The three left after they’ve helped me unpack, and I’m here left at this seemingly empty place, not in materials but warmth, I used to live alone before at my previous apartment but it doesn’t feel like this, it feels home there, even though I lived alone I never felt lonely compare to this place. ‘She must have been lonely living here, no wonder she's distant' I thought as I walk my way to the kitchen.

Surprisingly the pantry is filled with foods, chips, and drinks that could last a month. She must like sodas since she stuffed her whole fridge with it, I sighed, I really need to teach that woman to drink some water. I closed the fridge to examine the living room. It’s huge with walls painted with white with a mixture of black, there's a sofa and coffee table that is facing the tv. It simple and dull, its too plain and lacks life contrary to a living room. I opened the tv rack to look for something to watch only to find collection of movies and DVD full of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Star wars and some others that has the same genre that is quite familiar. She must be a movie geek or something, I sat at the couch and turned the Netflix on, ‘ill just watch mean girls.’

I was half way through movie when I heard her door open revealing a bit surprised Jisoo, she must have forgotten she has company. Her face then turned back to her neutral face when realization hit her. I just looked at her and chuckle when I read the print of her hoody.

“Geez what a geek” I said shaking my head while smiling. “All men must die really?”

Jisoo looked at her shirt that says ‘valar morghulis'. And then to me.

“Says the one who recognized the phrase instantly”

“Whatever,” I said rolling my eyes as I returned my eyes to the screen.

Minutes later came Jisoo holding a soda and chips from the kitchen and flopped herself to the couch beside me. Were like inches apart, only a small space separates us from touching, I don’t know but her presence made my heart feel mysterious emotions, as if my soul jumped out of my body. I never felt something like this when someone sits beside me, there is something about her that makes me nervous and tense up, maybe because this is the first time we actually have a small gap between us or maybe I just didn’t expect her to sit beside me.

“what are you doing?” I asked her

“ watching?” she answered bit it's more like a statement than a question

“ Yeah but why are you sitting here beside me, go sit there at the other couch” I said, normally I don’t get worked up when someone sits beside me but her presence alone drowning me and Im gasping for air, like I couldn’t breathe.

“Why would I? Its my spot and my house, you don’t get to say where I sit” she said not interested.

“Well its technically my house too since I live here now” I rebutted “Would it kill you if you move the other side?”

“it would” she said nonchalantly. “Since its your house now too, it means you’re technically my wife, could you be a good wife and a good home owner to serve me some soda since my last one is already empty”

“Excuse me I’m not your wife yet and if that’s how you treat your wife in the future then I want a divorce as early as now”

“ Im pretty sure ill sign the papers” she said as she munched her chips.

“Good” I said as I crossed my arms. And just like that I forgot to get her out of the couch. My heart calmed from its rapid beating earlier.

“A good homeowner would-“

“Not gonna happen” I said cutting her off.

“Whatever” she said as she stands and walk her way to the fridge.

I smiled to myself, my heart felt light at our previous little conversation. I like this side of Jisoo, its much more different from the Jisoo that I met at the restaurant.

After couple minutes she came back with two sodas in her hand and a chips at the other.

“I don’t drink sodas” I said

“I didn’t ask” she said “ these are mine” my face turned red out of embarrassment, why did I even think she’ll brought one for me, ugh damn it Im so stupid, quick I need to save myself come on Jennie think.

“Uhmm I- I was just sharing information about me so you know, we get to know each other more now that we are engaged and living in with each other.” I give that to my big brain for having a good excuse.

She didn’t respond to that her eyes fixed to the movie.

“ Since I told you something about me, you should tell me something about you too”

“ I didn’t force you to tell me that info, so I’m not obligated to share something about me”

“ that’s not fair” I whined “ come on would it hurt for you to open up?”

“nothings fair in this world woman” eyes still fixed in the screen “ you should know that by now” she then looked at me with face that show no expression and eyes that looks empty. This brought shivers down to my spine, how can her face and eyes show no emotions or whatsoever but still screaming for something other than void.

I didn’t respond to this and she just continued watching, but I couldn’t focus on the movie, my mind is somewhere off. But one thing is clear, I want to know her, the real her, not the person she want other people to see her, I know that whatever persona she’s showing is just a mask, and a much deeper person is behind that mask. And Im determine to pull that mask off piece by piece.

I was deep in my thoughts and the movie is nearing its end.

“So what’s your tragic backstory?” I asked playfully to make our conversation light “ you know every villains have a sad story that’s why they are evil”

She looked at me and then at the screen” you know its not necessary for a villain to have a tragic story to be evil, some are just purely evil and having sad stories or bad childhood doesn’t justify their actions.”

“so which one are you” I asked “ the former or the latter?”

“ neither” she answered “ I'm simply existing between the two”

“I don’t get it”

“Somethings are better not knowing” she simply said. I just stared at her not knowing what she really meant by those. All I know is the more she talks about these kind of things the more I feel drawn to her.

And to be honest I never expected us to have conversations like this, she looks bored while answering but still her words carry weight and she answers and that’s what matters, she could have ignored me just like she did on our first meeting but she didn’t, she may only look at me twice the whole time we were talking but still its an improvement for my side. I ask and she answers timidly, she never asked me questions as I do, I guess she isn’t as curious as I am or maybe she just really don’t care. But the more I ask the more questions build up into my mind, like a mystery after a mystery. The more she talks the less I know.

I am now in the kitchen while she is sitting in the dining table, I offered to cook for dinner which I thought she would disagree with since I just move in her and I don’t know my ways in her kitchen, and truth be told I was just being nice, I can't cook but I do have one best dish that I can cook that I take pride in, and that dish is kimchi fried rice, and I'm now serving it in the table.

“ lets eat” I smiled broadly. She just nod and started to dig in. I waited for her to taste it first before I eat. I looked at her expectantly.

“what?” she said unknowingly

“so how was it? Is it good?” I said waiting for her answer.

“its bland” she said nonchalantly as she continue eating. My smile faded instantly, no one ever called my kimchi fried rice “bland” and live to tell the tale, no one did cuz my kimchi fried rice is the best.

“ then why eat it if it so “bland” I said quoting the word bland with my fingers in the air. “ if you don’t have anything good to say then don’t say anything”

“you asked for it, I simply answered” She said as she scoop more food to .

“You know what give me that bland food” I said reaching her bowl, she swatted my hands away to stop me from reaching it.

“ Will you stop?” she said with a stern voice, well I didn’t I continued reaching my hands trying to snatch her bowl when she pulled my hands making me lean on her , our face two centimeters away from touching, I could even feel her breathe in my face, I was stunned at the momentum, I couldn’t react at all, the place suddenly turned mute, only our faint breathing could be heard and the sudden rapid beating of my heart, I feel a strange warm feeling spurred in my stomach as my eyes fixed in hers, we are stuck in that the position, no one broke the trance, we were just staring at each other for over a minute until she spoke loosening her grip on me.

“ that did stop you maybe I should do that more often to shut you up,” she said as she ate another spoon of my dish unaware of the blush that slowly creeping into my face.

“Don’t” that’s the only thing I could muster as I started eating too. We ate in total silence.

When we were done eating she took my plates and washed them. She didn’t say anything, I didn’t complain either. I just sat in the sofa while looking at her back as she do her thing.

“We brought dinner bi-“ the door burst open with a shouting blonde woman who stop midway before finishing her sentence when she saw me. “-tch” she whispered finishing her word.

“Wait you’re not Jisoo” a black haired woman who just appeared besides the blonde said while tilting her head slightly.

“uhm Hi Im-“

“Jennie Kim! I know you of course, Im Lisa by the way” the blonde said finishing my sentence excitedly as she took my hand to shake her hands,

“Uhh hi” I said our hands still shaking, I was taken a back by her enthusiasm

“Yah Lisa you’re hovering her, get off your hands.” Seul said, then looked at me apologetically “sorry she ate too much sugar that’s why she’s hyper don’t mind her though, Im Seulgi by the way, were Jisoo’s friends and neighbors” she said then shouted at where Jisoo is “ Ji! Lisa is being embarrassing again” and then she cast a small smile at me.

“Oh Hi Seulgi and Lisa, nice to meet you, oh and its fine I totally understand” I said waving my hand dismissively after I retrieve my hand from Lisa’s grip.

“ oh we brought dinner” seul said as she put the pizza to the coffee table.

“we already had dinner” Jisoo said after emerging from the kitchen. “ Lisai what’s with that disgusting face?”

“what? Its my happy face” lisa said smiling widely.

“ well knock it off, you look like pennywise smiling widely to his victim bwfore eating them”

“ geez pennywise cant be this pretty” Lisa said flipping her hair

“whatever help you sleep at night” Jisoo said as I watched them amusingly. Lisa was about to say something when Seul beats her to it.

“You two stop,Ji we brought pizza cuz we thought you haven’t had dinner, so we are just gonna eat it then” Seul said as she opened the box and took a slice. Ji nods

“ well since we already ate and you two haven’t, you two can leave and eat it at your place” Jisoo said as she make her way to the game room. Rude.

“Not gonna happen sweetie, we are gonna stay here to eat and play.” Lisa said as she took two slice of pizza and followed her to the room.

“kids ”seul sighed and looked at me “ you sure you don’t want pizza?” she asked

“Not a fan of it, but thanks anyway”

“okay” she said as she closed the box of pizza and stands “well be at the playroom, you can join us if you want”

“nah its okay, you three have fun” I said as a yawn escaped in my mouth “ Ill just sleep”

“Well goodnight' she said making her way to the room.

“yeah” I said as I looked at the door shut. They sure is an interesting group of friends , its like watching the we bare bears live action. I yawned again as tiredness kicked in, well Im sleepy, I looked at the wall clock above the tv. Its 10:21 pm already. I don’t know where to sleep and im sure as hell that I will never sleep in the couch so im gonna sleep at her room. I opened her room revealing a black colored walls and a white colored queen sized bed. It looks neat and classy, ill examine it tomorrow, Im so sleepy to care for now. I lied to her bed and drift off to dreamland with a smile plastered in my face.

Jisoo

One thing for sure that woman talks a lot, she doesn’t run out of questions even a 4-year-old would be put in shame if you put them in the same room, the difference was that kids ask stupid questions because they have tiny brains. But this woman has a brain of a normal human being, being stupid isn’t an excuse but to give her credit her questions are a bit intriguing and not completely stupid, but I won’t say that out loud, I don’t know why but I still answered her questions, if its another day or another person I would have ignored them till they get the clue and shut up. its probably because I was bored or I haven’t talk to other people other than lisa and seul for the past few years. But I don’t think that’s the case, I survive boredom without talking to people even after years of not having a long conversation with them. Sometimes I don’t understand myself.

“so Jennie Kim huh” lisa said distracting me from my reverie.” So you two living in the same roof” she said wiggling her eyebrows suggesting something. How tempting it is to just ignore her. But I know enough that the more I ignore her the more she open .

“yeah, and what about it?” I said as I opened my book and started reading.

“Nothing' she said “ you two aren’t married yet but its seems like you’ll get your honeymoon first” she said teasingly.

“ Not everyone's like you lis” I said not even giving her a glance “ if you just gonna say something stupid you better shut your filthy mouth and continue playing.”

“ yeah everyone isn’t like me, but everyone wants to be me”

“your confidence really is something else” seul said bemused while shaking her head slowly while eyes still focused on her game.

“Just stating the truth” she said shrugging. “ So Ji how is she?”

“ why are you asking me? You ask her how she is.”

“For someone who insult people for being stupid you sure are one big stupid, what I meant was how is she as a fiancee not how is she or if she’s fine as a person”

“I don’t insult people”

“yeah and im ugly”

“I never thought ill hear you say that, im glad we finally see eye to eye.”

“I was being sarcastic, stupid.”

“well I wasn’t” I said “ besides I don’t insult people I was just stating facts.”

“Whatever, don’t change the subject, answer my question”

“ shes alright” I answered “I guess”

“ And?”

“ I don’t know, I still haven’t decided if I like her or not as a person”

“that’s a progress, you usually decide if you don’t like a person the moment you see their face and hear their voice”

“So that’s a good sign right?” seul who have been playing the whole time asked

“Well yeah, but it all depends if her mind changes the moment she sleep through it and woke up hating people coming closer at her again”

“You two talking about me as if im not here' I said flipping the page of my book. “And how do you know all this things about me Lisa? “ not really interested to what she’s going to say.

“I know everything about you and Seul”

“How so?” Seul asked not interested too to what Lisa’s about to say.

Lisa’s face then turned serious and with her eyes bulging, she looks like cartoon villains announcing their evil plan.

“Because Im a mind reader” face full of seriousness and eagerness, “ from to this days onward you must call me Professor Y bwahaaha” she said with an evil laugh.

“You seriously need to get your head checked” seul said looking at lisa unamused.

“or better yet get your brain changed” I interjected “its really not healthy”

“meanies” Lisa said rolling her eyes.

“Yah you don’t get to roll your eyes on us, were older” seul scolded her

“alright oldies, look its past 2 am now, its not good for your disintegrating bodies” lisa said mockingly.

“Kids these days no longer have manners” seul shakes her head dramatically “what are we gonna do about her Jis”

“we’ll lock her at the balcony till the pigeons eat her alive”

“ we are in a city there is no pigeons here stupid” lisa rebutted

“ whatever know it all” I said

“I’m not, no one like a know it all”

“Hate to break it to you lis, but no one really likes you” seul said as she patted Lisa’s shoulder.

“very funny” Lisa said “ you two are such a bully”

“ but you still loves us” seul said raising her shoulder

“You bet I do” Lisa said beamingly.

“You two are beginning to be sappy, Im out of here” I said as I made my way to the door.

“Ok, see me in your dreams,” Lisa said suggestively.

“No thanks I hate nightmares and sleep paralysis,” I said as I closed the door.

I surveyed the living room looking for a particular cat-eyed woman but she wasn’t there.

Oh no, don’t tell me she slept in my room, I walk with haste to my room and opened the door only to see her sleeping soundly in my bed. What do I do? I poked her shoulder to wake her up but she didn’t even move, she sleeps like a log and I can’t bring myself to kick her out of my bed.

‘This isn’t good' I thought to myself as I looked at her peaceful face.