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JN.

"Are you really sure you want to do this?" Jennie asked the older girl beside her before she would ring the bell.

"I don't have tattoos or piercings, I even have basket with wine and cheese in my hands. Don't you think I look like the girl you introduce to your parents?" Jisoo tried to ease the situation and ruffled Jennie's hair with her free hand.

Because Jennie needed her parents to sign some papers for her self help group and the principal said someone older than Jennie should accompany her since it might not be safe for her to leave school grounds on her own due to recent happenings, Jennie and Jisoo found themselves in front of the gates of this mansion. A big mansion that could terrify people with the glance from outside alone.

"I don't know. They probably won't like you, but they won't care about you either. I think it will be a miracle if they acknowledge either of us for more than five minutes." Jennie sighed, already having no energy before she even entered.

"Don't worry. We will catch their attention one way or another." Jisoo attempted to cheer her up but Jennie stayed with her shoulders slumped down.

"Here we go." So Jisoo pressed the door bell, making Jennie flinch in surprise and fear. The elder was quick to grab her hand and hold it tightly.

JS.

Jisoo was glad to help Jennie with this. It was her responsibility because she caused it but she would have helped her either way. It's the same way she never passes a stray dog without petting it, or so she tells herself. The younger already seemed to have forgotten about what Jisoo told her the other day, it disappointed her a bit, yet she won't let that be visible.

Jennie was fidgety and anxious. She might have forgotten everything right now so Jisoo didn't think much about it. Her parents seem to be much more indifferent than Jennie. They almost sound like they care about nobody and nothing.

"They do love me." Jennie informed Jisoo as their family butler guided them inside. "They told me so."

"Do they show it as well?"

"Not really. They raise me like their parents raised them. Cold and numb. They think it's going to make me stronger." Jennie exclaimed, more sighs leaving her mouth along the way.

"Did it?"

"I think you know the answer. It didn't. It made me weaker."

Jisoo frowned, saddened by Jennie's deflated expression and small voice. Their parenting is questionable in other words, even if they genuinely love her as they claim.

The butler told them to sit down in front of a large glass table, it looks too fancy to be a meeting room and not cozy enough to be a dining room. It seems like this room is only there to function as a waiting room.

The clattering of heels indicated that someone joined them, Jisoo lifted her head and saw a woman in a formal attire as well as a man beside her. Both of them had blank faces, their eyes were so dark, glancing at them, it froze Jisoo.

"Mother, father." Jennie stood up and bowed slightly. Jisoo got rashly on her feet and mimicked the action

"Ruby Jane." Her father, Jiyong spoke up, pulling a chair for his wife, Chaerin to sit before he did the same. "Make it short. We are leaving in three."

Jisoo saw Jennie stilling from her peripheral vision.

"Mother, father, this is my schoolmate Jisoo. She accompanied me here to guarantee my safety." She introduced the girl beside her curtly.