When Lisa had awoken in the early morning, Jennie was nowhere to be found which utterly confused her. She was trained to be wary and whenever she would doze off she was quick to be awoken by even the quietest of sounds – her profession needed her to detect danger as quick as possible.

But she didn’t notice how Jennie had woken up, stood up, opened and closed the door. If she would’ve been her enemy, Lisa would be already dead and that fact shook the soldier.

She couldn’t, however, deny the fact that she felt thoroughly rested despite her having slept in a too unfit chair plus being within the company of a rather unknown girl.

 
Lisa couldn’t help but wonder about the effect Jennie had on her that night and that was the reason she couldn’t help but feel a little bit giddy to go to school again that Wednesday.

“Did you know that butterflies taste with their hind feet?” Chaeyoung said randomly as she took quick drags and slightly shook from the cold and the light rain amplifying the freezing feeling.

 
Lisa turned to look at her incredulously but started to laugh not long after that.

 
“Imagine humans doing that,” Lisa exclaimed and continued to laugh at that rather ridiculous image.

“We would constantly taste the sweat of our feet or the dirt when we go outside barefooted,” Chaeyoung added to color their imaginary picture, tuning in with her loud laughter.

“I’m used to a lot, but that would be too much,” Lisa scrunched her face at the imaginary smell.

“Uh, even the tough soldier finds something disgusting?” The mocking was apparent in Chaeyoung’s voice and earned her a light slap on the arm.

“You coming? I don’t wanna be completely drenched,” Chaeyoung said shortly after, flicking her cigarette away and preparing to take a quick leave.

“You can go ahead, I’m not done yet,” and with that and another smile from the nice girl, Lisa was left alone.

She could understand Rosé, as Chaeyoung liked to be called as well, but Lisa was just too used to rain, the cold and wind to be really bothered. All that marching around under any condition had hardened Lisa and made her almost immune to it.

“If this isn’t my savior in uniform,” a soft voice rung out behind Lisa’s back, startling her internally.

She turned around rather quickly and was greeted with the image of Jennie leaning casually against the wall of the small cabin shielding her from the rain and them from prying eyes.

 
“Jennie,” Lisa said taken aback and was again surprised that she hadn’t noticed that someone had walked and stood behind her.

 
The girl gazed at her for a moment before she wordlessly lit her cigarette. Lisa attentively watched her as she, too, began to light yet another one to have a legitimate enough reason to stay here with her. Jennie wore a leather jacket with a white top beneath, her hair was draped around one shoulder and Lisa had to admit that she was very pleasing to the eyes, even to those of a girl.

“Whatever you put in my water, it worked miraculously,” Jennie speaking up again tore Lisa out of her thoughts. She must’ve noticed how the soldier scanned her appearance but refrained from saying anything.

 
The strong smell of tobacco and a faint sweet scent infiltrated Lisa’s senses as she stood up and went over next to her. She couldn’t hear her very well over that short distance due to the rain and it was dry there because of the roof shielding the rain off.

“I might come unto you more often,” at that Lisa discontinued watching the rain fall and turned her head to the girl smugly grinning at her.

Lisa quirked a brow, “Don’t bother. It’s okay to take it once in a while, but it’s not recommended to take it regularly,”

“Besides,” Lisa added with a small smirk, “everything has a price or do I look like a saint to you?”

Knowing that it was rhetorical question, Jennie nonetheless turned her body to Lisa and acted as if she’d muster her thoroughly.

 
“Negative, Ma’am. Not enough white clothes,” she joked fearlessly and looked her in the eye as she exhaled smoke with a small smug smile decorating her features.

Lisa held her gaze expressionless for a moment until she turned her face away and a small grin formed on her lips.

For a short while only the sizzling of the cigarettes and the droplets of water crashing unto the earth could be heard until Jennie interrupted their silence.

“So what is yours?” she asked as she took one last drag and let the cigarette fall to the ground before she stomped on it.

“Hm?” Lisa hummed questioningly as she had pondered something else already, forgetting about what she herself had said just minutes ago.

“Your price. I’m very thankful for what you did and I want to repay you. Maybe I could treat you to a coffee?” in the very second Jennie clarified what she’d meant, the bell rung and signaled them to hurry in order to be punctual.

Lisa quickly flicked her cigarette away, “I will think about it, Jennie. Be prepared,” she winked at her and then dashed off with quick steps, leaving the other girl behind.

All day long would she question herself as to why she’d winked at her and that it must’ve looked ridiculously.

After a while, she came to the conclusion that maybe she just didn’t seem to function properly in the proximity of Jennie, but maybe she’d also behaved in that way because she never before went out with someone to drink a coffee.

 
That was such a trivial and normal thing to do, but it displayed how different the lives of two girls of almost the same age could be.

 
Jennie perhaps often went out with her friends but for Lisa, who’d spent most of her life in the realms of the military, it was a completely alien concept.

~~~

The rain didn’t stop pouring, if at all, it only got worse – much to Jennie’s dismay.

It was Friday and all the students were set free for the weekend, the happiness that fact ensued could be heard by the students passing her.

A sigh escaped her lips as she took another look around, not exactly knowing how to proceed from here on. Her mother was supposed to pick her up since the frantic rain was too much aggressive and the cold much too penetrating.

 
The rain would’ve drenched her within seconds and she really didn’t want to get sick. But she had been held up by work, leaving Jennie stranded on the steps leading away from the school since her bus had already departed. At least the first steps we covered by a roof.

Jennie nuzzled her face further into her scarf, trying to heat her cold nose and cheeks.

“Alright, let’s do it,” a familiar firm voice was suddenly very close to her left ear, making her jump and turn around quickly.

In front of her was a soldier with their impeccable uniform. The tie around the white button up shirt was neatly in place and mostly covered by a long, black coat with a leather belt around the midriff. Golden strips and two stars donned her shoulder, signalizing her rank only to people associating with the military could know of.

Lisa’s demeanor was intimidating and the fact that she was taller and almost towering over her only added to it. Lisa was the first girl to ever leave that kind of impression on her.

The momentary confusion about hearing ‘let’s do it’ quickly vanished alongside with the adrenaline of being startled.

“You scared me!” she exclaimed in response, clutching her chest to try to check if her heart was still beating, but it was to no avail due to the thick fabric of her own coat. The shock made her forget briefly that Lisa had referred to Jennie’s offer to treat her to a coffee.

 
“You’re easily being startled, huh?” a smirk broke up the coldness Lisa’s face held before.

“No, where did you get that impression from?” she answered with a teasing tone despite the slight intimidation she felt just being in the mere presence of that soldier.

 
“Just a wild guess,” Lisa effortlessly caught up on her tone and went with the flow even though this wasn’t exactly what she was used to.

They exchanged a smile before Jennie slightly turned away to watch the rain again.

Unfortunately, the rain hadn’t magically stopped.

Disappointed she turned her body back to the soldier who was about to go. Jennie wanted to wave her goodbye but Lisa cut her off before she could do it.

“So, are you coming?”

She saw how Jennie’s accurate facial features scrunched up in confusion and thus continued, “I thought we wanted to drink a coffee? I figured it would suit you now since no one’s gonna pick you up and all the busses are gone, right?”

Confusion gave way for astonishment, “How did you know?”

But Lisa just chuckled instead of answering her and went straight into the rain without waiting for Jennie to come, because she knew exactly that she would follow her in the end.

And she did.

Jennie wanted to rush to wherever Lisa had planned to go to but the soldier walked as if it wouldn’t rain at all.

Judging from Jennie’s drenched coat it took way too much time until the lights of a black car lit up twice in a bright orange upon unlocking it from afar.

“Wait, are you already 18?” Jennie asked after she eagerly climbed onto the passenger seat and settled into the seat alongside with Lisa.

“No, I’m 17. Why?” Lisa’s face displayed utter cluelessness as she revved up her car and drove off of school grounds with fast speed.

“You’re not allowed to drive alone then,” Jennie wanted to shriek but refrained herself in the last moment from doing so.

 
“I am, it’s just that the rules which apply to you, don’t apply to me. I’m also allowed to drive a tank, but that’s another story,” Lisa chuckled and was amused by Jennie’s bewildered expression. This was normality for her but to Jennie this was a completely different world.

The rest of the drive to a nearby café was filled with surprisingly comfortable small talk to the soldier. Jennie occasionally glanced over to the girl who drove expertly over the wet road and marveled at her skills.

She, in contrast, was still in training and had been time and time again a danger to herself and her driving instructor behind the wheel.

When they’d finally arrived at a small but cozy café, they quickly rushed in and placed their orders.

It already began to get dark outside when they sat down opposite of each other in the far corner at the window with their hot drinks.

“So, this is what you normally do?” Lisa was the first to talk again after they had sat down and waited for their beverages to cool down.

“What do you mean exactly?” Jennie carefully put the cup of hot chocolate to her lips and enjoyed the hotness as it immediately spread throughout her body when she’d taken a sip. The coldness from the rain had seeped into her bones and they only slowly started to warm up.

“Do you often go out with friends to drink coffee, is that a thing?” If Lisa wouldn’t look so serious, Jennie would’ve been inclined to think that this was just a joke. But it wasn’t.

A cute, little giggle bubbled over and she couldn’t stop it anymore.

“Is this really such a strange concept to you?” What do you normally do with friends?” Jennie’s attention was solely focused on Lisa, the soldier surprised her.

“Yes, it is. But,” Lisa took a look around and mustered their environment for a moment before her eyes met Jennie’s again, “this is actually nice,”

This made Jennie smile and the gentleness of it caught Lisa off guard. The dim light made Jennie appear…weird?

The soldier inwardly shook her head at that.

Jennie didn’t appear weird to her because that was such a negative thing, while the things she felt radiating off of her were positive only. Now that she was seated in front of her and could take a longer look at her, she realized again just how beautiful Jennie was and that her eyes were simply enticing. They were sharp and fierce and the contrast to Jennie’s rather petite and slim figure made her interesting.

Lisa cleared after she’d felt like she took too much time to think about Jennie’s beauty instead of answering her last question, “We normally just drink or compete on the shooting range, even though they know I’ll always win,”

The self-assured smirk reminded Jennie of one that could’ve come from a guy and that was just weird to her. She didn’t know why she’d made that connection.

She whirled the spoon in the cup around and watched as it created tiny swirls before she spoke up again, “You’re sitting right in front of me, but our worlds are completely different. That’s really fascinating,”

Something about Jennie’s voice which softly spoke these words and the twinkle in her eyes stuck something with the soldier, making her stare at her involuntarily for a prolonged while. Again.

“Do I have something on my face?” Jennie quickly covered , thinking some chocolate was on it.

Lisa was able to dodge the bullet and led Jennie’s attention away from her not-so-subtle staring and started asking her things.

They got to know each other a little bit better. Lisa found out that the brunette was a new student and that was the reason she hadn’t noticed her earlier. She would’ve immediately noticed such eyes for they held mystery and pain deeply hidden in the corner of her irises.

The soldier was sure that it was well hidden and that others wouldn’t feel this way, but at least this skill wasn’t incapacitated by Jennie’s proximity.

After an hour of talking Jennie’s phone started to ring and after a short conversation with the caller, Jennie had to cut their meeting short.

“I’m really sorry,” Jennie said again after they went out of the café and stood close to the roofed entrance since it the rain was still ruthlessly falling with no end in sight. Lisa just nodded understanding and gave a reassuring little smile.

“Here,” without asking, Jennie held out a cigarette for the soldier to take while she herself already placed one between her lips.

“Thanks,” the soldier took it and was about to rummage through her jacket for a lighter when the brunette took a step closer and started to light Lisa’s cigarette.

Due to the heavy wind the fire wasn’t able to breath life to the cigarette, so Lisa ducked further into Jennie’s direction and shielded her hands with her own, larger ones, cupping them gently. Lisa’s warm hands stood in stark contrast to Jennie’s cold ones and didn’t go unnoticed by the smaller girl.

 
Lisa had a moment to note their close proximity whereas Jennie was solely focused on lighting the cancerous stick. She certainly didn’t mind being close to her and that was something new.

She cherished her personal space and only respected disturbances by order.

“Finally,” Jennie breathed out while the orange glimmer reflected in her sharp, cat-like eyes.

She stepped back a little but was still close and began to smoke herself.

They stood in silence and relished the soft drizzling of the raindrops. The streets were vacated and the peace was only disturbed once by a passing car.

After a moment Lisa began to watch the brunette out of the corner of her eyes, catching Jennie looking at her.

Both held their gazes, both trying to assess one another.

Lisa was thoroughly intrigued by the smaller girl albeit she couldn’t exactly pin down the reason why.

The orange glimmer died and with it their marveling.

 
“I have to go now, it was very nice meeting you, Lisa,” her smile was effortlessly beautiful and shining despite the darkness of the winter surrounding them.

“I could accompany you,” the soldier blurted out and internally scolded herself. definitely was faster than her thinking that there was no need to make sure Jennie would get home safe.

 
At that Jennie’s smile broke out into a full one, turning her eyes into cute, little crescents.

 
“I’ll manage, but thank you,” still feeling the slight intimidating aura of Lisa she didn’t lean in to hug her like she would do it with any other friendly acquaintance and instead only waved and vanished out of Lisa’s sight.

All the way back to her apartment Lisa thought about the differences between Rosé and Jennie for she had no other way to dissect what was normal in friendship or not.

 
Her relations with female soldiers were incomparable and not fit for applying it on civilians.

 
She liked Rosé a lot despite only knowing her for over a month. She was bubbly, fun to talk to and overall a pleasant person to be around with.

But Rosé didn’t attract her in some way or another, Rosé didn’t captivate her interest like Jennie did.

What was it about her that confused Lisa so utterly?