chasing girl wonder

sauce on the side

"Jis, I don't think lining up through the front entrance is the best way to gatecrash this private party of the rich, spoiled brats," Lisa complained while having a smoke on the streetside across from L.I.L nightclub.

Tiger JK dropped her, Jisoo, Hyunjin, and Seulgi across the club after they had dinner and some pre-game at Tiger JK's place. When they were hanging out at the roof deck, Lisa did not mention a thing about what happened at lunch, and Jisoo nor Tiger JK brought it up either, knowing how Lisa never initiated conversations about such personal matters. Before leaving, Lisa stole a private moment with Tiger JK and asked everyone to go down to the garage and wait in the car while they were not yet done cleaning after themselves.

"Tig, have you always known about... Actually, never mind," Lisa started and ended, unsure how to ask the question that sounded silly in her head.

"Come on, Cub, I can tell something's eating at you." Tiger JK used an amicable tone that sounded careful pushing Lisa to continue talking. "What happened at lunch? You know our pack's pact. We don't tell another dog about stuff." He winked.

Languid-eyed, Lisa pressed her left hand over her right shoulder and swung her head back and forth. "Nothing, really. It's not important now."

Tiger JK hummed. "Later, it might be." He gestured at Lisa's head, "If you keep everything in there," then over to Lisa's chest, "or in there, you'll implode. That doesn't feel good."

Lisa hunched her shoulders which held so much tension that the hard squeezes she made were pointless. "It's just... Ae... I don't like her. I think she wants Suzy... I don't know. It's like Suzy's being groomed to be dad's successor or something. They never knew about Poached and Breathe and..." her voice trailed off when Tiger JK started shaking his head with a stern expression on his face.

"Sinn never told them about his side businesses." Tiger JK picked two glasses from the tray, poured a shot of whiskey in each, and handed one to Lisa. "Your dad never planned on telling them, but Ae overheard us talking one afternoon." He gazed up at the dark sky. "Maybe three months ago? Suzy's stood as the eldest, and Ae relies on her so much to, I don't know, sort of carry the family on her shoulders."

"Not even Nick?" The idea Lisa picked from what Tiger JK said made her nauseated about how easily she could turn soft with empathy for her estranged brother after everything.

Tiger JK clinked glasses with Lisa and both took the shot in two gulps. He spoke slowly, "Nick had his, let's say, fair share of teen angst growing up, so he wasn't the responsible one. But look, Poached, it's yours. The hotels? Yours. Non-negotiable."

The assurance freed Lisa's worries when all afternoon she carried the anxiety like an immovable boulder. She stopped massaging her shoulder and smiled a small one while looking at the ground.

"The culinary school is only your dad's excuse to delay passing the ownership to you. That's what he told Ae, so he has some fake buffer," Tiger said. "But really," he chuckled, "he just wants you to stay in Seoul longer."

The thought occurred to Lisa, but it was never validated until she heard it for the first time. It was as if she became acquaintances again with the feeling of missing her family. The intensity of yearning to be with her dad, her mom, Nichkhun, and Amara came somewhere deep, she had to fight hard so they would not come out as tears.

Tiger JK hissed. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but you're his favorite."

"He told me that before."