If this is a rom-com, kill the director | Jenlisa

Almost

"It was just insult after insult. I wasn't even saying anything bad about her, she was just going for it."

Jennie and Don are waiting in between takes, while the crew prepare the scene and set up the cameras. It's an outdoor scene, and the two of them are dressed in puffy coats, holding cups of coffee while they wait for their call.

"But isn't that like, your deal or something?" Don says, lying back in his seat and taking a swig of his drink.

"What?"

"You and Lisa. You've got this insult thing going on," he says.

"Yeah, but it's usually pretty two sided. She was just going for it, and I wasn't saying anything," Jennie says, fiddling with the lid of the cup and frowning.

"I don't know what to tell you. Seems to me like she was just doing what you guys have always done."

Don's called back up onto set, and he hops off his chair with a "See you later," leaving Jennie alone to stew by herself.

The overwhelming thought that runs through her head is: why does this bother you so much? Lisa and Jennie fight. They snark at each other. That's what they do.

So why were Lisa's words bothering her so much this time?

————

Lisa waits for her next scene at the side of the set.

"My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathèd enemy," Jennie says.

She's never seen someone move so gracefully. Jennie moves with poise and purpose, light on her feet like she's a practised ballerina. The way her face looks when she's Juliet, so soft and light, is so different from the way she looks at Lisa.

Lisa can't help but wonder if it's to do with her.

————

"Look, we've been over this. I don't need, or want a to be in a relationship. I don't like relationships," Lisa says, as she and the girls walk back to their hotel room from set. "This is a broken record."

Jisoo cocks an eyebrow at Lisa, something of a knowing smile on her face. "What's so bad about romance, Lis? Please, tell us."

"There are just so many stupid rules to it. No kissing on the first date, like, what's that all about? Then there are things like holding hands. Buying gifts. There are rules to that too. If you don't think there are certain rules to this whole relationship thing, you're lying to yourself," she says, matter of fact.

Rosie laughs at that and claps her cousin on the shoulder. "The only rules are the ones you enforce on yourself, Lis. No two relationships work in the same way."

"When did you become such an expert?" Lisa says. "Got something to tell me, Rosie?"

"Ha. Stop deflecting," Rosie says, ducking her head and shoving her hands in her pockets.

She doesn't say anything more after that. Lisa looks down at Rosie curiously, before rolling her eyes and moving on.

"Then there's things like commitment. Cheating. Stuff like that. Relationships are messy, if they go wrong, it ruins everything," Lisa says. "I just don't need any of that right now."

"Lisa, if you're afraid that something will go wrong, you don't have to-" Jisoo starts to say, her voice much softer and much less teasing that usual, but she's cut off before she can finish her sentence.

"I'm not afraid of anything," she snaps. "I'm just not interested in anyone, nor do I see myself getting interested in anyone, ever. End of."

The conversation stills. Jisoo and Rosie share a glance, but say nothing else.

————

There's something cold in Jennie's eyes on set today. Usually, they have this little glint in them, this little teasing sparkle, even when she's angry at her. If there's one place that Jennie cannot hide her emotions, it is in her eyes.

Her tongue rolls over the words as always, turning the language into a song. Her acting is exquisite and she can hear Jay clapping his hands in delight around the corner where he's watching the scene on a monitor. Her movements are perfect.

But not her eyes.

Her eyes are cold and distant, like she's working on auto-pilot, lost in some far away land in her head. Or maybe she's mulling something over, letting her body do the work for her while she runs away with her thoughts. Or maybe she's angry, really angry, like someone said or did something that made her blood boil and now she can't get the vexation out of her head. Or maybe she's sad, pretending everything is okay, but never quite managing to get that emotion to her eyes.

Lisa almost asks her what's wrong.

Almost.