Love Wins All (Chaesoo Fluffs)

17. A Hug

The beat of the music thumped through the dance studio, filling the space with energy and rhythm. Lisa moved through the choreography with practiced precision, her body flowing with each beat. But her mind was elsewhere. The events of last night, seeing Jennie and Irene together, had left her feeling confused and unsettled.

"Lisa, you're off today," Minnie said, noticing her distraction. She placed a hand on Lisa's shoulder, concern etched on her face.

Lisa sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, sorry. Just... a lot on my mind."

Minnie nodded understandingly. "Want to talk about it?"

Before Lisa could respond, their friends Bambam, Sorn, and Ten, who had been practicing nearby, paused their routines and gathered around.

"Lisa, what's up? You seem off," Bambam said, his brow furrowed with worry.

"Yeah, spill the tea," Sorn added, giving Lisa an encouraging smile.

Ten nodded. "We're here for you."

Lisa took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their concern. "I think... I think I might have feelings for Jennie."

There was a moment of stunned silence before Bambam broke into a wide grin. "Finally! We've all been wondering when you'd realize it."

Sorn chuckled. "Seriously, Lisa. We kind of saw this coming."

Ten placed a reassuring hand on Lisa's shoulder. "You should tell her how you feel. It's better than keeping it inside."

Minnie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, call her. Let her know."

Encouraged by her friends, Lisa pulled out her phone and stepped away from the group, taking a deep breath before dialing Jennie's number. Her heart pounded as she waited for Jennie to pick up.

"Hey, Lisa!" Jennie's cheerful voice came through the line, making Lisa's heart flutter. "What's up?"

"Hey, Jennie. I just... wanted to talk to you about something," Lisa said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Oh, perfect timing! I was just about to call you," Jennie said excitedly. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"I have a date tonight!"

Lisa's heart sank, the words catching in her throat. "Oh... that's great, Jennie. Who's the lucky person?"

"It's this guy I met at a party last weekend. He seems really nice," Jennie replied, her voice bubbling with excitement.

"That's... that's awesome. I'm happy for you," Lisa managed to say, forcing a smile even though Jennie couldn't see it.

"Thanks, Lisa! You're the best. I’ll tell you all about it later, okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Have a great time," Lisa said, ending the call and feeling the weight of her unspoken words pressing down on her.

She lowered the phone while the others looked at her in anticipation, she slowly turned around and gave them a thumbs down.

"What happened?" Bambam asked.

"Did she reject you? I'll beat-" Sorn was cut off by Ten covering her mouth.

"Lisa?" Bambam called out.

"Let's just finish practice." Lisa smiles, "we don't have much time do we?"

"Lisa's right, we gotta get practicing now." Minnie agreed.

The rest of the dance practice was a blur. Lisa went through the motions, but her heart wasn't in it. As practice ended, she found herself sitting on the stairs outside the school, feeling a mix of sadness and regret.

Just then, Irene emerged from the building, her briefcase in hand. She had just finished a meeting with the student council and was about to head home when she noticed Lisa sitting alone.

"Lisa?" Irene called out, her voice tinged with concern.

Lisa looked up, her eyes red and filled with unshed tears. Seeing Irene, she tried to muster a smile, but it faltered. "Hey, Irene."

Irene placed her briefcase aside and sat down next to Lisa. The two of them weren't particularly close, but Irene could see that Lisa needed someone right now. "What's wrong?"

The genuine concern in Irene's voice broke through Lisa's defenses, and she felt the tears spill over. "I... I think I love Jennie. But she's got a date tonight. So I kinda missed my chance."

Lisa tried to smile but her lips quivered, Irene watched with a blank expression before seeing the girl in front of her crumble.

Irene's heart ached for Lisa. She reached out and pulled Lisa into a hug, holding her tightly as she cried. Irene didn't say anything, just offered her silent support, letting Lisa know she wasn't alone.

Lisa clung to Irene, her sobs quiet but intense. It felt strange to be comforted by someone she wasn't particularly close to, but in that moment, Irene's presence was exactly what she needed. She felt a sense of relief in being able to let her emotions out, in having someone there to hold her through the pain.

The evening sky darkened, the stars beginning to peek through the blanket of night. The cool breeze brushed against them, but neither moved. Irene just held Lisa, her heart aching for her friend.

Lisa's sobs eventually subsided into silent tears. She pulled back slightly, looking at Irene with gratitude.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, her voice shaky.

Irene nodded, her expression gentle. "Don't be. I'm here for you."

They sat there for a while longer, the silence between them filled with unspoken understanding. For the first time, Lisa felt like Irene and her understood each other. Whether it was a look or just a simple gesture, Irene understood her.

As they finally stood up to leave, Lisa gave Irene a small, genuine smile. "Thanks, Irene. Really."

Irene returned the smile. "You're welcome, Lisa. Take care of yourself."

Lisa watched as Irene picked up her suitcase and walked away, she smiled to herself before looking up at the starry night. A star twinkled down at her, Lisa couldn't help but sigh to herself. Her hands settled into her pockets before she walked away as well, it was just her...now alone again without looking back.