon Lisa's suitcase laying on the floor.

She let out a small yelp out of surprise. Fortunately his reflex was good and he quickly got a hold of himself.

"I-I'm fine," he said, his face grew red because of the embarrassing situation.