Apartment 34 // Jenlisa

Chapter 22

"You're quiet. Everything okay?"

Lisa scoots over to where Chaeyoung is sitting on their living room floor – Jennie's head in her lap and Leo squeezed between the blonde's stomach and the Korean's face.
They all had been rather silent since they arrived back at apartment 34 – Lisa's best friend tagging along without a word because it wasn't needed. They were all sad about Jisoo's departure and some a little more than others.

"I'm fine.", Chaeyoung mumbles and tickles Leo's furry stomach – watching him closely so she doesn't have to look at Lisa. She knows that the Thai girl can read her like a book anyway.

It's silent again for another moment and then Jennie speaks up, surprising the other two with her statement.

"She really likes you, you know." Her feline eyes flicker over Chaeng's face and stay there, even though the blonde is still solely looking at the kitten in her lap.
"I don't think I've ever seen Chu act the way she did with you, with anyone else before."

Lisa bites her lip and watches her best friend who just nods – far away and lost in her own thoughts.
Jennie sights and brings her body into a sitting position – careful not to disturb the small cat beside her.

"Did something happen between the both of you that you didn't tell us?", Lisa asks further – knowing very well that Chaeyoung hates these kinds of interrogations, but she can feel that there's something her best friend is bottling up inside and it seems to be eating her alive. So she pushes, because she knows that Chaeyoung needs to get this off her chest – even if she doesn't know that yet.

The silence that follows is answer enough. Jennie sends her a pointed look and raises an eyebrow – as if to warn her not to overstep boundaries, but Lisa knows Chaeyoung and she knows that there's no such thing in their friendship, so she gives it another try.

"Chaeng?"

"I kissed her.", the blonde girl answers after a heartbeat – biting the insides of her cheeks. She has a premonition of what might happen next and she's proven right when Jennie turns her whole body in her direction – a little frown appearing on her forehead.
Meanwhile Lisa looks rather pleased – but she stops her attempt for a high-five when she's met with two pairs of serious eyes.

"Do you like her too?"

Jennie's question is straight forward, and yet her voice is still somewhat soft. Nonetheless, it's the first time Lisa finds her rather intimidating and she's not sure if she finds it scary or hot. She decides that it's a bit of both.

Her attention is back on her best friend when Chaeyoung clears her throat – her eyes fixed on Jennie's again.

"I know what you're up to Jennie, and it's honorable but I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly what you want to hear. Yes, I do like Jisoo and no I would never want to hurt her, but still I can't lie about the fact that for these past few days she's more or less been a distraction for me. A very welcome and beautiful one, don't get me wrong – but my breakup was only some weeks ago and there's still a lot I need to work through before I can get involved with someone new."

"Okay.", Jennie returns and squints – never breaking eye contact with the blonde girl beside her.
"Guess that's fair. Does Jisoo know that?"

"I don't know. But it's not like she was being serious about us as well, right? It was just flirting."

Jennie presses her lips together and rocks her entire upper body back and forth a few times.

"Probably. I still think you should let her know. With Lisa and me being together, the two of you will most likely have to deal with each other for a long time and-." "Forever, you mean.", Lisa perks in and Jennie sends her a smile and a fake-annoyed eyeroll. "Forever. Of course, babe.", she repeats the Thai girl's words, before turning her attention back to Chaeyoung. "Just... don't get her hopes up, please. She might act like she's all fearless and invulnerable, but she's not."

"Jennie...", Chaeng sights and places a hand on top of the Korean's shoulder. "I would never intentionally hurt someone and certainly not someone I like and most definitely not someone who means a lot to Lisa as well. I know we've not known each other long enough for you to be sure about that, but I reassure you that I'm not like that, so please, don't worry."

She squeezes the Korean's shoulder to support her statement as Jennie sends her an apologetic look.

"Alright.", she mumbles and lifts her own hand to cover Chaeyoung's – brushing her thumb over the other girl's knuckles. "I'm sorry it's just-." "I know.", the blonde girl confirms in a hushed voice. "I would do the same if the roles were reversed."

They both nod and smile at each other – a deep understanding for one another visible in their facial expressions.

"Awww look at that.", Lisa's cooing voice rings out – making the two other girls look over at puzzled. "My two best girls sorting out issues and deepening their relationship, like the adults I know they are underneath all these layers."

"Oi, what do you mean 'underneath all these layers', Lalisa Manoban?", Chaeyoung snorts and points her index finger at her best friend threateningly.

"Yeah but really. Explain yourself woman!", Jennie adds and slides over to where her girlfriend is leaning back into the couch. She reaches up and grabs the pillow closest to her, before swinging it dangerously close to Lisa's head.

Lisa defensively holds up both her hands in front of her face and squeals: "Please, no, have mercy."

But before she knows, Chaeyoung's on her feet as well – supporting Jennie by hitting her with another pillow as well.
Lisa tries to dodge them and swat away the cushions, but it's two against one and she doesn't really stand a chance, so she eventually gives up – soft chuckles escaping her mouth when she lets them throw the soft items at her without resistance.

"Just so you both know.", she laughs in between hits. "This fully confirms my point."

The cackled 'shut up's and the laughs she gets in return are in sync by the other girls and Lisa doesn't think she's ever heard a better sound in her life.