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

Chapter 18

"So, how's your girlfriend?" Chaeyoung asked.

Spluttering, Jennie put her cup of coffee down a little more forcefully than she meant to, her cheeks turning pink as she gave her sister an exasperated look through the tablet. "I've been trying to convince her to invite her over for dinner so I can meet her," Minzy chipped in.

"She's not my girlfriend," Jennie primly replied.

"Well you've kissed her."

"Chaeng!"

"I'm just saying."

Minzy looked amused as she reached out and gave Jennie's shoulder a gentle squeeze, giving her other daughter a slight warning look through the screen. They had been enjoying a nice breakfast of avocado on toast with poached eggs, chatting to Chaeyoung before she went to work, and reminding Jennie once again of how much she missed her sister. The rest of October had passed by in a blue of cloudy days, but there hadn't been a cloudy moment with Jisoo, even as the sky turned steely and the weather turned gloomier, ushering days spent curled up on Jisoo's sofa in plaid shirts or thick knitted sweaters. Copious amounts of tea and books were involved, and Jennie had even managed to snag a little job at the Auckland Mail , which she was immensely happy about as it meant that she was back to reporting stories - albeit boringly small town nonsense - and Jisoo would compose music while Jennie lounged on the sofa in the piano room, typing up her articles while she let the soothing sound of the piano wash over her.

"Maybe you should check on your girlfriend," Jennie said, raising her eyebrows slightly.

Chaeyoung seemed to draw herself up slightly, "maybe I will."

"Aha! I knew you were seeing Lisa!" Jennie exclaimed.

"Jennie, just ask her over for dinner."

"I'm going now," Jennie said, quickly climbing to her feet and carrying her plate to the sink, draining her cup of coffee and dumping that into the soapy water too. She quickly washed her dishes, listening to Chaeyoung cajole her while Minzy chided her, and with an amused look on her face, Jennie swept past, calling goodbye to her sister, and asking Minzy if she could borrow the car.

She was outside in the nippy day a few minutes later, a puffy coat pulled on over a thick tan coloured sweater and her leather satchel slung over one shoulder, and was climbing into the driver's seat, placing her bag on the passenger seat. The drive to Jisoo's was short, and the grey clouds overhead seemed to suck the colour out of everything. Parking the car outside the pale grey house, Jennie smiled at the flowering garden, not yet touched by the beginning frosts of winter, and climbed out of the car, dragging her satchel from from the front seat and locking the car behind her. Walking up to the front door, Jennie knocked on the peeling front door, waiting for it to be pulled open by Lena. It was a few moments before it was, and Jennie beamed at Jisoo, stealing a kiss as she greeted her.

"Good morning," Jennie chirped.

Murmuring her own greeting, Jisoo trailed her fingers down Jennie's arm and pulled her inside by the hand, shutting them into darkness and leading Jennie straight into the more frequently used living room. Switching the light on, Jennie dumped her bag down beside the sofa, kicking off her shoes and draping her coat over the back of it, before she sat down, making herself at home. Jisoo was quiet and Jennie looked up, giving her a soft smile, which quickly turned to a look of panic as she shot up to her feet.

"Oh, what happened?" Jennie softly gasped, reaching out to gently cup Jisoo's cheek in her hand, carefully thumbing the greenish bruise that was blossoming at the side of Jisoo's eye, careful to make sure that she didn't add any pressure.