Book 2: Don't you know its dangerous to ignite a fire in space [Jenlisa]

Chapter 4: Fanning the Flames

"What's going on with you and Jennie recently?" Rosé asked Lisa half an hour into their run on the treadmills.

Just like Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé and Lisa made an effort to have breakfast together every day, the younger girls made it a point to do their daily workout together. Unlike the two older ones who did the daily minimum to maintain muscle mass, Rosé and Lisa genuinely shared an interest for exercise and enjoyed pushing one another to do better. They were similar in build, height, strength and stamina, which made them excellent workout buddies and sparring partners.

However, unlike Rosé who was a natural and avid runner, Lisa hated running with a passion. She would skip it over other forms of cardio whenever she could, which explained why three miles in, she was now starting to feel the effects of Rosé's 6:00 pace per kilometre.

"What do you mean?" Lisa panted, trying her best to remain nonchalant but even on her best day and in her best condition, she was not a good liar. At the moment, she was focussed on trying to keep her breathing even and keep up with Rosé, which made her tell-tale signs all the more obvious – the twitch of the lip, the shoulder shrug, the brush of hand over her bangs to hide her face.

Very casually, Rosé dialled up her pace to a 5:30, and had to hide a grin when Lisa very reluctantly dialled hers up three seconds later. What Lisa lacked in skill, she made up for with a fierce competitive spirit and stubborn determination.

"She's not here. And everyone knows you two reserve your Fridays for fight training."

A few months ago, Jennie had somehow been caught in the middle of a brawl that had broken out during a parcel exchange. Luckily for her, she had been whisked away by the team on duty before she could receive any bodily harm. However, that one incident had been enough for Lisa to insist that she learn basic self-defence and weaponry, hence the commencement of their Fight Fridays and Weapons Wednesdays.

"She's sleeping." Lisa grunted, boots thudding heavily on the whirring belt under her feet.

"I never knew she was the type to take naps."

"She's not but she didn't sleep much yesterday."

Rosé was impressed that her friend managed to get out so many words this time.

"Ooooh." She gave Lisa a lascivious brow wiggle. "Someone's been busy."

The bitter snort that came out from Lisa was unlike her. "As if. She was with Kai. For business." She added the last part, anticipating her friend's question.

Rosé glanced at her in interest. "How did that go?"

Lisa merely shrugged as a response, which in no way answered Rosé's question. "What does that mean? You're too winded to talk or you don't know." She laughed when Lisa shot her a glare. She was starting to visibly struggle with the new pace.

"Can we talk later?" Lisa finally wheezed out after half a minute, "when I'm not dying?"

Rosé laughed again and reached over to slap her friend on the arm. "You're so out of shape."

"I'm not out of shape you twat!" She got out in between heavy breaths. "I just can't run while talking." She looked like she wanted to say more but seemed to have lost the breath to defend herself further, which of course led to Rosé laughing at her expense even more. Very deliberately, she increased her pace to a blistering 5:00 that Lisa was wise enough to not try to follow. She still had five miles to go and knew her body well enough to not push it past its limits.

Forty-five minutes later, she was sprawled out like a starfish on her mat, chest heaving from the most intense run she had been on in three months. Above her, Rosé smiled smugly at her as she dabbed at her face with a towel, looking fresh as a daisy. "Yep, you're definitely out of shape."