-

I Broke The Rule, And I'm Sorry
(Part 2)

-

It was only when Nayeon walks out of the dressing room when Jisoo lifts her gaze up from the tiled floor.

Her jaw would've dropped easily at the sight of the beautiful raven-haired woman in her stunning white wedding dress standing before her, shoulders and arms bare, colors flawlessly accenting the huge silver rhinestone necklace hanging perfectly around her exposed neck.

"What do you think?"

Jisoo would be lying if she said she didn't notice the way Nayeon's voice turned duller and duller each day. How the life in her slowly drains the longer the most anticipated day of their lives neared in counting.

Jisoo swallows hard, eyes scanning Nayeon's figure in genuine admiration. "Like a goddess," she says, as if almost parroting the exact same words she said back at the Hamptons at Jennie and Kai's wedding.

Like a goddess. It still effectively earns a smile from the younger girl, who turned around in order to face the mirror behind her to see for herself. Jisoo noticed Nayeon's smile didn't really reach her eyes, but she decided against pointing it out, anymore.

Two weeks before the wedding.

It is when Jisoo accompanies Nayeon to the Im's newest luxury bridal store at the Upper East Side, where Nayeon chose her dream wedding gown be made. A week after her little talk and ice cream night with Ella, and two more left before the biggest day of her life.

She never called Chaeyoung in between those times. She never asked how she was, or how Ella was. If she knew Ella came to her that one afternoon; if she knew they talked about them that night.

But it wasn't because Jisoo didn't want to, or because she didn't want Chaeyoung. Not because she didn't change her mind about it, or because she can't.

It's because of Nayeon.

Nayeon, who stuck by her side like glue, and kept doing so to this day; this very second.

Nayeon, who may have hurt her once in the past, but did everything just to try and turn things around, protecting Jisoo from everything and everyone whom she thought could possibly hurt her again, despite meaning losing her own love in the process.

Nayeon, who's willing to do this; get married to Jisoo and forget all about Momo, just for Jisoo to be able to keep everything that rightfully belongs to her.

For Jisoo to not lose everything again.

Nayeon may have done selfish things in the past, but Jisoo knows it doesn't change the fact that she did it only for love. For recompense; for forgiveness and friendship;

for Jisoo.

Right now, it's all selflessness she's been showing, all of her she's been giving, and the last thing Jisoo wants is to make her feel like nothing's worth a bit of what she's done and gave up for.

Jisoo gets up from the long cushioned seat at the end of the luxurious room, walking up slowly behind the raven-haired girl without a word, stopping at a comfortable distance. Nayeon didn't expect such gesture, startled when the older girl suddenly feels close to her from behind and staring at her in surprise through their reflection in the mirror.

"This beautiful dress," Jisoo mumbles against the back of Nayeon's head, so sudden, hands gently stroking the far edge of Nayeon's white gown, stopping right before her exposed skin, "These expensive stones," She reaches further up in order to fix the rhinestone necklace shining and resting comfortably against Nayeon's upper chest, effectively knocking the air off the latter's lungs.

Jisoo paused, meeting Nayeon's gaze through the tall mirror in front of them, and smiled softly when she asked,

"All of this, Nayeon, have you once thought of wearing for someone else?" She felt Nayeon's breath hitch at the question, freezing as she continued to listen to the words that were rushing out of Jisoo's mouth in a deep mumble, "For someone who's not her?"

Nayeon knows Jisoo was talking about Momo, and it was mainly the reason why she felt her heart sink so painfully slowly to her stomach.

She shut both of her eyes close, a hand reaching up to gently grab the necklace that suddenly feels tight around her neck. Nayeon finds herself swallowing the growing lump inside her throat as she tried to hold back the tears burning at the back of her eyes.

She was lost for words. A single question and she couldn't say anything. It was just the loud beating of her heart inside her chest that she hears, and the way Jisoo gently spins her around that she feels.

When finally facing the brunette, Nayeon couldn't supress a sob, eyes shutting close, "I'm sorry," she chokes out breathlessly, head shaking in a rather hasty, desperate manner, "I'm sorry, Jisoo. I'm so sorry." She didn't stop repeating the words over and over again, feeling as if saying it once is just not enough, nor will it ever be enough.

I'm sorry, because I can't do this, no matter how much I even force myself to. I'm sorry, because I don't want this; neither for myself or for you. I'm sorry, because I want to help you, but I'm in love with Momo, and I had not stop loving her nor will I ever do so anytime soon.

I'm sorry, because I tried convincing myself that this is okay, that I'm okay;

But it's not, and I'm not. "I'm so sorry, Jichu." Nayeon continued to sob in front of the brunette.

Eventually, Jisoo stopped her, hands firmly holding the younger girl's shoulders in place. "Hey," she calls softly, forcing Nayeon to finally meet her comforting gaze, "Don't say you're sorry. You don't have to be." She smiles, tears attempting to rush out of her eyes as well, but she tried her best to hold them back.

When the silence that took over them for a while eventually subsided, Nayeon reached up to wipe her tears away, while Jisoo reached for Nayeon's hands, removing it from her tear-stained cheeks and wiping the younger girl's tears, herself.

"You don't have to be sorry," she mumbles, gaze focused solely on her thumbs as they gently dried the tears off of the raven-haired girl's cheeks. "Because I won't marry you, anyway."

Jisoo's words was the only effective reason as to why Nayeon suddenly froze in her spot, gaze lifting almost abruptly in search of the brunette's. When she's succesfully met with gentle, chocolate orbs, an understanding smile slowly making its way towards her bow-shaped lips, Nayeon felt like bursting into another wave of uncontrollable tears.

"Shh," Jisoo lets out softly along with a light chuckle, now knowing by the look in the younger girl's eyes that Nayeon was... happier, just as she is; Just as she should be. "It's okay, Nadong."

Nayeon just lets Jisoo pull her in for a hug, arms tangled around waists and shoulders so tight, as if letting go would mean waking up from a desperate dream they both didn't want to jolt out of just yet.

But there was no need for it, because it wasn't a dream. This is real, all real; Jisoo calling off the wedding; Jisoo telling her she's not to be sorry; Jisoo telling her it's okay.

And it did feel like it's okay.

No grudge, less pain, and all hope and second chances, for the both of them;

For everyone.

"But, Jichu," Nayeon finds herself croaking out in stutters as she pulled away from the hug, "The deal, it's closed. And your company—"

"It doesn't matter." Jisoo cuts her off, smiling wider, and more genuine this time, her heart burning little fires inside her chest. She shook her head, "All we see are the big things we can take and take greedily for ourselves; but never the ones we could lose big time; the ones we know that matters more."

And Jisoo is tired of it. She's tired of having to give up happiness for the sake of blood and business; love for the sake of money and success. If she can't have both, it's okay. If she'd lost at this game, it doesn't even matter anymore. She'd accepted defeat long ago, anyway.

And she may have lost her company, but there's no way she's losing Chaeyoung again.

Not here, not anytime soon.

-

The cancellation of the wedding wasn't officially publicized until the day Chaeyoung leaves for Australia.

It's bullshit. No one even bothered to tell Jisoo about Chaeyoung's departure. (She would've gone to her immediately after calling the wedding off, but she had to deal with her parents first, and the board of directors, the Hirai's, HM, and the press.) Altough it's not like she'd expect someone to, anyway, because apparently Chaeyoung kept it from everyone else until the night before her scheduled flight.

And this is all bullshit. Jisoo is never really one for the cheesy airport-chasing cliché, but here she is now, and what the hell, right?

She'd reached the entrance, almost crowded with people (well, of course,) and past the immigration. She didn't have the tickets, but it's the perk of being a Kim, (she thought she's somehow a little grateful for that advantage,) that leads her to where she is right now.

Of course, the line to the last remaining flight to Sydney was long, terribly long, it's almost impossible to see past the huge wave of crowd in search for a particular blonde. But Jisoo knows way better than turning around and accepting she's too late.

Yet to give up, she was just about to squeeze herself into the chaos when her phone blasted from her pocket, Lisa's contact popping up on the screen.

"What, Lali?" Jisoo asks the second she picks up, eyes still wandering the oceans of people around her, "I'm still in the middle of searching for Chaeyoung—"

"Slow down, superstar." Lisa snickers on the other end, making Jisoo frown. "The thing is, I think I might've gave you the wrong information. Rosie's flight isn't scheduled until tomorrow so, yeah. My bad."

Jisoo was just about to respond and perhaps let Lisa's dumbass have it for wasting her time and energy, but the Thai was rather quick to drop the call. Staring at the screen of her phone in disbelief, "That little shit!" Jisoo exclaims, exasperation evident in her tone.

The last thing she saw before leaving the airport completely was a confused kid staring up at her weirdly and an all capitalized 'PLEASE DON'T KILL ME' text from Lisa.

-

The next night;

Chaeyoung enters the huge rotating glass doors of the airport, sighing deeply as she made her way towards the immigration. Why the hell is this place suspiciously (almost) empty today? It's like there's only eight of them inside, Chaeyoung thinks as she counted in her mind.

While she was in the middle of getting her boarding pass checked, a text from someone caused her phone to chime. She picked it up from her pocket, unlocking it,

Ella: Have a safe flight, Chaeyoung-unnie. Can't wait to see you!

Chaeyoung smiled, her heart fluttering with genuine happiness as she typed down a response. And then, she was just about to put it back inside her pocket when another text came in,

Ella: How long until you get here, unnie?

Chaeyoung, despite finding the question a bit odd, responded still.

Chaeyoung-unnie: I'm definitely gonna be seeing you by tomorrow, baby. Though, I thought I've already told you that last week?

Another text. Chaeyoung almost laughs at the eagerness of the little girl to chat,

Ella: Just forgot :)
Ella: Anyway, are you about to board now?

Chaeyoung-unnie: Surely. I'll call you when I land, okay?

Ella: Wait! Will you send me a picture of you first?

Now Chaeyoung is officially suspicious.

Chaeyoung-unnie: What's going on here, Ella?

Ella: Nothing, I swear! I just wanted to see you in your airport outfit.

Despite the hesitation, Chaeyoung couldn't help but chuckle at the text. Ella was obviously stalling her, preventing her from boarding the plane anytime soon, and yet Chaeyoung genuinely didn't understand why.

Chaeyoung-unnie: I have to go, baby. Go to sleep. I'll call you tomorrow.

Of course, weirder as it could get, Ella didn't even bother responding to her text, anymore. Chaeyoung, deciding to just shrug it off, attempted to pocket her phone once again when, all of a sudden, it rang thunderously in her hands, causing her (and the airport attendant) to slightly jump in her spot.

"What, Lisa?" Chaeyoung asks instantly after pressing the green button on the screen, a hand resting on her chest in utter surprise, "Seriously, what is this about? First, Ella, and now, you—"

But Lisa, ever so suddenly, just dropped the call without a single word of retort, and Chaeyoung was only left to stare at her phone wide-eyed, confused and sighing in utter disbelief. "What the— are you kidding me?"

As she was about to call Lisa back, someone suddenly spoke behind her; A familiar voice Chaeyoung just knows all too well, and she was left only to freeze, unable to move a single muscle in her body.

"Yeah, I can see her now. Thanks, Lis. And kindly tell little Ella thank you, as well."

Those were the words an expensive fur coat-clad Nayeon last said before dropping her own call and returning her phone back in the leather Louis handbag hanging loosely on her forearm. "Roseanne," she greets with the same, signature rudeness laced with her fake tone. Chaeyoung fought an urge to roll her eyes.

"What do you want, Nayeon?" Instead, she retorts bluntly, which she assumed was the reason why an eyebrow lifted up and past the leopard Cartier sunglasses the raven-haired girl has on.

Chaeyoung could practically see the way Nayeon rolls her eyes at her through her tinted sunglasses before returning in the same, bored, why-am-I-even-speaking-to-you tone she always seem to like using on the blonde, "As much as I'd love to despise you every second that I can, right now included, I don't like wasting my time especially on you, so come on."

With that, she turned around and started walking away, leaving Chaeyoung utterly confused in her spot. When Nayeon, somehow, felt that the blonde wasn't even attempting to move, let alone follow her, she turned back around.

"Well?" Her tone impatient when she asks, "What are you still waiting for? Christmas?"

Chaeyoung, this time, doesn't even bother keeping the eyeroll to herself.

"Maybe you could at least pitch me in, and tell me what exactly are you saying, you psycho?" Chaeyoung watches a scoff escape Nayeon's lips, "I'm gonna be late for my flight, in case you couldn't tell."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Nayeon only retorts, her tone turning sharper this time.

"Don't be stupid, Roseanne. Do you really think you are to fly to Sydney on some cheap-ass public plane, now? You're too humble."

Now Chaeyoung couldn't be more confused, watching as the raven-haired girl turns back around and starts walking away again, still expecting for Chaeyoung to follow her when she added past her shoulders,

"Oh, and just so you know, you're not that important to be especially waited for by my jet, so I suggest snap out of it and try pissing me off less for the next 22 hours."

-

One thing is to cause a (little) scene at the airport with Im Nayeon, (although it wasn't really that big of a deal, since the place barely had people in it, anyway.) Yet, another is to sit across from her in her own private jet, alone by themseleves, flying her and with her to Sydney, Australia.

Cream leather couches and expensive bottles of wine sitting right next to her, she scans the place, and Chaeyoung couldn't deny this is a lot better than cramped, cheap airplane seats (which she'd be on right now if she happened to decide against accepting the raven-haired girl's generous invitation, (thank god, she didn't.))

"Thank you," Nayeon suddenly speaks from her cushioned seat, right across Chaeyoung's, who turned to her in question, "The plane was a gift from my dad on my 22nd. I designed the interior, myself," she flips through the magazine in her hands, not even bothering to glance at Chaeyoung when she adds, "Lovely, isn't it?"

Chaeyoung didn't know how Nayeon easily noticed her admiration of the luxurious jet, but she decided to just shrug it off, instead, proceeding with the question she'd asked most likey back at the airport if Nayeon hadn't rudely cut her off when she attempted to do so. Save it for the flight, she'd snap, and Chaeyoung would be left shutting up.

"What the hell is this, exactly, Nayeon?" Chaeyoung asks this time, tone rather firm. "This; the sudden 'invitation', cause I highly doubt it's out of your fondness for my existence. And how the hell did you even know what my flight schedule was?"

Nayeon, as she continued to flip through the fashion magazine she was holding, simply rolled her eyes at the blonde.

"Spare me the dumb questions, please, Roseanne. I'm rather certain you heard me speaking to Lisa on the phone earlier, right? She gave me your location."

Okay. Maybe Chaeyoung should've thought about that. "Well, then why would you look for me in the first place—"

She was cut off, however, by the sudden unexpected gesture of Nayeon, abruptly closing the magazine in her hands and lifting her gaze up to meet Chaeyoung's across her seat. The second they shared looks, Nayeon rolls her eyes (again.)

"You don't actually think it was up to me to fly with you to Sydney, right? Because if you do, then I'm sorry to rain on your parade: it wasn't."

Now, it's Chaeyoung's turn to roll her eyes. "I still can't figure out how you manage to stay rude even as you try doing something nice for someone, but thank you very much," she says in return, tone sarcastic. Nayeon could only scoff.

"Forget it, Roseanne. This doesn't mean we're friends now, which I assumed, how you'd like to put it."

"Well, that's okay, Nayeon. You assumed wrong."

"Do you mind perhaps letting me speak in own my property?" Nayeon glares at her when she snaps, and Chaeyoung almost broke out in a fit of amused chuckles, "Don't you think you're being a little too full of yourself now? I hardly saw that attitude back at the Hamptons 6 months ago."

Leaning further off her seat, Chaeyoung narrowed her eyes at the older girl.

"Well, that's because 6 months ago, I've been trying to keep caution of the consequences Jisoo and I's relationship would have to deal with the very second I let my palm hit your face," The scowl that spreads across Nayeon's features was golden, Chaeyoung kind of wishes she'd taken a photo of it. "But now that I've got no one to lose to you, anymore, since you already have her to yourself — and we're basically 35,000 feet above solid ground where your name or influence is no use — I say, go ahead and bite me, Nayeon."

The pause was long after that, at least to Chaeyoung. Oh, how badly she'd always wanted to say that to Nayeon's face. It's honestly about damn time she did. She'd kept that to herself for too long now, afraid that one wrong step at dealing with the nightmare ex, she'd lose Jisoo for good.

(It may not seem like it 6 months ago, but Chaeyoung always recognized the boundaries when it comes to Jisoo's past, and respected it as well as she could, until her limit could only go so far.)

The sudden, unfamiliar sound of what seems like a chuckle effectively pulled Chaeyoung out of her thoughts, gaze snapping back up in order to meet with a sight of Nayeon, smugly smirking at her while her head shook left and right in amusement.

"Oh, what those long, painful months away from Jisoo did to you, I could only imagine. I mean, look at you, Roseanne. You've come a long way," It doesn't help that it came off as an insult, but Chaeyoung decided it's best to just let Nayeon have the time of her life bitching out on her for now. "Well, what can I say? I'm honored to be the first one to break the feisty in you, Miss Golden Girl."

Now Chaeyoung was sure that was an insult, "And who's being a little too full of herself now? You don't even know me."

Nayeon crosses her arms over her chest, a shrug leaving her shoulders nonchalanly as she leaned her back against her seat comfortably.

"Exactly. I don't. Which is why you should understand how necessary it was for me to be protective of my Jichu from you back then. I mean, do you really expect me to just warm up to you that easily upon learning there's both something and nothing going on with you and Jisoo at the same time, though she was obviously in love with you? Well, like you said, Roseanne, I don't even know you."

It left Chaeyoung completely silent in her spot. Thinking about it, Nayeon was right, and now cat got her tongue all over again. But she couldn't just let the raven-haired girl have the satisfaction of leaving her speechless, so Chaeyoung, with all the confidence left in her system, retorted just as fiercely.

"Well, this might be a shocker to you, but your concern and protectiveness towards Jisoo doesn't give you the right to say shit to me behind her back, where you knew she wouldn't be able to defend me from you."

Nayeon, however, just chuckles at her again, almost as if letting Chaeyoung know that everything she just said was nothing but absurdity in her ears.

"Aw. And now here you are, trying to justify your stupid decisions just to make yourself feel better." She rolls her eyes, but the smug smirk on her face never left, this time. "I might've said things to you back then, but that doesn't give you enough reason to cower from your own feelings and push Jisoo away by stooping as low as you did. That's just on you now, Roseanne. Don't put the blame on me."

And yet again, Nayeon is right. She could've not let her words and harsh judgement affect her and the bond she'd built with Jisoo at that time. It wasn't a reason enough that Nayeon screwed with her head, for her to try and run away from her growing feelings for Jisoo, and for her to hurt Jisoo terribly.

This time, Chaeyoung was officially left speechless. And that's just it. Nayeon won against her again, like she always does.

However, she was rather taken aback when the next words that spilled off the raven-haired girl's mouth reached her hearing in no time.

"But, yes. I might've been a total bitch to you back then—"

"Oh, were you?" Chaeyoung interrupts sarcastically, but Nayeon just glared at her, continuing nonetheless,

"—and, I might've possibly given a rather inaccurate impression on you, so..." she trailed off, chewing the inside of her cheek. Chaeyoung raised an eyebrow at her in anticipation. Nayeon, yet again, just rolled her eyes, mumbling a bit softer this time, "I agree that it must've been the wrongest of me to intrude and to be rude to you without even giving you a chance. So with that, I offer my sincerest apology."

That.

It took 6 god-awful months and a god-awful engagement (to the love of Chaeyoung's life) for Chaeyoung to hear that.

She could just easily shrug it off and let Nayeon be, but Chaeyoung couldn't deny it was such a huge honor to be receiving an actual apology from the Im Nayeon. And who the hell is Roseanne exactly to deny her credit for it?

"Apology accepted," and so, Chaeyoung returns, watching the way Nayeon just rolls her eyes at her again before going back to flipping through the fashion magazine on her lap.

Chaeyoung would be lying if she said it wasn't a huge weight lifted from her shoulders to finally make peace with Jisoo's fiancé, although not entirely all of them. It was still too heavy, just thinking about it— Nayeon, marrying Jisoo.

Her Jisoo.

But at this point, Chaeyoung was willing to take all that she can get, and a rest from this war between her and Nayeon is one good respresentation of it.

-

One thing is to cause a scene with Im Nayeon at the airport. Another is to be offered a generous invitation of flying to Sydney with her in her own private plane.

However, it's a whole other story, to be met by a luxurious black limousine and a personal chauffer waiting for them the very second they stepped out of the jet upon landing to Australia.

Who would've thought that Im Nayeon's way apologizing could be this expensive?

"Good evening, Ms. Im," The chauffer bows his head politely before turning to the still stunned blonde next to the older girl, "Ms. Park. This way, please."

Opening the door of the luxurious sedan, the chauffer held out is hand for either of the women's taking, but none of them moved a muscle or even attempted to do so. Chaeyoung was apparently waiting for Nayeon to step ahead of her, silently planning inside her head on how to decline without coming off offensive or choosy. But Nayeon only turned to her, an eyebrow automatically raised when she spoke.

"What now, Roseanne? Didn't I tell you to stop wasting my time?" She gestured towards the limo with a nod. "Go ahead. Charles here doesn't have all night."

Chaeyoung frowned. "Well, I'm sorry, I didn't think it's proper for me to just hop on a car which you obviously own. You go ahead."

However, Nayeon just stared at her weirdly, both eyebrows raising at her this time.

"Are you actually assuming I'd still be driving with you after a 22-hour flight? I've been stuck with your boring ass long enough. Another 30 minutes would be utter torture."

"Thank you, Nayeon. Really." Chaeyoung retorts in full sarcasm.

It only earned another eyeroll from the raven-haired.

"I don't pay Charles 2 thousand dollars an hour for nothing. Take the limo," She insisted rather rudely once again, which made Chaeyoung chuckle.

"I'd be worried about you if I did, though."

Nayeon smirks, amused. "How precious. Well, don't be. I've my special driver to pick me up, anyway." As if on cue, a gray Aston Martin convertible pulled up behind the limo, gaining both Chaeyoung and Nayeon's attentions, the raven-haired girl's lips tugging sweetly to her eyes. "And speaking of," she mumbles almost seductively to herself before walking away from the blonde in order to approach the freshly pulled-up automobile.

"You're late." Nayeon comments, a playful eyebrow raised as they both watched the person driving the car completely get off with a smirk.

Chaeyoung's jaw almost drops to the floor when she was met by the sight of a widely grinning Momo returning the same look Nayeon was currently throwing her way. "Really? I think I'm just right on time." Turning to the stunned blonde, the Japanese smiles coolly, as well.

"Beautiful Rosie, good to see you again."

Nayeon groans, eyes rolling intensely as she wrapped her arms around Momo's neck, while the latter encircles hers around Nayeon's tiny waist. "Don't mind her. She was just leaving with Charles," The older girl mutters before meeting a chuckling Momo's lips with a rather impatient kiss.

So many questions were swimming through Chaeyoung's head as she forcefully tore her gaze off the couple, (what the fuck is going in here?! Isn't she engaged to Jisoo?!)

But before Chaeyoung could even ask anything, Momo was already pressing her palm against the convertible's horn and effectively honking Chaeyoung back to reality. When the blonde lifts her gaze back up, Momo's car has already driven away with Nayeon in it.

-

The limo ride was torture.

But it's not because of anything else other than Chaeyoung's mind being swallowed wholly by endless thoughts of what had just happened right before her eyes.

Firstly, Nayeon flew with her to Sydney.

And then, here's Momo picking Nayeon up.

And then, again, here's Nayeon kissing Momo right on her mouth, when she's literally engaged to Jisoo.

What the fuck is going on?!

Are they broken up? Was the wedding cancelled? How come I didn't know about it? Was it something like Jennie and Kai's divorce which they literally just kept to themselves and told not a single soul about?

Maybe it was cancelled in secret, but why? So many questions, it almost drove Chaeyoung to complete insanity.

She thought of it until Nayeon's limo finally pulled up in front of the suite Jeongyeon had prepared for her beforehand. Thanking Charles for the kind service, Chaeyoung entered the building, still stunned and confused. She spoke to the receptionist before walking up towards the narrow hallway and patiently standing in front of the elevator doors as she waited for them to open— All of it while still thinking about the previous occurences and the endless streams of questions running through her head.

(She was so deep in thought, she hadn't even noticed a person walking up and stopping just beside her, also seemingly waiting for the elevator doors to open.)

Chaeyoung, rather too lost to even manage glancing up at the person next to her, shook her head when the elevator doors chimed, blinking herself back to reality. She watched the door open completely before stepping inside, the stranger once standing next to her suddenly speaking, asking softly,

"You live in this building, too?"

That voice was enough for Chaeyoung to finally snap out of her trance, turning around with eyes wide as saucers in order to meet gazes with the person — Jisoo — now staring back at her, signature amused, lopsided grin plastered firmly on her face at the blonde's reaction to her sudden remark.

"Jisoo," A frozen Chaeyoung finds herself mumbling breathlessly as she watched the brunette step inside the lift, as well. "What are you doing here—"

"Figuring it out," Jisoo replies, not even letting the blonde finish her sentence anymore, before wrapping an arm strongly around Chaeyoung's waist and smashing their lips together, the elevator doors closing up behind them right at the same, exact second.

Chaeyoung couldn't breathe. She couldn't even feel anything else other than the way Jisoo moves her lips against hers as she deepened the kiss, and the bolts of electrcity flowing all throughout her senses. Both of her eyes have involuntarily shut close the second Jisoo's arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her in, feeling the cold, metal surface of the lift pressing against her back. It didn't take her another second before wrapping her own arms around the brunette's neck, savoring the kiss, and miserably failing to supress a strangled moan.

The second they unwillingly pulled away, Chaeyoung's gaze was filled with a mix of surprise, confusion, and tears; lots of them. "Chu..."

"A thousand people," Jisoo proceeds immediately after pulling away from the kiss, gazing at Chaeyoung's tear-filled hazel eyes and smiling at her weakly, "There were that much, that night at Kai and Jennie's engagement party at the nightclub. A thousand faces, a thousand blinding pairs of eyes. Either any of those thousands of people could've sat on that stool next to me. But that stool, Chaeyoung," she lifted the blonde's chin in order to stare directly at her eyes, "That damn stool waited for you."

Chaeyoung's breath hitched at her throat. It's hard to focus on what Jisoo was saying, because Chaeyoung, Chaeyoung, Chaeyoung— it's how much of a big deal it is to her. Her eyes travelled unconsciously down Jisoo's lips as she watched her speak, while hers slightly parted by just the sight of it alone.

Jisoo, watching the way Chaeyoung's glossy eyes travel back and forth towards her lips and eyes, smiled, that look in her eyes never fading the slightest bit as she continued to breathe out,

"A thousand pairs of lips could've asked you if you liked dancing," She grazes Chaeyoung's lips with the pad of her thumb before once again, leaning close in order to brush hers against it in a featherly peck, Chaeyoung's eyes shut close although she barely felt it there, "But you waited for me. Because it's how it should be, Chaeyoung. It's supposed to be no one else but me."

There was no air left in Chaeyoung's lungs, anymore. Her hands, tightening its grip on Jisoo's forearms, while her lips parted at the way she was breathing heavily against Jisoo's mouth.

Jisoo gently leaned back, just enough in order to gaze directly into Chaeyoung's eyes once again, watching as the blonde tried her hardest to hold back her attemptingly falling tears.

"And I am the biggest fool in the world for not realizing that when I was forcefully pushing you away because you hurt me. I'm the biggest fool for giving up so easily on you, while you were doing everything just so you wouldn't lose me like you did your parents; like you did your life; like you did Ella;"

It was the last straw. Chaeyoung's tears started to fall from her eyes, head shaking as her hands made their way up Jisoo's cheeks, holding her closer and leaning against her forehead longingly.

"I'm sorry, Chaeng," Jisoo smiled weakly, her eyes shutting close as she let her own tears stream quickly down her face, "I broke the rule, and I'm sorry."

Chaeyoung could practically feel her heart break inside her chest, shattering into pieces, igniting little fires to every bit, it suffocated her terribly.

But she loved it. She loved the way her chest was aching; loved the way Jisoo's words hurt her.

She loved the way she's almost out of breath when she pulled Jisoo in for another kiss, swallowing the rest of the words the brunette attempted to mumble against her lips. She didn't have to hear any of it, anymore; Not the stupid I'm sorry's for breaking the stupid rule.

Because right now, Chaeyoung realizes that her rule — Rosie's rule — only ever existed in the first place to be broken by the both of them.

When she broke the kiss, Chaeyoung still held Jisoo by the back of her neck close against her, their foreheads touching. "Stop apologizing," she mumbles weakly, because Chaeyoung feels like she doesn't deserve it. If she wasn't apologizing to Jisoo, Jisoo shouldn't be apologizing to her. "It wasn't your fault, Chu."

"No," Jisoo returns just as softly, shaking her head, "It was. I left you, over and over. I kept on leaving you even though I didn't want to and it's stupid. And I'm sorry."

Tears didn't stop from falling heavily down Jisoo's cheeks, leaning further closer until she almost buries her face against the exposed skin of Chaeyoung's jaw.

"I'm sorry that I didn't stay like you wished for me to; That you had to beg for me to stay, yet I never listened. I don't even know if this apology is still valid after what I'd caused you, but I'm sorry, Chaeng; that I hurt you so terribly, even more than you did me."

Chaeyoung shuts her eyes even tighter when Jisoo buried her face completely against her neck, mumbling soft, desperate apologies in that desperate state of hers; open and vulnerable; honest and fragile; all walls broken down completely, letting Chaeyoung in.

"I'm not leaving, anymore." Jisoo shakes her head against Chaeyoung's neck, arms wrapping even tighter around the blonde's tiny waist, "Not until you give me the answer I want."

Chaeyoung was shattered, all the remaining strength in her system completely consumed by Jisoo alone; Jisoo crying helpless and desperately in her arms. "Jisoo," she mumbles breathlessly in the brunette's ear. "It is valid, okay?" She reassures as she held Jisoo closer, her own tears once again racing out of her burning eyes, "Don't you ever, ever, for once, think that it's not."

They stayed like that, unmoving in each other's arms. No one dared to pull away for the remaining seconds they stood inside the lift by themselves.

It wasn't until the elevator bells chimed when they finally decided to let each other go, gently breaking the soft embrace. There's no one standing and waiting out in the empty hallways, the entire place dead silent, they could only hear their heavy breaths echoing against four corners of their shared expanse.

Wiping the rest of the tears away from Jisoo's face, Chaeyoung lets her eyes drop on the older girl's swollen lips, mumbling softly, seeking for more,

"What answer do you want, Kim Jisoo?"

She asked that as if it's a challenge she's putting up against the brunette, watching closely if she could possibly break her. But Jisoo only held Chaeyoung's hips tightly, pressing her further against the metal surface of the opened lift,

"The truth," she whispers, leaning her face closer to Chaeyoung's, hearts almost beating right against the other, yet barely letting their noses touch, "Will you figure this out with me, Chaeyoung?"

Chaeyoung lets a breathy chuckle escape her lips, her heart fluttering inside her chest when she presses her lips against Jisoo's once again.

"Yes," she breathes out, a smile slowly painting on her lips while tears didn't stop wetting her rosy cheeks, "I will, until there's nothing left for us to figure out anymore." She strokes either of Jisoo's cheeks with her thumbs, finally letting her eyes flutter open, only to be met by the sight of the brunette already staring back at her. "Until it's just us, running around in deranged circles, living in our own, little deranged world with broken, deranged rules."

Jisoo breathes out a chuckle as well, biting her lip as she intertwines her fingers at the small of Chaeyoung's back. "And you won't get tired, yes?"

Chaeyoung smiles up at her, eyes still glossy from more unshed tears.

"Never, my love," she whispers against Jisoo's lips, as if what was about to come out of her mouth was a secret only the two of them could ever know, "I promise," She kissed her once more, letting the taste of their lips linger against each other's before smiling up at the brunette, "I love you, Chu."

But Jisoo just smiled at her back, wider, more playful, "Do you?" she asked rather teasingly, "What about your rule?"

It effectively earned a laugh from Chaeyoung, her hold at the back of Jisoo's neck tightening even more, pulling her impossibly closer.

"I've already broken it a long time ago, anyway." She presses her chin against the chuckling brunette's, smiling sweetly, "Perhaps, even before you did."

Jisoo's grin turned stupidly wider at the statement, pushing Chaeyoung up further against the cold surface of the elevator wall and sealing the conversation off with another desperate, longing kiss.

-

Sometimes, falling in love can be scary as hell, with all the anticipation and fear of getting hurt when something goes unexpectedly wrong. But a little fall is nothing love couldn't always fix, and the rollercoaster of emotions you get to express is just a wild, thrilling bonus that comes along with it.

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