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

Chapter 17

The rest of the week was mostly spent kneeling in flowerbeds, pulling weeds and pruning bushes that grew along the fringes of Jisoo's property, and on Sunday, Jennie showed up early in Minzy's car, having borrowed it again. She was wearing jeans and a blue plaid shirt this time, the knees worn and her brown boots scuffed, and she smiled brightly as Jisoo opened the door, wearing a softer smile as she stared unseeingly ahead. Jennie's smile grew wider when she realised that the olive coloured shirt Jisoo was wearing was one of hers that she hadn't gotten back yet.

"Good morning," Jennie said, leaning over slightly to kiss her on the cheek.

As she pulled back, Jisoo reached up and stopped her with a hand on her cheek, turning Jennie's head to the side slightly and slowly leaning up to kiss her. Smiling into it, Jennie thumbed Jisoo's cheekbone as she cupped her cheek, liking the way their lips felt against each other's, and how warm and soft they were. They drew back a few moments later, Jennie pink-cheeked and flustered, and Jisoo cool and steady.

"Good morning."

"Have you had breakfast?" Jennie asked, "there's somewhere I want to take you."

Assuring her that she had already eaten, Jisoo fumbled for a black denim jacket hanging on a hook, slipping it on and slowly lacing up a pair of black boots as she sat on the bottom step of the staircase. Leaning against the doorframe, Jennie watched her get ready, and then reached out to take her hand when Jisoo pushed herself to her feet. With that, they were outside in the balmy autumn day, not a cloud in the sky, and soon climbing into the car parked on the curb. The radio was playing jazz music and they had the windows wound down, cool air streaming in as they drove towards town, their fingers laced together over the centre console. Jisoo didn't ask where they were going until Jennie stopped and climbed out of the car, opening Jisoo's door for her and lacing their hands together once more as she led Jisoo towards the small brick building at the front of the sprawling glass one behind it. Passing by the checkouts and trolleys, Jennie smiled at the staff members milling around as they stacked fertiliser and gardening tools on shelves, grabbing a trolley and turning to face Jisoo.

"Are you ready for some fun?"

Jisoo pressed her lips into a thin line, a suspicious look on her face, and tilted her head to the side slightly. "How much fun are we talking? I'm not sure where we are but it smells ... damp and earthy."

Laughing, Jennie reached out to grip Jisoo by the shoulders, gently guiding her towards the trolley and prompting her to climb onto it, much to Jisoo's confusion. "Just sit on the trolley and hang on tight."

"Trolley?" Jisoo echoed as she sank down onto it, gingerly freezing as the trolley moved slightly beneath her movements. Jennie reached out to steady it with a soft smile on her face.

"We're at a nursery. For plants, not kids."

"I assumed," Jisoo dryly replied.

Letting out a snort of laughter, Jennie starting pushing them towards the doors leading into the open greenhouse, yellow sunlight streaming in through the glass windows, making the whole place seem greener as they walked into the jungle of plants and trees. "Now, what kind of flowers do you like? I mean, I know you said posies were your favourite-"

"You remembered that?"

"Of course I did," Jennie scoffed. "I was thinking snowdrops and roses, dahlias and crocuses. Maybe bluebells, asters, zinnias and anemones."

"Those all mean ... nothing," Jisoo admitted after a slight pause, while Jennie wheeled them through rows of shrubs in little black plastic plant pots.