Stranger

.FIFTEEN.

Jennie's House
________

Jennie and Seojun sat at the dinner table after everyone finished their meals and left. The rest of her family were chatting in the living room and Jennie preferred to avoid any more comments from her father about bringing Seojun.

"Where's your mother?" Seojun asked since he peeked into the living room and she wasn't there.

"Probably washing the dishes with my aunt. She does that all the time to avoid awkward conversation... with... you know," Jennie shrugged and look at her feet. Having family gatherings with separated parents was never easy.

Seojun nodded and looked at her feet as well, then gave her a little tap on the foot with his. She smiled and stepped on his foot.

"Let's see if your mother needs help with the dishes,"  Seojun suggested and she sighed.

They got up and went into the kitchen where Mrs. Kim was having a pleasant time gossiping with Jennie's aunt. It was nice for Jennie to see that not everyone in her parents' respective families had bad blood.

"Allow me to help," Seojun said and took the dishes from the women.

"Oh, Seojun, you really don't have to!" Mrs. Kim said but Seojun shook his head.

"It's not a problem. Please, continue to sit and talk. I'll handle them, I insist," Seojun said with a warm smile for the both of them.

They looked at Jennie who was holding back a smile.  When Jennie noticed them staring, her smile dropped as her aunt gave a thumbs up with a gesture to Seojun. Suddenly, Mr. Kim walked into the kitchen and Jennie's aunt swatted his arm.

"You told me he was a troublemaker at school. Did you lie?" she asked her brother, who happened to be the Principal of Jennie and Seojun's school.

Jennie's aunt remembered that Seojun was in the room so she took everyone to the dining room to finished their conversation.

"He was always involved in violent activities around campus. I was only going by rumours and claims from my students," Mr. Kim replied then looked at Jennie. "Jennie, you're aware of these rumours too, aren't you?"

"Appa, I told you they weren't true."

"But you know what you're getting yourself into if these rumours are true, don't you?"

"Seojun is clearly not a bad influence for Jennie. He's polite, well-mannered, and Jennie tells me he has always treats her lovingly. Don't believe every rumour you hear," Mrs. Kim said and Jennie's aunt nodded in agreement.

"Jennie, do you like him?" Mr. Kim asked.

Jennie looked between both her parents. She glimpsed at Seojun in the kitchen, who was focused on the dishes, then spoke.

"I really like him. I'm sure that he's the person I want to be with. You don't have to believe me about those rumours so long as you don't treat him differently," she replied and walked into the kitchen.

Seojun kept his eyes on the plates, humming a song very quietly and unconsciously tapping his toe. He was rinsing his hands then sighed when he saw more plates. Jennie put the plates in the sink and went on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.

She stood next to him and he looked down at her. There was a little smile on her face.

"Thank you for having dinner with us. I hope-"

Seojun cut her off with a kiss and Jennie felt the back of her shirt become wet from Seojun's hand. He pulled away but Jennie kissed him again, running her hands through his hair and playing with the back of his shirt's collar.

Something clawed at Seojun's leg and he stopped the kiss to look down at Jennie's dog, Kuma. She brought him with her since she didn't want to leave him home alone. Kuma was a small, but fluffy, brown-haired pomeranian who seemed very protective of Jennie at the moment.

"Kuma~" Jennie said lovingly and lifted the dog. "He's not a stranger, Kuku. He's my boyfriend, say hi."

Seojun's eyes lit up in surprise, "Boyfriend?"

"Yes, boyfriend." Jennie pushed Kuma in Seojun's face and the dog licked him. "Wh- only I can kiss him!" she pouted and put her dog down.

Seojun smiled at the excited dog who ran out of the kitchen and she hugged him tightly. He hugged her back and her shirt became even more wet, sending shivers down her back.

"Can't you dry your hands before touching me?" she complained and she felt him laugh.

She looked up at him and he leaned down to kiss her. Seojun couldn't help himself anymore because all he wanted to do was kiss her and hold her. Jennie smiled into their kiss and licked his bottom lip, making him smirk and kiss her harder.

"I thought it was getting a bit too quiet back here," Jennie's aunt said and Jennie instinctively pushed Seojun away from her.

They forgot where they were for a second.

Mrs. Kim was standing beside Jennie's aunt and chuckled, "Just promise to wash the dishes before doing anything more-"

"Eomma!" Jennie whined and ran to her mother and her aunt, escorting both out of them out of the kitchen.

Seojun smiled and finished washing the rest of the dishes. Jennie came back to the kitchen and sat on the counter beside the sink. He smirked then stood in front of her, sliding one of her hands up her thigh, but not before making sure no one else could see them.

"This situation is awfully familiar," Jennie said, thinking back to when she ate dinner on Chunhua Island.

"It's not even close," Seojun said with a small grin and hugged her.

Jennie played with his hair and ran a thumb on the two scars on his head, then he winced.

"Oh- I'm so sorry. Did that hurt?"

Seojun shook his head and Jennie turned his face to see his scars. She tried to be more gentle this time but the more she looked at the scars, the more her heart hurt for Seojun.

She pressed a soothing kiss to both the scars on his head, the one near his forehead then the one near his temple. Then, she had an idea and playfully licked Seojun's ear. He leaned away to look at her weirdly and she hid a smile.

Seojun watched as Jennie bit her bottom lip seductively. She ran her hands down his chest looped a finger in the belt loop to pull his body close.

Jennie wasn't afraid of flirting, it was one of her many skills, but she was very much afraid of what flirting resulted in. She didn't handle it well the last time but this time, she wanted to get rid of that fear completely.

"Seojun~" she said in a way that Seojun definitely liked to hear because there was a particular look in his eyes that showed his excitement.

He leaned closer to her face but Kuma came back to bother Seojun and he moved away to look down at the little dog. Jennie sighed as Kuma had ruined the mood again and Seojun bent down to pet the dog. Kuma licked Seojun's chin a few times and Jennie hopped off the counter.

"Kuku, stop flirting with my boyfriend. I don't like sharing."

Jennie bent down to pet her dog as well but Kuma stayed close to Seojun. She smiled as Seojun kissed Kuma on the head and laughed when he pretended to lick the little dog.

With excitement Kuma hopped on Seojun's knee and licked his head, but he winced a bit since it was on his wound.

"Baby, are you okay?" Jennie said immediately and checked his head. "Kuku, please be more careful."

Kuma panted and smiled, then ran away again.

Seojun kissed Jennie's cheek and she blushed, to which he kissed her cheek again.

"Baby?" he questioned since she called him that.

"You're a baby," Jennie said and he smiled. "My Seojunie~"

They kissed each other again and he was smiling onto her lips. This was probably the first time Seojun's jaw was hurting from smiling so much but it was a nice feeling to get used to.

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