The Prince and the Rose (Liskook) (on hold)

Fallout

"How's Leo?"

It was the way Lisa greeted him nowadays, eagerly hanging on to every word Jungkook spoke about her cat and cooing when he described the way Leo would bump and bash his way into furniture to chase his toy.

She always squashed the cat against her chest once the children went back to Jungkook's house after school. They spent happy hours playing with Leo (after doing their homework following Mrs Jeon's firm instructions.)

"Oh how I wish I could keep him at home," Lisa sighed, running a hand through her tangled mop of dirty blonde hair. It had gotten quite long lately, almost down to her back.

"Still no luck with your Mom?"

Lisa shook her head dolefully. "I don't think she will ever change her mind..."

They watched Leo chase his tail for a while, with Lisa giggling and teasing him with a toy mouse dangling from a stick.

"Noona?"

"Yeah?"

Jungkook took a deep breath, although he didn't even know why he was suddenly anxious.

"Can I come over to your house?"

Lisa's smile vanished, her brows arching, eyes narrowing.

"Why?" The question was sharp and brittle as broken glass.

Jungkook wilted beneath her frosty glare. "Nothing it's just...uh, you always come to my house so I thought it would be nice if we changed a bit. And I'd like to see your house, it must be very nice and even bigger than ours, I mean your Mom and Dad are obviously rich and they let you do anything—"

"Mom wouldn't allow it," Lisa said shortly and turned her attention back to Leo. "Sorry."

"And your Dad?" Jungkook probed, "sometimes my Dad says yes to something that Mom said no for. You could try with him."

There was a slight pause to which Jungkook didn't pay much attention, too busy cooing at Leo's antics.

"You can be really stupid you know Kook?"

He looked up, startled. "Huh?"

"It's always been my Mom and me Kookie," Lisa said through gritted teeth. "Not everyone gets to have a happy family like you, okay!"

She abandoned Leo and went to grab her schoolbag, her face scrunched up.

"Wait, where are you going? There's still plenty time for the bus," Jungkook called after her in confusion.

"Sorry Kook I remembered I still have things to do at home. See you at school!" she called over her shoulder and ran out of the front door, slamming it shut with force.

Jungkook could have sworn he heard her sniff but it might have been just his imagination—Lisa didn't ever cry.

He sighed, shaken by Lisa's swift and abrupt exit.

Already, he felt the emptiness settle down on him as silence replaced her exuberant loud presence.

He felt little claws digging into his leg and discovered Leo was still very much in the mood to play, unlike his owner who had suddenly upped and left without so much as a goodbye.

"Am I really stupid?" Jungkook wondered sadly.

He pondered over Lisa's upsetting words for a while as he played with the kitten.

Mrs Jeon walked in with a basket of laundry on her way to Jungkook's room and was surprised to find her son playing all by himself.

"She went home already?"