December 2017

In two far away areas of the Hongdae district, two people were staring the same sky, the same light in their eyes unable to rest. But it wasn't the stars that attracted their gaze, nor the city shining of lights beyond the glass. Nothing that they could actually see intrigued them, but it was the memories that brought their eyes to the dark night sky. Memories of a not remote past.

It hadn't been easy, but they had made it. They insisted to death, they used all the persuasion techniques that they knowed and, in the end, they managed to snatch a "yes" to the great boss and their managers. It was thanks to that yes if that night of December 26, instead of immediately returning home after the Gayo Daejun, the girls and the four boys headed to their trusted Noraebang, where their long-time friends were already waiting for them. They had never been very free to see each other, but things seemed to be worsened in the last period: when they lived in the same building, some upstairs and others downstairs, it was really easy to transgress, even just a little, the rule and spend some time together, on the roof of the building or in one of their apartments, with or without the complicity of the managers, but since the girls had been transferred to the Blackpink House for their reality show, it had become almost impossible to meet them and as time goes by the situation was starting to get a little rough for all of them. They were a large, noisy family after all, and it was extremely difficult to stay distant from each other for long periods.

That evening, eleven brothers and four sisters gathered in that Noraebang of Hongdae where they used spent their free time when they were still traineers and also after their debut, a place where they could safely have fun away from the walls of their dorms. Their way of spending time was no different from other groups of guys in their same age: after everyone arrived, the first thing they did was ordering such quantities of food that would be enough to feed an army, and then chatter, improvised musical performances and play games that at their age maybe they should avoid trying. But still...

"Let's play of Truth or Dare" proposed Hoon at some point, as soon as the duet between Minho and Jennie was finished. Half of the people present there didn't even hear his words, busy as they were in their conversations, but Jisoo, who had the misfortune to hear it, temporarily paused her conversation with Jinwoo and Chanwoo - from the moment they had met, they spent all the time just chatting about videogames and, above all, about the new screen that she had bought and that the boys absolutely wanted to try - to jokingly throw him the cup of coffee that she had just finished, without even really hit him.

"We're not in middle school anymore" she scolded him, but she couldn't help but smiling a little at his puppy-like face. "and apparently nobody wants to participate"

Those were, as they say, the famous last words. That sentence attracted the attention of Jinhwan who, after hearing about the proposal, didn't think twice before confirming his participation, immediately followed by Minho - who, focused on something else, only then decided to participate in the conversation -, Junhoe, Chaeyoung and, consequently, all the others too.

As happens in the best and worst American movies, the boys and girls settled on the floor, sitting in a circle with their legs crossed. To Jinwoo, as the oldest of the gang, was given the honor to start the game with the first round of the bottle.

More or less shocking revelations - and more or less fake - alternated with obligations worthy of censorship, mostly dictated by the wise and mischievous mind of Kim Jinhwan, who sometimes seemed to be able to be cruel even to himself.

This lasted much longer than expected, mainly because boys and girls continued to waste their time in jokes, in random funny stories and in teasing each other, until the situation suddenly began to get too embarrassing. Essentially it happened like this: after a long line of funny confessions and related teasing, finally Lisa decided to opt for "dare" rather than "truth", unaware that it would come to be a much worse choice than expected.

As soon as the word "dare" left her lips, she realized that she had made a mistake: Jinhwan's and Jennie's smiles made perfectly clear that what they were thinking wouldn't go in her favor. At this point, it should be pointed out that for years now the phrase that most often all repeated to Jiwon and Lisa, every time they spent time all together and the two of them began to bicker or be inadvertently too sticky with each other, was "just get merried", so it wasn't difficult for her to guess what those expressions heralded. Before her fate was decided, she saw the look of complicity that Jinhwan and Jennie gave each other and after him nodded to her, finally the expected punishment was revealed.

"Kiss him" she said and Minho almost choked with a sip of beer after that command.

"Him... who?" he asked, wiping his lips.

"She knows" she answered.

"And he knows too" added Jinhwan.

"You two are working hard to ruin the atmosphere" said Jiwon at that point, while Lisa rolled her eyes.

"How long have you been planning it?" she asked, although she already knew that the answer was nothing but a "from a really long time".

From that point on, a long series of bickering began, essentially consisted in Lisa and Jiwon who stubbornly continued to protest and accuse the others - all of them quickly joined the cause of Jennie and Jinhwan, except for few good souls that tram up with them - of trying to embarrass them, while the others guys complained about they were taking the matter too seriously, saying that by now they were almost in 2018 and these things weren't strange anymore. 

It lasted several minutes, until when, losing all the patience, Lisa suddenly stood up, marched to Jiwon, who was still argue at his hyung, and knelt beside him. Jiwon barely had time to notice the sudden change in direction of everyone's attention, before he felt Lisa's fingers resting on his chin. As he looked at her, she pushed him to turn his face in her direction, and before he could say anything, her lips reached hers in a soft, quick kiss in the corner of his mouth.

It was just a moment, but it was enough to bring down a heavy silence throughout the room. 

When Lisa got up - too embarrassed even to briefly look at Jiwon, but also too fierce to openly admit that what she just done was a dumb thing -, she found everyone glace at her, someone with gazes full of shock, others annoyingly amused.

"Satisfied?" she asked to her friends as she returned to her seat, trying to maintain an indifferent attitude, even though at that moment she just wanted to run out of the room as soon as possible and throw himself into a manhole to disappear.

"You never fail to satisfy me" confirmed Jinhwan, with a silent applause.

At the same time, Jiwon was still staring at the girl who just kissed him, his eyes wide open and clearly unable to decide what reaction make among the many that at that moment his instincts suggested. In doubt, he just tried to erase all traces of shock from his face and looked at Jinhwan with a gaze that promised revenge.

The next few minutes were marked by intense embarrassment and silence, for time to time broken by some awkward attempt by some of the guys to liven up the atmosphere and get the game going. But with two of the noisiest members locked in stubborn mutism, it was obvious that the moment "truth or dare" was inevitably ended.

The atmosphere stayed embarrassing for some time, but with a bunch of bubbly guys gathered in one room, and especially with three of them used to singing aloud even in less appropiate situations, it didn't last for a long time, at least for most of them. While Jinhwan and Jennie continued to make sure that the two unfortunate victims of their joke - which actually should have been just an innocent prank but that went too far - were fine, the others enjoyed a new segment of musical duets. 

On the other hand, instead, Jiwon and Lisa - who from the most rowdy couple had become the most silent, as if rather than between friends they were in a variety show or in an interview - continued to control each other with quick glances when the eyes of the other were addressed elsewhere, undecided on to what to do.

However, Lisa couldn't tolerate this situation for long, especially with the night that was moving towards the end and the prospective of not being able to meet and clarify with him for a long time.

At the end of her rope and after raised some courage, at one point she abandoned her spot on the couch and, trying not to draw too much attention to herself, she reached him.

"Can you come out with me for a moment?" she asked, pointing to the small area outside their room.

After a moment of surprise, Jiwon nodded and, without saying anything to the rest of the group, they left the room. Only Jinhwan and Jennie, as expected, noticed their movements, but they remained silent, hoping that the trouble they had helped to create could be quickly resolved in this way.

Jiwon closed the door behind him and reached Lisa, already sitting on the floor of the small terrace, her back leaned against the wall. She moistened her lips before start speaking, but he beat her on time.

"You don't need to apologize, it's not your fault" he said, glancing sideways at her. "Although I must admit that you surprised me. And not just a little"

"I'm really sorry... I know you said I don't have to, but I want to apologize anyway. I should have just keep trying to convince those two to change their mind"

"Then we would have wasted the whole night fighting with them. With your way you made it quick and painless..."

"Are you sure of it?"

"Well, I honestly didn't expect you to actually do it, but I think I'll be able not to have nightmares tonight"

Lisa laughed, but that sound didn't last long. Silence fell between the two again, broken only by Jiwon's sigh.

"I don't want things to be like this between us from now on" said Lisa after few moments.

Jiwon raised his head and turned to look at her.

"Me neither, but right now I can't help it..."

"It was weird, I know..."

"Yes, it was. But it's not just this"

Lisa turned to look at him curiously, but it don't took her a long time to understand what he was silently asking her. "Why did you do that?" his eyes were asked, because Jiwon, like her, knew that, stubborn as she was, she would never give in to that kind of request if she hadn't really wanted to do it. Her heart lost a beat and at first she couldn't do anything but look down, turning her gaze away from him.

"Forget it" he murmured, when he realized that he probably would never get an answer. 

And it went like this for a couple of minutes, until suddenly Lisa lifted her head. She didn't want to reveal her reasons, but even more she couldn't tolerate the idea of ​​seeing him embarrassed with her for a dumb thing that she had done, so after only a few moments of reflection, the choice seemed pretty obvious to her.

"I thought it was a good occasion" she confessed, but she didn't want to give Jiwon time to reply, too embarrassed by what he could say and ever more by what she was already saying to stop herself. If she stopped talking now, she probably would never been able to continue. "You know, I never... aish, damn it! Don't take me for a fool, okay? But you know, I've never had any experience before and... lately the thought of trying to... you already know what, right? Well, the thought of trying lately has begun to intrigue me, but I didn't want it to be with anyone, so... I know it's just a kiss, it's not a big deal, but part of me thought "better with your best friend than with a stranger". You know, I trust you, so I thought it should have been easier to do it with you, theoretically... At that moment it seemed like a good idea, but I definitely changed my mind now... "

At the end of that speech, foolish even to her own ears, Lisa felt once again the intense desire to disappear, even more when suddenly Jiwon starts to laugh.

"I know it's stupid, you don't have to stress it like that! " she snapped, but she only managing to make his laugh grow louder.

"After years I should be used to this kind of thing, but..." he replied with another laugh while she snorted. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'll stop now"

"Thank you" she said, although she knew that Jiwon's laughter wouldn't have ended so easily. And indeed, he continued for a few more minutes before finally giving her a deserved break.

"Anyway," he began, once he recovered his breath. "that was anything but a real kiss"

"Hey! I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you were such an expert!" she puffed. "I told you it was the first time, you shouldn't be so picky!"

"I wouldn't want you to delude yourself to be good at it" he grinned, while she pecking a fist on his shoulder. "...nor that you really have tried it. Because seriously, whatever that thing was, it definitely wasn't a kiss"

"Yes, right. I understand" she snapped, waving a hand in the air with indifference. "There is no need to repeat it again. And now that all my desire to apologize is gone, let's go back inside" she asserted, standing up.

Still laughing, Jiwon nodded and stood up too. Before returning in the room and joining the others again, however, Lisa stopped in the doorway and turned to him, an amused grin on her lips.

"Anyway," she began, imitating the tone he used earlier. "even if it wasn't a kiss, it still seems to have been enough to upset you. I'll consider this my victory for tonight"

She didn't give him time to say anything, though: as soon as she had finished the sentence, Lisa opened the door and went back inside the room, being immediately greeted by Yoon's pleasant singing voice. The only answer that Jiwon managed to give her before she moved away was an annoyed grimace.

As soon as the two entered the room, the rest of the group could sense the change. A vague hint of embarrassment remained among them despite the talk, but both seemed more relaxed and this was evident thanks to their renewed desire to participate in group activities, rather than just looking on the sidelines while the others enjoyed the games.

Their night lasted about another hour, until the managers of the three groups announced that it was time to return to their dorms. Despite their intentions, however, after their arrival even the managers were into the joyful and familiar atmosphere prevailing in that room, which gave the guys the opportunity to earn about an extra half hour together.

It was only when they were all about to leave, however, that finally Lisa remembered the main reason why she had insisted so much to meet the boys that evening. Taking advantage of the fact that their managers had been kidnapped by Minho and Yoon for a fast drinking contest, Lisa quickly dragged again Jiwon onto the terrace, this time without even asking his approval, so much was her haste.

"What are you doing?" he asked, surprised by the unexpected kidnapping.

"I forgot to give you your birthday present" she murmured as she rummaged in her jacket pocket.

"You've had a whole night to give it to me, but you remembered about it only now?" he , chuckling.

"I was distracted by something else, okay?" she grumbled, before pulling out the gift victoriously. "Happy Birthday, oppa! Although I'm late..."

Jiwon didn't even try to hold back a laugh as he took the gift she was giving him; what amused him more, was the expression of innocent and childlike expectation written on Lisa's face while she waited for his reaction to the gift.

"You want me to open it now?" he asked her, but only to a little longer.

"Of course, I have to see your reaction!" she said, then she glances over his shoulder to take a quick look at the managers inside the room. "Quick please, before they drag me away"

"All right, all right" he agreed and once opened the simple white sachet, Jiwon found a small pendant in the shape of a light purple drop with a thin chain. 

Looking up, Jiwon met two impatient and vaguely worried eyes staring at him.

"I like it" he finally revealed to her, after some moments of cruel suspense.

"Really?" she asked with a big smile.

"Really!"

"Really really?"

"Really really"

"Really, really, really?"

"Lisa" he scolded her at the end, managing to shut her up immediately. Lisa laughed briefly, before nodding.

"Sorry" she said, once again pulling out her bright smile. "I'm glad you like it! You know, the store where I bought it will appear on our reality show... and also the pendant, but I asked the producers to cut out that scene, I hope they listen to me... I should have change it, actually, but it's your favorite color and it seemed nice" she explained, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'll wear it as much as possible as long as I can and if it will really appears, I'll hide it and keep it for myself" he confirmed, handing her the sachet. "Hold it for a moment, please"

Lisa nodded and when she picked up the container, Jiwon took the pendant with the chain from inside, fought with the hook for a few moments and then placed it around his neck.

"So, how it looks?" he asked her with a smile.

"Exactly how I imagined!" she laughed, clearly satisfied. "I hope it can also work as a lucky charm for the comeback, since I don't think we'll see each other before then..."

"Yeah..." confirmed Jiwon, suddenly hesitant.

She initially didn't seem to notice that change in his expression and, after taking a deep sigh and having driven away the melancholy for the future distance with a new smile, began to walk towards the entrance to return in the room.

"Now it's better go back inside, before they come looking for us" she said, but she couldn't finish her sentence before being halted by Jiwon's fingers on her arm. "Why? It's all right?"

"Yes. But I still have to thank you for the gift" he explained, filling the distance between them with a step.

When Lisa looked up at his face, she recognized a strange, unknown light in Jiwon's eyes that made her suddently nervous and not in an entirely negative way.

"You already did it and... and there's no need, anyway..."

Her response was dismissed with a denial and a crooked smile. She didn't know why, but the nervousness did nothing but grow during those few moments and her eyes unwittingly couldn't break away from Jiwon's, closer and closer while he was approaching to her.

And then, he went definitely too close.

Part of her kept telling her to back away, to block him, but that part was too small and could do nothing against the much bigger one that crave to stay right there.

"This..." he began, carefully placing a hand on her cheek. "This is a real kiss"

As Jiwon's lips reached hers, Lisa didn't dare move. She had to do it, she knews it, but she didn't want to, and every trace of common sense seemed to abandon her completely when their lips finally met. Her hands acted without the consent of the mind, as well as her face: she instinctively closed her eyes, her arms encircled his shoulders to keep him closer and her lips, now far from her control, responded to Jiwon's kiss although they barely knew how to move. They let themselves be guided by every of his movement, savoring to the full his taste and the surprising sensation of softness and transport that the contact transmitted to her. During that short time, Lisa couldn't think of anything, except for a "finally" that even she couldn't immediately explain.

The magic broke when they both went short of breath. It was enough that they moved only a little away and, all of a sudden, the confidence and the natural transport of their kiss vanished, leaving behind a long trail of embarrassment. They stared at each other for a few moments, the eyes of both unconsciously full of amazement mixed with a trace of fear and excitement; then Lisa's arms slowly lowered and finally she took a step back. It all happened very slowly, the seconds marked by the silence and the beating of her heart, that strong to echoed in her ears.

She wanted to say something, break the silence and the awkwardness with a hint of bad humor as they had always been used to doing, but she couldn't. Her mind was blank, emptied of everything but the thought of Jiwon's lips, which now seemed to her, paradoxically, too distant and too close at the same time.

Neither managed to utter a word and when the call of one of their managers reached them on the terrace, it seemed to both of them a godsend. Without even trying to say anything else, Lisa looked down and turned, going quickly to the door and back into the room, while Jiwon did the same only a few moments later. He was the first to being amazed by his own actions, shocked by how bold and foolish was what he had just done. But, in some strange way, he couldn't regret it, regardless of the consequences it would have on them. Or at least, this was what he initially thought.

"Did you two fight again?"

Chaeyoung whispered in Lisa's ear when she came back inside; now as before, the atmosphere between them, suddenly heavy again, seemed to be evident in the eyes of most of the people of their group and this did nothing but make things worse. She only replied with a shake of her head, then, but honestly she wasn't sure about what all the happened really meant, to her and to him.

They didn't even glance at each other as they finally left the Noraebang: for all the road back to their respective dorms, their looks continued to be empty, lost in their thoughts exactly as they would have been, hours later, while they were staring at Hongdae, slowly coming back to life beyond the windows.

Every time thir eyes closed the memory returned, every time the fingers, guided by instinct, touched their lips, the phantom of the sensations they had felt during that kiss was back to overwhelming the beats of their heart. On that night of December 26, neither of them managed to escape in their beloved dream world to stop thinking, and it was almost at the dawn when Lisa finally realized that maybe the main reason she given up to fought against that "dare" had been nothing but a silly excuse to get something else.

*****

Hallo there! The autor is back!

  I will try to keep this tight and short, so...

As always, everything I wrote is figment of my imagination, so don't take anything too seriously - I need to write it to avoid any misunderstanding, sorry -, and also... yes, I think someone has already guessed it, but the necklace to which I refer in this chapter is the one in the 2-4 episode of BLACKPINK HOUSE!

Please, try to understand me, the coincidence between the appearance of that necklace in the episode, the pendant that Bobby has worn very often during the first phase of the comeback and the period in which all this happened was too tempting to not be included in a chapter of my story lol

Thanks so much to all of you that continuing to follow my story and, as always (again), please forgive any errors in my English, I'm trying to improve...

Okay, I think I've said it all for now...

I hope you like this chapter 🙏 

See you in the next update,

🖖 bye bye 🖖