Present.

--------

“Now all the memories tell me
I should have made you stay.”
- Now That You're Gone
by Juris Fernandez

--------

Chapter 17

Stay

Third Person's POV

Jennie went out of Jisoo's car as it stopped in front of the mall. "You go ahead, I'll just park this baby," Jisoo said and Jennie nodded.

Never did she thought that it was a mistake that she listened to her cousin.

From Jisoo:

I'm sorry, Jennie. Something came up and I have to go. I already left the mall. But, don't worry, there's someone who'll accompany you for the night. 😉

It was the text she received from her cousin before seeing Lisa. At that moment, she knew what Jisoo was up to.

"I'm sorry," Lisa suddenly spoke after a while.

"For what?" Jennie asked, having no idea what the blond was apologizing for.

"I have something to be sorry about. I don't know specifically but I'm sorry," she explained without looking at her.

That's how it came to a dead end. Jennie just assumed that she was apologizing for what happened in the past and how she can't bring herself to tell her the truth.

But it wasn't enough for her.

~❇~

"There are still invitations left?" Jongin spoke from behind her that made her snapped out in reality.

"Uhm yes..." Jennie answered hesitantly. Her fiancé sat beside her on the couch and took one invitation.

He read the name of the guest before glancing at his fiancee. "You're still not giving this to Lisa?" he asked.

Jennie looked down. "I was gonna give it to her... it's just that I always forgot," lie.

Truth is, she's not just brave enough to give it to her. She'd always think Lisa will reject her invitation and what happens if she did? She wouldn't know what to do if ever.

"What are you doing?"

"Making you stay."

"What if I can't?"

"Why can't you try?"

"I can't."

Jennie swallowed upon recalling something from last night. 'Why do I want her to stay? What's the point?' she thought.

~❇~

Lisa was lost. She has been staring blankly on the city outside and Chaeyoung can't ignore the fact that her friend is not speaking, far different from the Lisa she used to know back then.

What's more odd is that she invited her to dinner in one of the skyscrapers in Seoul when they could've stayed in Lisa's restaurant.

"Why did you bring me here, Lisa?" Chaeyoung asked.

The blond did not glance at her but she did hear her. "It would be weird if I came alone to eat here, wouldn't it?" she replied with no emotions.

But Chaeyoung did not buy it. She's not the type to treat someone especially to this kind of place — a luxurious restaurant.

"Is something wrong? Because I feel like I have something to worry about," she told her honestly.

Lisa averted her full attention on her friend. Her eyes were evidently tired that made Chaeyoung anxious.

"Are you okay? Should we go home now?" she asked completely scared for her friend's state.

But Lisa seemed unbothered by anything.

"When is Jennie's wedding, by the way?" she asked, recalling that the woman did not disclose the information the last time.

"What—why...? It's on the twenty-third," Chaeyoung answered confused.

Lisa nodded. "It is happening soon," she whispered to herself and chugged down her wine.

"Lisa!" someone called her name but she couldn't open her eyes to see the person.

She felt a hand tapping on her cheek telling her to wake up. She tried opening her eyes and saw her. 

Her lips immediately curved up to a smile as tears started to trickle down from her eyes.

"You came back..." she spoke with so much happines