Jisoo was standing beneath the treehouse in Jennie's courtyard.

After getting off of filming that evening, the brunette had finally called Jisoo and asked to meet up with her at their secret place. 

Although her heart was weighing down what Sehun had said earlier that day, Jisoo had brushed them aside after receiving the call from Jennie.

She knew that Sehun was right, and that she should learn to open her heart to someone else, but it's too soon. She needed some more time to figure out her feelings first. Her feelings for Jennie ran deep, she couldn't just forget about the younger girl when she wanted. 

Taking a deep breath to herself, the raven begins to climb the ladder.

Her lips curve into a smile when her eyes land on Jennie's slim figure within the brightly lit treehouse. Her smile widens after spotting the sparkling diamond watch on the younger's arm. She walks inside and sat down beside Jennie.

Jisoo: Nyeong-an Jendeuk. 

Jennie turns to Jisoo and greets her with a smile. 

Jennie: Hey Chu.

Jisoo's eyes sparkle at the sight of Jennie's smile, her tiredness slowly seeping away. 

Jisoo: So, what pleasure do I owe to have you call me today?

The raven guessed that Jennie had called her out to personally thank her for the watch, but decided to act oblivious to it. 

Her eyes glances at the watch on Jennie's wrist, while mentally thanking Yeri and her team for being able to craft such a beautiful watch. 

Jennie: I wanted you to be the first one to hear the good news before we let everyone else know. 

Jisoo was trying to figure out what Jennie had  meant when the brunette quickly explained.

Jennie: Lisa and I are getting married soon. 

Jisoo's smile faded as she gazes at the bright smile spread across Jennie's features. She was left speechless, not knowing how to reply to the sudden news.

Nonetheless, the raven quickly regains her composure and forces a smile.

Jisoo: Really? 

Jennie nodded eagerly in reply, unable to contain the excitement any longer. 

Jennie: Before, I had been a bit unsure about where we stand. But then...

The brunette unlatched the watch on her wrist and tenderly runs a hand over it.

Jisoo's eyes lit up with realization as she felt her fragile heart shatter inside her.

Oblivious to Jisoo's sorrow, Jennie's eyes remains fixated on the watch in her hand.

Jennie: After finding this watch in my office yesterday, I didn't know who had given it to me. It wasn't until my secretary had told me that Lisa had been in my office that morning did I realize how wrong I had been before. 

A tender smile makes its way onto Jennie's lips, as Jisoo was trying to mend the pieces of her broken heart, strengthening her resolve to ensure her two best friends' happiness. 

Jennie: She really does get me Chu. All this time, all of my doubt, I had been worked up over nothing. I mean it was silly of me to even doubt the path that I had chose to walk on.

Jisoo reels in her emotions as she kept the smile plastered on her face. She reaches over and takes Jennie's hand with her own and gives it a light squeeze. 

Jisoo: I'm happy for you Jendeuk-ah. I'm happy for both you guys. 

The raven chuckles lightly as she glances towards the ceiling and blinks away the few tears that had brimmed beneath her eyelids. 

Jisoo: Wah, my two best friends getting married. I better be one of your maid of honors. 

Jennie laughs giddily as she places her other hand onto Jisoo's. 

Jennie: You'll be our only maid of honor Chu. The only one we'll need.

Jisoo smiles, although it did not reach her eyes like they usually did. However, Jennie's eyes were drawn back onto the watch on her hand, failing to notice the lack of spark in the raven's eyes.

Despite the pain that Jisoo was feeling in that moment, she couldn't help but think that maybe this was it. 

Maybe it was a sign telling her that it was time for her to let Jennie go. 

That it wasn't just a coincidence that her talk with Sehun had happened within the same day as Jennie's wedding news to Lisa.

Maybe it's the universe's way of telling her to open her heart to love again.

Jennie: Oh yeah.

Jisoo snaps out of her thoughts at Jennie's voice, and shifts her attention towards the brunette. 

Jennie: You remember Jongin Sunbae right?

Jisoo's features scrunches up with distaste before forming into a scowl. 

Jisoo: You mean that arrogant jerk who never left you alone? 

Jennie releases a soft giggle as she lightly slaps Jisoo.

Jennie: Stop it. He wasn't that bad.

Jisoo scoffs as she diverts her attention elsewhere to relieve her irritation at the mention of her high school rival.

Jisoo: What about him?

Jennie scoots herself closer towards the raven before tapping her shoulder, causing Jisoo to turn back to face her.

Jennie: I ran into him the other day. Apparently he's the new model for our company's campaign.

Jisoo: WHAT?!

Jisoo's outburst startled Jennie who jumped a bit in her seat.

Jennie: Yah, what was that?

Jisoo turns to the brunette, scowling with irritation.

Jisoo: Please tell me that you rejected him. 

Jennie crosses her arms as she leans back in her seat.

Jennie: Why would I do that?

Jisoo's mouth drops at the younger's response, not believing that she had heard her right.

Jisoo: Yah, haven't you heard the rumors surrounding him? How could you accept him to be the new model?

Jennie frowns a bit as her head to the side.

Jennie: What rumors?

Jisoo heaves out a sigh.

Jisoo: How could you not know Jennie-ah? He's known for being a ert. He gets close to girls and then takes advantage of them. 

Jennie stares at Jisoo unblinkingly before breaking into a fit of giggles.

Jennie: Yah, you honestly don't believe that do you? 

Jisoo rolled her eyes before shooting Jennie a serious look.

Jisoo: I'm serious Jennie-ah. Break off the contract. Don't ever get involved with him. He's bad news. 

Jennie: Ehh, you're overreacting. He may be a little too friendly at times, but he's a nice guy. You just hate him because he was your rival.

Jisoo scoffs at the brunette's reply.

Jisoo: That jerk as my rival? Yah stop playing around. I was untouchable, nobody was able to compete with me. 

Jennie releases a giggle.

Jennie: Aigoo, you're still as full of yourself as you were back then.

Jisoo smiles a bit before turning serious once more. 

Jisoo: But I was serious before Jen. Don't go anywhere near that guy, alright?

Jennie rolled her eyes as she heaves out a sigh, but nonetheless nodded in compliance.

Jennie: Okay fine. I'll listen to you. 

Jisoo eyes Jennie with suspicion before confirming that the younger was telling her the truth and was no longer joking around.

The raven leans back in her seat, feeling a bit more reassured about Jennie's words before shutting her eyes tiredly.

Jisoo: I'm tired. I think I'm gonna sleep here for the night. 

Jennie frowns as she takes in Jisoo's exhausted figure.

Jennie: Has shooting been tough? 

Jisoo: A little, but it's enjoyable. Especially with Sehun as my co-star, everything just comes so naturally.

A small smile unknowingly makes its way onto Jisoo's lips, which didn't go unnoticed by Jennie.

Jennie: Isn't he the super good looking rookie actor everyone's been talking about these days?

Jisoo hums in reply, the smile still hasn't left her heart shaped lips.

Jisoo: Everyone says he has this cold aura that makes him intimidating. But he's honestly just a little awkward and shy around strangers. I honestly find that it makes him more endearing. 

The raven releases a soft giggle as she thought back to her first encounter with Sehun.

Jennie examines Jisoo's features and notices the unwavering smile on her lips when talking about the rookie actor.

Jennie: You seem to like him a lot.

Jisoo yawns tiredly as she feels herself succumbing to her sleep. She nods softly as her head lulls to the side.

Jisoo: Yeah... he's the... sweetest...

The raven seems to have dozed off as her head fell to the side which now rested on her shoulder. Jennie gazes at Jisoo's features in silence as her mind ponders on her best friend's previous words. 

The older girl had never spoken to her about anyone this way before. It made her a bit more curious about  Sehun.

The brunette suddenly shakes her head and blinks away her own tiredness. She rises from her spot and grabs a nearby blanket before covering Jisoo's sleeping figure with it. 

She smiles a bit at the sight of the thin line of drool rolling down the side of the raven's face. 

Releasing a light chuckle, she returns to her seat before succumbing to sleep herself. 

 

•••

 

Lisa knocked on Chaeyoung's door that night, excited to tell the Australian about her wedding with Jennie. 

However, her happiness was quickly replaced with worry when the older girl's door finally opens, revealing a rather disheveled and teary eyed Chaeyoung.

Lisa: Chaeyoung-ah, what's wrong? What happened? Are you okay? 

Without answering Lisa's questions, the strawberry blonde only breaks down into more tears as her emotions had won over.

Lisa's eyebrows furrow with worry as she takes a step forward and pulls Chaeyoung into her arms. 

The Australian breaks down in choked sobs as she clung onto the Thai's shirt for dear life. She releases all of her pain and sorrow as she cried into Lisa's shoulders, while feeling ashamed of herself for being so weak. 

Lisa rubs the older girl's shoulder gently as she tries to comfort her. 

She felt her own heart fracture a bit at the sound of Chaeyoung's cries. 

Lisa: I'm here Chaeyoung-ah. You're gonna be okay. I'm right here.

 

•••

 

The two girls now sat in Chaeyoung's living room. After her breakdown, Lisa had managed to coax the Australian to head back inside and had led her to the living room to calm down.

Chaeyoung glances up unsurely as she fiddles around with her fingers. She hadn't planned for Lisa to see her like this. Hell, she didn't even know that the Thai was gonna be over.

Now that the Thai was here, should she tell her the truth, or lie and say that she was okay?

Chaeyoung: I'm sorry... about earlier. 

Lisa cracks a small smile as she glances at Chaeyoung. 

Lisa: I'm just glad that was here... and that you seem to be okay now. 

The Thai takes in the huddled form of the Australian realizing how wrong she had been. Since the day that she had met Chaeyoung, she had never seen her look so lost and scared. 

The older girl had always exuded a certain confidence and charm wherever she went, seeing her like this was new to Lisa. It made her want to protect Chaeyoung against any person or thing that dared to harm her.

Lisa: You're not okay though, are you?

Chaeyoung lifts her head up once more as her eyes met Lisa's. 

The room was dark, and the only light present was illuminated by a small lamp within the corner by the window. 

Lisa features were scrunched up with earnest worry as she tries to give Chaeyoung some reassurance. 

And somehow, Chaeyoung felt like she could trust the Thai sitting across from her. Because her presence had given Chaeyoung a feeling of comfort and ease that she had never felt with anyone else before.

Chaeyoung: I... 

The Australian pauses as she recomposes herself. She takes in a deep breath to reel in her emotions to make sure that she won't have another breakdown. 

Chaeyoung: I told you before that I had came to Korea for a business trip. That I was supposed to be the designer for an upcoming movie. 

Lisa nodded along as the memory came back to her, remaining silent while urging for Chaeyoung to keep going.

Chaeyoung: That wasn't the only reason why I cam here. 

Chaeyoung takes another deep breath although this times comes out a little shaky.

Chaeyoung: Before coming here, I had broken up with my longtime boyfriend about a couple months back... He and I had been dating for about 4 years... and I was happy.

A few tears slipped from Chaeyoung's eyes as Lisa moves over to the same couch as the Australian, taking ahold of her hand and giving her the confidence she needed to continue. 

Chaeyoung: But it wasn't always like that. Despite making happy, he was also abusive towards me. He would constantly get angry over the most simplest things, and pick fights with me whenever he had a bad day. We'd break up over everything, but then he'd apologize and I... I always end up coming back. 

Chaeyoung begins to cry again, in which Lisa begins to rub comforting circles around her back.

Chaeyoung: Eventually, I finally realized that I couldn't live like that anymore... I had built up the courage and broke up with him for good this time. Afterwards I had decided to move to Seoul for a while to start a new. 

Chaeyoung lifts her head up and turns to face Lisa who was looking at her with sympathetic eyes.

Chaeyoung: It had been a bit difficult at first, adjusting my life in a whole new country. But then, I had met you, and that's when everything started feel normal again. I felt like I can finally be happy...

The Australian pauses as she gazes into Lisa's eyes. A moment after, she finally averts her eyes and covered her face with her hands before breaking down once more. 

Lisa shoots closer as she wraps an arm Chaeyoung's shoulder.

Lisa: What's the matter Chaeyoung-ah? What happened?

The Australian shakes her head as she continues cry, casusing the worry inside Lisa to increase. Nonetheless, the Thai remains silent, deciding that it was best for Chaeyoung to tell her on her own terms. 

When the older girl finally ceases her sobs to a soft whimper, she lifts her head and gazes our towards the window. 

Chaeyoung: I... I saw him today. He cleaned himself up since the last time I saw him but... it's him. I know it. 

She turns back to face Lisa, her eyes wide with fear.

Chaeyoung: He's here to find me Lisa. I just know it. He's... he's gonna find me. 

Chaeyoung starts crying again, and that's when Lisa decides it's time for her step in.

Lisa: Hey, hey, look at me. Look at me. 

The younger cups her hands around Chaeyoung's cheeks and guides her face up to meet her eyes. 

Lisa: You're gonna be okay, alright? He's not gonna find you. And even if he does, nothing is gonna happen to you because I'll be right here. You have me Chaeyoung-ah. And I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. I won't let him hurt you. 

Chaeyoung sniffles a bit as she looks towards Lisa's tender eyes that radiated nothing but warmth and affection.

Chaeyoung: But what if—

The Thai immediately hushes her in a soothing tone as she wipes away the tears from Chaeyoung's face.

Lisa: You have me, okay? Just remember that. If you he ever comes to look for you, just give me a call and I promise you that I will be right here okay? I'll protect you. 

For whatever reason that Chaeyoung couldn't seem to grasp, Lisa's assurance made the older believe in her. There was something about the Thai and her words that comforted the Australian and made her feel safe. 

And that no matter what happens, Lisa will always be there for her. 

With that thought in mind, Chaeyoung nods lightly before letting her head drop once more. And just like clockwork, Lisa once again pulls the older girl into her arms as she begins to soothe her with comforting words. 

It wasn't until a while later that the Australian had finally calmed down. 

Her breathing has slowed as exhaustion begins to take over her. 

Chaeyoung: Is it okay if you stay here with me a bit longer?

Without a moment's hesitation, Lisa immediately replies.

Lisa: Of course Chaeyoung-ah. I'll stay for as long as you need me to.