always have been, always will be | jensoo

Weak Peace

Our senior year of high school, and Jinyoung and Jisoo are still together. I honestly didn't think they'd last this long, but at the rate she's going, I'm sure Jisoo could do this forever.

I can't say I'm not let down by her, but I also can't say I completely hold it against her.

It's getting easier, a lot easier, to put up with seeing them with each other. It's almost second nature to me, the heartbreak. And now, I can't imagine life without it. Still, I never resent her. I simply can't.

I frame myself in Jisoo's bathroom doorway, watching her gargle with mouthwash.

"You have makeout hair."

She spits, then checks out her hair in the mirror.

"Still looks nice, though." I pinch her side lightly and she slaps my hand away, laughing quietly.

"He kept trying to like, put the moves on me during the movie." She grumbles, washing the makeup off of her face.

"Jichu, he's your boyfriend. It's not called 'the moves', it's called 'trying to get some'." I explain to her, like she's a child.

Her eyes bug out the slightest bit. "Not going to happen."

I just give her a silent shrug, turning her around and beginning to undo her braid. "Well, he thinks it's going to happen."

"It's not."

I gently untangle her hair, smoothing it out. "Maybe you should clue him in on that. He might be interested."

Jisoo twists her neck, shooting me a look. "It's just...complicated."

"Doesn't sound that complicated. You're done, turn around."

She turns to face me, shaking her hair out slightly. "Thanks." She sighs, grabbing my hand and leading me to her bedroom. "I wish every relationship could be as uncomplicated as ours."

I push open her bedroom door, letting her go through first. She falls backward onto her bed. "Are you kidding?" I ask her, pausing in her doorway.

"I, uhh..." She leans up on her elbows to peer at me. "Not really."

I push out a tiny laugh. "You're crazy, button."

I can tell by the way she chews on her lip and tilts her head thoughtfully that she knows what I'm talking about. "Come to bed."

"I think I'm going to go home."

"Why?"

"I have to read that chapter for government. It's a long one, so..." I tap my fingers onto her doorframe.

"Oh, I've already read it. Here." She pats the bed. "I'll quiz you on it."

"Jichu..."

"Come on. The friends who learn together, stay together." She gives me her sweetest smile, but the day has been long, and she's been with Jinyoung, and this time, I can say no.

"I'm really sleepy, Button." I take a step back. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay? We'll walk to school together, stretch our legs.

She looks disappointed. "You sure?"

I bound a few steps across her room and hover above her for a few seconds while she peers up at me. "Pretty sure." I press my lips against the top of her head, smelling her hair. Then I take a step back, ready to leave.

"Can't you stay?"

Her voice stops me, and I stop myself from sighing. "Jisoo..."

"Jinyoung took me to see that new zombie movie...something of the dead."