"Are they here yet?"

Jennie heard Sohee asked beside her as they walk past the arrival gate of Jeju International Airport, a couple of bodyguards following closely. 

"I think so", she replied, "Jisoo texted ten minutes ago."

Jennie looks around in search of her bestfriends who are supposed to pick them up. She told them she could just go straight to the villa, but the couple insisted on picking them up because they're sentimental like that. Those monkeys.

Her head's still throbbing from that 13-hour flight and she's still trying to absorb the fact that she's back in Korea. Back in her homeland. Despite the bad memories, somehow, it excites her to finally feel the warmth of her own country again.

There's still the fear. It never leaves. But maybe she just missed every beautiful thing about this place, that a small smile managed to escape her lips.

"Nini!"

Her smile widened when she finally saw the two persons she missed the most. The couple walked towards her hand in hand, with Lisa waving at her like a retard. She also notices a few number of bodyguards behind them.

"Lili, Chu", she greeted them once they're face-to-face.

Jennie wasn't able to continue whatever speech she has prepared, when the two girls tackled her in a hug. She could only chuckle as she embraces them back. Not seeing these two idiots for two years was torture for her. They've been together since they were in diapers, and this is probably the longest time they've been apart.

"We missed you, Jendeuk", Jisoo spoke after they broke the hug.

"Not the mushy type, but yeah, we missed you, Nini", playfully bumping a fist on her shoulder, Lisa said, "How've you been? How's London?"

Jennie takes her time scanning the couple. Two years of non-stop work did a lot to them, she notices. Both girls have lost weight. Although they're still as beautiful as when she last saw them, exhaustion was somehow visible in their facade. She knew they needed this vacation more than ever.

"London's been nothing but amazing to me. You hearing my british accent?", Jennie replied in a playful manner, grinning as she does.

The couple jokingly shook their heads and poses a thumbs down, "I ain't hearing anything, Jen."

They bubble in a laugh, and Jisoo's just glad that her bestfriend can finally smile and crack jokes with them again. Her last image of Jennie before the girl left for London was heartbreaking, to say the least. So, it's wonderful seeing her regaining her joy.

"Oh, and London HQ's doing great and well managed thanks to this beautiful lady beside me", the brunette averts her attention to Sohee, who then took a step closer when she gently pulls her by the waist, "Lili, Chu, this is Sohee, my Senior Vice President...and my girlfriend."

Lisa and Jisoo side-glanced each other, both visibly surprised. In the two years, they've only ever spoken with Jennie on the phone occasionally. Christmas, birthdays. They admit they kind of lost updates about their bestfriend because of the latter's choice to be alone and forget her downfall back home. Albeit knowing Jennie's whereabouts, they respected her privacy and didn't force her to meet them. If the brunette wanted to heal on her own, all they could do was support her.

So, news about Jennie's new girlfriend was quite a surprise. The girl never told them. They didn't bother opening up the topic either. But instead of feeling upset about the secrecy, they felt relieved seeing their bestfriend all smiles while introducing Sohee.

Maybe Jennie's really moved on.

The couple extended their hand out as they formally introduced themselves to the woman. They must admit she's really gorgeous.

"It's great to finally meet you, Lady Jisoo and Lady Lisa", Sohee greeted in thick british accent as she took their hands in a shake, "Jennie here has been telling me things about you."

"Oh, please, you can just call us by our names", Lisa replied, smiling, "And I hope Nini's told you only good things about us."

The woman chuckles, "Well, she told me about how you guys met, and how you and Jisoo became a couple."

Jisoo's ears perked up while Lisa was holding her laugh, "Jennie Kim, how dare you tell her about that?? Please, that was so embarassing."

"What was so embarassing?", Jennie retorted, laughing, "It was cute how you two became official."

"That was in Norway, right?", the youngest girl said, "Gosh, memories."

"Do not fret, I've only told Sohee the wholesome parts", Jennie said in a hushed tone, "I left out the part where you guys would sneak out somewhere to make ou—"

Lisa playfully tackled the brunette before she could say more and slung an arm around her neck, "Ah, I really missed you, Nini."

The group broke into fits of laugh.

Lisa missed this, indeed. Seeing Jennie bright and happy. She didn't mind that they've been apart for years, if that helped her bestfriend recover. She just hopes the girl's really okay now.

"But really, you guys are cute", Sohee commented after their laughs died down, subtly taking her girlfriend's hand in her own, "Jennie's told me quite a lot about you, I swear I feel like I already know you personally."

The brunette gave her a smile, in which she reciprocated with a wider one. Lisa and Jisoo looked on and couldn't help but mimic the couple's expression.

"Well, how about we discuss it further at the villa, yeah?", the oldest offers, "We've prepared lunch."

"Now that I think about it, that 13-hour flight left me starving", Jennie answered, chuckling, "Let's go?"

"Alright, let's!"

~•~

"So, how've you guys been?", slicing a piece of meat on her plate, Jennie asked her bestfriends, "I mean, aside from work and wedding preparations, what were you guys up to?"

Lisa passed a plate to her fiancé who's sitting beside her, before answering, "There were no other things aside from that, 'Ni. Swear, we had to practically live in our offices because of all the work."

"She's not exaggerating", Jisoo seconded, "We were so close to having a bedroom attached to our offices."

The other couple, who's seated across them at the dining table, bubbles in a chuckle, both shaking their heads in disbelief.

"No time for dates or what-nots?", Sohee asked them while wriggling an eyebrow.

"Office dates", it was Lisa who replied.

"And a lot of sneaky make-out sessions, for sure", Jennie added, playfully waving a fork in her hand.

The younger almost choked in her meat, while her fiancé's face turned in a deep shade of crimson.

"Is that really the image we're portraying to you, Jen??", Jisoo scolded in a feigned manner, "At the end of this conversation, I swear Sohee will only think of us as this couple who couldn't keep their hands to themselves."

Sohee laughed in the background, while the brunette tried to defend herself.

"What, why? Making out with your lover is normal", she argued.

"Yeah, but we'd like to be seen as corporate professionals who don't do unholy things inside the company's premises, thank you very much."

"We are the bosses, may I just remind you. We're strictly professionals."

The engaged couple nodded to each other and did a high-five, making Jennie laugh even more. Nothing much has changed. They're still the same old dorks she loves.

"Okay okay, we get it", she raised both her hands in the air in feigned surrendering.

The group continued having their lunch while engaging in talks.

"How about your old folks, by the way? How are they?"

"They're both in LA right now", Lisa answered, "But they'll be coming home next month for the wedding."

"I see. Dad, too, right? He told me he'll fly no matter how far he is just to attend your wedding. That old man is so dramatic, I swear to god", Jennie said, making the three girls laugh, "What about the other guests?"

It was then that she noticed how still empty the place is. The four of them, together with the organizers, bodyguards, and some assistants, are the only ones present in the area.

"They'll be here in the afternoon", Jisoo replied, "We wanted to make this party as private as possible so we didn't invite much. Only our closest cousins."

Blackpink still doesn't like mingling with other people, yes.

"Oh, so I'll be seeing Mino again", the brunette said, referring to Jisoo's cousin.

"You guys were pretty close, weren't you?"

Jennie rolls her eyes, "What close? I almost kicked his balls once because he was teasing me about my height."

"Ah, right, you were frienemies", Lisa commented, "But he finally stopped teasing you when we got into college."

"Hmm, maybe he finally stopped seeing me as a kid", she shrugs her shoulders at the memory.

They were almost done with lunch when Jisoo waved a hand at the couple across them and started a new topic.

“So, Sohee, how long have you been living in London?”

The woman picked up a napkin and briefly wiped her lips before answering, “Since I was a kid actually. I remember I was in middle school when my dad met Chairmain Kim and became an investor.”

“Ah, that explains the thick accent”, Lisa nodded, “Oh, by the way, we still haven't asked how you two became a couple."

The two girls in question shared a loving gaze, before turning back at them.

"She was the one who guided me and briefed me about things I needed to know when I transferred to London", Jennie shares with a smile, before reaching for her girlfriend's hand, "We were together almost everyday. She took me to places, lent me a hand at work, lazed around with me whenever I don't feel like doing anything. And as time went by, we realized we're falling for each other."

Lisa cooed and gave them a small simper, "That's cute. How long have you guys been dating now?"

"A little over six months, I think."

"Oh, wow, I'm amused by how you can handle Lady Jennie Kim for that long, Sohee", the youngest jokingly remarks, earning a glare from her bestfriend.

Sohee laughs before turning to look at the brunette beside her, "Why, she's cute. Well, a little grumpy sometimes. But the first time I saw her, I knew it was love at first sight."

"Babe, please, you've seen me in news and magazines and conferences even before we met."

"Then, every single time I saw you, I fell in love", Sohee retorted and gave her a wink.

A series of teasing from the engaged couple followed after.

"See! She's a dork, too", Jennie shakes her head and gently squeezes the hand she's holding.

"Ah, too much cheesiness, I'm outta here", Jisoo jokes.

One special talent Jisoo has is probably the ability to sense people's aura. She feels when someone is sincere, or when someone is just faking it. That’s also the reason why they don’t have that much friends. And she's flabbergasted herself because the last time she felt this sincerity was with Roseanne.

Sohee has it too. She can feel it. The girl’s really in love with her bestfriend.

Jisoo’s just not sure why she suddenly felt bad because of that.

“I’ll just use the restroom”, Sohee gently pats her girlfriend’s lap and gave them a smile, “Please excuse me.”

Lisa and Jisoo shared a look once the woman was out of sight. They both know what each other was thinking. And they got to do it now.

“Jen”, the oldest girl started and places down her utensils.

Jennie, who was still finishing her food, looked up at her, “Hm?”

Jisoo glances one more time at her fiancé before speaking, “We...actually have something to tell you.”

The brunette shot them a quizzical look, perhaps confused as to why they suddenly fell serious, “What is it?”

“It’s about...R—”

Much to their dismay, they were rudely interrupted by Jennie’s loud ringtone. The girl gestures an apology and fishes out her phone from her pocket, heaving out a sigh when she saw the caller ID.

“Sorry, an executive from London”, she half-whispered while pointing at her screen, “Gotta take this call.”

Jennie then excused herself and went outside to answer her phone, leaving the couple frustrated.

The lunch was over without them having the chance to talk to their bestfriend because Sohee was already back from the restroom when Jennie’s phone call ended.

They didn’t have the chance to tell her that Roseanne’s back, and that she’s coming to the villa.

~•~

The guests, which are really just cousins of the engaged couple, started arriving later that afternoon. No more big introductions since everyone knew each other already. It was almost like a family reunion.

They engaged in talks for quite a while, asking how each other’s been, what were they up to, future plans, etc. Soon, they dispersed and went to do their own business. The program’s not starting until tomorrow so they still have time to rest and relax.

Lisa and Jisoo, together with Jennie and Sohee, were also about to head back inside the villa, when one more vehicle arrived.

Baffled, the brunette turned to her bestfriends, “All your cousins are already here. Did you invite another friend?”

The couple gave each other a knowing, uneasy look. This is exactly what scares them. They should’ve told Jennie beforehand. They should’ve at least warned her or gave her a heads up.

But boy, oh, boy. They’re in the point of no return now.

“Jen—”, Jisoo was about to explain.

But whatever she has to say was cut when the door of the Rolls-Royce opened.

Jennie’s jaw and fist clenched involuntarily when the last guest stepped out of the driver’s seat. 

Guess ghosts of the past are really bound to haunt the present.

She thought she’s ready for this. It was inevitable, afterall. She thought it wouldn’t affect her that much anymore.

But then again, who would ever be prepared seeing their ex-fiancé, whom they once poured all their heart into, stand before them?

Leather jacket, striking pink hair, dead brown eyes.

The four girls stood rooted to the ground as the final guest started making her way towards them.

Specifically...towards Jennie.

“It’s been a while”, were the first words Roseanne Park has told her in years.

~•~

my fave genre is angst ☺️