jenlisa one shots & short stories

Hold My Hand Real Quick

"You free tomorrow night?" Rosie says, leaning over the back of the sofa and hooking her chin over Lisa's shoulder.

"Just let me check my busy social calendar," Lisa says drily, not looking up from her laptop where she's scrolling through secondhand furniture listings. "Hmm, I think I can squeeze you in."

"Cool, then you can be my plus-one to the premiere of Jennie's new movie! She has a proper supporting role and an action scene and everything!" Rosie said, flapping a piece of paper in her face.

"What's this?" Lisa grabs the piece of paper and smoothes it out over the keyboard. "Movie screening and afterparty - oooh, do you think there will be canapes?"

"Fancy ones, and an open bar," Rosie says gleefully.

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Lisa says.

She's never been to the premiere of a movie before. And unlike Rosie, who'd stayed close with Jennie throughout her rise to fame, Lisa had never even known her that well to begin with.

After graduating from their performing arts high school, Rosie had started out as a teacher and eventually landed a solid gig as an idol choreographer.

Graduating one year earlier, Lisa had auditioned at several companies and made it pretty far as a back-up dancer - good enough to be in MVs, good enough to go on several worldwide tours, never short of work - but in the end the pay wasn't great and the job security was even worse. Sooner or later, the odds were on her body giving out and then what would she have left to show for her efforts? So when Rosie had told her about a teaching position at a pretty reputable dance studio in Seoul, she'd leapt at the offer.

Meanwhile, Jennie had gone from modelling to tv dramas to movies, apparently without any hitches at all. Not that Lisa's unhappy with her life choices, but the contrast is so huge. Jennie's now apparently the next big thing, while Lisa's sharing a tiny apartment with Rosie and looking through online classifieds for a decent chair.

When premiere night rolls around, Lisa rummages through her meagre collection of clothes half a dozen times and in the end gives up. Skinny jeans and a black shirt will have to do. She'd arrived in Seoul just days ago without much more than a suitcase and a few bags, still finding her feet after years spent mostly on the road - fashion would have to wait.

"Like it matters anyway," Rosie says dismissively. "It's not as though Jennie's going to care what you're wearing."

Lisa blinks. "Why would she, she barely even knows me. Anyway, it's easy for you to say," she says, poking Rosie in the arm. "You have lots of clothes to choose from. Don't think I didn't see you trying out different outfits all day. Hoping to get your photo in the fashion blogs, huh?"

Rosie has the grace to blush a little.

The movie is terrible - it's a horror movie and she spends the whole time peeking out from behind her fingers and waiting for it to be over - but thankfully the food and drinks at the afterparty are amazing. Her new job doesn't start for another week, and her next paycheck won't hit her bank account for another week after that. Fancy little bits of food on toothpicks aren't exactly the most filling thing ever, but it definitely makes a nice change from the tedium of cup ramen.

So she shamelessly loads up her plate at the buffet, ignoring the wide-eyed and somewhat judgemental stare of the woman next to her, and snags a glass of champagne to start. She's steadily working her way through both when someone taps her on the shoulder. "Hey, Rosie," Lisa starts to say as she turns around, still chewing on a mouthful of kimbap.

"Hello! I'm so happy you made it!" Jennie Kim says in apparent delight, movie star gorgeous, impeccable in her designer suit.

Lisa nearly chokes on her kimbap, suddenly very aware that she's wearing a pair of Converse with holes in the soles. "Uh, Jennie, hi," she says, when she get her breath back. "It's been a while, huh?"