#swoonies

Nope, this is a boring Macy’s and you’re surrounded by a tasteful choice of Boring Beige. It’s why it’s so surprising, seeing Jisoo listlessly go through rack after rack. She looks out of place, sticking out like a Christmas light in her silvery tinsel jacket as she thumbs through various sweatsuits. It’s been so long since you’ve seen her in the flesh, you wondered if she moved out of town all this time. 

“Really, where?” a hand on your shoulder reminds you that you’re not alone, and you crane your head slightly to look at your bug-eyed boyfriend. 

“Jungkook—” you step back to survey the damage, his arms filled to the brim. Three pairs of Fila sweats, an Ultraboost box perched on his arm, and a heather grey Patagonia sweatshirt, “you do not need more workout gear. You have all of these things at home!” 

“Baby, you never have too many sweats. Just in case I need to prepare for the Zombie apocalypse—” 

“Let’s go say hi to her,” you’re running from thought-to-thought, darting between Jungkook’s distracting shopping habits and the fact that Jisoo is currently leaving the athletic department and further away from the two of you. 

After Jungkook took the liberty of Insta-blocking Jisoo in Boracay, you promptly unblocked her when you returned home. You figured that after that silly comment, you’d be able to follow each other mutually, like old friends. After that, it’s mostly been static, and while Jisoo comes to your mind from time to time, you never felt an inclination to reach out to her until now—when she’s within arm’s reach. 

“Do you really think that’s the best idea?” you and Jungkook are hunched (actually, you’re just hunched. Jungkook doesn’t bother to bend, he’s already gone through leg day this week) by the rack closest to the register, so he dumps his purchases on the counter. 

“It’s been a year,” you huff, “maybe she’s here for the holiday with her mom or something. I don’t think she’d willingly go to Macy’s on her own.” 

“Exactly, she’s already gonna be in a bad mood. She’s in a Macy’s.” 

The two of you wait for the cashier to pack Jungkook’s bags, and he even has the audacity to ask for a gift receipt and some present boxes. “You always talk about self-care, babe,” Jungkook sing-songs, and you have a feeling that the both of you are going to be wrapping up sweatpants under the tree tonight. 

It isn’t until an hour later do you run into Jisoo again. This time it’s in the food court—well, the food court’s bathroom. 

“I need to pee,” you’re blocking her from entering the stalls, afraid you’d lose her again. Jisoo says the phrase again, wholly annoyed at your insistence. She talks as if no time has passed, attitude and all. 

“How have you been?” you give a tentative smile, lowering your arms slightly. 

“Alright,” Jisoo leans back on her clicking heels, looking down at the ground, “bladder’s a little bloated.” 

“Me too,” you reply. Actually, more than alright. “I mean uh, not the bladder part. Did you have lunch yet?” 

“I don’t wanna have lunch with you.” Ouch, but expected. 

“Oh, well that’s okay,” It worries you considerably, knowing it’s been a year and Jisoo still insists to be cold with you. “It’s just so nice to see you.” 

“Can’t say the same,” you deflate, and the palm of your hand slides against the doorhenge, falling against your thighs. Jisoo looks more like a mini-mother chastising you for your naïveté than an old college friend you spent years with rooming together, “what’s the point? I hurt you, and yet you still want to talk like we’re still best friends? It’s pathetic—” 

“Don’t talk to her like that.” 

Jungkook is right behind Jisoo, your bags in hand. It’s then you see Jisoo’s face crumple, the silhouette of her pretty tweed jacket looking not-so sophisticated as she looks up at his flaring eyes. 

You wonder briefly if this is what Jungkook and Jisoo looked like when they fought. When they were together, their fights were concealed, in favor of pushing out a perfect narrative of a happy relationship. Jungkook’s expression of that’s enough, the steely gaze penetrating through Jisoo’s equally cold exterior. 

And for the briefest of moments, you know Jisoo now feels out of place when she sees the two of you together. She’s engulfed in Jungkook’s presence, and you see traces of love, dull sparks in Jisoo’s gaze. 

Finally, you move over, giving Jisoo an out. “Happy holidays,” you say, giving one more tight smile. 

It isn’t until you’re out of the hallway and back into the food court that Jungkook comforts you. 

“She’s just confused,” Jungkook wraps his arms around you, and you’re swaddled in that signature soft hoodie material that your boyfriend wears on the daily, “it would be so much easier if you just hated her.” 

“But I don’t hate her,” you mumble, “at least, not anymore.” 

“And that’s what I love about you,” Jungkook thumbs the apple of your cheek, smiling warmly, “let’s order to-go and go home.” 

“Mmkay,” you thread your fingers together, walking to your favorite food stall, “by the way, where did you go?”