#theonlyexception

We did not kiss. Although every time our eyes locked together, I would be the first one to break away. I would feel my hand brushing against her, and when I did, I felt the want to touch her. 

Some mornings, I would end up waking beside her. Her hair would pile up in my face and I would try to breathe in as much of her as I could. 

At that moment, I knew my desire to kiss her was growing. But I didn’t know what exactly I was supposed to do. Every time we would share our lingering stares, I would miss her warmth, I would miss her laugh, and more importantly, I would miss her presence.

It was a strange feeling, but I’ve tried to convince myself in these past weeks that what I had for Jisoo was a platonic feeling that would immediately end. That the spark between Jisoo and me was just a quirk we had.

So it remained like that, lingering stares and all. But sometimes, people run out of the energy it takes to deny it.

And so I walked into Jennie’s room. 

Jennie was at her desk, doing the homework I vowed to help her with. I walked up to her, sitting beside the mattress just beside the desk. 

"I think you’re right, Jennie," I said, taking a breath. "I think I like– no, I think I… I love her."

I didn’t realize I was crying until Jennie held my palms with hers and engulfed me in a hug. 

"I know, let it all out, Rosie," She whispers into my ear. "I know you’re afraid, but give yourself a chance to be happy."

Maybe that was what I’d been longing to hear. And so, I put on my best courage to show and tell.

That night, when I was out of my shell, I slipped out of Jennie’s room only to knock at Jisoo’s room. 

She was in her headphones, which I guessed she was listening to some headbanger music like BLACKPINK, TWICE, and all those kpop groups she would talk to me about. 

Then I walked up to her, tapping to get her attention, which she returned to by taking off her headphones. She was giving me the look, the gentle look that she always gives whenever she finds me wanting to tell her something.

She was patient, she was gentle, she was everything despite her flaws. And at that time, I knew I couldn’t let the grip of reality make me let go of what was in front of me. 

"I think that I love you, Jisoo."

And then I leaned closer. I did it so slowly that she could have stopped me a million times before it broke free. But she didn’t.

Instead, she took a bold look at me and gently gripped my palm.

Instinctively, I kissed her. I circled my hand on her nape the way I wanted to.

I could feel her hands on my waist, making small circles, which I assumed were to ease me. And I kept going more and more, taking her lips into mine until I broke it off. 

I could see her panting, and so was I. 

"You’re gorgeous," She said. "Even more gorgeous than I imagined."

I blushed and put my hands in my hands, embarrassed by how bold I was. 

She took my hands off my face and looked at me.

"I don’t know what I’m doing, Soo," I said. "But I do know that l… I think I love you. You are the only exception."