"The mind which is created quick to love, is responsive to everything that is pleasing, soon as by pleasure it is awakened into activity.  Your apprehensive faculty draws an impression from a real object, and unfolds it within you, so that it makes the mind turn thereto.  And if, being turned, it inclines towards it, that inclination is love; that is nature, which through pleasure is bound anew within you." -- Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

"Bam…  I need you," says the tall blonde who was gasping breathlessly and holding on to the door's frame for support.

BamBam who was just getting ready for a peaceful sleep like any other, immediately shoots his head towards the sound of distress.  Slippers were no longer needed as he instantly jolts up from his bed to aid the somewhat lifeless blonde.  "Lis," he calls out of habit, and though the blonde always chooses the wrong time to come to him, he would always find himself catering to her needs.  She was after all his best friend. 

"What's wrong?  Come quick, sit down.  Breathe in and breathe out okay, I'll go get you some water." He accommodates her to the side of his bed as he runs down for water.

"Here, drink up." He says as soon as he arrives with that promising glass of water.

"Thank you Bam," Lisa answers as she chugs down the whole glass.

BamBam faces her with worry scrunched up in his face.  He scans her further hoping to get some kind of answer from doing so.  Lisa had always been an open book BamBam loved reading.   Yet, somehow and someway the Lisa he was beholding was different.  Her dark bags underneath her big eyes were set off to a bare minimum, almost as if they were never there.  Her skin wasn't as pale as when he last saw her.  And she was… glowing?  BamBam doesn't want to judge especially when she was just sitting there beside him, but she's different now.  A good different.

"You've been staring." Lisa indignantly speaks out of nowhere.  It's not uncomfortable though, rather she misses it.  She misses BamBam.

"Oh, uh…  Why are you here again?" Smartly, BamBam questions managing to squirm his way out of the following grilling he was sure to receive.

Lisa sighs.  Why was she here?  If she had missed the man then surely there were other means.  She scurries herself deep in thoughts.  Only one thing or rather person popped up her mind.

Jennie.

The days flew by very quickly for Lisa and Jennie.  And Jennie finds every time spent with Lisa was something she always had looked forward to.  It was definitely not because Lisa was very accommodating about most of Jennie's requests.  It was definitely not because the taller girl chooses to prioritize whichever Jennie wanted to do for the past couple of days.  No, it was because she finds herself being drawn to Lisa even more than she would actually care to admit.  How could she not?  The woman was very good company.  The days spent with Lisa were as if getting to know better a friend you haven't seen in a while.  And Lisa made Jennie feel comfortable to be with.  Slowly she was starting to find herself again and she loved every moment of it.  She loved hanging around with Lisa as well.

And tonight was no exception.

She had just bought two tickets to a recent horror film which was the talk of her whole neighbourhood, especially with the younger people.  And well she couldn't help but be curious about it, so what better way to watch it than with the person she owes so much to.

She dials Lisa's number which she had saved the day she met the one and only AhnHyejin, since then her contact log has been filled with Lisa's id. 

A hiss was what she heard as a response when the call was starting.

"I'm sorry, are you busy?  You seem to be out of it.  Anything I can help you with?" She asks smiling but still silently wondering as to what had caused such a grumpy reaction from Lisa.

"I was having my afternoon grandma nap Jennie…" Lisa whines at the loss of sleep.

Jennie laughs.  This Lisa was a sight she had wanted to see for a while now.  She had been imagining all sorts of scenarios: Lisa with tousled hair covering half of her face, drool dropping down from the corner of her lips, maybe the blonde even snored when asleep.  And Jennie found each scenario very entertaining and interesting.  "So you're all bundled up in your room?" Jennie asks with a hint of amusement.

"What's wrong with being bundled up in your own flat?" Lisa returns.  "I rather like it very much.  Just being lazy and being hugged by thick blankets, just like a little homeless lady, minus the homeless."  Lisa finishes.  Jennie once again puts out a little chuckle, but as soon as she hears the light snores from the other side, she decides to make a move.

"Hello?!  Lisa?  Lisa!" she shouts hoping Lisa had not fully slept on her yet.

Lisa grunts and as Jennie could hear, mumbles incoherent words.  "What?" she answers stoic.

"Well I was wondering if this grandma could accompany me to the movies tonight?  I've already gotten the tickets so I'm hoping I wouldn't take 'no' for an answer." Jennie replies whilst looking at the tickets she had clipped down to her fridge, not wanting to forget.  But then again, how could she?  And she wanted nothing more than for Lisa to agree.

"It depends on what the movie is about.  This grandma hates horror films.  Somehow she finds the main characters of horror films ending up in lifeless states or dragged to a mental institution.  Plus they're crazy scary, and she can't put up with that.  As much as possible she wants to watch romantic comedy." The dozing Lisa manages to speak.

But her answer made Jennie deflate right there. 

"So…" Lisa adds with a small yawn.  "Is it romantic comedy?"

"Yes."

And it was very wrong of her to say so.  Twenty minutes into the film and Lisa was crying…  Well they both were.  Jennie could not believe that it was that scary, and Lisa could not believe Jennie tricked her into watching such an unpleasant image of film.  Both never wanted to try it ever again.

"Jennie!  Ah!" Lisa screamed once the monster lurking around in the shadows had finally devoured whom they thought to be the main character of the movie.  "Jennie…" Lisa blubs, shadowing both her eyes with her hands.

Jennie had never seen Lisa so afraid before and she feels guilty knowing that the younger girl wouldn't be bawling in a movie theatre if she had just chosen to watch a romantic comedy with her.  "Shh, it's okay Lisa.  I'm here." She wraps an arm around Lisa's shoulder bringing her closer and Lisa takes it as her cue to bury herself in Jennie's neck.  It was an odd angle for both, since Jennie was shorter than Lisa.  But about anything was fine with Lisa, she never wants to see a horror film in her life ever again.  And she's learned one thing that night.  Which was to never trust Jennie in picking out movies.  The brunette was too extreme, she thinks.

Finally the screams died down and the credits rolled, but Lisa had never been scared or humiliated in her entire life.  But then again, she's never watched a horror film before.  Not with BamBam and Byulyi.  So maybe something good came out from this experience.  Maybe.

"I-Is it d-done?  C-Can I look up now?" Lisa asks still slightly sobbing and quivering as Jennie started to brush her hair lightly.

Jennie, who surprisingly wasn't as scared as before, had found a new comfort to Lisa just resting her head on her.  Wanting it to last for a little while longer she says, "Nope, the monster is going to jump out any second after the credits roll.  It'sgonna come back Lisa.  You just stay put there, a'ight."

Lisa believes this woman even after she had been tricked and she wasn't going to risk peeking just to scream her lungs out once more.  So she buries herself deeper into Jennie's neck also finding comfort at how Jennie took all of her.  And she was supposed to be the one protecting Jennie, how ironic, she thinks.

The audience left one by one and Jennie still hadn't let Lisa go. 

"Is it clear?" the younger one asks.

Jennie sighs inaudibly.  Dubiously she shifts away in order for Lisa to emerge from her body.  Sighing once more as she slowly feels the heat turning to nothing but cool wind, she answers, "Yeah.  You can come up now."

"Woah," Lisa expresses after the traumatizing movie.  "I will never accept an offer like that ever again." And Jennie gives her an eye-smile Lisa clearly missed.

They make their way out of the theatre with Lisa clutching onto Jennie's arm for support.  She had felt dizzy once she had stood up from her seat. 

"Oh God," she mutters under her breath while trying to keep her heart calm.  "Why…  Umph, why did you even take me there?"

Jennie giggles whilst still giving it her all to help Lisa stand up better.  She shrugs as she replies, "No reason."  Her face containing a mischievous smile.

Lisa shakes her head ready to just about leave the woman when they spot a giant bluish bear roaming around in the streets giving out random hugs.

Jennie doesn't find him intriguing at all.

But Lisa, oh Lisa did.

"Krunk!!!" the blonde squeals, instantly diverting her attention from leaving Jennie completely, to just leaving her for the big blue bear.  The bear who was identified as Krunk gives his full attention to the woman who was screaming and charging towards him.  "Krunk, take a photo with me!"

The bear shoots his head up to take a selfie with the blonde who was way too excited.

"One more," she asks and Krunk obliges.  "And I want a hug too!" and the blue bear could do nothing but to obey the command.

Jennie, on the other hand, only looked their way admiringly.  She sees the younger so excited and she can't help but feel happy and giddy as well.  Well blame Lisa and her endless contagious smiles.  The world could be a sad and lonely world, but never with Lisa around and Jennie can guarantee that.  Jennie could be the only human stuck in a world turned into a zombie apocalypse with mindless zombies only thirsting for brains, but then she'd find and come across some strange zombie.  Lisa would most definitely be that weird zombie; she'd stand out.  She'll probably be the only zombie with a smile on her face, who thirsts for candy more than she could brains.  And Jennie finds herself laughing alone at her own gibberish thoughts.  Somehow she found that it would be very cute.

"Jennie…  Yah ahjumma!!!  The ahjumma who's called Jennie Kim!" Lisa shouts at Jennie's direction flabbergasting the said girl.  She had not been paying attention at what Lisa was saying, only heeding to what Lisa was doing and she was calling for her.

Too afraid at what the blonde might have caught her unabashedly doing, she stays rooted in her place.  She shouts, "W-What do you need?"

"Take a photo with us!" Lisa hears the query thus gives such reply, motioning with one hand for Jennie to come over.  Jennie was disinclined and feeling guilty for thinking such thoughts about this pure soul.  She couldn't even stay mad at her for a second, maybe she never even tried.

But Lisa's big eyes which were inviting her to come, did things to her.  Her feet were now betraying her even as she told them not to cave into those huge sparkling eyes.  Once in front of them, Lisa immediately pulls Jennie in and locks an arm around her shoulder.  Half-wittedly, Jennie is shocked at the act and she may have ruined the photo.

"Jennie!" Lisa grumbles as she scans the photo taken.  Jennie was facing her way and not paying attention to the camera.  "You have to look towards the camera and smile.  You shouldn't be ogling at me."

"W-What?"

"Let's do it again…  Face the camera…  1,2,3."  When Lisa starts counting she does look the camera's way, smiling from ear to ear.  It was unforgettable.  She ends up asking Lisa to send all the photos she took, completely erasing the fact that she had not wanted to take a photo with the bear in the first place.

Lisa being the mischievous little devil even sends her own photos with the big blue bear.  Jennie initially 'got mad' for a second, which was the reaction Lisa was going for--consider it her little revenge, and hid the fact that she was actually enjoying having Lisa in her phone.

When all was said and done, Lisa turns to Jennie with a glare in her eyes remembering what the brunette had once subjected her to.  "You didn't think I'd just leave you off like that.  You've got a lot of explaining to do, miss.  Why did you trick me into watching such a horrid display?"

"A horrid display?" Jennie asks quirking a brow.  "By all means Lisa, it was a splendid film.  You just didn't have the guts to watch it.  It only proves that you're still a baby and you need me." Jennie remarks putting her tongue out at Lisa.

"How would I have guts to watch something like that?!" Lisa yammers.  "It was a ton of nasty Jennie.  I never wanna go out on a movie with you ever again." She huffs crossing her arms and averting her eyes from Jennie.

Jennie pouts when Lisa says that.  "But why?" she asks in a cutesy tone that makes Lisa's eyes confused, so the blonde had no other choice than to look at her.  "Why would you want to go leave me alone in a thea-tew (theatre)?"  Jennie continues adding her baby-voice into it, arms crossed and stomping her feet to better up her act.  Lisa by now had her jaw wide open.

"I don't know what you're doing to me, but I can't seem to look away." Lisa whispers enough for Jennie to hear.

Jennie, deliberately, giggles cutely at Lisa's awed state.  "Jennie is sowwy (sorry).  Jennie sweaws (swears), she'll nevew (never) do it again.  Jennie pwomises (promises) nevew (never) to let Lisa watch a scawy (scary) movie again.  Lisa fowgive (forgive) Jennie?"  It might have been exaggerated, and Lisa may have cringed if the person standing in front of her didn't look like a cute six year old.  No.  Lisa, on the contrary, found it very amusing; maybe even pleasing.

And when Jennie puckers her lips, forming a pout, it was the end for Lisa.

"Agh!" Lisa looks up frustrated, even running her hands through her face.  "Why do you have to be too cute?  And now you're even imitating a baby."

Jennie blinks her eyes profusely, making sure that Lisa catches every bit of her act.

With a deep grunt here and there, and mumbling of inaudible words here and there, Lisa finally gives up.  "Fine, fine.  I forgive you, just stop with your act, I never want to hear it ever again.  I might get a heart attack." Lisa pronounces, looking away from the sight.

"Okay," Jennie chuckles and nods at Lisa's request.

"Plus you have to hold my hand all the way home." Lisa demands sticking her hand out for Jennie to take.

Jennie gazes at Lisa to see that she has a serious face on.  "W-Why?" she questions but takes Lisa's hand nonetheless as they start walking.

"Because I'm afraid Jennie.  I'm afraid that I wouldn't see you walking with me when I look back.  I'm afraid that you'll leave me like how you left Chaeyoung, like how she left me.  I'm afraid that somewhere along the lonely road a big freakish monster's going to pounce on me and I'll be left eaten.  I'm afraid Jennie." Lisa admits continuing with her walk knowing that Jennie's hand is safely molded in hers.

Jennie could not have been that courageous to spill out words like that.  She would have just let it all slide.  Tell herself she's brave when the truth is that she's terrified.  But here comes Lisa.  Declaring the unnecessary which Jennie never knew could have been so meaningful.

She slips her hand out from Lisa's grasp, and when Lisa was about to protest and tell her words that make her heart flutter, she tackles Lisa's back with a hug.

"You're not alone, Lisa.  You won't be because I won't leave." she utters softly, she feels Lisa's tensed body relax a bit.  She adds, "I have your back like how you've always got mine.  If you're afraid then I'll always be ready to let you borrow my neck, and you could always have it if you need to bury your head in it.  Lisa, I may not know how she left you, but I'm telling you now, I won't leave you like she did.  I won't leave your side like how you never left mine.  I'll need you like how you need me, and we'll just work it all out together.  Chaeyoung’s a whole other story, because right now, right here, I’m with Lisa and I’m enjoying every minute with her.  Also, I can tell you that a  monster's never going to eat you up alive; it'll have to eat me first."

Lisa shifts her whole body to meet Jennie's and it was as if time stopped.  Nothing else mattered as they stared into each other's eyes.  She looks down to see the shoes she had bought and given to Jennie, and she had never felt such importance given to her.  As Lisa looked into her eyes, Jennie could feel her heart beating dangerously inside her chest, likewise, as Jennie looked at Lisa, Lisa could feel her heart racing abnormally it ached.

Lisa doesn't know how or why, but she thinks it was because of how Jennie was looking at her.  It might have been the fact that her eyes had never looked at her that way before.  Or maybe it's because Jennie had said things that would absolutely make anyone's heart beat furiously out of their chests.  Or maybe it's because of how Jennie smiled, how her laugh seemed to calm down every nerve Lisa carried in her body.  Or maybe it was because it was Jennie.  And that maybe, slowly, she was starting to see differently about Jennie.  Maybe she was liking Jennie even more than how she's normally supposed to.

And this was something she had never thought about. 

This was exactly what she left out of her oh-so-brilliant plan.  What if somewhere along the way she falls in love with Jennie?  She couldn't let that happen.  She didn't want to take advantage of Jennie's heartbreak, at the same time she didn't want to be just a rebound.  She didn't want to ruin a perfect relationship Jennie was going to have with Chaeyoung.  There were so many what if's in mind and Jennie was looking at her.  It was loving unlike how they first met.  Jennie was looking at her in a way which made her hope for something more, but she knew she could never. 

It was a first for her, feeling something like this.  She knows this feeling was something alien to her, but at the same time it feels all too familiar.  And she knows what this feeling is, she may be inexperienced, but she's not stupid.  She quickly covers Jennie's body with hers, hugging her like her life depended on it.  She knew she had to let Jennie go, she shouldn't be the reason why Jennie could not have everything she deserved, so right now she tells herself that she's content with Jennie just being her friend.  She tells herself that even if it hurts.

"Thank you Jennie." she speaks painfully.

Jennie knows there's something off about how Lisa's acting right now.  And so she wraps her arms tighter around Lisa's waist.  "I'm not leaving you if that's what you're thinking.  I could have any other person I want out there, but I'm not leaving you.  I'll stick to you if that's what you're worried about.  I won't let go."  Jennie with heart getting the best of her speaks.

Lisa cracks a smile.  It was easier with Jennie when she had not been aware of her feelings for her.  "Let's go home then." Lisa answers hoping that whatever this is, is just something that occurred because of the time spent with Jennie today.  She hopes that somewhere it will go away knowing fully the consequences of her actions.

"Let's go home."  Jennie intertwines her hands with Lisa's now cold ones.  She wasn't used to it.  Lisa's hands were always warmer, and so hoping that it would get warmer within the minutes she holds it tighter assuring the blonde that she's always there. 

That night Lisa pondered in her thoughts not even having a night's rest as she's supposed to.

"And you're absolutely positive that you haven't dreamt this?  Maybe you've been hanging out too much with Jennie that you even dream about things like that?  Lisa, tell me, do you need to see the doctor?  My mom is no expert in that field, but she might know some people who can help you.  Maybe we can start with scanning your brain, maybe your heart, your hormones?  I don't know, but I think you need help quick." BamBam ascertains fishing his phone out to determine what possible symptoms Lisa was having.  He was very worried about her because the person seated beside him was completely different.

Lisa on the other hand just lets her back fall down onto BamBam's bed, phone in hand as she searches for that night's conversation with Jennie.  Once she finds one particularly long message from Jennie, which made her heart flutter she shoves it directly at BamBam's face.  And BamBam reads it… aloud.

From Jennie:

"Hey, are you still awake?  Are you still thinking of the monster?  If you're feeling afraid, you could close your eyes and think of all the things which make you feel happy.  Maybe like that Krunk bear.  I don't know.  Just don't think about it too much, and if you like really need someone, you could talk to me, I'll lend you my ears.  I've already lent you my neck anyways haha, so…  Yeah, just making sure you're alright.  Again I'm really sorry…  Call me if you need anything.  Alright?  Good night, I guess."

"Oh… wow, I don't know what to say.  It was all real?  I thought you made those stuff up.  And you, you like this person?" BamBam asks not taking his eyes off the screen as he continuously reads the same message over and over.

Lisa breathes heavily through her nose and places a hand just above her head.  "I don't know Bam…  It's like whenever I'm near her I want to get away, then when she's not beside me I find myself missing her."  Lisa stops for a moment, and BamBam finally turns his head to look at her.  "She… she makes me feel complete Bam and it's been too long since I've felt that way I don't even know if it's the same feeling.  But I love it.  I love the feeling she gives me.  Tell me Bam, is it wrong for me to think that way about her?"

BamBam, also confused with the whole 'Lisa liking someone', lays down beside the blonde, giving her enough space as not to intrude her so-called 'personal bubble'.  "I can't tell, Lisa," BamBam coyly replies.  "I have no idea what's going on in your mind or in your heart.  And I have absolutely no clue as to what love really is, I haven't felt that way yet.  But it seems to me that you really care about this Jennie, and from what I read, she cares about you too.  Perhaps you should take time to understand your feelings first.  I don't want you hurting someone just because you want to prove something.  I also don't want you getting hurt because you had hoped for something more than just being friends to occur between the both of you.  All I can tell you right now is to enjoy your time with her, and if your feelings for her don't change, else it even gets deeper then maybe, just maybe, you do love this person." BamBam, downright straight and composed as possible handles the whole scene. 

"Love?" Lisa questions herself.  "But what if she already has someone in her heart?  What if that person is just as irreplaceable as mom is to me?" Lisa quietly mutters but the night was too quiet that her silent gushes were heard by the man lying next to her.

"Why?  What have you left out of this?  Is there something else that you need to tell me?" BamBam contests shifting up a bit as he uses his arm to support his weight.

Lisa, with a timid smile on her lips replies uncertainly, "W-Well, she just got out of a relationship not too long ago, and I can see that she still loves her, so…  Yeah." She closes her eyes not wanting for any unnecessary tears to fall out any time soon.

Sensing that there are still some details left unattended, BamBam asks for more.  "What else?"

A bitter grin.  "I kind of told her that I would help her get back with her past lover."

A smack in the head."Yah, you stupid!"BamBam exclaims in disapproval whilst Lisa winces.  "Why would you tell her that?  Are you a love expert, you clearly have no experience.  How would you try to get them back together?  You aren't even that witty when it comes to this, you don't even understand how your own heart works, and then you tell her you'll help her with getting her past back?  Oh my God, Lisa.  Why did you even do that?"

Lisa whimpers at BamBam's tantrum.  "Because I saw it, okay?  I saw the longing each of them had when they parted.  I saw the hurt they felt when they cried.  And I saw the love that lingers in their hearts whenever the other is mentioned.  I saw every ounce of care and love each had for one another, I won't even see that in any of the actors or actresses eyes when filming a movie.  I saw everything I never saw before with Dad.  And I envied them Bam.  I envied them so much."

"But you fell in love with her." BamBam fills out as he realizes sequentially how and why the blonde was here now.  In hopes to get a better say at it, he adds, "And now you don't know what will happen.  You're actually scared of what will happen.  That's why you're having doubts.  You're actually aware that you love the person, but you're afraid that you won't receive the love that you've been craving for.  You're afraid that somewhere along the road you'll end up like your parents.  Unloved.Lifeless and withering.  You're scared that's why you're withholding.  Correct me if I'm wrong, Lisa, but you're terrified of taking that chance because you think it'll just end up in vain, because you think that you're going to be your dad.  But Lisa, you aren't.  And you never will be.  Your dad… you know what he did and that's where you're different from him."

"How sure are you about that?  How certain are you that I won't be like him?  I might just end up hurting Jennie like how he hurt mom, and I can't handle that Bam.  I love Jennie too much." Lisa finally takes courage and confesses her feelings.

BamBam was quick to respond.  "See, that's it!  You love Jennie, and there's a huge difference between love and the lust your father had for your mother.  He was young and immature and they did things that were complete mistakes, but I'm not saying you're a mistake, Lisa." He was rambling by now.  Two maybe three breaths, and he was now serene.  "All I'm saying is that love is something you get to do.  If you truly love Jennie you have to trust yourself that you won't hurt her.  If you truly love Jennie then you know for sure that you won't hurt her."

"It's one-sided though, Bam.  Simply unrequited, for she loves Chaeyoung." Lisa states completely hopeless.

"Chaeyoung?  Who the hell is Chaeyoung?" BamBam with scattered information questions.

Lisa grunts as she has to talk about what she really doesn't want to talk about.  "Chaeyoung Park, she's Jennie's past.  The person I'm getting Jennie to take back."

BamBam thinks.  The name Chaeyoung Park seemed really familiar.  With much thought put into one person he finally gasps.  It was too loud that Lisa thinks he would never be able to gasp in his entire life again.  "Chaeyoung Park?The Chaeyoung Park?The famous artist Chaeyoung Park?The Kang's son's fiancée?"

"Guess she's that well-known, huh?"

BamBam bites the inside of his cheek.  Why was everything so messed up?  He really didn't have a thing for a self-pitying Lisa.  A loud, long and heavy sigh was all he lets out before laying beside the still immobile Lisa.