Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Sitting with a perfectly relaxed posture in a rather worn-out leather booth, Jennie swirled the untouched liquid in her glass as her eyes remained fixed on one particular place. The ice in her drink had yet to melt, but the continuous movements were probably speeding up the process.

Jennie was never going to drink it anyway.

Finding the bar had taken longer than she would’ve liked. It gave her enough time to assess the situation she had been forced into, contemplating the appropriate measures to take in order to prevent it from happening again.

Having to deal with the consequences of a boys’ night out irritated her immensely, especially when her own relationship ended up being collateral damage in the process.

With her experience in university parties, Jennie had learnt that any kind of information could be obtained with enough digging around. Even when it could be a lengthy and complicated mission, there were always witnesses. Whether or not they decided to cooperate was a separate issue, but Jennie had her way with words. She could be very persuasive when she wanted to. And an incident involving her unlabelled boyfriend was definitely something to chase up on, no matter what it took to convince people to come clean on the events that took place that night.

Taeyang had refused to say anything. Well, he denied remembering what happened in the first place. Instead of taking accountability, he opted to blame the alcohol. Jennie found it quite cowardly. Given that she’d already heard about his behaviour, the least he could have done was to show some integrity. He hadn’t been the only one at that party; Jennie had other people that surely wouldn’t have minded telling her everything. Gossiping was one of the favourite hobbies of party attendees.

In fact, learning what Taeyang did had been far too easy. The problem had been identifying who it happened with.

Fridays were the epitome of drunken nights. Students across the entire university could be found at bars, clubs, or private parties until the early hours of the weekend. Unfortunately for Taeyang, Jennie knew that he was always in the company of his boys during those nights. After all, there was a time when Taeyang had liked having her around them too.

Unlike the popular notion of bro code, not all guys had the same level of loyalty when it came to keeping secrets. In Taeyang’s case, there was an obvious weak link in his circle of friends, and logically, that became the next target in Jennie’s investigation.

Kim Mingyu was notorious for skipping almost all of his classes. His attendance was exceptionally poor, but substantial enough to keep him on the course. The real mystery had always been his suspicious ability to pass each term with flying colours. Mingyu’s typical day was split between sleeping, eating, and partying, so the lack of studying was blatantly obvious to anyone who knew him.

Jennie found it cute when Mingyu tried to deny anything happened. Out of all the times to fake his loyalty to his boys, he chose the one time it would’ve pissed her off the most.

But regrettably for Mingyu, Taeyang was also not the most reliable when it came to his secrets. All Jennie had to do was share her observation once for Taeyang to laugh and expose Mingyu’s ‘study buddy’, or better, the student he generously paid to complete all his assignments.

And once Jennie had that leverage on him, Mingyu had fessed up pretty quickly. As she presumed, he had no sense of bro code.

That was how Jennie had acquired the name of Lalisa Manoban.

Just like most girls of their age, Lalisa had public social media profiles, which handed Jennie the task of locating her on a silver platter. The fact that they were not celebrities didn’t make the posting of personal information any safer.

Lalisa liked to post a lot of photos, Jennie noticed. Each post was a selection of pictures that fit a certain aesthetic, and in-between she’d add photos of herself. Most were of her daily life, but Jennie paid close attention to the locations of the photos. She recognised multiple spots around her university campus, suggesting that Lalisa was also a student there. It explained how she and Taeyang ended up at the same party.

Unfortunately for Lalisa, her work uniform was picked up by Jennie without even having to scroll through half of her profile.

And that was how Jennie ended up in a bar on a day she would have very much preferred sleeping in early. She’d been sat in the same spot for a few minutes now, wondering when it would be the right time to confront the girl stood just a few feet away from her.

They had already exchanged words. Jennie had walked in and seen her serving drinks, so to test the waters, she went ahead and ordered herself something.

Lalisa had a signature charming smile that altered Jennie’s composure. Her eyes were not to be underestimated either. She had a way of looking at her that made Jennie feel completely helpless. She could only assume that was part of her appeal. Part of what lured Taeyang to her while Jennie was absent.

As Jennie had made her order, Lalisa had been polite. There had been no signs of recognition from her part, proving that Taeyang had not mentioned Jennie. Or if he had, that Lalisa had not bothered to look her up.

Jennie wondered if it meant that Lalisa did not see her as an issue when it came to winning Taeyang’s heart. Jennie had been standing right in front of her with rage in every inch of her body, but Lalisa didn’t falter. She served Jennie her drink and moved on to the next.

The grip around her glass tightened. Jennie didn’t even mind the coldness on her fingers. In that moment, glaring from a distance at a person who didn’t even acknowledge her existence, she felt the need for some numbness.

As her patience (and, alas, her sanity too) started to run low, Jennie was left with no choice but to march towards the girl herself. Waiting around had not resulted in anything, and Jennie had no more time left to spare over the person who ruined everything.

“Is something wrong?”

For being the homewrecker Jennie was sure Lalisa was, she had to admit that this girl was annoyingly pretty. Her long black hair was tied up into a high ponytail with neat bangs falling over her forehead, and the waistcoat of the bartender uniform hugged her figure perfectly. If her nametag didn’t clearly display the name Lalisa, Jennie might have even complimented her.

Lalisa’s eyes were fixed on her with a very customer-friendly smile, assuming Jennie had returned with a full glass for some sort of complaint.

Truthfully, Jennie had more planned than just a complaint. She had come to the bar with a purpose, and politeness wouldn’t deliver the message she was there to give.

“I need you to stay the fuck away from my boyfriend,” Jennie smiled back without any hint of kindness.

Immediately, a lost frown appeared on the girl’s face. “I’m sorry?”

“Thank you, but I won’t accept your apologies.”

“I wasn’t apologising,” Lalisa retorted, her eyebrows furrowing deeply as her confusion morphed into annoyance. “I’m asking who the fuck you are.”

“I didn’t think you cared considering you made out with my man last week.”

“And who is your man, exactly?”

Ridiculous. Jennie only thought she’d have to give a warning, but apparently Lalisa did not even realise what she was addressing.

“Yoo Taeyang,” Jennie stated coldly, the reminder of him kissing another girl pushing her buttons once more. “I’m surprised you don’t remember the guy who had his tongue in your mouth. You were all over him last Friday.”

“I wasn’t all over anyone, let’s make that clear.” Lalisa pressed her palms to the bar and leaned closer. “And if you’re so sure about what happened that night, you should also know that your so-called boyfriend told me he was very much single.”

Jennie pressed her lips together. She hadn’t expected for Taeyang to encourage the flirting so blatantly. Not being there to witness it only made her doubts grow, and the girl in front of her wasn’t helping.

“He’s taken, that’s all that matters. You stepped into my territory, and now I’m kindly asking to get the fuck out of it.”

“Does Yoo Taeyang know that he’s taken?” Lalisa laughed sarcastically. “I’m pretty sure he said he’d do it again if he could.”

Jennie wouldn’t fall for it. She was being provoked and she knew it. One of them had to be the bigger person, and Jennie never went around kissing people who were known to be off-limits.

“I don’t have time for your little games. Stay away from him.”

Lisa crossed her arms. “Thank you for the advice, but I can decide myself who to spend time with.”

“It wasn’t advice.”

“Then you’d be telling me what to do. And I don’t really fuck with that.”

“Not my problem.”

“Considering you did all the work to find me, I think I’m kind of a problem for you.”

“You think I’m threatened?” Jennie scoffed.

“I’m certain you are.”

Pursing her lips, Jennie exhaled slowly to maintain her composure. In all the years she had known Taeyang, she never had to deal with direct competition. Even if they didn’t have an official label, everyone knew they were together. Sure, they had their ups and downs, but what mattered was that she was the one he belonged with. No one ever dared to touch him and overstep that line.

Until Lalisa Manoban.

“Well, you’re wrong. You had him for one night, but I’m the one he’ll go back to.”

“And you’re pathetic if you think that makes you the winner in this situation,” Lalisa shrugged. “Your boyfriend cheated, and you decided to confront me instead of dumping his ass. What do you think that makes of you?”

“We’re on and off, okay?” Jennie huffed defensively. “We were in our off phase last week, but that’s going to change eventually. So, he didn’t cheat.”

Frustratingly, Jennie ended up giving explanations she didn’t owe. Justifying her side of the story implied there was room to argue with her, which Jennie wouldn’t allow. She knew exactly what she was doing.

“Does telling yourself that make you sleep better at night?”

“Making you disappear would be the cherry on top.”

“Your man should stop chasing after me if that’s your aim,” Lalisa smirked confidently.

“Empty claims don’t work on me.”

“Empty?” Lalisa laughed, “Would you like to see who’s at the top of my recent texts?”

“I don’t give a shit.”

“Have a guess,” she taunted, her eyes narrowing. “Or are you too afraid of your loyal Taeyang having wandering eyes?”

“You’re the reason for it.”

“And you admit it too,” Lalisa stared at her closely. “It’s a shame you’re so delusional.”

“Fuck you.”

“Oh, your boyfriend did.”

Jennie didn’t think twice before she grabbed her full drink from the bar and threw its contents at the girl’s perfect uniform.

----

What Jennie thought would be the only time she’d meet Lalisa Manoban turned out to be the first of many.

It would’ve been perfect if their confrontation left Jennie with the peace of mind she longed for. Her only intention had been to send her a message. A clear warning that going after Taeyang was absolutely a no go. She had hoped it would’ve been enough to erase any risk of the girl reappearing in Taeyang’s life.

Out of sight, out of mind, they said.

With her earphones playing her latest Spotify playlist at a remarkably loud volume, Jennie decided it was the perfect day to enjoy a bit of sunshine. Her mother always used to say that weather unconsciously affected people’s mood, and Jennie found no harm in trying to find some light in her life after one of the worst nights she had in a while.

The seats of the picnic bench she had picked were already warm as she sat down, the fabric of her shorts thin enough to make her feel the heat immediately. The grass was vividly green under her feet and the breeze was pleasant on her skin. It was an objectively nice day.

Jennie had pulled out a couple of folders containing material for her next assignment. She had just finished her last class of the day and somehow concluded it wouldn’t hurt her to stay on campus and continue with some of her work. After all, a change in environment might help her focus after everything that happened. But once she pulled out plain paper and grabbed a pencil, her hand remained hovering midair. She had not been able to make a single ounce of progress.

The music in her ears couldn’t subdue her ongoing thoughts about the past night.

Right after she got kicked out of Lalisa’s bar, Jennie had called Taeyang demanding to meet him. Being assertive with Lalisa had been straightforward, but the information she received from the girl had only reinforced her need for answers.

Jennie had told him everything she had heard. From the sensual dancing, to the making out, and even their suspicious disappearance before the end of the night.

“We’re not together, Jennie.”

His harsh words sent Jennie on a frustrated rant.

On multiple occasions in the past, they had argued and opted to be on a “break”. Mostly, it was a much-needed breather when things got too intense between them. They’d find flaws in their relationship that made them doubt the next step of becoming officially a couple, but Jennie had always believed that they’d be ready for it once the timing was right.

Their reunions were perhaps Jennie’s favourite part of their journey together. Taeyang would be a little more caring, slightly more attentive, and a lot more affectionate when they were back on track. It was one of the reasons Jennie put up with their lows. Because when their reached their high, she was always over the moon.

And one factor that had always remained constant was their pull to each other. Jennie had never had to worry about anyone taking Taeyang from her. The boy had been wrapped around her finger since the day he met her. Why should she have been worried about who he met during their breaks? The conclusion was always that they’d pick each other over anyone else.

Except this time was turning out to be quite different.

For some reason, Taeyang refused to acknowledge their tendency of getting back together. He spoke as if their break was now indefinite. By insisting they were not together, Jennie sensed that he wanted to explore his options as a man without commitments.

And Jennie was sure that Lalisa Manoban was one of these options.

In the small burst of confidence that their confrontation brought her, Jennie assumed that Lalisa had been dealt with. Or that, at the very least, the drink in her face must have deterred her from trying anything with Taeyang in the future.

It would have been the ideal outcome for Jennie. Getting rid of the competition would minimise any risks.

Yet somehow, Jennie couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that all her problems had just begun.

Lost in her thoughts, the hard slam of a hand on her empty piece of paper made Jennie’s entire body jump. As she placed a hand on her chest against the beating of pounding heart, another hand gripped the wires of her earphones and yanked them off her ears.

Tilting her head back to glare at the person who made her lose years of her life with the scare, Jennie came face-to-face with those angry eyes once again.

“Fancy seeing you here, Jennie Kim.”

Jennie parted her lips, the sunlight making her squint as she focused on the tall figure towering over her.

Bringing up her hand to shield her eyes, she let out the first thought on her mind.

“How did you find me?”

It took less than twenty-four hours for the girl to appear again. This time outside of Jennie’s will.

“Is that what you care about?”

“It took me five days to find you,” Jennie mused. “But you did it in less than one. How did you do it?”

Going through multiple statements from partygoers, working through Taeyang’s avoidance, and persuading Mingyu to finally spill the beans had taken Jennie several days. Considering the different stages she went through to find answers, Jennie believed that her work had been fairly efficient.

Yet Lalisa Manoban beat her.

It had been a single day, and there was already something Lalisa was better at than her. It was completely unacceptable.

In the awkward silence that followed, Lalisa looked at her like she was insane. But Jennie had to know. How was Lalisa one step ahead?

“Mingyu is my flatmate.”

“Oh.” Jennie pursed her lips. “You had it easier, then.”

If they shared a place, Mingyu would have likely told her that someone asked for her name. If he was consistent with his blabbering mouth, he would have also disclosed the reason Jennie was looking for her.

So truthfully, Lalisa’s search wouldn’t have been half as successful if it hadn’t been for a third party willingly sharing information.

The relief that ran through Jennie must have been evident through the small upturn of her lips. Lalisa noticed immediately, rolling her eyes at the confident look Jennie went back to sporting.

“Whatever. I’m not here for your self-reflection.”

“Then? I was very clear yesterday.”

“Oh yeah, your insecurity was crystal clear yesterday.”

“I’m not insecure,” Jennie frowned.

The biggest issue Jennie had was that Lalisa was too attractive to be a harmless obstacle in her relationship.

Unlike her neat and impeccable bartender uniform, Lalisa was now displaying a much more casual look. Her head was covered by a white cap, a logical choice given the hot weather. Even under her unzipped hoodie, the girl wore a cropped shirt that left her mid-section bare. From her seated position, Jennie had a clear view of the prominent muscles the girl possessed, making her burn with envy. As if Taeyang needed any more reasons to prefer this girl over herself. And if that wasn’t enough to make Jennie feel inferior, Lalisa’s denim shorts showed off her long legs perfectly.

But taking notice of Lalisa’s features was NOT due to insecurity. Jennie was merely assessing the situation. All her observations were made with the aim of proving that in the end, Jennie would come out on top.

“No? Making a scene out of jealousy and drenching me in alcohol to make yourself feel better screams insecurity to me.”

“You started it.”

The hand that was pressed against Jennie’s paper curled into a fist. Jennie silently thanked her unproductivity. Otherwise, her work would have gotten smudged.

“I didn’t start shit. You’re the one who couldn’t control her little boyfriend and—”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Jennie clarified. “But that boy is mine.”

“Then he better start acting like it, or I might get the wrong impression.”

Jennie played with the pencil between her fingers. “He’ll go back to normal soon.”

Leaning down, Lalisa had an amused glint in her eyes. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Maybe ask him, since you’re so confident that he’s yours.”

“I’m asking you now.”

Lalisa could only laugh as she stood back up and shrugged her backpack off her shoulder.

“Well, good thing I’m not here to give you answers.”

Jennie watched her curiously as Lalisa picked up a notebook and pulled out a piece of paper from it. She revised the writing it displayed and zipped her bag once again.

With the card between her finger, Lalisa held it up in front of Jennie’s nose expectantly.

“What?”

“Take it,” she nudged the card forward until it actually touched Jennie’s nose.

Without any tact, Jennie snatched the offered paper and glared at the girl once more. As her eyes scanned the contents, she could only scoff.

“You’re giving me your dry cleaner’s ticket? Seriously?”

“Since you’re the one responsible for it, I thought it was a given.”

“You want me to pick up your clothes?”

“No, Jennie,” Lalisa smiled. “I want you to go to my dry cleaners on the date specified, pay for the service, pick up my clothes, and bring them to me spotless.”

Jennie was beyond baffled.

“And why would I do any of that?”

“Because last night you decided to throw a drink at me, and now it’s only right you compensate for the damage.”

“You kissed my guy!”

“He’s not your guy, for fuck’s sake. His eyes are anywhere but on you. How do you not get that?”

Jennie exhaled sharply.

“If that’s how you’re trying to convince me to pay for your cleaners, it’s not working.”

“Good thing I wasn’t trying to,” Lalisa huffed as she turned to leave.

Before she could make a step, Jennie’s hand reached out to grab her wrist and pull her back. “Hold on. Wait.”

Lalisa only shot her an annoyed look, not responding to her call.

For a moment, Jennie stared down at the ticket, the gears in her head spinning. As much as she hated to hear it, Lalisa was right. Taeyang was slipping through her fingers faster than she could have ever imagined. All it took was one girl. The same one standing over her, asking her to handle the cleaning of clothes Jennie had pettily stained.

“If I… If I pay for this and do everything you asked, would you… would you stay away from Taeyang?”

The question had come out so hesitantly and innocently that even Lalisa had to take a few moments to reply. She looked down at the hand wrapped around her wrist and sighed.

“I’m not negotiating shit with you,” Lalisa replied, although her tone was more reprimanding than harsh. “I’m not asking you either. I’m telling you to bring my clean uniform to the bar once it’s ready.”

“But you had me banned from the bar.”

“I’ll make an exception.”

“You won’t even consider it?” Jennie went back to insisting. “It doesn’t have to be this. I can… If you tell me what you want, I can find a way.”

“Really?” Lalisa raised an eyebrow. “You’d go that far for this guy?”

“It’s not just any guy. I’d do it for him.”

Something about the way Lalisa stared at her made Jennie feel uneasy. All she ever did was express her devotion to the guy she wanted to be with, but when Lalisa looked her in the eyes… Jennie felt as if she was asking for the world to start spinning the other way.

Even then, the answer Lalisa gave was earnest.

“Well, if I’m ever interested in anything you’d have to offer, I may consider.”

----

Just like Lalisa, Jennie didn’t like being told what to do. That was one thing they had in common, she supposed. Showing up and demanding that she carried out errands for her was not the best way to convince Jennie, and maybe throwing a drink at Lalisa hadn’t been the best way to persuade the girl either.

But the glimmer of hope was there.

Lalisa had admitted that she could be swayed. Clearly, her attachment to Taeyang was merely surface level, unlike Jennie’s. If anything, it only proved that making her disappear was actually attainable. Jennie just had to identify what would be worth Lalisa’s time more than a taken guy.

The starting point was the dry cleaners ticket. Jennie had two days to decide whether or not to follow up on Lalisa’s… request. Having the girl’s work uniform gave her the upper hand somehow. With the option to see her again, Jennie could reaffirm their unspoken deal.

As her credit card was swiped on the dry cleaner’s payment machine, Jennie examined the items Lalisa had dropped off. If she remembered correctly, the drink had only splashed her blouse and waistcoat, but seemingly, Lalisa had boldly decided to add her work trousers too. Of course, with the intention of having Jennie pay for it all.

Collecting the pieces of clothing had been the easy step. Delivering them was a different story.

The security guard at the entrance of the bar had the nerve to hold out his arm to block her way. In his little clipboard, a picture of Jennie next to her full name was on a list of banned guests. While she had been aware of it, finding her face alongside a group of misbehaving lunatics was not very flattering.

Insisting to let her in didn’t work. The guard didn’t move an inch, firmly holding his stance. Being sweetly charming didn’t have an effect either, but that hurt Jennie’s ego a little more. After a few tries, the mention of police involvement finally forced her to play her last card.

“Lalisa Manoban asked for me.”

It wasn’t entirely true. She had asked for her clothes, but ordering Jennie to deliver them was part of the deal too. How would Jennie be able to complete the task if they didn’t let her in?

Recognising the name, the guard finally pressed a button on his little radio and asked for confirmation. Jennie waited with her arms crossed, careful not to drop the plastic-wrapped clothing folded over them. The growing annoyance on her face was only met with a stoic stare from the guard, both awaiting the radio to pipe up.

Once it did, Jennie’s frown deepened at the response given.

“You can leave the delivery with me.”

The delivery. As if it had been Jennie’s part-time job to bring the clothes there instead of a favour.

“I can’t do that.”

“Lalisa’s request.”

“Her request was for me to bring them to her.”

“And you have done that. Congratulations.” The guard held out his hand with a bored look. “I’ll take them to her.”

Jennie all but stomped her feet as she threw the perfectly cleaned uniform at the guard. With the force she put into the passing, it bounced off the guard’s arms and fell on the floor, but Jennie quite frankly couldn’t care less as she was ready to leave.

But then, she stopped.

Turning on her heels, she watched the guard hold up the hook at the top of the plastic wrapping and dusting off any trace of dirt from the drop. Jennie reached into her bag to pull out one of her notebooks and ripped out a page, scribbling down a message before folding the paper tightly.

Approaching the sceptical guard once more, she placed the folded paper in his free hand. “This is also part of the delivery.”

Missing the opportunity to meet the girl again, Jennie resigned to just be thankful for not having to see her in the first place. Days passed, and Jennie made it her priority to keep herself around Taeyang. It was never hard. Even when he said they were not together, Taeyang could never say no to her. It was one of the reasons Jennie couldn’t believe he’d ever be interested in another girl.

On the next Friday night party that he wanted to attend, Jennie ensured to wear her sexiest black dress. The way they walked in together was surely making them look like a couple, Jennie’s arm affectionately linked with his.

And for a moment, everything was back to normal.

Then she spotted her.

Immediately, Jennie put the blame on Kim Mingyu. If it hadn’t been for him, she was sure that they wouldn’t have come across Lalisa Manoban again.

Being the loudmouth he was, Mingyu yelled for Taeyang to come their way. Jennie couldn’t believe that he’d be so insensitive to invite Taeyang over to join the girl he had… fooled around with while Jennie was there to see it.

Lalisa met her eyes soon after, before she scanned her from head to toe. Jennie felt weirdly exposed, wondering if her appearance was still as flawless as when she left her house. She couldn’t afford to have a hair out of place when it came to Lalisa.

When Taeyang freed himself from her grasp, pulling back his arm and hurrying to Mingyu’s corner, Jennie felt a pang of embarrassment. As she was left watching Taeyang’s back, Jennie once again returned her gaze to the seated girl who was ruining her night once again. Lalisa flashed her a smirk, getting up and accepting Taeyang’s embrace while her eyes were still fixed on Jennie behind his shoulder.

It was the first time both girls were in the same place as Taeyang. Jennie didn’t know how to act. Clearly, her date for the night had decided to comfortably sit next to Lalisa after walking in with her. It was frustrating, to put it simply.

Attempting to join the group would have been humiliating. Mingyu had only motioned for Taeyang to approach, and Jennie wasn’t given any sign of being welcomed as well. As much as she wanted to tear him away from the arms of that girl, Jennie knew it wouldn’t have been appropriate.

Thankfully, she easily recognised familiar faces at the party who kept her somewhat occupied. Jennie had to pretend to listen to fleeting conversations and held drinks in her hand she’d never willingly taste, but her attention was taken completely by Lalisa Manoban’s antics.

Even from a distance, Jennie could hear Lalisa’s loud laugh when Taeyang spoke to her, going as far as throwing her head back and tucking strands of hair behind her ear to contribute to her flirty act. Her hand was also conveniently placed on his thigh as she looked into his eyes, shamelessly batting her eyelashes as if she was casting a spell on him.

The most annoying part of it? Jennie had caught Lalisa looking in her direction countless time.

Lalisa Manoban was ensuring that she was watching. Or better, she wanted to provoke Jennie in any way possible.

Jennie wasn’t stupid. She knew that Lalisa’s overly affectionate behaviour was supposed to act like a slap in the face for her. It would have hurt too, if she believed that Lalisa had any chance of winning Taeyang over.

But as Lalisa continued to have her eyes on her, Jennie felt as if she was being tested. The girl was daring her to come closer, she badly wanted Jennie to walk into the lion’s den.

And Jennie was never the type to back down from a challenge.

She waited for the perfect moment.

After Mingyu left to mingle with his pick of the night, after Taeyang had finished his drink and was left with an empty cup between his hands, and after Lalisa’s eyes started to become dull listening to him – that was when the stage became hers to take.

“Yoongi’s looking for you,” she stated firmly.

Taeyang started to stumble over his words as Jennie appeared in front of him, finally remembering which girl he had on his arm at the start of the night. Lalisa’s gaze was locked on her, finally appearing more lively. Almost as if she had been waiting for Jennie to make the move.

“J-Jennie, I… listen—”

“Yoongi. In the kitchen. Now.” Jennie motioned towards the specified location, waiting for the boy to finally get up and leave. She had invested too much patience in one night.

Once Taeyang stood on his feet, wobbling at the change of position, Jennie didn’t even bid him goodbye as he left her with his head down.

“Consider me surprised.”

Jennie rolled her eyes, sitting down with her back straight and crossing her legs elegantly. From her laid-back position, Lalisa laughed quietly.

“Are you not going to speak to me?”

“Why didn’t you let me inside the bar the other day?” Jennie questioned annoyed.

“Did you want to see me that badly?”

“I went to the dry cleaners, I paid for your clothes, and I personally came to drop them off,” Jennie listed with increasing frustration, “but the moment I show up, your security guard acts like I’m trying to rob the place. How is that fair?”

With her elbow propped up on the back of their couch, Lalisa tilted her head to look into Jennie’s avoidant eyes. “Is that what you’re annoyed about?”

“Yes!” Jennie responded, “You couldn’t even say thank you. That was rude.”

It was Lalisa’s turn to roll her eyes. “I’ll do that right after you say sorry for the drenching me in alcohol.”

“Well, you should apologise for fucking my boyfriend first.”

“He wasn’t your boyfriend,” Lalisa murmured, although she opted to sit up straight and face Jennie this time. Then, when Jennie decided she was ready for eye contact, Lalisa seemed to think carefully about her next words. “And I didn’t fuck him.”

“But you said—”

“I know what I said,” Lalisa interrupted calmly. “It wasn’t true. I just tried to provoke you because you were pissing me off. We only kissed.”

Jennie parted her lips in surprise. “Oh.”

It was slightly awkward. Jennie looked down at her lap and played with the rings around her fingers, not knowing how to react. After all, suspecting that they had slept together behind her back made it easier to be angry.

“You know, I don’t really think you had anything to gain from being honest with me.”

“How so?”

“Taeyang didn’t try to deny it either when I asked about it,” Jennie explained. “He didn’t directly say it happened, but…”

“He wanted you to think it did,” Lalisa concluded. “Go figure.”

“You could have let me believe it too, but you haven’t. For that reason, thank you.”

Lalisa’s lips formed a small smile.

“Well, that’s a start.”

“Now it’s your turn, Lalisa.”

“It’s Lisa,” she corrected.

“Does Taeyang call you that?”

“Everyone calls me by my name.”

“Right, makes sense.” Jennie looked down embarrassed. “Are you going to say sorry now?”

“Why?”

“Because you left me outside the bar!” Jennie repeated.

“Fine. I’m sorry for getting on with my job and not wanting another drink in my face.”

“I wasn’t going to—” Jennie sighed, reminding herself not to make a scene like last time. “I won’t do it again.”

“Won’t you look at that, this is going very smoothly so far,” Lisa grinned.

“Well yes. Because we have a deal.”

“Do we?”

Jennie nodded. “I find something you want, and you leave Taeyang alone.”

Lisa almost wanted to laugh. “You really think I’m the issue here?”

“We were always okay before he met you. Now he’s unsure.”

“And you don’t think you’re the one that makes him unsure?” Lisa rolled her eyes. “You confuse me, honestly.”

“In what way?” Jennie leaned slightly closer, the louder music making it hard to listen.

“I expected you to bash me in every way possible, not try to negotiate your way through this. The typical things girls do when they feel threatened. Insult my looks, call me names… that sort of stuff.”

“But how can I insult your looks when you’re pretty?” Jennie innocently explained her struggle.

Lisa snorted at Jennie’s expression of despair. “Was that a compliment?”

“No?” Jennie answered confused. “I was just stating a fact. Don’t take it as a compliment.”

The more Jennie spoke, the more Lisa laughed.

Other than her bartender and casual clothes, Jennie got to view yet another of Lisa’s outfits. This time, for the occasion of a private party, she wore a tight short skirt and a sleeveless top that accentuated every curve of her body. So far, every look that the girl wore had been impressive.

But that was an observation that she had made since the start. An obvious reason as to why Taeyang could consider her over Jennie.

“If we’re playing fair like that, then I can’t insult you either,” Lisa admitted as she recovered from her laughing fit. “You’re quite literally the definition of sexy tonight, Jennie Kim.”

Jennie’s face became flushed in a matter of seconds. Was Lisa provoking her again?

As she finished her comment, Lisa reached behind Jennie’s hair to touch the ribbon that held together her hair.

“Pretty,” she said quietly to herself.

“Thank you.”

“Not a compliment, remember? Just a fact. Like you said.”

“Well, I have to take the compliment to make up for all the effort that went behind this look.”

“Oh?” Lisa raised her eyebrow. “Your dear Taeyang didn’t say anything about your special look?”

Jennie pursed her lips. “Why? Did he comment on yours?”

“He said I looked hot as fuck,” Lisa shrugged.

A look of disappointment appeared on Jennie’s face instantly. Having spent hours picking the perfect dress and putting extra care in doing her hair and makeup didn’t seem to have made any difference. Taeyang looked at her and didn’t feel like she was pretty.

Jennie’s eyes dropped to her lap again, touching the hem of her dress. “I see. Maybe… maybe he didn’t like it this time.”

With her eyes on Jennie, Lisa finished off the rest of her drink. Her lips formed a straight line as she wiped off a single drop from the corner of her mouth. Pressing her hand on the space of the couch behind them, she leaned on her arm casually and looked away at nothing in particular. Her lips were close enough to Jennie’s ear as she said, “Or maybe he’s fucking blind.”
----

Identifying what Lalisa Manoban would value higher than getting Yoo Taeyang was not a simple task.

To start, Jennie did not know anything about the girl who was threatening to steal her man. If she had any sort of information on what Lisa enjoyed, such as her hobbies or even the degree she was doing, then maybe her search would have had a solid starting point.

Unfortunately, Jennie was not familiar with any part of Lisa’s life other than her taste in men.

When children fought over toys, one of the best solutions to get any of them to let go was to introduce new toys in the mix. Eventually, someone would get interested enough in the shiny, new option to forget the one they wanted in the first place.

Applying the logic to her situation, a possible way to get Lisa to leave would be to give her a new contender. One that she liked enough to forget about Taeyang.

In the brief moment she considered it, Jennie concluded that finding a different guy for Lisa to pursue would be far too ambitious. She couldn’t afford to waste that much time either, especially considering how most men didn’t even begin to touch her standards. If she couldn’t do it for herself, how could she even begin to try and accomplish this for Lisa?

Besides, Lisa was far too beautiful to settle for anyone that Jennie suggested.

Stuck without a lead, seeking the ideas of those close to her seemed like a reasonable next step. Jennie’s own little brain was running out of power the more she thought about Lisa Manoban. Her days were completely overtaken by scenarios and theories surrounding their deal.

“In K-dramas, the rich mothers always give cheques to get a girl away from their son.”

With a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth and her eyes glued to Jennie’s television, Park Rosé had very nonchalantly given Jennie a spark of genius.

“That’s true. You think money would do the trick?”

Rosé finally turned to look at her, seemingly surprised that Jennie had listened. “Uh, there’s no harm in trying?”

Confidently, Jennie nodded and sat up from the sofa. She reached for the school bag she carelessly threw on the floor when she returned from her lectures, pulling out her favourite notebook and a bright pink glitter pen.

“No one minds some extra money, no?” Jennie said thoughtfully, sitting back down next to her best friend as she flicked through the pages of her notebook. Once she spotted the big bold title of “LALISA” underlined three times, she hummed satisfied. “Finally, something that I can do.”

Peeking behind Jennie’s shoulder, Rosé carefully eyed the page Jennie started scribbling on. Across the entirety of the paper, numerous lines had been written and crossed out over and over.

“You spent a lot of time on this, didn’t you?”

“Not too long.”

Jennie’s mumbled reply was a clear understatement.

For the entire week, Jennie had sat at the far back of her classes with that very same notebook open behind her laptop. As her mind drifted off to different possibilities for Lalisa to seal their deal, she had spent several hours noting down anything she could come up with, using her professors’ voices as mere background noise. Sadly, nothing had been promising enough to remain on the page, making Rosé’s suggestion the top of her list.

“And money is your most plausible option?”

“Well, it’s not guaranteed. But if I offer Lalisa Manoban an envelope full of cash, maybe she’ll find it more appealing than Taeyang.”

“I, for one, would find anything more appealing than that guy,” Rosé huffed, scrunching her nose just at the sound of his name.

A small smile appeared on Jennie’s lips, too familiar with her friend’s disgust for the boy she had been seeing on and off. “Too bad it’s not you I’m trying to persuade.”

“Right. It’s this Lalisa girl. Your newest obsession,” Rosé snorted, resulting in a playful glare from Jennie.

“I have to sort it out fast, Rosie. Or else she’ll take him.”

“And hopefully won’t return him.” Jennie slapped Rosé’s shoulder. “Okay, okay. you win. On with the money plan.”

“Right. I just need to go to the bank to withdraw—”

“Whoa. You’re just handing her cash?”

“Well, yes?”

“No, no, no,” Rosé shook her head tutting, “you gotta do it properly. I said a cheque.”

Halting her pen above the paper, Jennie furrowed her eyebrows. “Is there a difference?”

“Of course!” Rosé responded enthusiastically. “Cash makes it seem like a shady deal. Almost as if she’s extorting the money out of you.”

“Right.”

Placing her hands on Jennie’s shoulders, Rosé delivered her next words in the utmost seriousness.

“But if you hand her a cheque, you’ll be doing powerful business moves. That’s who you are, Jennie. A businesswoman. Not a shady dealer.”

Still staring into her friend’s eyes enthralled, Jennie nodded convinced.

“Absolutely. You’re so right. I’ll do that.”

When the suggestion was made, Jennie had been on board immediately. Having spent so long trying to make a forward step in her mission, any idea that sounded remotely achievable was automatically good news. But as convincing and persuasive Rosé had sounded, she had missed a tiny issue.

Jennie had absolutely no clue on how to use a cheque.

The first step was, logically, obtaining a chequebook. After some keyword searches on her bank’s online website, she found that she could easily order one and get it delivered to her address after she verified her account details. Fairly easy.

In the five business days her bank required to process her request, Jennie needed to get Lalisa Manoban to meet her in a place without many witnesses. Like everything else involved in her task, this was also proving to be unreasonably difficult.

Fearing that she’d be turned away at the bar once again, Jennie didn’t attempt to push her luck and find her there. Due to that avoidance, there were only limited alternatives Jennie was left with.

The only moments Jennie met Lisa were those cursed house parties on Friday nights. If it wasn’t for Taeyang attending them too, Jennie would probably never come across the girl again. But with loud music, alcohol in every corner, and a crowd of strangers surrounding them, Jennie doubted her offer would be accepted.

Luckily, Taeyang and his parties weren’t the only parts of their lives that overlapped. According to Lisa’s social media and their second encounter, the girl also attended Jennie’s university. Surely, they were destined to meet at some point. Even if Jennie was forced to do most of the work to make it happen.

Over several days, Jennie tried everything. Any popular locations among students had been checked during her search. Lisa didn’t spend her time at the library, or any of the wildly used green spaces, or the most common food and drink places. How could someone that had the presence of a ghost become such a nuisance in Jennie’s life?

Admittedly, Jennie still hadn’t resorted to playing her last card.

There were two people who would be aware of Lisa’s whereabouts. The first one was, obviously, the girl’s flatmate, Kim Mingyu. But considering how unreliable the boy was in keeping information confidential, Jennie didn’t trust him to keep his mouth shut about her enquiries. Sooner or later, Taeyang would find out about Jennie’s plans if Mingyu was remotely aware of them.

As upsetting it felt to admit it, Taeyang would also know everything about Lalisa Manoban. But the reason why Jennie would never ask him was pretty self-explanatory. She didn’t need him to think about Lisa any more than he probably already was.

By the time her chequebook arrived, Jennie was almost out of hope.

And then she saw her.

Sat with her legs stretched out, frantically typing on a laptop covered in various stickers with a concentrated look in her eyes. Jennie’s feet froze in place as soon as she recognised the girl she’d been turning the world upside down to find.

Out of all the places Lisa could choose to work at, she just had to pick a random empty room students used as temporary study space between classes. Jennie would have missed her if Lisa hadn’t sat at the table right in front of the open door.

After the amazement at having spotted her, came the panic.

Jennie looked around with wide eyes, making a step forward and then immediately retracing it as she hurried to make plans in her head. Lisa was there, but Jennie’s cheques were all at home. Walking in circles, Jennie silently cursed under her breath for not taking the initiative of carrying them around at all times.

Biting her lip as she glanced at Lisa one more time, the decision was made.

As quickly as the first time she confronted her, Jennie walked up to Lisa’s table and pointed a single finger in front of her nose. Lisa leaned back on her chair abruptly at the intrusion of her personal space, looking up at Jennie with confusion.

“Do not move,” Jennie ordered firmly.

“Huh?”

“I’m gonna go get something. I want you to be right here when I return.”

As opposed to Jennie’s serious expression, Lisa only smiled amused. “Why—”

“Don’t you dare leave!” Jennie instructed once again. “Please. You have no idea of how hard it is to find you. Just… wait here.” 

Jennie was out of the room before Lisa could utter a reply, conscious that her time was ticking. Her car was parked on the other side of the campus, and Jennie had never travelled such a large distance in such short time. It must have been a new record.

The car ride back home was the fastest Jennie could drive within the limits of traffic laws. Her fingers tapped on the steering wheel anxiously, her eyes begging any red light to turn green instantly.

Once she reached her home, her hands trembled as she rushed to get her house keys. Rosé only managed to say “Hello” cheerfully as Jennie frantically searched for her dear chequebook among their mail pile. Not having registered her friend’s words, Jennie mumbled a quick “Love you too!” as a reply before she was out once again, door shutting behind her as she ran back to her car.

Her luck on the way back to campus was outstanding. Every light was green, no risk-taking pedestrians cutting her way, roads free of heavy traffic. Before she knew it, Jennie was running back to that classroom like a lunatic.

Lisa had to be there. All of Jennie’s work during days was building up to that moment. Her brainstorming, her finance 101, the impossible search across campus… it couldn’t have been all for nothing.

And yet, the sight of a shut door coming into view was all it took for Jennie’s hopes to come crushing down. Initially in denial, she tried to reason that perhaps it was too windy, accidentally slamming it close. Or maybe, someone had complained about the loud noise from students passing by and shutting it was the only solution. Anything to motivate Jennie to keep approaching the classroom.

When the door was finally within reach, Jennie only had to push the doorknob once to know it was definitely locked.

In a state of distress, Jennie pressed her lips tightly together and dropped her bag on the floor, her shoulder leaning on the door in a defeated stance.

“Fuck,” she let out with frustration, turning her back to the door and sliding down with her eyes closed. In a crouched position, she dropped her head in her hands and took a few deep breaths.

Other than her body aching from the most cardio she had done in a while, the disappointment that filled Jennie’s heart hurt like crazy.

She had been so, so close.

“Does the thought of losing me get you so distraught?” a teasing tone resounded above her.

Jennie’s breath hitched. Slowly, she pulled her hands away from her face, looking up with wild strands of hair obstructing her view.

Like a mirage, Lisa towered over her with her usual grin. “You were pretty fast. So fast that you didn’t hear me say there were only ten minutes until I had to move.”

Exhaling slowly to calm her heart, Jennie pushed her hair back.

“Ten minutes?” she questioned with an unsteady voice. If her mental timekeeping was accurate enough, she had easily taken triple that time. “And you didn’t leave.”

Lisa only shrugged, her backpack hanging off one shoulder. “Well, someone was pretty clear on wanting me to stay where I was.”

Then, she crouched right in front of Jennie, their knees touching in the middle. While Jennie had been through a rollercoaster of emotions, Lisa’s expression was extremely serene. Content, even.

“But since you’ve delayed my coffee break, you’re paying for my drink, Jennie Kim.”

Thirty minutes later, Jennie found herself sat right across from Lalisa Manoban in a coffee shop she had never stepped foot inside. Without arguing, she let Lisa order whatever she wanted, adding an iced latte for herself. To Jennie’s surprise, Lisa actually pulled out her wallet, but Jennie had been faster in handing in her credit card. If Lisa paid after waiting outside a locked classroom for her, Jennie would never recover from the embarrassment.

With her lips around her paper straw, Jennie took a few steady sips of her iced coffee, hearing the rustling of ice as Lisa stirred her own.

Lisa just watched her with interest in her eyes. She must have been wondering what Jennie had been up to in the time she had been waiting.

“What made it hard?”

The sudden question startled Jennie. “What?”

“You said finding me was hard, but you’ve already done it once before. What changed?”

Jennie could only sigh. Being reminded of their first meeting made her think of their second, or better, how easily Lisa found her on that picnic bench. Once again, Jennie was proved to be one step behind.

“I knew about the bar, but I couldn’t go there since you…” Jennie trailed off, not wanting to state the obvious. “Well, you know. I’m not allowed.”

“To be honest, I didn’t think you’d have a reason to come back,” Lisa explained.

Jennie pressed her lips together, knowing that it was entirely her decision to come up with something Lisa might have wanted first. In her defence, she was the one that had more to lose the longer they waited.

Focusing once again on her main objective, Jennie put her drink aside and met Lisa’s awaiting eyes.

“I have something for you.”

“Is that so?”

Jennie’s eyes darted to her bag as her fingers tapped on the table. “It’s for… our deal.”

“You decided on something yourself?” Lisa raised an eyebrow.

Nodding, Jennie could only reach for her bag and unzip it under the table. Once her hands found the chequebook, she ripped a page off, the sound making Lisa tilt her head intrigued. Then, as she rummaged for a pen, her fingers pulled out the first one she touched.

Confidently, Jennie slid the empty cheque and her pink glitter pen across the table. Like the businesswoman Rosé claimed she should be, Jennie sat with her back straight and legs neatly crossed.

Lisa’s tongue passed over her bottom lip, the corners of her mouth twitching as if she was trying to suppress a smile. With her arms crossed, she leaned against the table and took an inquisitive look at the items Jennie had so solemnly presented.

“Interesting,” she commented.

Hoping to catch any sign of Lisa being inclined to accept right away, Jennie’s eyes went back and forth between the cheque and Lisa’s face.

If Rosé witnessed the exchange, she’d certainly reprimand Jennie for forgetting her poker face.

“Yeah?”

Reaching for the pen, Lisa’s lips finally showed a hint of the smile she had been trying to hold back. Her eyes glanced up to meet Jennie’s expectant ones.

“You thought of this all on your own?” Lisa prompted, twirling the pink pen between her fingers before settling on tapping its end against the table.

“No.”

Lisa seemed amused by Jennie’s honesty. “But you thought you could… buy me.”

“You’re mistaken,” Jennie frowned. “I’m offering you something. That was the agreement.”

“You were supposed to offer me something I’d want,” Lisa clarified. She pointed at the paper between them with the pen. “Your money is not of my interest.”

Losing her poised stance, Jennie placed both hands on the table and leaned closer with a visible pout. “It’s not?”

The devastated tone pulled a quiet laugh out of the other girl.

“I have a job, remember? A few days of work would cover anything you’d be willing to give me.”

“I could give you more than that,” Jennie insisted.

“You haven’t even filled it in,” Lisa noted, looking down at the blank spaces on the cheque.

“Because it’s up to you. There must be an amount that would tempt you.”

During her research on how cheques were filled in, Jennie opted to leave the details open for negotiation. Selecting an amount beforehand would have been disadvantageous. If the sum was too low, Lisa would have rejected her right away. At the same time, Jennie didn’t want to put herself in a place where she’d never financially recover by overestimating her numbers. So, the wisest move was to leave it completely empty.

“I’m gonna be honest with you. Unless you can give me my entire salary for the next year upfront, this is not something I’m considering.”

Lisa spoke in a very tactful manner. Almost as if she could detect Jennie’s growing disappointment. And while she appreciated the respectable thought, Jennie was still going to fight for her cause.

“Well, write a number down, and I’ll see what I can do.”

“Seriously? You really want me to fill this in?” Lisa arched an eyebrow. “With a pink pen?”

With her cheeks turning rosy, Jennie simply nodded, making a mental note to add a few boring black and blue pens to her stationery set.

“Okay, if that’s what you want,” Lisa shrugged, uncapping the pen and scribbling down the sum she mentioned.

As her eyes remained fixed on the paper, Jennie’s throat started feeling dry as she read the number Lisa had written. Or, as she kindly described, her salary for the next year.

Sliding the cheque back to Jennie, Lisa grabbed her drink again, taking a long sip with her eyes focused on Jennie’s trembling hands.

“Right. I see,” Jennie said tentatively, still scanning the numerous digits. “Maybe if you removed a few zeros?”

“Nope.”

Jennie pressed her lips together.

“What if…” Jennie tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear, clearing her throat. “What if we divide it by, uhm, five? And then… halve it?”

Lisa hummed in thought, before firmly reiterating, “No.”

“Oh. Okay.” Jennie’s shoulders slumped in defeat, her hand crumpling the cheque shamefully. “I just thought—”

“That money would do the trick,” Lisa completed for her, placing the drink back on the table with a teasing smile. “Sorry to disappoint, considering your, uh, difficulty in finding me.”

“You have no idea of what I went through,” Jennie grumbled. “It’s so hard, you know? I’ve been thinking about it for so long. I don’t even know what you like.”

For some reason, Jennie thought Lisa needed to acknowledge her hard work in coming up with a reasonable offer. Being turned down so quickly after all the time she invested in making this meeting happen was rather painful to accept.

“You think that would help?”

“Yes!” Jennie answered exasperated. “Anything.”

“Well, if you must know,” Lisa propped up her elbow and leaned her chin on her palm, “I like things that are exclusive to me.”

Jennie furrowed her eyebrows. “Like what?”

“Like Yoo Taeyang’s interest, for instance.”

“Well, I’m afraid that’s not only incorrect, but also unattainable for you,” Jennie seethed under Lisa’s mischievous eyes. “There’s a reason I’m still around.”

“Just like there’s a reason he hasn’t stopped seeing me,” Lisa added smugly.

“I genuinely don’t have the time or energy for this. Give me an honest example of your… exclusive things. Or we’re done here.”

“Okay. Fine. Since you haven’t noticed, let’s just say you wouldn’t be able to find the jeans I’m wearing anywhere else.”

Eyeing the piece of clothing Lisa referred to with scrutiny under the table, Jennie couldn’t find any unique feature. They were very normal denim trousers that could probably be purchased at any high street store. They didn’t even have a logo to point to a specific designer.

“What’s exclusive about them?”

“You’d have to look at my ass to find out,” Lisa said suggestively.

Jennie was thankful she hadn’t been drinking her coffee when she heard the words. “Excuse me?”

“I’m just letting you know,” Lisa shrugged innocently. “But the point remains. If you give me something I consider a tremendous exclusive to possess, I’ll be more inclined to accept.”

“Exclusive…” Jennie repeated to herself.

Essentially, Lisa demanded something that was hard to obtain. A highly sought-after item that she’d be among the few, if not the only one, to own. It wasn’t unusual for people to feel more special by getting their hands on something so rare. Jennie respected the sentiment.

But as she remained seated with a focused stare, Jennie felt yet another spark of genius.

For the second time, Jennie grabbed her bag. She easily located the fashionable case inside the front pocket, holding it like her most prized possession.

Once the case came into Lisa’s line of sight, the girl shot her a confused glance. “What is that?”

Gently, Jennie took out her favourite pair of sunglasses, a proud smile adorning her lips.

“They’re from Gentle Monster’s latest collection. Super limited,” she made sure to emphasise. It was probably one of the most expensive pairs Jennie owned. With a newfound excitement, Jennie pointed at the small figurine dangling from one of the stems. “It comes with a capybara charm, so it’s more special. They’re so underrated! Some people don’t even know how they look like, but I think they’re the best animals. And this one has a glittery, cloud-shaped tutu that makes it even more cute—”

Suddenly realising her irrelevant rambling, Jennie froze. Her eyes moved from her beloved charm to Lisa’s warm gaze. It seemed like throughout the entire speech, Lisa had smiled wider than Jennie ever saw her.

“I mean, the point still stands. It’s a limited edition,” Jennie finished off feeling uncharacteristically shy.

For a few seconds, Lisa only stared at the pair of designer sunglasses. A glint of interest in her eyes made Jennie feel more hopeful than the cheque.

“I don’t think they’d suit me. However,” she added before Jennie could complain, “I’ll accept this.”

Skilfully, Lisa removed the charm from the glasses, eyeing it fondly. Jennie could only watch with her mouth agape as Lisa stood up.

“You mean… you accept? To stay away from Taeyang?” Jennie questioned unsure.

“No. That will take a lot more. But this is kinda cute, so consider yourself unbanned from the bar. Next time you need to impress me, just stop by.”

Jennie lost the ability to form a coherent sentence as Lisa placed the charm in the breast pocket of her denim jacket. Before she walked away, Lisa winked at her.

“But, but… my capybara...”

And against her better judgment, Jennie’s eyes landed on Lisa’s round bottom as the girl walked towards the exit of the café.

There, on one of the back pockets, were embroidered the six letters that Jennie couldn’t get out of her head.

‘LALISA’.

----

Taeyang had always preferred to show his feelings rather than vocalise them. With each kiss on her lips, each touch on her skin, each night she spent in his arms, Jennie understood how he felt about her without him ever explicitly having to say anything. Jennie never needed to hear it. Seeing him treat her differently from any other girl confirmed that she was the only one.

Private moments had always been prominent in the development of their odd relationship. Taeyang had never hidden his pleasure in attending the craziest events you could find on campus, drinking and dancing to his heart’s desire. It was a part of his life that Jennie could never blend with, but that didn’t stop him from entering her life in the most unexpected ways.

For the most part, Jennie favoured the quiet evenings spent around her friends’ apartments, allowing her to have Taeyang all to herself. When they got on well, he treated her like the owner of his heart. And when they weren’t in the best terms, it offered them a chance to reconcile. There weren’t strangers trying to drag him away, no old friends he had to catch up with, and most importantly, no other girls that tried to steal his attention from her.

On those nights, Taeyang was completely hers.

“Hey,” he whispered lowly against her ear, his hands placed on her hips as he held her against his firm chest.

His arms should have felt like home.

“Hey,” Jennie replied, her shoulders tense.

Taeyang kissed her mouth, and Jennie should have felt hopeful. It was the first time he did after their fallout.

His lips should have tasted like home.

But instead, they tasted like another girl’s lip gloss.

“You wanna come over tonight?” he asked boldly, pressing his face into Jennie’s neck to continue kissing her skin.

And Jennie should have jumped at the opportunity to have him again. He was asking her to spend the night with him, like they used to do long ago. To be the last girl he’d see before he fell asleep, and the first one he’d greet the following morning.

But when he got closer, Jennie finally identified the sweet scent she picked up as soon as he walked in and hugged her.

A woman’s perfume. One that Jennie never owned, but also one she recognised.

“I’m not in the mood,” Jennie replied shortly, turning her head when he tried to kiss her again.

Mumbling a few words of annoyance, Taeyang left her standing alone, never approaching her for the rest of the night. He didn’t understand that Jennie won’t be his last girl of the night. She wanted to be the only one.

And right now, Jennie had to deal with the one that got to him first.

Bartender shifts tended to run late for most nights. Unaware of which times made up Lisa’s availability, Jennie had nothing to truly support her impromptu visit. Her mind was not in the clearest state either, too fogged by irrational jealousy.

Considering how events played out the last time Jennie entered with such tumultuous feelings, a part of her begged her to turn around and let the storm in her heart pass.

But the reality was that Jennie was far too stubborn and impulsive to let her rationality win on nights like these.

Lalisa Manoban’s deft fingers were passing a clean towel over a recently washed whiskey glass. Her eyes were entirely focused on catching any droplet of water that remained on the glass’ surface, missing Jennie’s easy entry into the bar.

At least Lisa was a woman of her word. Jennie didn’t have to deal with any prying security guard on her way in.

Stepping right in front of the other girl with her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face, Jennie caught Lisa’s attention easily. The bartender’s hands halted, pausing with her towel still inside her glass to give Jennie an inquisitive raise of eyebrow.

As a means of precaution, Lisa scanned their surroundings for any nearby abandoned drinks. Jennie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the defensive motion.

“To what do I owe the honour of your visit?” Lisa asked playfully.

Jennie still didn’t understand her light-hearted attitude. Was everything just a joke to Lisa? Did she enjoy making a fool out of her?

Waiting for Lisa to place the glass safely back on the bar, Jennie took advantage of their close proximity.

With a swift movement of her arm, Jennie’s fingers wrapped tightly around Lisa’s black tie, pulling it firmly towards her.

Lisa’s body hunched forward, following the pull of Jennie’s grip. A hand pressed firmly on the surface between them, preventing her from crashing into Jennie completely.

“What the f—"

Lisa’s cry of outrage was cut short as soon as she had a clear view of Jennie’s eyes fixed on her mouth. It must have been a drastic change from their last meeting in that location.

As Jennie pressed her thumb to Lisa’s bottom lip, her eyebrows furrowed at the shade of pink adorning them.

“What are you doing?” Lisa questioned, an unusual nervous trace in her voice.

Jennie’s thumb only pressed harder as she swiped it over Lisa’s lips, smudging what used to be neatly applied lip gloss. Her eyes were only focused on Lisa’s mouth, unaware of the questioning look she was receiving in return. Once her chest started heaving from the rage, only Lisa’s hand grabbing hers could bring Jennie back to reality.

“You’re upset,” Lisa stated.

Jennie bit her lip, unprepared to provide an explanation. Her thumb and index rubbed together, spreading the tint over the pads of her fingers. “The colour is the same.”

“What?”

“Your lip gloss,” Jennie uttered with a shaky voice. “You kissed him again.”

Lisa’s deep exhale was the only answer she needed. Snatching her hand back as if she had been burned, Jennie started to shake her head with disappointment.

“I knew it as soon as he embraced me,” Jennie huffed. “Your perfume was on him. I knew it straight away.”

“My perfume?”

“Dior. It’s the one you use,” Jennie explained as a matter of fact.

“You remember my perfume,” Lisa stated once again, this time with a small upturn of her lips.

“A friend of mine uses the same brand,” she justified.

Even in her enraged mood, Jennie felt herself avert her eyes to avoid the uneasy feeling in her stomach every time Lisa made one of her witty comments. The fact that Jisoo used the same brand only helped Jennie identify the perfume. But the scent… it was still unmistakably Lisa, whether she could name it or not.

“And now you’re pissed.”

“I’m beyond pissed, Lisa. I was looking forward to seeing him the whole day just for him… just for you to…”

“Did you even ask him what happened? Or is this just a result of your own insecurities?”

“I’m not insecure!” Jennie reiterated, feeling the need to defend herself from Lisa’s judging tone. “You’re fucking up everything.”

“Me? I’m the one you’re blaming?” Lisa laughed dryly. “I’m gonna assume you didn’t bother talking to him.”

“What would be the point? He won’t tell me anything,” Jennie sighed.

Any time she brought up Lisa, Taeyang reminded Jennie that it wasn’t her business since he wasn’t Jennie’s boyfriend. And somehow, Jennie preferred staying oblivious rather than hearing that.

“Then allow me to explain, will you?”

Reluctantly, Jennie nodded.

“He was at my place earlier today. With Mingyu,” Lisa added before Jennie could interrupt. “They were drinking. I had work, so I didn’t join them.”

“Then how…”

“You must have an idea of how he gets when he’s drunk,” Lisa rolled her eyes. “He wouldn’t let me leave. He held me and begged me to stay. So fucking whiney. Kissing him was the only way he’d let me go.”

Obviously, Jennie knew exactly the type of behaviour Lisa had described. Taeyang did it all the time to get what he wanted. Initially, Jennie thought it was affectionate. Or at most, slightly clingy. But hearing Lisa’s tone and imagining the boy recreating the same performance, Jennie found herself agreeing with her.

Taeyang was so fucking whiney.

After a few moments of silence, Jennie placed her arms on top of the bar and linked her fingers, feeling awkward after her initial misplaced anger.

“That makes sense,” she mused.

“Yeah? Happy now?”

“Well, no. I can’t be happy as long as you’re around him.”

“How unlucky,” Lisa said sarcastically.

Then, as her mind focused on Lisa’s delivery of the explanation, Jennie looked up at her with a curious gaze. Lisa’s features softened immediately as their eyes met, each of their anger vanishing.

“Why… why did you sound annoyed?”

“You’re the one that attacked me. Again.”

“No, I mean, when you said he kissed you,” Jennie said carefully. “I thought you would have sounded more... bragging.”

Lisa stayed still as Jennie continued to wait. Once she sensed that Jennie’s question was serious, she snorted, shaking her head in disbelief.

“You’re a weird one, Jennie Kim.”

“Why?”

“You’re asking me why I’m not boasting about kissing your man?”

“So, you admit he’s mine.”

“Do you have selective hearing?”

“When it matters, yes,” Jennie confirmed. “You’re not answering my question.”

Lisa looked away briefly. Jennie thought she caught a hint of guilt in her eyes before she did.

“He said some shit I didn’t like,” she admitted coldly.

“Like what?”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s all fun and games when we’re both partying or drinking, but for the rest, nothing to brag about.”

Jennie crossed her arms. “And yet you’re still after him.”

“I told you, didn’t I? His eyes are solely on me,” Lisa smiled with confidence. “Someone you claim is uniquely yours right in my hands... can you blame me?”

There were many features that made Lisa attractive. Her charming smile and kind eyes, which Jennie noticed as soon as she met her. Her athletic form and generous height, neither of which Jennie could have. Even her plump lips, now smeared with shades of pink.

As Lisa shot her a questioning look, all Jennie could think was that she couldn’t blame Taeyang either.

“Your lips are pretty,” Jennie unwillingly said out loud.

As her eyes focused on Lisa’s mouth once more, Jennie felt herself blush.

Would Lisa’s lips look like that after she was thoroughly kissed?

And for the first time, Jennie seemed to have caught Lalisa Manoban off guard.

“I—what?”

“I mean, I get it,” Jennie pushed herself away from the bar, nervously taking a step back. “As you said. Can’t blame him.”

“That wasn’t what I said—”

“The point is, Lalisa, that I absolutely do not care whether or not you’re hot and gorgeous and out for… for man-stealing activities,” Jennie moved her hands as she spoke, a clear sign that she was losing her self-assurance. “I need you to stay away. And I will do whatever it takes to make sure of that.”

“Whatever it takes, huh?” Lisa repeated sceptically. “And how far would you go?”

“Far enough.”

“For a guy like Yoo Taeyang,” Lisa added with what seemed to be a grimace. “Have you ever thought that maybe you’re the one who should stay away?”

“So that you can have him all to yourself?” Jennie asked accusingly.

Lisa simply sighed. “It’s just something you should think about. I’m not your enemy here.”

“Then you should stop acting like it,” Jennie said decisively. “This is the last time I’m warning you.”

“Or what?” Lisa smiled.

“Or… or… well, I’ll figure that out too. Eventually.”

Walking away from Lisa’s amused laugh, Jennie decided she had no more time left to waste. On her way out, she bumped shoulders with one of the waitresses, both bowing in apology before parting ways.

And right until Jennie left the bar, Lisa couldn’t keep her eyes off her retreating figure.

“She’s totally your type, isn’t she?” the waitress commented as soon as she approached the bartender.

Biting her lip to stop her grin, Lisa could only nod.

----

The poorly picked music blasting across the entire place reminded Jennie of why she didn’t attend clubs in the first place. Short snippets of lyrics were completely overtaken by booming bass, certainly ensuring Jennie’s head would be pounding by the next morning.

Unlike the rest of the unfamiliar crowd surrounding her, Jennie was safe from hangovers or any risk of liver failure in the future. In a way, she had to thank her responsible driving to deter her from such unhealthy habits. The cold, alcohol-free drink in her hands was still at the same level as when she was first offered it by a complete stranger. Since she couldn’t confirm that the liquid had been left unaltered since it left its bottle on the opposite side of the club, she wisely opted not to take a single sip.

In that moment, Jennie couldn’t tell if soberness was a blessing or a curse.

When Nayeon invited her to tag along to a clubbing night with a few of their friends, Jennie accepted without hesitation. At first, she was thinking of Taeyang being among the ones who were going to be there. In the recent weeks, Taeyang never dared to ask her to join him anywhere he went. If they happened to be at the same place, they didn’t exactly act like strangers. But considering how little he acknowledged her, Jennie thought that they might as well be.

As she had been picking her lipstick for the night, Jennie ended up wondering whether Lalisa Manoban would also be there.

After all, Lisa was the reason that Taeyang walked on eggshells around Jennie now. And while at first the boy tried to hide his preference, Jennie had finally started to clearly see which girl he gravitated towards.

Every time Jennie sat next to him, Taeyang shielded his phone screen away from her view. When she asked him what his plans were for the evening, he’d always claim to be busy. Whatever spell Lisa had him under, it seemed to have completely erased his history with Jennie from his mind.

That’s what left Jennie standing on her own in the middle of a crowded room while Taeyang had his arms wrapped around Lisa.

In the time Jennie took to observe the situation, she had to admit that Lisa had her way with dance. Unlike most people who lost their coordination as the night went on, Lisa’s sensual movements went along with the trashy music playing from the speakers, stealing the attention of anyone glancing her way. In comparison, Taeyang’s stiff figure was an eye sore.

But the moment they started dancing together, Jennie’s blood began to boil.

Throughout the night, she had shown an incredible level of patience. She didn’t listen to Nayeon when she suggested going home, certain that the image of Taeyang glued to Lisa’s side ruined any chances of peaceful sleep. Even when she had the opportunity to approach either of them separately, Jennie held back. Moving hastily would yield no results, she had learnt.

Seeing Lisa’s body attached to Taeyang’s as she made yet another of her captivating body rolls was driving Jennie to her limit.

Anyone else who saw them would probably think they were a couple. The realisation hit her so hard that Jennie almost dropped her forgotten drink.

Jennie was losing.

With trembling hands, Jennie splashed the liquid in her glass on a plastic plant, still conscious of the dubious origin of the drink. Then, she made her way to the centre of the dance floor, pushing away the drunk bodies getting in her way.

When her hand was within reach, she grasped Lisa’s wrist, the girl’s eyes pointed at hers in a matter of seconds. And somehow, Lisa let herself be dragged away with a lopsided smile, not showing a single sign of resistance.

“You lasted longer than I thought,” were Lisa’s first words as Jennie pushed her inside the spacious bathroom.

With her back turned, Jennie ensured the door was safely locked, her ears listening to Lisa’s quiet laugh. “You knew I was here?”

“Hard to ignore your eyes burning into my skull,” Lisa said. Her eyes then looked Jennie from head to toe. “You look pretty good tonight, Jennie.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“It’s whatever you want it to be.” Looking away to inspect the vast mirrors and clean floors in an attempt to change topic, Lisa let out a low hum. “How did you get access to the VIP bathroom?”

Hours earlier, when Jennie had been forced to seek the restroom right after her arrival, she had followed the quiet corridor leading to the back of the club. As she searched for the bathroom, she had conveniently spotted a familiar face guarding the VIP area. Taking her chances, Jennie gave her best flirty smile to Jackson Wang, receiving a fond shake of head at her attempts to corrupt him for the prize of a bigger and cleaner bathroom. Given that she wasn’t requesting entrance to the VIP lounge itself, Jackson didn’t even argue.

For that reason, he also didn’t bat an eyelid when Jennie returned with another girl in tow.

“I know people,” Jennie mumbled, refusing to snitch on her helper. “And I needed somewhere private.”

“What for?”

Taking a deep breath, Jennie stepped closer. But with their newfound vicinity, Jennie paused at the scent that she picked up from Lisa’s body. Without any discretion, she let her nose almost make contact with Lisa’s neck to certify her assumption.

“What?” she heard Lisa question, although she didn’t move away.

“Hugo Boss,” Jennie scoffed, scrunching her nose as her hands searched for her side bag.

Lisa was supposed to smell like Dior’s roses and vanilla, not Taeyang’s woody, musky fragrance.

Taking out her small Chanel travel bottle, Jennie circled the other girl and generously sprayed her perfume.

“What is your problem?” Lisa screeched at the sudden action, waving her hand around at the scented particles flying in the air.

“You smell like him!”

“And you’d rather me smell like you instead?” Lisa coughed, grabbing Jennie’s hand to halt her uncontrollable spraying.

“Yes,” was all Jennie said. Sensing there were no traces left of Taeyang’s favourite scent, she nodded satisfied and placed her own perfume back in her bag. “Better.”

“Hope you’re happy.”

“I’m not, actually. I’m losing my mind,” Jennie said sincerely.

“And why is that?”

“You know why.”

Lisa smiled slightly, crossing her arms as she leaned against the marble of the sink’s countertop. “I’m guessing you’re not having much fun tonight around your man.”

“I’m really tired, Lisa. I’m tired of Taeyang’s avoidance, and I’m tired of your little games.”

“I’m not playing games.”

“Then tell me what you want!” Jennie pleaded. “Anything you want… to remove yourself from the situation.”

“You think that’s all it’s gonna take? That Taeyang will be yours if I do that?”

“I…”

Conscious of Lisa’s judgemental tone, Jennie looked down at her feet. It was pointless to claim the solution to her issue solely relied on Lisa walking away. Even without the girl in the picture, Jennie didn’t have the assurance that Taeyang would focus entirely on her. But in that moment, the main obstacle was Lisa, and Jennie had to take her out.

“Why Taeyang?” Lisa questioned, her voice laced with annoyance. “Out of all the guys out there, why him?”

“That’s hypocritical of you to ask.”

“I don’t dream of marrying the guy,” Lisa laughed dryly. “And I don’t go around acting like he’s the love of my life when his eyes are on some other girl’s ass!”

Jennie almost flinched at Lisa’s frustrated yell.

“It all started with you,” Jennie mumbled quietly, rubbing her hand on her arm out of shame.

The way Lisa spoke about her situation felt awfully humiliating.

“Did it? What would have happened if he never met me?”

“I would have been his girlfr—”

A loud bark of laughter stopped Jennie from finishing her sentence. Lisa was shaking her head as she did so, her eyes showing hints of disbelief.

“If he wanted you to be his girlfriend, he would have done so ages ago,” Lisa said coldly. “And yet here you are, chasing after a guy that doesn’t even want you.”

“I know!” Jennie yelled back, losing all her will to fight back.

For an entire year, Jennie dealt with their undefined relationship. Every single moment she spent with Taeyang made her wish for more, but she never pushed. Jennie thought that by respecting his boundaries, she’d help him clear his head from uncertainties.

Apparently, her work had been for nothing.

“I liked him for a long time, okay? We were good back then, and I know we’re not anymore,” Jennie let out between exasperated breaths. “I can see that he likes you more. I’m not blind.”

For a second, Lisa almost looked apologetic. “That’s not what I meant.”

“But if there’s a chance for us to go back the way we used to be,” Jennie continued, this time more steady, “then I have to take it. Do you understand that?”

Truthfully, Lisa’s dubious stare never faded. Jennie could tell she wasn’t convinced. But as she pushed herself away from the sink and stepped closer, Jennie almost held her breath.

With her arms still crossed, Lisa sighed. “I think you’re incredibly foolish to not only believe that could happen, but also wish for it.”

Ouch. Jennie’s offended pout followed immediately, pulling a smile from Lisa’s previously hard gaze.

“But… if you want to seal our deal so badly,” she continued, scanning Jennie’s face for any hesitance. “Then I know what I want.”

“You do?” Jennie perked up, a spark of hope finally igniting in her body. “Whatever it is, you’ll have it.”

“Good,” Lisa whispered, leaning her head down until her eyes were right in front of Jennie’s expectant ones.

“I want you to kiss me, Jennie Kim.”

“Huh?”

Eyes darting to Lisa’s lips, Jennie’s throat went dry at the darker shade of pink. She liked it. The colour would suit her lips too.

“Too much?” Lisa smirked.

“It’s just…” Jennie started quietly, still processing Lisa’s request in her mind. “I just think that…”

“You can’t?”

“It’s not that,” Jennie shook her head and cleared her throat. “It would’ve saved me a lot of time if you asked for this straight up.”

Compared to any other request Lisa could have made, Jennie never imagined that her first choice would be as simple as a kiss. After all, locking lips with an attractive girl wasn’t exactly going to kill her. It was a sacrifice Jennie was more than willing to make.

Lisa’s eyebrow raised in surprise, not expecting the easy-going nature of Jennie’s reply.

In hindsight, Lisa probably anticipated some hesitancy from Jennie. Or even an appearance of her very poor negotiation skills.

But when large, steady hands came up to hold her jaw and tilt her head back, Jennie could only welcome the heated kiss.

Lisa’s lips were soft, Jennie thought as she comfortably placed her hands on the taller girl’s hips. Considering Lisa was claiming her end of the bargain, Jennie wasn’t expecting a timid peck.  And yet, nothing could have prepared her for Lisa’s passionate kissing.

Lisa wasn’t harsh or pushy or rough, she was just so… giving.

And Jennie felt her everywhere. The gentle fingers on the skin of her neck, the firm press of her body against her own, and eventually… Lisa’s warm tongue in her mouth. Jennie almost forgot she wasn’t supposed to be the one benefitting from it.

Jennie couldn’t have predicted that her night would have ended by making out with Lalisa Manoban against a VIP bathroom’s door. But amidst her blurry thoughts, as the previously quiet room filled with the obscene wet sounds of their kiss, one thing became strikingly clear.

Jennie Kim completely understood the Lalisa Manoban appeal.

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