I built this Home for me, for you

Chapter 9

It was four days later, and one day before Chaerin's scheduled surgery, and Jennie found herself alone in a bar she'd passed on her way home from work, having quickly pulled over and decided to have a drink. It wasn't a particularly nice bar, being on the outer limits of the city, but it was serving its purpose, and Jennie had been there for a few hours, steadily drinking herself into a tipsy buzz with glass after glass of scotch. They'd come home Sunday night, and life had carried on, with the girls back in school, and Jennie and Lisa back in work too. That in itself had caused problems, because Lisa had tried to get Jennie to take the week off and help Chaerin organise everything, but Jennie couldn't stand the thought of it. At least at work she could keep her mind occupied and try and keep a sense of normalcy, even if she left early in the morning, and didn't come home until late – something she hadn't done since she'd been stabbed all those years ago. She'd barely seen Lisa or the girls in days, and had been avoiding her mom, Rosé and Jisoo too, because she had prided herself on being strong and and organised, but everything was falling to pieces, and she didn't want any witnesses. Every night, she came home and ate whatever Lisa had plated up for her and left in the kitchen, then she'd sit in the living room, giving curt answers to any questions or comments thrown her way, and then she'd tell Lisa she'd be up to bed soon, before falling asleep on the sofa. No one was fooled by her act.

She jumped at the sound of a stool being dragged out, snapping her out of her thoughts, and Jennie turned to scowl at the person, a cigarette that she'd coerced off another man, who had since left, dangling from her lips – the whole bar was practically empty, why did they have to sit right next to her? – and her scowl deepened when she saw who it was. "I didn't think this was your scene anymore," Jisoo said, hoisting herself up onto the stool and reaching out for Jennie's glass, "what're you drinking? Oh god, this scotch is fucking awful. This definitely isn't your scene."

"Oh look, my favourite asshole. What do you want?" Jennie grumbled, white smoke curling out of her mouth as she spoke, before she snatched back her glass and drained it. Jisoo wasn't wrong – it wasn't exactly the top shelf kind of scotch that Jennie was used to.

"Lisa's worried," Jisoo sighed, plucking the cigarette out of Jennie's fingers and outing it in an ashtray, "she told Rosé you haven't been coming home so I went to the office to drag you home."

"I have been going home," Jennie murmured, "just... later than normal. I'm busy."

Jisoo let out a snort of laughter, "cut the bullshit, no one's expecting you to be okay. I thought you were over your running away from your problems phase though. Do you know how hard it was to find you?"

"How did you find me?"

"I put an alert out on your plates. Said it was a stolen car," Jisoo shrugged, "now, come on. Time to go home."

Jennie scoffed, "go on then, no one's stopping you. I, however, am having another drink." She slid her empty glass towards the bartender, rapping her knuckles on the old wooden bar, scarred and worn from years of use. Jisoo gave him a stern look which left no room for misunderstanding – Jennie was cut off for the night.

Jisoo let out a quick laugh, climbing down off her stool, "no you're not. I'm cutting you off, and driving you home. If you argue with me, I'll arrest you and put you in a cell – it's not like that's never happened before."

"Fuck off, Jisoo, I'm not in the mood for your smug attitude and cop bullshit," Jennie snapped, "I don't need your help."

"Yeah, well I don't give a shit, now move your ass," Jisoo ordered her, poking her in the arm while Jennie scowled. "If you try and drive home, I will personally pull you over for driving under the influence, and I mean it, Jennie. Stop being so stubborn, and let me give you a ride home. I've got my own family to go home to."