Lisa
The team stood on the outskirts of the room as the Kim family sat around an immaculate table, eating a dinner that probably cost more than most people make in a week. Jennie was an absolute ghost. She was empty and lifeless, going through the motions, void of any joy. She didn't eat a bite of dinner and could barely muster more than a courtesy smile much less hold a conversation.
"We've got to figure out what's wrong with our girl. She's hurting something fierce Doc. You've got to fix this." Marcus said.
"I know, but I don't know what the fuck I did." Lisa said through clenched teeth.
"Try to get her alone during the cocktail hour after dinner. She won't make a scene here and might stand still enough to hear you out." Bambam offered.
Jin stood from the table and headed toward them, clearly picking up on Jennie's sudden change in demeanour. "What the hell happened while we were gone? Something's seriously wrong with Jennie," Jin said as he casually joined the group.
"We are trying to figure out the same thing." Marcus answered.
"She's pissed at me about something, but I can't figure out what it is." Lisa admitted.
With his brows lowered, Jin turned over his shoulder and eyed Jennie carefully. "I'll get her to come talk to you during the cocktail reception. I can't stand to see her like this and she needs to forgive you for whatever petty bullshit she's mad about. She's fucking adores you man." Jin said to Lisa.
Lisa's heart swelled at Jin's words and she was beyond grateful to have Jennie's brother in her corner. Jennie and Jin were as thick as thieves and if anyone would be able to get through to her, it would be Jin. With her heart in her throat, Lisa watched the family finish up their dinner and saw Jin pull Jennie aside. At first Jennie was stone faced and silent, but something Jin said must have triggered her to finally open up to him because her mouth started moving a hundred miles an hour. Angry expressions and pain-filled eyes were all Lisa could focus on as Jennie spoke to Jin and just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, Jin turned around with his sights set on Lisa, looking just as pissed as Jennie. Jin took heavy steps toward Lisa, with his fists balled as if he were going to throw a punch.
"Shit." Hoony muttered as he intercepted Jin, subtly holding him in place as Jin glared at Lisa.
Holy fucking shit what the hell is going on?
After a few seconds, Hoony seemed to have talked Jin off the ledge and patted Jin on the shoulder, sending him back toward Jennie by the bar. "She heard you." Hoony said to Lisa.
"Huh?" Lisa asked, visibly confused.
"She fucking heard you Lisa. She went to put her shoes outside and overheard your conversation with Don." Hoony clarified. All of the blood rushed from Lisa's face and she felt like her knees were going to give out.
No... please God no.
"Fuck." Marcus muttered under his breath.
"I've got to go talk to her." Lisa said, with her feet already moving and Marcus and Hoony following close behind. Jin had his arm around Jennie at the bar and was talking down into her ear when Lisa approached. To be honest she wouldn't have blamed Jin if he turned around and decked her. In fact, she would put her arms behind her back and allow it because quite frankly, she deserved it.
"Will you let me explain Jennie?" Lisa said softly from behind. Jennie turned and narrowed her eyes at Lisa before she stepped forward out of Jin's hold with steel in her spine and fire in her blood. "You've said enough, Lisa," she said coldly.
Please don't do this Jennie. Please let me explain.
"You don't understand. The things I said on the phone... they weren't true. I had to lie to my boss so he'd let me stay. I had to lie. If he knew we were romantically involved he was going to send me home and I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't leave you. I still can't."
Her eyes softened slightly for a brief second, then hardened again with more anger behind them than before. "And the other part? The gathering intel from the financial records in my office. That was a lie too right? You haven't really been using your proximity to me to gather information for your job?"
Fucking shit. Of course you'd ask me that.
Lisa sucked in a hard breath and let it out slowly as she ran her hand backward through her hair before she delivered her verbal blow. "That part was true." Lisa finally admitted, bracing herself for what was about to come next.
"So you were lying to your boss about me... and you were lying to me about your boss. That only means one thing to me Lisa. It means you're a liar. You used me." Her voice cracked as she said the word used and it completely broke Lisa.
"Jennie my feelings for you are real. It's all real to me. You've got to believe me baby, Please. I lied because I knew if I didn't I'd be sent home and I'm not ready to leave you. I can't physically be away from you Jennie. You're right, I should have told you about the intel, I should have and I'll make it up to you I swear, but my feelings for you are real. They weren't driven by anything else, I promise you Jennie." Lisa was begging, grovelling, pleading with Jennie to believe her.
"Then prove it." she said flatly, taking a step toward Lisa.
I'll do anything to prove it to you Jennie, just name it.
"Just tell me how and I'll do it." Lisa said with hope in her voice.
Taking another step forward Jennie closed the space between them and looked up at Lisa with an intense stare that seemed to burn right through her. "Kiss me. Right here in front of all these people. If you really want a future with me and your feelings are what you say they are, kiss me in front of your team, my family, the reporters... everyone. No more hiding... just be with me."
Anything, but that Jennie.
Don's words flooded Lisa's mind and she panicked. She fucking panicked. There wasn't one rational cell in her body at the moment as she tried to calculate the weight of her actions. If another photo came across Don's desk, Don was going to lose his shit and pull her from the op. If Richard saw them kissing from across the room, he'd lose his shit and fire Lisa. Kissing Jennie meant she'd have to leave her - she might even be banned from seeing her depending on how angry Richard was. Lisa wasn't ready for that, she couldn't do it.
Jennie stared up at Lisa, waiting for her response and Lisa hated herself for the words that were about to come out of her mouth. "I can't." Lisa could barely get the words out, they were so painful to say.
Please forgive me baby... let me explain.
Jennie stumbled backwards as if Lisa's words had struck her. She clutched her abdomen and her shoulders caved as the air left her lungs in one loud whoosh from her lips. Lisa hated herself in that moment. She saw the intense undiluted pain in her eyes and hated herself for putting it there.
"Please let me explain Jennie... I can't because..."
She cut her off before she could say another word. "I don't want to hear your explanation Lisa. You've made your choice." she said in a shaky voice that shredded Lisa's heart.
"But I..."
"Enough..." Jennie snarled as she straightened her posture and regained her composure as she looked around and remembered where she was.
"You were supposed to be different Lisa... but you are just like them."
Rubbing her hand across her chest, Lisa physically felt Jennie's words slam into her heart and they fucking hurt, but she deserved it.
Jennie turned to leave before Lisa could explain, before she could react, before she could find the words to say. Dread filled her heart and the colour drained from her face as she came to one terrifying realisation.
Oh my fucking God... I just lost Jennie.
