Here's To Everything that You've Gone Through ? Jensoo

Chapter Two: The Red String

"Are you- Never mind, it's a stupid question to ask if you're alright, when you're literally crying in front of an abandoned house."

The woman crouched and reached Jisoo's level, and even took a seat beside Jisoo. Her manners were far from phlegmatic, as she was kind enough to sit beside her, although she was a tad bit awkward and couldn't say a word towards Jisoo to try and calm her down.

While Jisoo tried to stop her sobs, the woman finally spoke a word.

"Jennie."

"Hmm?"

The woman handed her a handkerchief and a bottle of water from her pocket, as she made herself comfortable and leaned on the crumbling wall as well.

"My name's Jennie... sorry I didn't call you by any honorifics, since we both look the same age. What's yours?"

Jisoo paused a little, before her hands accepted Jennie's act of generosity. "I'm Jisoo."

Jisoo just stared into her trembling hands, carrying the handkerchief and the bottled water, as if she was staring into the abyss.

"Don't worry. I didn't drug any of those."

"I'm sorry?"

"Oh, I thought you'd be worried of getting drugged. This alley is known to be pretty dangerous and I've heard my friends getting drugged here. But anyways, I didn't drug those."

Jisoo blinked in disbelief.

"No, I'm serious. That water bottle is still sealed and you can smell my lavender scented softener in that handkerchief. Happy?"

Even if those were drugged, I think it would be fine for me now to be unconscious. Jisoo's intrusive thoughts were uncontrollable.

"Thanks," said Jisoo before wiping her tears and snot, then gulping the whole bottle of water in one go.

At once, Jisoo's throat was blessed with hydration, enough for her to regain consciousness.

"What are you doing all alone in this alley?"

"I'm just a little... sad."

"Crying for four hours didn't seem little," mumbled Jennie. "Well, I passed this street after having my lunch and saw you crying, and when I wanted to pass this street again to get my dinner, you're still here crying. Do you want to talk about it?"

There was something so raw and genuine in her tone that made Jisoo wish that woman was not a stranger.

"I mean, it's okay if you don't want to talk about it, but-"

"No, I... I failed an internship interview today, all because somehow my wallet, phone, and USB was stolen right before the interview. Not only it was embarrassing to not be able to prove who I am without my ID, this was the only shot I got to intern in that company so I could get extra money for my college and my family. I also can't bear telling my parents because every time I think about it I can only imagine how disappointed they would be even if they still continued to love me in spite of. Even worse, I don't think my mom can loan out another amount of money to buy me a new phone, but without a phone, I'd be damned."

"You had such a horrible day."

Then there was this long pause. The air in Jisoo's lungs no longer felt tight and suffocating. Perhaps, spilling everything out to someone she could trust-although a stranger-really did help her release the burden she carried all along.

"It's alright to cry. Besides, all this trouble wasn't even your fault. You deserve to cry over something you didn't deserve."

"Sorry for trauma dumping." If being completely truthful, there was this part in Jisoo that always made her feel terrible for telling people how painful it was for her to survive day by day because she knew someone else probably had it worse than her.