Keeping up with the Facade

French Girls

LISA

Walking in a busy streets of Paris has always been my escape... my constant dream coming to life every year. This place was and always been special to me.

It's almost sunset when I rushed at Fouquet's restaurant to meet my equally starving and annoyed chingu... I mean "Members". This restaurant has embodied the brilliant and festive spirit of Paris, that's why we make sure every year to visit this place.

After Pandemic, we travelled across continents to have our world tour and Paris was our last stop. Thinking about it, it's quite melancholic to think... we have to head back to South Korea.

It's been my home for almost 13 years. Funny how years had passed. Almost half my life, I've been living in a country where I thought I couldn't make a home, but turns out ... it's more like a home to me than my own homeland. I mean Thailand will always be my home, but I couldn't see my self settles in my own country... until recently, it feels like... I want to go home-home, or anywhere but South Korea.

I fixed my perfectly tousled, slightly unkempt hair before heading to a group of ladies animatedly talking.

"Helllooor everyone!!!!" As I graced the table.

"Gooooosh!!! Finally!!! Yah Lalisaaaaa! You really took your time doing that no-makeup makeup with that smoked-out eye look...I shouldn't let you watched that tutorial." Rosé whined as she grabbed my hand.

I settled in the vacant chair facing the street.

"Chaengaah!!! French girls styles takes time. You know. And we're on a date... I should look gooood." I reasoned.

"Booooo!!! If you only applied that to a real man, our life would have been much in peace." Jisoo unnie jokingly mocked me.

"But then again, Dongsaeng... don't date at all... I feel sorry for that man already." She added.

"Yah!!  That's mean!!!" I cried.

"Hahaha! Oh Lisayah... I have to agree with Jisoo on this one! By the way, have you seen this?" Jennie-unnie who's always in the middle-ground (er..sometimes), showed me another reason why I don't want to go Home, back in Seoul.

"I swear Liz, you could have demanded the management to stop. We're not that same old naive rookies easily manipulated. This charades been running deep... deeper and deeper each year." Jennie- unnie ranted.

"I knooooow, unnie. I knoooow!!! I asked the other 'side' to make it stop but they've been ignoring me."

Rosé who's been quiet for awhile because she's having moment with her food finally spoke.

"Gosh! What a whammy! If I were you I'll straight talk to that arsehole, shit-faced bloke! I mean you've been suffering enough Lisayah! And that dude, seemed oblivious or should I say, acting oblivious of what's happening... clearly he's enjoying the benefits. His affairs stayed under radar because people were so sold out of your fictional "relationship"!" Rosé lengthly ranted.

"Chaeng, you know it's also your fault... if you only agreed with 'rosekook'... it would be better for me." I jokingly said.

"Like eeeeew!!! I know we're best of friends but not to that extent, Lalisa! I can't carry your own cross! And I'd better be shipped with my "mochi" than your  so-called-loveteam... like what the heck,Lis! Everytime I see our ship it feels like I'm gonna puke." Rosé whined.

"Wow, chaeng that was alot! And besides, Jungkook got a nice voice... you like boys with good voice right?" I gave her a puppy eyes convincing to take my place.

"Seriously Lisayah... my mochi also has a good voice... Angelic even. And why are we discussing this again?!" She annoyingly rolled her eyes before she took another bite.

"Chipmunk, when are you that brave calling Jimin-shi, Mochi?" Jisoo-unnie teasingly asked her.

"Oh trust me Unnie, just now... because we're far from Korea. And besides, she's been crushing Jimin oppa for years now. I think she's been that brave since she heard the news with Jimin-oppa secretly dating someone."  I "as-a-matter-of-fact" explained to our unnies.

"Wow! Thanks a lot dude for spilling the tea for me. Seriously Lis, if you finally admit your feelings for Jungkook, I'd be happy to announce the news." She threateningly pointed her spoon at me.

"Woah! Woah! Hold there you rabid chipmunk! I would never... you know I'd rather date someone but Jungkook... I'm not that competitive to vie for his attention... give that to his loyal girls and exes." I defensively reacted.

"Yah enough you two! Jungkook's not that bad..." Jisoo unnie interjected.

"Hahaha! Unnie, why don't you just date that jerkfaced then... but Jin-oppa gonna deep-fry us by then..." I joked earning a sharp glare from Jisoo-unnie.

"Seriously Liz, don't start there... Sooya's been confused for awhile now... she might consider that old man once we're back in Korea. Hahaha!" Jennie-unnie jokingly added.

"Remind me...Why did we got into this mess again?"
I gloomily said to the group.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Let's not talk about that now... We never... like ever... talk about boys, especially those boys... let's not ruin the night." Jisoo unnie shifted the topic, which somehow lightened the atmosphere.

"Right... so what are you gonna do next, Lisayah?" Rosé asked.

"Once were back in Korea, I'll figure it out but for now... let's enjoy our date eh?"

"Yaaaaaah... cheers!!!!"

We enjoyed the dinner as if our last day ever in Paris... as if we can leave our worries in this place. Tomorrow we will face our reality... A reality we can hardly escape.

But tonight we will enjoy Paris like we can be forever young.