Between The Bars | A Lizkook AU

22. Epilogue

"How's your first day at school, Lily?" Her mother asked as she dropped the bag and climbed onto the stool. The smell of fried chicken is so good and the 3 dishes set for lunch on the kitchen counter made her mouth drool. Pad Thai - yayy!! 

"It's okay," 

"Yeah? Have you made any friends yet?"

She shook her head. "Not that many. They look at me all weird,"

Her mother turned away from the stove with a gasp. "Do they? Maybe because you're so pretty?" 

Lisa smiles down shyly. "Noo...I don't think that's it,"

"Well, it could be! I don't see any other reasons -"

"That's cus you're my mom. You're being biased,"

"Ahh...have you been learning new words again?" The elder squinted a little.

Lisa nods in excitement. "Bias. To feel or show inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something,"

"My baby's too clever these days - I feel like I should join you in school!" Lisa giggled at the absurdity. "So tell me about your friends - what are their names?"

"I can only remember a few..." She looks up, trying to recall. "There's Minnie and Eunbi - they're in my class. They sit in front of me. Sunmi unnie helped me find the girls' room so she's my friend too. And Hanbin oppa showed me the teachers' office so yeah, I guess he's my friend too. Oh, and the boy - Jeon Jungkook. He talked to me the most - he said he lives next door,"

"Oh, he does? I didn't see any boys when I sent the cookies last week. Is he in your class too?"

Lisa nods. "He sits right behind me. And we got on the same bus and sat together. Mommy, can I ask something?"

Her mother switched off the burner and took a plate-full of fried chicken towards the counter. "What is it, baby?"

"Have you ever feel like you're someplace else? Like...you're here. But your heart feels weird, like it's not where you are,"

"Do you miss home?" Her mother's concerns are reflected in her eyes.

"No, no, not like that! That boy...Jungkook...it's weird - whenever I looked at him or when he talked to me, it's like I'm in a different place. Like I've seen him before but I don't know where,"

"Maybe you had a deja-vu,"

"What's a deja-vu?"

"Mmm...I'm not really sure. They said you'll feel it because it's happened before - probably in a dream or something like that,"

Lisa makes a mental note to search up the word in the dictionary later as she nods slowly.

"Do you like him?"

"No!!" The word flung out so quick and loud that her mother jumped a little. 

"Okay...I'm just checking -"

"I mean...he's nice. He helped me read a few Korean words that I didn't understand - so I guess he's nice,"

Her mother nods and Lisa could see the caution on her face. "Daddy said no boyfriend until you're seventeen -"

"What - no! What boyfriend - eww - I don't want him as my boyfriend - I've only met him like, 7 hours ago!" She snorted and got down to pick up her bag. She heard her mother's small hums and laughter as she turned to go upstairs. "It's sixteen by the way - not seventeen," 

...

The sun is up and has now set its fresh rays in and onto her husband's face, lighting half of it with golden shades of yellow - her favourite color. Lisa smiled as he turned away and face her instead - his arms flailing unconsciously in reach of her waist as he snuggles his head on her shoulder.