Jennie
Lisa is as stiff as ever. She's in first class, of course, while the rest of us squeeze like sardines back in coach. She's dressed in an ash-grey suit and a stark white shirt, and, I have to admit, I get a sudden flash of memory: drawing my fingers through her tight, wavy hair as I guide her down between my legs...
No. Bad thoughts. I scatter them. She's sitting next to Mina, who is rattling on and pulling out what looks like every item in her bag, tossing the contents in her lap. Lisa, as always, looks patiently miserable.
"She is going to drop the panties of every bridesmaid." Nayeon sighs wistfully as she pops her head over the back of Ren's seat.
I want to tell them that Lisa already has dropped panties. Mine, in particular. I'm a terrible secret keeper, and it's clawing at the back of my throat like a bad allergy. But I keep that dirty little nugget to myself for the time being. Especially when our shameless staring attracts the attention of the staree, who glances over her shoulder and locks eyes with us.
"Oh shit." I grab my blueprint and start tracing lines with my pen. "We've been spotted. Look busy."
Ren grabs his Margaret Atwood novel and cracks it open. We're both intently looking intent when my paper goes dark with a familiar shadow.
"Jennie Kim." Lisa's voice is caramel smooth and just as tasty. There's an ever-elusive hint of a smile on her lips. "We have to stop meeting like this. People will talk."
"Oh, well, you know." I flick my pen between my fingers. "It's not that strange, actually. We're all going to the same place, so..."
"I haven't a damn single clue what we're going to find at Bambam's family home in Jeju." she starts. Lisa's hand clutches the back of my seat, making her incredibly close. "Do you?"
"You know. Just the best of what Jeju has to offer. Old-school farmhouse... from what he's told me, it's supposed to be insanely cute."
"Right." Lisa's eyes flicker over to Ren, and she extends a hand. "Lisa Manoban. I don't believe we've met."
"We haven't. Ren Choi."
"And Nayeon!"
"Are you Jennie's plus one, then?" Lisa doesn't let go of Ren's hand. Instead, her eyes glint like a freshly sharpened blade. Is she... possessive?
"Not quite." Ren smiles. "I'm her..."
"Assistant." I blurt out quickly before he can call me his babysitter. "Ren and Nayeon are my assistants."
Ren shoots me a death glare for the demotion. I apologise with pleading eyes. Just let me have this one.
Immediately, Lisa softens. She withdraws the guns, releasing Ren's grip, and her smile warms. "Glad to have you. This wedding is going to be a train wreck. I imagine Jennie can use all the help she can get."
"That's what I'm here for..." Ren says, with his voice sickly sweet. "Whatever my buttercup Jennie needs."
"Has she told you that I plan to sabotage the wedding?" Lisa is as blunt and forward as a mallet to the face, and it catches me off guard. Worse, she smiles as she says it, wearing a deceptively charming wolf-in-the-woods grin.
"We were just getting to that." I say brusquely.
"In that case, Ms. Manoban, you have your work cut out for you." Ren says. "We can design a postcard wedding in our sleep."
"So... hey." I add. "I think first class is calling. All grumpy and wedding sabotage-thinking butts, please return to your seats."
Ren adds, "Please adjust the stick in your ass to the upright position."
"Is this your version of trash-talking?" Lisa asks. "It's adorable."
I cover my mouth with my hand and mimic the crackling of the captain's radio. "This is your captain speaking. Be aware that we will be offering complimentary disparaging comments that no one asked for."
"With a side of entitled arrogance." Ren adds.
"Let's be clear." Lisa drops her voice, and it's as though a dark cloud has enveloped our little gathering. Her eyes pin on mine, and I shiver at the chill that ripples through me. "I'm going to eat you alive, Kim. Then I'm going to use this one..." A nod to Ren. "... as a toothpick to clean my teeth when I'm finished with you."
"What about me?" Nayeon says.
"You, little puppy, I'll save for dessert." She winks at Nayeon, and I'm pretty sure that my blush has taken over not only my face, but also my neck and entire body.
"This was fun." Lisa says, with those steel blues on me again. She smiles and the cabin warms once more, as though she has the very mercury in the thermometer under her control. "Let's do it again sometime."
Lisa re-enters first class. It occurs to me that she might actually be a psychopath.
"That's right, run away!" Nayeon pipes up. "And take your nice, tight butt with you!"
"Nayeon, no. It's over. Sit." I gently push her shoulder, and she sits back down.
"She's going to be a handful." Ren huffs.
"Yes, well. I've got two hands." I remind him. "Lisa Manoban doesn't scare me."
"Wouldn't mind getting my two hands on her..." Ren murmurs dreamily. "Are we sure she bats for your team?"
I flick on the cold air vent above us and point it directly at him.
While Ren cools his heels in a time-out and Nayeon chitters behind us, I turn my attention back to the blue print of the Bhuwakul estate. I already have a rustic wooden arbour planned out beside the farmhouse. I imagine that Jeju sun steaming down on Mina as she flaunts a boho-chic wedding dress and a flower crown.
My chest swells and my nerves decorate themselves with war paint. I'm not going to let anything, not even Lisa Manoban, come between me and my perfect wedding.
