Enthralled || Liskook

Chapter 20

At four a.m., a jarring buzz from under Lisa's pillow shattered the silence. Disoriented, she fumbled for her phone, heart pounding with a mix of dread and anticipation. 

Jungkook's name glowed on the screen. 

Had he finally sent the message? Relief washed over her as she unlocked the phone, only to be met with silence. 

He hadn't replied to her earlier message checking on his safety. Hours bled into a restless wait, her anxieties gnawing at her. 

Deciding against bothering him further, she convinced herself he was simply too busy, the exhaustion evident in her squinting eyes as she reread his single, cryptic message. 

Jeon: I'm home. 

Home? At four in the morning? Lisa's heart hammered in her chest as she typed. 

Lisa: Home at this hour? 

Lisa: Did you just arrive? Did you run into trouble on the way? 

She knew what a late arrival meant: a rushed trip back to the apartment for a shower, a change of clothes, and a stolen few hours of sleep before heading back for his class. 

Sighing, Lisa shut off her phone and surrendered to sleep, the unanswered message gnawing at her mind. 

This week was the men’s and women's junior competitions, with the professional competition looming next week. 

Lisa diligently practiced in the hotel gym, occasionally encountering familiar faces from Busan Club at breakfast or nearby restaurants. 

Ever since the incident with Jungkook, the club members had treated her differently, viewing her as the future wife of their "little uncle." 

The whispers and stares from Busan Club weren't the only source of discomfort. Back in her own club, Lisa faced teasing too. 

Her teammates’ snide comments about the "alliance" between Busan and Seoul, longtime rivals turned into a "marriage" by fate. 

Early on Thursday morning, Coach Hwang informed her with a stoic expression, "Watch the youth competition this morning.” 

Lisa’s mind raced. Watching the games in the morning meant shuffling her training schedule to the afternoon, effectively cutting out any chance of grabbing dinner with Jungkook. 

In the corner of the breakfast room, bathed in the morning sunlight streaming through the window, she absently scooped cereal into her mouth, one hand reaching for her phone to send him a message. 

Lisa: I'm going to watch the game today. A hollow ache formed in her chest. 

Lisa: I can't accompany you to dinner. Maybe you can ask Jimin to join you first. 

Jungkook's reply arrived quickly. 

Jeon: If you can't make it today, don't worry about me, 

His nonchalance stung. Lisa felt the weight of her meticulously planned schedule press down on her, a suffocating burden built from days of carefully calculated arrangements. 

Though invisible to the outside world, her mind was a constant calculating machine, keeping track of schedules and commitments. She felt a pang of guilt and forced a smile as she typed. 

Lisa: Still the same? Will you be back tomorrow? 

Jeon: School was busier than expected this week.

Jeon: I'll be back two days earlier, next week. 

Disappointment washed over Lisa. So, not coming this week either? That left only one precious week before she flew back to Korea. 

Sighing, she stirred her oatmeal, the spoon scraping against the ceramic bowl with a dull clink. Just then, her phone buzzed.