The Fate of Eleven

Chapter 6-Jisoo

Jisoo's POV

Chaeyoung and I had stepped out for some quick grocery shopping and emergency restocking of our dorm kitchen. 

Jennie hadn't shown up to our meeting at all.

Ru sajangnim  glanced at his watch every now and then. We had been waiting in absolute tense silence, the maknae on either side of me. Sajangnim hadn't even attempted to make small talk--he was engrossed with his smartphone.

"Do you think she has boycotted our meeting?" He asked thoughtfully at one point, with no trace of malice in his voice. His hair was unkempt and he wore an actual biker's leather jacket (or so Lisa noted). It certainly lent him a bad boy appearance, and not that of our senior. 

"Jennie's not like that" I said, sharper than I intended. I knew my friend. I wasn't about to let this man badmouth her, even though he may be our CEO.

 He winced.

"I guess not...can someone phone her then?"

"She's not picking up," Lisa muttered, frowning. "Maybe I should go look for her--"

"No" he rumbled. He could really make his voice resemble Papa YG's, just like on the day we met.

"We'll wait 5 more minutes and if she doesn't come, the meeting is off and I'll squeeze you in some other day. Can't be helped" he sighed tiredly, kneading his temple.

"We..we can tell her what you discuss us if you like, sagajanim" Chaeyoung piped up.

He glanced at her but shook his head. "That would be helpful, Rose, but I'm afraid it's not what I had in mind. I wanted to meet with all of you to discuss your options while waiting for your comeback and to decide on a course of action......I also wanted to get to know you a little better, individually."

He rubbed his goatee and gave a small smile. "Believe it or not, I don't bite."

"And call me Hyun, it's a little weird hearing people calling me sagajanim" he added. I pinched Lisa's thigh and her jaw clamped shut.

Jendeukie didn't come. Sajaganim ended the meeting after waiting 15 minutes, with Lisa fidgeting and Chaeng fiddling with her nails and him sighing. I just kept glancing at my phone.

He had a faint smile playing about his lips when he let us go. I started to wonder if anything troubled him. I think if the world fell apart in front of his eyes, he'd smile just as serenely as now.

Back at the (undecorated) dorm, we found Jennie huddled up with Kuma in her room, fast asleep. 

Her face looked drawn beneath her makeup. She hadn't even changed out of her shirt. 

"Jennie-yah" Lisa shook her gently. "We got some food from the canteen if you want"

"Mmmm...not now..." she mumbled but her eyes fluttered open. "What time is it?"

She groaned, holding her head as she sat up. "Crap, I didn't make it to the meeting... Was he angry? Kuma got lost and I kept looking for him for so long, I really ...thought I wasn't going to find him...." she trailed off then drew a deep breath, cuddling the dog close as he licked her face. "And I really wanted some fruit but there's nothing in the fridge--"

"We'll go shopping" I interrupted, grabbing Chaey's hand and dragging her after me, " we'll be back soon, araso? Lisa will stay here with you"

"Me?"

But I had already shut the door behind us.

"What was that about back there?" Chaeyoung muttered later in the store, glancing around before she lowered her mask. She had a beanie to cover her hair. I was thankful our hair wasn't brightly coloured. It would have been harder to blend in and people would recognise us for sure.