Jisoo X Reader - Tumblr Posts

𝑳𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑮𝒇!𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌𝑷𝒊𝒏𝒌

𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘴: 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦-𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶

𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵, 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴, 𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬

— ☆. BLACKPINK MASTERLIST.

last updated 21st oct 2023

a - angst | s - smut/suggestive | f - fluff | ** - trigger warning

☆. KIM JI-SOO.

n/a.

☆. KIM JENNIE.

n/a.

☆. PARK ROSÈ.

n/a.

☆. LALISA MANOBAL.

n/a.

Happiest Year(s)

Pairing: Jisoo x Fem!Reader

Word Count: ~ 1,759

Warnings / Misc. -- Angst, Character Death, Illness, Crying

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: OMG!!! This writing absolutely wrecked me... I’m so sorry Jisoo 😭 I promise that I have some fluff in the works to make up for this one. Regardless, I hope you enjoy! 

PS ~~ I listened to the song “Happiest Year” by Jaymes Young when I wrote this (hence the title). I highly recommend that you check it out -- maybe even play it in the background while you read this.

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

The pain was something you had grown accustomed to, especially within the past few months. It was nothing you couldn’t handle, though it sure gave you a run for your money sometimes.

One fateful night, everything changed: Hot, excruciating jolts shot through you, burning and raging like a fire within. Jisoo found you in the bathroom, curled up in the fetal position, and immediately called for help. To her, this was something totally unexpected -- you had always worked hard to hide what you were going through from her, not wanting to give her any added stress. She had enough to worry about; you didn’t want to be another thing on that list. Perhaps that had been the wrong thing to do, judging by the panicked look on her face as she cradled you in her arms. Surely her stress had increased tenfold now.

~~~~~~~

The soft click of the door to your hospital room grabs your attention, and you open your eyes. 

“Y/N, why did the doctor just tell me that you’ve known about your condition?” Her voice is quiet, unbelieving; she sounds tired. For the first time in a long time, her eyes are unable to meet yours. She swallows thickly, eyebrows furrowed in confusion and fear. Tears threaten to spill from her beautiful eyes, and you curse the universe for not giving you enough strength to reach up and wipe them away when they inevitably fall. 

“I was going to tell you… I just never found the right time. How was I supposed to tell you something like that?”

“You should’ve.” The reply is simple, but her delivery is profound: her voice is laced with pain, a hint of resentment mixed in. Who could blame her? She’s having to witness her world crumble before her eyes, and she has absolutely no way to stop it. Her jaw clenches as she finally gives in, little by little, allowing her tears to fall. You can tell she’s trying to stay strong, though.

“Would you have lived as fully if I had? No. You would’ve spent every second with me worried about that, looking at me different. Like I was fragile and would break at any moment. Maybe you wouldn’t have meant to, but I would’ve felt it. It would’ve been at the forefront of your mind; you wouldn’t have said what you meant and did what you wanted. I needed to make those memories.” 

~~~~~~~

As you faded in and out of consciousness again, the distant sounds of monitors served as a beacon for you. Fighting sleep was growing harder every time, but you held on for Jisoo. She wasn’t ready to let go yet, and neither were you; although, the two of you never really would be.

“What am I supposed to do without you, Y/N?” Her hands are cradled around your left one, lips pressing against it as the words roll off her tongue. She’s looking down, attempting to wrap her head around what’s about to happen. Hot tears drip onto your skin, and you pray to have enough strength to hold her one last time. You want to leave this world embracing her, feeling her warmth for as long as you possibly can. You have to. 

“J-Jisoo.” Within an instant, her head snaps up, her eyes searching your face, waiting for your command. 

“Hold me.”

As she moves to lay next to you on the bed, she makes sure not to hurt you. One of her arms supports your head and wraps around your shoulders, while her other comes to circle around your waist. Her soft skin rubs against your own, and a hum of happiness leaves your lips.

In an instant, it hits her: she won’t be able to hear that sound again. She won’t be able to hear your laugh… God, your laugh. It’s always been one of her favorite sounds in the entire universe; after tonight, she’ll have to settle for listening to it from videos on her phone. Those captured memories, frozen in time for her to replay as often as she wanted, could never compare to the real thing. 

Soon, you’d be gone from this world, leaving her behind as a shell of what she once was. How could you keep this from her? Everything the two of you had spent so much time creating -- the stable life you were going to keep on living well into your 80s -- is crashing down around her. That dream of passing away together in bed, a long and happy life replaying as you fade away, is rapidly disappearing into nothingness, and she doesn’t know how to cope.

She tries to make sense of the situation -- to rationalize like she always does -- but it’s not possible this time. Why were you burdened with this terrible disease? Why you? You’re one of the greatest people Jisoo has ever known, always doing right by everyone you come across. So what kind of higher power would damn you in such a way? 

“Stop thinking about it. Just be here with me, please.”

As hard as it is to do as you ask, she does her best to push those thoughts away. 

“I can’t do this without you, Y/N.” Her sobs get in the way of her words as they struggle past her lips. She’s a mess: streaks of tears are running down her cheeks again, her hair stuck to her face in various places. The mascara she applied earlier that day is smudged underneath her eyes, mingling with the salty liquid spilling from them without restraint. 

“Yes you can, baby. It’s gonna be alright; you’ve got the girls, and you know I’m gonna be there, too. I’ll always be with you.”

She presses a kiss against your forehead, and you can feel her lower lip tremble against you. 

“I’m not afraid. You don’t have to worry about me anymore, I’m not hurting.” You try your hardest to remind her of that and soothe her, even in the state you’re in; seeing her like this hurts you more than any sickness ever could. Both of your hearts are breaking at the same time, attempting to figure out how to go on without the other. 

A rather violent cough racks through your body, and she holds you once it’s over. In that moment, it’s clear that your time to go is rapidly approaching. 

“Jisoo--” You begin, mustering up all of your strength to utter some parting words.

“Don’t. Don’t say it. You’ll have to go once you do. I’m not ready.” She shakes her head in protest, still unable to accept what’s happening. 

“I have to, jagi. Just let me get it out.” 

With a shuddered breath and fresh set of tears replacing her previous ones, she nods. You take that as your cue to continue.

“Thank you for the happiest years of my life. Knowing you -- being able to love you -- has been the biggest privilege I’ve ever had. There’s no one I would have rather spent my time with. I know it’s hard baby, but please don’t hate me for not telling you… I think you’ll understand why I didn’t, in time. Just be happy, Jisoo. For me. Remember me and the times we shared; those aren’t going anywhere. I’ll love you forever.”

Her lips are against yours in a flash, gentle passion burning wildly. The feeling takes away all of your worries, and you sigh against her. She doesn’t want to stop, but she has some words for you, too. 

“You’re all I’ve ever wanted, Y/N… that’s what makes this so hard. I could never hate you, though. I just wish we had more time. I’ll love you always, even through the distance that separates us. You’re my happiness.”

“Ooh baby…” The words come out through your tears, your voice unstable from all of the emotions you’re feeling. “I wish I could stay. God, am I gonna miss you.”

She kisses you again, and some of the pain is alleviated from your heart immediately. It still hurts, of course, but her kisses soothe you in a way that nothing else can -- part of you is healed now.

“I think I’m gonna miss that most of all.” She mumbles as her forehead rests against yours again. Her tears are at bay for the time being.  

“Not as much as I will.” The faintest chuckle is drawn from her; even as you lay dying, you’re still just as competitive as ever. 

You wrap your arms around her and let your face rest in the crook of her neck. You’re at peace in her arms, warm and comfortable in every way possible. Only she could do that -- no one else made you feel as safe and protected as her. The realness of the situation is hitting you again, but you try to focus your mind on the feeling of her heart beat against your chest. Yours is slowing down, the process becoming unnecessary now.

She can feel you slipping away, right between her fingers, and it’s almost too much to handle. Her entire world is fading right in front of her, and she just has to be a passenger in the process. If she could save you, she would; if there was a way for her to trade positions with you, she would do it in a heartbeat. Every other type of pain pales in comparison to seeing you, the love of her life, so weak and frail.

“I love you. Now, kiss me one last time.”

She does as you ask, whispering her own declarations of love against your lips in between kisses. 

In stark contrast with her broken state, your mind is running wild with memories from the life the two of you shared. All of your “firsts” replay in a flurry of various emotions and colors. It’s difficult to explain, but your mind is aglow with the vivid hues of a life well lived -- one with no regrets, no stones left unturned. It’s all playing in your head like some sort of slideshow, and there’s no other way you’d want to be sent off. 

“It’s beautiful, Jisoo.”

Just as she looks down at you, ready to ask what you’re talking about, the monitor flatlines. You have a content, peaceful smile on your lips, your eyes closed in comfort. 

“I’ll see you later, my love.” She whispers to you -- and those are the last words you hear before leaving this world, beginning your journey to the cosmos.

Hidden Love & High Society

Requested by Anon: “Can you do a Jisoo x fem reader where the reader is also an idol and Jisoo and the reader develop feelings for each other. But they're under super strict companies and Korea is a strict society so they're scared to admit their feelings. Some angst but a fluffy ending please!”

Pairing: Jisoo x Fem!Reader

Word Count: ~ 3,049

Warnings / Misc. -- Angst, Self Doubt, Fluff, Happy Ending

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: To the anon who requested: Thank you! I had a couple different ways I was going to go with this, but I think this version fits the best. I hope you enjoy it! Happy reading, everyone. Let me know what you think :)

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Falling in love with Kim Jisoo had been a gradual experience, beautifully terrifying and perfectly imperfect. You never intended it, especially with how strict your companies are, but there was no stopping it once it started. As much as you’ve tried to, you can’t deny the butterflies that take flight when your eyes meet, or how your heart skips a beat whenever she’s near. In your head, where you’ve convinced yourself this unrequited love will forever stay, things are perfect; you hold onto the memories there when the hard times come along, seeking solace in them. Sadly, the real world can never look like this -- especially for the two of you. Two women -- two idols, at that -- thrust into the limelight, immersed fully in Korean standards and societal roles. You don’t stand a chance against all of the odds, even with your group members at your side, behind you all the way. But with every stolen glance, every fleeting moment with her, your feelings become harder to hide. You’re only capable of so much pretending, and your cache is running out.

Being the leader of your group is a wonderful thing that you don’t take lightly, but it doesn’t come without its share of stress. The girls look up to you, always trusting you to take care of them and do what’s right, and that makes you want to be perfect for them. That fact doesn’t make the inner turmoil any easier for you: is it better to deny yourself of the one thing you want, for the sake of saving face? Or should you teach them to live for themselves, answering to no one else? That question persists in your mind, replaying like a mantra, working to drive you insane. 

Jisoo is much the same: she knows how unforgiving and heinous the media can be, and she isn’t willing to risk the group’s reputation over a silly crush. A silly crush, she always tries to remind herself, although it becomes more difficult with every new memory she makes with you. She’s done well in concealing her emotions this long, but you make her feel weak; a part of her resents you for how easily you can turn her into a blushing mess. All of your little mannerisms and quirks fuel the flame in her heart, and she’s growing more and more fond of the feeling. 

~~~~~~~ 

For Jisoo, nights like these are always the best: both of your groups are relaxing at the Blackpink dorm, everyone discussing the award show you just attended. The two of you are seated on adjacent couches, the rest of your members strewn about the room, some on the floor while others lounge on the sofas. From her spot, Jisoo has the most perfect view: warm light shines on you from the nearby lamp, accentuating your features in all the right ways. Her gaze softens as she watches you recount how it felt to hear that you’d won, your eyes bright and expression cheery. You rule her world without even knowing it, and sometimes she seriously considers just listening to her heart and admitting her feelings. 

Lost in her thoughts of you, she doesn’t even realize that she’s leaned in closer, her eyes dropping down to your lips as you speak. You act like you don’t notice, doing your best to hide the blush that rises to your cheeks at the thought of having her full attention. There’s always been an unspoken tension between the two of you, and all of your members are aware of it. As Lisa takes control of the conversation, you sit back a bit, relaxing into the cushions of the loveseat. At the feeling of the material against your skin, you’re reminded of the time that Jisoo straddled you here, tickling you relentlessly as you squirmed and laughed. The memory, one of thousands that she’s the star of, brings a smile to your face.

Eventually the conversation shifts, with everyone ranting about how hungry they are. Of course, being the unnie that you are, you offer to make some food for everyone -- you enjoy cooking, but you also know that they’re all too lazy to make anything for themselves. 

“Jisoo, would you care to help me? I know I’m pretty great and all, but I’m not so sure I can feed this gang by myself.”

She has to stop herself from agreeing before you’re even done asking. Needless to say, her smirk widens as she says, “I’d love to help,” before standing up and trailing in your wake.

As the two of you make your way out of the room, a quiet chorus of ooo’s can be heard from the girls. You send them a stern look, but it only makes them giggle even more than they already are. Jisoo’s thankful that you’re turned away from her right now -- she has to bite her lip to contain the dorky grin on her face.

~~~~~~~

Upon entering the kitchen, you retrieve two aprons from the hook located beside the other entryway. The room is spacious and open, with plenty of countertop to work on and even an island in the middle. Perfect, you think to yourself. Jisoo leans into you as she wraps the material of the apron around your form, securing it in place with a light tug. You help her right after, and try hard not to get distracted by the warmth that radiates from her. 

To anyone other than the two of you, getting so flustered over such a simple act would seem ridiculous. You had long ago mastered the art of subtlety, though, quickly learning how important it is in your line of work. In a weird way, being so restricted added even more meaning to the small things -- light touches asking, “How was your day?”, soft smiles saying, “I’ve missed you.” Everything had a hidden message, a secret purpose between the two interacting. You spoke without words, living in a realm of quiet boldness.  

Now, equally as giddy in each other's presence, the two of you begin cooking.

~~~~~~~

By some miracle, you had managed to whip out a fairly big meal for everyone in just under an hour. The spread consisted of ramen, tteokbokki, dumplings, soup, and some other random things your members requested. Quickly, everyone is called into the dining room, and they begin making their plates. 

“Crap, I’ll be right back. I forgot to cut up the veggies.” You announce as you set off back to the kitchen, a pep in your step; preparing the food had made you realize just how hungry you are, and you want to hurry back. Perhaps that’s where your mistake laid; about halfway through the batch of veggies, in the rushed state that you were in, you miscalculated the slice, and the sharp edge of the knife cut into your finger. It wasn’t too deep, but it was enough to draw blood immediately, the red liquid running down your hand without restraint. 

“Oww!!” You call out to no one in particular as the pain seeps in.

At the sound of your strained voice, Jisoo practically races to the kitchen to check on you. The other members are concerned too, but they know that she’ll take care of you. (Besides, they’re busy chowing down on the food... but we won’t mention that). 

“Y/N?? What happened?” She’s frightened, completely worried about you. 

You fill her in to the best of your ability, feeling a little lightheaded as you catch a glimpse of your hand. She wraps you in her embrace, steadying you, and grabs a towel. You’re unable to stop the pained hiss that leaves you at the pressure she adds to the tender skin in order to stop the bleeding. She sends you a regretful look, paired with a quick sorry, as she walks you to the bathroom.

Once there, she puts the lid down, carefully setting you down on the toilet. The cold surface of the porcelain makes you tense up, but it’s successful in taking your mind off the pain, if nothing else. Your eyes shyly trail up her body as she stands on her tippy toes, stretching up to reach the top shelf of the medicine cabinet. How does she manage to always look so good?

“Here, let’s rinse it off first.” It’s a request and a command wrapped into one, and you readily agree. One of her arms loops around your waist as she helps you stand, and you hold onto her with your good hand. She tries not to think about how your fingertips run over her collarbone, lightly stroking the skin there, absentmindedly. Focus, Jisoo, she tells herself. Even with the slight grimace on your face, you look breathtaking. After all, you’re art to her -- she would spend hours studying you if she could, imprinting every detail of you into her mind. 

You lean against the smooth counter of the sink, feeling your hip bones press onto it, and you wobble a bit. Jisoo notices this, but both of her hands are busy with cleaning your injured one off -- thus, she does the next best thing: gently, she repositions herself so that one of her legs is behind you, and she presses her own hips into you. Once you’re secured against the counter, she puts her focus back on her previous task. Meanwhile your brain is having trouble functioning at the proximity of your bodies; she’s being bold. You steal a glance at her in the mirror, but she appears cool and collected -- the complete opposite of you right now. 

After the bleeding has slowed dramatically, she returns you to your seat and grabs the bandages. She crouches in front of you, a reassuring smile on her lips as she makes sure you’re feeling okay. Once your finger is patched up, she takes you by surprise: she places a small kiss to it, her hands still cradled around yours lovingly. 

Likely from the blood loss, a strange surge of confidence comes over you, and you reach forward to run your thumb across her bottom lip. She’s a little shocked, with how her eyes open a little wider and her breath hitches. The two of you stay like that, looking at each other, a silent war of wills being waged. 

In that instant, Jisoo is forced to confront her feelings. She had long ago lost count of how many times she’s wanted to kiss you. To feel your body aligned with hers, your racing heart against her chest, minds running wild with all of the new possibilities being unlocked. It would be a huge step, no doubt -- one that offered no chance to turn back, no place for fear to reside any longer. It would feel like finally solving a puzzle, all of the pieces coming together in just the right ways. As terrifying as that leap would be to make, Jisoo would do it for you. The idea became a little less daunting with every step closer the two of you got to one another.

And so, she does. Jisoo leans forward fairly quickly, capturing your lips in a hesitant kiss -- if she would’ve gone slower, she knows she would’ve chickened out. A light tremble runs through her, proving just how nervous she is. At first, you relax into the kiss, moving your lips against hers in perfect time; once your brain catches up with your heart, though, you pull away. 

“I- I can’t,” you stutter out, mind still a little foggy at what just went down. You lick your lips without really meaning to.

Her expression quickly dims, now looking dejected at your rejection. As she goes to stand, one of your hands lands on the collar of her shirt, holding her in place -- you don’t want her to misunderstand you.

“If we do that, I won’t be able to stop myself.” 

“Who says we have to? I’m sick of holding back.” Her hands are resting on your thighs now, eyes watching you intently as she waits for your response. She’s just a breath away from you, sitting right in the palm of your hand. 

You panic and say, “I’m sorry, I can’t do this.”

Your change of heart confuses her, but she respects your wishes nonetheless. Just as quickly as she had appeared before, she’s gone, leaving you to think about what just happened. 

You sit there, already missing her presence, and you hate yourself a little more. How could you be so stupid? The opportunity was right there, ripe for the taking, circumstances perfectly aligned, and yet you let it all slip away. Even still, your mind justifies your cowardice for fear of the fall out that would ensue. This is for the best, though it hurts. Keeping Jisoo at arm’s length in the name of protecting her had become the customary thing to do, and you fell right back into the habit. To be with her is to limit her, and you can’t bear the thought of that. She deserves to be showered with love and attention all the time, not hidden away and forced into secret meetings. What kind of life would that be?

~~~~~~~

The rest of the evening hosts a newfound tension, one full of uncertainty and longing. The two of you are deep in your thoughts, neither of you knowing where to go from here. She tries to forget how your lips felt, the rhythm that they fell into with hers; but she can’t get it out of her head.  

Before long, your members decide to call it a night, and you’re being whisked away. Somehow, it’s a combination of exactly what you want, and the complete opposite -- what are you to do now? Where do you stand with Jisoo? Your feelings are so overwhelming that it’s almost too much to handle; so many questions float around in your mind, begging to be answered by her. 

Quick goodbyes are given, and you can’t find it in yourself to even hold her gaze for more than a few seconds at a time. Surely you’ve hurt her: knowing that fact is bad enough -- you can’t stand the thought of seeing the pain in her eyes, her smile even a little faded because of your own doing. It tears you up, and your speedy exit is a testament to that.

~~~~~~~

2:41 AM

You’ve spent the better part of the night tossing and turning with no hope of getting any sleep, no end in sight for this self-made torture. Regret runs through you every time you replay the events that unfolded, and you feel a little more hopeless with each passing second. 

Why did she have to kiss you? It’s impossible to contain your feelings now, the emotions far too abundant to be bottled up any longer. Your lips remember how hers moved against them, her gloss spreading at the contact. She tasted like some tropical fruit, sweet and foreign on your tongue. Being with her is like taking a late night drive through the city, windows rolled down with the radio playing your favorite songs. She makes everything feel possible, somehow, and you secretly love the spontaneity of it all. You want more than anything to just give in, to relent after all this time. Clearly she feels the same, right? If that kiss meant anything, then surely she did. So why should you care about the rest of it? If being with you is what she wants, who are you to deny her?

~~~~~~~

“Y/N?” Her voice is sleepy, yet it still holds a layer of shock; likely given the fact that you’re at her door at such an ungodly hour. 

“Did I wake you up?” 

She pauses for a beat, seemingly deciding on what to say, before replying, “...no. I can’t sleep.” 

“Neither can I,” you confess, hoping that she’ll put two and two together. 

“Listen, I’m sorry for earlier. I shouldn’t have done that without asking first.” For a second, your heart stops, and you almost chicken out again. 

“I’m glad you did, Jisoo. Because it made me realize how much I like you.” You listen to your heart, the admission coming out more confident than you expected. 

She’s stunned, to say the least, her eyes blinking a few times in confusion. “I thought--” she starts, but you interrupt her.

“I’ve spent all of this time pushing you away when all I’ve ever wanted was to be close to you. To be with you. I’m just so scared of what people will say, you know? There’s no turning back after that.”

“I wouldn’t want to, Y/N. I’d rather be happy with you than live like this. To hell with them, they’re always gonna have something to say about us. You and I can figure it all out together.” She smiles at the end of her statement, a tender hue in her eyes that you’ve never quite seen before. 

As you stand there in her doorway, the slight chill of the night breeze ghosting over your skin, giving you goosebumps, everything clicks. It feels like coming home, something that was always destined to be, and you can tell she feels it, too. You close the distance, finally allowing your walls to crumble away. Her arms are around you, and her presence is actively soothing any remaining fears you may have. Only she is capable of that; you’ve never felt safer than when you’re with her. You run a hand down her arm, lacing your fingers with her own in a sweet embrace. She relaxes into you, now able to trust that you won’t leave. 

Though the kisses started off sweet, they’ve turned more desperate; the two of you are eager to make up for lost time, after all. Following an especially bruising kiss, you pull away breathlessly, and rest your forehead against hers. “Can I come in?” You ask shyly, ducking your head down a bit. Two of her fingers hook underneath your chin, raising your head so that your eyes can meet hers. “I’m not letting you get away this time.” With that, the two of you retreat to her room, hand in hand. You spend the night tangled up in each other, joining forces to write your new destiny together from scratch. 

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Thanks for reading!!!

Handle With Care

Requested By @posies4rosie: "Jisoo once gave advice in an interview to people who are having anxiety/depression, that when they feel themselves “slipping under”, they can try turning their thoughts to something lighter and focus on the better things instead before getting consumed. -- Request for reader x Jisoo where reader had one of those episodes and failed to pull herself out, which she thinks she’s failing Jisoo by not being able to help herself, causing her to sink even further. -- Jisoo uses her way to help reader. Angst with a happy ending, please <3"

Pairing: Jisoo x Fem!Reader

Word Count: ~ 3,948

Warnings / Misc. -- Angst, Self-Doubt, Mentions Of Anxiety / Depression, Fluff, Light Smut / Suggestive Themes, Some Cursing, Happy Ending

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: Hello again, my lovely readers! I really enjoyed writing this one, so thank you very much for requesting. I hope all of you enjoy it -- Happy reading!

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

The day started off like any other, nothing seeming out of place or particularly noteworthy as you rubbed the sleep from your eyes and took a look around the room. Jisoo had to leave before you woke up, and a sweet letter on the bedside table served as her parting gift. 

My love, 

We have an early stage today, but I'll be back before you know it. Turn it on if you miss me too much ;)

All my love and kisses,

Your Jichu

It made you smile, imagining her saying those words with a little smirk on her lips, and you mindlessly toyed with the edge of the paper. The power this woman holds over your heart is a bit frightening, if you're honest with yourself. One simple note, merely a paragraph at best, warms your heart immensely. The thought of her alone is capable of making you giddy, magically turning you into a love stricken teenager. She rules your world with care, always making sure you feel important and valued; she fights your demons right beside you, never backing down for a minute. 

Before Jisoo, you falsely thought you knew what love was; the ill-conceived notion that you used as a guide was flawed in every way. You were raised to believe that true, honest love only existed in far-off realms -- in worlds of make-believe; so, naturally, settling had always been your forte. You blended in and stuck with the crowd, always going for the safest option when given the choice. You limited yourself with each decision you made, and deep resentment blossomed within you. 

Resentment at your family for allowing the disease of self-doubt to grow within you. They could've stopped it before it really began; they could've assured you of your worth instead of letting you think your insecurities true. 

Resentment at yourself for believing them. 

Everytime you attempted to break the pattern and listen to your heart when it told you that there was a world beyond such mundanity, some nagging voice in the back of your head told you it was all a lie. Your life so far, as boring as it may have been, was predictable and safe. Although you ached for the unexpected, for some all-consuming thrill to shake up the life you had grown to accept, you always fell back into that old mindset. Your fears outweighed your courage every time, and you knew it was futile to go against them. 

But one day -- one beautiful, fateful day -- you met Jisoo. It was a time in your life that you needed a friend; someone to listen and assure you that things would be okay. In allowing your paths to cross, the universe most certainly blessed you; Jisoo became your confidant in the blink of an eye, offering consistency and understanding, and you let her slip past the walls you spent years so meticulously putting up. 

You didn't do that often, and yet it seemed like a no-brainer with her. She made you feel as though you were enough, that you mattered in a world that so adamantly tried to make you believe otherwise. Her love was unconditional and fierce, thorough and far-reaching.

-

Keeping people at arm's length had always been your way of ensuring that life stayed as predictable as ever, precariously balanced in that safe zone of no risk. Even when you dated people, giving into those innate desires to be cherished despite not deeming yourself worthy, you never really let them in. Not all the way, at least. Something always told you that others were better; closer to perfection. No matter the person, you could always find a reason to say that they were better. That they were something you'd never be; that they had something you'd never have. 

The comparisons didn't stop when you began dating Jisoo, but they sure as hell slowed down some. All of that was her doing; she filled your mind with constant reassurance and love, always showing you what a healthy relationship looked like. Over the years, she learned to read you well: the shifting of your eyes served as a sign that you were getting overwhelmed; the way that you zoned out told her the negative thoughts were barreling in. Though she's convinced you to give yourself some credit in the matter, she's the main one responsible for getting you where you are today.

She's your strength -- your reason for wanting to be better.

-------

"Dalgooomie," you cheerily sing out, your voice echoing throughout the apartment. That familiar sound of paws on hardwood draws a smile from you, and you turn to see him eagerly scrambling towards you. 

"Good morning buddy! Are you ready for a walk?" For a moment, you swear he can understand your high pitched speech; he spins around, wagging his tail happily as he looks towards the door. 

With a laugh, you clip his leash on and the two of you begin your walk. 

It's a gorgeous morning; the sun is peeking up, illuminating a sky of beautifully pastel colors as the grass shines with dew. The beads spring off in different directions, the surface tension of the water breaking every time Dalgom rustles his way through the lawn. You have a feeling that today will be a good day.

If only you knew.

About 15 minutes later, you unlock the front door and grin as he charges into the familiar space. He tugs you with him, drawing a chuckle from you as your feet stumble in through the doorway. 

"Slow down buddy! I know you're hungry but you've gotta give me a second," you shake your head, amused, as you remove his leash and make your way to the kitchen. He follows suit, barking when you take too long for his liking.

"Yah, okay okay!" You scoop his food into the bowl and pat him on the head as he begins to eat.

A ding from your phone sounds off, the notification surprising you a little. Great timing, you think to yourself.

"About to go on stage, I'll text you later. Xoxo"

Your heart warms at the message, and you type a quick reply before heading to the couch to turn the tv on. 

At first, all is well: you watch your girlfriend in awe, always so enraptured by her performances. During one portion of the program, you even run upstairs to retrieve your lightstick and dance around in the middle of the living room. As much as Jisoo can't believe you actually bought one, she thinks it's the most adorable thing ever. 

Everything was going well, truly, until towards the end of the show, when the girls were interviewed with a few other idols. One in particular, a female soloist, stood beside Jisoo, looking completely at ease next to her. She was beautiful in every way imaginable, and you couldn't help but begin to compare yourself. You tried to focus on how happy Jisoo looked as she joked with her members, answering the questions with that quick wit you love so much. But your mind soon again filled with intrusive thoughts, taking the focus away from Jisoo.

She looks so much prettier than you do

Watch how she's looking at Jisoo

They look pretty together

What if Jisoo likes her?

I bet she does

You physically shake your head in an attempt to force the thoughts out. Jisoo loves you, you know that. She's with you for a reason. Eventually you're able to look at the tv again without grimacing, but soon that progress is destroyed all over again. 

The soloist puts her hand on Jisoo's arm, motioning to the girls and herself as she explains something to the MC. She must've cracked a joke, said something really hilarious, because all of them burst into laughter. Jisoo throws her head back, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth as she giggles loudly. That joyous sound hurts you now, almost feeling like she's laughing at you. 

It's ridiculous and immature, but your brain takes it there no less. You know better, but your mind is flooded with insecurity and fear, overrun by your unforgiving worries. Tears are streaming down your face as the thoughts grow worse and worse, and it feels suffocating. You consider yourself weak for blowing such a seemingly innocent thing so out of proportion, twisting what should be a positive thing for your girlfriend into something negative. But you can't help it. Your brain betrays you, coming up with hundreds of hurtful scenarios that pile on until you can't breath. It's a physical pain, one far too overwhelming to "wish away" now. You turn off the tv and dart up the stairs, set on crying into your pillow until your mind decides to give you a break.

-------

"Y/N, baby, I'm home." Jisoo calls, and you can hear the material of her jacket slide onto the metal hook beside the front door. 

"In here," you say weakly, cursing your voice for even hinting that you're less than okay. For Jisoo, you want to be perfect; you want to seem like you have your shit together. She must not have thought anything out of the ordinary, though, because soon you hear a little giggle from the hallway. 

"Hi Dalgomie, did you miss mommy?" She coos, her voice higher than usual and bouncy as she bends down to scoop up the pup. She pads her way into the kitchen, talking to him all the while. Her free arm snakes around your waist once she reaches you, and she leans around to kiss your temple.

The action was loving and simple -- it shouldn't have made your heart ache. Perhaps it wasn't the act itself that caused it; maybe it was the accumulation of all of your emotions from the day coming to the surface. The feeling of Jisoo's arm around you reminded you of earlier; of how close she was to that woman on the program. They looked incredible, clad in the blingy outfits you could never afford and elegant in their mannerisms. It all brought forth the nasty idea that she's just settling for you -- that she's only with you because she feels sorry for you. 

When you don't start a conversation like normal or even turn to look at her, Jisoo knows something's wrong. Gently, she kisses Dalgom's head before setting him down on the ground. He trots off towards god-knows-where, and you almost wish to be him. You want to avoid the discussion you'll surely be having any minute now; running away has always been your go-to.

But Jisoo won't stand for that. She's mature and honest in every way, and she knows how to handle you. 

"My love, what's wrong?"

She's earnestly concerned, and her tone lets you know she doesn't want you to brush the problem away. Without even knowing the issue yet, Jisoo can tell it's something worth working through. 

"I had an episode today and I wasn't able to stop it." You hang your head, your fingers busying themselves by toying with the bread bag in front of you. Once you had stopped crying earlier, you came down to make yourself some food; after all, you hadn't eaten all day.

Jisoo tuts at you, slowly turning you around to face her. The back of your legs lean against the counter now, and tears threaten to spill out of your eyes. A few moments of silence pass, Jisoo giving you the opportunity to elaborate. She always offers you the option to initiate the process, not wanting to risk diminishing your feelings before even knowing what's troubling you. She never patronizes you, and you're endlessly thankful.

With a deep breath, you lower your gaze to the floor and continue. Seeing the disappointment in her eyes is definitely not something you can handle in your already emotional state. 

"I turned your show on today and saw the pretty idol you were talking to. I started comparing myself and it all got worse from there." You inform quickly, just wanting to get the words out. 

She sets her jaw, clenching and releasing the muscles repeatedly as she decides on how best to respond. 

"Did you use the technique we talked about?" She asks gently, releasing the question with care.

"I tried, but it didn't work this time." A single tear rolls down your cheek, and you swipe it away before Jisoo can even notice it.

You feel like you're failing her by giving into your worries, but they're incessant. They fight for your attention, completely overruling any "happy thought" that you might have previously hoped would be capable of mitigating your fears. You're disappointed in yourself, but since when is that a new thing?

"She's an idol, Jisoo. She can relate to you in ways I'll never be able to." 

"You think I'd throw away 4 years with you to be with someone I barely know, because we can relate?"

She voices your fears in such a way that you instantly feel foolish for believing them. Nevertheless, you persist. 

"She's everything I'm not."

"And that's precisely why you never have to worry."

With furrowed brows, you tilt your head and look at Jisoo: her statement confuses you.

"No one else even comes close to you, baby. You're what I want. You're who I want. Every little thing that makes you who you are is a reason I love you." 

Your heart beats harder at her words, taken aback by how genuine they sound. She's saying all the things you need to hear, but it feels too good to be true.

"Loving me is exhausting; I don't see why you keep doing it. You should be with someone who doesn't need coddling… who isn't broken like me. We go in circles, Jisoo. I always go back to giving into my fears." 

She lets out a disbelieving scoff, soft in its volume as she says, "If I wanted to leave, I would've. You've given me more than enough chances to go, and still I have yet to find a reason to. I'm not perfect either, Y/N. You act like everyone else is so high above you, but we're really all just dealing with our own baggage."

"I have enough of that for 10 people." The phrase is pointed and self depreciating, and Jisoo can't take it any longer. 

"Stop. Look at me, baby." She finally breathes out, hooking her fingers underneath your chin and raising your head. 

"Whether or not you think I'm making a mistake, I'm always gonna choose you. My life isn't complete without you in it; our stories became intertwined the day we met."

Her cheek briefly tugs up in a lopsided smile at the memory of your first meeting.

"I'm just scared, Jisoo. Do you know how many times people have told me they'd stay, just to leave the moment they found someone better? I know I'm not easy to love; I know it's difficult. I just can't imagine what I'd do without you. You've made me feel emotions I never even knew existed."

You're more honest with Jisoo than anyone else, and being so vulnerable scares you. Nevertheless, it feels good to open up sometimes. 

"You'll never have to find out what that's like, because I'm never leaving. Do you understand how in love with you I am? I don't think you do." 

You slip your chin out of her hold again, still disappointed in yourself. The action hurts her more than you know, and you miss the way her face contorts into a sad frown. 

"When I roll over in the morning and see your face on that pillow, I don't know what to do with myself. When I'm holding you and Dalgom cuddles in between us, it's like I see a glimpse into my future. When you smile at me it's like I can finally breathe again. My home is with you; please don't ever doubt that. You're my world."

And then, you hear it. The noise that very rarely ever comes from your girlfriend. A sniffle.

Your eyes shoot up to hers in an instant, searching through her deep pools as you step forward to cradle her face in your hands. She tries to turn away, already upset with herself -- she knows you'll blame yourself for her tears. 

Jisoo only cries in front of you when she's frustrated or deeply moved, and sometimes when she's scared. As you run a thumb along her cheek, you attempt to figure out her reasoning for it this time. 

Once she eventually accepts that you aren't letting her get away, she leans into your touch.

"I wish you could see yourself the way I see you. You sell yourself so short. The fact that you think you're anything less than incredible devastates me. You're amazing in every capacity… and so, so beautiful." 

Her voice wavers, taut with the emotions she's still reeling from. She says the words so assuredly that you begin to give in and believe them. She makes them sound like simple facts; common knowledge to any and everyone. On top of that, you're pained beyond belief that anything of your doing makes her this sad. She deserves to be smiling constantly, so hard her cheeks hurt and her belly aches from laughing. 

"I'll never be able to see myself like you do, Jisoo, but I'm willing to work on it. You've already helped me more than you'll ever know, and I've come pretty far. Sometimes I just can't keep the thoughts at bay." 

She nods, moving the hand that previously rested on your hip to hold your wrist. She strokes the skin gently, leaning further into your touch as her eyes soften with understanding. 

"I love you. Thank you for dealing with me." You utter, leaning forward to rest your forehead against hers. She sighs at your words, rubbing a comforting circle on your back. 

"Thank you for letting me in, jagi. Saranghae." 

Your lips move to meet hers now, halfway, both of you needing to feel each other. It's slow and meaningful; she takes her time with it, treating it just like she does your heart. You tilt her head to deepen the kiss, noting the warmth that her cheeks still radiate as you trail your fingers over her skin.

A subtle shiver courses through her at your ministrations, drawing a smile from you. You'll never get tired of kissing her; of having her wrapped in your arms, so close to you. Vulnerable moments like these remind you of how different she is from everyone else. She's your everything and then some, and she needs you as much as you need her. 

A bit impatient now, Jisoo tugs at your bottom lip, silently asking for more. You tap her thighs before looping your hands underneath them, swiftly lifting her onto the kitchen counter. The thin material of her skirt sits a little higher up on her legs now, having ridden up as you moved her. 

She hooks her legs around you as you move to stand in between them, preventing her from falling and keeping her as close as possible. You break the kiss to study her for a moment, lazily running your fingers along the newly exposed skin of her thighs. Her hair is on its way to being mussed, the curls from her earlier performance now coming undone. 

Her tongue darts out of her mouth to moisten her lips as she drinks in the sight of you. The top 2 buttons of your blouse are open, allowing her eyes to gaze at your chest wantonly. 

She trails a hand up your body, teasing you before she grips your collar and yanks you forward. 

Your lips meet again but this kiss holds something different than before: it's passionate, full of need. She adjusts her posture so that her body is flush against you, enabling you to feel how hard her heart is beating. No one else is capable of making her feel this way, and she's determined to remind you of that.

You bite her bottom lip before smoothing your tongue over it to soothe any ache your actions might've caused. The act is welcomed by Jisoo, proven by the groan that vibrates in her throat. Her hands tangle in your hair as you lower your head to her neck, pressing your lips to the tender skin. 

"A-ah, right there," she husks out, her voice deepened with desire. Her wish is your command, and you take your time in leaving a mark there. You continue your assault, leaving a trail of purple-ish bruises in your wake as you move to untouched patches of skin. She knowingly spurs your actions on by moaning into your ear when you bite with just the right amount of pressure, her breath hot on your neck. 

You pull away to admire your work, knowing her makeup artist will have a field day with covering up all of your marks. She leans back a bit, slowly swiveling her hips as she uses her ankles to pull you closer. 

Her movements fuel the heat pooling between your legs, and you don't even attempt to stop the moan that leaves you. She knows you so well; she knows exactly what gets you going, just what to do and say.

"Come here," you command, securing her legs around your waist as you lift her off of the counter. Her lips find yours again, keeping them occupied as you walk towards the couch -- trekking up to the bedroom would take far too long. 

"Tell me what you want, baby." You say, laying her down on the plush cushions. She pulls you against herself again, smiling at the feeling of your hips pressed into her. At first, she defies you, opting to push her lips against yours instead of answering your question. You know what to do to make her talk, though. Slyly, you pull away, barely ghosting your lips over hers. It's just enough contact to make her want more, but not enough to satisfy her. 

With a press of your thigh to her center, she's already bucking her hips up into you, reaching up to reclaim your lips. She whines as you pull further away, not allowing her to kiss you until she gives you an answer. 

"Use your words, Jisoo." You add your hand into the mix of things driving her crazy as you trail it down her body, allowing your fingers to sneak under the hem of her shirt and skim over her abdomen.

She looks at you defiantly, causing you to quirk an eyebrow. Challenging you, is she? Two can play at that game. 

You apply more pressure to her core, allowing her to take pleasure in two more strong strokes against your thigh before pulling away completely. 

"Fuck- no. Y/N…" she pleads, reaching for you again. She's really getting worked up now. 

A smirk crosses your lips at her desperation, and you almost have to stifle a chuckle. She knows you're stubborn, and denying herself release seems idiotic when all she has to do is listen to you. So, she gives in.

"I want your mouth; your fingers. All of you." 

Your cocky persona falters a bit at her words and you feel the blood rushing through your veins at the way she said them. Her voice was raw with lust, dripping with desire as she eyed you. 

"Was that so hard, baby?" You tease, resuming your previous movements with a smirk. 

"Shut up and kiss me." She huffs out, half annoyed and half amused.

"Yes ma'am." You press your lips to hers and get started on meeting her demands. 

Blackpink HC / One Shots: Enemies to Lovers, College AU (1/2)

Requested: Yes

Warnings / Misc. -- Bickering, Rivalry, Fluff

A/N: Hey everyone! Anon, I assume you wanted to see each individual relationship with the girls and not OT4 x Reader. If not, I apologize, but I hope you enjoy this regardless.

This post includes Jisoo and Jennie. If you would like to see Rosé and Lisa's, click the link below.

Click for Rosé and Lisa

♡ Happy Reading ♡

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

Jisoo

Kim Jisoo: The girl at the top of her class, breezing through her school years with little competition whatsoever. She was used to winning, and anyone that ever tried to challenge her eventually gave up.

You: Also used to being at the top of your class, you were the first person to actually give Jisoo a run for her money. You didn't shy away when challenged by her, and that took her aback.

Your rivalry was one rooted in academics.

When a new project was assigned and you were allowed to choose your teammates, everyone would flock to the two of you in hopes of getting picked.

Bragging rights were awarded to whoever had the longest line of people.

Impatiently waiting to see who scored higher on tests.

Rubbing it in when you did better, and vice versa.

"Ha! Take that, Jisoo. I got a 98."

"Don't get cocky, Y/N. I beat you by 6 points last week."

"Yeah, yeah," you brush her off. "Look who's on top now." You hold your paper up, smiling when she rolls her eyes.

Other competitions were held, and even the teachers caught on and would adjust their lessons accordingly.

"Class, today we'll be having a set of one on one debates, and an anonymous vote will determine the winner of each. The person who defends their opinion the most effectively will win. Jisoo and Y/N, you're up first."

Although losing was always annoying, it made you respect each other a little more.

You both loathed and revered each other, though you'd never let that secret out.

Fighting for the best scholarships and rankings.

Constant bickering and one liners in class

"Should I go ahead and apologize now, or is it okay to wait?"

"Apoligize for what?"

"Ending your career."

*unintelligible mumbling*

"What was that, Y/N?" Jisoo inquires, cocking her head to the side as she narrows her eyes at you.

"I said: you're going down."

She scoffs at that, unaffected. "Please, I'd like to see you try."

You ended up winning that day, and she was all *surprised pikachu*

School would always be interesting and eventful with her

Pretty much everyone else can tell that you have a thing for one another, but the two of you remain oblivious.

Turning Point

Both of you joined the academic team when you enrolled, which meant that you'd be going toe to toe with other school teams in pursuit of the winning title.

On one of your overnight field trips to face off against another school, you were assigned to the same hotel room.

"Mrs. Wilson, I can't stay with her--" You walk down the hotel hallway behind your instructor, hoping she'll see your point. Her reasoning for putting you together on the roster is beyond you.

"Y/N, it's only for a night. You know we can't afford to give all of you individual rooms; our budget's already small." She reasons, eventually turning towards you when she reaches the elevator.

"Alright," you relent with a sigh, putting your hands up.

What she says next surprises you. "Who knows, you might enjoy it." A knowing look shines in her eye, and a small smirk threatens to tug at her features.

The elevator dings just as you go to question her about it, and she bids you farewell before heading in.

You can do this, Y/N. It's just one night; how bad can it be? You ask yourself, taking your sweet time in going back to the room.

---

An Hour Later

In an attempt to kill some time and recover from the fatigue your long road trip brought on, you've been trying to relax and take a nap. In fashion with your typical luck, though, Jisoo is making that nearly impossible.

"Jisoo, turn it down!" You groan, tossing a pillow at her head. She sits on the loveseat at the foot of your bed, completely fixated on the images flashing before her eyes as she plays her video game.

"Shhh, stop distracting me." She says over her shoulder, making you huff.

You value your pride too much to ask nicely, so you suck it up and stick it out for a little while longer. When she lets out a loud shout a few minutes later, though, you've reached the end of your patience.

Wordlessly, you get out of bed and stomp over to the TV, standing directly in front of it.

"Y/N, move! I'll lose!"

You stay there with your arms crossed, and are soon rewarded by the game's voiceover announcing: "Game over."

She huffs and sets her controller down, clearly upset.

"Sucks when people don't listen, huh?" You challenge, still mad that you've been denied a proper nap for so long. Every time you'd be right on the cusp of being drug under, slipping in and out of glorious slumber, she'd do something to ruin it. You're cranky now, and being petty seems like a just punishment for her.

"I can't believe you did that," she shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "That was the championship match!"

"Oh well," you shrug, a smirk tugging at your lips at that new piece of info. Perhaps justice has been served after all.

With one more warning glance at her to tell her not to do it again, you go back to the bed and get comfy, settling under the warm blankets.

---

30 Minutes Later

"ON YOUR RIGHT, ABOUT TO ROUND THE CORNER!" Jisoo bellows out, smirking when she feels you stir behind her. You scowl, wiping the sleep from your eyes.

"Jisoo, I swear to God," you grumble, feeling the irritation rise in you all over again. You get up again and approach her, but she has a plan this time. In one fluid motion, she sticks her foot out in front of you, making you stumble and fall to the ground.

"What the--" as you prepare to reprimand her, you see something out of your peripheral. Aided by your new perspective, you spot the remote controller on the coffee table right in front of you, just an arm's length away.

When Jisoo notices that you haven't screamed at her yet, she looks down and realizes her mistake. A dramatic moment passes where you both lock eyes, before immediately diving for the remote. You manage to get to it first, quickly hugging it close to your body and rolling away from her. She pounces a second later, reaching her hands around you to pry it from your grip.

"Give it back, Y/N!"

"No!"

You writhe underneath her until she manages to get the upper hand, straddling your hips in an attempt to pin you down. She sits back on her knees, gazing down at you as your chests heave from the effort you've exerted.

"Give it." She commands, holding her hand out expectantly.

You shake your head, amused that she thought that would be enough to sway you. "No."

"Then you leave me no choice." Her hands dart forward to your abdomen, and she begins tickling you mercilessly in order to make you surrender. Calls for her to cease her assault struggle past your lips, but you know it's futile. She's a determined person just like you, and she won't stop until she gets what she wants.

So, after taking a second to think of a way out of your predicament, a brilliant idea pops into your head.

You finally let her pry your arms open, smirking when she cheers and claims victory. In one fluid motion, just as she had done before, you wrap your leg around one of hers and flip her onto her back before leaning down to kiss her. She tenses up at first, but her hands end up working their way to your hips as her lips begin to move against yours.

Your plan is backfiring a bit; you only intended to shock her and buy yourself time to steal the remote back -- you never thought you'd actually enjoy the feeling of her kiss. You tilt your head to the side to get a better angle and slowly skim your hand down to hers, where the device is tightly clutched. Her other hand has come up to your jaw, which she's gently guiding as she steals another kiss from your lips.

Her distracted state made it easy to get what you were after, and soon -- much too soon for Jisoo's liking -- you pull away with a victorious smile. She doesn't know what to say; in all honesty, she's almost forgotten how to breathe with the way you kissed her senseless.

"I win." You grin, hopping off of her and shutting the TV off before crawling back into the bed. She stays in that same position for a couple minutes, laying on the floor as she tries to sort through what the hell just happened. She can't even be upset right now; she brings her fingertips to her lips, skimming them over the heart-shaped pillows as she smiles.

The Fallout

Things were a little tense when you shared the bed that night

Anytime you'd roll over and readjust your head on the pillow in your sleep, unknowingly positioning your lips dangerous close to hers, her heartbeat would pick up and she'd have to roll over again

You pretended to be asleep when she scooted back against you, pressing herself against your front in search of the heat that your body provided. You brought an arm around her, enclosing her in a soft embrace that had her blushing crimson

Subtle flirting at the competition the next day

Sticking up for each other when one of the other teams got a little rude

"Hey, don't talk about her like that!" Jisoo warns, glaring at the student from your rival school. His uniform is mussed and unkempt, leaving it as no surprise that he was the one to say such a thing.

"Why do you care?" He laughs back, spurred on as his friends snicker along.

The question catches her off guard; just days ago, she was the one bantering with you and testing your limits. Now though, when someone else is taking it too far, she can't help but feel angry. "Because she's my teammate. Now knock it off or I'll report you to your dean for unsportsmanlike behavior."

He scoffs, but eventually opts to grumble out another insult and turn away, nursing his bruised ego.

"Thanks, Chu." You quietly say, having witnessed the whole encounter from the row behind her. A small smile tugs at your lips at her actions, warming your heart.

"No problem, Y/N. But you'd better help me beat him; I'm not losing to that idiot." You laugh and agree, shaking her hand to seal your pact. She tries not to get too caught up on the smoothness of your skin or how it reminds her of last night, but her brain doesn't listen.

Needless to say, you beat them.

Your team stopped by a nice restaurant on the way back home for a celebratory dinner

Jisoo sat beside you

Cue the blushing and quiet flirting

It's a new side of her that you're not used to seeing. Now, instead of being all hardcore and witty, a simple look from you can make her blush

It doesn't always, though; sometimes she grows bold and lays a hand on your thigh for a moment, laughing at something you said

It's giving very much so gay panic™️, but you wouldn't trade it for the world

After the dinner, you go back to the bus and sit in your seats (which aren't together, surprisingly).

As you scroll through your phone, you get a text from Jisoo. Attached to the message is an invitation to one of her favorite mobile games.

"Hey, Y/N. Will you be my player 2? 🎮"

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Jennie

Jennie Kim: The girl who practically ran the school, always getting her way and never having to lift a finger. She was royalty: the queen bee sat atop her throne, giving orders to the masses that they followed blindly. The whole situation seemed straight out of a poorly-written teenage movie, and it always annoyed you.

You: The girl who stuck to herself, only having a close group of friends that she talked to. You weren't popular, per se, but you weren't cursed to exist at the bottom of the food chain, either. Many people knew you, but you only associated with a select few.

You avoid the "popular" crowd a majority of the time, opting to spend spare time in between classes in the library or outside, doing homework

Jennie is the type of person that has people lined up, waiting for her to ask them to do hers for her. She gets to skip class and do whatever she wants, and she usually takes advantage of that.

She's never been mean to you directly, but you've seen her and her posse pick on people in typical mean girl fashion

You've never noticed the way that she usually targets people who've said bad things about you. She sticks up for you without you even knowing.

So, as you would expect, when your best friend called you and begged you to accompany her to one of the biggest parties of the year (hosted by none other than Jennie's brother), you were definitely surprised. Neither of you are the type to go to anything like that, but you know that she secretly wants to peek into that world of luxury.

"Pleaaaaase, Y/N? I'll do your laundry for a month."

"Fine."

The Turning Point

Your stylish boots crunch lightly against the concrete as you stand outside of the frat house, grimacing when you notice a boy stumble to the side of the house and get sick.

"We might have to bump that offer up to two months," you say to your friend, leaning onto her car as she checks her makeup in the side mirror.

"If it keeps you here for an hour or so, then fine." She smiles, taking your hand and leading you towards the building. Upon opening the door you're immediately greeted by waves of the strong bass of whatever song is playing. Their rhythmic thumps reverberate around the house, and you choose to seek some semblance of peace and quiet by heading to the kitchen. Your friend comes with, and the two of you push your way to the drink bar for refreshments.

"Thanks again for coming along, Y/N/N. You're the best." She leans into you, saying the phrase loud enough for you to hear over the music.

"I know," you hold your head up higher, self-assured. "You'd better go find Benji before things get too wild," you tell her, taking note of how the crowd is quickly growing in size. Benji, her longtime crush, is the only reason you really agreed to tag along; she's been head over heels for him for as long as you've known her, and you see this as the perfect opportunity for her to finally tell him. She needed some backup, and you always come through for your friends.

"Alright, I'll come find you later," she says, nervously smiling as she kisses your cheek as a farewell. You shout encouragement to her retreating figure, grinning wildly when you see her throw her hand up in the air.

Considering you made a drink for her just then before sending her off, you take the time now to make one for yourself. Your hands skim through the air overtop of the different bottles, searching for your favorite flavors and types to mix. As you go to reach across the table for one of them, disaster strikes.

You gasp as cold liquid lands on your shoulder, following gravity's command and rushing down your back and chest. A flurry of apologies follows suit, and you feel a soft hand on the small of your back as you go to turn around.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," Jennie says, covering her mouth in shock. For a moment you're worried that she was dared to do this -- that perhaps her friends sent her off to ruin your outfit and embarrass you. When you find sincere regret in her deep brown eyes, though, all of those worries melt away.

"It's alright," you assure her, shaking your arms to get rid of some of the sticky drink that's trailed its way down. You set your half-filled cup on the table, no longer interested in getting anymore now.

"At least let me wash the shirt for you. I have a coat you can wear while its getting clean."

You furrow your brows at the offer, not expecting that from her. Not only has she apologized, which is practically unheard of from the prima donna, but she's willing to do something for another person?

"Uh, okay." You do your best to mask the confusion in your tone, but it's still plain to see.

"Follow me," she politely instructs, leading you down the hall towards what you assume is the laundry room.

She flips the light on and shuts the door behind you, walking into the closet to search for the spare set of close she keeps here.

When she emerges again, fluffy coat in hand, she begins stumbling over the words she was about about to say. Her eyes land on you, taking in the expanse of exposed skin now that you've stripped off the shirt you were wearing. She can't help but admire the sight; she subconsciously bites her lip, only being brought back to reality when you wave your hand in front of her face.

"Hello? Earth to Jennie?"

"What?" She eventually asks, shaking her head to rid herself of the thoughts swarming in it. She's always had a sort of thing for you, but she never imagined you could look that good. It should be a crime.

"I asked if you have a bathroom around here, so I can, ya know... wash up a bit. Whatever you had to drink is pretty sticky." You chuckle, moving your arm to show her how far it's spread.

"This room over here," she says, approaching a door on the wall opposite you, "is actually a bathroom. Convenient, right?" She asks, flipping the light on for you.

"Absolutely," you perk up, glad to know that you won't have to strut down the hall in your sports bra to get to a bathroom.

She steps to the side and pushes the door open for you, nearly melting when you give her a little wave and shut it behind yourself. She's got it bad.

She takes your shirt and throws it in the washer before setting the knobs correctly, knowing the best combos by heart. She and her brother are close, so it's not uncommon for her to come by and help him with chores when he gets swamped.

A few minutes later you come out of the bathroom clean and dry, nervously fidgeting with your hands as she turns to look at you again. Having the Jennie Kim looking at you in such a way and having her so close is a bit overwhelming, and you're not exactly sure how to deal with it.

"Here," she says, reaching around you to slide her jacket onto your arms. Her face hovers dangerously close to yours as she does, making you hold your breath in anticipation. She pulls the jacket closed, adjusting it so that it lays right, and you look into her eyes.

"Thanks, Jen."

Her heart speeds up at the nickname, though she tries not to show it.

"No problem, sweet thing." She flirts, taking you aback.

Just as you go to say something more, the door blasts open and a couple of her friends pop in. "There you are Jennie! What are you-- oh," they say, watching as the two of you spring apart.

When they realize who you are, they laugh among themselves. "What're you doing in here with her?" They ask, looking you up and down before ultimately appearing unimpressed. Jennie glances at you again, and you can see her going through some sort of inner turmoil.

"Thank God you guys showed up; she won't quit talking. I was just about to leave." She laughs, regaining the bitchy aura that she's known for. You set your jaw and nod, remembering why you choose to stay away from people like them.

"Wow, Jennie. You really had me fooled," you bite back, a bit shocked, but not surprised. You keep your eyes on hers as you take her jacket off and let it drop to the floor in front of her, grabbing a spare towel from the hamper on your way out the door. Her friends scoff at you, wondering what such a nobody like you thinks they're doing treating Jennie like that. You brush past them and send her one last look, conveying all the emotions you feel with a mere glance.

She's disappointed in herself, and she hangs her head as the girls scoop the designer material up and hand it to her.

----

45 Minutes Later

Just 15 more minutes, Y/N; totally doable. You reason with yourself. Jennie left the laundry room soon after you, leaving it vacant for you to put your shirt in the dryer and retrieve it when it was done. Now, clad in the warm material, you sit outside by the fire. Stars are shining brightly in the night sky, illuminating it so beautifully that your mind is taken off of what happened. They twinkle for you, and the sight puts you at ease.

What has that pleasant feeling dissipating in a second, however, is the sound of Jennie's voice as she exits the patio door.

She's talking to her friends about some boy that's in love with her, as the whole school seems to be, and you roll your eyes. With the moment officially ruined, you decide to head back into the house and spend the rest of your sentence there.

Once you stand up from your seat and turn around to take your leave, her friends notice you. "Jesus, you're really obsessed, aren't you? Are you following her or something?" One of them, a snarky blonde from earlier, asks.

You laugh at that. "Hardly," you glance at Jennie, though she avoids eye contact. "I'm sure you'd like that, though. Give you something to talk about other than your split ends." She reels back at your boldness, prepared to start a fight.

"You bitc--"

"Stop," Jennie finally steps in, cutting the girl off. She moves between the two of you, putting a hand on your chest and looking into your eyes.

"Jennie, I don't know what her problem is," the blonde squeaks out, trying to defend her actions.

"The problem doesn't lie with her," she tells her, leaving her puzzled. Jennie continues, "I lied earlier; I'm the one who invited her to the laundry room because I spilled my drink on her." You narrow your eyes at her following her statement, wondering where she's going with this.

"We probably would've kissed, too, if you hadn't walked in."

Your heart speeds up a little at that, but you're still hurt by what she did earlier. Having her be one way with you in private and another in public is never a good sign.

"I'm done with you guys. You turn me into something I'm not," she looks between the small following that's accrued, letting them know how she's been feeling for the past bit. The majority of them are stuck up and entitled, and seeing the hurt in your eyes put things into perspective for her. She likes you, and she wants to be better because of that.

"I don't understand, Jennie," one of them asks, sounding like she's on the brink of tears. Are these people really that invested? You know the hierarchy of popularity is confusing, but they make it seem like she's breaking up with them.

"We're not friends anymore. Not until you get your heads out of your asses and start being nicer."

The crowd clearly doesn't know how to react at her sudden change in attitude, but they mutter out various responses before some of them break away.

You look down at her and glance to the house, wordlessly telling her to follow you so that you can have a moment alone to talk. You lead her over to the patio and stand against the wall.

"I'm sorry," she says, sounding relieved to finally get the words out. Her previous actions have been weighing heavily on her, and she's been doing some introspection. It's not entirely all of a sudden, though; she's been questioning why she still hangs out with them for a while now. This encounter just confirmed her desire to leave them.

"I shouldn't have lied like that. I know it hurt you." She looks away, feeling disappointed again.

"Yeah, it definitely wasn't fun to have my crush talk about me like that." You nod, shoving your hands into your pockets.

"Crush?" Her head raises up, doing a terrible job of concealing the hopefulness she feels blossoming.

"Crush." You lightly smile at the way she blushes at your simple confirmation. She's too adorable for her own good; it's really no wonder than she has everyone on their knees for her.

"Thank you for apologizing," you say after a moment, nudging her shoulder gently. "It's more than your posse usually gives, so I appreciate it. You'd better mean it, though." You cock your head at her expectantly, a hint of warning in your tone.

"You have my word," she smiles, determined to make sure the opportunity you're giving her doesn't go to waste.

The Fallout

In the following weeks, she cut ties with more and more toxic people, causing a bit more drama to stir up, but she didn't care. You were by her side through all of it, as were your friends, and she saw what true community looks like. She had so many people at her beck and call back then, but none of them cared as much as your close knit group. They were in it because of her status, not because of her.

Walking her to class

Both of you sticking up for each other if people try to start stuff

Helping her correct her bad habits if she starts to get judgemental with someone or slips back into her old ways

Being patient with her

Her spoiling you randomly to show how thankful she is for you

"Miss L/N, we have a Candy Gram for you. Sent by Jennie Kim." A staff member says upon entering the classroom, walking the package over to you. You grin widely as you open the note attached to it.

"Come see me after class, Y/N/N. I have something for you."

You were excited for the rest of class

You rode your bike back to her dorm, parking it outside before knocking on the door.

"Hey, Jendeukie. What do you have for--"

You're abruptly cut off by her lips pressing against yours as her hands pull you in, turning you to mush. You sink into her arms and kiss back, reveling in the feeling of finally having this moment with her. You've been waiting for it ever since the party.

"I've wanted to do that for so long," she softly admits, resting her forehead against yours. "I hope I didn't overstep." You can hear the nervousness in her voice, and you smile at how cute she is.

"Quite the opposite, actually. Come here," you pull her in again, lifting her up into your arms as you walk into her dorm. She squeals at the sudden move, but the sound is quickly muffled as you lean in to kiss her again.

Never Really Over

Pairing: Model!Jisoo x Fem!Reader

Word Count: ~ 21,684

Warnings / Misc. -- Angst, Smut, Fluff

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: Hi, everyone. I really hope you enjoy this fic 💜 It took me a long time to finish it and it might be a little messy in some places, but I hope it's worth the wait. Happy reading 🌹

♤《◇》♤《◇》♤《◇》♤《◇》♤《◇》♤《◇》♤《◇》

It's cold, when your journey begins. 

Chilly, early December air nips at your cheeks before swirling down to raise the ends of your trench coat as you march your way down 5th Avenue. 

Crunch, crunch, crunch

Each hit of your boots against the sidewalk is precise, final. Something about them resembles a warning sign, though you can't quite explain it. 

Perhaps it's the rhythmic scrape that accompanies each footfall, made by the rock that worked its way into one of the rubber grooves earlier.

Yeah, you think to yourself. That's it. 

Bright, shimmering lights of the city around you all vie for any attention they can get, and you watch as couples and tourists alike all flock to the usual spots. Some eagerly dart into the bakeries that your town's known for, while others step up to vibrant kiosks on the street corners to buy overpriced trinkets and knick knacks. 

A feeling of nostalgia settles deep in your bones as you pry your eyes away and pull your jacket tighter around yourself, both in search of its warmth and the comfort that it provides. 

It's a sanctuary, more or less. From the jealousy you feel upon witnessing their happiness. 

From the cold shoulder of loneliness.

The worn-in seams welcome you without judgment, and the small stitching on the inside of your right sleeve gives you something you can't live without. 

K.J., it reads. 

You always used to tell her how much you missed her when she was away, so she had her initials put in the familiar material just for you. She gave you the coat on your birthday so you could always have a piece of her with you, and you'd never been happier than you were that day.

But now, over 2 years later, that's about the only thing you have left of her. 

The ache in your chest, too, of course, but you can only really blame yourself for that.

Pockets of conversation fill the evening air around you as you pass by different crowds, still set on your way towards the restaurant that you ordered some food from. The delivery fee was far too much for such a short distance, and so you decided to just trek the few blocks there and grab it. 

A quiet buzz from the neon lights above you can be heard as you turn the corner, each step bringing you even closer to your destination, and a small smile works its way onto your face. Bittersweet, though it still shines in its own way. 

La Belle, reads the sign that you know all too well. Its oval surface is rimmed with a dark shade of brown, slightly chipped from the elements, while the middle is a pristine oak color -- untouched. 

A tiny bell dings as you open the door and walk inside, glancing around the lowkey space. The lights are dimmed as people converse with one another, some flirting over the rims of their martinis while others talk business. A family is seated next to the window as well, seemingly celebrating a birthday of one of the children. 

I'm 6! is displayed across a party hat in fun letters, sitting atop the head of the smallest at the table. Her sweet grin widens when she sees you, briefly locking eyes with a subtle wave, and the heavy feeling looming over you lifts, if only a little. 

"Welcome to La Belle," a pleasant voice introduces, pulling you from your thoughts. You turn to the left, greeted by a blonde woman who's waiting behind the hostess stand. 

"How may I help you?" She asks, voice rich with a southern drawl. 

"I'm here for a pick-up order. Y/N," you tell her, shoving your hands into the pockets of your jeans. 

She pushes a few buttons on the tablet that sits in front of her, efficiently checking on the status of your food. "It looks like we'll have it ready in about 5 minutes. If you'd like, you can take a seat over there and we'll bring it right out." 

She points to a line of chairs behind you, maybe 4 or 5 red-cushioned seats, and you nod. 

"Thank you." 

"Of course, Miss." 

You make your way over and sit down, leaning back as you survey the place some more. Posters and picture frames adorn the walls, mix-matched in their contents and yet never coming across as tacky or out of place. Everything looks as if it's meant to be exactly where it is. 

One painting in particular stands apart from all the rest, though: the centerpiece of the restaurant, displayed in the middle of the dining room's back wall. It stretches out quite a ways, almost as more of a mural than a regular painting, and pictures two lovers. 

One is more androgynous in their appearance, clad in a tunic and cloak as their shoulder length hair falls in soft waves. The other, feminine in every way, dons a floral dress that stops just above her ankles. 

Standing beneath the partially enclosed space of a beautiful veranda, their meeting place is secretive -- a quiet escape for the both of them. Their arms are outstretched towards one another as they rush to meet in the center of the room; you've always loved how the artist captured their movements perfectly. 

The woman's dress ruffles as she hurries towards her lover, likely having been separated for some time, and the cloak that the other wears ripples with movement. 

Their fingertips lightly brush against each other, but just barely; they haven't yet reached one another. Smiles adorn their faces, vibrant and contagious the longer you look; just at the sight of one another, they're smitten once more. 

And you can see it. 

You can see the eagerness that lies behind their eyes as they peer at one another, having missed the simple pleasure beyond words. An urgency fuels their movements -- draws them to one another. The longing they feel is tangible, and now you feel it, too. 

You try to reason that it's just because of the artist's talent, but you know you're kidding yourself. 

It's obvious, really, why you're feeling this way now. For when Jisoo was sat beside you at one of those linen-topped tables in this very dining room all that time ago, admiring the work displayed, you never really understood the piece. 

She was yours then, and you never had to miss her like the lovers pictured there do.

The intention and passion was all there -- all grasped by you -- but you failed to notice the way their muscles strained beneath their clothes, peeking out of the areas that their garments exposed. You failed to realize then why they were so determined to be reunited. 

But now, sitting here in the lobby of a place you once loved being, you've never felt more alone. You've never understood their reasoning more.

Your back presses against the cool metal bars of the chair, and for a moment, you try to remember what it felt like to sit at your regular table here. 

Number 4, you recall. 

It was Jisoo's favorite, and ever since you brought her here for your first date, it had been yours. The owners knew you, and their faces always seemed to light up when you walked in the building, hand in hand. They'd shout their greetings if the lobby was loud, or come out to say hello if it was a quiet night. 

Jisoo had decided early on to work her way through the menu, trying a new dish every time you came, but you were never that adventurous. You'd try the bites she offered you, of course, and they were delicious, but you tended to stick with one of your usual meals. Your enjoyment came from seeing her happy and well-fed anyway, so you were never really missing out. 

Back in present-time, you find yourself smiling despite the ache in your chest -- that incessant, double-edged sword of a feeling you get anytime she pops into your mind. It's a curse to have been so close to her once, because now her absence is even more painful. The quirks and particulars that you spent years molding your life around are gone now, taken with her the moment she left. 

Sometimes you even still place your bag on the second rung of the hanger back home, absentmindedly leaving the first space open for her out of habit. 

It's little things like that that serve as a reminder of how she truly took a piece of you with her when you parted,  moving on to bigger and better things than you could ever offer her. You can't blame her, though, seeing as how you pushed her away.

It was bound to happen eventually, you attempt to cope. You've spent the past two years telling yourself that anyway, and you don't plan to stop now. 

"Order for Y/N!" 

Right, you think. Enough moping.

You stand and readjust your clothes, knowing your hands will be too full to do it later. A fake smile lands on your face out of instinct, and you hold it as best you can as you approach the hostess stand. 

"Here you go," the blonde from before says, handing you the bags. You take them gingerly, not wanting anything to spill. 

"Thank you very much," you bow lightly. "Have a wonderful evening." 

She reciprocates the kind words before you turn to leave, and you keep the cheery facade up until you reach the front door. As you press a shoulder into the metal bar and open it, you allow the corners of your lips to fall again, back to where they usually rest. 

A blast of cold air greets you, and you welcome the brisk sting in full. Oddly enough, it feels nice. 

---

Crunch, crunch, crunch

Back on your path home, you let your body take over. Your muscles remember the way perfectly, and your mind has found a better way to occupy itself. 

Namely, with thoughts of the impending holiday that lurks just around the corner. Decorations are already up, strung about the lampposts and displayed in store fronts throughout the streets, but you have a hard time feeling all that joyful. 

Your closest friends have plans to come over and spend the weekend before Christmas with you (and you're definitely looking forward to it), but even still, something feels out of place around this time of year. 

You've busied yourself with planning and putting things on layaway early to keep from getting too overwhelmed later, and it's proven successful thus far. A mental image of the remote control car you're getting for your young cousin is conjured up, and you smile as you turn down another block -- after this, you have just one left until you're home. 

The cute giggle that he'll surely let out warms your heart, and you replay the noise that you've committed to memory back in your mind.

Apparently you were too caught up in your own little world to notice the couple headed straight for you. Their attention was elsewhere, too, so it was inevitable for the run-in to happen. 

The strong shoulder of a well-built man knocks into yours, sending one of the bags in your hands to the ground and making you stumble. A feminine gasp can be heard from above, followed by the man apologizing as he reaches down to help you. 

"Shit, I'm sorry," he says sincerely, picking up one of the busted take-out boxes and handing it to you. You look up and find a regretful expression on his face. 

"Don't worry about it," you reply, though you're annoyed at the inconvenience. Who knows how much of your food will be salvageable now?

You continue to grab the boxes and put them back in the bag as quickly as possible so as to not let them lose even more heat. Just as you finish up and go to stand, you hear something you never would've expected. 

"Here, let me give you some cash to replace the meal. We're really sorry." 

You freeze in place and suck in a breath at the sound of that familiar voice. 

Why is she here?

Turning your head, you're greeted by none other than Jisoo, who's digging in her purse for some money. She hasn't noticed you yet, and you can't decide if you want to run away before she can or stay right where you are until she does. 

It's a tough decision, but ultimately it's made for you when she raises her head to address you.

"Here you go--"

Oh shit.

Her jaw goes slightly slack as her eyes dart across your features, searching for proof that you're actually you. You look just like she remembers, albeit a bit more worn and jaded, but still… you.

Neither of you know what to say next. You're shocked into immobilization with little else to do but stare at one another. 

She regards you slowly, allowing her eyes to track up and over the curves of your body just as they had a million times in the past. She studies you -- looking for things that have changed in her absence. 

And you, lacking any foresight or care as to how it'll affect your heart, do the same. 

You admire how good she looks, though it hurts to see her so happy and lively. She's dressed to the nines in a plaid dress that reaches its way to her knees, keeping her body heat stored in its knitted material. She sports a long overcoat, too, and your worries are eased.

She could freeze out here, after all. 

Her chest tightens at the sight of you in her coat, though you'd never know it by the look of her. Her expression remains stoic, and you bite the inside of your cheek at the selfish desire that crosses your mind: you want her to be upset. 

Indifference is something you hadn't prepared yourself for. 

But what confuses you more, is that her eyes have seemed to lose a little vibrance as well. They're missing some refined quality that they had when she was yours, but you don't allow yourself to dwell on it too long.

When the man beside her shifts, likely confused at the moment you're sharing, she blinks a few times as if to bring herself back to her senses.

You clear your throat. "That's not necessary," you shake your head and point at the money in her hand. "It was an accident." 

She takes a hint of a step closer, and your chest tightens. Merely two minutes with her in your vicinity again and you're losing what progress you've made over the years. 

"Please, it's the least we can do." She presses her lips together, unknowingly drawing your attention to them. Her fingers beg to reach out and touch you.

You fake another smile and glance at her boyfriend before returning your gaze to her. "Truly, it's fine. Enjoy your night." 

You take a deep breath of the evening air and hold it in your lungs as you turn away, willing yourself to press on. If you look back and see her watching you go, you'll be tempted to run back to her and do something reckless.

She's moved on, Y/N. Let it go. 

That's the mantra you repeat to yourself until you've made it back to your apartment, but once you've crossed the threshold and sat your things down, the tears come falling. You sit at your table and cry. 

For all the mistakes you made in the past. 

For all the ones you continue to make. 

Her mere presence -- a fleeting moment in time that won't matter to her by morning -- is enough to shake up your world yet again. 

Seeing her with him was arguably worse than not seeing her at all. 

For you've created a barrier of sorts, over the years. You've hardened your heart at every mention of her -- every accidental slip of her name from one of your friends or family members -- and blocked out as many memories as you can. 

But that's the thing with her, you see. 

She's an enigma, and with every part of you that tries to forget her, there's an equal and opposite part that will always welcome her back in in any way possible. 

Tonight, it seems to be her eyes. Oh, how they haunt you. 

------

Jisoo

A soft chuckle draws her from the stupor that you put her in yet again, and she quietly curses to herself.

It comes from beside her, and it's accompanied by a puff of breath that turns white in the increasingly frigid atmosphere. 

"I take it that you know her?" 

She swallows, setting her jaw. "Yeah, I do." 

The man falls in step with her as they continue their walk, but Jisoo's mind is elsewhere. She nods and hums along in mock responses to him, but they're simply her body's doing. She's too busy wondering what you've been up to. 

You looked better than she had anticipated, though she never expected to run into you again; she's heard that you tend to keep to yourself nowadays. 

So, as one could guess, when she laid eyes on you again for the first time in two years, it quite literally sent her reeling. She wanted to reach out and touch you, just to prove that you weren't a figment of her imagination, or even just to talk to you. 

There are so many things she wants to say. 

But something tells her that that opportunity won't come. She sensed it in the way you retreated back into yourself before leaving earlier -- in how you closed another door by walking away. She shouldn't have wanted you to stay -- especially considering everything that's happened -- but she can't deny that she did. 

You have more of a hold on her than she previously realized, and feelings are flooding back in more ways than she appreciates. 

She thought she had it all figured out. That when you ended things and left, she picked herself up and moved on for good. Her friends worked hard to pull her out of that place and get her going again, but now it appears to have all been shoddily done. 

Their attempts to rebuild her self-restraint have nearly failed, and now all she wants to do is chase you and get the answers that she so rightly deserves. 

But, she knows she can't. She knows she has to live the life that she's built for herself without you, and not the one her heart truly wants. 

Because no matter where the two of you stand, for her, it'll always be you. 

-------

3 Days Later

To say you've been a wreck is the understatement of the century. 

The weekend passed by in a blur of tears and comfort food, and now you're sat back at your desk, tiredly typing away at your company-provided computer like nothing happened. Your coworkers can tell that something definitely happened, but none of them dare approach you and ask. 

For once, you find yourself thanking the universe for its lack of empathetic people. 

The keys are quick to spring back against your fingertips as you work through numerous reports given to you, and you occasionally sign off on the chart that rests on the table in front of you, documenting each paper finished. This monotonous cycle continues until you get a call from one of your friends and decide it's time for a break. 

Nini 🐻🥟 is displayed at the top of your screen, and you smile to yourself as you stand from your desk and answer it. 

"There she is," she chirps, sounding happy that you picked up. You may or may not have spent the past 72 hours ghosting people in order to grovel and wallow in self pity. 

Definitely not your finest hour, but who's judging?

"How's my favorite girl doing?" She asks.

You decide to cut to the chase; she'll get the info out of you at some point, so you'd rather just get it over with now and spare yourself from the back and forth. 

"Well, between work and seeing my ex again, not the greatest." You chuckle, despite the lack of humor in your words. 

It's a habit you use to comfort yourself, and Jennie knows it. 

"When did you see her?" 

She already knows who the ex in question is, too, because you've yet to date anyone since Jisoo, and she's left the greatest impact. Jennie can't say that she'd expect you to be this upset over anyone else you've been with, no offense to them.

"Friday. Her new boyfriend bumped into me and made me drop my takeout; can you believe it?"

"Ouch," she sighs, feigning hurt. "Brutal." 

You click your tongue. "I know, I know. Woe is me, and all that." 

She laughs, and you do too. 

"What's she doing back in town?" She muses. 

"Hell if I know," you shrug, grabbing a donut from the break room as you head for the elevator. You intend to spend your few minutes of freedom outside.

"They looked like they were out sightseeing, though. Maybe grabbing some dinner or something, from how nice they were dressed." 

"You think she came all the way back here for that?"

"You never know," you say, swallowing a sweet mouthful of the pastry.

"Maybe it's for work," she suggests. 

"An elite model like her back in a mediocre place like this?" You ask, holding back a laugh. "What, is she gonna pose outside the McDonald's on Main Street?" 

She giggles at that. "Alright, fair enough. I'm just trying to figure it out!" 

"I appreciate the concern, Nini, but I've decided to block her out of my thoughts. Starting… now."

"And knowing you, that'll last until….," she pauses, going silent. "...now." She plays, using your words against you. 

Your mouth hangs open, and though she can't see it, she can picture it clearly. She laughs loudly through the phone. "I don't know who paid you to clown on me, but you're doing a great job. Send my kudos to them." 

"Such a baby," she groans. 

Another chuckle slips past your lips before you decide to move on. 

"How've you been, Miss Kim? Get into any trouble lately?" 

"Stressed as usual, but no trouble. The girls planned a secret getaway for all of us, though. You can thank Rosie for the slip up." 

You smile, reminded of how notorious the Australian is for spoiling things on accident. 

"That's actually one of the reasons I called," Jennie concludes. 

"To brag?"

"No, babo; to invite you." 

You sit on one of the benches in the square outside, right next to a perfectly trimmed hedge. "When are you set to leave?" 

"Wednesday night. And don't even try to tell me that you don't have time saved up to take off work," she warns. "You've been working longer hours and picking up extra shifts left and right." 

You purse your lips. "You've got me there." 

"So will you come? I think it would be good for you to get away for a little while." 

You inwardly sigh, contemplating her offer. Running away from your problems and spending the next few days with your friends sounds perfect, but you don't want to ruin their time off. 

"I wouldn't want to bring you all down, Jennie." 

"The only way that'll happen is if you send us there without you. We miss you, Y/N/N." She admits.

Ah, hell. What've you got to lose?

With a deep breath, you tell her exactly what she wants to hear. "Alright, I'll go."

In preparation for the impending attack on your ear drums, you hold the phone away from your ear. 

"YAAAAY!" She squeals, the noise still very audible even from a distance. 

It draws a chuckle from you nonetheless. "I'll see you Wednesday, Jen. Love you." 

"I can't wait. Love you more!" She sing-songs, before eventually hanging up to call Lisa and Rosé and give them the good news. Being included in their plans warms your heart, and seeing Jennie want you there so bad makes you feel like you belong. 

Aren't they the greatest?

You find a genuine smile pulling across your features as you take another bite of your snack and look out across the city, wondering where the secret location will be.

One fact cuts through your pondering though, reigning supreme: no matter how this trip plays out, you're in for a wild ride.

That's for sure.

----

Wednesday, 6:53 -- Jennie's Apartment 

"Y/N!"

In a matter of 3 seconds, you say your last words and make peace with your imminent demise. 

Your three best friends race towards the front door, where you're stood in a cozy sweater and joggers. The perfect travel outfit.

They engulf you in a hug, nearly knocking you over from the sheer force of their love.

"You're alive!" Lisa shouts. 

"We've missed you so much!" Rosie follows.

You eventually pull away before they can smother you -- though, to be fair, if you had to choose a way to leave this world that would definitely be high on the list -- and you grin at them. Rosie smooths your mussed hair as Lisa fights the urge to pinch your cheeks, as she always does. 

Before long, she gives in. 

"We're so glad you're here." Jennie puts her hand on your shoulder, smiling her gummy smile at you.

"Thanks for inviting me," you say. Your words are slightly altered from Lisa's movements, and so you bat her hands away. 

She chuckles like a misbehaving kid. 

"Are you guys ready to go?" You ask, peering past them and into the living room. Their suitcases are nowhere to be found. 

"Mhm," Rosie nods. "The car's already loaded up. We've just gotta put your stuff in and then we're ready." 

You nod, clasping your hands together. Despite everything, you'd be lying to say you aren't excited to see where they're planning to take you. They always seem to pick the best places.

After a last sweep of the house to ensure that nothing important is left behind, the four of you head out to the car. Lisa has her arms around you, cuddling in close when a chilly breeze rolls in, and you rub her back to offer some additional warmth. 

She smiles appreciatively against your shoulder. 

"So," you start, once you're all inside the car. "Where are we going?" 

"That's for us to know and you to find out," Jennie quips as she reaches to her side for the seatbelt. 

"But--"

"Ah, ah, ah, just go with it. We promise that you'll love it." Rosie says, nodding reassuringly. Upon seeing the confident grin on her face, you relent. 

"Fine," you grumble, sulking. "But I'm not putting on a blin--"

A sleek piece of fabric falls against your hand, cutting you off. 

"...blindfold." You finish, pulling a face. 

"Just this once," Jennie attempts to bargain, smiling sweetly at you. She puts her hands underneath her chin and bats her eyelashes, making you laugh. 

With a dramatic sigh, you agree. The girls cheer loudly together, and you turn in your chair slightly so one of them can tie it in the back. 

Shaking your head at their antics, you still can't help but laugh. They let out another victory shout before Jennie pulls out of her driveway and the four of you get started on your journey. 

-----

Three Hours Later

The tires of Jennie's car crunch as they pass over the salted roads that lead you closer to your destination. Some pieces work their way into the treads and grooves, serving as a reminder of where you've been. 

You crest another hill, and then it's in view. At least for the rest of the girls it is.

An icy range of snow capped mountains serves as a perfect backdrop against the evening sky, sloping down in streaks of white and blue towards the sizable village below. Lamp posts and houses alike offer up their golden light, illuminating the area around them and creating a cozy aura. 

In one fluid motion, Rosie reaches forward to untie the fabric and take it off of you. She wants you to experience this place's beauty for yourself.

"Wow," you sigh, pressing closer to the car's window. Your gentle breaths fog the surface, but you're too intrigued by the sight before you to notice. More trees line the sides of the road as you make your partially spiraled descent down the hill, at times blocking out the sky above you with their thick branches and leaves. Their canopies are dark and brooding, yet they bring a sense of safety and comfort along with them.

This place is as mysterious as it is alluring. 

♡《》♡《》♡

In varying degrees of haste, the four doors of Jennie's car are opened by each of you. 

Lisa, just waking up from a nap, shakes the numbness from her arm and rubs her sleepy eyes as she steps out. Her breath becomes a puff of white air as she admires the building before you.

Rosie, full of energy from the five snacks that she had along the way, practically leaps from the car. She jumps a little as she gapes at the resort, knocking into Jennie in her excited state. The brunette just smiles at her, happy that she's happy. 

And then there's you. You step out curiously, taking in your surroundings. A winter resort isn't exactly what you expected for the girls to choose, but then again you never really know what to expect from them. They always keep you on your toes. 

As you gaze up at the golden lamps strung up across the entrance, you're suddenly pelted with something cold. A mischievous smile graces Lisa's face, and you glance down at your body, finding a ring of residual snow on the material of your sweater. The area of impact is right at the center of your stomach. 

Your eyes narrow at her, half comical and half serious. "It's on." 

In a flash, the four of you are reaching wildly for nearby snow and packing it into weapons of destruction. The next blow is dealt by Rosé, who fires off a spiraling and lopsided snowball at Jennie. It hits her in the shoulder, but she's quick to retaliate. Rosie's subsequent squeal pierces the air, and you laugh. 

The moment doesn't last long, though. Lisa's ears perk up at the sound, and in a move that decides teams, she launches another chilly snowball at you to defend Rosie's honor. 

"Y/N, look out!" Jennie bellows, running towards you. Her boots slide across the ice, but she makes it to you in time to push you out of the line of fire. Instead of hitting you, the snowball hits her chest, right over her heart.

"No!" You cry out, catching her as she falls. You sink to the ground with her dramatically, wiping the hair from her face and telling her to hold on. 

"Y/N, I'm not gonna make it," she coughs, gripping your shoulder. 

"No, Jen, don't give up. Don't go towards the light." You pull her closer, holding her body next to yours. 

"Avenge me," she whispers, shakily holding another snowball up to you before rolling over. 

You take it from her and set her down, now glaring at the other two. "This is for Jennie!" You shout like a battle cry as you rise, hitting Rosie in the leg with the snowball before tackling Lisa into a soft pile of snow next to one of the bushes. She groans, and you waste no time in gathering handfuls of the powdery substance and sprinkling it all over her head. 

"Ah!" She shrieks, feeling the coldness seep in all over. 

"Hands off!" Comes Rosé's voice, as she grabs you and tumbles to the side. She holds you down, pressing you into the snow to keep you from getting up. 

Lisa stands to tower over you, looking victorious. She casually compresses another handful of snow together, oblivious to what's happening behind her as she takes her sweet time. 

"You thought you could defeat the Chaelisa?" She tuts at you, in typical villain fashion. "Not possible, Y/N/N. We're the--"

"Ahhh!" 

Before your very eyes, a magically resurrected Jennie fires off a flurry of tiny ice balls, making Lisa jump and dance around with each prick of them against her skin. 

"Ow, ow, OW!" She returns, spinning around to face her attacker. Now, you have an opening. 

"Sorry Rosie," you apologize, before releasing a frigid handful of snow down the front of her shirt. A shrill scream sounds off as she rolls away, and you leap up and disarm Lisa. You wrestle the snowball away from her before ultimately managing to restrain her. Jennie emerges from her cover behind one of the pillars to do the honors. 

"You were wrong, Lisa. Y/Ship/N (Your Ship Name w/ Jennie) will always win!" 

Following one last, icy blow to the stomach, Lisa sinks to her knees in defeat. You wrap your arms around Jennie victoriously and spin her around, laughing happily. 

---

30 Minutes Later -- Room 417

Following your epic battle on the front lawn of the resort, you were welcomed with warm smiles and salutes from the staff. They got you checked in with no issue and gave you instructions on how to reach the room that the girls booked. 

Now safe and sound inside of it, you're flicking through the channels of the flatscreen TV in search of something you can all agree on. Below it is a large fireplace, where Jennie is preparing a sizable fire for you. Lisa tried first, but now she's at the kitchen island lamenting about her half-singed eyebrow. 

Rosé's preparing some popcorn and drinks for you and doing all she can to contain her laughter at the younger girl. 

You eventually land on a movie that you've all been meaning to watch, and your ragtag group gathers together on the large, plush couch. Rosé fans out a fluffy blanket that she found in one of the closets, spreading it over all of you as you settle in and cuddle close. 

"What do you guys want to do tomorrow?" Jennie asks, once a commercial break begins and as she brings a few pieces of popcorn to her lips. 

A pouting Lisa perks up a bit at this. "I wanna sled." 

"Maybe we could check out some of the stores in the village. I heard a lot of people talking about them in the lobby," Rosie suggests. 

Jennie nods, thinking. "What about you, Y/N?" 

"I've always wanted to try skiing," you grin. 

"Sounds like we've got a long day ahead of us, then," she notes, smiling back at all of you. "I'm excited." 

"Me too," you say, squeezing her hand beneath the blanket. She lays her head on your shoulder as the movie comes back on, and you stretch an arm out to lay across Rosie and Lisa, giving them affection as well. This little trip is already proving therapeutic; you're really glad you came. 

[**☆**]

11:16 PM

Clearly, the drive up took a toll on the girls. Quiet snoring surrounds you on both sides -- they didn't even make it through the whole movie without passing out. Lisa had been the last one awake, fighting sleep in order to talk to you and comment on what poor choices the characters were making, but she too fell victim to slumber's sweet embrace. 

With a soft smile, you stand up from the couch and put a pillow down where you had been; carefully, you cover the girls up again. Jennie mumbles something in her sleep, pulling the pillow closer to her, and Rosie stretches a leg across Lisa as she repositions herself. 

They look so precious in the moment that you just admire them for a minute, thanking the universe for such wonderful friends. Once you're done being sappy, though, you pick your phone up from the coffee table and snap a picture of them so that you can embarrass them later. The drool on Rosie's lip really adds to it; you're sure she'll be complaining about that for the next century. 

The sight of them reminds you of your own lack of drowsiness, though, and you sigh, rubbing the back of your neck. It's only reasonable that you should be exhausted, but you just can't seem to wind down. Something's keeping you from it, and you know it'll be ages until you fall asleep. So, instead of waiting around, you write up a note for the girls, telling them that you're heading downstairs to look around a bit. 

You hope a walk will quiet your mind and make you drowsy enough to get some decent rest tonight. 

--

Main Lobby

Despite what time it is, the lobby is still relatively active. Families file in with carts of luggage in tow, hauled by bellhops with concerned looks on their faces. A few couples stroll about, cheeks flushed and noses red from more than just the cold that they braved to get in.

It's all comforting, in some strange way, but entirely nostalgic all the same. For every smile the sights inspire, an equal pang of jealousy flutters in your heart. You hate that, but it's the bitter truth. 

The foyer -- which you cross in favor of getting something to drink from the sleek bar that gleams to you from the far wall -- is decorated wonderfully. Holiday lights are strung across the space, just like they are in the rest of the village. It's like this time of year is all that this place knows; it's stuck here in time, only ever repeating the months of December to February. But it's beautiful nonetheless, and you're determined to enjoy it while you're here. 

A suave bartender takes your order courteously, and you earn yourself a flash of her white smile when you give it. 

"One hot cocoa, please," you said. She wasn't expecting that from you, given that you're over the age of 10 and at a bar this late at night, but it was a pleasant surprise. 

She returned one steaming cup of it to you as soon as it was done, and you slid the dollar bill that you had been toying with across the bar to her in reply. A simple nod from you was all she needed, and she took the money with another grin before heading towards another customer. 

-

Small, delicate snowflakes coat the clothes of stray guests that filter in through the side door, all mumbling about either how pretty the place is or how close to hypothermia they've teetered. 

There really are two kinds of people in this world.

Their laughter fills the halls as you squeeze past them, clutching your drink close to your chest in a way of bracing for the cold that you're about to encounter. It staves off the initial gust as you press into the door, opening it with your hip and shoulder. 

A large, crackling campfire resides in the middle of the open space, serving as a beacon. Its flames reach up into the sky, flickering and dancing as people converse around it. Deep-set oak chairs and couches alike all form a circle around it, far enough away to keep from getting too hot but close enough to stay plenty warm. 

A layer of snow coats the ground, left altered by the imprints of your shoes as you shuffle towards one of the open chairs. It's chilly, and you unconsciously suck in a breath as your body sinks down into it; the warmth that you're radiating leaves you faster now in an attempt to lend itself to the frigid surface. But thankfully, just as quickly as it seeps from the thick material of your joggers, it's replenished by the cozy fire. 

You stay there for the next little while, not necessarily keeping track of the time. You judge its passage by how long it takes you to finish your drink and how long it takes the cold to spread from the ends of your fingertips to the rest of your hands.

The night sky is full of stars, all twinkling their brilliant light for the universe. They match the full moon, balanced between white and deep grey. All the way out here, miles and miles from the bog that resides over the city, you're able to really appreciate them. 

The atmosphere itself here is an escape, too. Fresh air is abundant -- not processed or cycled through purifiers. The trees and greenery offer it up readily, and you take it in as you rest your head against the back of the chair. 

From your seat, you can see one of the slopes of the resort. It's dotted with guests, some in groups and some alone. An array of equipment is strapped to them -- everything from sleds, inner tubes, skiis, and snowboards. A smile crosses your face as you see a teenage boy wipeout in front of his friends and attempt to hide his embarrassment. 

Just as he stands, hands fisted in his pockets, a young girl is celebrating her first successful ride down the hill without her parents. They embrace each other, all smiles and giggles. 

It all puts things into perspective, oddly enough: people can be less than a foot away from each other on Earth and yet be worlds apart in their journeys. While that teenager was contemplating changing his identity from embarrassment, the little girl was unlocking a core memory for herself. 

It's an interesting thing to think about, and you mull it over for a bit as you continue people watching.

-

Later, as you're getting ready to call it a night, a slightly inebriated man bumps into your chair from behind. He steadies himself on it, but in his clumsy reach to do so his palm accidentally brushes against the back of your neck. You tense, barely holding back a hiss of surprise as the man and his wife humbly apologize. 

You swallow down the feeling bubbling within you and give them a word of absolvement, though you avert your gaze as they walk away. 

You close your eyes, but it’s too late to stop it.

Flashback

The calluses of his large right hand rub against the back of your neck as he leads you past a few small crowds of guests, attempting to contain his seething anger. Tight lipped smiles are given to please them and save face, but before long he's shoving you out into the middle of the hallway and shutting the door behind himself. 

"Why must you always ruin things, Y/N?" He asks, sounding tired but unsurprised. 

You straighten your posture and smooth your clothes out, not wanting him to have the satisfaction of seeing you flustered. 

"Mr. Kim, please enlighten me as to what I've done now." 

"Do you not have any common sense?" His voice is full of disbelief, and his eyes shoot daggers into you. "That young man in there is one of the executives of Styline. Had you not stolen Jisoo's attention away, they would've secured her first endorsement." 

Your brows furrow. "Sir, I've been following your wishes to stay away from her tonight. I wasn't even in her vicinity." He blames you for a lot when it comes to her, but this is getting out of hand. You've specifically fought your own personal wishes to appease the unappeasable, and clearly it was all for nothing. 

"That doesn't matter, you're still in her head and distracting her! She's clearly taken with you, and that's a problem. You can never offer her what she needs." His voice lacks any sympathy for what he says.

You set your jaw, feeling a blush of both anger and embarrassment creep up the back of your neck.

"You sound so sure." You spit back. 

"Because I am," he nods resolutely. "For her, I tried to give you a chance. I attempted to look past your shortcomings and measly ways of life to make her happy, but it's incredibly clear that you aren't what she needs. You, Y/N, are a no one in her world. Once she's started her career, she'll be meeting with people better than you on the daily. You simply don't match." 

Hot tears of anger brim in your eyes, just begging to fall with every new, venomous word that slips out of his mouth. They're vile and harsh, but they do their job well; you begin to question their validity.

"Now," he says, adjusting the golden pins at the end of his cuffs. "Before the night is over, you'll end things with her." 

This, you refuse. Your head snaps up just as your broken gaze meets his haughty one, and you're quick to speak up. "I won't."

"You will," he smiles, already knowing he's won. He takes a step closer to you, looking smug. The sharp scent of his aftershave stings your nose. 

"Do you know how many contacts I have in this town, Y/N? I could have you fired with little more than a phone call. Do you understand me?" 

You fall silent, not knowing what to say. 

"If you want to keep the sad little life you have right now going, I suggest you do as I say. Otherwise I promise you won't be happy with what I'll do to you." 

"You can't threaten me like this. Do you seriously think I won't tell Jisoo?"

He purses his lips, pretending to think. "I know you won't, because it'll make all of this harder." He fakes a pout. "Would you rather her resent me -- someone she'll be seeing constantly throughout her life -- or you, someone she can easily leave behind and forget? Would you really rather make her miserable like that?" 

You shake your head, constantly surprised by his cruelty. "What the hell is wrong with you? All I've ever done is make her happy and protect her. I love your daughter and she loves me. Why does that bother you so much?" 

"Her love for you can be forgotten. She can have a successful life, far away from you and the limits your lifestyle puts on her. She was meant to be a star, Y/N, and you only prevent that from happening." 

"I won't stand here and be belittled like this anymore," you scoff, shaking your head. You turn and walk further down the hall, feeling more anger pump through your body with every heavy footfall.

Just as you reach the end of the corridor, though, you're greeted by two tall men with sketchy looks in their eyes. One cracks his knuckles just as you take a step back, and the other sizes you up. 

Mr. Kim sighs from behind you, still standing where you left him. "It really is a shame that you can't just listen, Y/N. Always making things difficult for everyone involved." 

He clicks his tongue before nodding at the men, and they step forward to grab you. 

>**<

That was one of the worst nights of your life, and the memories still make it feel like it happened yesterday. 

A fresh tear rolls down your cheek, made frigid as the night blows its chilly air your way, and you're quick to swipe it away. The cup in your hands -- more specifically the death grip that you now have on it -- brings you back down to Earth, and you're dragged away from the horrible memories of that night. 

The physical pain you felt then paled in comparison to the heartbreak that you caused Jisoo. Having to turn her gentle hands away as she attempted to heal your wounds was hard enough, but seeing her break down after you ended things was far, far worse. You wanted to apologize a million times over and confess the truth, but the terrible things that the men did to you reigned supreme in your mind. 

The sting of each hit rendered your fate even further immutable, and the warnings that you received about what could happen to you and your family members further sealed your lips. 

You agreed to keep Jisoo oblivious for the sake of everyone, but that didn't make things any easier. Clearly, time hasn't lessened the sting either. 

A hefty sigh pushes its way past your lips as you stand, no longer in the mood to be out here. Sleep still might not be achievable yet, but going up to the room sounds better than being surrounded by strangers right now.

You drop your cup in a waste basket just outside of the building and give a tight lipped smile to the worker who's tasked with stoking the fire and keeping it fed for the foreseeable future. He smiles back, his expression as warm as the fire itself. 

The French-style doors of the patio are opened for you, courtesy of a burly attendant. Kind blue eyes sit behind dark rimmed glasses, shining and pleasant to accompany his word of greeting as you enter the building. You return it in full, feeling the painful memories further retreat for the time being. 

You shake the cold from your body and rub your hands together, hoping to garner some warmth in them again. Jennie's earlier warning comes to mind suddenly, and you make a mental note to prepare yourself for the scolding you'll get if she finds out that you bore the cold sans gloves. Angry mandu incoming. 

Each hit of your shoes against the hardwood flooring of the hall sends an echo out, bouncing off the walls on its way. Paintings hang in meticulously chosen places, all arranged in perfect order. Some are abstract, filling the canvases with brushstrokes of passion rather than rhyme or reason, while others stay inside the lines that make typical people happy. 

They hang side by side, not a corner skewed or crooked in sight. 

The whole place is almost too perfect to be true. 

"Sir, we can accommodate the additional guests, but I'm afraid we'll have to charge you more to rent the larger hall. Yes, I'm aware--" 

You round a corner en route to the elevator, only to be met by the strong shoulder of a concierge. His ardent apologies are spoken with haste and through tight lips as he pulls his phone away from his cheek. 

Just as quickly as he appeared, he leaves; his dress shoes thunder on, announcing his departure.

Unable to help yourself, you listen in to the bargaining he does across the line. It fades as he gets further down the hall, only intriguing you more. With a quick glance around, you decide to follow him. 

-

Royal Hall

Once-quiet discussions are growing louder between the handful of people gathered within. A stern woman points to a printed schedule, harshly reprimanding what seems to be a nervous intern. Nearby, a balding man pokes a finger into the chest of an event organizer. 

The concierge ends his phone call as he approaches the room, and with a pleading look at the ceiling, he releases a breath of worry. 

He launches into a speech as soon as he steps through the doorway, and you press on, being careful to avoid attracting any attention. Muffled insults about his tardiness are audible even from outside, and you frown; these people surely have sticks up their asses for no good reason. 

No offense to people that enjoy that, though. To each their own.

Regardless, it's clear that whoever they are, they're irrational. 

"I just got off the phone with Mr. Kim; he'll be arriving within the next hour or so, and he's requested that we go ahead and start without him. We'll be changing venues tomorrow when more guests arrive as well."

"Finally, some fucking results around here," one of the men mutters, sending an annoyed glance at one of the other workers. 

"Shall I start the presentation?" The concierge stands in front of a laptop that sits on one of the long oak tables of the room, hooked up to a few different wires. 

The executives nod, and he clicks a few buttons until a slideshow fills the screen. Styline reads at the top, in pristine lettering. 

One of the executive's shrill voices asks, "Will Ms. Kim be in attendance?" 

You hold your breath at the mention of that name; it's a common surname, though, so you shouldn't get ahead of yourself. 

"Yes, ma'am. We reached an agreement with Cartier; their other models and ambassadors should be arriving soon as well." 

"Lovely," she says, smiling for the first time tonight. It looks a little strange, like she rarely does it and the muscles of her face are learning along with her. Still, it's better than what she was doing before. 

More images grace the screen as he flicks through the slide show, until a fateful one takes center stage. 

In shock, your hand comes up to your mouth to muffle the sound of your gasp. A few heads turn towards the doorway anyway, still having heard something despite your efforts, and so you quickly move away from it. 

It's a gorgeous one of Jisoo. 

In shock, your hand comes up to your mouth to muffle the sound of your gasp. A few heads turn towards the doorway anyway, still having heard something despite your efforts, and so you quickly move away from it. 

As you make a hasty retreat down the hall and towards the elevator, you hear the door creak open wider. A quick glance back earns you the sight of the concierge shutting the doors after checking the hallway for eavesdroppers. 

With a breath of relief, you press the elevator button and wait for it to arrive. Absently, and with millions of thoughts now racing through your mind, you step into it when it opens up. 

A beat of silence passes before you even realize you aren't alone. 

"What floor, Miss?"

The sudden question startles you, and you hide your face from the worker in embarrassment. 

"Four, please." 

She nods politely and presses the button for you. Her hands are covered by white gloves with beautiful golden designs printed on them.

The elevator stops on the 3rd floor, signaling that another passenger is getting on. It's a young woman and her son, and both of them are bundled up in multiple layers of clothing. You step aside and give them plenty of room to board. 

A singular dimple indents the boy's chubby cheek as he looks up at his mother, clearly excited for whatever they have planned; she runs a hand through his curly hair and smiles down at him, happy to see him happy. It's a sweet moment, and you feel yourself smiling at it, too. 

"No, appa. I'm here now, okay? I'll be taking the night off to rest."

Funny how quickly a smile can fade, huh?

Your eyes scan down the hallway in front of you at the sound of that voice; it's like your ears have been programmed to perk up at it ever since you met her. Jisoo stands in front of a room, fumbling with her wallet in search of her room key, you infer. Her cell phone is held to her cheek by her shoulder, precariously wedged into the space there. Two luggage bags sit at her feet, waiting to be taken in. 

"Miss, is everything alright?" The worker asks from behind you, sensing your sudden change in demeanor. Her finger hovers over the door close button, waiting on your answer.

You swallow, not entirely sure of what to do or say. "Yeah," you eventually eke out, "but I'll get off here instead. Thank you." 

"My pleasure. Have a good evening," she responds. You turn to her and return her kind words before cautiously taking a few steps down the hall. The elevator doors shut behind you a few seconds later with a soft whooshing sound. Jisoo's still talking to her father on the phone; she hasn't noticed you yet, and you don't know if you're happy or upset about that.

"I'll see you in the morning. Eleven o'clock, right?" 

His commanding voice can be heard across the line, crackling through the speaker, and you pull a face at it. You definitely haven't missed it after all this time. 

"That's right, my girl. Now don't get into any trouble tonight, and don't go crazy on room service. You'll have a busy day tomorrow and you need to look your best." 

You frown at his words; it doesn't surprise you that he has something to say about her maintaining her figure, but your lack of shock doesn't make it any better. She shouldn't be limited like that; God knows how much she deserves a break from the strict rules of it all. 

"Okay, dad. Good night." 

She hangs up with a sigh, but her subsequent movement is sorely miscalculated; her phone comes tumbling down, and it ends up sliding across the floor a ways. 

Halfway between you and her. 

She glances up from it to you, only to do a double take as she registers who you are. Her eyes widen, and her mouth opens slightly, going slack as she struggles with what to say. Wordlessly, you bend down and retrieve her phone, feeling its screen press to your palm. It isn't cracked, thankfully, and you turn it over in your hand as you approach her. 

"Hey," you say, lacking any better way of starting things. Your heart's beating faster now that you're face to face again, just the two of you, and you hope it isn't too painfully obvious. 

"Hey," she returns quietly, still shocked. Her eyes flit across your face, and when they pause on your lips for a beat longer than anywhere else, a pang of hope hits deep in your chest. It's misguided and foolish, you know; but it's there. 

"Can I help?"

She visibly contemplates your offer for a moment before ultimately agreeing. What's the worst that could happen? 

"Sure." She takes the phone from you and puts it in her pocket, stepping back a little so you can pick up the bags. The room key finally makes its way into her hand, and she slides it into the reader. 

A mechanical click sounds off, and she releases a nervous breath that you fail to notice as she opens the door. Well, nervousness isn't the only thing present… a part of her is undeniably excited, no matter how hard she may try to repress it.

You set the bags down just inside the room, as per her instruction. She heads to the kitchen to put the rest of her things down while you take in your surroundings. 

A fleeting glance around the suite shows you just how fancy the place really is. You thought your room looked expensive, but compared to this place it's merely a dog house. Pricey furniture and decorations sit in all the right places, looking straight out of a movie; even the paint on the walls is different -- more refined. 

A nearby vase on the entryway table catches your eye, making you bend down slightly to get a better look; accents of gold shimmer across its surface in beautiful, swirling patterns. You wonder for a moment if the gold is real.

"May I?" The question gets your attention, making you stand up straight.  

Her dark eyes scan up to yours almost shyly as she takes a step closer, and you're momentarily confused as to what she's asking. 

"Your coat," she clarifies, smiling softly. You nod and cast your gaze away, feeling a little embarrassed. 

She approaches you from behind as you slip the heavy material off your shoulders, and she holds the cuffs as you wiggle your arms out. When one gets stuck and you have to do a bit of a dance to get it loose, she can't contain her giggle. 

You blush at the sound, though you'd do just about anything to hear it again. It's been so long since you've had her like this -- all to yourself and away from prying eyes. You want to memorize each moment to come and store it away somewhere, just in case you never get to experience it again first hand. You hope with all your heart that things don't come to that, but your situation is tricky. 

You can't say you'd be surprised if things go back to how they were before, with you and Jisoo standing lightyears apart. 

The brunette disappears back into the kitchen to retrieve a couple drinks for you before leading you towards the living room area of the suite. She turns and hands you your glass, gently ushering you to the loveseat. 

She sits on the adjacent couch, looking elegant as she settles onto it. The leather surface looks sleek and modern, and she fits right in. 

You, on the other hand, stick out.

"So…" you start after a moment, desperately wanting to cut through the tension in the room. "What brings you to the resort?" Despite the fact that you already kind of know, you want her to confirm it. Besides, hearing her voice is a reward in and of itself. 

She takes a sip of her drink, peeking over the rim at you. 

"One of the brands that I endorse flew me out here for some photoshoots, and they paid for my stay here. I couldn't pass up the opportunity, so I came."

You hum, thinking to yourself as you begin to toy with your fingers; Jisoo notices. She's always been someone who pays attention to details. 

"And you? What's a homebody like you doing so far from the city?" The smile on her lips can be heard through the words, but the sound makes your heart ache just a little. 

You see, that was one of the lies you had to make up when you ended things. You had to make her believe that your differences ran as deep as that -- that while her place was in the public eye, yours was hidden away somewhere. Truth be told, you've always loved to travel and experience new things. And a part of Jisoo knew this; after all, she spent years of her life by your side. 

But that night radically changed things; you had to say things you didn't mean and become a person you really aren't. It was hard, but for her, you'd do anything. 

"Little vacation from work," you say, finally speaking up again. "The girls invited me. Couldn't pass up the opportunity, you know?" A hint of a smile plays on your lips as you use her line, and she looks up at you. 

You try to ignore the pang of guilt you feel when something unreadable flashes across her face. They were her friends too when you were together, and the split cost her more than you even realized at the time.

She didn't just lose you. She lost them too.

Taking a deep breath, you run a hand up and down your pant leg in an attempt to self soothe. 

"Are you enjoying yourself?" She asks softly. "Are you happy?" 

Those questions alone feel like a slap to the face, but what's more is the tone of her voice. It's genuine -- curious -- despite the fact that she really shouldn't even care. If you didn't know better, you'd attempt to play it off as her simply asking in order to be polite; but, of course, you know her too well for that. 

Her heart is far too big for her own good sometimes. 

You fiddle with one of the rings on your finger as you contemplate how to answer her, twisting and spinning the band across your skin until you've made up your mind. 

"No." You say it truthfully, unwavering. 

"No?" She repeats, voice conveying some emotion you can't quite place. The optimist in you would call it hope, but the cynic would beg to differ. 

"I mean, sometimes, sure. But not truly," you admit, shrugging. "Not like before." 

She nods absently at that as her gaze makes its way to her lap. Her fingers toy with her glass as her brain attempts to process what you're saying and gauge her own emotions at the same time. 

"Are you?"

You attempt to sound neutral, but the air of hope that surrounds your question sells you out. It's obvious what you want her answer to be. 

A sad, lopsided smile of realization forms on her lips. It's not cheerful in the slightest. "Not like before." 

If at all possible, your heart breaks that much more. The only thing that could make what you experienced before worse is the notion that it was all for nothing -- that all this time suffering was felt by the both of you with no happy reprieve or end in sight. 

It's cruel and unusual.

"There's so much I want to say, Jisoo." It's a sorry, breathy acknowledgement of all the things you've been suppressing for so long. 

She doesn't respond right away.

Her lips press to the glass as she takes one final drink of her liquid courage, and she swallows the rich substance down fast. After replacing it on the table in front of her, she settles back into the cushions, getting ready for what she's been waiting on. 

She can finally get some closure. 

"Then speak, Y/N. I'm here to listen." 

With a calming breath, you begin. "I never meant to hurt you. Honestly; I can promise you that." 

She scoffs at your generic intro, but you don't take it to heart; it's easy to understand her reluctance to believe. Nevertheless, a new confession is playing on the tip of your tongue -- one you've mulled over ever since you parted ways -- and you know it's time to tell her.

"If I had had a say in what happened that night, we would still be together right now."

Her demeanor changes at this. Her perfectly-sculpted eyebrows furrow, showing that she can never be truly indifferent when it comes to you. She's intrigued, but incredulous all the same.

"If you had a say? What does that even mean, Y/N?" Inklings of hurt rise in her at the twisted image she has of that night. "You had every bit of the say in that situation." 

You shake your head softly, glancing away. "You know less about it than you think." 

"Then explain it and stop being so cryptic." She crosses her arms over her chest, further guarding her heart from you.

You sigh, falling silent as you weigh your options. Truthfully, you have no idea if her father would still make good on those promises. Perhaps he can't even be bothered to do it now that Jisoo's famous, just like he wanted; but can you really take that kind of risk? No matter how much you despise him, no amount of hatred can take away the power he holds. 

Clearly, your lack of answer has worked to frustrate Jisoo; she rises from the couch, shaking her head disdainfully. "Either tell me or get out. I'm sick of these games, Y/N." 

Despite how upset she looks, you can't bring yourself to tell her. Your fear eclipses your personal wishes, prompting you to utter a halfhearted response that you'll never truly want to say. "... I can't." 

Bitter acceptance dances across her face, overtaking her features. She should've known. It was a mistake to invite you in and think things could be any different than before. Her friends warned her, and yet she was blinded by what could've been. Seeing you again has only caused more problems for her, and it's about time she lets that sink in. 

She turns to walk towards the door, which she fully intends to open and usher you out of in the next five seconds. But you stand, too, in a move that only makes its way to your brain once the soft skin of her wrist slides against your palm. The action was instinctual -- not thought out in the slightest as your muscle memory kicked in and sent you after her -- but it was warranted by the deeper parts of your heart that you've blocked out for so long. Their commands have fallen silent until now. 

"Wait, please." 

She faces you again, now just a few steps from the door, and glances down at where your hands meet. You're just as warm and comforting as she remembers, annoyingly; she takes her hand away, working hard to forget the sensation of yours on her again. 

She sets her jaw and crosses her arms, going silent as she waits for you to continue.

"I was threatened, okay? My family members, too. Someone told me they'd make my life hell if I stayed with you." 

"And you didn't tell me?" Her head tilts following her question. "I would've arranged for them to be questioned by police and--"

"I couldn't, Jisoo." A pause fills the air as you question if you're really ready to cross that line. Once you do, there's no going back...

"Because the person was your father." 

"What? No." She shakes her head and one of her hands gains purchase on your bicep, strong against it as she goes to push you away and towards the door. 

"I'm not lying; I promise." You plead, hoping she'll believe you. 

A look of disgust pulls at her features now, making you feel small. "Why couldn't you just tell me the truth, Y/N? All this time, all I've wanted are honest answers and you give me this? I never thought you'd be the type." The last line stings, adding salt to the wound. 

She urges you towards the door, refusing to believe what you're saying about the man she's known her whole life. He'd never do something like that -- she's sure of it. 

Sensing that it's now or never, you offer up a question as a last ditch effort. You plant your foot firmly beside the door and turn to her. "Do you remember that night?" A crestfallen look is on your face, and you can feel it. 

"How beaten up I was?"

Jisoo regards you and nods, deciding to drop her hand and stop pushing you for the time being. 

"It was your father's men." A moment of silence passes, and although you're surprised she hasn't kicked you out already, you don't let your shock stall you any longer. "I know I always promised that I wouldn't lie to you, Jisoo, but the only time I went against my word was that night."

You swallow, nervous. "I didn't get in a random fight like I told you; it was them." 

"Why would they do that?" Her tone is genuine. 

"Because I refused to back down without a fight. I didn't want to end things."

You decide to test the waters by stepping away from the door and taking a cautious step towards her, palms upturned as you subtly reach for her.

"I didn't want to leave you." 

She hesitates, and the anger on her face falters enough for you to see past it. It's merely hiding her pain. 

"If you'll let me, I'll explain everything. Anything you want to know." You run a thumb along her knuckles, just like you used to when she was stressed. 

"Just please trust me and come sit down." 

Your gentle coaxing seems to work; she lets you take her hands further into your own, conveying your sincerity. It's a simple gesture, but it's leaps and bounds away from anything you could've expected out of a night like tonight. 

Even still, as you make your way back to the sofas, the distance between you is prevalent. For every promising step forward, one is taken back; you sit on the same couch, but on opposite ends. Her gaze is fixated on you, just like you've wanted it to be all this time, but it's intimidating in a way you find difficult to handle. 

Nevertheless, you pull yourself together and tell her everything. The entirety of what went down that night, all the awful things her father said and vowed to use against you -- all of it comes tumbling past your lips in a clumsy rush to finally meet the light of day. The things you've kept inside -- your feelings, what you wish you would've told her -- fill the air of her suite, lifting a bit of weight from your shoulders as they go. 

She listens intently, and at times when she has a hard time believing something -- when that nasty feeling of doubt begins to seep in again -- you're quick to mitigate it with a valid explanation. Fathoming that her father would do all of that is difficult for her, and understandably so, but she can't find a reason for you to lie about it now. She trusts you on this, despite her brain telling her to be weary. 

By the end of your explanation, both of you are teary eyed. A sniffle rings through the prevailing silence, and Jisoo's arm remains propped against the back of the couch, as it has been. Her hand is pulled into a fist, and resting beneath her chin; she resembles The Thinker as she works to process everything. 

"To think that I've spent all this time hating you when it was never really your fault…" Her voice is wistful as she trails off. 

That cruel word hangs heavy in the air, and you take a deep breath to offset the dull ache in your chest at its utterance.

"I can't blame you for that." Your lips press together. "I might not have been the catalyst, but I sure as hell guaranteed that you wouldn't want to be around me anymore after that night." 

She doesn't attempt to flatter you with any denial of that fact; you both know you're right. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. I had no idea he would ever do something like that."

"Don't," you say, holding a hand up to silence her. "Don't you dare apologize for him."

She looks down, upset.

"To be fair, he had a point. I know you, Jisoo. You would've settled down in my lame ass little town and lived in our apartment for the rest of your life. You wouldn't have gone after your dreams, and I wouldn't have been able to watch you give it up. So it's my fault too," you admit, nodding to yourself as that fact hits you. "Don't think I'm totally innocent just because of what he did."

"I would've been happy with living in your lame ass little town because I would've been with you."

Your sad eyes track up to hers at that.

"I loved you, Y/N. A lot. And now, what?" Her voice turns pompous as she mocks the words she's saying: "I'm rich and famous and I get to travel all the time. I get to stay in gorgeous locations and make conversation with some of the most influential people in the world. Does that make you happy?"

Her expression screams resentment, and you can't even blame her. She's had the people around her pulling the invisible strings attached to her future and happiness behind her back for years.

As you search through your mind for what to say, carefully avoiding how her use of the word loved made your heart hurt, you eventually find a fitting response. "When we were together, I saw you fall in love with modeling and embrace a new side of yourself. Nothing ever made you glow like that, Jisoo. When you were trying on new things and getting in front of that camera more often, I knew that that's where you belong. I could see it, then, and I didn't want to take that away from you."

She gives a dismissing wag of her head. "As noble as that is, you still should've told me the truth."

You sigh again -- you've probably done that more tonight than ever before in your life. "Jisoo--"

"No. You know what? No. Shut up. You were the one person who I finally found comfort in; who didn't judge me. I was at home with you no matter where we were or what we were doing, and I needed that kind of stability more than anything. I would've given up everything for you, Y/N, and I'm sick of you acting like that's so hard to believe." She's exasperated, and tiredly so. "You were everything to me. So much more than a job ever was."

Stunned into silence, you merely tap the back of the couch with your finger. The gravity of her words courses through you, realized little by little. 

Quietly, you ask: "Were?"

She drops eye contact, and your heart sinks. You know it was stupid to get your hopes up after everything, but you'd be lying to say you didn't. As silence wins out yet again, speaking volumes as it hangs thickly in the air, you push yourself further into the cushions. 

Jisoo eyes you for a moment. She doesn't speak, doesn't move -- just watches you as she inwardly debates on something. Her jaw clenches and releases a few times, its lines contoured by the lamp light of the room, but you don't see it. After a moment, she makes up her mind. Standing from the couch, she crosses the entryway and disappears down a short hallway. 

You're confused by her sudden departure, but you stay put. If she wanted you to see yourself out, she would've said so… right?

A minute or so later, she returns with something clutched in her hand. It's hidden from your view until she sits down, though this time she's a fraction closer to you than before. Baby steps.

"Do you remember our trip to Hawaii?" 

You nod, wiping a leftover tear from your cheek. "Our first anniversary," you say, a bittersweet smile on your face.

"That was one of the happiest times of my life," she admits, taking a breath. She replays the memories in her mind, right then and there: the laughter you shared, how close it brought the two of you. It was a whirlwind trip that she still wishes she could relive again. 

When she's out on the road for business, she always finds herself drifting back to that place. 

Her skin remembers the warmth of the sand, how the cool water slid over it to remedy the heat. Her lips and body remember the promises yours made with every movement, every kiss -- the entirety of it haunts her, but she can't say she would want it any other way. 

"I kept this." 

Her hand opens to reveal the small ring you won for her. 

It was a perfect night; the breeze rolling in was cool enough to offset the residual heat lingering from the daytime, but warm enough to keep you comfortable. Jisoo was right next to you, brushing closer to your side with every step you took down the street. Her arm fit around your body like it was always meant to be there, holding you against her in a sweet embrace. 

Lights surrounded you on both sides, some bright and multicolored while others opted for a soft, golden glow. The street vendors all called for your attention, hoping to interest you in what they were selling. 

One finally caught your eye. 

An elderly woman sat beside her booth, clad in a beautiful dress that rippled and flowed just like the ocean. A flower was nestled above her ear, pairing nicely with the jewelry she wore. 

"Fate Charms" was written in stylized handwriting above the entrance of the tent. Jisoo noticed your intrigue, and decided to investigate. She tugged you forward and towards the shop with little warning. 

The woman's eyes lit up when she saw you approaching. "Good evening, beauties. How is the island treating you?" Her voice was gentle, but a slight waver could be heard in it due to her age.

"Wonderfully," you smiled, nodding. 

"And you?" Jisoo asked, grinning at her. 

"Ah, I'm fine, dear. Thank you for asking." She stood from her chair and approached the makeshift counter, which she promptly stood behind. 

"May I interest you in a fate charm?"

You shared a look with Jisoo before agreeing. The woman beamed. 

"Great! Let me show you how it works," she said, clasping her hands together. She shifted until she was standing in front of a bin full of round plastic containers, each numbered and with a unique symbol painted on it. 

"This part is simple; the two of you will each choose one of these," she instructed, motioning to the bin. "Whatever you pick will be given to the other person, and the two symbols on the container will be combined for a second gift."

Both of you nodded, and Jisoo gently guided you to stand in front of her in a silent way of telling you to go first.

"Now, when you choose, there's only one rule: close your eyes. You'll know which one you're meant to pick." 

You thanked her for the instruction and did as she said, closing your eyes. Jisoo's fingertips slid against the small of your back unconsciously as she watched your hand hover over the bin; eventually you paused, letting the woman know you'd found the one. You opened your eyes and handed it to her before trading places with Jisoo. 

She repeated what you did, and the woman took both prizes to a clear section of the counter. She unlocked and opened them before holding both packages up to the lamp inside the tent with shaky hands. 

"Ah, moon and sun. Two classics," she noted, as she took a chest out from beneath the counter. She searched inside of it momentarily before producing a slip of paper and making her way back over to you. 

"For you, my dear," she said, looking at Jisoo. "A ring." She held her hand out, showing a small band with a heart at its center. It was simple yet elegant, shining with beautiful stones of some kind. They were likely native to the island, you realized, and that made them all the more valuable. 

"And for you," she turned, addressing you. "A necklace." She held it up, allowing you to get a good look at it. A heart similar to Jisoo's took center stage, but inside of it was a moving needle -- like that of a compass. 

You both took your gifts from her with grateful bows and put them on as she unraveled the paper. 

"Your last present is a message. It says: love knows no time limits. Borders and distance don't confine matters of the heart; be true. To yourself, to your other half. Know that in the end, whatever will be, will be. Things rooted in destiny will forever find their way to fruition."

"Wow," Jisoo breathed, amazed. 

"That's beautiful; mahalo nui loa." You said.

The woman humbly shook her head. "Don't thank me; thank yourselves."

You looked down, admiring the charm between your fingers. It was smooth, and it was beginning to warm up as your skin lent it some heat. 

"How much do we owe you?"

"Not a cent. I don't do this for money." 

Her statement came as a surprise -- one that was clearly written on both your and Jisoo's faces. The woman laughed when she noticed your expressions. 

"Just enjoy, alright? That's payment enough." 

You extended both hands to her, taking her aging one between them with care. "You made our night even more special," you said, feeling Jisoo slide up behind you. Her head came to rest against your shoulder as her arms wrapped around you. "Thank you again," she said to the woman, feeling her heart swell at the blush that rose to her tanned cheeks. The attention you both were giving her was more than she was used to, and it was making her shy. 

"You're welcome, my loves." 

                                  -- 

"I kept it," Jisoo repeats, bringing you back to present-day. She wipes a fallen tear from her cheek as her tongue darts out to soothe her lips. 

"I wanted to give it away at first; but I remembered what that woman said and couldn't find it in myself to let go. I kept hoping that the message would come true if I kept it, but it never did." 

Reaching a hand up your body, you dip it beneath the collar of your shirt. The familiar, smooth charm presses to your palm as you pull it from the cover of the material. 

"I kept mine, too." 

Jisoo's eyes widen the slightest bit, and you notice her hand twitch. Before your brain can stop you, you take it in your own and bring it to the necklace, allowing her to feel it and confirm that it's real. 

The needle points straight at her. 

"You have no idea how much I've missed you, Jisoo," you confess, holding her hand tighter. You don't want her to slip away this time. 

"I know that what I did was fucked up. No matter why I did it, I hurt you; and I'm so sorry. If I could go back and change things, I'd do it in a heartbeat." 

She blinks, willing herself not to cry. 

"And… and I know that you probably can't forgive me. And that's alright. I just want you to know that you made me the happiest person alive, and all I ever want is to see you happy. You deserve every single good thing that this world has to offer, Chu, and I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you." 

You bring her hand to your lips and kiss the back of it. Only now does it sink in that this might be the last time you ever have her so close. 

Bitter silence fills the room again, remaining unbroken save for your occasional sniffles. 

But her subsequent lack of a response is answer enough for you, and you nod to yourself. You've both made your peace; now it's time to deal with what comes after. She learned the truth after all this time, and that's a victory in itself. 

Carefully, you get up and approach the door. The chilly metal works its way into your hand before you turn back, one last time. You hope she'll be looking, but then again, that might make things harder. 

(Un)luckily for you, she isn't. 

You clench your jaw and walk out, holding your head as high as you can manage right now. More tears spill from your eyes despite the fight you put up to keep them in. 

Now out in the hallway, you take a deep breath. The wall presses to your back as you lean on it, reassuring in its sturdiness. It'll be there for you if no one else will, and that's something. 

You take a moment to wipe your tears and clean yourself up a bit before trekking your way back to the elevator. The walk there feels like a mile hike up the steepest mountain you've ever encountered; your body resents you for every step you take, but you know it has to be done. 

On the couch, Jisoo's crying, too. Her heart feels tight, pushed to its limits and weak from the strain of all this. It aches, truly. She wonders if seeing you again was a sign; but maybe too much damage has already been done. Trusting you again isn't something that would come very easy; the nasty thought that history might repeat itself again or that you might slip away in the middle of the night with no explanation would always be at the back of her mind, nagging her. She wouldn't want to put you through that, and she definitely wouldn't want to subject herself to it either.

Maybe that woman's message was meant for another life. 

Exhausted, you allow your head to lull to the side and rest against the hallway wall. The elevator button emits a warm yellow glow when you push it, and mechanical sounds fill the shaft as it begins its ascent to you. 

The doors open up soon after, filling your vicinity once more with that gentle whooshing sound, and you step inside. The pleasant look on the attendant's face and the greeting she was about to give both fade away, and she solemnly averts her gaze. 

From your peripheral, you can see her debating on something. She wants to offer you some type of reassurance, but she doesn't know what to say. 

As she opens her mouth to speak, floundering for a second, another voice takes the spotlight from her. 

"I'm not ready to lose you again." 

The statement catches your attention, prompting you to raise your head and spin around. Jisoo stands outside of her door, teary eyed, as her fists ball in the material of her pants. 

"I'm scared of letting you in again," she confesses, taking a few steps closer. "But I can't keep pushing you away when the one thing I want is to have you in my life. Scared or not." 

You sniffle, and your feet work in tandem with your heart to bring you closer to her. 

The attendant, though intrigued beyond belief, takes that as her cue to leave. Once you're out in the hall, she closes the doors and descends to give you some privacy. 

"I'm willing to try again, Y/N. But only if you promise to be honest with me." Jisoo's lip quivers, and your heart breaks. "No exceptions." 

You agree -- of course you do -- and close what distance is left between you. 

Her arms wrap around your neck, and yours go to her waist, pulling her closer than ever before. It all happens in a rush; neither of you can deny how much you've ached to be wrapped in the other's embrace. 

Jisoo's wanted this since the day you walked away.

"I'm so sorry," you whisper fiercely into her shoulder, where your tears and broken cries mingle. 

"I've missed you more than you'll ever know." She tells you. "And I never stopped loving you, either, no matter what I've said." 

She tightens her hold on you as she cries, needing to feel you close. The collar of your shirt dampens the longer you stand there, but that's the furthest thing from your mind. She's in your arms again, finally, and it's everything you could've ever wanted. 

"Come back inside," she says quietly, feeling a little too exposed now. A woman enters her room with a freshly-refilled ice chest, pretending she didn't just witness part of your reunion. 

You nod and take the hand that she offers to you, feeling butterflies take flight. Something you can't quite place shines in her eyes as she unlocks the door -- a glint away from satisfaction, perhaps -- and it's all you can do to keep calm. You have no idea what she has planned for you now, but you're ready for whatever it is. 

Click

The door latches softly behind you, closed by your nervous hands, and Jisoo turns to face you again. She lets herself enjoy the sight of you now; she'd definitely done so earlier, but it was laced with an anger and resentment that she wants to let go of. 

Her gaze softens when she notices how red your nose and eyes are -- evidence of how much you care. You didn't come tonight to get anything for yourself; no selfish reason sent you to her. But what's more is that the entire thing matters to you just as much as it does to her. It makes it real, and it makes her heart beat a little stronger again. 

It had stumbled into some sort of uncanny rhythm without you -- one she's glad to get rid of, no matter how long it takes. 

Her hands cup your cheeks as she steps closer, chilly against your heated skin. The action pulls a sigh from your lips, making her smile the tiniest bit. It's such a pure thing. 

She brushes your hair out of your face, wanting to see you better, and you take the opportunity to wrap your arms around her waist again and pull her closer. 

"I never thought I'd be saying this," she starts, humor evident in her growing smile, "but I've missed your touch more than I thought I would." 

You raise an eyebrow. "Yeah?" 

She nods as you bring your right hand up to her face, caressing her cheek with the back of your fingers. "Anywhere you want it, it's yours." 

Her long lashes meet gently as she blinks, thinking about all the places she wants you. She's been surviving on her memories of you, reminiscing and replaying the nights that you stayed up well into the AM getting lost in one another, and the prospect of having it all for real again excites her. 

You can tell, because a low blush rises to her cheeks and she subtly presses her thighs together. 

It's comforting, knowing that she still wants you. 

"Tell me where, Jisoo." 

Her dark eyes meet yours again -- rich pools of velvet, swirling with desire -- and you feel your pulse quicken. 

"Here," she utters, quiet and intimate. Her hand guides yours downward, skating underneath the hem of her sweater and giving you access to her warm skin. Your breath catches, taken aback, but you do well in playing it off. 

Your fingertips trace over the defined lines of her abs, feeling them flex and tremble beneath your touch. Her chest rises and falls a little faster when you bring your hand up, skimming it across the lace of her bra. 

"Kiss me," she says suddenly, catching you off guard. Your gaze leaves her body, flitting up to her face. 

You pause, studying her. She looks vulnerable, but embers of a hidden fire flicker in her eyes. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Entirely." 

Time stops for a moment, kindly allowing you to focus on the softness of her lips as you press yours to them. They taste like the wine she was sipping on earlier -- rich and utterly intoxicating. 

She molds her body to yours, fitting herself against every curve and dip of you like she can't get close enough. The distance was present for so long -- now she wants to make up for lost time. 

When you part for air, she dips her head down and kisses your neck. But these aren't like you remember; they aren't shy or meek in the slightest. They're bold, open mouthed, entirely seductive kisses that're meant to leave you ruinous and put you under her spell. She further asserts this new side of herself as she pushes you against the door, smiling against your pulsepoint at the soft grunt you make in response to the impact. 

"Jisoo, what--"

"I learned some new tricks while you were away, Y/N," she interrupts, kissing just below your jawline now. Her voice is low, filled to the brim with confidence. "I learned new things about myself. What I like… what I need. And one of those things is having you submit to me. Will you do that?" 

Your jaw tenses as a blush creeps up the back of your neck. This side of her is definitely something to experience. 

She pulls back to look into your eyes. A dominance shines in hers, but it's soft; she'd never make you do something you're uncomfortable with. Light from one of the nearby standing lamps casts a hazy glow on her, making her even more ethereal. 

How could you ever deny her? After everything, she deserves to have control. 

"Yes." 

An almost imperceptible smile crosses her face at that. 

She leans forward and kisses you again as her hands go to the hem of your shirt, quickly slipping it over your head. Goosebumps span out across your skin in response to the new exposure, noticed by her as her wandering hands feel them. She gets an idea. 

"Follow me," she instructs against your lips. You subtly nod, and she takes your hand in her own. 

She leads you down the hallway from earlier and stops in front of the first door on the left. As she opens it, she casts a sensual look over her shoulder at you that has an all too familiar throbbing between your legs picking up in an instant. You shake your head and look up at the ceiling, silently pleading that you make it out of this alive. 

Now inside the master bedroom, you peer around in wonder at everything before you. A massive bed is pushed against the wall west of you, topped by a comforter that looks to be made from the softest materials in existence and a plethora of pillows, all of different sizes and firmness.

A desk and chair sit to the right of the door, and on the east wall a sizable electric fireplace resides, flickering in all of its glory. On the far side of the room, two curtains are pulled halfway in front of the doors of the patio, partially concealing it. From what you can make out from where you stand, it's roomy out there and furnished with a spotless couch and table.

Jisoo watches you. She sees the way the corners of your lips turn up ever so slightly when you notice something you like or that intrigues you. She sees how the lights of the room add even more of a sparkle to your eyes; how your lashes meet every so often. She could look at you forever; su estrella. 

But she yearns for more than just seeing you, and her patience is wearing thin. She needs to feel you, to taste you. To know that you're still hers and that you're not leaving this time. 

"Come help me set up, my love." She says, kissing your cheek.

You smile and agree, feeling your heart soar at her use of the term. Words could never do justice to what it feels like when she calls you that. 

She grabs the comforter, untucking it from the corners and pulling it off the bed, and she motions her head towards the pillows. You catch on and grab some, picking the ones you think are the most comfortable and taking some that you know she'll like. You follow her towards the hearth, where she gracefully fans the blanket out and crouches down to fix it. 

You're momentarily distracted by the way her muscles jump and move with her motions, but you eventually snap out of your daze. 

She steps to the side and takes her shoes off -- you realize now that yours are on, too. Evidently you were too preoccupied to remove them earlier. 

You take yours off as well and plop the pillows down, setting up a nice little area for the two of you. You primp the cases and fluff them, wanting them to look as good as possible. Once you're satisfied with your work, you turn around to look at her. 

"What do you think--"

Oh shit.

She stands now in only her bra and panties, black and red lace interwoven beautifully and dead set on driving you wild. Her dark hair ripples over her shoulders, falling in perfectly elegant waves that contrast with her fair skin. Your mouth runs dry as you drink in the sight of her, letting your eyes take their time in admiring every inch offered up. 

A smug smirk rests on her lips, though truth be told she feels giddy to have you looking at her in such a way. Part of her was afraid things might've changed. 

"Kneel." 

Your eyes slightly widen at the order, but you do as she says once it registers in your mind. The soft blanket beneath you welcomes your knees, caressing them as you lower yourself down. Your gaze remains locked with hers, and you watch as she gulps upon seeing you listen so readily. It feeds her ego, and you love to see it. 

She needs this -- needs to have the say for once. And you're more than happy to let her have it.

She saunters over, stepping past her discarded clothes to reach you. Once her feet -- tired and aching from the heels she's had to wear all day -- make contact with the blanket, she inwardly sighs. Cautiously, and in a move to test the waters, you reach a hand out, allowing it to stroke the back of her calf. 

Her eyes close at the sensation, reveling in the feeling of your slightly chilly fingertips against her, and she lets you continue. You move in closer until your front is hovering next to her, just far enough away for you to still be able to get a good look at her as you peer up. 

Your warm breath fans across her thighs, steady and tantalizing. Her head gently lulls back when you bring your free hand to her other leg, slipping it further up until it reaches the back of her thigh. She trembles slightly, and so you lean forward to press a soothing kiss to her hip. 

After leaving another there, you sneak down a little further, towards the apex of her thigh. You want to see how far she'll let you go before she pulls the reins back.

A few kisses later, and then...

"Y/N--" her voice is warning, but she makes no move to stop you. You wait, one beat… two… but all of her subsequent orders die out for the time being, no longer awarded the honor of being spoken. 

You loop your thumbs in the band of her panties, one set at each side of her hips as you pull them away from her skin and drag your lips across the area you expose. She whimpers when you leave a small hickey in your wake, and the sound has you shifting slightly as you feel the heat between your legs increase. 

You inch the material down until it reaches her knees, and then look up at her for confirmation. Her slender hand cups your jaw as her thumb brushes against your cheek lovingly. She looks utterly breathtaking as she towers over you, a gorgeous angel peering down. 

"I'll let you have your fun now, Y/N, because I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. You'll be begging before too long, anyway," she shrugs nonchalantly. "I might as well get your appetite going in the meantime." 

You swallow thickly at the tone of her voice. She says it like a fact, because she knows exactly what she's going to do to you. What positions she wants to try, what techniques… and all of it sends a thrill to your core, making desire pool dangerously in your stomach. 

"Go on," she says, glancing down at herself. "Do what you like." 

Butterflies take flight at that, and you waste no time in leaning forward to kiss her again. First it's her toned abdomen, where you leave a trail of love bites for her to look at later. She always liked being marked by you, she said, in places that only she would see. It made it even more special for her. More personal.

You work your way down, allowing your lips to remind her of how much you love her in every way they can. You nip at the skin of her thighs as you bring a hand up, pressing your thumb to her clit as the rest of it lays against her lower abdomen. 

"Fuck," she curses quietly, making you grin. She's so sensitive to your touch that you can't help but get a confidence boost from it. 

She feels you smile against her, and so she tangles a hand in your hair to put you in your place. 

"If you want to continue, you'd better not get cocky." She tightens her grip to prove her point, and you nod, relenting. 

You circle her clit slowly at first, almost as a silent apology as you ease her into the rhythm, but once she's comfortable and completely loosened up for you you speed up your movements. You lick a stripe up her folds and moan at the taste that you've missed so much. 

The vibrations course through her, making her clench around nothing and blush at how wet you've already made her. She puts a steadying hand on your shoulder, knowing she'll need something to hold on to soon enough. 

Huskily, she speaks. "More, Y/N." 

Her needy wish is your command. You replace your thumb with your mouth, carefully taking her clit into it as your thumb comes down to stroke her entrance and tease her some more. You suck on it, eliciting breathy moans from her and making her legs tremble. Her fist tightens in your hair again, making your eyes water slightly. 

She lets out a soft groan when you slide a finger into her, remembering all of her favorite spots. It pumps in a steady rhythm -- one that's quickly outpaced by her racing heart. Her fingers curl against the skin of your shoulder, leaving tiny indentations from her nails in the process.

Her left leg raises, slotting itself over your shoulder as you move closer to her. You steal a glance up at her, finding her lip pulled between her teeth and her eyes shut tight. 

Something magical resides in the way that you work her up, knowing her body like the back of your hand. She ebbs, you flow; you push, she pulls. It's a dance for two, truly, and you're making it count.

Pleasure courses through her in waves, building upon itself with everything you do to her. It ripples throughout her body, making her come alive; every flick of your tongue and movement of your fingers inside of her -- no matter how subtle -- have her yearning for more. Her broken moans create a melody as she revels in it, nearly getting lost. 

But still, part of her is holding back. She wants to let go; her body grinds against you wantingly, searching for more of the high you give. Her pulse beats wildly, thumping so loudly that she wonders if you can hear it. It serves as a testament, going to show just how much she's aching to give in. 

But she can't give herself to you fully -- and you notice. 

Stilling your movements, you pull away to look at her. Her chest heaves from what you've been doing, and her center glistens with even more evidence. 

She gazes down at you, softening when she sees the care in your eyes.

"What's wrong?" You ask gently, voice full of concern. Lust still plays on its tones, too.

She doesn't answer you with words. Instead she glances away, clearly reluctant to share what's on her mind -- almost as if she's ashamed of something. She subtly nibbles on the inside of her cheek; a habit of hers that you know all too well.

Pursing your lips, you look beside yourself to an open spot on the blanket. An idea comes to mind. 

"Come lay down." 

She looks hesitant but not totally opposed, so you continue. "It'll be more comfortable that way." You put a warm hand on her calf again, soothing her. "Just trust me." 

She nods and takes a deep breath, placing her hand in yours as you help ease her down. She lays back on the pillows and shuffles down a little until she's comfortable. Once she's settled, she looks up at you. 

You sit beside her, using one arm to prop yourself up and leaving the other free to touch her. Your eyes flit across her body, admiring the sight you can never get enough of; but before you can get too distracted, you focus your attention back on her face. 

Her brown eyes shine, warm and tempting. They look like home; something unique glimmers in them, indescribable in its nature. Some light, like that of a distant star, maybe, that you've been searching for in every pair that you've come across since leaving. 

But only hers have ever made you feel so safe. Only hers have had that sparkle.

She brings a hand up to your cheek, cupping it sweetly. A million things pass between the two of you, unspoken yet understood. You turn your head slightly and kiss her palm. 

"I'm sorry, Y/N." She says softly. Her dominant demeanor wavers now, eclipsed by the guilt she feels. 

You shake your head, settling your hand on her side. "Don't be. I know that this is difficult." 

She doesn't look satisfied with that, though. She sighs quietly, wanting to explain herself more. "You have no idea how much I want this. How much I want you," her hand drops to your arm now, skating down it. 

"I'm just so scared. You still have me wrapped around your finger, and if you leave again after tonight -- after what we'll do tonight -- I don't know how I'll recover."

You tut at her, knitting your brows together pitifully. 

"I know that what happened will always stick with us, babe, and I hate that. I wish I could change it, because you don't deserve all this." Your head shakes, disappointment obvious. "The second guessing… the doubts." 

She stays quiet, needing to hear your words just as badly as you need to get them off your chest. 

"But I can only make up for it now, and every coming day that you'll let me. I'll do everything I can to earn your trust back and show you that I'd never make that mistake again. You're my world, Chu." Her fingers thread with yours at her side. 

"You always have been." You say, a small smile easing its way onto your face. It's bittersweet and full of regret.

"And I understand if this is too much all at once. If you don't want to have sex tonight, we won't." A singular nod leaves you, and Jisoo's heart warms at the familiar sight. She always used to say you looked like an officer when you did that -- so serious and official.

You continue, suggesting, "Maybe we'll just watch some TV or something. I heard that [Her/Fav/S] is coming back with a few new episodes. I could make some food or order some takeout, and-- wait, do they even have takeout in the village?"

"Y/N," she says, cutting off your rambling. Her head shakes ever so slightly, amused. 

"Yeah?" 

"We're having sex tonight," she affirms, sitting up. "But we can do that stuff after, too." 

Surprise must be written all over your face, because Jisoo giggles soon after her statement. 

"Are you sure? I don't want you to feel pressured if you're not ready yet."

"I'm sure, jagi." She scoots closer to you, wrapping her arms around your waist. Some final piece seems to have fallen into place for her; a puzzle solved. 

"You might have to hold my hand, though." 

Her gaze levels with yours, and as her smile widens you notice that her eyes are on their way to forming those adorable half crescents that you love. A bit of mischief shines in them, further easing your worries. 

"Anything for you," you sigh with a grin, putting your hands behind your back so you can hold both of hers. 

As she leans in to kiss you, you wonder if she did that on purpose. 

Her full lips glide against yours slowly, relearning the rhythm that they used to share. Their softness is only rivaled by the passion that guides them; they teeter between gentleness and intensity the longer she kisses you. 

With a squeeze, she lets go of your hands and rests her own on your thighs. The material of your pants greets her fingertips, and she tugs them down your legs without breaking the kiss. You slip them off and toss them somewhere behind her, only to be pressed down into the comforter a second later. You laugh to yourself at her sudden eagerness. 

"You're so beautiful," she whispers against your lips, taking the bottom one in between her own as she settles her hips between your thighs. Your legs instinctively wrap around her waist, pulling her in close. 

You moan as she rocks against you, searching for friction to ease the ache that you've caused. She kisses the breath out of you in retaliation, only satisfied once you're panting like she was earlier. 

Your arms snake around her torso as you pull her in, grinding on her. 

A curse slips out of her mouth, and she puts a hand on the floor above your head, steadying herself. She's embarrassingly close already. 

Remnants of her heady perfume wash over you following her sudden movement, and you faintly smile. She still wears the same kind.

Warm light from the fireplace flickers across her features, making them look even stronger than usual. Her jawline is sharper, even more defined; the curve of her nose and lips even more beautiful somehow. She's a work of art, striking yet delicate.

"Baby, look at me." You request, bringing a hand up to cup her cheek. It's hot against your palm as she nuzzles into you, turning to grant your wish. 

Her dilated pupils surprise you at first, but soon you find comfort in them. They show that her desire comes not only from touching you and being touched, but merely by looking at you. You turn her on without even trying. 

She kisses you again, pinning both of your wrists above your head with one of her hands. The other runs down your body, worshipping every dip, curve, and perfect imperfection. 

First, it wraps around your neck. Her slender fingers apply faint pressure -- just enough to arouse you. She feels your pulse, how it jumps and beats for her; you still feel the same. Your body reacts to her touch just as it did before, and that turns her on. She's still your best.

Her hand pushes under your bra next, teasing your breasts in time with the greedy rutt of her hips. You writhe beneath her, feeling your toes curl when she pinches your nipple and massages the ache away. 

"Has anyone else touched you like this?" She asks, now moving her hand across your abdomen. It ghosts over your skin, and she appreciates the way your shuddered breaths make it ripple. 

"Have they, Y/N?" She prods, peering up at you. Her mouth hovers above your chest, tempting and warm on your exposed skin.

"No," you reply, glancing away. "I haven't been with anyone since you." Your eyes close, both in embarrassment at that admission and avoidance of her gaze. It's clear that she can't say the same for herself, seeing as how she was with that man back in the city. You're not prepared for her reply, whatever it may be, because you know it'll hurt regardless. A lie to comfort you, perhaps, or even the truth. Usually the truth hurts more.

"What?" She asks, sounding breathless. She's taken aback. 

"You heard me." 

A twinge of bitterness lies hidden behind your words, but not well enough to go unnoticed by her. 

"I haven't either," she admits. 

Your brows furrow as you look at her.

"What about the guy in the city? I thought..."

She's already shaking her head before you can finish your statement. "He's my manager. We were grabbing some food while we waited for a meeting with one of our executives. They had us fly in for business." 

"Oh." 

The simple response is all you can come up with, and it makes her laugh. You smile at her, feeling a bit of weight lifted from your shoulders at that revelation.

"I thought about it," she confesses after a minute, "but I couldn't have gone through with it. Nobody would've even compared to you." 

She lets go of your arms now, letting both of her hands roam your body as they please. Your bra is undone and removed from you in an instant, and quickly replaced by her mouth. She paints your skin with love bites, returning the favor. 

"You remember that old camcorder we experimented with back in Paris?" She mumbles a couple minutes later, lips trailing down your sternum as she moves down your body. 

Oh God. "The one with our sex tape?" 

She grins cockily against your hip, where she's begun to pull your panties down. "Bingo." 

"You kept it?" You ask, finding it harder to breathe when she rids you of the thin material and peppers kisses across your thighs.

"I did more than just keep it, jagi." A low chuckle leaves her, though it's more so out of reminiscence than humor. She lost count a long time ago of how many times she's replayed that video, mesmerized by you and her memories of that night. When she watches it, she can almost feel the humid breeze that drifted into your cabana then, sensual and rich with the promises it held for your time together.

Part of you wonders where this side of her has been hiding; she's always been so demure that you'd have never expected this from her. 

"I have to say, though," she starts, sitting back on her knees as she pushes yours open wider. "The camera could never do this pretty pussy justice." 

You groan at her words and bury your face in your hands, feeling exposed and shy all at once. She quick to pull them away, though, and simply glance above your head to let you know that she won't hesitate to pin them again. 

"There's no need to be embarrassed, baby. Your body's incredible," her eyes drink in the sight of you, possessive in their darkness. "I love every inch of it." 

She brings a hand down between your bodies as she settles back down, using it to cup your center. Your head pushes further back into the pillows, taking one last moment of reprieve in this calm before the storm. The dangerous look in her eyes excites you, though, and probably more than it should. 

But her body's warm against you and humming with the passion she's kept bottled away for the past two years, and that's all you really care about. It almost radiates from her when she's near you, like some kind of beautiful enchantment. 

You've had her enraptured since the day you met… and some things just never change.

"I've craved you more than anything else in my life, Y/N," she says, unwavering and true. "And this time without you has been the worst." Her lips press to your cheek in a gentle embrace, lessening the sting of the reminder of your time apart. 

"But we're here now, and I'm going to make up for every second we lost. I promise." 

She seals her declaration with another kiss, and her body busies itself with its mortal purpose: pleasing you. 

----

Three Hours Later, In Bed

You awake slowly, to the howling of distant wolves. Their high pitched cries carry for miles in every direction, aided by the slopes and dips of the mountains. Moonlight streams in through the patio windows, reflecting off of the table outside to create a shimmery myriad of colors wherever it falls.

Jisoo lays next to you on her side, her limbs outstretched and splayed across your body. Her relaxed breaths warm your shoulder, consistent and calm, and for a moment you let yourself just be. 

The burdens you were carrying before all seem lighter now, as you just lie here with her. In this room, it's just the two of you; the world can't touch you. Her demanding father is miles away; the brands that she'll be representing in the morning don't exist. You're lightyears away from your boring job and everything else that's worked to keep you apart. 

Here, it's just you. Here, the only thing you have to wonder about is where you end and she begins. 

The quiet coos she makes in her sleep comfort you and give you a glimpse back into what life used to be like with her. When you shift, intending to alleviate some of the strain on your aching muscles, she instinctively tightens her hold on you. It's something that might not seem significant to others, but you understand the weight of it immediately; even when she's unconscious, she wants you next to her. She doesn't want you to slip away again, and it saddens you immensely that she even has to worry about that in the first place. 

"I'm not going anywhere, my love." You whisper delicately, as a promise. She hums lowly at that, her voice full of the sultry tones that sleep always brings on, and you smile.

She nuzzles into you, and you kiss her temple as you hold her tight. 

--

A Little Later

When Jisoo is pulled from the sweet embrace of sleep, it's far less pleasant than what you experienced. 

Her eyes open to darkness, and the bed beside her is cold. Empty. Void of you or any evidence that you had even occupied the space at all. 

She sits up with a start, fumbling to brush her hair away from her face and look around the room. Her discarded clothes lay in a neatly folded pile at the end of the bed, reassuring her at the very least that she didn't dream up your reunion; you were really there at some point. 

The lamp flickers on a minute later, and she swings her legs over the side of the bed. Her eyes fall down to her body, finding splashes of red and purple hickeys everywhere; she blushes slightly at the memories that play in her mind, but she pushes them away shortly after. 

If you really did leave after everything, she could never forgive you. 

She strides across the room towards her closet, where she retrieves the complimentary silk robe that the resort leaves for guests. She slides it on, sighing slightly at the coolness it provides. 

Just as she finishes tying it and hastily pads her way towards the door, opening it in a rush, she's greeted by a sight that has all of her fears dissipating just as quickly as they came on. 

"One way ticket," you sing into the handle of a spatula, dressed solely in one of Jisoo's hoodies and your underwear. You adjust the heat on the stove, where you're warming some milk to make hot chocolate. 

Still oblivious to her presence, you wave to an imaginary crowd and smile at your band before singing again. "One way ticket, one way ticket to the blues!"

She leans against the hallway wall, smiling to herself at how adorable you are. Your hair is pulled back in a messy bun, you're barefoot, and you're half dressed. 

You have no intention of leaving her again, and that fact slowly makes its way to her brain. She feels her final defenses lowering when you spin around, enjoying yourself. 

"Gonna take a trip--"

Your eyes land on her shadowy figure halfway through the line, leaving you with little else to do but scream bloody murder in shock. 

She gasps as you tumble to the ground in a heap, and she's quick to chase after you. 

"You scared the hell out of me!" A groan rumbles in your throat as you begin to stand on your already exhausted legs, sore and embarrassed that she caught you. 

"I'm sorry," she mitigates, holding her arm out for you to grab. You take it with a halfhearted glare, but use it nonetheless. 

"I was making hot cocoa for us, until you interrupted," you grumble, turning towards the stove again. She purses her lips, attempting to keep from grinning at your antics. 

"Really?" She acts, feigning confusion as she slides up behind you. Your breath hitches when her hands find their way beneath the hoodie, running dangerously close to your breasts. 

"Jisoo…"

She kisses down your neck tantalizingly, reminding you of the night you shared. As her robe opens slightly, her bare thigh grazes the back of yours. "Because it looked to me like my rockstar girlfriend was putting on quite the show." 

You pause, not moving. She seems to notice her slip up as well, and her head falls forward against your shoulder. A grimace crosses her face; she's sure she just messed all this up.

"Y/N--"

"Girlfriend?" You ask curiously, though you try to conceal your wishfulness. She looks away when you switch the burner off and turn around, eyes on her. 

"Look at me, please." 

Her fingers fiddle with the ends of her sleeves, but she eventually gains the courage to do as you ask. 

The moonlight sparkles in here, too, as it cascades in through the frosted bay windows. Small deposits of ice and snow sit in the corners of them, like silent witnesses of your interaction. They watch with anticipation, just the same as you. 

"I was thinking we could try again, you know?" 

Her voice is timid in the face of such a daunting proposition, especially given your history, but she stands tall. In a way, it feels like asking you out all over again.

"I'd love that, Chu." 

Your ensuing smile melts her heart, and she breathes a breath of relief. She steps forward and wraps her arms around you, falling into your embrace. You hold her tight, making her feel secure not only physically, but also in her emotions. 

She sways gently with you in the moonlight, leaving stray kisses against your collarbone every so often. 

After a few minutes like this, you remember your purpose for leaving the warmth of her bed in the first place. Hot cocoa. 

"How about this, jagi," you say, leaning back slightly to look into her eyes. "You go grab a blanket for us, and I'll finish making our drinks. Then we can go stargaze on the patio." 

She nods happily, and plants a lingering kiss to your cheek before sauntering away. 

You bite your lip as you switch the heat back on, shaking your head in disbelief. If someone had told you that this is how the trip would leave you, you never would've believed them. It's a miracle, truly, and you'll be thanking your lucky stars the second you step outside.

--

"Two hot chocolates, incoming!" You announce, keeping the steaming mugs steady in your hands. The patio door is open enough for you to easily slip out and join her. 

Instead of just her, though, which would be more than enough for you, you see that she's lit an array of candles and placed them around the patio. They create a romantic ambience for the two of you, and the view that you have to go along with them is something out of a dream. 

"Jisoo, this is…. Wow." 

The stars twinkle in the sky, high above it all as they keep watch. Their constellations show vividly, like they're waking up to say hello. So too is the village below, stretching out left and right. Wooden welcome signs groan and creak as the wind pushes against them, whispers of greeting coming from their oak posts.

The golden lamps that you saw upon arrival earlier now burn even brighter, sitting in the windows of stores and houses and hanging high in the protective cases of the street lamps. It's a tender thing, yet their light adds a vibrance of life to the village despite the late hour. 

Jisoo's hands are clasped behind her back, a shy smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Do you like it?" 

"I love it," you assure her, setting the mugs down on the table. "And I love you." 

Her smile widens at that, much to your relief, and she steps towards you. Happiness is the only thing on her face as she takes your hands and invites you to sit down with her.

"I love you, too, Y/N. So much," she says, almost dreamily. "I'm really glad I decided to come on this trip." 

You agree, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "That woman's message was true, then." 

"Yeah," she sighs, grinning as you hand her her drink and settle in next to her, wrapping the blanket around both of your bodies. Although the patio is heated, the blanket serves as another layer of warmth and a way to bring you even closer to one another.

"And I'm really happy it was." 

You hum at that and grab your drink, clinking the side of the mug against hers in celebration. 

"To us," she declares proudly, eyes shining with love and every other emotion you make her feel. 

"To us," you repeat, beaming all the same. You take a sip and peek out at the mountains over the rim, watching the stark white snow accumulate. It paints everything in sight with its powdery magic, from the hills and slopes to the village homes. Layers of it continue to build upon each other, pillowy and soft with every new flake.

It's creating the perfect conditions for everything the girls mentioned doing while you're here, and a knowing smile shows on your face as you realize something. 

You have the perfect opportunity to invite Jisoo to come along for your plans and right some of your wrongs in the process. She and the girls can all heal from the damage caused, and you can have the honor of seeing that happen. 

It's not often that such a privilege is awarded to people, and you don't plan to take it lightly. 

So you hold Jisoo a little tighter, a little closer, here and now, to show her how much she means. You'll do everything you can to atone for the mistakes you made and take away her future burdens for as long as she'll allow you, always. 

It's just the promise you make, because for you, no matter what, it'll always be her. 

With her, things are never really over.

<> { } <> { } <> { } <> { } <> { } <> { } <>

Songs that inspired me:

"Where's My Love" - SYML

"Fear Of The Water" - SYML

"One Way Ticket" - Eruption