Lisa gradually comes back to the disinterested person that she was before being a property of the Kim’s.

It still hurts, of course it still does.

Pain doesn’t go away just yet.

It doesn’t know how to.

Lisa doesn’t know how to.

Though she wakes up being able to smile at Jennie again. She is now able to maintain the littlest of formal conversations they have. She is now able to accept that Jennie is not for her.

Never for her.

She will give up.

Give her time, and she really will.

She will.

Eventually, she will.

-----------------

But Jennie proves it difficult once more because then Jennie tells – commands­ – Lisa one day after dismissal to open the car door and instruct the driver to lead them home immediately.

Lisa tries to hide her bewilderment as she opens the door for Jennie. Wondering why Jennie looks so pissed off and looks so ready to punch someone.

“Get in!” Jennie demands.

Lisa obliges and she sits next to the fuming Jennie.

Not a word was uttered all throughout their drive home.

The first drive they shared in days and they’re still awkward.

How wonderful.

They step out the car and go straight to the house. Jennie leaving her bags behind for Lisa to pick up as the brunette goes running up the stairs.

Lisa scratches her head as she is confused herself.

She thinks it normal to knock on Jennie’s door and give her things back.

Maybe check on the older girl, too.

Though Lisa already hints why Jennie acts as such,

And it didn’t take Lisa a full minute to confirm her theory.

Jennie is already shouting at Kai over the phone.

Lisa hasn’t even opened the door yet when she hears faint words being thrown by Jennie.

She lets the sounds submerge first before knocking.

When Jennie doesn’t answer, Lisa acts on her own will and opens it.

Only to find a beet-red angered Jennie.

“Are you okay?” Lisa knows it’s a stupid question.

She’s correct because then Jennie scoffs, “Do I look okay?”

“You look horrible.”

Jennie scoffs louder as she plops to her bed.

“Love problems?” Lisa puts Jennie’s things on the latter’s study table as she asks.

“What do you know?” Jennie jeers.

Lisa only smiles.

Like she doesn’t have the same problems.

“You’re right.” Lisa tilts her head, “I don’t know anything."

Lisa heads to the door, “I’ll be going to my room now. Just call if you need anything.”

Lisa has taken a step out when Jennie calls, “Lisa!”

The blonde turns around, “Yes?”

Lisa waits for an answer, and answer she receives.

An answer so simple and so short but has her heart pounding mad once more.

For it has been the same thing Jennie has been telling her before,

“Stay.”

Lisa grips tighter on the doorknob. Her feet betraying her as they soon start walking towards Jennie.

She sits on the edge of Jennie’s bed, only to be pulled down by the older girl so she’ll be lying down alongside the latter.

No words are exchanged. Only hums and long breaths.

And this was the kind of awkward that Lisa likes.

Where they know something’s not quite right, and yet they feel comfortable knowing that it stays wrong.

---------------------

Lisa goes to her usual table. She brings out her sketchpad and starts drawing uneven patterns and lazy shapes.

Jennie has been hanging out with friends after school instead lately.

Though that doesn’t make any difference.

Jennie still builds up these walls dividing her and Lisa. Jennie still continues to draw lines between them. Lisa is smart enough to take hints and so she does not question Jennie.

Lisa finishes sketching. She’s just waiting for Jennie to tell her that the latter won’t be going home with her again.

She has grown used to it.

She has grown used to the pain.

Lisa then decides to wait by the school gate instead. She slowly sees the figure of Jennie walking towards her, Kai falling a little bit behind.

Making her heart constrict in the same painful way it has been doing lately.

Oh, so they’re back together.

Lisa forces her lips to tug up as a smile when Jennie finally stands in front of her.

Lisa forces her throat to hurl at least a ‘hi’ at Kai when he waves at her.

Lisa forces her hands to not shiver as she clenches them tight when Jennie says that she should go ahead as Jennie will not go home with her once more.

Lisa forces her mouth to utter the word ‘Sure’ when Jennie says that it’s because she and Kai will go somewhere.

Lisa forces her eyes to not spill tears when Kai brings Jennie closer to him.

Lisa forces her heart to stop hurting when she sees Jennie smile brightly again.

But not at her.

No, never at her anymore.

So Lisa truly decides. She will get over Jennie.

She will forget.

She must forget.

And Lisa’s sure she’s going to cry again.

Because then, somehow, life decides to pity her.

Because then, finally, she feels some weight be lifted from her being.

She feels aching lessen when she hears someone call out to her, a familiar name she has not heard for a long time now, it says,

“Lalisa!!!”

Jennie’s the first one to turn around, Lisa’s quick to follow.

And Lisa is sure she’s going to cry again.

But it will be because of happiness.

Because then she can’t believe her eyes when she sees who called for her.

Because then she calls the person’s name back, she calls to the person who she has not seen for a long time now,

She calls back to the person – with absolute joy and delight budding in her heart,

“Chaeyoung!!!”

⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️