As It Should Be [BAMLISA x Hit The Stage] ✔️

chap 21

Bambam's POV

Their stages were scheduled around the middle with Bambam being third and Lisa at fifth. 

The episode was uneventful. At least it was for him. His heart wasn't in his routine. The beat and the happy rhythm did not meet the somber pace of his heart. The colorful costumes of him and his team seemed monotonous. His smile felt like it cut through his cheeks, his jaw weary. It was as if he was being held by strings as he danced. His body moved through the memory that his muscles built throughout the week while his mind was elsewhere. Or nowhere at all. 

The whole routine was detached from him, and he knew that from the get go, but he also knew he needed to see this challenge through. He practiced hard but even his team knew that there was something off with him to the point where some even asked if he was okay. His answers were always the same; a few 'I'm okay', 'it's nothing', and 'don't worry about it'. 

His stage finished before he realized it.

What he didn't expect, though, is that his childhood friend was in the same disposition. Maybe even worse off that he was. 

The moment the spotlights pointed at her, he was taken out of his reverie. But it wasn't because of his usual reasons. As the playful music played, and a variety of colors started flying around the stage, her face painted a portrait of irony. Like him, a smile was plastered on her face that was in stark contrast to the sorrow her eyes hid behind the languid fluttering of her lids. Her movements remained faithful to the music's rhythm, but Bambam's eyes could only see one thing.

His mind started entertaining questions he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answers to.

They lost.

It wasn't surprising. Bambam could barely hear the announcement as his eyes were glued on her and his thoughts rendered him deaf to the celebration. He half-heartedly congratulated the winner and walked towards Lisa. 

He already knew it wasn't the loss that got her down. That was obvious enough. He already had an inkling as to why. "It's gonna be okay..." he said.

She smiled at him, not far from what she wore on stage. "I know. It...it's just that it hurts." She sighed deeply. He saw how she subtly hid her clenched fists behind her. "I didn't even know that I liked him that much." He didn't realized he was grinding his teeth until he felt a slight sting from his bitten tongue. "But I guess I did. I do," she continued. "But he doesn't."

He felt a pang in his chest and encircled his hands around her shoulder as he lay his hands on one of them. "I know," he says, holding her tightly.

She seemed a little taken aback by this. "You do?" she asked doubtfully.

He lifted his hand towards the top of her head and ruffled her hair. He gave a short chuckle that was laced with muted pain. "Trust me, I do."

Lisa's POV

She couldn't sleep that night. 

"Trust me I do."

She looked at him, brows furrowed. She wasn't used to the seriousness of her goofy childhood friend, as well as the maturity that his pained expression gave. 

'Pained?', she thought. 

What made him like that. Who hurt him so bad that he was able to show that kind of face? What kind of person was she and why has he never told Lisa about her?

Sorn asked to meet with her the next day. She probably thought that something went wrong when Lisa didn't bother updating her of what happened. She left when the girls were still asleep. She decided to tell them later on.

She made her mind to walk around while waiting for their scheduled meet up, clad in her usual disguise. After a while, she went inside a hidden diner and met Sorn's eyes who was waiting in a booth. She saw that her friend already ordered some food for the both of them and simply called over a waitress for a fresh cup of coffee for her. Lisa smiled at the gesture. 

"Hey." She smiled at her gently.

"Morning, unnie." She sat down with her eyes already sifting through the food on the table. 

Sorn waited for a while while Lisa picked up one of the breads. Then they talked for a few minutes about minimal things, such as how the shoot yesterday was. 

Sorn cleared her throat after their small talk was done. "So...what happened?"

Lisa rose her brows, still munching on her food. 

Sorn rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

Lisa shook her head and swallowed. She put down the remainder of her food and sighed. She told Sorn about her confession, who listened diligently, eyes filled with sympathy for her friend.

"It'll get better, Lisa," she placed her hand on top of Lisa's and held it tightly. "I'm sure she's no match for you."

Lisa laughed at that. She's not sure what to make of that sentiment but she simply brushed it off. It would do her no good to compare herself to whoever that person is. Especially with such a fresh wound.

They were starting to fix their things, preparing to head out, when Lisa remembered something.

"By the way, unnie," Lisa started.

"Hm?"

"Has Bambam ever mentioned anything about a girl?" Lisa tried to look busy with her things. She's not entirely sure why the subject made her the tiniest bit embarrassed. 

"What do you mean?" Sorn looked at her with her eyebrows furrowed.

"You know...a girl that he happens to like." She bit the inside of her cheek while waiting for an answer.

"Why'd you ask?" Sorn looked at her wearily.

"Uhm...he mentioned something." 

Sorn bit her lower lip like she was trying to hold in her smile. This made Lisa confused but she shook her head away from the thought. "How would I know," Sorn simply answered. "He's your bestfriend."

Right. Lisa didn't push further. 

They were about to go their separate ways when Sorn said something. "It's probably the same person he danced for in episode 4." With that, Sorn said her goodbyes and left, leaving a confused Lisa behind.

A/N: Wrote and published this earlier than expected, It's also a lot shorter than the previous ch so....✌

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