(a/n: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. All characters, places, and incidents are either imaginary or used fictitiously.)

 

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"Carla, ma chère, je t'en prie, rentre à l'intérieur pendant que je m'occupe de cette situation. (Carla, my dear, please, go back inside while I handle this situation.)" 

 

Carla couldn't tear her gaze from Jennie. A shiver ran down her spine when Yoona snapped her fingers, finally breaking the spell.

 

"Je n'aime pas me répéter, Carla. (I don't like myself repeating, Carla.)"

 

Yoona's voice turned unexpectedly serious, catching Carla off guard. This was rare for Yoona. Carla now understood that the woman glaring at her was Jennie Kim—Yoona's mission.

 

Carla nodded and swiftly left the scene, leaving the three of them in tense silence.

 

Yoona locked eyes with Jennie, who arched an eyebrow. In response, Yoona offered a sweet, innocent smile, only to be met with a piercing glare.

 

"Why are you here?" Jennie demanded, hands on her hips. "Didn't we discuss this already?"

 

Ignoring her, Yoona fixed her gaze on the person she despised most on this planet. "Leave," she asserted, unyielding in the face of V's intense stare.

 

"Excuse me?"

 

"Yoona, please don't start —"

 

Yoona forced herself to remain calm, massaging her temples. She couldn't afford to let anger consume her, fully aware of the potential regrets that might follow.

 

"I said leave."

 

V stood his ground, his face etched with defiance. He was unyielding, stubborn in his stance. Then, Yoona's eyes bore into him, a fiery intensity igniting in her gaze, sending a shiver down his spine.

 

In an instant, his bravado crumbled, replaced by a raw, primal fear. He nodded hastily, mumbled a quick goodbye to Jennie, and swiftly made his exit.

 

As V's figure retreated, a calm settled over the room, lifting Yoona's mood instantly. Finally, she was alone with Jennie.

 

"What was that? He's my boyfriend. You can't just treat him like that."

 

Yoona shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I was just trying to be nice. You're reading too much into it." 

 

"You call that nice? You seemed ready to pick a fight."

 

"What's he doing in your room?"

 

"Why do you care?"

 

Yoona locked eyes with Jennie, arms crossed and waiting for an explanation for her sudden appearance. Ignoring her, Yoona ventured further into the room, determined to confirm if anything untoward had happened, they might did something inappropriately...let me just confirm it on my own. Her gaze settled on the bed where Jennie had slept.

 

"You're clearly trespassing, what is wrong with you?"

 

Pushing open the door, she found a tidy room, no evidence of any untoward activity. The covers were smooth. I need to be sure, crouching to check beneath the bed. No sign. As she straightened up, Jennie's glare bore into her.

 

"What's gotten into you?"

 

"Tell me, Ruby Jane," Yoona's voice dropped, taking on a husky edge, prompting an unreadable expression from the idol. "Did the two of you have before I knocked?

 

Jennie's eyes widened, flustered by Yoona's direct question. "Wh-what?"

 

Something inside Yoona churned at the thought, a mix of turmoil and anger threatening to erupt. It was as if her insides were waging a war, straining to break free.

 

"Answer me, did you?" Yoona arched an inquisitive brow, her heart pounding faster than usual. "I don't usually repeat myself, Ruby Jane, but I'll make an exception for someone as pretty as you. Did you sleep with that attention-seeking guy?"

 

"N-no," Jennie stammered, her voice trembling. "But even if I did, why does it matter to you? He's my boyfriend."

 

Yoona let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. She rolled her eyes at Jennie's response. "No kidding, Sherlock. He's your boyfriend?" 

 

Jennie shot her a glare and headed back to the living room, with Yoona trailing behind. "What are you really doing here, Yoona? Answer now or I'll kick you out."

 

Yoona pushed back her wavy hair and settled into the couch with a smug expression. "I'd love to see you try," she quipped, winking. Jennie scoffed, muttering 'childish' under her breath. Yoona's eyes widened, and she shot Jennie a sharp look, earning a smirk in return. "I'm here to visit my father, in case you're wondering. My world doesn't revolve around you, Ruby Jane, so cut me some slack."

 

That was a lie. Right now, in this mortal realm, Jennie was her world. She served as a reminder that Yoona was present on Earth, something she occasionally forgot.

 

As Yoona nestled into the softness of Jennie's couch, a wave of coziness enveloped her. The day's weariness settled in, coaxing a yawn from her, she suddenly longed for a brief nap. "This couch is making me feel so drowsy all of a sudden."

 

Jennie observed Yoona's movements, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She was still adjusting to Yoona's abrupt change in demeanor. "I think it's best if you go back to your own room," It was a lot to process, and Jennie needed some time alone to gather her thoughts.

 

Yoona simply shrugged, a casual grin on her lips. "Alright, then. Carla's probably waiting for me anyway." She rose and headed towards the door, pausing in front of Jennie. "Don't give me a hard time while we're here, okay? It's best if you behave." She was referring to how Jennie often found ways to ignore her.

 

As Yoona reached for the doorknob, Jennie's hand shot out, gripping her wrist. Yoona turned, a puzzled expression on her face. "Is something the matter?"

 

Jennie hesitated for a moment, "Or... you could join me to watch Netflix?"

 

Yoona blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the unexpected invitation. But she didn't hesitate long before a warm smile spread across her face. "I thought you'd never ask," With a wink, she returned to the couch and settled in comfortably. "Just, let's skip the princess movies, okay? They're not really my thing," Yoona groaned, recalling Jennie's penchant for such films. I meant no offense, of course.

 

"Oh please, your antics practically define 'childish'," Jennie teased, playfully rolling her eyes as she powered on the TV. She couldn't help but be amused by Yoona's continuous complaints about her choice of movie genres. "Alright, since I picked last time, it's your turn today."

 

"You're a nice woman, Ruby Jane, you know that?"

 

Yoona sat up and playfully air-fist-bumped Jennie before pulling her down to sit on the couch, catching the idol off guard. Unintentionally, Yoona's arm draped over Jennie's shoulder, a surge of excitement coursing through her.

 

"I promise you'll love my movie choice, Ruby Jane," 

 

Yoona reached for the remote in Jennie's hand, her smile genuine and sweet. Jennie found herself staring at Yoona a little longer, captivated by the infectious excitement radiating from her. She couldn't quite put her finger on why, but every time Yoona called her 'Ruby Jane,' something within her seemed to melt, and she wasn't entirely sure if that was a good thing or not.

 

Later in the afternoon...

 

Yoona lounged in Jennie's room, perched comfortably on a single chair, legs crossed, engrossed in her phone. She delved into social media, skimming her 'For You Page'—a term she'd only just come to know. Among the videos, a trending term caught her eye: 'rizz.'

 

"What a pointless craze, this whole 'rizz' thing," she muttered to herself, a hint of amusement in her voice.

 

She found it entertaining how rapidly things changed on Earth, how certain topics could gain fame without much substance. But then again, it was the media, after all.

 

"I want to see if this 'rizz' thing is as pathetic as I think," 

 

Calling for Jennie, she discovered her in the midst of applying makeup, clearly preparing to go out. Yoona refrained from asking about Jennie's plans, aware that she needed to prove she wasn't as clingy as Jennie sometimes claimed. It was best to work in silence for now, avoiding any potential mood swings.

 

"You're truly stunning, you know that?" Yoona complimented nonchalantly, not noticing the subtle blush on Jennie's cheeks. Whether with or without makeup, Jennie radiated beauty, and Yoona never get tired of acknowledging it. "Look at this, I found an interesting video on my phone."

 

Yoona nudged her phone towards Jennie's gaze, allowing her a brief glance before gently tilting Jennie's chin to face her. The closeness felt oddly awkward; their faces were mere inches apart, and Yoona caught a whiff of the chapstick Jennie used on her lips.

 

For a fleeting moment, their eyes locked, but it was Jennie who swiftly retreated, rising from her vanity chair and conspicuously avoiding Yoona's gaze.

 

"W-what was that?"

 

Yoona, slightly taken aback by her own audacity, awkwardly scratched the back of her neck, offering a chuckle. "Oh, I was just trying to do one of those viral 'rizz' things on TikTok," she explained, laughing as she noticed the blush on the idol's cheeks. "It's pathetic as I expected, so don't think too much of it."

 

"Right," Jennie replied, biting her lip and nodding. "I should get going. I'm meeting some friends here."

 

"Of course, do your thing," Yoona said, giving Jennie an affectionate pat on the head, earning a playful eye-roll from the idol. "I'll catch up with you later, Ruby Jane. Take care."

 

Yoona saluted at Jennie, eliciting a laugh from her. She felt a wave of relief wash over her; it seemed the earlier awkwardness had been set aside. As she reflected on the situation, she couldn't help but facepalm at her own momentary lapse in judgment, all because of a viral TikTok trend.

 

-----

Yoona heaved a sigh as she placed her order with the waiter. She and Carla had settled on dining at STK Steakhouse in West Beverly Hills.

 

"Carla, tu as vu ce blond insipide plus tôt, n'est-ce pas ? (Carla, you saw that insipid blond earlier, didn't you?)"

 

Carla seemed a bit perplexed that unimportant person was being brought up, but she nodded nonetheless. "Le petit ami de Jennie ?(Jennie's boyfriend?)"

 

"Hmm," Yoona murmured, taking a sip of her red wine. "I don't really think he's right for Jennie."

 

"Why's that?"

 

"He knows how to push my buttons. You know, humans usually have to work up the nerve to get on my nerves."

 

Carla chuckled, remembering the rare instances when someone had managed to rile Yoona. It took a good deal of patience to reach Yoona's limits. "J'ai ressenti ça plus tôt. Il doit être plutôt coriace. (I sensed that earlier. He must be quite a handful.)"

 

"En effet (Indeed,)" Yoona murmured, her mind momentarily adrift. "He's a hurdle, but I'll ensure he knows his place."

 

"You're not seriously thinking of breaking them up, are you?"

 

Yoona moistened her lips, taking a sip of her wine. Her intense doe-eyes locked onto Carla's, leaving the Frenchwoman momentarily captivated.

 

"What other option do I have? If Jennie's not in love with him, and even if she is, I wouldn't be here talking to you." It all made perfect sense to Yoona. "I just need to add a little spice to ensure my plan goes smoothly."

 

"Is that why you had me gather information about her rumored exes? Especially that Kpop guy Jongin, also known as Kai."

 

"I reviewed the files you sent me. He seems to be the most tolerable of Jennie's exes, certainly more so than that stupid blonde guy."

 

"You're going to bring him into the picture, and by then Jennie will fall for him just like everyone else. Alors tu peux retourner en Enfer quand bon te semble. (Then you can go back to Hell whenever you please.)"

 

Yoona's smile widened at the statement. "I didn't know your brain cells were still functioning—hell, I want to kiss you so badly right now for having those."

 

Carla couldn't help but roll her eyes, accustomed to Yoona's banter. "You looked repulsed, as if I were some kind of virus when I leaned in for a kiss earlier. Alors, finalement, l'envie de m'embrasser s'est envolée, hein ?(So much for wanting to kiss me now, eh?)" 

 

"Now, now," Yoona offered an apologetic smile. "I just wasn't in the mood earlier, and you know how much I dislike it when you always take the lead. Keep playing hard-to-get, and later you won't even realize I've been between your legs."

 

Carla smiled at Yoona's words, and Yoona was grateful when the chef arrived with their orders. It was strange; she longed to kiss and Carla, as they once were, but something inside her held her back. Another puzzle to solve later.

 

-----

To Ruby Jane:

     Where are you?

Seen

Yoona shook her head as she glanced at her phone, seeing that Jennie had left her on read. She couldn't quite wrap her head around Jennie's behavior. It was like a never-ending cycle of hot and cold every time they spent time together. One moment, Jennie would open up, and the next, she'd act as if Yoona didn't even exist. Over time, Yoona had grown accustomed to it.

 

She still has her walls up, and I applaud her for that. Little does she know, one day those walls will crumble when she finally places her full trust in me.

 

After dinner, a