memories of yesterday | chaennie

3. Near But So Far

Just like they promised, Jisoo and Jennie were back the next day. Chaeyoung instantly brightened up when they walked through the door.

"You came!" She exclaimed.

"Of course, we're your friends!" Jisoo replied. Chaeyoung set down her magazine and studied both of them. Jisoo sat still and smiled under the scrutinizing gaze but Jennie fidgeted uncomfortably, unused to the unfamiliar stare Chaeyoung was giving. She checked her breath, making sure that she no longer smelled like alcohol.

"So... can I ask you guys some questions?" She asked.

"Sure." Jisoo replied and Chaeyoung launched into a tirade of inquiries. Where was she from? What kind of person was she? What were her interests? How did she wind up in the hospital? Question after question Jisoo answered while Jennie sat, watching her wife's facial expressions.

"So... do I have someone special? Like a boyfriend...?" Jisoo's face faulted and she glanced over at Jennie. When the brunette stayed silent and kept staring intently on the railing to the hospital bed, Jisoo took in a deep breath.

"No." She replied. "No boyfriend."

Chaeyoung continued asking them questions about her past for the next two hours but soon after that, the questions turned into comments and the comments turned into conversations. By the time Jisoo and Jennie were done, they'd been there for four hours easily. The doctor and nurse came into check in on them.

"When can I go home with them?" Chaeyoung asked.

"Well, I'd like to keep you here for another two days." The doctor replied. "Just to get paper work sorted out." Chaeyoung grinned and turned back to her two friends.

"Two days!" She exclaimed and Jennie felt her stomach lurch with nervousness.

"Two days..." Jisoo echoed. "I have an out-of-state press conference to attend. Jen, can you pick her up?" Jennie nodded numbly.

"Sure."

The next two days crawled painfully slowly. Jennie found herself on the verge of a mental breakdown due to the events that transpired in the past week. But as hours shortened into minutes, and Jennie found herself in the car driving to the hospital to pick Chaeyoung up, she realized she wasn't ready to deal with the reality that Chaeyoung had no idea who she really was. She cursed all the way to the hospital, only putting on a veneer of cheeriness when she walked into Chaeyoung's room. She brought a change of clothes, the shirt that Jungkook had made all of them before they graduated, hoping it jog her memory even just a little. But Chaeyoung simply mentioned that it was cute shirt and slipped it on. Jennie walked over to check the two of them out.

"And here are her belongings." The nurse at the front desk said, presenting Jennie with the clothes they found her in. Resting on top of the jeans that Chaeyoung wore when she stormed out was the wedding ring. Jennie felt her heart contract. She took the ring, holding it up to the light and studying it, holding it, making sure it was real.

"I'm ready!" Chaeyoung said. Jennie quickly put the ring in her pocket and forced a thin lipped smile. The two of them clambered into the car. Usually, Chaeyoung would hold her hand during any car ride, no matter how short but this time she kept her hands folded in her lap. She was excited the whole trip back, asking Jennie what kind of apartment they lived in, if it was in a good part of the neighbourhood.

Jennie did her best to answer her questions without giving their relationship away. As they pulled into the parking lot, Jennie let out a long sigh.

"We're here." She said. Chaeyoung wowed at the sight of the building. It was modern, only built in the past 6 years and it was located smack dab in the middle of town. Rent was expensive of course, but Jennie reassured her that they both had good enough jobs to pay for it. As the went up the elevator, Chaeyoung bounced with excitement in the same way that she did when they first moved in. The elevator door opened and the two of them got out.