a year of sundays || Chaennie

January

warnings: swearing - but that's every chapter, brief racism and homophobia

January                                                                      School starts again on Monday but Jennie takes solace in the fact that she has one more peaceful Sunday before the crowds, friends, and homework take over everything once more. She thinks she doesn't ask for much when she begs the Big Guy upstairs for a break just once.

But of course, he doesn't give her one.

"Where are you running off to?" Her mother asks from the kitchen as Jennie bounces off of the last step. She cringes deeply enough that she actually stops in her tracks. Out of the corner of her eye, she notices that Haeun isn't moving and Jennie decides to just go with it; she knows her mother well enough to know that any attempt at distracting her only ends up in a lecture. Ignoring her simply isn't an option. Biting the proverbial bullet Jennie gives her a little shrug and walks into the kitchen, tilting herself enough so that she can see Jennie's backpack and work out the reason for her little excursion. There's a homemade jug of lemonade on the counter and a few bottles of wine set near the fridge. The girl can almost guess what will be out of her mother's mouth next, if her perfect attire didn't already clue her in. "Leave that for today, baby. Bae Jiyeon and her children are coming over this afternoon. You're friends with them right?"

She smiles at Jennie and, for a moment, she thinks of the shark documentaries that Chaeyoung tells her about when they're together. She doesn't watch them all the time she says--she lies--but when she does she likes to tell the brunette little facts about how sharks open their mouth a little as a warning before an attack.

Jennie waits for the attack.

"Taehyung will be there too," there it is. Jennie knows Haeun isn't a fan of Jongin but Jennie doesn't know why. He might not be a star athlete or on his way to being the next boy genius but he's genuinely nice and he rarely does anything to offend anyone. From the wrong side of town he may be; his hair might be a little too long for her conservative parents and he and Jisoo are definitely building a bike together that might literally turn her dad gray before his time -- but he's good. He's a good person deep down. "He's such a lovely gentleman."

Jennie can't help it when she says, "I thought you liked Mino?"

"Jennie," she dismisses easily, as though her daughter's voice was nothing more than a whisper. Jennie picks up an apple in amusement as she lights up a little. "I love Mino, he's a charming young man and any girl would be lucky to have him. I'm just looking at widening your social circle."

"My social circle is fine. I already know Taehyung."

"Good, so it's settled. You'll stay," it's not a question and she narrows her eyes at her, biting into the apple with a force that hurts her jaw and chest. "I'll get your father to turn on the hot tub. We can make an evening out of it too if the weather stays mild."

Saying 'no' to her mom has always been hard because she has a way of convincing people around her to do things before they've even realized what they've agreed to. Jennie is, of course, no different. People often point out their likeness in that aspect, say how she can take charge of a group and have them wrapped around her pinkie by dusk, but it's not the biggest compliment she has ever received. Jennie opens her mouth to protest but she's too late. She watches her scamper off, yelling something about a hot tub and her father's reply about the freezing weather is drowned out by her own heartbeat.

Chaeyoung will be so disappointed.

---

"Well, this is fun," Taehyung tries making Jennie shiver a little as his deep voice surprises her a little but enjoying how it sounds close to her ear when he chuckles uncomfortably. "You think this has been set up?"