IS IT TIME FOR ME TO GIVE UP?

46

Jennie's POV

As we drove home, a sense of relief washed over me, a feeling I had longed for since the turmoil began. Jisoo's eyes were swollen from holding back tears, a testament to the emotional toll of recent events. She had finally succumbed to exhaustion and drifted into sleep beside me. Despite my efforts to appear strong, I couldn't contain my own emotions.

My phone buzzed, breaking the silence. With a free hand on the steering wheel, I checked the message—it was from Atty. Shin.

"Ms. Kim, we did it! We've retrieved your wife's coffee shop from Mr. Jongin. The title and key are in my hands now. Congratulations!"

I pulled over, reading the message repeatedly. Relief flooded me as I realized Lisa could finally reclaim her beloved coffee shop.

"Finally," I murmured, resting my head on the steering wheel,tears streaming down my cheeks. It was a different kind of happiness, one I hadn't felt in a long time.

A gentle pat on my shoulder made me look up to see Jisoo's concerned face.

"Everything will be okay," she whispered softly. I managed a genuine smile. "Yes, Unnie, it will."

"She can get her coffee shop back now, Unnie," I said between tears.

"Really?" Jisoo's face lit up with happiness, her lips curling into a wide smile.

I nodded, leaning back in my seat. "Maybe this is a sign that there's still hope for us. If it is, I won't waste it."

---

Jisoo decided to accompany me to claim Lisa's coffee shop from Atty. Shin. We expressed our heartfelt gratitude to him for his efforts.

"Shall we go there?" Jisoo asked as we left the attorney's office, referring to Lisa's coffee shop.

"I don't think I should," I hesitated.

"Why not?"

"After everything I've done, I doubt I'm allowed to step foot in there," I admitted.

"Have you been there before?" Jisoo's question made me wonder what the place looked like inside, knowing Lisa's impeccable taste. I just stared at her as she grinned.

"Let's go!" Jisoo snatched my car keys and headed for the driver's seat. "Get out, I'll drive," she ordered, opening the door wide.

With no other option, I complied, quietly taking the passenger seat.

The ride was quiet, not awkward, and soon we arrived at our destination.

"Lisa's Safe Haven," Jisoo declared, looking at the deserted coffee shop ahead. "Come on," she said, turning off the engine.

My hands trembled as I unlocked the door. We entered, greeted by deafening silence and layers of dust covering everything—the chairs, tables, even cobwebs in the corners and on the ceilings. Despite the neglect, the place still exuded a sense of charm that only Lisa could have created.

"How did it come to this?" Jisoo muttered, running her fingers through the thick dust.

I sighed deeply, noticing even the pictures of Lisa's mother were almost obscured by dirt.

"I'll restore it to its former glory before giving it back to Lisa," I resolved as I wandered around.

"When do we start, then?" Jisoo asked, wiping dust off some pictures.

"Unnie, I said 'I,' not 'we,'" I reminded her gently.

"I said 'we,' Jennie. When I say 'we,' I mean 'we,'" Jisoo said firmly.

"But—" Jisoo raised her hand, cutting me off.

"No more 'buts.' I'm your Unnie. Just listen to me," she insisted.

"How—" I started, but she shushed me with her saliva splattered.

"Ugh! Unnie, that's gross," wiping off her dotted saliva on my face.

"Your fault. I said no more 'buts,'" she retorted.

"I didn't say 'but.' I said 'how,' though," I teased, knowing how to push Jisoo's buttons.

"What!?" she exclaimed, meeting my gaze. I mouthed an exaggerated 'ew,' which made her laugh, and soon I joined in. It felt good to laugh, even though my puffy eyes couldn't see much

Funny how we're laughing with puffy eyes.

"But seriously, Unnie, that's gross," I teased again, trying to lighten the mood.

"Whatever, Jendeukie. It's my saliva, not yours," she quipped back, a hint of her usual sass returning.

We began cleaning. I tackled the chairs and tables while Jisoo dealt with the cobwebs on the ceiling. Despite the hard work, Jisoo managed to keep the atmosphere light, even joking about her newfound role as "Spiderman remover." "Spiderman no more home"

As the day turned to evening, Jisoo reminded me it was time to head home.

"It's getting dark, Unnie," I agreed, realizing we'd need another day to finish cleaning.

I dropped Jisoo off at her house before heading home myself. Pulling into the driveway, I noticed Lisa's car already parked in the garage. I entered the house and saw her sitting on the couch, absently petting Leo and staring at the TV. The sound of the door closing caught her attention, and she looked up at me, her expression softening briefly before turning neutral again.

I caught sight of my reflection and winced at how worn-out I looked. Lisa sighed softly, her gaze seeming to hold something unspoken. "Get ready for tomorrow," was all she said before retreating to her room.

Tomorrow, we were scheduled to visit the orphanage as Mr. Smith had requested. Lisa had invited Seulgi, Jisoo, and Bambam to join us.

Glancing once more at Lisa's closed bedroom door, I headed to my own room, thoughts swirling. Despite everything, hope seemed to flicker faintly, like a candle in the wind.

Goodnight Lili...