“Do you think we are in trouble?” Rose whispered to them, as they nervously waited outside YG’s office, feeling a bit like school girls called to the principal’s office.

“No.” Jisoo declared, with certainty, “We haven’t done anything wrong. He may have some news for us.” Most of YG’s communications were done through their manager Yuri, but whenever he had something particular exciting to tell them and wanted to see their reaction to the news, they’d occasionally be called up to meet with him in person. The other times they’d been called to his office had been whenever he was particularly angry and frustrated, and wanted to invoke the fear of God in them. They’d had high highs and low lows in YG’s office.

Lisa gasped, grabbing Jisoo’s hand, “Unnie, maybe you will get your solo.”

Jisoo tilted her head, considering that option with modesty. They were just a couple of days away from their 3-week break, and they had no idea what they would be doing when they returned to work at the end of the month. Going back to the studio was always the best case scenario for them; it gave them something new and exciting to work on.

When they finally got called in by YG’s secretary, the man himself was sitting on his throne-like chair, turned towards the office’s window rather than them. He slowly rotated towards them, a smile on his lips.

They all breathed a little easier. They weren’t in trouble. The CEO was actually in a surprisingly – and rare – jolly mood; and jauntily started in on a 10 minute ramble of all the amazing things they had achieved over the past year, and how proud he was of them (the things, not the girls).

Jennie (and all of them, for that matter) had been through a lot, under YG’s hands, so his approval was never something she looked for – except on a purely professional way. Their relationship had been rocky, with lots of ups and downs; some believed that Jennie was YG’s favourite, because she was versatile and did great with the public. But Jennie’s natural feisty personality had seen that her and YG heads in many instances, more recently when her and Kai’s relationship was exposed.

He was her boss, and he signed her checks, but that didn’t mean Jennie liked him. Specially now, after what he was putting Jisoo (and herself, unknowingly) through.

“So, as you are very well aware, I’m imagining,” He finally said, after monologuing for the better part of their meeting, “you are going to have some very well-deserved time off starting on Monday. I wish you take the time to rest and recover, because when you come back, we have very exciting times coming up,” His eyes slid to Jisoo, and Jennie held her breath, hoping for the news of a solo. “You are having a comeback.” He finally declared, with pride.

There was a small silence. “We? As in, all of us?” Rose asked, unsurely.

YG nodded, “We got you an amazing track. We are going to go all out for music video, and then the promo-“

Their reactions were probably considerably less cheerful than he had expected, which became clear when he looked at them confusedly.

“We were under the impression we were going to have a solo coming up?” Jennie said, trying to remain polite and calm.

“Right,” His eyes darted Jisoo’s way, again, “We considered it. I’d love to have Jisoo-ya’s solo next, specially knowing how hard she’s worked this past few weeks to get her numbers up, which, by the way, it’s been working. You’re rating as high as you’ve ever had, in Korea.” He offered her, encouragingly, “However, with all the buzz surrounding you, Blackpink, after Coachella and the World tour, we think it would be wiser to bank on it with a group comeback.”

Jennie was fuming. From her understanding, Jisoo had been promised a solo, if she went along with the PR stunt and worked to get her numbers up. Now, he was taking it all back, without even an apology?

“So, what’s happening on the PR front, then? Are we done with that?” Jennie then asked, defiantly. The PR stunt had gotten everyone to sit up and notice Jisoo; she could now ride out this new attention and stream of job offers, without the need to keep up the charade with Jon.

Jisoo reached for her hand and squeezed it, as if pleading her to stay calm.

“Why would we be done with it?” YG asked, his tone now definitely harsher in reaction to Jennie’s insolence. “We are getting great results. We will keep going until we stop getting great results.”

Jennie and the CEO exchanged an icy glare. Jennie knew that if she said what she was really feeling like saying, she’d end up in incredible amounts of trouble. And while it wasn’t wise to get into trouble with YG, specially just around the corner from their well-deserved break as he had the power to ruin it, Jennie had always been terrible at separating her present feelings from future regrets.

“I think what Jennie is saying is,” Jisoo tried to mediate, gently, “Would it be possible to have a timeline of your plans regarding the whole me and Jon PR thing?”

YG softened slightly, and cleared his throat. “Not really, because, I don’t really know myself. I will definitely be playing it by ear, as we go along. See what works, and what doesn’t.”

“Ok.” It was Jisoo’s only response to YG’s nonchalant approach to her life.

It was somewhat clear, after the meeting with YG, that Jennie was not happy and that she was going to release her frustration at whomever, or whatever, came in her way. The first victim was the poor elevator button, who dared to not close the elevator doors quickly enough for Jennie’s taste, which resulted in it being slammed with Jennie’s fist a couple of times.

The tense silence on the way down the YG building was mostly due to no one wanting to be Jennie’s next victim. Jisoo thought she actually saw Lisa visibly shake with fear.

Once they were down to the lobby, and Jennie took off in a huff, but on the wrong direction, no one dared to tell her she was wrong. Jisoo realised she had to take this to her own hands, “You guys can go ahead, I’ll get us a taxi back.” Jisoo told them, over her shoulder, as she ran after Jennie.

“Jendeuki,” It was risky to approach Jennie with a nickname, but Jisoo wasn’t sure how else to disarm her. She grabbed her hand, slowing down to a walk next to her.

“Don’t.” Jennie warned. She was starting to realise she had taken the wrong way out, but didn’t seem to be in a rush to catch up to Rose and Lisa. “I can’t with you, right now.”

“What, you’re mad at me?” Jisoo asked, genuinely surprised. Looking around she saw a few doors, one of them market cupboard. Almost instinctively, she pulled both of them inside the cupboard. In it, they were in the dark, but also, alone. “What’s going on?” She asked, softly.

“You didn’t have my back.” Jennie said, steadily, crossing her arms in front of her chest, almost visibly fuming with barely contained anger.

“I didn’t? When?” Jisoo was confused.

“Just now. With YG!” Jennie almost yelled, before Jisoo pressed her index to her lips, reminding her to be quiet.

“Calm down, Jennie. I absolutely had your back. I was diffusing the situation; you almost go yourself in trouble with him.” Jisoo told her, trying to brush a lock of Jennie’s hair behind her ear, but the girl wiggled out of her touch.

“I was speaking up for your sake!” Jennie cried.

“And I was trying to stop you from getting into trouble.” Jisoo repeated.

The way how Jennie’s hands grabbed her own head made it clear that Jennie believed Jisoo still didn’t quite get it. “You really need to stop doing me any favours,” She said, sarcastically.

Jisoo knew she needed to change her tactic, “Look, I’m sorry, okay? But talking back to the CEO is not going to get us anywhere. If anything, he’s been known for taking revenge.” She reminded her, softly.

“Well, he’s certainly not known for rewarding people. I feel stupid that we believed he was actually going to give you the solo, if you went along with all this crap.”

Jisoo’s jaw tensed up. She, too, felt foolish, but it wasn’t like she’d ever been promised anything. YG had told her that if her numbers were to improve, he would consider it. Besides, it wasn’t like he had completely shot down the idea, he’d just let them know that it wasn’t what was next in the plans. “I know, I’m disappointed too. But his feelings towards me seemed to have improved a lot; he’s giving me jobs, he’s promoting me. I just need to continue to keep my head down-“

Jennie glared at her, “You’re not serious, are you?”

“What?”

“You’re actually happy about how this has turned out? The whole fake relationship bull?”

Jisoo was a bit embarrassed to admit it, and it wasn’t like it was completely true, but part of her did see she had gotten some benefits out of the stunt.“Well, if something good is going to come out of this stupid situation, is it a bad thing to embrace it?”

“So, it is all worth it?” Jennie’s eyes were now wet, and Jisoo hated the direction that the conversation was taking.

“Jennie, I am being forced into this.” She reminded her, vehemently. “I did not choose to do this. But if I have no choice but to go along with it, I might as well enjoy the benefits of-“

“People thinking you in a relationship with a guy?” Jennie completed.

Jisoo took a moment to answer. “Yes.” She paused. “And of YG being happy with me.”

“Right.” It did not sound like Jennie was agreeing with her at all; it was more of a way to finish the conversation. “I’m glad things are working out for you, then.” She saw, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. “Just know that none of it is working for me.”

“Jennie.” Jisoo cried, reaching for her and cupping her jaw. “I know this is tough for you, but I need you to understand it’s just a work arrangement. And a temporary thing. I promise you, it’s going to end. And-“ She made Jennie looked up at her, “The break is just two days away. We are going to have so much free time to spend together. We can do whatever you want to do.”

Jennie sniffled. “I want to go away.” She said, in a whisper.

Jisoo smiled, thumbing Jennie’s tears dry. “Done. Jeju again?”

“Wherever.” Jennie told her. “Just not here.”

Jisoo nodded mutely, before leaning in for a kiss. “I love you.” She whispered, after, forehead pressed against Jennie’s.

“I love you too.” Jennie sniffled again, as they parted. “Do you think they are still out there?” She finally asked, composing herself.

“No, I told them to go ahead,” Jisoo consulted the time on her phone, “Damn. It’s late.” Jennie looked at her confusedly, “I have that hair appointment. I won’t be able to stop by the house.”

“Okay, we will take separate taxis.” Jennie’s shoulders tensed up. “You have that party with Jon tonight?”

The mention of his name felt dangerous to Jisoo, like it would make Jennie break down again. “Yes, but you’re coming.” Jisoo declared. “You’re meeting us there, right?”

Jennie hesitated, “I don’t know if I feel like watching you around him-“

“Jennie, please. I’d prefer it if you were there. We only to have to stay for a bit, enough to get spotted and photographed, and then you and I can go home together.”

Jennie seemed like she’d prefer to walk on crushed glass, but eventually nodded, “Okay. I’ll be there.”

Jisoo had started to suspect that Jennie had decided not to come after all; she was slightly concerned, because it didn’t seem like Jennie not give her the heads up at all, but it was true that she hadn’t been in the best mo