Make It With You

2

Monique**

I arrived at the Yang Entertainment building around 7 a.m., dressed in my usual sweatpants, my tutor and interpreter by my side. We settled into the quiet corner of the building's café, the hum of morning activity starting to build around us. I sipped my coffee slowly, savoring the warmth, as I bit into a slice of cheesecake, allowing the familiar taste to ground me. I couldn't help but observe, always an outsider looking in, as the staff and artists began to trickle in. There was an easy familiarity among them, a rhythm to their lives that felt foreign to me. So, this is where they come, most of the time, I thought, watching Blackpink enter the space with their effortless grace. They always smiled at me when they passed, and I made sure to return their kindness. They were undeniably beautiful, inside and out.

I noticed something, though-an unspoken curiosity in their eyes. It seemed as though Lisa, in particular, wanted to say something to me, to start a conversation perhaps, but there was hesitation in her gaze. Maybe she's just unsure, I mused, taking another bite of cheesecake. After finishing my breakfast, I would head to the studio to practice with the dancers and artists.

The previous few days had been spent with Treasure. I didn't speak to them much, mostly out of my own shyness. Despite having my tutor with me, the language barrier loomed large, and I preferred to retreat into my own space. I'd quietly observe, sit in the corner during breaks, reading or leaving early when I could. There was a distance between me and everyone, even though I didn't want it to be that way.

The same pattern followed when I practiced with Blackpink. Five days in, I had introduced myself to them. "Hello, everyone. My name is Monique. Starting today, I will oversee and manage the choreography for all the artists here at Yang Entertainment. I hope we can work well together. Thank you." My interpreter translated everything I said, and they introduced themselves in return, their voices warm, though there was a barrier of uncertainty between us.

Blackpink, I could tell, wanted to connect. But like me, they were cautious. Perhaps they saw my distance-how I always buried myself in my phone or lost myself in books, how I'd retreat to a corner, earbuds in, drowning out the world. The isolation was deliberate, a shield I'd built around myself for reasons I couldn't always explain.

One day, while I was engrossed in a game of PSP during a break, I couldn't help but shout, "Yeah! I won! You owe me dinner-home-cooked dinner!" The room fell into confused silence. I blushed, realizing how absurd it must have sounded. But I couldn't shake the feeling that they were still unsure of me. After every practice, I'd rush out of the studio, always aware of their eyes on me, watching until I was gone.

For nearly two months, this had been my routine: sweatpants, solitude, quiet observation. Sometimes, I'd sneak into my parents' office, passing unnoticed by most, though the security guards knew me. They never spoke a word, keeping their silence as if it were a shared understanding between them and me.

Then, one afternoon, something shifted. I was walking alone outside the building, headed to my car when I heard someone calling my name.

"Monique unnie, wait."

I turned around, surprised to see Lisa standing there. She was hesitant, unsure of how to bridge the distance that had defined my time at Yang Ent.

"Yes?" I asked, confused by the sudden interruption.

"Jamsiman yaegihaedo doelkkayo?" she asked softly, her eyes searching mine.

"I'm sorry, I don't speak Korean well," I replied, my discomfort rising. "I have to go."

She stepped closer, her voice gentle but persistent. "Can I talk to you for a minute, unnie?"

Why? I thought, but curiosity got the better of me. "About what?"

"I think... we think, that you're nice," Lisa said, her words careful, "and we think you could use a friend. We want to be your friends."

Blackpink wants to be friends with me? The thought stunned me. I looked around, almost as if expecting the others to jump out of nowhere. "Where are they?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"They're busy finishing something," Lisa answered. "But I'm free. And I wanted to ask you, especially Jisoo. Yes, Jisoo unnie."

I raised an eyebrow, caught off guard. "Stop right there. I'm in," I said, perhaps more quickly than I meant to.

Lisa's eyes widened in surprise. "You are?"

"Yeah. You had me when you mentioned Jisoo," I replied, smiling sheepishly. "I could use real friends. People... they're complicated. They require attention. Like brunch! What is brunch? You wait in line for an hour just for lunch? I don't get it. I think I'm rambling, and I should stop."

Lisa chuckled softly. "I'll try to keep up."

"Hmmm, right," I muttered. "But I really need to go. So, goodbye."

"Wait," she said, as I turned to leave, "can I come with you?"

I paused, eyebrow raised in genuine surprise. "Why?"

"Because I'm bored, and we're friends now, right?"

"What if I'm a bad person?" I couldn't help but tease her a little.

"No, you're not. Come on, let's go," Lisa said, opening the passenger door with a playful grin.

I sighed, shaking my head as I climbed into the driver's seat. The tension between us was palpable, but I couldn't ignore the strange comfort in her presence. On the way to my place, I called my niece, Zoe, forgetting that my parents might be home. I silently hoped they weren't.

"How far is your place?" Lisa asked, breaking the silence.

"About an hour," I replied, glancing at her briefly. "I don't like living in the city. I have a flat near the Yang building, but I rarely stay there."

As we drove, the music from Blackpink's latest song began to play, and Lisa giggled.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Nothing," she replied, still chuckling. "That's your niece's playlist, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I said defensively. "They love Blackpink."

"Yah, stop being so defensive. I didn't say anything," Lisa teased. "Your nieces love us, but you don't?"

"I didn't say that!" I laughed. "Of course, I love you guys. Everyone does."

"Not everyone," she muttered with a smile.

When we finally arrived, Zoe greeted me with the kind of enthusiasm that only a child could muster.

"Unnie, you're home!" she said, running to hug me.

"Hi, baby," I replied, feeling a wave of warmth wash over me. "I brought a friend."

Zoe blinked, then looked behind me. "Why is Lisa in our house?"

"Lisa is my friend," I answered.

Zoe didn't seem convinced. "I don't believe you, unnie," she said, clearly skeptical.

Lisa chuckled as Zoe stared at her. "Hi, Zoe. My name is Lisa, and yes, I'm your unnie's friend," she said, her voice soft and welcoming.

Zoe raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Unnie's never mentioned you."

"I think it's because we're still getting to know each other," Lisa said with a wink.

As we settled in, I realized that there was something comforting about this simple, unplanned connection with Lisa. It wasn't easy for me to let people in, but there was something about her that made me feel seen, in a way I didn't expect. And maybe that was all I needed, for now.