Chapter 26 

 

When Jennie walks into the bar, she realised quickly that the entire place is empty. The chairs and tables are already arranged neatly for the next working day. 

 

While her eyes dart around to find her friends, a handsome high schooler walk up to greet her from behind the counter. He is already dressed in casual clothes, ready to knock off work. 

 

He slips out a small, sheepish smile at the girl. “Sorry, we are closed for the day.”

 

“I’m here to pick up my friends instead.”

 

“Them?” He beckoned behind him. 

 

“Oh gosh...” She sighs when she finally spots the only two people left in the bar, sitting at the counter. 

 

She strides towards them and let out a huge sigh seeing their current unconscious state. One of them is holding a half-empty glass of whiskey while the other had a water bottle balanced on her head. 

 

“What the hell happened here...” 

 

“Well I tried my best to stop them from drinking...” 

 

Jennie hesitates a little, before she reach out to gently nudge the younger girl’s shoulder. When Lisa does not respond, Jennie nudges her a little harder and the girl’s head just collapses flat onto the glass counter. 

 

But she still remains unconscious. 

 

“Why did you drink this much stupid?” She mutters to herself. Her mind cannot help but wonder if she is the reason for Lisa’s drinking spur. 

 

Don’t fool yourself Jennie. 

 

You’re not that important to her. 

 

The loud bang stirs the other girl, who was less drunk, to wake up instead. Jisoo slowly lifts her head off her elbow to check out the source of the noise. The water bottle slips off her head. She bends down to pick it up and she pauses in motion when she finally sees Jennie. 

 

“Jennie? Why are you here?” She asks in a dry, scratchy voice. She coughs from the dryness of , and Jennie immediately comes in to pat her back. 

 

“Can you give her some warm water?” Jennie asks the boy, who follows as per requested. “Here drink up.” She passes the warm glass into Jisoo’s hand and the girl drinks it as instructed. 

 

Though her head still hurts a little, she feels much better now after drinking the warm water. “Why are you here?” Jisoo asks again, feigning dislike at her arrival. 

 

“I’m here to fetch you guys home safely.“ 

 

“I see...” Jisoo stands up, and almost falls off the chair. Luckily, Jennie is there to catch her arm in time and help her stabilise her footing. “I’ll be off. Take Lisa home safely will you?” She tells the latter, who shakes her head. 

 

“No I am here to fetch both of you. I won’t leave without you, Jisoo.” 

 

“But its Lisa you are here for. Isn’t it?” Jisoo slips out a small, bitter smile. Just like how Seulgi always does everything for Irene, who has become the centre of her entire world. 

 

“N-No...” Jennie stutters with a growing blush. It is obvious that the other girl has hit bulls eye with her statement. 

 

“I know you like her so take this chance to take good care of her.” Jisoo adds, with a sad gaze that would linger in Jennie’s mind. “See you in school.” 

 

She takes a step away, but then Jennie holds her back by the arm hurriedly. 

 

“Umm...” Jennie suddenly asks her, “So you are not going to take responsibility for Lisa?”

 

“You’re here aren’t you?”

 

“You are the one who allowed her to continue drinking until she knocked out and even drank with her instead of stopping her. Y-You need to take responsibility for making me waste my night coming here instead of going home.” 

 

“What do you want me to do?”

 

“Hmm help me bring Lisa to her house.”

 

“I’ll give you the address.”

 

“No I need you to come along.”

 

“Why?” Jisoo sighs, running her hand through her hair in frustration. God, her headache is already killing her and Jennie still refuses to let her off. 

 

“She is a member of your team. As her leader, you wouldn’t leave her until she is safe right?” Jennie smiles. 

 

“You wouldn’t do anything to her. I trust you.”

 

“Jisoo-yah, I just want you to accompany me.” Jennie finally sighs. “Please?” 

 

Never in a million years, would she thought that one look from the student councillor could make her subconsciously agree to her plea. 

 

“Okay...” It is too late when she finally realised what she did, but the smile on Jennie’s face warms her heart. 

 

 

 

 

They decided to all go to Jisoo’s house for the time being. 

 

The slightly sober Jisoo helps Jennie to carry Lisa all the way from the gate to the bed. Along the way, Jisoo appreciated how Jennie does all the small things to show she cares, like wiping the sweat off her forehead tenderly and checking her temperature. 

 

“Its no problem....oh no she seems to be heating up.” Jennie sighs, after checking with the back of her palm on Lisa’s forehead. She darts a worried look at Jisoo, who steps in to double check. She sits by the other side of the bed, opposite of where Jennie is. 

 

How blessed is Lisa to have two people who care so much about her, Jisoo thought to herself while checking the girl’s temperature with her hand. 

 

“Right? She’s definitely heating up.” Jennie concludes quickly while Jisoo is lost in her thoughts. 

 

“No no...she should be alright.” Jisoo quickly replies to reassure the other girl. “Just gotta sleep it off. Don’t worry.” 

 

“Yea...don’t worry.” Jennie repeats Jisoo’s words to herself, but her gaze still remains solely focused on the younger girl. 

 

“She will be fine. Trust me.“ Jisoo chuckles, when she sees the fluster in Jennie’s eyes upon being caught worrying. 

 

“Yea. She will be. I shouldn’t even be caring this much.” Jennie immediately stands up and stays away from the bed. She unknowingly stifles a yawn she has been holding on all this time. 

 

“You should get some sleep.” Jisoo notices Jennie’s fatigue. “Choose any one of the spare rooms down the hallway.” She informs her. 

 

“What about you?” 

 

“I have something to do...”

 

“At this hour? Where? Who are you meeting?”

 

“Gosh...you and your endless questions. I just feel like drinking a few more glasses today.” Jisoo admits, while adverting Jennie’s gaze. The last thing she needs now is pity, from someone of Irene’s gang. 

 

“Well that makes us two. Let me join you.” Jennie jumps in all of a sudden. 

 

Ruining Jisoo’s original, perfect plan of drinking and crying alone, which is what she has always done. 

 

“But...”

 

“There’s not just one broken heart tonight, Soo-yah.” 

 

The next moment they find themselves in the living room together, sitting by the sofa and drinking a mixture of soju and beer. 

 

God knows how many hours they had been there. 

 

And how many glasses they have both drunk to spur a random heart to heart conversation. 

 

“Hey Jisoo. Can I ask you something?” Jennie asks, while trying her best to prop her head up on her elbow. Her cheeks are flushed and her gaze unfixed. 

 

“Yeah?” Jisoo asks, while mixing their next drinks. 

 

“Is Lisa playing with me?”

 

“What?”

 

“I’m okay if you just tell me the truth. I just wanna get this stupid game over and done with.” Jennie chuckles bitterly. She flashes the latter a look and repeats, “Tell me. Please.” 

 

“Jennie...”

 

The latter waits with bated breath for her reply. A part of her still remains hopeful, though she has already told herself to not bother with a player like Lisa. 

 

“She isn’t.” 

 

“R-Really?” Jisoo observes how Jennie’s eyes lit up almost instantly. 

 

She reassures Jennie, unknowing growing a smile herself. “I know that girl and I can confidently say she is not a player. Trust me.” 

 

Upon hearing that, Jennie felt a huge wave of relief flood her at once. She cannot help but allow the ends of her lips to curl up, thinking that maybe all of this is really a misunderstanding. 

 

Having dated around before, Jennie knows the signals she has picked up from Lisa cannot be wrong. 

 

But then...why?

 

“Why did she run away after kissing me?” Jennie asks directly, making the latter hesitate about spilling too much information.

 

“I can’t tell you-“

 

“Jisoo, I have been turning myself inside and out these past two days trying to figure out why. Please.” 

 

“No.”

 

“Please?” Jennie crawls up to the latter and begs with her puppy eyes. “Please, Soo-yah?”  

 

Jisoo chuckles at the cute sight and places the newly mixed drink in Jennie’s hand. “Drink up.” 

 

“Please...” Jennie ignores the drink and tugs at the girl’s sleeve. 

 

She did go all out that night. 

 

Unfortunately, she is still met with a firm rejection. “I think it would be best for her to tell you herself. I’m sorry.” Jisoo gives her an apologetic smile, and she really meant it in that moment.  

 

“Forget it!” Jennie grunts and takes her drink, then stalks off to sit at the far corner of the sofa. 

 

“If there’s one thing I can tell you, you were the reason why she broke our drinking ban and got wasted. She regretted what she did that day.” 

 

“You’re serious?” Jennie’s eyes widen and then they narrow onto Jisoo. “You’re not just helping your dongsaeng cover up? Please Jisoo I can’t...”

 

“I talked to her earlier in the bar.” 

 

“But you were drunk. Wait why were you drunk?” Jennie suddenly turns the spotlight onto Jisoo. “Aren’t you supposed to be on a drinking ban too?” 

 

“M-Me?” Jisoo laughs nervously. She looks away in guilt, which makes the latter smirk. Spot on. 

 

“Why were you drinking? Because of Seulgi?”

 

“Why ask when you already know the answer?” She sighs. 

 

Seulgi. Ugh, Seulgi. 

 

Seulgi is the name that she can never get out of her head. 

 

No matter how many drinks she had, she still thinks about Seulgi. Her heart still hurts from the thought of losing the captain she has admired for years for good to another girl. 

 

“You know, I wonder how things would be different if I confessed to Seulgi first.” Jisoo suddenly adds.

 

Her words draw Jennie to look at the lonely girl at the other corner of the sofa. 

 

“If I jumped in first, Seulgi would be here with me tonight instead. Don’t you think?” 

 

Jisoo her head to make eye contact with the girl and gives a little shrug. There is sadness in her eyes, behind the grin. 

 

“Well...I am here.” Jennie scoots closer with a cute grin on her face. 

 

“You’re not Seulgi though.” Jisoo comments, but then a small chuckle escapes when she meets Jennie’s eyes. 

 

Comfort. 

 

“I think you are just lonely. You just need a new best friend.” Jennie chirps. 

 

“No. Seulgi is special.”

 

“I am pretty special. Both of those things.” 

 

Jisoo laughs at her lame joke. “Really? That’s such a bad one Jennie.” 

 

The latter playfully shrugs. She knows her joke obviously, it is actually really cringeworthy. But seeing the comfort on Jisoo’s face made it worthwhile. 

 

“But on a serious note, why Seulgi of all people?” 

 

The question touches a soft spot in Jisoo’s heart. 

 

Jisoo flashes her a look of hesitation, which the latter recognises. Jennie explains calmly, “I’m just curious that’s all. You don’t have to tell me.” 

 

“I’m too drunk to hold back now.” Jisoo chuckles and sets her gaze far away outside the window. “Well, where do I begin? Seulgi...is someone I’ve known since young. She is my best friend. We had our fears and our breakdowns through the years but through every one of them, we had each other.”

 

She flashes a longing look at Jennie as she continues, “We understand each other on a level no one else can relate to. This feeling of having someone who truly understands you is just...indescribable. I love her, Jennie. I really do.” 

 

“That’s sweet. Really sweet.” Jennie slips out a warm smile and offers a light squeeze on the latter’s shoulder. 

 

Her expression suddenly hardens. “That’s why its so frustrating when Irene suddenly just barged in and occupied Seulgi’s heart so easily.” 

 

“...”

 

“I spent years trying to get past that girl’s defences and she did it in weeks...merely weeks.” Jisoo murmurs in a voice of absolute defeat. It breaks Jennie’s heart to see it. 

 

“Maybe...I’m saying maybe, what you are feeling for Seulgi is just jealousy that your best friend is being snatched away?”

 

“Nonsense...” She scoffs. Jisoo flashes a scathing look at Jennie. “Really? You think I don’t know the difference between romantic and platonic feelings?” 

 

“There is no doubt you and Seulgi has a special bond. But from what I hear, you seem possessive over Seulgi than romantically attracted to her.” 

 

Her statement stuns Jisoo. She started to re-evaluate her own feelings without knowing. Is that really true? 

 

What I am feeling is possessiveness of my best friend instead of love? 

 

Jisoo shuts all the thoughts away with another wave of her hand. “Nonsense. Lets continue drinking.” 

 

Jennie decides to drop the matter for now too. 

 

After a few more drinks, Jennie ends up being more than tipsy. She decides to retire for the night. 

 

“Thanks for the talk, Jisoo. Glad we are friends now.” Jennie grins stupidly. 

 

“Thank you tooo....” Jisoo smiles back widely, while balancing a soju bottle on her head. “Your room is the first room on the right.” 

 

“Okieeee” 

 

 

 

 

Chaeyoung walks up to Lisa and gives her a big hug. “Lili, I’ve missed you.” 

 

“Chaeng...” The smell of her hair wafts into her nose, intoxicating her once again. Lisa wraps her arms tightly around the familiar body she once used to hold so closely. 

 

She closes her eyes. 

 

Finally, she is home. 

 

But why does it feel different this time? 

 

Lisa wakes up from her dream. The blinding light that shines through the tall windows hits her face, making her groan. Meanwhile, her head is giving her a huge problem as expected. 

 

Why did I drink that much yesterday? 

 

She cannot remember much that happened yesterday. 

 

She looks around and recognises this place to be Jisoo’s guest bedroom. 

 

“Thank god I didn’t-what the....” She turns and jumps upon seeing the latter lying on the same bed. “Who in the world...Jennie?” 

 

She blinks. 

 

The girl lying on the bed and facing her is Jennie indeed.

 

How...?

 

Did we do...?

 

She lies back down and faces the sleeping girl. Damn, Jennie looks beautiful. 

 

It brings back memories of old times when she used to love sleeping in in the mornings, staring into each other’s eyes. The giddy feeling of lying next to someone you love, when mornings used to be her favourite time of the day. 

 

“Lili...I love you.”  Chaeyoung would tell her with a wide smile, while her cheek. 

 

Just thinking about it again, makes her heart hurt. But the sight of Jennie brings her back to the present, when her angelic features sends a feeling of warmth to her broken heart. 

 

Its different.

 

You’re different. 

 

Lisa thought to herself, as her hand reaches out to bring a strand of hair away from Jennie’s face. She caresses the latter’s cheek carefully and then lets out a small sigh. 

 

“I’m sorry...”

 

The latter’s eyes flutter open to meet hers. Her brown orbs hold a sense of calmness, as if she already knew everything that happened while her eyes were closed. 

 

“Why are you sorry?” Jennie asks her, with a hint of anticipation. 

 

“I-I...” Lisa scrambles to remove her hand but then the latter grabs onto it midway before it could escape. 

 

“Lisa-yah, why are you so mean to me? Why are you suddenly being like this?” 

 

The sadness in Jennie’s eyes and her small pout, makes Lisa’s heart melt. How can someone look this cute even when she is upset? 

 

”I am sorry for hurting you.” 

 

“Why did you run away after kissing me?”  

 

“I...I...”

 

“Are you playing with me?” Jennie asks her with a straight expression. 

 

“No!” Lisa immediately cuts in and exclaims. “It is not like that. It was because...I am afraid Jennie.”

 

“Of me?” Jennie asks carefully, observing the shift in Lisa’s gaze upon her question. Sensing her fear, Jennie wants nothing more than to bring the girl into her embrace and tell her everything will be alright. 

 

But she chose to give latter’s hand a light, comforting squeeze instead. Lisa acknowledges it with a small smile and shifts her hand such that they are finally holding hands.  

 

“I’ve been hurt before.” Lisa begins. “She ripped my heart open when she broke up with me and migrated back to Australia. I loved her so much, Jennie. I thought I would never find someone or this feeling again in my life.” 

 

“Okay...” Jennie’s heart drops upon hearing what the younger girl has gone through. But she definitely did not like hearing about Lisa’s ex girlfriend and how her mind automatically wanders off to think about how this girl looks and is like.

 

“But then, I noticed you at Jongin’s house, the night before Seulgi unnie’s birthday. God you were gorgeous and I could not peel my eyes away from you.”

 

“Are you serious?” Jennie widens her eyes. This is something she has never known. The latter shrugs with a smile. 

 

“Yea. So I saw you walk off alone and wanted to take the chance to flirt with you but thats when...”

 

“You heard Jisoo and I arguing.” 

 

“Yes and hearing your argument, intrigued me even more.” Lisa admits with a wide smile. “And I don’t think it was just me, but the chemistry between us felt electric.” 

 

“Lemme just say...it takes two to clap.” Jennie confesses shyly as well. 

 

“It was great and we soon became friends as well but I knew I wasn’t looking for a relationship. I thought I just liked teasing you but nowadays, I find my thoughts drifting off to you all the time...” 

 

Jennie smiles upon hearing it, her eyes form two beautiful half crescents. 

 

So its true that Lisa has feelings for her, she wasn’t wrong. She knew it, she told herself. Her judgement wasn’t wrong. 

 

“I thought we could work. But then, when I knew she was coming back soon, all of the memories that haunt me rushed back. Especially when you kissed me, I-“ Lisa pauses when she sees how fast the l