The days following the "bracelet incident" were... odd. Neither Lisa nor Jennie brought it up again, but something unspoken lingered in the air. The tension between them hadn't exactly disappeared, but it felt less sharp, less like knives and more like poking each other with sticks.
Lisa would catch Jennie glancing at her sometimes, though Jennie always looked away quickly, pretending to be busy with something else. And Lisa, much to her own surprise, found herself wondering about Jennie—who she really was under all the sharp edges and perfect hair.
Not that they talked much. Their truce, if you could call it that, was fragile, and neither wanted to be the first to shatter it.
Until the night it broke.
Lisa was lying in bed, flipping through her notes for an upcoming test, when Jennie came in, her face unusually tense. She dropped her bag on her desk with a loud thud and let out a frustrated sigh.
"Rough day?" Lisa ventured cautiously.
Jennie shot her a glare. "Why do you care?"
Lisa raised her hands defensively. "Okay, never mind. Forget I asked."
Jennie groaned, rubbing her temples. "Sorry. I didn't mean that."
Lisa blinked, startled by the apology. Jennie wasn't exactly the apologizing type.
Jennie flopped onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. "It's just... Jinyoung and I had a fight."
Lisa hesitated. This was new territory. Jennie never shared anything personal with her. Ever.
"You okay?" Lisa asked carefully.
Jennie shrugged. "I don't know. He thinks I don't prioritize him enough. But I'm busy, you know? I have classes, and assignments, and..." She trailed off, her voice unusually small.
Lisa sat up, setting her notes aside. "Well, maybe he just doesn't get it. You're allowed to have your own life."
Jennie looked over at her, surprised. "You're... defending me?"
Lisa smirked. "Don't get used to it."
For a moment, Jennie smiled—a real, genuine smile that made her look softer, less like the unapproachable girl Lisa had met on day one.
"Thanks," Jennie said quietly.
Lisa shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "Don't mention it. Seriously, don't. I have a reputation to uphold."
Jennie chuckled, and for the first time since they'd met, it didn't sound mocking.
The next day, things between them felt... easier. Lisa noticed Jennie leaving her desk a little less pristine, and Jennie noticed Lisa humming to herself as she got ready in the morning. Neither said anything about the subtle shifts, but they were there.
Then came Saturday.
Lisa was lounging on her bed, scrolling through her phone, when Jennie burst in, holding two cups of iced coffee.
"Here," Jennie said, thrusting one toward Lisa.
Lisa blinked up at her. "What's this?"
"Coffee," Jennie said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"I can see that. Why are you giving it to me?"
Jennie rolled her eyes. "Because I felt like it. Don't make it weird."
Lisa took the cup, eyeing Jennie suspiciously. "Is this poisoned?"
Jennie smirked. "If it were, I wouldn't have spent five bucks on it."
Lisa laughed despite herself. "Fair point."
They sat in companionable silence for a while, sipping their drinks.
"So," Jennie said eventually, breaking the quiet. "Tell me about you."
Lisa raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"You know. Your life. Your family. Whatever."
Lisa hesitated. It wasn't like Jennie to ask personal questions. But something about her tone made Lisa want to answer.
"Well, I'm from Thailand," Lisa began. "I'm an only child. My mom's a chef, and my dad works in construction. They worked really hard to send me here."
Jennie nodded, her expression uncharacteristically thoughtful. "That's cool. You must miss them."
"Yeah," Lisa admitted. "But I video call them every week. It helps."
Jennie looked down at her coffee. "I don't really talk to my parents much," she said softly.
Lisa glanced at her, surprised. "Why not?"
Jennie shrugged. "They're busy. Always have been. My dad's a lawyer, and my mom's... well, let's just say she's more interested in appearances than people."
Lisa didn't know what to say. Jennie always seemed so composed, so untouchable. Hearing her open up, even just a little, was... unexpected.
"Well," Lisa said after a moment, "if it helps, you're pretty good at hiding it."
Jennie snorted. "Gee, thanks."
"No, I mean—" Lisa shook her head, laughing. "Never mind."
Jennie smiled, and for the first time, Lisa thought that maybe, just maybe, they could be friends.
