He left, and this lipstick was his final gift;
She must lose it if she wants to lose this stupid love...
She needs companionship, redemption -- someone to end this awful loneliness;
Lipstick and cats are her saviours;
An ownerless stick of expen...
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Chapter 7 - Jeju.
The night shone with beautiful lights, that emitted from the tall buildings. The streets were quiet, which gave it a sense of emptiness.
In the end, Lisa spent her 29th birthday working overtime. It was 11:55 pm already. She sighed, thinking that her birthday's almost over.
"Lisa!" Someone called out to her. She could recognise this smooth, velvety voice even if she was thrown deep under the sea.
"Jungkook..?" Lisa turned around, completely shocked by the sudden turn of events. She never thought she could meet him two days prior. Jungkook fished out a small gift box, a box apt for a ring.
"Weren't you supposed to get back from the business trip tomorrow?" Lisa took the box from his hand with a huge smile "Ah! I wanna open this and see what it is!"
She opened the box, only to receive a lipstick. Nevertheless, Lisa was still happy. "This is it?"
"My favourite colour. I think you ran out of this lipstick, right?"
"Yes!!" Ah, So he knows about it... Lisa thought to herself giving a small smile. She was very much touched with the gift and pounced upon Jungkook to hug him and gave him a warm smile.
Jungkook smiled, looking at her softly "What's up?" He started stroking her head gently.
"Jungkook, when are we going to get married?" When those words came out of her mouth, he stopped stroking her head, gaining Lisa's attention towards him.
Lisa was highly confused "Jungkook..?"
Jungkook couldn't look her in the eyes and speak. He was looking everywhere but her "Lisa, I... I'm planning to leave Seoul. There are a few reasons why I have to go."
Lisa was dumbfounded and couldn't think for a moment. "Leave Seoul?" She furrowed her eyebrows and shock was evident in her eyes.
"Yes. Do you want to come to my hometown with me?"
"Your hometown? But when will we get married?"
"...I don't know, I still haven't thought about it."
"That's what you always say when I ask about marriage... just make it clear Jungkook!!"
AAAAAH! What on earth am I supposed to do? I don't understand!!
It's midnight, and her birthday is over. The magic is lost. She has turned back into Cinderella before the ball.
• • •
"You split up, right? I told you so." Jennie said nonchalantly over the video call.
"..."
"His plans never included you." Jennie continued "Come to my hometown and abandon the city? Rubbish. You're an adult Lisa! A woman in love has weaknesses, always helping her man make excuses. But how many more excuses will there be?"
"..."
Lisa bit her lower lip and looked down.
"Work can be trial and error, ordering at a restaurant can be a trial and error, but you can't make mistakes in choosing a partner. If you do make a mistake, you have to change it quickly."
"..."
Lisa hung her head low, not facing the camera.
"Otherwise, you'll be waiting until you're old and ugly... Lisa? Hey, Lisa? You listening?" But all Jennie could hear was Lisa's loud sobs over the phone.
She was clenching the lipstick close to her heart. Her whole body was trembling and her loud cries echoed throughout the house.
• • •
Not long after, Jungkook returned to his hometown with a heavy heart. He wanted to take Lisa along with him, but he didn't want to force her either, after all, it was her decision and her choice. Just like he had reasons he couldn't stay in Seoul, Lisa had many reasons to stay.
Whenever she returns home after work, she would come across the lipstick gifted by Jungkook. Just by looking at it, Lisa's eyes would well up with tears, and she would sit beside the dressing table, wailing like a baby.
Stories always end this way. Two flowers blossom on opposite sides of the world.
Not long after Jungkook left, Lisa went to Jeju by herself.
'My conquest is the sea of the stars' men love that saying. And yet, they weren't even able to conquer that little sea in Jeju. Well this girl over here, Lisa Manoban, has come and conquered it herself!
She went on a boat ride all by herself, and when she was in the middle of the sea, she took out the lipstick from her bag and raised it high. The lipstick sparkled through the sunlight. She then dropped the lipstick into the sea, which went down and down until it was lost into an abyss.
It's best to keep one's fate in one's hand. Lisa will never wait on someone else to decide her future again.
The colour... I should change that too. Lisa smiled softly, looking at the sea and the sun, holding her straw hat tightly.
