-

There Is Everything To Talk About

-

Writer's Note:

Deep breaths....

-

"Wow," Jisoo breathes out a chuckle. "I didn't expect to run into you almost instantly after just flying back to New York. This is... something." Shaking her head, she eyed Chaeyoung up and down, a smile still painted on her face.

A real, actual smile. (Chaeyoung didn't exactly know how to feel about that.)

(And she didn't exactly know the response to the brunette's statement, either.)

Despite the loud beating of her heart inside her chest, the blonde opened her mouth to retort, anyway. Please, say something! Anything! Fuck! But her throat turned way drier that she even expected it to be, making it a lot more difficult for her to speak.

What the fuck are you doing? You literally have everything to say to her!

Say you're sorry.

Say you miss her.

Say you fucking love her.

JUST TALK!

However, she was forcefully taken out of her thoughts when all of a sudden, she saw a camera flash pointed towards the direction of the sidewalk where they both currently stood. It was loud enough for both Chaeyoung and Jisoo to notice at the same time, effectively pulling them out of their rather uncomfortable staring match.

A scoff escaped Jisoo's lips, head shaking in disbelief. "Of course," She mumbles, turning back around to face two men in an all-black suit standing just behind her.

Chaeyoung wouldn't have even noticed them if Jisoo didn't call for their attention.

She watched closely as Jisoo told them something, her gesture supposing she's giving them instructions. But everything she said was rather inaudible, so Chaeyoung couldn't exactly hear the words that escaped the older girl's mouth. It seemed urgent, though, she continues to observe, as the way Jisoo's bodyguard nodded firmly and spoke into his earpiece gave Chaeyoung a hint that things were just about to get properly handled.

When Jisoo turned to face her again, Chaeyoung's eyes snapped back towards her instantly, meeting her gaze. "Well, obviously, we can't do this here, so..." The brunette chuckles lightly, head gesturing towards the limo that just pulled up next to them out of nowhere. "This way," Jisoo spoke softly, still with that same grin on her face.

How on earth does she do that?

How can she just smile at Chaeyoung like that? Like nothing had happened between the two of them at all?

(Like their last conversation half a year ago didn't cause either of their worlds to fall apart right in front of them.)

(Or maybe it was all just Chaeyoung.)

The blonde was too stunned, she didn't even have the chance to register the way Jisoo's hand fell at the small of her back, anymore, pushing her lightly to lead her towards the direction of the limo where another suited man stood tall, holding the door open for the both of them.

Chaeyoung would've blushed at the gesture on any other ocassion, but she knew this isn't the right time.

(She still did, anyway.)

They got inside the limo, one of Jisoo's bodyguards shutting the door for them the second they've settled themselves in. Chaeyoung's eyes chased after the man's figure when he took slow steps away from the vehicle and towards where the creepy, old man holding a camera – a paparazzo – and Jisoo's two other bodyguards were.

It was the first time (and perhaps, the last one, too, assuming by the way Jisoo's guards held the creepy stranger firm by the arm – he's just about to get his life properly ruined,) Chaeyoung had actually encountered a paparazzo try and invade her privacy.

Emphasis on the word try. Thank god, Jisoo was there.

"It's crazy, no?" Jisoo's voice suddenly pulled Chaeyoung out of her trance. She finally tore her gaze from the direction of the men and turned to face a still smiling Jisoo next to her. "One day, you see me running around the park, chasing Dalgom like a kid without anyone paying much attention." She shook her head, chuckling lightly. Chaeyoung felt her chest ache at the memory, but she managed to force a smile, nonetheless. "Now, I can barely walk the streets without these guys following me around, everywhere I go."

She was referring to her guards, who – when Chaeyoung turned to face once again, Chaeyoung saw – were still holding the paparazzo firm in place as one of them made a call through the little microphone in his left ear.

All the trouble she'd caused. Chaeyoung knew she never should've kissed Jisoo in public, back then.

Now, Jisoo had to deal with all of this because of her.

And who knows how many of those creepy paparazzi have tried to bother Jisoo within those six months she spent away?

Chaeyoung chuckles forcedly, shaking her head as she continued to watch the men just outside Jisoo's expensive limo. "I suppose I owe these guys a big one, then."

But Jisoo only laughed at her statement.

"Oh, no worries. It's all business and family, you've nothing to do with it." She says, making Chaeyoung turn to face her once again. Jisoo was smiling, so sickeningly sweet, just as much as her tone was when she added whilst staring straight into Chaeyoung's eyes, "My world doesn't revolve around you, Rosie."

It was a big slap on Chaeyoung's face.

Suddenly her throat was dry again, her heart excruciatingly slowly sinking into her stomach.

"Right." She said, looking down and refusing to hold the unbelievably light gaze Jisoo was holding towards her. How does she do that, pretending as if 6 months ago didn't happen at all? Like she's already forgotten about it? (Because Chaeyoung hasn't, and could never in a million years do so.)

Maybe it did hurt a little (a lot) seeing Jisoo look like she doesn't care about it (about her), anymore.

Clearing her throat, Chaeyoung took a deep breath before attempting to mumble carefully once again, "Chu—"

"How have you been these past few months?" Jisoo cuts her off, however, causing the blonde to instantly recoil.

(It was a nice attempt.)

And so Chaeyoung decided to just swallow the lump in her throat, responding as casually as she can, "Pretty well, I guess." She instantly knew it was a mistake saying that, as it sounded a little too harsh considering the way things were abandoned between the two of them when Jisoo had left her. Pull your shit together! "I-I mean, no. Just—"

"Good for you." Jisoo prevents her from even trying, anymore, smiling wider, and Chaeyoung couldn't exactly comprehend what it means, (or if it actually meant something to begin with.) "Now, knowing Miss Roseanne Park, you're not usually one to go for a stroll around the busy streets of Manhattan on a Sunday afternoon. What's new?"

This isn't working. Or maybe Chaeyoung is the only one to not function as well as Jisoo is.

It's funny how she's handling this surprisingly well. Funny and scary.

How can she manage to try and make all of this work? She and her, the history together, the ugly atmosphere. Chaeyoung could just explode right in her seat because her heart is beating so erratically inside her chest.

But Jisoo...

Jisoo just turned to her opposite side as she spoke, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and partially filling two expensive-looking lowball glasses. Chaeyoung watched closely as the older girl turned back around, facing her, and handing one glass out for the frozen blonde to take.

(Surprisingly well.)

"Oh, I- uhm... Thank you." Chaeyoung cleared her throat once again, biting her lip out of utter nervousness. She took a small sip of the alcohol, almost wincing at the bitter aftertaste. Still, she forces it down her throat, the liquid burning her chest as she gulped heavily.

(Or maybe it was the fact that she's sitting in a very close proximity right next to Jisoo inside her limo, trying a little extra harder to keep their conversation professional despite the desire in her chest to just jump straight into Jisoo's arms, pepper her all over with kisses, and apologize to her endlessly as she tells her how much she's longed to see her and be with her again.)

(Or maybe it was really just the whiskey.)

Swallowing hard, Chaeyoung cleared her throat once again before letting an actual response.

"I was actually with Ella." She watched the way Jisoo's head tilt slightly to the side, a gesture of both curiousity and interest at the blonde's statement. Chaeyoung's heart instantly raced, and she had to break eye contact and look down before she loses control. "I've been sparing tons of my time to spend with her lately, flying to Australia here and there, at least once a month. Her parents were okay with it, thank god. They've been the nicest people." She chuckles out her nervousness, looking back up to meet Jisoo's gaze once again, (though, she didn't know for sure if she was just imagining the way something else reflected in Jisoo's eyes when she said that.) "Anyway, I bought her tickets to spend the weekend here in New York with me and we went out for a movie today before she left. You... actually, just missed her."

Will I ever get to meet her? Maybe one day?

When it gets better?

Chaeyoung thought she might be able to keep her broken promise, after all. You will, baby. One day.

When it gets better.

Nodding in understanding, Jisoo mumbled softly. "That's too bad." Chaeyoung just forced a smile back when the brunette sent her a light grin. "I'm happy for you, though. The both of you."

How could you still be, after all I've done to you?

It hurts, the way Jisoo could still say such things to her, only because Chaeyoung knew that wasn't really what Jisoo needed from her, seeing her again after such a long time. She knew Jisoo was just putting this ridiculous show up in order to avoid the conversation they're supposed to actually be having, and Chaeyoung also knew she needs to do something about it.

She owes it to Jisoo.

And so, Chaeyoung sighed, gathering all the courage she needed before finally speaking up, "Jisoo, I-I think we need to talk—"

"We are talking."

Her voice was too strong, Chaeyoung almost recoiled. Almost. She would've, if it was Chaeyoung back at the Hamptons taking over to help her function right at that moment– the coward Chaeyoung.

But she refused it this time. She tried her best to do so, even if the ugly thoughts running inside her head wouldn't dial down even just a tad bit. She chose to face her fears, for once — for Jisoo.

"I mean, about us, Chu."

Her voice was too soft, sounding way too scared and hesitant. It was almost impossible to hear, but the brunette seems to catch every word just fine.

Jisoo smiled.

"No." It was a quick and instant response, her raspy voice certain, as if she knows exactly what was coming out of her mouth. (It was all a stab on Chaeyoung's chest.) "There's nothing to talk about, Rosie."

Is she kidding?

There is everything to talk about.

But Chaeyoung didn't say that out loud, anymore.

She tried. She took the risk. She swallowed the dread snaking around her heart, clenching until it was far too difficult for her to breathe. But it turns out, she's still a lot scared to speak up and tell Jisoo all that she wanted to say.

All that she needed to say.

She thought she was ready. Maybe she was. But Chaeyoung felt like she suddenly turned into a coward once again, all of a sudden. And maybe, it's the new Jisoo's doing, this time.

This Jisoo scared Chaeyoung more.

Even more than she'd always been.

-