Star-crossed (JenLisa)

3

Lisa awoke upon feeling a vibration in her pocket. She groaned while reaching into it and grabbed her phone through half-opened eyes.

I hate hangovers.

"Hello?"

"Lisa! Where are you? I've been trying to reach you ALL night!"

"Hmmm?? Seul? I'm... home..."

"Everyone disappeared right after they left for the dance floor! I was starting to wonder if there was a black hole in the club! Momo passed out and I had to carry her on my back..."

The throbbing in Lisa's head was escalating and the girl's seemingly endless ranting only served to make it worse. She was having a hell of a hangover and paid little attention to the screaming girl.

"...not bringing Momo to a club again!..."

"...puked all over the floor!!..."

"...smelled awful!!..."

"...filthy!!..."

"...I had to clean the whole mess up!..."

"...AHHHHHHH!!!"

Lisa groaned and held the phone away for a while. Seulgi's shrill voice was piercing through her ear drums.

"...managed to contact Jisoo and Rosie... they're home..."

"...Jisoo was panting on the phone..."

"...URGH!!"

"...where Jen is?"

The name jolted Lisa to her senses.

"Jen?"

"Yea, do you know where Jennie is? I got her number from Jisoo but I can't get through."

"Oh... I sent her home a while ago."

"Good! Everyone's accounted for! And where did you go? Why didn't you return any of my calls-- OMGAWD MOMO'S PUKING AGAIN!! Gotta go!"

The silence that came after was music to her ears. She had never been happier to hear the sound of a disconnecting phone line. Almost immediately, the headaches lessened. Grabbing onto the wall for support, Lisa got off the couch and trudged to the bathroom. She leaned over the basin and turned on the tap. The cool water ran through her fingers as she cupped her hands, and then brought them up to her face.

Strawberries.

She took another whiff. The sweet smell was reminding Lisa of the night's events. She smiled, and instantly felt guilty about it.

"I love you Lisa"

Lisa was confused about how she was supposed to feel. Reminding herself that she had a girlfriend, she dismissed any signs of positivity derived from those words.

"I love you Lisa"

"ARGHHHH stop thinking!!" Lisa mumbled.

Stepping out of her clothes, she noticed the familiar scent again. Shaking her head, she hastily dumped them in the laundry basket before entering the shower. She tried to rid the scent off her body, hoping that it'll at least put a stop to her memories of the night.

Ridding the scent was easy, stopping the memories was definitely hard. She gave up halfway.

When she was done, she headed to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was already 6am. Although it was early, and she hadn't gotten enough sleep, she decided to have her daily morning drink. She figured it might help with the hangover. As she took out the necessary ingredients, she smiled at the fresh batch of kimchi that Mina had gotten for her.

I have Minari.

At that instant, the sound of the door opening garnered her attention. She peered out of the kitchen and saw the familiar tall figure entering the apartment. The girl looked fatigued. A sudden wave of guilt overcame her.

Kissing someone else was definitely cheating. She contemplated on telling her about it.

"Lisa? You're up early!" the girl flashed a smile immediately upon seeing Lisa's face. She swiftly made her way to Lisa and hugged her, giving her a peck on the cheek.

Lisa hugged her girlfriend tightly, as a single tear escaped her eye. The guilt was overwhelming, seeing her girlfriend made her extremely uneasy. The headaches weren't helping either. She buried her head in the nook of Mina's neck, hoping to find some solace. She wanted to remember that she was in love with Mina. She wanted to stop these unexplainable feelings for Jennie.

"Is something wrong?" asked Mina, sensing that Lisa was not her usual dorky happy self.

She couldn't bring herself to broach the subject. "I missed you that's all..." Lisa replied, refusing to budge from the comfort of Mina's neck. She couldn't look the girl in the eye and blatantly lie.

"I'm sorry I haven't been home much." Mina said as she stroked Lisa's hair. "I have nothing on tomorrow night. I'll make it up to you over dinner, I'll cook!"

With her face still buried, Lisa nodded in response. Mina hardly had time for her, so cooking was a huge thing. She wanted the time with her girlfriend. It was the only way she could get rid of those feelings she experienced hours ago. She decided that she wouldn't tell Mina about Jennie. At least not yet.

-----

"She WHAT?!"

"Did you tell Mina?"

Shortly after, Lisa found herself in her old apartment. The one she used to share with Seulgi and Momo since college started, until she met Mina and moved in with her. She knew she had to come clean about the night before, just not to Mina... yet.

"No, I didn't dare to."

"So you're still in love with Jennie?" the bear asked while chewing on her bag of chips. It was as if she was watching a movie.

"Sharing is caring, Seul." Momo said as she eyed the bag of chips.

"I'm not caring." she replied with her mouth full. A couple of crumbs fell onto the floor. Momo looked at her in disgust.

"I don't know. But I think I felt something last night when I saw her again." Lisa plopped her head down on her hands. "Besides, I have a girlfriend."

"And if you didn't?"

"That's not the point."

"Did you mistake Jen as Mina?"

"What kinda question is that? I wasn't THAT drunk." Lisa said while pointing at Momo.

"YA!"

Seulgi rubbed her forehead. "Oh gawd. Don't get me started on last night, Momo."

"ANYWAY, they kinda remind me of each other and with the dim lights and the alcohol, maybe you did mistake her for Mina." Yoona said.

"That's not important now. Anyway, why do you think Jen said those words to you?" Seulgi interrupted. Her question effectively rendered Lisa speechless.

"I'm just saying. She was the one who said those 3 words you've been longing to hear years ago."

Seulgi was right. Lisa had been so wholly focused on the cheating and the guilt part, she almost forgot that it was Jennie who took the initiative for most of the night.

"She's right. Maybe you should talk to Jen before telling Mina anything. At least hear what she has to say. Don't you wanna know more?"

"Momo, wiser after a night of hurricane puking!" Seulgi said, patting the japanese girl on the head.

"Stop it!" Momo pushed her hand away and tried to steal the bag of chips.

"Ask her out now Lisa! The sooner the better!" Seulgi said in the midst of a head tapping, chip stealing battle with Momo.

"Arghhhhhh how should I do this......" Lisa whined and leaned back against her seat, hands cupping her face. "It's embarrassing! I get the jitters when I talk to her!" she spoke through her hands. The pair stopped their fight and looked at her with incredulous faces.

"Stop being such a wuss and just ask her out!! Tonight!" Seulgi exclaimed and smacked Lisa's head, before grabbing her phone book. She took Lisa's phone from the table and punched in some numbers.

"B-B-But..." Lisa was hesitant. "Wouldn't it be better to just pretend that nothing happened? What if she meant it? What's gonna happen?"

"Then we'll take it from there. One step at a time, Lisa." Seulgi assured before passing Lisa the phone. "Now press the call button!" she ordered.

Feeling intimidated, Lisa took the phone held it with both hands. She glanced nervously at the two hawks who were staring at her as if she was prey. Slowly, she raised her thumb over the phone. It hovered above the green button for a while. She was hesitating.

"OMGAWD LALISA!!! JUST... CALL!!" Seulgi's overzealous finger appeared from the side and tapped down on the green button, and then proceeded to activate the speakerphone. Lisa's jaw dropped as she the word 'calling' flashed on the screen. Shortly after, the room was filled with ringing sounds, which went on for a few seconds, each one of them wrecking Lisa's nerves.

It went on for a few more seconds.

Twenty seconds had passed.

Then thirty.

"Okay she's not picking up. It's fated. We're not supposed to—"

"Hello?"

All eyes shot wide open.

"Hello? Who's this?"

The pair got up and frantically shook Lisa, who appeared to be stuck in a trance. When she came to her senses, she looked over at the duo. They were staring at her wide eyed and pointing at the phone in her hands while mouthing "Jennie" repeatedly. The coordination was almost perfect.

"Hello? I'm gonna hang up if you don't resp—"

Lisa inhaled deeply.

"Hey Jendeuk."

"Who are you, and why are you addressing me in that way."

The room seemed to have been frozen over all of a sudden.

"It—It's Lisa."

There was no response.

"Hello? Jen?"

"Lili? I didn't know it was you. I'm glad you called." her response caused Lisa to break into a huge, dorky smile. Seulgi looked at her in disgust.

"Sorry I took so long to pick up, I was sleeping when you called." The trio glanced at the clock on the wall, eyebrows furrowed. It was 3pm.

"How did you get my number by the way?"

"Oh Seul gave me your number."

"Seul? How did she get my number? I've only been back for a week."

Lisa looked at Seulgi, who was mouthing something to her. Unable to catch what it was, Lisa mouthed a "What?" in reply.

It went on for a few seconds. Why are you so thick today, Lisa!!

"Jisoo!!" Momo said in frustration. Instantly, two jaws dropped.

"Hello?"

"Uhhh Chu! Jichu! Jisoo! Jisoo!!!" Lisa blabbered. "She got it from her last night. 'Cos you went missing after a while so..." Lisa paused, silently cursing for hinting about last night's event.

"Oh. So what's up?" she was relieved that Jennie didn't probe further.

"Well, uhh..." She took a deep breath. "Areyoufreefordinnertonight"

There was silence again.

Damn, did she get what I said?  Lisa tried again, this time more slowly. "Are... you... free..."

"Yes."

"...Huh?"

"Yes to dinner."

"G-Great! I'll pick you up from your place at 7!"

Lisa stared at her phone for a few seconds before the call got disconnected. It felt surreal.

Omgawd I'm gonna see her later...

"Sorry Lisa! I was too anxious!" Momo said apologetically.

"Nah it's okay."

"Well you got through that! Now we just have to get you ready for tonight!"

"I wonder how I'm gonna get through tonight though."

Seulgi smiled and patted Lisa on the back. "No worries, Lalisa! I have a good feeling about this!"

"I hope you're right." Lisa said as she leaned back against her seat.