Lisa could still taste her, felt her hot breath against her own hot skin, could still feel her tender touches..  Lisa’s lips craved for more contact -- wanting to fill the insatiable thirst in her chest the moment they broke off the kiss.

Jennie’s left hand was still entangled in her hair, the other caressing her cheek, her thumb tracing an imaginary line across her jaw-- back and forth, back and forth. The gesture was making Lisa lightheaded.

“People desire things they can never have Lisa... ” Jennie whispered, looking away. “And… we… we seem to always gravitate towards that desire, unaware of this invisible string pulling us along, no matter how hard we try to walk away from it. Only...fate doesn’t think of it that way. We … will always need things we never want and fate demands us to fulfill that need and to forget about anything else in between, doing everything in its power for us to do so.” 

“I don’t understand what you --”

She gave her a sad smile “It does not have to matter now Lisa, you’ll realize soon enough” 

Lisa moved away. Jennie’s caresses stung, every single touch made Lisa ache. An invisible weight pulling her heart to the pit of her stomach but not in the beautiful way Jennie’s kiss had, this was drowning her. Jennie’s words left a sense of dread that she can’t get rid of, an emptiness she was aching to fill. 

“We need to get back… your attendants are probably scouring the palace the moment they realize I stole you away from them. I do not intend to offend the crown prince.” She stood up, offering Lisa her hand who took it without a word. 

Lisa tried her best to ignore the urge to pull her in an embrace, wanting so much to bury her face in the delicate crook of her neck and to take in her scent. 

“You want me to forget what happened between us? Don’t you?” Lisa hated the way her voice shook.

“I’d rather we not talk about it.” Jennie was leading her back the way they came.

‘It’s the exact same thing.” 

“You’re construing my words differently. Not talking about it does not mean it never happened.”

Jennie stopped briefly, giving Lisa’s hand a quick gentle squeeze. “It’s something that shouldn’t have happened between us but did. Let’s leave it as it should be.”

“I don’t get you. You always say one thing and do the exact opposite. You confuse me far better than a 100 item exam over a subject I’m not good at. You’re frustratingly puzzling and you…”

Jennie spun around. Pulling Lisa to her, their faces almost touching. 

“You amuse me, but you talk too much for your own good. Let’s drop the conversation here. Despite all that happened back there, we’re still strangers to each other, are we not? Let me give you a little advice I’ve learned throughout the years I’ve spent watching my father and the other officials. Never wade in water you’ve only grazed the surface of.”

“What if I know how to swim?”

Jennie’s laughed echoed, “You’re a very persistent person -- a very dangerous quality to have in this Kingdom. It’s not the shallowness nor the depth of the water that should scare you. It’s what’s in the water Lisa.” 

“I can take care of whatever it is that’s in the water. You don’t get the point.”

“No I don’t. Look, your curiosity got the best of you, my amusement got the better of me. We were simply fulfilling what we both wanted to know, it doesn’t have to have meaning.” They were standing right where Lisa found her singing yesterday. Aglow and as beautiful as spring beneath the sun. 

Lisa walked past her, how can someone make her feel so… so happy and then aggravate her at the same time in a span of a couple of minutes? She didn’t look back when jennie called out to her. She was running … running as fast as she can. Ensuring she kept a huge distance between them, 

----------------------------------------------

Lisa was panting by the time she reached the study. One of the attendants Jungkook has entrusted to take care of her while he was gone was waiting by the door.

“Agasshi, we have your meal ready.” 

“I refuse to meet anyone today, if anyone comes looking for me -- tell them I have resigned back to my quarters and have taken a much needed rest and should not in any given situation, under any circumstance be disturbed. Understand?” Lisa was spitting out the words in anger, a tiny voice in her head berating her for taking out her frustration at the servant.

“As you wish Agasshi.” bowing to acknowledge her requests.

“I mean it -- anyone. Even if it’s the crown prince himself if ever he arrives sooner than he should.”

The servant excused himself and Lisa closed the door to the study, collapsing on to the floor the moment she slid it close. Unaware of the hot tears that broke free as she punched the floor in anger. She knew she shouldn’t feel this way. She’d met her for what? Three days. Three days and she was already finding herself crying over someone who she barely knew. Maybe Jennie was right. Whatever happened between them, shouldn’t have.  

But she kissed me back, pulled me closer to her. 

Lisa cursed under her breath, she had her arms around her knees burrowing her face further into her arms. 

“Lisa! I know you’re in there!”

Great… where were the attendants when she needed them?

“I refuse to believe the lies your entourage is feeding me with. I had Seonha look into your quarters -- it’s empty.” 

Lisa could hear the shuffle of feet just outside. 

“Can we at least hold a decent conversation with each other?” the harshness in her voice was gone, “Please... “ 

Lisa opened the door. The servant was red in the face, trying his best to try and fend off a fierce looking Jennie who, as much as she was small, looked quite intimidating.

“I try to, but you always seem to mess it up somehow.”

Lisa dismissed the attendant who squirmed beneath her glare. 

“Why don’t you come inside?” she still had the book hidden from view. 

Lisa waited for Jennie before closing the door. She looked smaller inside as she looked around awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

“You can take the seat by the table, I’m fine with standing over here.”

“Lisa, I apologize - “

“What’s there to be sorry about? You’ve already explained, why bother doing it again?”

Jennie let out an audible sigh, “and here I thought I was the most difficult person to deal with…”

“You are.”

Jennie chuckled, making Lisa twitch her lips in annoyance. “I’m well aware of that, thank you. It has been quite the scandal here when I went off on my own…I never liked the strict rules they have laid out for ladies such as myself. The palace can be quite suffocating.” She was tilting her head, a look of amusement before she continued, “Which reminds me, I would have to thank them for pushing me off the brink. I would have never bumped into you if they didn’t” 

“There you are again, talking about one thing when you came here to talk about something else. Make up your mind agasshi.” Lisa placed extra emphasis on the title 

Jennie smiled at her, her childlike persona finally coming out. Lisa tried her best not to smile at the cute way her cheeks puffed, dumplings.. . 

“Can we start over? We always seem to go for each other's throat whenever we’re together somehow.” Lisa’s cheeks colored at the double meaning. 

“There is no denying the attraction we have for each other. Let’s try to get to know each other more, be friends…”

“Fine.” 

Jennie did a double take, she was expecting more resistance from the taller girl. 

“Tell me about yourself. Let’s start there, shall we?”

Jennie smiled and gestured for Lisa to come closer. She sat by the door though, ensuring she was far away from Jennie as possible. 

“Hmmm. Kai has told you about Abanim, how he is in service to the Yangban and the King. You have met my older sister Jisoo. My mother died when I was young, claimed by a disease that swept through the kingdom many years ago... what more do you want to know?” Jennie spoke softly, careful not to aggravate the taller girl who was giving her a weird look. 

“Where were you off to when you bumped into me?” 

“I told you, I tried to venture off on my own. Father’s men had caught up to me and I wanted to hide behind the trees, I didn’t see you, when I did it was too late for me to stop.”

Lisa nodded, she had many other questions she’d like to ask but knew that now wasn’t the right time for that. She looked at Jennie intently, trying to capture the little nuances as she spoke. 

“Your turn.”

“Hmm?”

“Your turn Lisa. I’d be at the losing end of this little compromise we have if you don’t plan on sharing.”

“I’m not from here.”

“I know, we all know. Are you doing this on purpose to spite me?” Jennie smirked,

“No, I mean -- I’m not from this period.” Lisa didn’t know why she felt the need to tell Jennie this. “I come from a time period hundreds of years from now. At a time where all this   -- would be history. Something we study to learn more of what happened in Korea's past. One day, those garments you’re wearing would only be reserved for special occasions, a time where there are no more kings, no crown princes, no grand princes, a time where the Yangban would be replaced with a different form of governance.” Lisa looked at Jennie, trying to read her reaction to the new set of information she laid out. 

Jennie looked rather calm and unaffected, never breaking eye contact with Lisa. The growing silence prompted Lisa to continue. “I was studying in a library -- not the kind Jungkook has in that huge building. Well… actually it’s sort of the same but not quite. I was .. uh.. Writing a term paper for a class I was taking, about the history of art in the Joseon Dynasty -- that’s the name we have for this time period. It lasted for a couple of centuries by the way, before it met its downfall. Please don’t ask me to elaborate on that, I was never good at listening during classes so I don’t know much.” 

“What happened then? What brought you here?” Jennie had her body inclined towards Lisa, invested in knowing her story as much as Lisa wanted to finally tell someone. She had hoped it was with someone who she was far less emotionally attached to - like Chaeng…

“There was this uh.. Weird cat, cute but he was weird nonetheless. I followed him to a room filled with paintings and stumbled on one he was practically invested in and everything was kind of wrong with it, It made me so nauseous I guess I passed out. The next thing I knew I woke up where you came crashing into me. Now I have no way of knowing how to get back and the crown prince is convinced I’m the only one who can save his dying father.”

Sh*t! She was supposed to leave that little detail out. 

“What do you mean Seja is convinced you’re the only one who can save the King?” 

Great job Lisa, the cat was already out of the bag and she couldn’t think of anything nor could she magically take it back now. 

“He … uh. I’m not supposed to tell you this! Yong-Min will kill me!”

“Yong-Min is Jungkook’s loyal dog, he won’t bite unless he’s told to by his master. As long as you continue to be an asset to the prince you are in no real peril -- unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless you choose to not do his bidding. Jungkook may look calm and harmless but he is very much the King’s son and anyone who tries to defy him will receive the end of a sharp sword… Lisa? My father has been working with the other officials to ensure the King’s health is restored, that much I know -- I had no knowledge that the situation appears to be more serious than what they make it out to be. Do you know whatever it is your doing?” wait, did Lisa just hear worry in Kim Jennie’s voice? 

“You’re worried about me Agasshi? That’s sweet… but”

“I’m not, I’m merely ensuring you don’t get yourself in unnecessary situations you can’t get out of. You said so yourself, you’re not from here. I believe you know nothing about the customs and ways we have. The hierarchy in this Kingdom is pretty much set, you’re a foreigner regardless of the fact that you are Seja’s esteemed guest, he can only do so much when the Yangban has made a decision. He is not King, and from what I know every important decision impacting the welfare of the Kingdom is decided upon by the council -- not him. They can have your head cut off for something as harmless as breathing against the King’s cheek.”

“Christ, Jennie you make it sound so scary…”

“Because it is… I’ve seen so many deaths under the hands of the Yangban… so tell me, honestly,  do you have any idea as to what you’re doing?”

Lisa let out a long sigh, running her hands through her hair. “No I don't. See that shelf over there? I’m supposed to create an antidote for whatever illness your King has from whatever there is on that shelf. Aside from the fact that I have no idea what most of those are and for what they’re for -- I’m not sure which of those is deadly. Past time periods have a trend in doing more damage than curing illnesses with your prehistoric methods and... I majored in dance..`` Jennie’s eyebrows raised in question. “That means uh, I study dance,,, not medicine”

“You’re studying to become a gisaeng? There are people from your time who would like to become a gisaeng? People here in Joseon thinks lowly of them, do you not regret your choice?” 

“Stop it with the lecture, won’t you? Times have changed, dancing isn’t some form of work one should be embarrassed about -- it’s art. And no… we don’t have gisaengs anymore so stop with the judgmental tone.”

“I’m sorry… Why did you not tell Jungkook about this? It could have saved you from this predicament you’ve chosen to get yourself into.” 

“Do you think I have a choice? It’s either I go along with it or I’m off to fend for myself outside these walls. Alone.” 

Jennie stood up, “If that’s the case, come with me.”

Jennie hoisted Lisa up, smiling at her. “Where are we going?”

“To Chaeyoung, lest you forget she’s a physician. She is well acquainted with most if not everything on that shelf.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Why not.” There she is again with the harsh feline eyes.

“I’ve already dug my own grave when I told you about this. I’m supposed to keep this a secret.” 

“Your inexperience in politics shows. What the crown prince does not know, will not hurt him. Park Chaeyoung can keep a secret. If you want to keep your head intact to your body, she is the only chance you have.”

“Fine…”

Jennie beamed, grabbing Lisa’s arm and dragging her towards the direction of Chaeng’s clinic. 

This feels all too familiar.