Unexpected Love

Unyielding Resolve

The morning after their self-defense class, Jennie woke with a renewed sense of purpose. For the first time in weeks, she wasn’t gripped by fear the moment she opened her eyes. Instead, she felt strong, more in control of her life. The anxiety that had haunted her was still there, lingering at the edges of her mind, but it didn’t feel as overwhelming.

She turned to look at Lisa, who was still sleeping soundly beside her. Watching Lisa sleep filled Jennie with a deep sense of gratitude. Lisa had been her rock through everything, her anchor when the world seemed to be falling apart. Jennie didn’t know how she would’ve made it through without her.

Lisa stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she caught Jennie watching her. A sleepy smile tugged at her lips. “Morning,” she murmured, stretching lazily.

“Morning,” Jennie replied softly, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to Lisa’s lips. “You know… I think I’m starting to believe we can get through this.”

Lisa smiled, her eyes bright with determination. “We already are.”

As they lay there in the quiet of the morning, the weight of the past few months seemed to lift, if only for a little while. They had been through so much together—fear, harassment, threats—but they had survived. And now, they were stronger than ever.

---

Later that day, Jennie and Lisa decided to return to their apartment. After spending a few nights at Rosé and Jisoo’s place, they felt ready to reclaim their space. The fear of Kai’s return still lingered, but they had taken precautions. They had installed a new security system, complete with cameras and motion sensors, and they had the police on alert. The restraining order was still in place, and both of them had their phones ready to call for help if anything seemed off.

When they arrived at the apartment, Jennie hesitated at the front door, her hand hovering over the handle. Memories of Kai standing outside, watching them, flashed through her mind, and for a brief moment, she considered turning around. But then she felt Lisa’s hand on her shoulder, grounding her.

“We don’t have to do this today if you’re not ready,” Lisa said softly, her voice full of patience and understanding.

Jennie shook her head, taking a deep breath. “No. I’m ready. We can’t keep running from this.”

Lisa nodded, squeezing Jennie’s hand for reassurance as they unlocked the door and stepped inside. The apartment was just as they had left it—calm, quiet, and full of warmth. It felt like home again.

They spent the rest of the day settling back in, going through their usual routines—cooking dinner together, watching a movie on the couch. For the first time in what felt like forever, it almost seemed like things were normal again.

But that night, as they lay in bed, the fear crept back in.

Lisa woke in the middle of the night to the sound of Jennie tossing and turning beside her. She reached out, her hand gently resting on Jennie’s back. “Jennie? Are you okay?”

Jennie stopped moving, her breathing shallow. “I keep thinking about him, Lisa. I keep seeing him outside, like he’s just waiting for us. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel safe again.”

Lisa’s heart ached. She wanted so desperately to take Jennie’s pain away, to promise her that they would never have to face Kai again. But she couldn’t make that promise. Not yet.

“We’re going to be okay,” Lisa whispered, her voice steady. “We have the security system, the police are watching, and we know how to protect ourselves now. He’s not going to hurt us.”