Kiss Me

Chapter 23: Jeonju II

Nayeon tiptoed towards the bed where her bestfriend is currently lying, “Is she awake yet?”

Lisa, who was nursing a cold, shook her head before looking up at Nayeon.

They—Jennie, Lisa and the guitar—were already soaked in the rain when Jiyong and Nayeon arrived to pick them up. Turns out Jiyong forgot to tell her about the old pickup’s engine condition –or so he claims.

But Lisa did not complain. She couldn’t even think straight because her mind was clouded by the kiss she shared with Jennie under the rain. Jennie had rested on her arms after the kiss, both not uttering a single word, both so lost in their thoughts. But it was a comfortable silence and Lisa was just so thankful Jennie was in her arms at that moment.

“Did something happen? Why are you blushing, Lali?”

Nayeon’s voice brought her back from her daydream. She was blushing? She held her cheeks to confirm, and her cheeks did feel warm.

“N-nothing. I think I’m going to have a fever too.”

Nayeon rolled her eyes before sitting at the edge of the bed, eyes never leaving Jennie’s sleeping face.

“Ella is looking for Jennie. But she can’t come close to Jennie since she’s sick and we don’t want Ella getting sick too,” she diverted her gaze to Lisa, “You’re the only one who could take care of Jennie for now while I look after Ella.”

Nayeon furrowed her brows at Lisa who looked like she was about to grin but then suppressed it.

At last, a time alone with Jennie. Never mind them being sick.

“Mmkay.” Lisa answered as nonchalant as she could but her attempt only made Nayeon giggle.

“Oh, Lisa-yah.. you know you can just grin and fist pump in front of me, right? I know you’re secretly enjoying this.”

“Am not!” Lisa answered quickly with wide eyes. Nayeon giggled again before standing up and walking towards the door, walking out and closing it with an audible click, leaving Lisa alone with the sick Jennie.

Lisa looked over her shoulder and made sure Nayeon was already out of the room before standing up from the chair and walking towards the bed, sitting on the edge that Nayeon occupied earlier.

“Sorry I got you sick,” she let out in a soft voice. Her left hand then hovered above Jennie's face before brushing an offending strand away from the sleeping girl’s face.

“So beautiful,” she said, lips tugging upwards before breaking into a sweet, tight smile.

She stayed on her position for a while, eyes never leaving Jennie's face; as if memorizing the sleeping girl’s every curve of the face. After what felt like forever, she felt her eyelids drooping as time dragged by and before she knew it, she was already under the covers beside Jennie. She then succumbed to temporary oblivion.

***

Jennie stirred as she felt the cold spreading across her bones. Her body shook involuntarily and she pulled the life-sized pillow beside her—or whatever it was that was currently keeping her warm—closer to her body to stop the cold from spreading more. The pillow did keep her warm, a little. She didn’t bother opening her eyes for she felt really, really weak. She continued snuggling on her pillow, crushing it inside her arms as she desperately searched for warmth. And when it soothed the coldness she felt, a small smile grazed her lips before finally retreating back to sleep. But even before she could fall back to sleep, a coughing sound had her snapping her eyes open; only to be meet by a pair of chocolate brown orbs that went as wide as saucers.