Chapter Text
“I say we hunt this bitch down.”
Jennie stopped writing and looked up at her friend with a tired look. “We don’t have to do anything.”
“She just can’t keep her mouth shut!” Nayeon pulled the chair from the desk in front of Jennie’s and sat down. She quickly scanned the classroom, double checking that anyone that didn’t leave for lunch was not close enough to hear them talk. “People keep talking about you because of what she’s spreading around.”
“Well, let them,” Jennie said simply, turning the page of her workbook.
“How could I? You’re my friend, I can’t let blatant lies circulate without doing anything to stop them.”
Jennie pressed her lips together, avoiding Nayeon’s gaze. They weren’t entirely lies, after all. But if she said anything at all, whether she denied or confirmed the rumours, she’d end up losing. Either herself or everyone else.
“I never said or done anything wrong. It’s not my fault she interpreted it like that.”
“I know, Jennie,” Nayeon said softly. “I’m always on your side.”
“And that’s all that matters to me.”
Dating again was not going very well, to put it nicely.
It had been over a month since Jennie began to try, and she was not having a good time.
After the three dates Chaeyoung had helped her set up, Jennie had let Yeri take over. Her cousin had felt offended that she had not been the first choice as Jennie’s wingwoman, but the betrayal had soon been forgotten when Yeri started to hunt for dates.
All of which were unsuccessful.
“I don’t even know where she found these people!” Jennie slumped in her usual reserved seat as Lisa listened without interrupting. With a few fries left on her plate, Jennie wiped her hands aggressively with some tissue as she continued to vent.
Jennie had finally made time to meet Lisa that afternoon after she had not been able to see her in person for a couple of weeks. It didn’t stop their regular contact as they frequently exchanged phone calls and texts, but the lack of face-to-face interactions was starting to weigh heavily on Jennie. Usually, Lisa was always updated on her failed dates, and it turned out that she offered excellent moral support after a shit day.
And Jennie just had a shit day, so she needed Lisa more than anyone.
After her boss kindly added her to a meeting with a client she had never met before, Jennie was forced to leave work an hour later than she was supposed to. She imagined that being considered an important designer to consult was flattering, if it wasn’t for the fact that she was pretty much invisible in that meeting, making her presence rather pointless.
People loved to waste her time.
“I said that I want a serious relationship, but the man from last week was already talking about marriage and telling me how good I’d look while pregnant! Who says that on the first date?”
She had no idea about what criteria Yeri used to set her up with these recent dates, but there had not been a single person that Jennie liked enough to see again.
“This other guy tried to kiss me when I was leaving, can you believe he thought there was going to be a second date? After I intentionally left halfway through, what exactly was he thinking?”
Lisa’s jaw visibly clenched. “Jennie, remember that all these people are strangers at the end of the day. They should never overstep your boundaries. Be careful, yeah?”
“Thanks for your concern, but I always text you right after meeting them, don’t I?”
Jennie was thankful that Lisa always checked up on her during these god-awful nights. No matter how disappointed she felt at the end of her dates, a message from Lisa would always bring her mood back up. Even when she didn’t have to, Lisa consistently reassured her that a failed date was not the end of the world.
“Hmm. One time you didn’t, though.”
Jennie’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but as soon as she figured out what occasion Lisa was referring to, she unwillingly started to blush.
Park Sooyoung, of course. Lisa had not heard about Jennie’s only pleasant date. Instead, she received a short message the following day stating that the date didn’t end well like usual. It had not been a lie, but Jennie gave nothing away.
“That was different.”
Other than the fact that Jennie had actually enjoyed her time with Sooyoung (and kissed her), it had also been the only date Jennie had with a girl. Well, Yeri had set her up with an older woman too, but she ended up cancelling and never rescheduling, so Jennie didn’t bother.
“How so?”
“We kissed, and almost slept together.”
“Oh.” Jennie’s blunt response may have caused Lisa to lose her train of thought. She didn’t mean for the answer to come out like that, but she smiled after seeing Lisa trying to keep her cool. “Well. Why wasn’t there a second date?”
“She wasn’t in it for the long run.”
“She?” Lisa’s eyes grew wide in surprise. “Like, a woman?”
Jennie raised an eyebrow at the shock in her voice. “Yes? Is that a problem?”
“No, no! Absolutely not a problem.” Lisa was extremely quick to clarify. She rubbed the back of her neck and laughed nervously. “I just didn’t know, that is all.”
“Right.” Jennie found Lisa’s reaction very weird, but she didn’t question it. She never actually mentioned that her dates included both men and women, after all. That might have been why Lisa sounded so astounded. “Well, now you know.”
“Yeah.” Lisa started to tap her fingers on the table, looking straight down at her hands. After a moment of silence, she looked back up to meet Jennie’s expectant gaze.
“Did you… have you been in a relationship before? With a girl, I mean.” Lisa’s question came out so tentatively that Jennie struggled to recognise her usual voice.
“Uh, I don’t think it counted as a relationship, but I have been with one before, yes.”
Again, it was weird for Lisa to ask, but Jennie did not have anything to hide. Well, she didn’t include her hook-up with Chaeyoung. It would have felt weird to bring it up.
Lisa suddenly stared at her like she wanted to know everything. “Yeah? Was she like Taeyang?”
Jennie let out a genuine laugh. “No, not at all. It didn’t even last that long, whatever it was we had.”
It had not been a relationship, but it was a special stage of Jennie’s life. Back when Jennie would not even dare to hold hands with a girl, a certain goddess-like person barged through her walls and made her feel like she was on top of the world.
And then left her to the free fall.
“Old high school sweetheart?”
“Just a girl I met in Paris, nothing special.”
Jennie must have done a good job in making it seem like a boring topic since Lisa dropped the subject shortly after. It wasn’t like Jennie didn’t want to answer her questions, but she knew that as soon as the name Minatozaki Sana slipped past her lips, she would be in trouble. Her name would surely ring a bell since the last time Jennie checked, Sana was on the cover of Vogue.
It was a conversation for another day.
Lisa became a little less talkative afterwards. Maybe she had enough of hearing about Jennie’s dating life, which would not be surprising since it was pretty much the centre of all their recent conversations. In Jennie’s defence, Lisa never tried to change the topic. Jennie thought it meant that she didn’t mind, but she also didn’t want to drag it any longer if Lisa was fed up with it.
Jennie’s worries were interrupted when Lisa started to pack up her things and head to the back of the shop to change out of her uniform. When she glanced at the wall clock, Jennie noticed that there were at least six hours left until closing time.
“Is your shift over already?”
“Yeah,” Lisa called out. “Ryujin is working the evening shift today.”
Jennie nodded in response, glad that Lisa couldn’t see her disappointed expression. She didn’t really look forward to going home that early, but she’d take an empty house over the pink-haired bitchy manager any day. With some luck, she’ll be able to catch the bus and not cross paths with the girl. “Don’t you have to wait until she arrives?”
“Yeah, she said she’s almost here.”
Well, shit. Jennie's plan to escape without leaving a trace was crushed.
“Do you have any dates for tonight?” Lisa questioned suddenly.
“None,” Jennie sighed contently. “I’m just so tired of people.”
“Well, that’s because you keep trying to be around people you don’t know.”
“That’s how I’m gonna find the love of my life though,” Jennie rebutted with sarcasm.
Lisa chuckled as she exited the staff area in her casual clothing. She halted in front of the counter and leaned back against it, shoving both hands in her jacket pockets. “Right, and I will never stop you from getting to them. But, how about we have some fun tonight? Just the two of us.”
Jennie’s eyebrows shot up in question.
“Don’t look at me like that, you know what I mean. Instead of stressing about impressing dates, you can just hang out with me and, well, relax,” Lisa explained with an amused eye roll at Jennie’s teasing grin. “Besides, I’m kinda tired of having to fight random strangers for time in your schedule.”
“What can I say? I’m a woman in high demand.”
“I’m very aware. So? Will you grant me the honour of spending time with you?”
“You’re still not tired of having me around?”
“Oh no, I always welcome regular customers.”
Jennie snorted. “As if you had any.”
“Oh, I’m sure I do. They’re just not as memorable.”
“And I am?”
“Being a pain in the ass is a form of being memorable, yes.”
Lisa didn’t even try to hide her playful laugh as Jennie stood up to slap her shoulder repeatedly.
----
“Is this your idea of fun?”
Given that it was a weekday, Jennie expected the cinema to be semi-empty. That was the primary reason she accepted Lisa’s offer to watch a movie on the big screen, foolishly believing that it would give her some peace and quiet.
Of course, almost every seat was occupied for the screening they chose.
“Who is this massive dude in front of us?” Jennie whisper-yelled as soon as they sat down on their assigned seats. It was just her luck to have a much taller guy sitting right in front of her. “Doesn’t he know that short—I mean, average height people—have to suffer enough?”
Lisa wordlessly held a handful of popcorn in front of Jennie’s face as the lights dimmed and the… adverts and trailers started playing. Typical.
Jennie chewed on her popcorn with a grumpy frown. She crossed her legs and glanced at Lisa, who seemed to be enjoying her extra-sweet drink. When Lisa felt eyes on her, she turned and smiled innocently. “Do you want to switch seats?”
Sighing, Jennie simply shook her head. She wasn’t really interested in the animation movie Lisa had chosen, even when the girl had asked her three times whether she had other preferences. Truthfully, Jennie just didn’t care. She only wanted to make Lisa happy since her eyes visibly lit up at the movie poster outside the cinema.
It made sense from Jennie’s perspective. Making her friends happy brought her happiness in return.
The film was a bit slow, and Jennie did not pay attention for more than a few minutes. As she melted in the surprisingly comfy cinema seat, all the hours of work she had that day started to catch up with her. Getting on a crowded train early in the morning, working her ass off at the studio while at the same time supervising her intern, attending that stupid meeting she had no input in—and the thought of having to probably repeat it all over again the following day. A girl deserved a break sometimes.
Jennie really tried to keep herself awake for Lisa’s sake, but as soon as the hazy flashbacks with nostalgic music started to play, Jennie’s eyelids started to feel really heavy. She closed her eyes for just a few seconds… or at least, it felt like a few seconds. Her upper body must have been slowly slumping forward since Lisa moved her arm across the back of her seat and gently guided her to lean backwards. The problem was that the seat was lacking a headrest, so in her half-conscious state, Jennie was left with no choice but to drop her head on Lisa’s shoulder.
Jennie had already been dozing off, but Lisa’s comfortable shoulder was enough to make her fall asleep in no time.
----
“What was your favourite part of the movie?”
Alright, maybe the nap had lasted a little longer than Jennie had planned. It was not her fault that she ended up in such a cosy position.
Lisa appeared to be thoroughly enjoying making fun of her for missing the whole movie.
“I loved when The End came up on the screen,” Jennie retorted, not missing Lisa’s snicker.
They had spent a little less than two hours at the cinema, meaning that the sun was already starting to set by the time they had exited the place. Jennie was not entirely sure what the next plans were given that Lisa was in charge of their outing.
“Are you hungry?” Lisa questioned as she strolled happily alongside her, clearly in a very good mood. Jennie suppressed a small smile at the sight. She really liked how carefree Lisa actually was outside that depressing fast-food shop.
“I don’t know, what are you offering?” Jennie pulled out her phone from her bag and started looking up good restaurants near their current location. She had never actually been to that area of Seoul to dine out, but Lisa seemed rather confident in leading them around. “Apparently there’s a nice place nearby. How do you feel about BBQ?”
Jennie continued scrolling through her search results, not satisfied with most of the food places. She supposed that she owed Lisa a fancy dinner since she had been kind enough to let her sleep on her shoulder for more than an hour. Even worse, Lisa’s arm had been trapped behind her when she fell asleep, and Jennie was pretty sure the girl didn’t move it in fear of waking her up. Being so considerate probably left Lisa with a numb arm. Jennie had to make it up to her in one way or the other.
“Put that thing away, I already chose where we’re going.”
“Alright, got it.” Hearing the confidence in Lisa’s voice, Jennie finally pocketed her phone and followed her lead. “Are you sure this is the right direction?”
Jennie trusted Lisa, but the isolated street they were walking through did give her some doubts. There were residential buildings running along both sides of the one-way road, visibly in poor conditions. Although some lit rooms provided faint lighting through the windows, the street lacked decent streetlamps to illuminate the way. The growing darkness was not helping Jennie’s paranoia as she flinched at every suspicious noise reaching her ears.
Lisa was clearly more comfortable as she continued walking like she was crossing a flower field.
A sudden rustling of leaves made Jennie jump forward and grab Lisa’s jacket sleeve tightly. Her arm was visibly shaking as she took a hesitant look behind her, but she sighed in relief when she noticed a black cat squeezing past a few bushes to enter someone’s front garden.
“Are you that scared of cats?” she heard Lisa murmur softly.
Jennie looked down at the hand that was tightly gripping Lisa’s wrist. She pulled away with a blush. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“I’m not scared of cats,” Jennie clarified. She still felt the need to look behind her as the strange noises kept emerging from thin air. “This place is just… unsettling.”
The tremor in her voice must have stopped Lisa from making a teasing comment. Jennie would have loved to joke about it, but the thought of walking through unfamiliar places in the dark was making her tense.
And maybe when Lisa wordlessly held her hand and spoke about her love for cats as a way to distract her, Jennie began to forget about everything else to focus on Lisa’s warm hold and gentle voice instead.
----
The restaurant Lisa picked did not exactly look like a restaurant. It was a half ground level, half underground place with a paper sign outside being the only indication of it selling food. Jennie wouldn’t have even spotted it if she had not been following Lisa along.
Although she felt the urge to criticise the dodgy-looking food place, Jennie had decided to have faith in Lisa’s choices. After all, she had never been disappointed by the girl. Some grey curtains covered the entrance, but Lisa casually made her way through. Jennie would have stopped outside and hesitated if it wasn’t for Lisa tugging her hand and leading her inside.
The interior was surprisingly… neat?
There were five round tables in total, excluding the random desk with audio cassettes and a dusty, old vinyl player on top. Jennie couldn’t see a front counter or any employees to greet them as they walked in. She did notice a door at the end of the place, most likely leading to the actual kitchen.
The tiled floor had some cracks, and the walls were discoloured, but the wonderful smell filling the air was enough to make those details seem insignificant.
A cheerful voice suddenly called out Lisa’s name, and as Jennie curiously glanced towards the back door once again, she was taken aback by the familiar face of the man that poked his head out of the kitchen and waved enthusiastically.
Isn’t that…?
Lisa replied to the man and Jennie didn’t understand a single word. It didn’t take much to figure out that they were both from Thailand, and consequently, Jennie probably found herself in a Thai restaurant.
“You remember him?” Lisa nudged her shoulder lightly with a knowing smile.
Jennie simply nodded in confirmation. Her memory was not that bad. “He’s the guy in the picture.”
Lisa hummed. “Also known as BamBam around here.”
Jennie didn’t know what to say as Lisa guided them towards an empty table. Seeing her reaction, Lisa crossed her arms and leaned a little closer.
“What? Does this place not compete with your date nights?”
Jennie raised an eyebrow. “Were you planning to compete?”
“Not at all,” Lisa shrugged. “Just wondering if your night is going as terribly as your recent dates. The intention was to give you a break, after all.”
Lisa did not really have to try hard to make her forget about her miserable dating life, but Jennie still found it very sweet that she had made time on her evening off to take her out and distract her for a while. It was working quite well, if she was being honest.
“My usual dates are dull, Lisa.” Jennie smiled. “You’re not exactly dull.”
It was true. Jennie had never felt like spending time with Lisa was boring, or worse, a chore. Sometimes, she felt like she had to drag herself to attend dates until the very end even when they were a complete waste of her time. Lisa never made her feel like that.
“Right, fast food and shitty apartments are your ideal form of entertainment?”
“Seems like it.”
Lisa appeared to accept her answer as she quietly nodded to herself.
Jennie didn’t anticipate for a second that Lisa’s friend would stroll out of the kitchen with at least three buttons of his shirt undone. He held up a tray with two steaming bowls in one hand and two chilled beers on the other. For reasons Jennie didn’t dare to question, the guy was wearing sunglasses indoors rather confidently.
“Here you go my dear friend,” he commented as he placed one of the bowls and a beer in front of Lisa.
Jennie calmly waited as he did the same with her. But then, as if it was the most natural position for him, he rested his hand on the top of the table and leaned onto it, the now empty tray held under his other arm. He tilted his head downwards just slightly, enough for his eyes to peek above the dark sunglasses and meet Jennie’s confused gaze.
“And here’s a delicious meal for you, my dear friend’s beautiful guest. Although, I am available as a main course if you ever need a change from the menu.”
Before Jennie even got to reply, Lisa swatted his arm off the table, making the guy lose his balance just for a second. “Thanks, BamBam. You can leave now.”
The guy, BamBam, rubbed his hands on his short black apron while he directed a seemingly look of disgust towards Lisa. “Fine, fine, I’ll leave you alone.”
As he walked back to the kitchen, neither girl missed his mumbled words.
“Always keeping the pretty girls to yourself, Manoban.”
Jennie looked down to hide her smile of amusement. Normally, she would have been irritated at a guy blatantly flirting with her out of the blue, but she was too preoccupied with Lisa’s annoyed frown that looked a bit too adorable to be taken seriously.
“Sorry about that,” she sighed. “He’s a great guy, honestly. Just very annoying at times.”
“It’s fine, I get it. It’s not the first time it happens.”
“No, no, it’s not fine.” Lisa pushed her hair back in slight frustration. “He doesn’t do that kind of stuff, I promise. It’s just… me. He does it to tease me—or well, piss me off—just to get a reaction out of it. So, I’m sorry if he made you uncomfortable or anything, I’ll speak to him—”
“Lisa,” Jennie called softly. She reached out to hold the other girl’s hand and bring it back on the table. It was obvious that Lisa was getting worked up as her breathing started to become uneven. “It’s cool, I understand. I’m not bothered.”
“Okay.” Lisa nodded carefully. “It’s just… the people you’ve been meeting haven’t always been nice to you, so… I don’t want you to think it’s fine when it’s not. People shouldn’t do that.”
“I know, believe me.” Jennie reassured her. “But I also trust you as a judge of character. If he’s one of your closest friends, I don’t think he’ll turn out to be a dick.”
Touched by Jennie's words, Lisa managed a tiny upturn of her lips.
“Well, if you find me to be such a reliable judge of character, why did Ryujin and Jisoo turn into your proclaimed enemies?
The immediate frown that appeared on Jennie’s face turned Lisa's smile into an amused laugh.
“My problems with those two are… personal.”
It was something that Jennie would never admit out loud, but Jisoo was not a bad person. The only reason Jennie held a grudge against the girl was her undying loyalty to Chaeyoung, but outside of her best friend’s love life, Jisoo was a decent human being. As for Ryujin… she had avoided her like the plague after they met, so it would not have been fair to make a conclusion like that.
So, all in all, Lisa’s judgement of character definitely meant something.
As the rest of the evening played out, Jennie was surprised to see a few other customers walk into the place. She had not expected the hidden restaurant to be so popular, but after seeing Lisa’s interactions with each person that walked in, Jennie started to realise why.
The food itself was delightful. Jennie could not pronounce the name of the dish, nor tell what exactly it consisted of, but it left her stomach satisfied. And while she may not understand the unusual setting of the restaurant, she definitely appreciated the comfy atmosphere.
Even Lisa’s friend not-so-quietly humming along to the faint music was pleasant. The cassette player that Jennie noticed earlier seemed to be still functioning well. Although she was initially expecting Thai music, BamBam’s cassette collection consisted mostly of English songs from the 80s. Jennie wasn’t too familiar with all the artists she heard, but she could recognise enough to appreciate the guy’s taste in music.
However, what was really making the place gradually come to life were the people around her. Lisa appeared to know each person that made their way into the Thai restaurant. She greeted them with a smile, sometimes a wave and a few pleasantries. BamBam also seemed to be familiar with pretty much everyone with the exception of Jennie herself. It didn’t take long to realise that the place held a greater sentimental value to Lisa than Jennie imagined. The guests mostly spoke Thai, making Jennie clueless about any conversations taking place around her, but Lisa always made sure to make her feel included in one way or another.
“I’m sorry if this is bothering you. I usually come here on weekends. I didn’t know there would be so many people tonight,” Lisa mumbled quietly once she finished greeting yet another acquaintance.
Considering the limited number of tables, it seemed like the new guests found no issue in joining already occupied tables and being welcomed with familiarity.
Jennie smiled warmly. “I don’t mind, really. It’s nice to see.”
“See what?”
“Just… you being around people that make you happy,” Jennie shrugged. “I don't think that I’ve seen you like this before.”
Jennie could not help but notice the subtle changes in Lisa’s demeanour. Her eyes seemed brighter, her smile came naturally and more often, her voice sounded so cheerful. Lisa was definitely glowing, and the mere sight of her like that made Jennie’s heart feel warmer.
“I don’t come here that often, believe it or not. But I kind of feel at home when I do.” Lisa took a quick glance around the (now quite busy) restaurant, before returning her content gaze to Jennie. “It’s different, you know? When I get to my empty apartment every night, the day is over straight away. I don’t really have anyone asking about my day and stuff. So, it makes me happy to have people that care about how I’m doing here. Might be a bit trivial, but it gives me a sense of belonging.”
Do you feel happy around me? Jennie suddenly wanted to ask. What Lisa longed for could be given so easily, and Jennie would not mind in the slightest filling the emptiness Lisa felt. Living alone must have been hard for someone whose loving family was located in an entirely different country.
Jennie stopped having a complete family years ago. But she had Chaeyoung, Yeri, and a couple other people that looked out for her. And for a few years, she also had Taeyang. In some way, she never felt truly alone even when her parents were erased from her life. For Lisa though, it must have been a different story.
So, it wasn’t a surprise that Lisa was so fond of a place that was filled with people that comforted her.
"Your parents in Thailand also keep in touch with you regularly, right?" Jennie questioned, remembering how fondly Lisa spoke about her mother in previous conversations.
Suddenly, Lisa’s eyes lost all their spark. Jennie almost retracted her question in fear of having hit a sensitive spot, but Lisa recovered shortly after.
“They do. But it’s different. They… uhm, don’t really know what’s going on with my life.”
“What do you mean?”
Lisa put her spoon down on the table and wiped her mouth with a tissue, looking back at Jennie nervously.
“I was awarded a scholarship to study here. It was too big of an opportunity to ignore, so my parents supported me. But when I finished high school, I had to beg my parents to let me stay in Korea and study Photography instead of moving back to Thailand. I told them I had a plan and everything. Even when they had their doubts, they trusted me,” she explained. “And all I could repay them with was… failure.”
“Lisa…”
“I never got my chance to shine, but my parents think I did. They believe I’m working for some mainstream news company. Every time they call, I put up this happy act so that they don’t get worried. I just didn’t want them to realise I’m a total disappointment.”
It was the first time Jennie heard Lisa be truly upset with her situation. Usually, she’d have a resigned tone, as if she had already accepted everything, but now there was a clear sense of frustration in her words.
“I don’t know your parents, but from the way you spoke about them in the past, I’m certain they’d never treat you like a failure.” Jennie pushed her hand forward on the table, touching Lisa’s fingers. “You’re truly a wonderful person. And you’re most definitely not a disappointment. ”
The honesty in Lisa’s voice was heart-warming when she said, “You don’t make me feel like one.”
And as Lisa continued to speak, Jennie found herself wondering if there was anything she could do to reignite Lisa’s confidence in herself that she seemed to have lost throughout the years. She felt like she had not done much of a good job lately since her dating life had taken over. And yet, no matter how much baggage Jennie unloaded in their conversations, Lisa simply listened and made her feel like… she wasn’t a disappointment either.
----
They didn’t immediately leave when they finished dinner. Lisa piled the bowls and tidied up their table, doing it with such smoothness that fully showcased her experience from her day job. She didn’t even consider Jennie’s offer to help. It seemed like it was some sort of routine from whenever Lisa visited the place. Jennie waited seated as she watched Lisa stand up with all of their dishes balanced on her arms and excuse herself, making her way to the back of the restaurant and entering the kitchen. The “BamBam’s kitchen – NO ENTRY >:(“ sign probably did not apply to her.
Jennie felt a bit awkward being left alone in a place where she clearly did not belong. Not for malicious reasons, but simply because the people around her were very aware she was not part of this little community they had. Even though her gaze was fixed either on her table or the wall beside her, she could feel multiple pairs of eyes staring at her from time to time, most likely curious about who she was. Jennie thought she could ignore them until Lisa returned, but to her great surprise, a girl with neat bangs and a bright smile took a seat right across from her, resting her hands on top of the table with her fingers interlocked.
“Hello,” she greeted cheerfully in Korean. Jennie tried to appear relaxed, but her shoulders tensed slightly at the presence of a stranger.
“Hey,” she responded, her tone making it almost sound like a question.
Jennie had seen her enter the place with another girl with bright blonde hair. The two had quietly smiled and waved at Lisa at the time, but Jennie merely glanced at them for a brief moment. She had not put much thought into the looks of wonder that both girls sported upon seeing her, but clearly, they meant more than what she initially assumed. Jennie could not turn her head to confirm, but she was pretty sure that the other girl was also observing her from afar.
“Who exactly are you?”
“I beg your pardon?” Jennie raised an eyebrow at the question. Was it normal around here to be so openly inquisitive?
The girl smiled sweetly and brought her hands up, resting her chin on them. “You’re not Thai. You’re a Korean girl.”
“That’s correct.”
“And you’re not Jisoo.”
“I am most certainly not,” Jennie almost scoffed at the insinuation.
“Then, who are you?”
Jennie crossed her arms defensively. “I’m not obliged to answer that, am I?”
“Obliged…?” the girl tilted her head in confusion. “I’m just asking a question.”
“And who is asking, exactly?”
“Lisa’s very good friend!”
Right. Jennie was not entirely confident in answering. She figured that the girl knew Lisa in one way or the other, but Jennie could not tell what exactly she wanted from her. How was she supposed to introduce herself?
“I’m also her friend,” she shrugged at last. She was hoping that the girl would leave her alone after that, but her plans seemed to differ.
“From where? Work? You look a bit too high-class for that.”
Jennie parted her lips. Was that a compliment or an insult?
A weird feeling in her stomach made her hesitate in formulating a response. Jennie felt anxious at the prospect of being interrogated by one of Lisa’s close friends when she wasn’t even sure about what Lisa considered her as. Her guess was that the strange girl was also looking for that same answer.
“Actually, I did meet her while she worked,” she started earnestly. There wasn’t much to hide other than her boyfriend breaking up with her and her initial bitchy attitude. “Well, I don’t work with her. I just walked in and… we met like that. Then we just became friends, I guess.”
It didn’t feel very right to summarise their little journey in such simple words, but then again, Jennie didn’t know a thing about who she was giving that information to. The girl just nodded along to her words, seemingly accepting her answer.
“I see! Nice, nice. So, you guys started going out recently then?”
“Wait, what?”
In the little time Jennie had to process the (very wrong) assumption that had been made, Lisa stepped out of the kitchen. Once she registered that Jennie had company, she rushed back to their table to intervene. Jennie also noticed how Lisa’s face started to turn slightly pale, and her own face must have been a contrast due to how warm her cheeks felt.
“Minnie!” she called out almost too hurriedly. Jennie assumed that Lisa already had an idea of what her friend had been up to. She walked up behind the girl, Minnie, and placed a hand on her shoulder. “What are you doing?”
Jennie met Lisa’s worried eyes and gave her a quick smile. Lisa also briefly glanced past Jennie, presumably at the other girl that had been sitting behind her and watching them.
Minnie had turned her head and looked up at the taller girl standing beside her, narrowing her eyes just a little. “What am I doing? Lalisa, come on, don’t be silly.”
Lisa let out a small sigh of annoyance. “Didn’t you come with Sorn?”
“Yes, I did. She’s right over there.” Minnie pointed at the table that she had been occupying during the evening, ignoring Lisa’s eye roll at the missed signal. “But I was just, you know, getting to know—”
Jennie sat with her back straight as Minnie returned to look at her curiously. “I never got your name, did I?”
Instinctively, Jennie looked back at Lisa with uncertainty in her eyes. Considering that Lisa didn’t appear to be particularly concerned about Minnie, Jennie didn’t think there was any harm in being cooperative. She mentioned it before—she trusted Lisa’s judgement of character.
“It’s Jennie.”
The girl smiled brightly, and Jennie couldn’t pretend to be annoyed anymore.
It didn’t take long for Lisa to drag Minnie away from their table after that. Although Jennie did find her a little weird at first, she still waved at Minnie with a kind smile as Lisa escorted the girl back to her own table. Jennie heard hints of a hushed conversation. But of course, Lisa returned before Jennie could even think about eavesdropping.
Lisa was weirdly tense. And red. Not angry red, she was just blushing deeply after whatever teasing happened with her two friends. Jennie would have laughed if the blushing didn’t remind her of the small comment Minnie had made before Lisa intervened.
Did she and Lisa look like they were together? It wasn’t just Minnie. BamBam implied the same thing after his failed attempt at flirting. That, or Lisa regularly brought dates with her. It wasn’t exactly a nice thought, but it was a possibility. And yet, given that Lisa seemed to hold that place very close to her heart, Jennie doubted that was the case.
But then, why would Lisa bring her?
----
Jennie refused to let Lisa take the train, or the bus or—her worst suggestion—walk home.
“It’s not safe at night, trust me.”
It was just out of the question. Public transport was generally reliable during the day, but Jennie knew better as a woman than to make use of it during the night. In times like these, Jennie really wished she could have passed her driving test.
Lisa was hesitant in accepting a taxi ride, even after Jennie assured her that she had it covered. When the driver pulled up in front of the restaurant, Jennie almost pushed Lisa inside the vehicle before she closed the door shut and gave the middle-aged driver Lisa’s address followed by her own.
It was nice to take care of Lisa for once, especially after the girl had spent her whole evening taking care of her.
Lisa was weirdly quiet, looking out of the window aimlessly with her elbow up. Jennie wasn’t sure if talking would have been welcomed, but she also didn’t want to ignore Lisa throughout the ride.
“Do you have anything planned for next week?” Jennie asked quietly after some deliberation.
Lisa didn’t move, but she hummed as if she was trying to remember her work schedule.
“I have Friday off. And Saturday afternoon.”
Jennie nodded in acknowledgment. Her own schedule was the same each week, and her weekend was free with the exception of some work she had to take home.
“Why?” Lisa then added, finally facing her with interest. “Did you have something in mind?”
“Hmm,” Jennie crossed her legs and leaned back on her seat. “I need to start looking for an apartment.”
“Urgently?”
Jennie laughed. “No, not really, but I kinda have to move out. Chaeyoung’s spare room has been great, but I need more space for work.”
The tiny coffee table in their living room was definitely not ideal for Jennie’s large design prints, and while Chaeyoung offered her own unused desk, it couldn’t be moved to any other room in the house due to its size. And, well, Jennie was not going to bother her best friend at two in the morning for the desk in her bedroom.
Lisa eventually agreed to help her look around for an apartment, but something started to feel off about her. It wasn’t necessarily concerning, but Jennie couldn’t place her finger on what had changed.
The taxi had made its first stop at Lisa’s address, as per Jennie’s directions. The car parked right in front of the fast-food place, which had already closed for the night. Jennie asked the driver to wait for a couple of minutes as Lisa undid her seatbelt and stepped out. She wanted to end the night on a good note, and maybe Lisa did not feel comfortable talking with a stranger in the vehicle. Jennie hoped that was the only reason.
Lisa stood outside with her hands shoved inside her jacket pockets. Jennie approached her slowly, taking note of how the girl stared down at the ground. Gently, she wrapped her fingers around Lisa’s elbow and tugged slightly, bringing her attention back.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” Lisa sighed tiredly. “I guess this is where we part ways.”
Jennie nodded. She could tell that something was still on Lisa’s mind. Something that she clearly didn’t want to share out loud.
“Okay,” Jennie let her arm fall to her side. “Get home safely. And...”
Being considerate of the taxi driver still waiting, Jennie tried to maintain the thoughts in her head as brief as possible. It was surprisingly hard not to blurt out everything she wanted to say.
“Thank you for today,” she started off.
It was too simple. Jennie could not fit all the other things that she wanted to tell Lisa in one sentence. Thank you for spending time with me. Thank you for letting me sleep next to you at the expense of your shoulder aching. Thank you for trusting me with the place that means the world to you.
“Yeah, no problem.”
Jennie definitely didn’t like leaving it there. She contemplated going straight home and letting sleep take care of dissolving the awkwardness, but then she remembered that she could sort it out herself. Jennie knew how to communicate with her friends without having to say anything, so why would Lisa be an exception?
A small smile formed on Jennie’s lips. She spread her arms with an expectant gaze. “Can I give you a hug, if that's okay?”
When Lisa looked her in the eyes, Jennie could see the slight surprise. It was understandable – they never really hugged before, although it didn’t feel like a big deal to Jennie. Hugging a friend shouldn’t have felt like a big deal.
“Oh.”
The hesitation slowly started to fade as Lisa pulled her hands out of her pockets and took a step closer. Jennie didn’t really wait. As soon as Lisa was within reach, she leaned forward and wrapped both arms around the taller girl. She felt Lisa freeze, but her arms naturally came around her waist shortly after.
“I haven’t felt so at peace with myself in a long while. Thank you, Lisa." She paused, then added, "I’m so glad to have met you.”
The admission came out rather easily, whispered in private just for Lisa and her to know.
And when Lisa held onto her a little tighter, sighing and calling her name with uncertainty, Jennie really wished she could have read Lisa’s mind.
Lisa never finished her sentence, covering it up with a mere “it’s nothing” and pulling away.
Jennie couldn’t stop her when she turned around to leave, not when she felt like she had run out of time to do anything about it. Her taxi was still waiting when she returned, silently driving out of Lisa’s area to take her home.
Immersed in the quiet drive, with dark surroundings and streetlights making her eyes feel heavy, Jennie finally had time to reflect on what was causing the soft, comforting warmth in her chest. Lisa had looked out for her the entire evening. She took her to the cinema and let her rest, held her hand on the way to the restaurant to make her feel safe, and entertained her throughout the whole night.
Lisa said it herself – she wasn’t trying to compete with her dates. But if that was the case, why couldn’t Jennie stop thinking that Lisa had won against everyone else?
----