earning it back // chaelisa

chapter 7: (third) first date

"You kissed her?!" Jisoo yells in surprise, the water she had just gulped trickling down her neck. Chaeyoung nods, pacing from one side of the living room to another, her stomach in knots as she relives that night and tells Jisoo, "And then what?"

Jisoo settles down on the couch again, stretching her bad leg out and putting it on the coffee table with an ease that only comes with summer. Chaeyoung gives her a tentative glance before resuming her pacing, wriggling her hands together, "Then I left."

"You left ?" Jisoo yelps again in disbelief. "Park, what the fuck ?"

"What was I supposed to do?"

The question has been plaguing Chaeyoung's mind ever since she heard Lisa close the door on her, well over a week ago. She has played that night over and over again, searching for any indication that she should have- could have acted differently. Should they not have kissed? If they hadn't kissed, would Lisa have answered her calls?

Because they had made more progress in one night than in the last six months - Lisa had trusted her with her son, for one thing, and they had talked, promises of more nights like that hanging in the air. But then Chaeyoung kissed her - and Lisa kissed her back, oh she kissed her back - and left, and might have ruined everything.

"I don't know," Jisoo shrugs, watching Chaeyoung work a kink on her neck and trace her path back to the other side of the living room, "Kiss her again? Go back inside to talk? I don't know , but leaving isn't exactly the answer."

Chaeyoung nods, fighting the way her breath catches in her chest, forcing her lungs to work. She wipes her palms on her thighs and if her heart pounds at the mere thought of kissing Lisa again, Chaeyoung doesn't dare to tell it to quiet down. "I need Jennie's advice."

"Well, thank you very much for dismissing my expertise," Jisoo says with feigned outrage, scoffing at Chaeyoung before taking another sip from her water, avoiding eye contact. Chaeyoung can't help but laugh at the theatrics, knowing Jisoo doesn't mean half of it.

"Oh, shut up," Chaeyoung says in the middle of a chuckle, feeling some of the tension leak out of her, "I need to know how Lisa is and Jennie working alongside with her all day gives her an edge."

It doesn't quite feel right, to come to Jennie for this. Chaeyoung had promised Jennie she wouldn't ask anything about Lisa ever again, but she had also promised to keep her distance from Lisa and then kissed her anyway.

"I can tell you how she is," Jisoo's voice has an authority to it that Chaeyoung can't help but wonder if she had seen Lisa lately, "She is a mess. But the good kind of mess."

It doesn't help Chaeyoung's nerves.

Letting out a shaky breath that sends sharp pains to her chest, Chaeyoung plops down on the couch. "Is Jennie home?"

"Yeah, she's in the office. She still doesn't like you that much," Jisoo says in a casual voice and Chaeyoung isn't surprised by the fact. Jennie has never been subtle about her dislike of Chaeyoung. But still, Jisoo shouts towards the general direction of the office, "Babe?" There's a moment's pause, then a muffled yeah? comes through to them, "Chaeyoung is here."

" I know, that's why I'm in here ."

Jisoo lets out a laughter, whispering to her, "She's good, isn't she?" Chaeyoung nods halfheartedly, hardly finding it amusing how much Jennie hates her. "Can you come here for a sec?"

Chaeyoung strains her ears for an answer but there's none. She's nearly giving up on Jennie coming when she hears heels clicking against the hardwood floor. Jennie doesn't come closer than the arch the separates the living room from the rest of the house, leaning against it with her arms folded on her chest. She's still on her work clothes, pantsuit and a button up shirt tucked into it, hair in a braided bun as tight as the look in her eyes.