Neverland

future of happiness all in your hands

"Mino," Jennie said curtly over the phone, hand on her hip and foot tapping like an irritated teacher.

"Jennie," Mino sounded sad, voice thick like he had just been crying. "Oh, I'm glad you called. I have to tell you something."

"Is it that you invited my mother who I haven't talked to since she left me as a child, to my wedding?" Jennie practically squeaked out the last part, her voice getting higher and higher as the sentence went on.

"I didn't think it would be a problem!" Mino said over the phone, his voice apologetic. "I thought it would be a fun surprise."

"Fun surprise? Fun. Surprise?" Jennie looked over her shoulder at where Mama and Jisoo were having what looked like a stiff conversation. "What about this situation seemed fun to you?"

"I'm sorry," Mino said, voice cracking. "I'm really sorry, Jennie. I was trying to get a hold of her to tell her the wedding was-" Jennie could hear him start crying. "-to tell her the wedding was off but she must have already been on the plane."

Jennie covered her face with her hand and groaned. Fighting Mino right now wasn't worth it. Mama was here, even if Jennie didn't want her to be, and even if she was here for a wedding that wasn't happening anymore, there was no easy way to get rid of her.

"Okay, well, you're just lucky I'm not seeing her as I'm walking down the aisle," Jennie sighed.

Mino chuckled breathily. "Yeah, I guess this is better...somehow."

Jennie's heart ached as regret, and self doubt made her wonder if she'd made the right choice. She started softly, "Mino, I-"

"It's okay," Mino said quickly. She heard some sniffling and rustling before he spoke again. "Can you- can I drop off the stuff you left at my place this week?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Jennie nodded, before she remembered that he couldn't see her. "Yeah, you know where to find me."

"Alright. Bye, Jennie."

Mino hung up before Jennie could say goodbye, and she quietly slipped her phone back into her back pocket. When she turned back around, she saw Lisa and Mama sitting in a booth by themselves. Jisoo was...gone, and Rosie must have gone with her. For once Jennie wished she'd stayed.

Lisa had both of her elbows on the table leaning towards Bohyun, soft attentive smile on her face, and Bohyun looked younger than she had when she first walked into the bar.

Jennie slowly walked over to the booth, sitting herself as close to Lisa as possible. Adjusting in the booth so that she could look at Jennie and Bohyun at the same time, Lisa smiled down at Jennie briefly before Bohyun pulled her attention away.

"I just can't believe," Bohyun shook her head and looked starry eyed at Lisa, chin propped up on her fist. "After all this time." She gently ran her fingers down Lisa's jaw. "Just the sweet little kid that would always come to me in my window...turned into a beautiful woman."

Lisa actually blushed, ducking her head at Bohyun's compliment, and Jennie didn't even think before pulling Lisa's arm against her chest.

"You know, for a long time I thought it was just a figment of my imagination, Neverland. It felt impossible that I could actually be happy somewhere."

"Mama, where did Jisoo go?" Jennie's heart ached just looking at her. A woman she had hoped and dreamed would walk back into her life when she was growing up but now-

Jennie wasn't entirely sure how to feel. She had missed her mother terribly, there was no reason to deny that. For years Jennie longed for her Mama to come walking back into her life, much like she had tonight, but she was about five years too late. The years of dreaming had only led to bitterness. Yes, deep down she just wanted to hold her and cry and tell her she'd missed her, but she was also all over Lisa, and Jennie definitely did not like that.