Chapter IV

Courtesy of Lisa's elbows, Jennie and Rosé found themselves at the front of the frenzied crowd, where Jisoo already waited for them. In the middle, two lanky guys were rising clouds of dust with their stomping moves. Heavy beats flew from the wireless loudspeakers, making the air around Jennie's fingertips vibrate and thrum.

Looks of disbelief always accompanied Jennie's confessions about dancing being her passion. As soon as she began dancing, however, they turned into stares of amazement. She rarely felt competitive about it, treating dancing more like a refuge from complicated thoughts and emotions, but she also wasn't one to turn down a challenge. So when the two guys chose her and Lisa as the next competitors, neither of them hesitated. They entered the circle and began their performance.

Each their move was powerful and bold, executed with knife-like precision. The rhythm took control over their bodies, leading them into perfect synchronization. In the flurry of spins and steps, Jennie caught Lisa's wicked smirk and felt all the excitement within her pool somewhere in the pit of her belly.

Standing back to back with arms crossed at their heaving chests, they struck their final pose. People cheered and clapped, but the noise came muffled in Jennie's ears. Glancing over her shoulder, she got lost in Lisa's wild gaze. Dark eyes reflected hunger that was still a mystery to Jennie. Just like a page in a book she was yet to read.

However, that expression was abruptly replaced by panic when the crowd began chanting Seulgi's name in unison, well aware that only she could top that performance.

Lisa's face hardened with dread and she remained impassive to Jennie's calls. Someone pushed Seulgi to the front and their eyes met. It was just a brief second, but the blonde froze as if struck with basilisk glance.

Just then a familiar black snapback cut through the air, landing on Jisoo's head in sync with the beat drop the moment she jumped into the middle of the circle. Aiming her arm like a shotgun at Seulgi, she pretended to shoot. Bang. Bang. Bang. The crowd went wild watching her aggressive krumping.

“Come on.” Jennie rested a hand on Lisa's shoulder and gently pulled her out of the crowd.

Once they'd found each other further from the dance battle, or rather battleground, Lisa blinked away her unfocused gaze.

“Hey,” she nudged Jennie's shoulder, “we've crushed those guys, haven't we?” She cracked a smile, but it was somewhat dull at its edges.

“Yeah, totally.” Jennie nodded, wondering whether her smile was just as unconvincing.

They sat down on a log near the campfire. Lisa stretched out her legs, peering into the orange flames. An image reminiscent of her post-break up days when she would stare through the window all silent and morose. The only difference was that her eyes weren't bloodshot.

Rubbing her neck, Jennie looked up to the sky. Sometimes she just didn't get Lisa. If she wasn't completely over Seulgi, why she had been so eager to attend the camp? She knew Seulgi would be here. It was just a matter of time before they would bump into each other.

She sighed. The silence became too heavy to bear, prickling her skin, but she didn't know what to say to break it. Curse her lack of eloquence. She had to restore to non-verbal methods.

Laying down on the log, she rested her head on Lisa's lap. The blonde arched her eyebrows in surprise.

“I'm tired,” Jennie murmured, closing her eyes.

Seconds later she felt slender fingers twine her hair.

“It's been a long day.” Lisa's voice carried a hint of a smile.

Jennie hummed in agreement as she drifted to her dreamland guided by Lisa's gentle touch. Unfortunately, her journey came to a grinding halt when she heard giggles and whispers coming from the opposite side of the campfire.

Peeved by the noise, Jennie cracked one eye open. The offenders turned out to be a trio of freshmen girls. And judging by their not-so-subtle looks, they were talking about her and Lisa. Oddly, it reminded Jennie of the reactions that Jisoo and Rosé had received during the dinner. Somewhat startled by the realization, Jennie sat up and stretched her arms.

Lisa blinked at her, taken aback.

“Uncomfortable,” Jennie stated, massaging her shoulder.

“Sorry, are you Kim Jennie by chance?” A husky voice inquired.

Looking up, Jennie saw one of the freshmen girls standing next to them. She was slightly shorter than Lisa, wearing a floral dress that perfectly accentuated her slender figure.

“Yeah,” Jennie replied with a cocked eyebrow.

“Thought so.” The girl smirked lightly and sat down beside Jennie, mindful of her dress. “Park Sooyoung, first year majoring in vocal,” she declared, extending her palm.

Jennie cast a hesitant glance over her shoulder, surprised to find Lisa sitting further away from her. But the blonde just winked cheekily in reply to her questioning look. The gesture caused something akin to irritation bubble inside Jennie.

When she looked back at the younger girl, she was still holding up her hand. Jennie shook it wordlessly, and their palms separated with a lingering touch on Sooyoung's part.

“I've heard a lot about you,” the girl admitted, tilting her head to one side as she bit down on her lush lips.

“Is that so?” Jennie drawled and watched as Sooyoung crossed her legs, causing the dress to ride up and expose her milky thighs.

“One of those things e to be true already, you are a great dancer.”

The images of Lisa's heaving chest and hungry eyes flooded Jennie's mind, sending shivers down her spine. Repulsed by how eagerly her body reacted to those flashbacks, she averted her gaze to the side, closing her eyes for a brief moment. However, Sooyoung lifted her chin gently and their eyes met again.

Somehow, Jennie found solace in those dark eyes that became a temporary vessel for her misguided desires and wants.

“I would love to find out whether the rest is also true,” the younger girl whispered, her hot breath grazing Jennie's lips.

Never the submissive type, Jennie chuckled softly at her own desperation. It had been a while since her last hook-up, so maybe that's why? Or maybe, she just really needed someone who would take her mind of off Lisa. Whatever it was, she was glad Sooyoung decided to approach her.

“I'm staying at the hostel,” the girl declared, standing up gracefully, “room twenty-seven.”

Jennie emitted a hum of acknowledgment. Sooyoung smiled over her shoulder, and taking even strides, went back to her snickering friends.

“She's pretty,” Lisa remarked as she sidled up to Jennie.

Shrugging, Jennie muttered dryly, “I guess...”

Sooyoung had pretty, round eyes, but not as bright as Lisa's, nice smile, but not as honest as... Shaking her head in amused disbelief, Jennie discarded that ridiculous train of thought. 

“Soo, are you going to accept the invitation?” Lisa asked, glancing sideways at her.

“What about you?”

“Uhmm,” Lisa scrunched her brows in amusement, “I'm pretty sure she invited just you, or am I not aware of something?”

“I mean, you won't mind?” Jennie rectified. “You hate sleeping alone.”

“I'll be fine,” Lisa said, lowering her gaze.

The blatant lie made Jennie chuckle to herself.

“Anyway, you better don't fall asleep when you...” Lisa arched her eyebrows, poking the inside of her cheek with her tongue in what was the derpiest expression ever.

“Shut up.” Jennie nudged her, biting back a grin.

Cackling evilly, Lisa swayed to the side. But soon her expression grew wistful and something akin to sadness flashed in her eyes.

Jennie assumed it was just an illusion created by the flickering shadows.

* * *

Jennie walked through a dimly lit corridor, tips of her hair still wet from the quick shower she took in the hostel's bathroom just minutes ago. The hostel itself seemed to be deserted as an uncanny silence prevailed over its wooden paneled walls, giving Jennie slight goosebumps. She felt almost like a character in a horror movie who was about to walk right into the psychopath's trap. She should cut down on those Friday night horror marathons. Then again, Lisa probably won't let her; she always looks forward to them.

Running her hand over her tired face, she groaned inwardly. What she really needed was to stop thinking about Lisa. She hoped the room twenty-seven would grant her that sweet oblivion that she so desperately needed. To get Lisa out of her system. To tear her out from under her skin.

Upon reaching the room, she lifted her fist to knock, but stopped mid-air. Thoughts of psychopaths returned. Of drunk and rowdy freshmen boys and girls. Of Lisa alone in their tiny tent. And of them sleeping on a small bed in a loose embrace, after watching yet another crazy B-class horror movie that brought more laughs than spooks.

The fist landed with a soft bump on her forehead, nails digging painfully into her palm as she screwed her eyes shut. She couldn't leave Lisa like that, for some random one-night stand whose name she's gonna forget tomorrow.

With a sigh, she opened her eyes, hand dropping by her side, and she turned to leave. But then the door creaked open behind her.

“Jennie?” Sooyoung's unsure voice called her.

Since fleeing now would look incredibly stupid and immature, Jennie decided to face the girl. And just by looking at her pretty face, round cheeks and plump lips, she knew she would never forget her name, but the fact didn't change a thing. Even if they decided to spend this night together, tomorrow, they would become strangers again.

That's what Jennie wanted to tell her, explain to her that it wasn't worth it, really. But the younger girl made a step forward and took her hand, leading her into the room.

The curtains in the room were drawn, and the only source of light came from a small lamp on a nightstand. Sooyoung took over the initiative with a gentle yet persistent kiss. Unresponsive at first, Jennie soon gave in to the surging heat in her belly, meshing their lips in a sloppy, eager kiss. But when images of Lisa began flashing under her eyelids, she pushed back the girl.

Sooyoung looked at her through hooded eyes, breathless and confused, as Jennie kept her at an arm's length.

“I shouldn't be here,” Jennie murmured, shaking her head.

“Why?” Sooyoung moved forward, pushing against her hands, but Jennie wouldn't budge.

“Someone else is on my mind,” she confessed in a small voice.

“I don't mind,” the younger girl assured.

Jennie smiled weakly, meeting her gaze.

“I do.”

* * *

“Jennie? What are you doing here?”

Sneaking into the tent, Jennie winced when she heard the words. She hoped Lisa would be sleeping by now, but no such luck. Tucked in her sleeping bag, the blonde stared puzzled at her while clutching a huge pillow in her arms.

However, Jennie ignored her look as she lay down and embraced her, burying her face into the pillow. “You hate sleeping alone,” she mumbled.

“I said I would be fine.”

“You lied.”

Silence fell between them. Lisa didn't deny her words and Jennie didn't ask any questions.

They lay like that for a couple of minutes, quiet and still, before Jennie crawled into her own sleeping bag. She then reached for her backpack and took out an eye-mask from one of its pockets. But before she put it on, she glanced at Lisa. The girl had an unreadable look on her face partially covered by the pillow. It somehow irritated Jennie that she couldn't guess what her best friend had on her mind.

“Goodnight,” she said sighing and pulled the mask over her eyes.

“Goodnight,” came Lisa's soft reply.

Unfortunately, the party outside was still going on, and the mutter of conversations and music didn't die down, making it impossible for Jennie to fall asleep. Huffing, she covered her ears with her pillow. Seconds later she felt warm fingers pry open her palm and slid something soft into it.

Jennie lifted her eye-mask. Turned out, Lisa gave her a pair of orange earplugs.

“Sweet dreams,” the blonde mumbled against her pillow and turned around.

Dumbfounded, Jennie stared at Lisa's back, feeling her heart swell in her chest. A sensation both painful and pleasant. And for the first time since her conversation with Rosé, she thought that maybe, just maybe, her friend was right. Maybe she should just take the risk and see what happens.

She squeezed her palm and smiled.

Or maybe, she just needed a good night's sleep...

A/N: Thank you for all the upvotes and comments! :D