Flashback

Jisoo nodded her head as she listened to Nayeon talk about the science project they were doing together. She already had an idea on what to do but wanted to be polite and let the other girl share her own plans.

"Or we can do the volcano thing!" Nayeon shared excitedly. The way her eyes brightened up like puppy and her cheeks so round all Jisoo wanted to do was pinch them. Nayeon was cute.

"Volcanoes? Like the ones with baking powder..." The volleyball player scrunched her nose and shook her head lightly in disagreement.

"C'mon. You have to admit, it's like the best idea we've got."

"I have one."

"Well please do share with the class, Ms. Kim." Nayeon teased.

"Natural Selection." Jisoo said proudly, puffing her chest out with pride.

"Darwin's theory...?" The other girl asked hesitantly, the topic so far beyond their studies. "You do understand that you and I are juniors in high school right."

"Survival of the fittest. The best of the best wins." The girl stated. "No one will think of it. It'll be unique."

"Yeah because everyone in their right minds would want to pick a topic that we covered in class!" Nayeon chuckled. "You are so nerdy!"

"C'mon. I like to research. Plus, this stuff really interests me and if that makes me a nerd then so be it." Jisoo begged, sticking out the bottom of her lip and putting her hands together. "Puh puh please."

"Fine!" The soccer player gave in. She couldn't resist Jisoo's pout. "You win, okay. We're doing your stupid 'Survival of the Fittest'. Ugh, I hate Biology."

Jisoo smiled widely at Nayeon's response. "Don't worry by the end of this project, you'll love it." She pulled the girl in a tight hug as she mumbled, "Thank you. Thank you."

"You're killing me, Chu. I hope you know I'm doing this for you."

"And to that I thank you." The pale girl was the first to break the hug, her smile still evident after the small embrace. She shifted her gaze briefly to the side and saw Jennie with her head thrown back, laughing at something Lisa was saying. She didn't think it was possible but her smile grew wider and her heart beat faster.

"Chu, you listening?" Nayeon knitted her eyebrows together at the dazed girl. She snapped her fingers in front of Jisoo before turning her head to look at what she was staring at. Jennie. "Of course."

The soccer player had nothing against Jennie. Whenever they crossed paths, the girl was always nice to her and had the best intentions. It was just that, Jisoo was so smitten for her that she never really gave anyone else a chance.

"Jisoo!" Nayeon said a little louder, snapping the outside hitter from her trance. Jisoo focused back to the brunette in front of her.

"Huh. I'm listening." She cleared her throat, before glancing back to look at Jennie. Nayeon noticed the flicker of Jisoo's brown orbs and gave up.

"Go." The brunette sighed.

"What?" Jisoo frowned.

"To Jennie. I know you've been staring at her." Nayeon stared at Jisoo knowingly. "Go ahead. I'll just text you later tonight."

"Great! Sorry, we'll just talk then. " The volleyball player responded immediately. She walked around Nayeon and sprinted towards her teammates.

Nayeon turned her heels and kept an eye on Jisoo as the girl draped her arm around Jennie's shoulder. She laughed softly when she saw Jennie glare at Jisoo before picking up the girl's arm from her shoulder and dropping it down. Nonetheless, Jisoo was persistent, placing it back on her teammate's shoulder. This time Jennie just looked at the brown-eyed girl and rolled her eyes playfully.

"Game on, Jennie." Nayeon said ominously. "May the best of the best win."

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After the talk with Yeri, Jisoo walked the halls in search of Jennie. She was worried for the girl knowing that she probably broke off her relationship with Irene and is in need of a friend.

"Jisoo!" A familiar voice yelled out. Jisoo turned around and saw Nayeon jogging towards her. She groaned internally. It's not that she disliked the girl it was just a bad time for her with the current situation. "Hey, are you walking to class?" Nayeon beamed.

"Hi. Umm actually, I'm not..." The volleyball sent a polite smile.

"Oh." Nayeon spoke, her voice laced with disappointment. "Where you headed?"

"I'm trying to find Jennie. Have you seen her by any chance?" Jisoo questioned as she looked around.

"No. Why is she in trouble or something?"

"She kind off had a fight with her girlfriend... Were you not in cafeteria today?"

Nayeon shook her head and furrowed her brows together. "No, I was in the library tutoring a freshman with Biology..."

Jisoo chuckled and turned to face the soccer player. "I thought you hated Biology."

"I kinda fell in love with it, I guess." She answered casually with a shrug as she stared into the brown pools. That wasn't the only thing she fell in love with.

"Look at you, Ms. Nayeon. Taking interest in something else other than soccer." Jisoo pushed Nayeon teasingly.

"Hey! I'm not just some stereotypic dumb jock, okay." Nayeon scoffed.

"I never said you were."

"But you implied it."

"I think that's a matter of opinion."

The brunette rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Aren't you looking for someone?"

Jisoo's eyes widen in sudden realization that she completely forgot about Jennie. She slapped her hand up to her forehead and huffed.

"Right, Jennie. I'm sorry but I have to go." she excused herself and continued her search for the girl. She looked back at Nayeon who stood and waved goodbye to her.

"I still need an answer for that date!" The girl shouted.

Jisoo flashed a small smile at the soccer player before picking up her pace. With Nayeon, everything was easy. It was never complicated and the girl was very straightforward with Jisoo. And every time she was with the brunette all her worries would fly past her. That's why the volleyball player always had a running mind filled with 'what ifs'.

She strolled through the quad and stuffed her hands in her shorts. Her mind completely overwhelmed with so many things. She still needed to give Nayeon answer about the date. She needed to have her talk with Irene. And most importantly, she needed to find Jennie.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips when she found Jennie sitting against a tree with her face buried between her knees.

"Jennie!" She called making the brown-eyed girl lifted her head up. The girl's eyes were puffy and red as tears streamed down her face. Jisoo rushed to her side and held the girl close. Jennie let out a sob the moment she buried her face in Jisoo's chest. "Shh, it's okay I've got you now."

"Jisoo." The brown-eyed girl sniffled as her hands grabbed onto Jisoo's shirt. She didn't stop herself from crying, her walls totally breaking down.

"It's okay." Jisoo hummed as she rested her chin gently on top of Jennie's head. "It's her loss. You were the best thing that happened to her." She whispered before placing a chaste kiss on the girl's forehead.

The pair stayed in each other's arms until Jennie's sobs subsided and all the tears had run dry. Jisoo soothingly drew shapes and patterns on her teammates back as she waited for the girl to calm down. Together, they sat silently.

"Did you really mean it?" Jennie was the first to break the quietness. She didn't move a muscle other than her lips.

"Mean what?" Jisoo tilted her head and looked down at her teammate in confusion.

"Last week. The piece of paper you gave me on my birthday. It said that you were in love with me." The brown-eyed girl whispered. There was a pause. Jennie looked up and caught herself locked in Jisoo's gaze.

"I did." Jisoo replied truthfully her eyes never leaving the brown ones. "Every. Single. Word."

Jennie felt a small tug on the corner of her mouth. Jisoo loved her. Even with all the shit they been through, she somehow still won the girl's heart. She then remembered why she tried so hard to push the girl away. Jisoo deserved better. Her smile faltered when Jisoo brought her hand up and caressed her face.

"Then I want you to go on a date with Nayeon." Jennie demanded as she pulled away from Jisoo and bowed her head.

"What? Why?" The oldest asked in concern. She reached out for Jennie's hand but the other girl was quick to move it away. "Jendeukie..."

"Because I want you to make sure that you're not making a big mistake by choosing me. Nayeon deserves a chance."

"I know I'm not making a mistake. Let me choose you, Jendeukie."

"I'm such a mess right now, Jisoo. I felt like I've been living a lie by being with Irene all those years." Jennie took a sharp inhale. "You were right. I took the safe bet in, the irony is that in end I still had a broken heart."

"Jennie..."

"You're not in love with me, Jisoo."

"Yes I am." The pale girl retorted assertively.

"How can you? I'm the only girl that you opened your heart too." Jennie countered. She wiped off her tears and cupped Jisoo's face with her hands. "Even though Irene broke my heart, she loved me once upon a time. She showed me what love was. I'm not ready for another relationship, Jis-"

"Then I'll wait!" Jisoo said stubbornly as she took hold of Jennie's hand. "I'll wait."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"It's my decision."

"Don't fight me on this, Jisoo. I know you like her."

"I don't! I like you!" The brown-eyed girl insisted. "Please don't ask me to do this."

"You don't see it but you will. Somewhere hidden in that heart of yours there's a place for Nayeon." Jennie spoke kindly. "Give her a chance... give her a chance to show you what love is. Because right now, I can't."

"A-are you... are you breaking up with me?" Jisoo asked in disbelief followed by a velvety laugh. "Unbelievable. We aren't even in a relationship."

"You know it's not l-like that." Jennie hiccupped. She chuckled softly as she covered her mouth. "I love you, Jisoo. That's why I want you to be happy and chasing me... well, it's not something very enjoyable."

"I enjoy it."

Jennie arched an eyebrow.

"You're breaking my heart, Jennie." Jisoo smiled smugly. She guided Jennie's hands to her heart. "Right here."

Her teammate replied wholeheartedly.

"Promise you won't get jealous?" The brown-eyed girl taunted, a glint of mischief in her eye.

"I'll try." Jennie joked. Little did she know that it would affect her more than she had bargained for.

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