JUNE 19, 2019

Last night's dinner made Jeongguk feel complete.

Complete in a sense that his hyungs approved of Lisa and her unnies approved of him. Not that they needed approval, anyway, because it was just a fake relationship - but still, it was nice to know that there were people who were supporting them. Somehow, that gave him hope. Hope for what?

After the dinner and more wine glasses, they've decided to head home to rest as Chaeyoung got a little drunk that she tried to sing an opera on the top of her lungs on the balcony. It was pretty understandable since she doesn't drink much and was a lightweight, but it didn't stop the fact that they all had a great laugh as Jennie and Jimin pried her off the railing.

After paying for the bill, each of them headed to their own vans, but not before Jeongguk kissed Lisa for the second time that night.

Oh, right. The kiss.

He had zero idea as to why he told her that he wanted to kiss her again. Maybe it was the alcohol? The scenario? The vibe? No idea. He didn't regret it one bit, though. Lalisa's lips were heavenly.

But that made him think. If they kissed, what did it mean for the both of them? Are they both feeling the same thing? Does she like him as he likes her?

Admittedly, he does like her. He has been feeling this way now ever since she kissed him in their dorm that night. It was confirmed when he couldn't sleep even if he only had a 3-hour nap that day. Jetlag usually knocks him off, yet it didn't that particular day, all because of Lisa and her wonderful, plump lips.

So, in conclusion he likes her more than a friend and more than he should.

But the problem here is, how does he let her know? He can't just simply blurt out, "I like you," in the middle of nowhere because that might surprise her. So he figured, why not take her out? He was missing her, anyway, they haven't been fully alone for months now except that time where he visited her In Newark.

That explains why they were in Myeongdeong Shopping District, standing in the middle of the street food stalls in their usual disguises.

"What do you wanna eat, darling?" Jeongguk asked through his mask. He was in his black outfit, from his cap to his shoes. He didn't have time to think about another outfit as he was rushing to pick Lisa up from her apartment.

"You." She replied, making his eyes widen, "You wish." She added, "I want to try that, though." She pointed to a nearby stall displaying the popular Korean cheese lobster.

"Shut it, Lali. I know you want me," He jokingly winked at her, to which she slapped his arm lightly, "Cheese lobster coming right up."

He returned a few minutes later, holding a box in each hand filled with cheese-covered lobster. He found Lalisa standing in front of another stall, eyes locked onto whatever the woman was cooking.

"What is that?" She asked as he stood beside her. His eyes turned to the woman, who was now pulling a potato down a barbecue stick.

"Ah," He mused, remembering what it was, "That's a tornado potato."

"Tornado potato?" She repeated with her brows scrunched, making her look more adorable than she already was. "Can we buy this one?"

"Sure." His hand went to his pocket to grab his wallet when she stopped him.

"It's on me, Guk." She held out her hand filled with cash to the woman and said, "Two please."

Jeongguk rolled his eyes, "I'm trying to be a gentleman here but you're just ruining my vibe."

Lisa kissed his cheek, her mouth covered by her mask. Still, it made his heart flutter, "I'll let you pay the next time, ugly. Let's sit there." She pointed to a small bench at the further end of the chain of stalls, barely seen from a far as it was surrounded by various trees.

The both of them went to it, careful and aware of their surroundings. One slip of their masks and caps and they'll all be dead. He tried to keep his head down, afraid that he might be recognized because of his eyes. He saw Lisa doing the same.

"Finally," She breathed in relief as they escaped the crowd, "We can eat in peace."

"You sure you don't want more?" He asked, placing the food in the space between them as he sat down.

Lisa hummed, handing him one of the sticks she was holding, "Let's finish this one first and then buy some more, okay?"

"Okay, mom."

He watched intently as Lisa picked on the lobster with her chopsticks. She looked like a little bunny, with her big brown eyes as she looked at the food. Slowly, she grabbed a piece and brought it to her mouth.

"Good?" He asked as she chewed.

Her eyes twinkled in delight as she looked at him again, "This is the best shit ever." To which he laughed.

"If you want more, just tell me, yeah?" She nodded eagerly, taking another bite of her food. He dug into his own tornado potato, the flavor exploding in his mouth. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten street food - as he was always on a strict diet. I forgot how good this was.

Lalisa cleared her throat out of a sudden, making him look at her, "When's your next schedule?"

He tilted his head, trying to remember, "Next schedule... I think it would be on the 22nd, for our 5th muster."

"Wow, I'm jealous. Mine would be at the 21st, I'd be going to Paris for CELINE." She sighed, "I wish we'd stop acting like models and have promotions instead."

"Don't lose hope now, Lis. Maybe YG would give you another comeback by the end of the year." He tried to reassure her, to no avail.

"He wouldn't. I just know it." She raised her head to look at him, "Can I have a little bit of your lobster?"

Jeongguk raised his brows as he realized that she was finished with her own. "Oh... sure. But... it's the last one."

She blinked and said, "Never mind. It's yours."

"No, no," He found himself disagreeing, "Open your mouth."

Lisa gave him a look, but opened her mouth otherwise.

"Here comes the airplane," He raised his chopsticks to the air, moved his hands up and down until it reached the entrance of her mouth, "Say ah!"

She rolled her eyes but uttered an unenthusiastic ah as she caught the food in her mouth, "You didn't have to do that, you know."

"I'm just trying to be a good boyfriend here." He shrugged, "Hey,"

"Mmm?" She asked, taking a bite of her potato.

His hands went to her bangs, moving it out of the way to reveal her forehead, "You should stop having bangs for once, Lis. I wanna see your glorious forehead during award shows."

"You wish. My forehead is only exclusive for my cats." She squealed as he moved his hand from her forehead to pinch her cheeks. "Stop that!"

He threw his head back to laugh, "Couldn't help it, you look like a fluffy pancake."

She huffed, "Whatever."

"You look even cuter when you're mad." She was crossing her arms now, her mouth formed into a pout. "Tell you what, how about you put your mask on again and stay here while I get us some water?"

Her eyes turned to him and she nodded, "Alright, but put your mask on, too. We don't want a pack of rabid fans chasing us all the way to the Han River."

"Yes, ma'am." He stood up and gave her another look, "I have to tell you something when I return, wait here." He knew it was time for him to say it, and he couldn't wait until later.

As Jeongguk walked back to the food stalls, he couldn't help but wonder how he was going to start confessing to her. Does he start with the words hey, Lali, I have been meaning to tell you something or I know you'll be mad at me but I actually like you? He didn't know where to begin, to be honest.

He went to a food stall selling egg bread and said to the woman, "Two bottles of water and two gyeran-bbang, please." The woman took the money out of his hands when suddenly, someone touched his arm.

Turning around, he came face to face with three teenage girls, all looking up at him with amazement in their eyes. Holy fucking shit.

"Jeongguk oppa!" The girl in front of him shrieked, "It really is you!"

"Can we take a picture?"

"I love you!"

"Uh, no, I'm not Jeongguk." He tried to speak but the other girls started to grab his hand, his shirt, his arms, everywhere they could. I am in deep shit.

Other girls were also starting to hear their conversation because of the loud volume and they started to crowd around him, murmuring incoherent words.

He took it as a signal to grab the plastic bag the woman was holding for him and ran back to the bench where he left Lisa.

He found her at the same spot, mask on, and scrolling through her phone.

"Fans, hurry!" He told her, grabbing her hand as they sprinted through Myeongdeong's shopping district. She followed him easily, running by his side as he lead them to God knows where.

An alley... an alley... where is a nearby alley? He thought, panicked as they tried to fit through the crowd. Everyone was giving him looks of disgust as he tried to push through them. His head turned back, trying to find the fangirls as he locked eyes with the girl he talked to earlier.

"There he is!" There were 10 to 15 girls with her now, what the fuck.

"Guk, turn right!" Lisa pulled his hand to the right, turning into another intersection where there was a larger crowd. They pushed through them as usual, his eyes searching around for an alley or a place where they could hide.

"There's an alley over there!" He said through his gritted teeth and the girl understood. They slowed their footsteps and ducked their heads as they carefully trudged through the crowd, heading to the alley as discreetly as possible.

Lisa immediately spotted a dumpster, "Guk," She said in a low voice, rushed, "Get inside the dumpster. Now."

"Darling, you're not-"

"I'll follow right after, now go." She opened the dumpster for him and watched as he went inside. She checked the alley's entrance for the intruders and followed suit when she deemed it safe.

As Lisa closed the dumpster, the heat and the smell hit her nose. Luckily, there was only one garbage bag inside, making it fit for two people. "It's so hot in here." She scrunched her nose.

"It was your idea." Jeongguk replied, coming closer to her.

"If we didn't jump in your fans would've attacked us right there and we'd be exposed." She argued back in a murmur. He couldn't really see her face because of the darkness, but he knew she was frowning.

"Yeah, whatever. Thanks, darling." He tried to touch her face but was met with a pinch on his nose instead, "Ow!"

"Do you want them to open this dumpster and see us-"

"Where did he go?" A voice said from nearby, making them freeze. "He was just here!"

"He was with that girl!"

"Was that his girlfriend?"

"Probably just a friend-"

"They were holding hands, you idiot!"

"Ugh, that bitch. Let's go look further. There's no way they could've left this place without anyone spotting them."

The voices grew distant and they both released the breaths they were holding.

"I guess we're dead meat." Lisa sighed, "What are we gonna do now once the rumours start?"

"Deny it, obviously." He replied, ruffling his hair. "I don't think they saw your face though, they only saw me at the food stall and not at the bench."

She face palmed, "But still, it's possible that they've seen us! Ugh, how could we be so stupid?"

"Great minds think alike."

She slapped his arm, "How could you be so calm in this? I'm literally shaking... I don't know what my CEO would to when he finds out."

"We could have your unnies cover up for you." He suggested, finding her hand in the darkness. It was sweaty and indeed, shaking. He tried to calm her down by rubbing circles in her palm.

"Oh, God. I feel like I'm about to shit." She released a breath, "Guk, I think we should lay low for a while."

He hid his disappointment in his tone as he said, "I know. You'll be going to Paris anyway and I'll be busy with the muster. A week will do, I think."

It was quiet for while before she replied, "Yeah, I think so, too."

Aware of how much she's shaking, he pulled her in, encircling his arms around her. "We'll be fine, darling, you'll be fine. They didn't see you." He murmured, caressing her hair in reassurance.

"I'm scared, Guk." She sniffed. Only then he realised that she was crying and he pulled away to grab his phone and turn the flashlight on.

Indeed, her cheeks were streaked with tears as she looked at him with fear in her eyes. The sight of her broke his heart.

Gently, he lowered down his mask and closed the distance between them, kissing her tears away, and finally, her nose.

"Nothing's going to happen, Lali." He pulled her again in his arms, kissing her temple. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess." It was his fault for bringing her here, and now he was starting to regret it.

His confession can wait. The girl in his arms was so much more important than what he was going to say.

▪️

Jeongguk stared as articles after articles flooded his Twitter feed.

He was so, so, so, so, so relieved he wanted to yell on the top of his lungs. They didn't know the girl he was with was Lisa.

Thank the heavens.

He had dropped Lisa off to her apartment complex after spending thirty minutes in the dumpster and went straight to his dorm afterwards. He informed Namjoon about what happened and sad to say, their leader was frustrated. He fabricated a believable story for Jeongguk and Lalisa in case things didn't go as expected.

But it doesn't seem to be needed after all.

"Guk," Hoseok said from the kitchen door, surprising him, "The CEO wants to meet you in the office right now."

Here goes.