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

Chapter 24

"But why do I need one?" Jisoo exasperatedly asked, her gloved hand in Jennie's as they slowly made their way down the street.

They were a week away from winter and the bitter cold had swept in with the dreary days, making their breath visible before them as they passed by the crowded coffee shops and the bakery that filled the air with the fresh smell of baking bread. The roads were glistening from the rain that morning, but it never got cold enough for snow, which meant that the weather wasn't too unbearable. Rounding a puddle, Jennie let out a sigh, giving Jisoo's hand a quick squeeze and smiling at the butcher who was wheeling crates of packaged meats into the shop.

"You need one because it's almost Christmas," Jennie replied.

"But what do I need a tree for, I can't even see it," Jisoo protested.

Wrinkling her nose slightly as she smiled, Jennie raised their entwined hands and kissed Jisoo's fingers, running a gloved thumb over her knuckles. "Well you don't have to buy decorations. Trees just smell like Christmas though. You'll love it, I promise."

Grumbling, Jisoo let Jennie lead her all the way to the stalls set up in the town square with freshly cut Christmas trees already lined up and ready to be taken home. The air smelled like pine, and Jennie breathed it in deeply, feeling comforted by the damp smell of the seaside town laced with the smell of Christmas and the anticipation of the holidays; she loved this time of year. She let Jisoo pick the first one they found, knowing that it didn't matter what it looked like as long as it was a pine tree, and Jennie paid for it herself, easily lifting the little wrapped tree and holding it under one arm while she held on tightly to Jisoo with her free hand.

She'd dragged them into town early that morning, finishing up some last minute shopping and making them stop off for some peppermint hot chocolate at a diner, before hitting up the tree stall. It was nearing lunchtime by the time they were all finished, a few bags dangling from Jisoo's hand and their cheeks rosy from the cold, and both of them were ready to call it a day. Making the walk back to Jisoo's, Jennie enthusiastically set up the tree in the corner of the kitchen - she would've opted for the living room, but Jisoo spent most of her time playing piano or in the kitchen, and it wasn't like it was bought to look at - the weak sunlight streaming in through the open windows. It had taken some convincing, but Jennie had finally talked Jisoo into letting her open all of the shutters, and it seemed to breathe new life into the place. She no longer had to wander through a dark house, and just the simple act of letting in some sunlight - whether Jisoo could see it or not - made the whole house feel lighter, with the windows cracked open to let in some of the salty sea breeze and the sharp smell of the cold. Even the struggling pots of herbs were grateful for the little sunlight winter gave them.

While Jennie untied the Christmas tree, Jisoo made them both some tea, fetching a pack of gingerbread biscuits from the cupboard and turning the heating up, flooding the room with warmth to chase away their lingering shivers after the cold walk home. The strong smell of pine filled the kitchen too as Jennie neatly arranged the little tree in the corner, feeling proud of herself for finding a way to make it feel like Christmas in a way that Jisoo could feel it too. She'd bought a few candles too, just in case the pine didn't quite cut it, and had snuck a Mariah Carey Christmas CD into the few she was buying Jisoo when they visited the music store. Pulling one of the candles out of a bag, Jennie lit it on the stove and set it down in the middle of the table, adding the smell of ginger, vanilla and eggnog to the aroma of the room. Jisoo looked a bit confused at the sudden addition of the new smells, until Jennie quietly explained, sitting down at the kitchen table and picking up the cup of tea Jisoo had made for her. It was orange and cinnamon and reminded her of the holidays as she took a small sip.