"Is this place okay," Lisa asked. Looking up, Jisoo nodded. After a four-hour road trip with their friends, both girls were tired, hungry, and entirely unwilling to cook. Pulling into McDonald's drive-through, Lisa put in their orders. Twenty piece nuggets for her and a burger without pickles and mustard for Jisoo. At nearly midnight, no one else was in the line and it still took fifteen minutes to get their food.
After paying and giving a girl a very passive-aggressive, "Thanks," Lisa drove off, peevishly drinking her Dr. Pepper.
"Here, you look like you need this," Jisoo said as she handed Lisa a fry. Munching on it with a frown, Lisa took her girlfriend's hand.
"Thank you," she told her gently. Sighing, Jisoo put her head on Lisa's shoulder, watching the lights of Seoul pass through their windshield.
"I love you," Jisoo whispered. Her eyes focused on Lisa's tired face as is transformed into a beaming grin.
"I love you too, baby." When they finally got home, both were in a much better mood. Walking to their apartment hand in hand, the two sat on the couch with their food. As Lisa turned on the t.v. she heard Jisoo sigh. "Honey, what's wrong?"
"They put pickles and mustard on it," Jisoo said with the shake of her head. "Oh well." Before she could take a bite, Lisa's hand grabbed the quickly cooling sandwich, her eyes narrowed.
"They what?" Glaring at the food, the Thai woman checked in herself, jaw ticking at the sight of both things they said to do without. What it didn't have were cheese and ketchup. Of course. What else would they do?
"It's fine, come on, let's watch something-"
"Nope! Come on, let's go."
"Go where?"
"Back to McDonald's so they can fix it."
"Lisa, really, that isn't necessary-"
"No, we were the only people there! They failed to make a simple burger so they have to fix their mistake!" Taking Jisoo by the hand, Lisa stormed to the car and got in, speeding down the street to the empty McDonald's. Hazardously pulling into a spot in front of the door, Lisa led the couple into the store, throwing their bag of food on the counter.
"Can I help you," the same teenager asked. Her eyes were hooded, lips dipped into an annoyed frown, fingers impatiently tapping the counter.
"Yes. Fix my girlfriend's food." Lisa shoved the bag with the receipt at the girl. Rolling her eyes, the girl dumped the food on the counter, spending fries, nuggets, and a sandwich everywhere.
"What's wrong with it," the girl asked, obvious disdain in her voice.
"You messed up her burger, so fix it."
"Sorry, ma'am, but I can't do that-" Leaning across the counter, Lisa got in the teen's face.
"I didn't ask you to fix it, I told you! We're the only people here now, we were the only people here thirty minutes ago, so fix your damn mistake! It isn't hard sweetie, just go back there and make a new burger without pickles or mustard!"
"Lisa, stop," Jisoo aggressively whispered. The tension had risen to the breaking point and the Korean woman had no doubt that Lisa would start swinging soon.
"Listen here, lady, I don't know who you think you or your little girlfriend are, but I'm not going to make you a whole other sandwich. Just suck it up and eat the food and go home!" She sneered at Jisoo, looking her up and down. "Or maybe you should just go home. I don't think you need the food anyway." Jisoo flushed bright and looked down at her feet, embarrassment making her entire body hot.
"What did you just say you little bitch," Lisa asked quietly.
"You heard me Big Bird. Instead of a burger, you should get her a sal-" the teen was cut off by Lisa's sharp smack.
"What your mouth you little shit. Don't you ever, ever, say anything to my girlfriend if you want to keep your head. Got that you little bitch?" Lisa had the girl by the back of the neck, ready to launch herself over the counter at any second to beat the rude girl into the dirty floor. The commotion caused a tired young man to come from around the counter. At the sight of the women, his eyes widened.
"What's going-"
"You should run home, burn off some of the calories you got from the fries." The young man stepped back, as did Jisoo. Lisa's fingers twitched once before she dragged the girl over the counter and threw her to the ground. A swift kick to the side sent the girl rolling across the floor. Jumping on her, Lisa punched the suddenly scared teen in the face.
"Lisa stop," Jisoo yelled. Her hands covered her mouth, eyes wide as the young man rounded the counter and stood by her. "Stop this," she yelled at him.
"Hold on," he said. "She needs someone to teach her a lesson." After a few more punches, the guy picked Lisa up from around the waist and carted her to the playroom. Locking the door, he turned around and helped the girl up.
"Minjin," he said to his crying coworker, "You're fired. Leave," he told her soothingly. After gaping at him like a dying fish, Minjin walked out the door with her purse and jacket. Once the girl's car was gone, he unlocked the door for Lisa. "Sorry about her," he apologized. "She's been causing trouble since she started. Now, what can I help you with?"
Jisoo calmly explained what happened while rubbing Lisa's arms. In a matter of minutes, he made them fresh food, gave them new drinks, and free milkshakes. Lisa tried to pay but the boy stopped them. "It's on the house! I've been waiting for a reason to get rid of her for ages and you gave me that, and one hell of a show too. Watching her get stomped into a mudpuddle was the best thing I've ever seen!"
The three left at the same time, the guy closing down after the couple exited. "Have a good night you two," he told them before walking to his car.
After eating dinner, Jisoo and Lisa slumped into bed, exhausted.
"Lisa," Jisoo murmured. "Thank you for defending me," she said as she snuggled into the taller woman's arms.
Kissing Jisoo's hair, the Thai girl pulled her closer. "Always baby. Always."
