it's always ourselves that we find in the sea || jensoo

Chapter 6

Before she knew it, she'd been in Auckland for a month, reading books, applying for jobs and going for daily jogs at sunset, listening to the delicate notes of whatever new song Jisoo was playing that evening as the sun sank low on the horizon, turning the sky orange as puffy white clouds drifted past lazily. In Seoul, it would've been warmer, the shimmering skyscrapers reflecting the blinding sunlight and the buildings filled with the whirring sounds of freezing cold air conditioners trying to chase away the late summer humidity, but in Auckland, sitting by the sea, it was cooler, and Jennie began to feel slightly homesick for the big city. She didn't see Jisoo again after she'd visited her house, but that didn't mean that Jennie didn't think about her - probably more than she should've - and she had to stop herself from walking up the sand dunes and knocking on her back door more than once. She had nothing to do, and boredom was catching up with Jennie as autumn caught up with summer, and on the coolest day since she'd arrived in town, with a stubborn set to her jaw, and a weary resignation in her shoulders, a defeated Jennie rode her bike into town and got a job at a coffee shop. Swallowing her pride meant that she had to take what was available to her, and while she could've gone back to Seoul and worked in a coffee shop there, Jennie loathed the thought of returning home as a failure. To go back and face her friends without a new journalism or writing job would mean admitting defeat, and Jennie was too stubborn to go crawling back as a failure.

Still, wearing an apron all day as she made scalding cappuccinos for the women who complained that their coffees were too cold, and plated up perfect slices of apple pie and flakey croissants with jam and butter, Jennie couldn't help but feel like a failure anyway. She'd had a good job and she'd thrown it away by doing what she was supposed to do - report the truth. Minzy was as supportive as ever, too busy with work to spare too much time trying to cheer Jennie up, and more than anything, Jennie wished that Chaeyoung was there. Her sister always knew what to say to cheer her up, and talking to her on the phone just wasn't the same.

"A job is a job, Jen. At least you're getting out of the house more," Chaeyoung's voice crackled through the phone, "it's got to be better than doing the ironing and making sure dinner's on the table like a housewife."

"You have to be married to be a housewife," Jennie grumbled, "I'm very single right now, because apparently I'm even rubbish at that."

"Are we throwing a pity party?" Chaeyoung snorted, "come on, you'll be fine. You're just going through a rough patch. Everyone has one."

Scoffing, Jennie speared a piece of watermelon on her fork from the bowl of fruit salad. "Oh yeah? What was yours?"

Chaeyoung made a small sound of annoyance, "geez, I don't know, Jennie, take a wild guess. Maybe the fact that my fiancee and I broke up."

Wincing slightly at the mention of her sister's own heartbreak, Jennie sighed, "sorry. I just- I thought I'd be back on my feet by now. Not washing dishes and wiping tables at the coffee shop, while I have to smile and be nice to all the girls I hated in high school. And I miss you too."

"I'm coming up next week on my days off," Chaeyoung reminded her, "just hang on a little while longer, okay? Go and do something fun. Take up surfing or something. Get a tan."

"I was thinking of trying to get a job with the local newspaper. They might only print one issue a week, but it's better than nothing," Jennie sighed. "It'll be something I enjoy doing at least."

A quick laugh from the other end of the phone followed. "I said something fun, not more work. It's not a bad idea though. Just ... relax though, please. No one has their life figured out, and it's okay to be confused for a while. I mean, I thought I was going to be a doctor when I was in college, and now I'm a detective, and in between I was off partying every night, so ..."