From Day One | JENSOO

Chapter 31

The past is told by those who win.

Irene had a white apron with three spots of what appeared to be three different sauces or foods when she opened the door for Jennie. It wouldn't have been so surprising if Jennie was visiting Irene's house, but she was at Jinyoung's.

"I was making dinner. Are you going to stay over?" Irene asked as they walked to the living room.

"No, thanks. I just wanted to know if Jinyoung's seen Jisoo."

It had been two weeks since Jennie's father's installment of the new rules. Jennie and Jisoo had been doing well on following them, although they had cheated once or twice. After months of freedom, yielding to limitations was harder than they had expected but it was getting easier.

They made most of their time but for the past few days Jisoo seemed like she was avoiding Jennie.

Jinyoung was on the couch and Jennie sat down, waiting until Irene disappeared back into the kitchen to speak.

"You two really should just get married."

Jinyoung laughed, but the laughter was higher in pitch than normal. Jennie didn't acknowledge it; she was here for a specific reason.

"Have you seen Jisoo?"

The TV's screen flickered with light as Jinyoung surfed through the channels. His shoulder lifted in a shrug.

"Not since yesterday at school."

That didn't help Jennie. She looked past the TV and to the window behind it, the sun streaming warmth and light into the room. Spring had arrived, not that there had been much of a winter. Winter was usually Jennie's favorite season but the lack of snow and bitter cold had had her wishing for spring. She had planned a whole day with Jisoo now that it was warmer, but two texts and three calls later there was still no sign of Jisoo.

"I keep calling but she hasn't answered. It's not like her."

It truly was an oddity for Jisoo to ignore Jennie. The weatherman on the TV told them the forecast for the rest of the week, the drought continued, and the date for that Friday was a jolt of memorization for Jinyoung. Jisoo's avoidance suddenly became very understandable.

"You don't know what this Friday is, do you?"

Jennie counted forward and thought if anything special was happening, but nothing came to mind.

"No. What's going on this Friday?"

"Jisoo's parent's anniversary."

Jennie's memory of the funeral was much too clear and she knew for a fact it was during the summer, just days before the start of school.

"But the accident—"

"Not of the accident," Jinyoung gently corrected. "Their wedding anniversary. It was Rosé's suggestion and it's pretty smart if you think about it. She said Jisoo should celebrate a happy day, not a bad one."

It was smart. Who knew Rosé was capable of doing something other than ooze sex? "I had no idea. She didn't say anything."

"Don't be mad." He changed the channel again and they watched something about the construction of submarines. "She likes to be alone during that time. It's nothing against you."

Maybe it wasn't, but Jennie couldn't help taking it personally. If their past was no longer an issue, then why couldn't Jisoo talk to her about it?

Jennie had shown Jisoo her scar, but Jisoo had yet to show her own.

*

"Only you spend your free time in a library."

Jisoo looked up from the page she was reading as Rosé tilted her head to read the spines of the books in the shelves Jisoo was sitting against. They hadn't spoken since the incident at Rosé's dorm but it wasn't due to resentment. Rosé knew they would naturally mend whatever dent she had caused in their relationship in time, but when Jennie called Rosé to ask where Jisoo was, Rosé treated it as the universe's way of speeding things up.