CHAPTER FIve   “Rise  &  Fall”

 

The party hall was huge as always and it intimated Jisoo as always. N also didn’t like such events as well. He felt like it was a disgrace to the title of parties when such events didn’t have loud music, hard liquor and the best part of parties, young girls. This event had rich older people who came by to greet Jisoo’s grandmother and they were not interested in dancing with N. on the other hand, Jisoo found it annoying for many reasons that included dealing with people who viewed her as the daughter of her parents. Jisoo and N didn’t bother doing anything but stand by the food and drinks section and enjoying their overpriced wine.

“You couldn’t come say hi to your parents first” Jisoo’s mother questioned with her arms crossed in front of her.

“It’s not like I wanted to be here, you forced me here.” Jisoo snapped.

“Talk nicely, there’s people watching.” Her father commanded.

“Really, dad? You know you are asking for too much.”

“Can’t you act more like Hakyeon?” Jisoo’s mother asked.

“He’s just standing there and doing nothing but drink. That’s what I was doing with him before you interrupted us.”

“Just stop this, you know she’s not going to do anything that you tell her to.” N’s mother said to Jisoo’s mother.

“Then maybe you should visit more often.” Jisoo’s grandmother stated joining the family.

“I might want to if you stop sending scary big men to kidnap me.”

“Then maybe you should come on your own feet.”

“I might want to if my lovely mother stops trying to lock me up in my room.”

“You haven’t changed since the last time I saw you.” Jisoo’s grandmother said with a smile.

“Of course, it wouldn’t be me if I changed.”

“Well you should. You’re older now, it would be embarrassing to show that to my grandson-in-law.”

“I’m not getting married anytime soon. I think it’s fine.”

“Oh, but you are.”

“What?”

“I’ll be expecting to attend a wedding with you and Hakyeon very soon.”

“Grandma, why are you dragging me into this?” N asked, finally letting the wine glass down.

“You guys known each other for ages. Your parents are comfortable with each other it’s the best marriage I can think of. Unless you wish to get married to someone else.”

“I’m not getting married.” Jisoo snapped.

“Grandma, we aren’t that old. We can get married later.” N said softly, noticing how the mood was changing.

“We will see about that.”

“How come everything is always the way you want it? Why do I have to deal with all the you say?”

“Jisoo.” Her mother said firmly.

“No! I’m done with this. You all can party all you want. I ain’t a part of it.” Jisoo said between her teeth and walked out of the hall, leaving N awkwardly standing there with her awfully surprised family and friends.

 

 

When Leo woke up, he had a text message from Jisoo. It was a simple text that just said that she couldn’t help out today so she won’t bother him either. It slightly disappointed Leo thinking that he had to go through today with having Jisoo bother her. But he went on with it. He went to the café he made the cakes, opened the store, took a walk in the park, played with the dogs and children he met, checked up on the café, took a cap, went back and baked more cakes, closed up and took a shower. That was how his normal routine was but somehow it felt strange and empty. When he got off the shower, he grabbed a bottle of beer and sat down on the sofa. But when he was about to finish his can, his doorbell rang.

“Leo oppa ~~” Jisoo slurred with a wide smile and hugged Leo.

“Are you drunk?” Leo asked with confusion though he was somewhat happy to see her.

“I’m not drunk! I only drank a little.” Jisoo said with a frown but a smile crept up her face “So I brought more!”

Leo watched Jisoo hold up a pack of bottled beer and run into his house.

“I thought you won’t bother me today.” Leo stated.

“I said that yesterday! It’s 12AM right now!” Jisoo replied with a smile that just wouldn’t leave her face.

“I’m not letting you drink in my house…” Leo said as he took the bottles out of her hands Jisoo sat there pouting.

“But oppa~ I really really want to drink with you~~ Plus! You were drinking by yourself! You should just let me accompany you.” Jisoo whined as she pointed at the almost empty bottle of beer that Leo had put on the table.

“Fine. Drink one and stop bothering me.” Leo sighed out as he took a bottle for himself and sat down.

Jisoo didn’t talk. She just drank. It looked like she wanted to dump the alcohol into and open a new one but she must have knew that Leo was a man of his words. Leo wanted to ask why they girl who jokes about this power she has and runs around meeting new people to get them together, was looking so blue and drinking. But a part of him also wondered more about why Jisoo was in such clothing. The way she was sitting, the dress tugged up her thighs and it was a seductive color that fitted her way too perfectly.

“Oppa?” Jisoo asked snapping Leo back into reality.

“Hmm?”

“Do you want to hear a song? I’ll sing for you.” Jisoo said cheerfully once again.

“It’s okay. I think you should go home. It’s getting really late. We need to wake up in like six hours.”

“But I will sing you a song!” Jisoo shouted and got up to stand in the middle of the living room facing Leo. He sighed and faced her totally, slightly interested in what she was planning to do.

It began with Girl’s Day’s Something and went into Hyosung’s Goodnight Kiss. Leo watched with amusement in her singing skills and a smile that said watching the way Jisoo seemed to be so much fun. But that was before Jisoo went into A Pink’s No No No.

“Seulpuh hajima No No No! Honjaga ahniyah No No No!” Jisoo began and suddenly stopped smiling. She stood there staring into space.

“Jisoo-yah…” Leo cautiously called out.

“So you can’t be sad if you’re with people? You’re supposed to upset only if you’re alone?” Jisoo asked in a soft stern voice. “Bull.”

Leo’s eyes grew twice its size and sprang up from his seat when he noticed how tightly Jisoo’s held the bottle and saw it crack into pieces. He ran to his room to get towels and the first aid kit when he saw blood trickle down Jisoo’s hands.

“What the hell was that? How the hell did you manage to do that?” Leo asked as he carefully removed the pieces of glass out of her hand and treating it.

“Oppa… I’m only twenty.” Jisoo softly stated.

“And I’m twenty four. I already knew that.” Leo replied, now a bit annoyed at Jisoo’s up’s and down’s.

“They want me to get married.” Jisoo said and Leo paused bandaging her hands for a second.

“I’m sure they’re doing it for your own good.”

“No, they’re not. They are going it for themselves. They want attention, they want the investors and stocks to make the company better off. They don’t give a damn about my feelings or my goods.”

“I think you’re thinking about it wrong.”

“Why does everyone want to think one way only? I have a brain. I have my own thoughts! I never asked for help! I never asked for their pity!” Jisoo exclaimed with tears falling from her big round eyes.

“Don’t cry… Please don’t cry.” Leo said hugging Jisoo as she now sobbed.

“How come I feel so alone when there’s so many people around me?”

“You’re not alone… you have me, so don’t cry.” Leo said barely audible.

“Really? You won’t leave me alone?”

“If you stop crying about this. If you do, I’ll tell you a secret.” Leo answered and wiped Jisoo’s tears away.

“A secret?”

“Remember when you told me about how you can’t see my string and that it’s because I can’t get over my past and I got really mad.” Jisoo only nodded, leaning into Leo’s chest. “It was because it was true. I was mad at the fact that you were saying the truth and I didn’t want to admit it.”

“How is that a secret?” Jisoo looked up to see Leo’s face and spoke quietly.

“Well the secret starts now.” Leo said with a bitter smile. “In my second year of high school, I met this girl. She was four years younger than me. She went to the middle school right next to mine. She had a bright personality and she couldn’t say no. Everyone loved being around her for her family background but she was happy that people appreciated her being there. We met before but it wasn’t a big thing so I thought she had forgotten but she came to look for me. She said she wanted to spend a day with me because she was bored. It was a lie and it was so obvious that it was but I said okay because I felt like I was going to lose this chance. She said “I’ll wait for you” with a huge smile and waited by my school gates at the end of the day.”

“That’s really nice of her.” Jisoo commented only because she thought Leo could use a second.

“She is. I ended up asking if we can meet next Friday. She said yes and waited for me to take her to wherever I wanted to go. We kept meeting like it was supposed to be that way.” “I can go to places you want to go.” Jisoo commented and Leo’s face turned dark and stiff.

“Sometimes when I look at you. I see her. You guys act similarly and talk similarly. You guys react to the same things and you guys go through similar things.”

“Is that why you keep pushing me away? Because I remind you of her?”

“I thought you might be her when I first saw you.”

“When you first saw me? At the café?” Jisoo questioned looking up again, but this time Leo wasn’t smiling at all.

“We were planning to go to a zoo because we always went where I wanted to go and the zoo was where she wanted to go. She said she was so excited that she can’t go to sleep. But she got into an accident on the way there. Her parents wouldn’t let me see her and my parents wouldn’t let me near the hospital. I was forced to go to school saying that I needed a college degree, it was because I got into college with a business major. I wanted to get away from my family so badly that I graduated in 2 years. I began to take baking classes because I wanted to open a café. It was her dream… to open a café that will bring joy to everyone. As I was looking around for places, I found this old building that looked like it wasn’t touched for ages. It was originally a café so I was happy and the owner gave it to me for almost nothing. When I was cleaning up on the first day I became an owner, you walked by.” Leo said looking

“I did?” Jisoo asked to make things a bit more comfortable.

“Yeah, you did. That day I was so confused. I just finished cleaning up the front and began to clean the inside. You ran to the glass and stopped right in front, slamming yourself into it. Then you poked your head into the door and sneezed. You asked me when I was planning to open, if I had anything you can help me with, that you just moved in down the block and so many other questions. You didn’t really give me a chance to answer though. But the way you ran around the messy café saying how excited you were, you reminded me of her. No… I was sure they way you reacted would’ve been exactly how she reacted if I showed her the café.”

“Oppa, I’m not her…”

“When you get excited, you around without looking around and you bump into people, trip on things. You love to help other others o they can be happy.”

“Oppa! Stop!”

“You sing and dance when you are stressed. You hide your feelings.”

“I told you, I’m not her!”

“I know you’re not.”

“She’s alive isn’t she?”

“But she’s not there.”

“She can’t remember you?”

“And everything before that day.”

“Then you can go tell her!”

“You should stay over. It’s too late. You can sleep anywhere you want, I’m going to bed.”

Leo pulled Jisoo off his arms and headed to his room. Jisoo sat there, not knowing what the right thing to do is. She sat there like that, staring off into space. Leo did the same. Even if he was in his room, hoping to get some sleep, he just laid there. They both wished that sleep can simply over-powered their thoughts.

At 6AM, Leo opened his eyes to the sound of trickling water. He ran to the bathroom to find Jisoo sitting inside the tub with the water running onto her head.

“What are you doing?” Leo asked frozen at the sight of the red dress clinging onto Jisoo’s body due to the water.

“Thinking...” Jisoo answered not giving a thought about looking up.

“Why are you thinking with the water on like that?”

“Don’t turn it off.” Jisoo said when Leo’s hands touched the knob.

“The water is freezing! At least use warm water!”

“It’s so weird… when I have something in my mind, I like to feel the rain. Since I can’t make it rain, I like to sit in the shower like this.” Jisoo said holding up her hands to feel the cool water on her fingertips.

“You can stick your hands out the window when it’s raining. Now, let’s get out.” Leo said trying to get her to stand up.

“Oppa… I had a reason… I really did. There was a reason to why I loved the rain and I feel so comforted by it but I can’t remember it…” Jisoo was close to sobbing. Leo turned the water off for sure this time, getting a large towel on the way and wrapped it around her.

“Maybe it’s something that had happened long ago so you don’t remember. I’m sure it will come back. You can tell me then.” Leo said as he began to towel dry Jisoo’s short hair.

“Are we going to work?” Jisoo asked as she played with the hems of her wet dress.

“You don’t need to come today.” Leo said as he got up and went into the kitchen.

“But I bothered you today, so I feel like I should.” She stated as Jisoo tailed Leo’s steps.

“It’s already 6:15… we are already running late, you won’t have time to change or anything. Are you going to go to work in that?” Leo asked pointing at the wet dress she was wearing.

“Oppa… where’s your closet?” Jisoo asked with a mysterious smile.

“There, why?” Leo answered with a frown and a gut feeling something was going to happen. Jisoo ran to the room Leo had pointed at and Leo tailed right behind her. When he had entered the room, she was rummaging through his closet rapidly.

“Please tell me what you are doing…” Leo practically begged with his teeth clenched tight.

"Like you said, we aren't going to have enough time to head to my house and I apologize for going through your closet... Oh by the way, you have quite a cute taste in boxers." Jisoo began and ended up holding up one of Leo's boxers, which Leo made sure it stayed out of Jisoo's reach soon after. "But I need to changed, I'm kind of drenched. My underwear should dry quickly if I put it in front of a fan and I'm not wearing a bra so that's out of the problem..."

"Jisoo, I beg you, stay on topic." Leo sighed out.

"I am kind of wearing one since it's.... Anyways, I need for clothes so I'm borrowing yours. I'll just need something that is big enough..."Jisoo finished as she tapped her chin lightly as she gave it some thought.

"How about this? I haven't worn it for a bit so I don't think the boys will notice." Leo asked as he handed over a black button down.

"Do you think it'll fit?"

"I am 100% sure that it will be at least two times bigger than you. You are like what? A feet smaller than me?"

"I’ll take that as a compliment. Belts?”

“Left lower shelf.”

“This one will be good.” Jisoo said holding up a thin white belt.

“Isn’t this a girl’s?”

“I don’t know, someone gave it to me.” Leo nonchalantly answered and walked out of the room so she can change.

“You have a blow drier right?” She asked and he pointed at the cabinet in the bathroom. Jisoo quickly ran over and began to blow dry her hair. She began to French braid her short hair into two partings and blow dry it. After it was all dried up, she pulled the braid apart and her hair was now a loose beach curls. Leo stood there in awe as he looked as though Jisoo was doing some type of magic to her hair.

“Now, how to make things pretty…” Jisoo whispered and snapped when she got an idea. She ran over to her wet dress and pulled apart the mesh lining. She looked into the mirror and tied it around her head so there was a ribbon placed on the right side of her hair.

“Okay… are you done? We are already thirty minutes late.” Leo said grabbing his keys.

With that they were in Leo’s car on their way to the cafe. They were talking about how the somewhat gloomy weather was making them feel like it was going to pour anytime soon and how her hair would be ruined. The argument about how frizzy Jisoo’s hair got because of the humidity continued as they entered the cafe. But they stopped halfway when they noticed they had gotten in without having to unlock doors. That was when they realized they walked in together to a crowd.

“Since when did you guys start coming to work so early?” Leo commented on his employees standing in front of him.

“Since when did you guys share clothes?” Ravi retorted.

“So I’m not the only one that thought that shirt was familiar!” Ken shouted out.

“This isn’t his…” Jisoo stated with a small faint smile.

“Then it’s yours?” Baekhyun asked.

“Of course! Why would I be wearing his clothes?” Jisoo spoke as if the question was silly.

“Well, noona, that’s clearly a men’s button down.” Hyuk stated.

“I bought it in the men’s isle. I was walking by and it looked nice so I picked it up. I pull it off nicely don’t you think?” She continued to ramble.

“JISOO!” Everyone snapped their head back to see two girls standing there breathing heavily.

“Do you have anything idea how hard we tried getting in contact with you?” Hyosung questioned.

“Why aren’t you picking up your phone? Did you throw it away?” Jieun continued.

“Thanks for saying hellos before getting into the questions, guys.” Jisoo said before answering,

“No, I had no idea you guys were looking for me. Probably because I did throw my phone away… well more like threw it and then stopped on it with my heels…”

The two girls stared at their friend like they couldn’t believe what they have just heard.

“Of course, that’s something you would do.” Hyosung comment.

“Yes, but still! We were looking everywhere for you!!” Jieun complained.

“Why is that?” Jisoo asked with caution.

“Because N has been bugging us since God knows when, asking for you. If you at least gotten our calls we could’ve made something up. But you were getting your phone at all.” Hyosung answered.

“Where were you all day?” It was Jieun’s turn to ask.

“Well I went to a family dinner party… it was annoying, fought with my family, got drunk… well tipsy, went to Leo’s house and drank some more.” Jisoo replied thinking back to her day.

“So that shirt does belong to Leo hyung.” Chanyeol commented.

“Just shut up.” Leo growled and Chanyeol pouted and looked away at Baekhyun, who gave him a pat on the back.

“You got drunk and stayed over a guy’s house all night.” Jieun rephrased.

“And is wearing his clothes.” Hyosung added.

Even before Jisoo could answer, the door opened once more. Everyone turned around to see N and Jisoo’s mother. The small smile that Jisoo had on her face disappeared completely along with the arguments and soon the room was filled with silence. It seemed as though the room was filled with rainstorms just like how it was outside.

“What are you doing here?” Jisoo asked her mother, her voice filled with hatred.

“Can’t a mother come visit her daughter who walked out of a dinner party in front of hundreds of guests so rudely and wasn’t able to contact her all night?” Her mother questioned back.

“Sorry, but I don’t have a mother who has time to look for her daughter wasting her precious time.” Jisoo snapped back.

“Jisoo, stop. She’s been worried about you all night, can’t you be nice for once.” N said sighing.

“Since when were you on my mother’s side? The moment my grandmother said we are going to get married?” Jisoo twisted N’s intentions around and said.

“That’s not the problem. Where were you all day?” N asked, rolling his eyes. “I called you all night. I asked everyone possible. I called the cafe to see if you were there.”

“She was with her boyfriend.” Hyosung said.

“Yeah, that’s why she told us. She said she didn’t want anyone to find out so she asked us not to tell you.” Jieun added.

“You have a boyfriend?” Jisoo’s mother asked and looked at N, who had a visible frown.

“I have a boyfriend…” Jisoo answered, raising her eyebrows at her so-called best friends.

“Where is this boyfriend?” N questioned. Jisoo knew too well he wasn’t believing a word she was saying.

Millions of thought went through her mind.

Okay, Ravi will never go on with this if I said his name, Chanyeol and Baekhyun is for each other, Ken and Hongbin has girlfriends. Damn, Hyuk… he’s such a baby though…

“We’re waiting...” N said, his voice kind of teasing.

“He’s…” Jisoo began and sighed. “Leo oppa.”

The room began more silent than it was before if that was ever possible. They could hear the small wall clock tick and tock. They could hear Ravi grumbling something about ridiculous in the background. They could hear Leo frown.

“Your boyfriend is him?” N asked as if it was the most absurd thing he has heard in this life.

“Is that a problem? I left the party and went to see him. I stayed the night over his house.” Jisoo replied with great attitude.

“You stayed over a boy’s house? Did anything happen?” Her mother replied.

“That’s none of your business. I would like it if you left.” Jisoo answered and her mother couldn’t do anything but sigh.

“I think we should leave. I’ll talk to her and get things straightened out.” N said to Jisoo’s mother and took her out of the cafe.

“The cafe should be fine for a couple of hours without the cakes, clean and set up for the opening. I’ll be right back.” Leo stated and took Jisoo out of the cafe through the backdoor, into the small garden. He stood there, his back facing Jisoo. He didn’t say anything for a bit until he sighed and turned around. He looked at her and sighed once more.

“Can you stop sighing?” Jisoo asked, unable to find a reason why he seemed so frustrated.

“Why did you say that?” Leo questioned back after sighing again.

“Say what?”

“That I’m you boyfriend.”

“I needed someone and you seemed to be the most reasonable at the moment.”

“And then you have to act like in front of your mother?”

“Why does it matter to you so much how I treat my mom?”

Leo let out his frustration and messed his hair up. Jisoo stood there as frustrated. Once again, there was no talking.

“Why do you do everything on your own?” Leo softly asked.

“I’m sorry that I brought you into this, I promise I’ll make it up to you. Can you please help me once?” Jisoo practically begged.

“You keep saying that and get me into trouble.” Leo complained, still in a soft tone.

“I’m sorry if I bring you inconvenience. Didn’t think my existence would be such a problem.”

“That’s not what I’m trying to say, I’m saying that for once it would be nice if you asked people about things before you do it your way.”

“Are we back to the spoiled rich girl again?”

“I’m not trying to fight with you, Jisoo! Can’t you listen to me without making such a big deal about everything?”

“Okay, talk.”

“I don’t get how me acting like your boyfriend is going to solve anything? Wouldn’t you want someone to think you are single so you can get to your soulmate? Isn’t that what you do for a living?” Leo asked trying to get Jisoo to understand.

“Are you afraid that I’m stopping you from your soulmate?” Jisoo questioned back.

“No, I don’t care if I get to my soulmate or not. I’m worried you won’t.”

“But I asking you to prevent it from going wrong. If I get married then my life is done for. Soulmate or not, I don’t want to get married.”

“Then maybe getting married is your fate.”

“You know what, just forget it. If you’re not going to give me any help, then I’m leaving. I’ll just go find someone else.”

Jisoo stomped away. She knew she was being selfish and she knew Leo was right. There was nothing that she can do though. Something about the marriage wasn’t right, and the only thing she could think of was Leo.

Leo just watched Jisoo leave through the garden. He wanted to stop her, he wanted to tell her there was more than just what he had said. He wanted to stop the wedding as much as she does.

 

But what is there that I can do?

 

 

 author's note 
Sorry it took so long to update T^T
I was just super lazy and at one point I just lost all inspirations to write.
BUT I hope this chapter made it up to you guys!!
I will try to update in a week or so. Maybe Friday (it's Monday here in New York) which is very possible if I stay on the schedule that I have planned for myself.
Anyways I hope things are looking u good for this story and a lot of you are still interested int he story ^^
I have almost the whole story planned and I'm pretty sure things will become a bit faster and reach the climaz around chapter 9/10.
But I always have problems with endings so if you guys have ideas as you read please tell me and I will surely add it to the story (with credit of course) for the best ending ever!
Also it would be fun to hear what you guys think will happen so please do tell me if you have anything on your mind.
Though I will probably not tell you if it's right or wrong but I will tell you how I feel about it xP
See you soon hopefully~~!!!

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