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

Out

The last event before everyone goes home for Christmas is a press event; pretty much nobody is looking forward to it. Essentially, the last event before they can all relax involves dressing perfectly, smiling a lot and being polite to everyone, none of which any of the cast are particularly eager to do.

The event is a large party, with a whole host of journalists and cameras. The cast and crew swaps between tables, answering similar questions from each little group of interviewers. It's tedious, and most of the crew are anxious to get the whole thing over as soon as possible so they can get back to their families.

Rosie's taking it the worst. She's always hated the idea that actresses have to be at their best 100% of the time. Lisa had a war with her this morning, when they tried to fit Rosie into her dress and tame her hair. It didn't work – her hair still manages to be somehow vaguely tangled and her dress a little crumpled.

The two link arms, fully prepared to spend the whole evening together whispering quips in each other's ears, but fate once again gets in the way, and Lisa is strictly told that she has to spend the whole evening with Jennie. Great. Just what she wanted.

Rosie grins. "Well, Lisa, I guess I'll see you later," she says, backing away.

"If you leave me here with her, I swear I'm cutting you out of my will," she hisses, but Rosie's already gone.

"Hey, Lisa." Jennie appears out of nowhere, scratching the back of her head.

She doesn't look half bad. She looks well in her girl-suit and tie, with her sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Wait, did she just think Jennie was attractive? Okay, back track, back track.

She scowls. "Hey, Jennie."

"Let's get this over with," she says, offering her her arm.

Lisa doesn't take it.

Her arm awkwardly hovers in the air and she slides her arm up so her hand can scratch the back of her head again. Smooth.

"Expect a ridiculous amount of questions on the nature of our relationship," Lisa says under her breath.

"Send me a sign and I'll pull the fire alarm and get us all out of here," Jennie mutters.

A smile threatens to tug at Lisa's lips. "You'd get arrested for the waste of emergency services," she says, matter-of-factly.

"Worth it to get out of this."

She's not smiling. She's definitely not smiling.

You'd have to put her at gun point to make her admit it, but Lisa's not having an awful time at the press event. The interviewers ask inane questions, of course, but Jennie keeps making quips under her breath that definitely aren't funny. In fact, they're so not funny she's having trouble stopping herself from laughing.

Finally, their interview stint is done with and they start milling around amongst everyone else, holding glasses of champagne and talking with the guests.

"Look, I gotta go," she says to Jennie. "I've got to find Rosie and make sure she hasn't accidentally slipped a laxative into an unsuspecting journalist's drink."

"Would she do that?" Jennie says, raising an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't put it past her," she says. Before she can think about what she's going to say next, she says "See you later."

It's not until she's moved a few steps before she realises what she's said. See you later??? Did she just imply that she wanted to see her again? Had she just enjoyed the two hours she'd spent in Jennie's company?

Nope, end this thought process, right here. She's not going to think about that. She's going to find Rosie, and she's not going to think about this.

She cranes her neck, searching the crowd for her cousin, but in the swathe of people she can't see her. Lisa scouts the hall, sliding her away through all the different people. She stands on her tip-toes, and finally spots Rosie talking to Kai.

She hurries over towards them, and gets there just in time to hear something she hoped would never happen.

"You're gay?!" Kai blurts.

Oh, no.

This can't be happening.

The hall falls silent and somehow all eyes – and all cameras – turn to the two of them.

Rosie blinks and takes a step back. "No. I'm not gay. Why would you-"

"I saw you and Jisoo, that camera woman, kissing."

Suddenly the room is a flurry of action, the journalists are crowding Rosie and people are shouting questions at her. They push in front of Lisa, and she tries to get through to her cousin, but people jostle her and she's pushed out of the way.

Rosie stands in the midst of it all, looking for all the world like a deer caught in headlights, trying to speak but letting out no more than stutter. Rosie Park, who always had a word to say about everything, who always had a quip or a pun to make, who talked faster than light when you got her started, was rendered unable to speak.

Lisa starts to get mad, frantically pushing people to the side so that she can get to her cousin, when she feels a hand on her shoulder. It's Jennie.

"I'll get the cameras out the way, you just get Rosie out of here," she says.

And then she yells. "EVERYONE OUT, NOW."

Her voice is surprisingly loud for someone so small, and everyone turns to look at her. "This is one interview you're not going to get," she says firmly, when everyone's eyes are on her.

Jennie begins to usher all the cameras out of there, snapping at any disgruntled journalists that dare protest. As soon as they begin to move, Lisa darts towards Rosie and pulls her out of the crowd.

"C'mon," she says. "We'll get you back to your room. Let's go."

She pulls Rosie away and out of the room. The girl barely makes any acknowledgement that they're leaving, she just keeps staring straight ahead, her face blank.

As they leave, Lisa turns to see Jennie staring straight at her. She nods, and then turns back to the crowd, pushing the last few out the door.