Jennie hated Mondays. 

Mondays meant that you had to go back to reality and deal with the unfinished crap you were too lazy to do last Friday.

It was the signal of the end of your fun weekend, the start of the daily grind and the day where you force your body to wake up just so you can do the whole routine all over again.

Yes, Jennie hated Mondays.

But for some reason, this particular Monday was different than the others. Even the people working at her house were surprised by her happy demeanor.

Her mom, who was usually too busy to give a damn about her, had curiously looked at her daughter while they were having breakfast.

Jennie was humming as she buttered her toast, swaying her head to the beat of her own music.

"You look particularly happy this morning. I assume your beach trip went well?" Her mom asked as she took a sip of her coffee.

Jennie looked at her, eyebrows raised. It was rare of them not to argue at the breakfast table, or anywhere for that matter.

"Hmm...I guess you could say that."

"Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself at least." 

"Thanks."

Her mom sighed, and put her cup on the table.

"Nini?"

"Hmm?"

"I know we don't always see eye to eye, and I know this...recent struggle that we are having as a family is also taking it's toll on you. I have been unfair to you, and I haven't been giving you the time that you need. I just wanted you to know that me and your father have spoken and I have decided to be the one to take custody of you. After everything, I realized how lacking I have been as a parent, and I would like if you can give me this chance to make it up to you? To start over as a family, even if it's just the two of us?"

Jennie was stunned that she had paused what she was doing and looked at her mother. She didn't realized that they had sat like that in silence for a few minutes now.

"Nini?"

That broke her trance.

"Uh, yes?"

"What do you think?"

Jennie was usually a prideful person. She had learned from her parents well, but today, she just didn't have the heart to refuse her mother.

"I think...yeah. I think we can try and start over, mom."

Her mother gave her the brightest smile she has seen in awhile. She got up and hugged Jennie.

"Thank you, Nini. I know I don't deserve it, but I promise to do what I can starting today." she said.

Jennie smiled back, she really did hope that this was going to be a positive change between the both of them.

"Okay, mom."

Her mother chuckled and gave her a knowing look.

"I better thank whoever that person is that caught your eye." 

"Huh, what?"

Her mom shook her head in an amused fashion.

"Nothing. Come on, finish your breakfast, or else you'll be late. I'll be the one driving you to school today."

A few minutes later

Jennie had arrived at school, and as usual, the campus was buzzing with students this early in the morning.

As she crossed the parking lot, she saw a familiar figure up ahead, talking to someone else. 

As she neared them, she realized that Jisoo was speaking with Bona, one of her year-level schoolmates from section D.

She was physically too close to her and had her hand was on Jisoo's shoulder like it was some sort of magnet.

This feeling of annoyance came up to her once again. She raised her eyebrow and walked over to them.

"Hey guys! Good morning, Jisoo! Bona!" she said as she put her arm around her friend and stealthily pushed away Bona's hand from Jisoo's shoulder.

She grinned at Bona who looked surprised to see her there.

"Midget. You're here again. You're like an annoying Koala, you know that?"

Jennie pouted. 

"Why do you always give me weird nicknames? I have a name you know! Also, once again, were the same height!"

"I prefer calling you other names. It makes you more unique."

"Then at least give me a cute or cool nickname."

Jisoo raised her brows then grinned at her.

"Alright. From now on, I hereby christen you, Jendeukie."

"Jendeukie???" Jennie said, shocked.

"Yes, because like I said, you're like an annoying Koala who likes to follow and stick around me. I wish I had brought some sort of repellant to keep you away."

"I'm not a pest."

"You are, Jendeukie. A clingy mandu pest."

Jennie huffed. They didn't notice Bona leave them awhile ago.

"Fine then, as long as I can also call you Chichu."

"No way."

"Yes way. I noticed you like wearing Pikachu shirts and your phone case is also Pikachu."

"Coincidence."

"I think not. Let's go or we'll be late, Chu!" she said as she held Jisoo by the arm and dragged her all the way to their room.

Later at lunch, after she had eaten her meal, she decided to spend some time in the library to do some research for her paper which was due next Tuesday.

She turned around the corner, and without warning, she accidentally bumped into Lisa, who held on to her to make sure she doesn't fall onto the ground.

"Lisa! Oh my God, I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings."

Lisa smiled, "It's fine, Jen. But hey, I was actually looking for you. Are you busy? I just...needed to talk to you about something important."

Jennie guessed it could be about her ongoing cold war with Chaeyoung. Her paper could wait, she still had a lot of time anyway. Besides, her friend might need some advice.

"Not really. What did you want to talk about?"

"Uhm...is it alright if we talked around the bleachers? Nobody really hangs out there around this time. I'll tell you the details once we get there."

"Alright, sure thing."

They headed out there in silence. 

Finally, they arrived and settled down into one of the benches. 

Jennie noticed that Lisa looked particularly nervous. She was fidgeting with her hands and biting her lips every now and then.

"Alright Lisa, I'm here and I'm all ears. Tell me anything that you need me to know."

"Well...uhm...hehe...this is not going to be easy...but here I am...and here it goes."

Jennie watched as Lisa took a deep breath, held her hands and looked into her eyes.

"Jen, for some time now, I've been trying to find the right time and place to tell you this, but for some reason, something always comes up. But this time around, I realized, if I don't make a move now, someone might beat me to it without having me trying to do something about it, and I don't want to live this life regretting not ever doing this."

Jennie was a bit confused on what Lisa was trying to say, but she did not interrupt her.

"For quite some time now, I've had feelings for you Jennie, and I realized, I like you. Like, I really like you. It because I've been trying to get you to notice me, but I can't seem to get your attention. Sometimes, I give some hints and you spurn my advances, and it can be frustrating. Even now, while telling you this, at the back of my mind, I'm thinking that yes, you'll reject me at the end of it. But like Chaeyoung told me one time, I'll never know if I didn't at least try."

Jennie could see the sincerity in her eyes, and smiled at her friend.

"So..before you do reject me, can you at least give me this chance to prove to you that I truly mean what I am saying? Perhaps a chance that if you try and open your heart to me, I can promise you that you won't regret it. Just give me this one chance, Jennie Kim, just one chance."

Jennie inhaled. She tightened the hold on Lisa's hand and looked into her eyes as well.

"Lisa, first of all, thank you for your honesty. I have never confessed to anyone, but just imagining doing it, it must be pretty scary, especially if you don't know if you'll get rejected or not."

Jennie gulped. This was it. The moment of truth.

"As much as I want to take you up on that offer Lisa, I can't. I can't because we both know I am not really the one person who you truly want to be with."

Lisa looked at her, surprised.

"What? What do you mean?"

Jennie smiled at her softly.

"I am not saying that you don't feel anything for me. But what I am saying is, you never looked at anybody, and I mean REALLY looked at anybody the way you have with her. She is always your priority in anything, the first one you think of no matter where or what she is doing. The way you get jealous of the people who try to get close to her can be pretty funny, but at the same time, annoying too. I don't know what your reasons are for running away from your feelings with her, but I hope in time, you will learn to face it. Because honestly, I think, you and Chaeyoung fit well together."

What Jennie said rendered Lisa speechless. She looked so dumbfounded that it took everything in her not to let out a laugh.

"What I need you to do now, is for once, be honest with yourself, and especially to Chaeyoung."

"I don't..."

"Lisa..."

"Jennie, I'm not...it's you I like. Maybe Jisoo had brainwashed you too much or something."

"Keep Jisoo out of this, Lis."

"She's bad news, Jen. Please stay away from her. You don't want to be caught up in her web of lies."

Jennie was getting frustrated.

"Look Lisa, I perfectly understand that Jisoo has a bad reputation, in fact I was pretty wary about her at first. But she has never given me any reason to question her goodness to me or to the other people surrounding her!"

"But-"

"Lisa, I'm warning you, drop it."

Lisa sighed.

"Okay."

"Look Lisa, I understand you're being protective. But what you need to do is to figure out your feelings. Because if you keep doing this, you'll end up pushing Chaeyoung away, and believe me, you'll regret that."

Lisa looked so lost and confused, Jennie pitied her, but she needed this. She needed to grow up.

"I'm sorry, but I need to go now, lunch period is almost over. Please think about what I said, Lis." Jennie told her, and started walking away.