World of Stars | Season-1

10

"And you slapped her?" Jennie’s eyebrows shot up as she glanced at Jisoo in disbelief. "Are you out of your whole fu—" Jisoo clamped her hand over Jennie’s mouth before she could finish, muffling the expletive. Jennie had a talent for swearing, and Jisoo couldn’t understand how Jin, someone who couldn’t stand foul language, was still marrying her. He had to be absolutely crazy about her.

"Please," Jisoo groaned. "I already have a migraine." She removed her hand and caught a shirt that Jennie had tossed at her face. Jennie was supposed to be helping unpack, but she was more focused on messing with Jisoo.

"And what did that bas—I mean, Kim Taehyung—do?" Jennie snickered, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Jisoo sighed as she folded a jacket. "He wasn’t there."

Jennie huffed, crossing her arms. "It’s all his fault, you know. I told you he wasn’t good for you. The man was like a drug—addictive and toxic. I told you he wasn’t healthy. But noooo, you never—"

"Stop, Jen." Jisoo’s tone was soft but firm, cutting her off mid-rant. "He wasn’t bad. He was… the one for me, at least for a while. He would still be the person I’d choose if I had to go back in time. But sometimes… people change. And he changed. What hurt wasn’t that he wasn’t the right man. What hurt was that he didn’t even try to save us. That’s when he disappointed me."

There was a heavy pause. Jennie opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. The topic was too raw, and she knew when to back off.

"Is Lisa coming?" Jennie finally asked, desperate to change the subject.

"She is." Jisoo smiled, glad for the shift. "It’s been way too long since we had a girls’ night. But Jungkook’s coming too. We’re going to The Crown—I booked us a private suite."

Jennie frowned. "Jungkook? Why’s he coming? Doesn’t he have those crazy bike races or some video game tournament at night?"

Jisoo didn’t answer immediately. Jennie and Lisa didn’t know, but Jisoo had started to figure things out. She’d noticed how Jungkook went out of his way to spend time with Lisa. He would conveniently "drop by" with homemade food for her, claiming it was just leftovers. Everyone knew Lisa wasn’t a great cook, and Jungkook, conveniently now living nearby, seemed to make a habit of "helping out."

Jisoo smirked to herself. It wasn’t hard to see that Jungkook had a crush on Lisa.

Their friendship with Jungkook had begun by pure accident. One night, Jisoo, Jennie, and Lisa were out at a bar when a group of drunk men started harassing them. Jungkook, fresh from losing a match and already in a foul mood, stepped in and beat the daylights out of the troublemakers. Before the bar manager could kick him out, the girls helped him escape, laughing the entire way. That night, Jungkook’s gaze had fallen on Lisa—the giggly, doe-eyed beauty who was still tipsy from a few too many drinks.

From that point on, Jungkook became a permanent fixture in their lives. He quickly earned his spot as their "guy best friend," the one they could rely on for anything. None of them realized he had deeper feelings for Lisa—except Jisoo. But even with his crush, he adored Jennie and Jisoo, treating them like sisters. They had all become a tight-knit family of sorts, bonded by that chaotic night at the bar and the countless embarrassing moments that followed.

"You forgot what day it is, didn’t you?" Jisoo grinned, seeing Jennie’s confusion.

Jennie squinted, trying to remember, and then her eyes lit up. "Ohhh, it’s Masquerade Day!" She clapped her hands in delight.

Every Saturday at The Crown, the upscale hotel they were headed to, was Masquerade Day—a tradition where all guests wore masks. It was part of the allure, the mystery, and the fun of the night. No one knew who was who, adding an element of intrigue to the evening.

Too bad Jisoo had no idea what was about to happen. If she had, they would never have set foot in that hotel.