MILESTONES || LISOO

Chapter : 30

_____________________
(Continuation)
*Lisa's POV*

The phone’s incessant ringing filled the quiet of Lisa’s dimly lit apartment. She glanced at the screen, the name flashing like a beacon: Jisoo. Her hand hovered over the device for a moment, torn between answering and letting it ring out. Her heartbeat quickened, a chaotic rhythm in sync with the vibrating phone.

RING...
RING...
RING...

Lisa pressed her lips together, her breath shallow. The final ring faded into silence, leaving an emptiness that felt heavier than the noise. The screen went dark, and a pang of guilt settled in her chest. She clenched her fists, staring at the phone as if it might judge her.

"I can’t... not now," Lisa whispered, her voice breaking the stillness.

She leaned back against the couch, her head resting on the edge as she gazed at the ceiling. Shadows from the dim light danced above her, mirroring the storm inside her mind.

Why was it so hard to face Jisoo? They’d shared so much—moments of laughter, fleeting touches, stolen glances—but now, every memory felt like a weight dragging her down.

Her thoughts raced, tumbling over one another like a torrent. The way Jisoo had looked at her during the press conference, admiration and love shining in her eyes. The subtle way she had reached out to adjust Lisa’s mic, fingers brushing ever so lightly against hers. And yet, here Lisa was, ignoring her calls, pulling away when she should be leaning in.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "Coward," she muttered to herself.

She grabbed her phone again, staring at the missed call notification. Her thumb hovered over Jisoo's name, tempted to call back, to explain everything she was feeling. But what would she say? That she was scared? That being so close to Jisoo felt like walking on a tightrope, balancing between desire and the fear of falling?

"No," she said firmly, locking the screen. "I don’t want to talk to her right now."

Lisa stood abruptly, pacing the room. She needed a distraction, something to occupy her hands and mind. But every step she took only brought her back to the same thought: Jisoo.

Her gaze fell on the small framed photo on the bookshelf—a candid shot of her and Jisoo at a film wrap party. Jisoo’s head was tilted back in laughter, and Lisa’s arm was draped casually around her shoulders. They looked happy, carefree.

Lisa sighed and turned the frame face down. She couldn’t bear to look at it. Not now.

"I need space," she whispered, as if saying it aloud might make it true. But even as she tried to convince herself, she knew the truth. No matter how far she tried to run, Jisoo would always be there, in her thoughts, in her heart, pulling her back.

Lisa sat back down on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. The silence around her felt oppressive, but it was better than facing the voice she desperately wanted to hear.

Lisa buried her face in her hands, her thoughts spilling out like a river breaking through a dam. The words she’d kept bottled up surged forward, raw and unfiltered.

"Why, Jisoo? Why are you so afraid of this?" Lisa muttered, her voice trembling as she stared at the floor. Her fingers clenched tightly around the edge of the couch.

"You say you love me, and I know you do. I see it in your eyes every time you look at me. But if you love me, then why can’t you take this step? Why can’t you fight for us, for what we have? Am I asking for too much?"