The Moon is Gone

“Hey, Lisa.”

“Yes?”

“That regular…your friend? She hasn’t come by this week.”

“Probably busy with uni stuff? I don’t know, I’m not her keeper.” Lisa mumbles and looks at her boss, fresh out of college, chirpy but buff. It was an irony Lisa couldn’t reconcile. “Why? Is she the only customer keeping the café alive?”

“Very funny. Our losses from her absence will come out of your paycheck.”

“Jackson you wouldn’t dare.” Lisa towers over Jackson by an inch only, but the latter takes a step back, laughing.

“Where is she though? I thought you guys were close.”

Lisa’s eyes narrow. “Why are you so concerned? Do you like her?”

Jackson lets out a hearty laugh, almost like a hyena. “No, idiot. I’m asking because it’s unusual. My gut feeling says so.”

Lisa rolls her eyes. “You’re one of them?”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Miss Manoban? Is there a cult for people who trust in their gut?”

“You believe in gut feelings?”

“Yep.”

“Do you believe that the Universe aligns in your favor?”

“Yep.”

“Do you act like a little and blame it on Mercury Retrograde?”

“Ye- hey, wait a minute.”

“Case in point. All this celestial bull. Really, Jacky? I mean, I expected more.” Lisa says, last phrase dripping with sarcasm.

“Look man, respect. I don’t bug out when you go all cynical on me. Bottomline, you should just go check on your friend. Or I’m going to fire you on grounds of authority defiance.”

Lisa rolls her eyes. “Fine. But this better be a paid leave.”

Jackson shrugs. “Depends. If you take back “celestial bull.””

“No. Bye Jack! Thanks for the day off!” Lisa strides out of the café in large strides, saluting to her boss.

Jackson waits until Lisa is completely outside of the café, and rests his head on his palm, elbow propped on the counter. “Jinyoung, you better be right about this. Also, is this against the rules of Guardians, what you just did?”

A green light flashes blindingly in front of Jackson, and he gapes at the unseen Guardian before him.

“That angel Jennie is your what?!”

_______

Jennie watches as Jisoo tosses and turns in her bed for the nth hour today. She has locked herself in her room all week, missing classes but turning her work in online.

“Jisoo, please eat.”

“No.”

“Jisoo, I can’t feed you, come on, please have something.”

“I’m not a baby, Jennie.”

Jennie frowns, and dodges a pillow in her trajectory. The pillow falls on the floor with a soft ‘thump’ and Jisoo turns to look in Jennie’s direction.

“Ah, great. You’re gone again. Did you do that on purpose, Jennie?”

Silence.

“Okay, so you still are broken. Ugh.” Jisoo props herself up against the headboard and reclines. “Jennie, this entire ignoring Lisa has upset me so much. What if she hates me? What if she never wants to talk to me? What if I made things worse and now her Guardian is suffering more than ever? What if Lisa gets into an accident because of me? Oh my god I could never live with tha-“

*RING*

The doorbell rings and cuts Jisoo off.

Thank goodness, Jennie rolls her eyes.

______

Lisa taps her foot impatiently on Jisoo’s front porch. “This is stupid, I’m not her girlfriend, why am I checking in on her like this? She can handle herself. Her Guardian can do that too,” she mumbles.

“Hello, ye- Lisa?!”

Lisa is startled and sees Jisoo, disheveled, her face sullen and hair messy. “What happened to you? You’re a mess.”

“Thank you, Captain Obvious.” Jisoo combs her fingers through her hair. “What’s up? Do I owe the café?”

“Yeah, my boss believes you’re the only one keeping the business afloat. So pay up, a week’s worth.” Lisa gestures with her open palm towards Jisoo.

“Unfortunately I have deci