An Unlikely Love Affair

6 - The Guest

IRENE

"Sunbaenim, How... what are you..."

Lisa displayed the same confused, wide eyed expression she had that night in the photobooth, only this time she didn't look away. She just kept on blinking, probably making sure I'm not a figment of her imagination.

"I remember telling you not to call me that."

Judging by the vivid blush on her cheeks and the way her words dragged, I can tell she's had one too many at the party. Her laden eyes were fixed on me even when Jennie appeared.

"Lisa, how many times have I told you to just order out? You're going to burn this kitchen to the ground if you continue playing cook." She was fixing her outfit to go see Kai.

"Oh and Irene unnie's staying over so please accompany her while I go out for a bit."

This caused a change in Lisa's countenance. She broke her gaze and faced Jennie.

"Where are you going?" She spoke seriously but with a slight slur.

"Wait. Are you drunk?" Jennie ignored the question and walked closer to her.

She scrunched up her nose immediately after inhaling their maknae's scent. "You definitely have had your fill, Lisa. You know you get loaded easily."

"And wipe that lipstick mark off your face. Whose is that anyway?" Jennie's mouth twisted with distaste.

"Where are you going?" Lisa repeated, stressing every word. "I thought you said CEO Yang doesn't want us going out late."

"Kai wants to show me something. I won't be long."

Lisa scoffed and threw the burnt pancakes in the trash.

"Can you take care of Irene unnie while I'm gone or do I need to ask Jis..."

"She doesn't need to be taken care of but ok, I will. It's not my first time to do so while you go have fun with your boyfriend." She cut off Jennie wryly and turned her back.

Lisa seemed to be straining to keep her cool, there's no hiding the indignation on her face. Jennie, on the other hand, obviously had no desire to argue as she didn't respond to Lisa's remark and just left after hugging me goodbye.

"I swear to God if I hear that name one more time, my ears will bleed." Lisa muttered to herself.

"I smell something burning." I pointed out, partly to divert her attention and mainly because I did smell something burning.

"Oh shit!" She cursed as she tried to save the indistinguishable thing that I assumed to be pancakes, which unsurprisingly ended up in the trash with its predecessor.

"Aish. We'll just have to order out, sun..." She glanced at me and hesitated when I lifted an eyebrow.

"Nie..." She finished.

"Huh? Sunnie? Yah!" I burst out laughing.

She looked embarrassed but her mood seemed to lighten with my reaction.

"I meant unnie. I'm sorry. I forgot then I remembered you asking me not to call you that, so I sort of panicked and mixed it all up." She scratched the back of her neck while she explained.

"Ah seriously. You're funny." I chuckled and instinctively rubbed off the lipstick mark Jennie had brought to attention earlier. I could tell she was taken by surprise, seeing that she flinched slightly under my touch but other than that, she remained rather collected, very unlike the Lisa I was with on Halloween.

"Let's just order food, unnie or we can go out. There's a nearby convenience store or we can go back to that ramyun place. I know how to drive. We don't have to walk this time."