Lean On Me (Chaelisa)

7| All about Chaeyoung

"Whoa careful! Easy there..."

"You owe me big time, Manoban," Jisoo grumbled as they grunted and climbed the stairs to Lisa's dorm. "I was just about to get laid, and then I had to blow off Jennie just to help you with—"

Leaning heavily on their shoulders with her legs buckling beneath her as they supported her between them, Chaeyoung hiccuped, her eyes fluttering.

She was wasted, having drunk more than she probably was used to, but Lisa suspected she hadn't allowed herself to let lose before and was trying to make up for lost time.

"Nearly there, Chae," Lisa encouraged, "just another flight of stairs."

Chaeyoung suddenly turned her head and plastered a big fat kiss on Jisoo's cheek with a wet smack. Lisa's heart clenched and Jisoo groaned.

"God, that's disgusting—"

"I'm sorry," Chaeyoung pouted, "I was having sooooooooo much fun, Chichi. I'm sorry you missed out on sex. Forgive me? Pleaseeeee?"

Jisoo softened. "How can you stay mad at her?"

They finally arrived to Lisa's apartment and Jisoo helped Lisa put Chaeyoung to bed after making her drink some water to alleviate the inevitable hangover she'll face in the morning.

Once Jisoo left to try and salvage her promised tryst, Lisa arranged a bunch of cushions and blankets on the floor for herself to monitor the restless drunk girl. Being the good host and a gentlewoman, she didn't want to invade Chaeyoung's space and crawl into bed to cuddle with her, though there was nothing more that she wanted in that moment.

But Chaeyoung was drunk and Lisa would be damned if she stooped down to the level of snuggling her without consent.

As it were, Chaeyoung seemed to fall into slumber pretty quickly, though Lisa swore that at one point through the night, the blonde had rolled over to peer at her from the edge of the bed and muttered something along the lines of "you make it so easy to like you" but when she woke up the next morning, Lisa couldn't tell for sure if it had actually happened.

What did happen was as the days went by, Lisa found herself spending more and more time with Park Chaeyoung, waiting for her after class so they could stroll to the pitch, joined by other squad members that Chaeyoung had successfully befriended, and who at this point had practically adopted her into their extended family group.

Lisa was pleased that Chaeyoung blended well with her group of friends and her personality started emerging little by little.

She had a wicked sense of humour and delighted in entertaining people. She turned her nose up at the avocado salad that Joy once brought along, but was scandalised when Jisoo casually mentioned she doesn't like mango.

She squealed over Momo's purchase of a baby pink skirt and had a long conversation about astrology, plants, the price of art materials and art movements with Seulgi. She entertained Joy and anyone in the vicinity with her endearing accent as she told stories of her childhood. Lisa had to tamp down on her jealousy anytime Joy sidled close to her and got extra touchy, flinging her arms around Chaeyoung or playfully pinching and kissing her cheeks.

Chaeyoung did a happy little wiggle whenever she ate something that particularly delighted her, and happily serenaded the group on her guitar when called upon, or else obliged with a sketch.

She proved to be a thoughtful friend and a firm voice of reason as well, sweetly reassuring a rather flustered Jisoo as the latter paced around Lisa's apartment trying to work up the nerve to ask Jennie on a date.

"She's lucky to be going out with someone like you, Jisoo, I guarantee it," Chaeyoung had said.

For the briefest moment, Lisa saw her eyes flit over to hers, before she was back to encouraging Jisoo.

It turned out to be a success, as attested by Lisa's phone blowing up later that night as Jisoo bombarded her with multiple texts running along the lines of SHE SAID YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SINGLE NO MORE BITCH!!!!!!!!YOUR TURN NOW!!!!!!!

Lisa only smiled and put the phone away, her heart pinching.

Aside from enjoying each other's company and jamming to their favourite band together or texting each other late at night or doing assignments together at coffee shops or Chaeyoung waiting in the bleachers for Lisa to finish practice so Lisa could walk her back to her dorms, there weren't any concrete developments regarding their friendship.

But Lisa couldn't blame Chaeyoung, especially with Jaehyun still skulking around campus, having been demoted back to his assistant coach role after Coach Teddy's return.

Besides, as Lisa often told Jisoo, she was happy just getting to know Chaeyoung and being her friend, because she enjoyed spending time with her.

And Jisoo always nodded with a rather sympathetic expression on her face, but neither ever brought up the elephant in the room, that is, Lisa's deepening feelings for Chaeyoung.

It almost seemed like Lisa was destined to stay in that bittersweet rut forever.

Until one fateful day when Lisa was kicked out of a match.