Bound by Magic

Chapter 5: Fractured Reflections

**Jennie's POV**

Jennie lay sprawled on her bed, staring at the ceiling. The dorm room felt stuffy, and the weight on her chest hadn't eased since the Trials. She hated it- how much space Jisoo seemed to occupy in her mind, as though their connection had formed in the middle of the fight and now wouldn't let go.

Jennie rolled onto her side, facing her small bedside table. On top of it sat a picture frame, the photo tilted slightly. She reached for it, hands trembling.

The picture showed a much younger Jennie, with the carefree smile she hadn't seen on her own face in years. Next to her, smiling just as wide, was Taehyung. His arm was slung casually over her shoulders, like it was the most natural thing in the world. They had been inseparable back then-first loves, promising that nothing could ever tear them apart.

But that had been a lie, hadn't it?

Jennie's fingers traced the edges of the photo, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. The version of herself in the picture had been naive, foolish enough to believe that love could overcome everything. She had given herself fully to Taehyung- her heart, her trust, her vulnerability. And in the end, he had broken it all.

Taehyung had left her to chase his dreams, giving Jennie excuses about long-distance relationships and the strain it would place on both of them. He had loved her, sure. But not enough to stay. The loss had taught Jennie one thing: never let someone get too close.

She dropped the picture back on the table, face down this time.

"I'm not letting that happen again," she thought, sitting up on the edge of her bed. Jisoo's image flickered in her mind, soft and kind, and Jennie bit the inside of her cheek. Jisoo was dangerous, not because she was hurtful like Taehyung, but because she was kind. Kindness had a way of slipping through cracks Jennie had long sealed.

Before she could dive too deep into her thoughts, her phone buzzed. Lisa.

Lisa: "Community center tomorrow. You in?"

Jennie hesitated. She knew Jisoo would be there too, but she couldn't keep avoiding her friends.

Jennie: "Yeah, I'll be there."

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**Jisoo's POV**

Jisoo stood in front of the community center, adjusting the sleeves of her shirt. She wasn't nervous-not really-but there was a strange energy in the air, like something was about to shift. Ever since the Trials, things between her and Jennie had been... different.

It was hard to explain, even to herself. Working together so closely during the Trials had given her a glimpse of the person behind Jennie's guarded walls. For a moment, it felt like they had been in sync. But afterward, Jennie had pulled back, more distant than ever.

Jisoo couldn't understand it. She didn't know why Jennie always seemed to keep her at arm's length, no matter how many small attempts Jisoo made to bridge the gap between them.

Today would be no different, Jisoo told herself. She would just go in, help the kids, and maybe, just maybe, Jennie wouldn't completely ignore her.

When she walked into the community center, kids rushed over to her, greeting her with excited voices and wide smiles. Jisoo bent down to greet them, laughter bubbling in her chest as one of the younger kids wrapped his arms around her legs.

"Jisoo!" he exclaimed. "We missed you!"

"I missed you guys too," she smiled, ruffling his hair. As she stood, her eyes wandered across the room, instinctively searching for one person in particular.

And there she was-Jennie-busy organizing supplies in the art room, her posture stiff, but her movements graceful. Jisoo's breath hitched when their eyes briefly met, but Jennie quickly looked away, disappearing into her task.

Why do you always pull away, Jennie?

Jisoo knew she could be overthinking things, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Jennie was avoiding her on purpose. It was confusing, frustrating even, but there was something in Jennie's eyes that made Jisoo pause. Hurt? Fear?

Whatever it was, Jisoo didn't want to push too hard. She made her way over to the art room, determined to at least check in.

"Hey," Jisoo said softly, standing just outside the door.

Jennie barely looked up from the paintbrushes she was cleaning. "Hey."

It was a simple greeting, but the tension in the air made it feel heavier. Jisoo wanted to ask her if something was wrong, if Jennie was okay, but she hesitated. Jennie wasn't the type to open up easily, and pushing her too much would only make her retreat further.

"You've been quiet lately," Jisoo ventured, her voice careful.

Jennie shrugged, her movements still focused on the brushes. "I've been busy."

Jisoo didn't believe her, but she let it slide for now. "If you ever want to talk, I'm here," she offered, hoping Jennie would sense the sincerity behind her words.

There was a brief pause before Jennie responded. "I'm fine."

Jisoo nodded, though it was clear to her that Jennie wasn't fine. The walls Jennie had built around herself were still firmly in place, and Jisoo had no idea how to break through them.

Before the silence could stretch any longer, Lisa and Chaeyoung's voices broke through, their loud laughter and easy banter filling the room.

"Hey!" Lisa called, bounding up to them. "We're setting up for the event soon. You guys coming?"

Jennie seized the opportunity to escape. "Yeah, I'll help."

Jisoo watched her leave, feeling that familiar pull in her chest. Every time Jennie walked away, it left a lingering ache that Jisoo couldn't shake.

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**Jennie's POV**

The evening wore on, and Jennie found herself standing off to the side of the event, watching from a distance as Jisoo, Lisa, and Chaeyoung entertained the kids. Jisoo was laughing- always laughing, Jennie noted with a pang of something she couldn't quite place.

Why was it so easy for Jisoo to be that way? So open, so effortlessly kind. Jennie had once been like that too, before everything with Taehyung.

She scowled, her mind flashing back to the days when she and Taehyung had been inseparable. He had promised her the world, and she had believed him. But when things got tough, when he had a chance to leave and chase his dream, he hadn't hesitated. Jennie had been left behind with a broken heart and a vow never to let herself fall for anyone so deeply again.

And yet... here you are, she thought bitterly, her eyes shifting to Jisoo again.

Suddenly, Seulgi appeared beside her, holding a plate of food. "You okay?"

Jennie blinked, startled by her presence. She hadn't noticed Seulgi approach. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Seulgi didn't seem convinced, but she didn't press. "You know, it's okay to let people in, Jennie."

Jennie's grip tightened around the plate in her hands, Seulgi's words hitting too close to home. "I'm not-"

"Just... think about it," Seulgi cut in gently, offering her a kind smile. "We're all here for you, whether you realize it or not."

Jennie clenched her jaw as Seulgi walked away, the weight of her words settling heavy on her shoulders. She hated this feeling-the vulnerability creeping in, the fear of repeating her past mistakes. But the more she tried to push it away, the more it clung to her.

As the night continued, Jennie found herself stealing glances at Jisoo, who was now talking to some of the volunteers. There was a softness in Jisoo's demeanor, something warm that made Jennie's heart ache.

She wasn't ready to let anyone in again. Not after Taehyung. But with Jisoo... it was becoming harder to keep her walls intact.

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A/N: How is the story so far, everyone?