Realize (COMPLETED)

13.

Lisa

Picture my surprise when, out of the blue, both my sister and sister-in-law sauntered through my front door. I had just settled in to watch an episode of Jeopardy when Rosie's lithe figure zipped past me—nothing unusual there. What caught me off guard, though, was the unexpected figure following close behind.

"What's up fucker? I'm here to meet your girlfriend." Jisoo winked and headed right up the stairs.

I decided to play it cool. Rosie was bound to spill the beans sooner or later, so it's no shock she told Jisoo first. Those two have been thick as thieves ever since Bambam brought Jisoo home for Thanksgiving during their first year of dating. Rosie instantly adored the shiny new addition to the family, and they've been inseparable ever since.

Jisoo and I get along as well as you'd expect one to get alone with a sister-in-law. Sure, her attitude rubs me the wrong way at times, but underneath it all, she's just a girl madly in love with my brother. Hard to hold that against her.

Still, I can't shake the unease creeping in. The last thing I want is for Jisoo to upset Jennie. Rosie's perfectly capable of stirring the pot on her own, but with Jisoo in the mix, there's a real risk of her saying the wrong thing and triggering a meltdown. Jennie's pregnancy might make her seem fragile, but let's be real—if someone pushes her too far, they'll regret it. And it won't be her who comes out worse for wear.

Voices echo from upstairs, growing louder with each passing second. Instinct kicks in, and I'm on my feet, rushing to the second floor. As I reach the doorway, I catch Jennie mentioning my name. All three of them—Jennie, Rosie, and Jisoo—turn to stare at me.

Jennie's face is flushed with anger, her cheeks burning red. I've seen her upset before, but never like this. Whatever Rosie and Jisoo said, it must have hit a nerve.

"Is everything okay in here?" I ask cautiously, stepping into the room. My eyes flick to Jennie first; her mood is my top priority.

"We were just talking, Lisa," Rosie says, her tone unconvincing. The tension in the room tells a very different story.

Then, as if the situation wasn't already on thin ice, Jisoo blurts out, "Have you ever been abused, Jennie?"

The words hang in the air like a grenade, leaving everyone stunned—even Jisoo, who looks immediately regretful, as though she wishes she could take it back.

"Excuse me?" Jennie's voice was sharp, her body tense with defensiveness. Every muscle in her frame looked coiled, ready to spring.

Jisoo immediately raised her hands in surrender. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that."

But the damage was done. Anger radiated off Jennie in waves, a mixture of shock and fury etched across her face. She looked horrified—like she couldn't believe the words had been spoken—but at the same time, ready to explode. Knowing her temper, stepping in now might only make things worse.

Without another word, Jennie threw back the covers, stormed into the bathroom, and slammed the door behind her. The click of the lock echoed through the tense silence. It took me a second to process what I'd just seen—mostly because she'd been wearing nothing but a pair of lacy panties and an oversized t-shirt.

"Lisa?" Rosie turned to glare at me, as if I were somehow responsible for fixing this mess. What does she expect me to do? Jennie's locked the door—I can't exactly break it down and drag her out.

Jisoo looked mortified, guilt written all over her face. Rosie just seemed sad, her shoulders slumping in defeat. For the next fifteen minutes, we sat in awkward silence, waiting. Finally, we heard the faint click of the bathroom door unlocking.