CHAELISA One-shots

First Kiss

**

“Does it still hurt?” Lisa asks, stopping at the red light, finally able to turn around and look at her friend. It’s been a long day and a rough shift, but driving Chaeyoung back to her house because she hurt her hand is not the worst that she could be doing right now. It’s quiet and comfortable, like it often is between them.

Chaeyoung nods. “It’s nothing, Ted wouldn’t have cleared me to go home if it weren’t, you know that, right?”

She can’t help but smile at the concern on Lisa’s face. It’s everything that Lisa is, kind and concerned about the people around her. The closer they are, the bigger the concern, and Chaeyoung’s grateful she gets to be on top of Lisa’s list. She’s grateful for Lisa being in her life, period.

Lisa gently takes Chaeyoung’s hand in hers, fingers brushing along the bandages and moving onto the skin. It tickles, with that same faint vibration Chaeyoung gets everytime Lisa touches her. Lisa doesn’t notice, or if she does, she doesn’t mention it.

“I just want to be sure, sue me,” Lisa says,

“I might. Got any good lawyer to recommend?” Chaeyoung laughs, hoping it’s okay to joke about this, hoping enough time has passed since the lawsuit and all the trouble their relationship went through.

Lisa snorts and Chaeyoung lets her head fall back on the headrest, relief settling in her chest. They’re okay now.

“What would you expect to get out of it, though? My couch might be my prized possession, but you can have it whenever you stay the night. My record collection maybe, the one you mock as being old people’s music?” Lisa grins, loving the playful banter between them. It’s them, it’s easy and despite the rough path they had to walk through to get there, she wouldn’t change it for the world.

“I don’t mo-- okay, maybe I do. I’m sorry, but it’s so not what I thought would be your thing. You’re full of surprises, Lisa Manoban. But I won’t mock your taste in music again, I promise.”

Lisa lifts Chaeyoung’s hand up to her lips, turning it to press a kiss in its palm. “I forgive you, Park Chaeyoung. This time.” She smiles and Chaeyoung knows Lisa would forgive her anytime, everytime, without Chaeyoung even having to ask. It shouldn’t be that easy, but that’s who Lisa is and Chaeyoung needs to remember that, and not take advantage of it, ever again.

“I’m sorry,” she says once more, leaning in, hoping Lisa hears all the sorries nested in this single one.

Lisa looks at her, all brown eyes and long eyelashes and her smile melts Chaeyoung’s heart the way it always does. Lisa leans in in turn, getting so close that Chaeyoung could just kiss her, right there, by just tilting her head. She’s wanted to kiss her for a while now, never sure Lisa would want it too, never brave enough to try, but right here, right now, everything finally seems possible.

“Hey,” Lisa whispers, putting her free hand on Chaeyoung’s neck, fingers gently brushing at the nape of her hair, gaze flickering between Chaeyoung’s eyes and her mouth and --

The car behind them honks, breaking the momentum, making them both jump and settle back in their seat, Lisa abruptly letting go of Chaeyoung’s hand.

The red light turned to green, probably a moment ago, long enough for a few cars to line up behind them. Lisa looks in the rearview mirror and waves at the car right behind to signal that she got the message, before finally crossing the intersection, eyes on the road, acting like she wasn’t one breath away from kissing her best friend just a second ago.

They drive in silence until they reach Chaeyoung’s house, where they know Jisoo and Jennie are waiting with thousands of stories.

“Chaeyoung…” Lisa starts as Chaeyoung opens the door, quickly getting out of the car.

Chaeyoung’s hand lingers on the handle while her brain is trying to figure out what to say, to decide if they should talk about it without waiting, try to deflate the awkwardness that will definitely settle between them if they don’t, or just pretend nothing almost happened.

“Change the bandages.” Lisa continues before Chaeyoung can find the right words, and with that, she gets the message, loud and clear.

Nothing happened. Not almost, not at all. Whatever she thought was happening between them minutes ago, maybe it disappeared, maybe it was just in her head. Either way Lisa doesn’t feel the same, and Chaeyoung’s just left there on the sidewalk, with disappointment in her heart and a knot in her chest.

“I will,” she nods. “Thank you for the ride home.”

Lisa nods in turn and as soon as Chaeyoung closes the door, the car moves again and quickly reaches the next crossroad.

She walks towards the house, fishing for her keys in her jacket, fighting to keep her heart from imploding, when the sound of tires screeching on the pavement gets her attention back to the road.

Lisa’s driving backwards until the car is back in front of the Park driveway, Chaeyoung puts her bag down, her keys back in her pocket and walks slowly towards the car, stopping only a few feet away from it, waiting for Lisa to step out.

She can see her taking a deep breath, hears her mumbling something that sounds like “whatever” before opening the door and standing there, facing Chaeyoung.

“Hey,” Lisa says with a small smile. Chaeyoung knows this smile, it’s an insecure but hopeful one, she knows it and she knows she probably has the exact same expression on her face right now.

“Hey,” Chaeyoung answers, moving forward, not stopping until they’re close, close enough to breathe each other’s air. She smiles and tilts her head, brushing her nose against Lisa’s, a first touch that makes her want more, and when Lisa closes the remaining distance between them, lips gently pressing on Chaeyoung’s mouth, Chaeyoung knows it was worth the wait.

It’s soft and slow and it could last forever, but Chaeyoung wants even more. She lifts her hands up, cuping Lisa’s face, steadying herself in that embrace. She pulls her closer, deepening the kiss, and Lisa kisses her back with the same fire, love and want pouring out of her heart.

When they break the kiss, they stay still for a moment, eyes closed, both trying to capture every sensation into a memory they want to never forget.

“Change those bandages, Chaeng,” Lisa says with a grin, eyes now wide open and fixed on Chaeyoung. “I will check.”

Chaeyoung chuckles and nods, eyes lost in Lisa’s gaze. “I know you will.” She knows, and she loves her for that. For that and so many other reasons she promises herself to list one day, for Lisa to hear.

Lisa plants a kiss on Chaeyoung’s temple before walking backwards to her car, looking at Chaeyoung as long as she can, her smile never fading.

“See you tomorrow,” she says, getting in the car and after that she’s gone in an instant. It takes Chaeyoung an instant more to shake off what feels like a dream, before going back to reality and finally into her house.

It feels like a dream, but it’s not one, and Chaeyoung can’t wait to see what else they can make come true, Lisa and her.

***

CTTO