Jennie
Two things that I learn from my trip to the Manoban apartment:
One, Mina and Bambam are adorable. I stayed at their place an hour longer than expected as they rattled off rapid-fire ideas and Lisa supplied me with cool, cucumber-infused water.
Two, Lisa Manoban is going to be a thorn in my side.
Not only is she cynical, aloof, and incredibly distracting in her expensive suits and stacked arms, but she is also actively seeking to destroy my assignment.
Well, she can keep dreaming. Because I'm a woman on a mission. I take notes at the meeting. I take notes all through the night. I take notes on the plane days later as we stall before take-off.
I'm doodling ceremony arrangements and trying to ignore the plastic, recycled-air smell as the captain's voice crackles over the intercom. "This is flight 215 to Jeju. All remaining passengers please take your seats so we can take off on time."
"Excuse me, miss, I believe you're sitting in my seat."
I snap my head up. Ren stands like a long-limbed egret perched over my row.
I screech with joy, jump out of my seat, and fling my arms around his shoulders. "Oh my God, I'm so glad you're here. You're my superman. What would I do without you?"
"Luckily for you, my dear, you never have to know the answer to that. I'm like glitter. You can never really get rid of me." Ren presses a kiss to my cheek.
"And me! I'm here too!" Sweet-as-pie Nayeon peeks out behind the Goliath that is Ren. She's balancing three different bags like an ant, small but mighty.
I don't hug her for fear of toppling her over, but a grin spreads across my face. Anxiety that I didn't realise I was holding in my chest melts away like old feathers. "The gang is all here." I say. A pound of pressure falls from my shoulders. I don't have to do this alone.
"You look terrible, Jennie. Have you gotten any sleep?"
"Who needs sleep when you can fill out Excel spreadsheets instead?" Then a thought comes to me and prompts a frown. "Did Jessi send you to babysit me?"
"Oof, no, nothing so cavalier." Ren replies. He sidles past me and folds himself like origami into the window seat. Nayeon shoves all the bags in the overhead before clambering into the seat behind us. "Think of me as your very dapper chaperone. Speaking of dapper." Ren leans in conspiratorially. "Eye candy in first class, ten o'clock."
I follow Ren's gaze, and I groan. "Not just any eye candy." I whisper back, equally conspiratorial. "That's our bride's elder sibling..."
