Their awkward lunch continues, well, at least for Jennie, it’s awkward.

She can’t seem to help but glance time to time at Lisa’s parents who – mind you – she catches glancing at her time to time as well.

When she knows she can’t take the atmosphere anymore, she calls,

“L-Lisa,”

“Yes?” Lisa stops chewing at whatever she’s eating and turns to Jennie, eyes wide open as to tell Jennie that the older girl is acknowledged.

“P-Pass me that dish.” Jennie timidly points at a certain plate and Lisa could only point as well, to ask if that was the one.

Jennie shyly nods and she sees Lisa reach for it.

And maybe Lisa’s dad also saw it because Jennie sees him jump a bit as he quickly and tremblingly helped Lisa reach for it,

“D-Do you want this dish, Ms. Kim?” He’s about to put some on Jennie’s plate when he suddenly bumped on his drink, making it spill on the table – and on to the other side.

“Honey!” Lisa’s mom swiftly pulls her husband to spare him from the liquid, and Lisa’s quick to do the same to Jennie.

“Dad!” Lisa exclaims as she now stands up to evade the drink, prompting Jennie to stand up as well.

“I-I’m so sorry!” Jennie sees him frantically look for a napkin to dry the table.

“Are you alright?” Lisa turns to Jennie, who could only nod.

“I-I’m fine.” Jennie suddenly clutches to Lisa’s arm as she watches the other girl’s dad continue to hysterically wipe the table, “I-Is your dad okay?”

“Dad,” Lisa calls, but his dad seems to not hear it as he calls for a waiter.

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Kim. A-Are you alright?” He worriedly asks, and so Jennie worriedly nods.

“I’m alright, Mr. Manoban. A.. Are you?”

She sees him momentarily shake, but he does answer with an also shaky, “Y-Yes! Never been better!”

He smiles, but everyone can still see how he’s tense as hell.

And Jennie only hears Lisa sigh.

Luckily, Jennie starts to loosen up as the minutes pass by. It was still uptight, the atmosphere, and there clearly was animosity, but Jennie can’t help herself from smiling when she listens to Lisa and Lisa’s family talk to each other.

Jennie is asked to join in the conversations, sometimes being the one who is asked to initiate some. And Jennie remembers how she’s pro at these types of things, but she suddenly gets tongue-tied and won’t be able to maintain the littlest of conversations they had anymore.

She mentally curses herself, but she masks it with a strained smile on her face.

The only thing that’s keeping her sane during the whole period was Lisa’s laughter.

Lisa’s laugh that suddenly became music to Jennie’s ears, like it’s the only sound she’ll not tire of. Jennie finds herself staring at Lisa as the blonde animatedly talks to her parents.

She knows how much Lisa missed them, and she can see how much they missed their daughter, too. It shows in the glint that is in Lisa’s eyes how happy she is seeing her parents again.

Maybe Lisa was really cooped up in the Kim’s house for too long.

Jennie continues to watch and smile, her chin tucked in one of her hands, as Lisa continues to speak.

And Jennie only stops staring when Lisa suddenly turns to her and asks for her reaction of the story, whatever it was Lisa’s stating.

Jennie would mindlessly tuck her hair or play with her food or stare at the ceiling whenever she’s caught staring.

And it would always end with Jennie pinching Lisa’s leg under the table because Lisa always whisper so close to Jennie’s ear – the same, darned grin spread on Lisa’s stupid face,

“Am I that charming to you, Jennie?”

Jennie doesn’t know if she’s thankful or not that their lunch ended and that the Manobans would need to look around the city for a while before meeting Lisa again in an hour.

“It’s-It’s nice having to eat with you, Ms. Kim.” Lisa’s father stands up rather quickly, making him bump the table once more.

“Dad, be careful!” Lisa helps his father walk to Jennie.

Jennie gives a small smile as Lisa’s dad walks to her to shake her hand, “We would be going now. My wife and I had a pleasant time with you, Ms. Kim. Please take care of our Lisa. She can be very stubborn at times,”

Most times, Jennie thinks.

“But I promise that she’s doing her best.” He continues, “Please bear with her for a little more.”

He bows countless times that Jennie lost count after three, so Jennie only bows as much, saying ‘I will’, and ‘Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Manoban’ over and over.

“Ms. Kim.” It’s now Lisa’s mother who approaches Jennie, and Jennie stiffens for a moment again, “Thank you so much for taking care of our daughter.”

Lisa’s mom sincerely bows and Jennie controls herself from hugging the woman.

Jennie bows as sincerely, “It’s always a pleasure to, Mrs. Manoban.”

And Jennie means it. Somehow, being with Lisa becomes a pleasure.

“We hope to eat with you again soon, Ms. Kim.”

“P-Please just call me ‘Jennie’.” Jennie smiles.

“W-Well, th-thank you, Ms. J-Jennie.”

Lisa’s father stutters and Jennie sees Lisa palm her face.

“Just ‘Jennie’, Mr. Manoban.”

He repeats, but not without difficulty, “J-J-Jennie.”

And Jennie sees Lisa fully cover her face in shame.

“Your parents hate me.” Jennie straight-forwardly says once they got back to the house. She flops to the couch as she covers her eyes with an arm.

“No, they don’t, silly. Why would you even think that?”

Jennie feels the seat beside her sink, and she feels Lisa sit close to her – that same amused tone with how Lisa replied to her.

“I could clearly see it!” Jennie takes her arm off and emphasizes her point with her hands, “They were so nervous, it scared the hell out of me!”

“What?” Lisa suppresses a laugh, “That’s crazy!”

“It’s true!” Jennie points a finger, “Have you counted how many times your father accidentally bumped the table?”

“It’s just normal! It’s–”

“And how many times he jumped whenever I was moving.” Jennie cuts Lisa off.

“That’s just Dad.” Lisa chuckles, “He’s always nervous.”

“I swear to God, Lisa, I swear to God,” Jennie widens her eyes, “I just know they hate me.”

“Would you stop saying that? That’s not true, and what makes you think that?”

Jennie frustratingly sighs, as she weakly admits –painfully admits, “For them I’m just this…” Jennie weakly raises her hands then quickly brings them down, “Bratty, snotty, spoiled kid who bosses their child around.”

She doesn’t hear Lisa reply at once. It was after a few more seconds that Lisa teasingly says,

“Well, aren’t you?”

“Tch!”

“They love you!” Lisa is laughing by now, “My mom basically wishes you’re her daughter!”

Jennie suddenly feels all her blood rush to her face, the same fleeting set of butterflies knocking on her insides,

Because she absurdly thinks, Their daughter, through you. I could be…

Daughter-in-law.

Jennie slaps herself mentally just as quick.

Stupid!

She curses herself for even thinking of such things.

And she continues to curse herself,

Because she feels herself blushing.

Jennie thought that after that bizarre lunch with the Manobans, she’d stop being bothered by her thoughts.

But then she sees Lisa so close again, and her mind starts working on its own once more.

What is it, Jennie asks herself, what is it that Lisa has that traps Jennie?

What is it that continues to lock Jennie in?

What is it in Lisa that doesn’t fail in making Jennie feel… things?

It was when she sees Lisa looking back at her that she knew she’d stared again for too long. The same smirk starting to form on Lisa’s lips again, and Jennie knows she’ll get teased once more.

“Really, Jennie? Until here?” Lisa slyly remarks, but Jennie knows what will happen next.

Because every time Lisa teases her, or makes fun of her, or says things like that, it’s also always Lisa who looks away first.

And so when Jennie knows Lisa is to avert her gaze somewhere else, Jennie hastily says,

“Don’t!”

Which made Lisa look back at her,

“Don’t?”

“Don’t,” Jennie regains her breath before saying,

“Don’t look away.”

And like all gods heard Jennie’s statement because Lisa obeys.

Jennie sees the confusion in Lisa’s eyes by her sudden words, but Lisa does continue to stare at her.

And Jennie never felt this watched before.

Like Lisa’s piercing right through her, like Lisa can reach the deepest of the hollows and reach Jennie’s soul.

Jennie continues to observe Lisa, and she – without her control – warily traces a finger across Lisa’s face.

She feels the blonde flinch for a moment, but then she feels Lisa lean on to the touch.

Jennie slowly smiles,

And she sees Lisa slowly smile back. Slowly smile back at her.

So Jennie could only continue to wonder as she continues to feel Lisa’s features underneath her touches,

What is it in you…

Jennie closes her eyes as she let her touches feel for her,

That I am so drawn to?

Though Jennie sees Lisa finally look away yet again when she says,

“I’ll be meeting Kai.”

Lisa sits properly then, making Jennie lose her physical contact with Lisa. Irritating Jennie in a way.

“Okay.” Lisa says, and Jennie feels her gut wrench with how Lisa said it so indifferently, “I’ll be meeting my parents again later, and we’ll have dinner so, is it okay if I come home late?”

“Of course,” Jennie nods right away, “Spend your day with them, you need it.”

Lisa turns to her and smiles, “Thanks, Jennie.”

But Jennie’s not able to return it when Lisa indifferently adds,

“Enjoy your day with Kai, too.”