Chapter 11

"Ya! Jennie Kim!" a loud voice suddenly disturbed the silence of Jennie's bedroom. "Ugh! What's with the smell?"

Jennie woke up with a start. She was blinded by the lights flooding inside her bedroom when Jisoo snatched the blind covers on the high windows, allowing the high noon sun to flood and fill the stillness of Jennie's room in full blast. Jennie tried to snatch her bed covers to protect her eyes from the blinding light but Jisoo was quicker to pull it away from Jennie's grasp.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" Jisoo said while repeatedly tugging Jennie's arm to pull her up. "Come on!"

"Not now, Chu," Jennie said weakly. She resisted and pulled her arm away from Jisoo's grip. "My head is seriously aching pretty bad right now," Jennie said groggily in a hoarse voice.

"Aigoo! What did you do last night, Jendeukie?" Jisoo asked as she settled herself in one of the corners of Jennie's queen-sized bed and gave up her futile attempts to pull Jennie up.

"Nothing," Jennie responded and crawled under her massive pillows for shades. Her eyes were puffy and stinging, so she kept them tightly shut.

Her head was aching so bad she wondered wildly if it was possible for her skull to just crack open and let out all the throbbing pain inside it to make it go away. She's never had a bad hangover before. Nasty soju.

But Jisoo was being Jisoo. She would get into the bottom of the matter by being persistent.

"Don't nothing me, Jennie Kim! Mr. Young told me you came home drunk at 4 AM. That's definitely not nothing, if you ask me," Jisoo persisted.

"Is it really necessary for Mr. Young to report everything to you, Chu?" Jennie wondered under the cool comforts of her soft pillows. She remembered vividly how she was so pissed at the head of security last night for blabbing what she did to Jisoo. And at Jisoo, too, for treating her like she was a three year old who can't be trusted with her actions.

"No," Jisoo said. "But I feel the need to ask him because I was worried sick about you last night," Jisoo answered calmly.

It was one of the things that Jennie liked about Jisoo. Kim Jisoo could be annoying and extra persistent to the point that she might hang you dry in the open just so she could finally get the answer that she's been searching for from you--which she learned from her dad, being a head of security and detective services--but would still care for you because she's a great friend who got your back. Always.

"I was fine last night," Jennie responded in a rather defensive voice, her voice was still hoarse. "Jesus, I need water!" she desperately added after a series of groaning and clearing of her throat. Her throbbing head was too much for her to bear.

Jisoo asked the housemaid that she brought with her inside Jennie's bedroom to get Jennie a glass of water, an aspirin for her headache and a strong black coffee. The housemaid then quickly heed to Jisoo's request and came back in less a minute with the hangover remedies that Jisoo was asking.

After Jisoo forcibly but patiently told Jennie to take the aspirin, gulped all the water from the tall, crystal glass, and take a sip from the cup of string black coffee, Jisoo asked the housemaid nicely to leave Jennie and her alone.

That's another thing Jennie liked about Kim Jisoo. She could be that annoying, nosy friend, but would look after you like a big sister and care and scold you like a mother. Jisoo was always so collected and decisive. Like, she already knew what to do before everyone would. Maybe it had something to do with her being involved in charity works. Or from reading a hundred books already. Or maybe Kim Jisoo was living up to her name.

"You certainly don't look fine to me," Jisoo said when she returned to the corner of Jennie's bed. "You look like a mess."

Jennie was still wearing the same clothes that she wore last night. Which was a first, because she was always strict and meticulous with her hygiene. But she felt so sleepy and drunk when she arrived at four in the morning that all she ever did was kick her sneakers off her feet and crawled to her bed and dozed off.

"What brings you here this early in the morning, by the way? I thought by now you'd be somewhere else and feed the hungry or change the world or something," asked Jennie, changing the subject because she wasn't up for any explaining at the moment. She was clutching her head with her both hands and finally heaved herself up.

She sat up, her back was leaning on the cushioned headboard for support. Her long hair was a mess. She looked like a mess. But even so, Jennie still looked refined and elegant. She could even wear a garbage bag for the heck of it and would still look sophisticated in it.

"Early? It's past noon already, Jendeukie," Jisoo said. "And you're absolutely right. I should be somewhere else right now had your mother not called me to check up on you because she, too, was worried sick about you," Jisoo said.

"What was she so worried about? It's not like she isn't used to me waking up late," Jennie complained.

"Oh, she is. That's for sure. Everyone is, including me," Jisoo retorted. "But you haven't been answering the door since this morning and your phone is off. Nobody could ever wake you up and your mother was just being a mother. Especially after learning that you came home drunk," Jisoo explained.

"Oh," was the only word that came out from Jennie's mouth. And it wasn't even an "oh, yes, I get it" type, but just an "oh". Because she couldn't think of anything more coherent than a meaninglesa "oh" at the moment.

"Yes. 'Oh.' So, where have you been last night?" Jisoo asked, always the persistent one.

"Dongdaemun," Jennie answered weakly with her eyes closed. There was no point not telling Chu about it, she thought.

"What?? What on earth were you doing alone in Dongdaemun without a bodyguard?? And you drive all the way from Dongdaemun, drunk? Jesus!" Jisoo exclaimed with exasperation. She sounded so motherly that Jennie thought Chu was overreacting.

"I wasn't alone, okay? I was with Lisa," Jennie said. "And please don't shout, Chu. You're making my headache worse than it already is. Oh god! I'm never gonna drink soju anymore!"

"Who the hell is Lisa?" Jisoo demanded, sounding suspicious. She was now on her feet, with her hands resting on her both waist, pacing back and forth at Jennie's bed footing.

"Remember the blond I told you about? We went there together," Jennie answered.

Jisoo halted her pacing back and forth and stared at Jennie with an unreadable expression.

"Oh," she muttered and went back to her sitting position.

"Yes. 'Oh,'" Jennie said, a faint smile was cracking on her lips despite the throbbing pain that she was feeling on her head, which have already subdued a little, thanks to the aspirin.

She remembered how funny Lisa was while singing a Beatles song inside her car and how Lisa's loud laughter had gained attention from the people inside the tent last night. That woman was definitely crazy. And fun. Lisa was absolutely fun to be with.

"Well, that wasn't what I was expecting," Jisoo said thoughtfully after a moment of odd silence between the two of them.

"What were you expecting? That I drunk all by myself in some cheap tent in Dongdaemun all night?" Jennie suggested.

"No. More like, you picked up a hooker on the street, whom you found out later on that her name was Lisa, brought her to Dongdaemun, got drunk and hooked up," Jisoo said.

"Ya! Kim Jisoo! Is that how you think of me? That's totally rude and unacceptable!" Jennie said irritably, her face was blotchy red. She threw a pillow towards Jisoo. Which only landed with a soft thud on the carpeted floor, missing Jisoo by a foot.

"No. But you sounded...well, different and rebellious last night on the phone. I was afraid you'd do something stupid. You still did, by the way. Going to Dongdaemun and came home drunk? Aigoo! But at least you did it with a woman," said Jisoo.

"At least with a woman? What's that supposed to mean? And we didn't do anything stupid, Chu, FYI. We just ate and drunk a few bottles of soju," Jennie said. "And talked. We talked a lot of random things. I kinda liked it."

"Oh. That explains this--," she was waving and brandishing her arms in air, "--smell," Jisoo said, cringing her nose. "Anyway, women are gentle and nice. And less suspicious, given your social status, if you ask me. Do you think the press and the members of the board will just let you off the hook if anyone would see you drinking in some cheap tent away from Gangnam with some guy? Your mother would be livid!"

"Yeah, you're right. Lisa was nice," Jennie said.

Jisoo picked the pillow that Jennie threw at her from the floor and pitched it back to Jennie. It hit Jennie on the face.

"Ya!" Jennie shouted but regretted it instantly. "Oh god! My head!" she groaned.

Jisoo smirked and chortled.

"Out of all the things I've said, that's the only thing you could say? 'Lisa was nice'?"

"Because she really was," Jennie answered. "But she wasn't gentle, though. She was a bit of a crass. And a dork. Which is what makes her nice, I think. She sang a Beatles song in front me without inhibition just to prove a point."

"So, how did the two of you ended up in Dongdaemun together?" Jisoo asked. "I'm curious!"

And so Jennie narrated everything to Jisoo. From the talk she had with her mother, to her being pissed at Jisoo, to which Jisoo responded with a "But I was just worried about you!" and Jennie retaliated with "I know! But it was still annoying."

She also told Jisoo about the Orange and how she learned about it from a bunch of college students inside a convenience store.

"You honestly went to a convenience store? Like, seriously?" Jisoo, yet again, interrupted Jennie's tale.

"I went in and out to convenience stores in New York and Auckland all the time, Chu. What's so surprising about that?" asked Jennie.

"Yes. But this is Seoul!" Jisoo said, to which Jennie ignored and went on with her tale.

She told Jisoo about Chahee and Chahee's daiquiri and the pretty redhead, who was with Lisa that particular day at The Era, where Jennie saw the two women for the first time, who was singing 'I Can't Take My Eyes Off You'--'

"Isn't that one of your personal favorites?" Jisoo interrupted, for the third time.

"It is!" Jennie responded enthusiastically. "Isn't that weird? That someone was singing it,  beautifully, if I may add, and then there was Lisa--,"

"Wait, let me get this straight first. The singing redhead was the same redhead you saw with Lisa at The Era that you told me about?" Jisoo asked curiously, interrupting Jennie for the fourth time.

Jennie nodded.

"You should hear her sing, Chu. She was so damn good. Her voice was eargasm. The crowd fell silent when she started singing," said Jennie. "So, anyway. There was Lisa..."

And Jennie continued her tale. She told Jisoo about leaving her seat and went to the powder room. About Lisa sitying next to her without her realizing at first. About Lisa staring at her. About her getting pissed at Lisa for staring at her. About her finally recognizing Lisa's face. About Lisa's big, soft, round eyes looking at her in the eyes, smiling, recognizing her. And about how her heart was acting funny all over again.

"Like the first time?" asked Jisoo, smiling.

"Yes. And more. It was like it recognized her, Chu," Jennie answered, "this," pointing to her chest. "Her eyes. That smile of hers. It's like it was happy seeing Lisa again. And nervous. And excited. And scared, perhaps? It was like a snowball of emotions trapped inside a bird cage, wanting to get out. It was weird."

"Okay, wait! You're not making any sense, Jendeukie. Because snowballs can't be trapped inside a bird cage, you know? They will just melt and turn into liquid unless it's freezing. And we all know that liquids don't stay still unless they're being contained. And bird cages cannot contain wat--,"

"Are we going to discuss how accurate my metaphor is? Or do you still want me to tell you about Lisa? Because I can seriously just go back to sleep," Jennie said irritably.

"Oh, right. Yeah, sorry. Go on," Jisoo said, looking apologetic.

"Why did I feel that way, Chu? It happened twice already. The first time, I can understand because she was practically a stranger. But last night..." Jennie trailed off her voice and stared at the beam of sunlight flooding on her bed covers, looking pensive.

"Do you, maybe, like her?" Jisoo asked.

"Do I like her? I don't know, Chu. I mean, I've always been straight, I thin I mean, yes, I haven't been to any relationship before but...do I start liking girls now? Or is this just a phase?"

"Or maybe you like just one particular girl, perhaps?"

"Maybe. I don't know," Jennie replied with a sigh, her eyes were closed.

"What are you thinking right now, Ruby Jane?" Jisoo asked.

"I'm thinking about how my stomach hurts after a good laugh last night. It felt so good. I missed that," Jennie said, now looking morose and about to cry. Jisoo wondered if Jennie was still in the state of drunkenness from last night.

"If Lisa can make you laugh like that, then be with Lisa for God's sake! You know I've been praying for the day when you start opening up yourself to the world again, right? And if Lisa can help you with that, then just be with her and have fun," said Jisoo.

Jennie laughed sadly.

"You think it's that easy, Chu? I was even trying to get away from Lisa last night because I was afraid anyone from the company might recognize me. And...and what about Mom? What about the company? What about the society? I am a Kim. I am not allowed to make mistake. You know what I mean?"

"I am also a Kim but I make mistakes from time to time," Jisoo said. "Ya, Jennie Kim! People make mistakes. We're bound to make mistakes."

"Not me," Jennie said, shaking her head. "Especially not here in Korea. Especially with Mom around. You know how she's been trying to set me up with Yi Eun, right? If she'll hear about Lisa, it'll be the end of it."

Because although the majority of 70% of the population in South Korea was showing acceptance to same-sex relationship, being gay was still a taboo. And majority of the queer people in South Korea were still closeted from their family, especially from their elders.

"Then be the boss, Jendeukie," Jisoo said. "Take what's yours and be the boss. So that people will stop dictating you what to do or who to date. Accept the chairmanship already."

"What if I fail?" Jennie whispered. "What if I can't do it?"

"Hey! You don't know that," Jisoo said. "And you said it yourself. You're a Kim. You're Jennie Kim. The Jennie Kim I know isn't afraid of anything. Or anyone. Even with herself."

Jennie crawled towards the spot where Jisoo was sitting and laid her head on Jisoo's lap. Only Jisoo could give her the best advice if she'll ever need one. And for that, Jennie was grateful.

"What am I gonna do without you, Chu?"

"I know, right?" Jisoo answered with a smirk. "So you better haul up your ass right now and treat me to lunch. I'm craving for skewered chicken--,"

"Ugh! But I'm still nursing a bad hangover!" Jennie protested. Jisoo was being Jisoo again.

"--and you better introduce this Lisa girl to me, soonest!" Jisoo continued talking as if she did not hear Jennie groaned and complained about her hangover.

Jennie sat up and smiled awkwardly, which Jisoo found highly suspicious.

"Ah, about that, Chu. I think I might be needing a little help with your sleuthing skills?" Jennie said, biting her lips, raising her brows, looking like a puppy asking for a treat.

"Why? What's the matter?" Jisoo asked with her eyes squinted.

"I don't know Lisa's home address and I haven't got her phone number. I was too shy to ask her last night," answered Jennie.

"Oh my god! You are such a helpless case, Jendeukie!" Jisoo said in exasperation. "Remind me again why we're friends?"

"Because we're both Kims? And I'm your Jendeuk? Plus, you love me?" Jennie answered in her aegyo voice.

"Ew! Spare me with your aegyo!" Jisso said, cringing. "You owe me. You seriously owe me big time, Ruby Jane! I'm telling you!"

"I'll buy you lots of skwered chicken. I promise!" Jennie said with her hand up in the air.

"Okay. Fair enough," said Jisoo, looking satisfied. "I'm just curious about something, though."

"You're curious about everything, Kim Jisoo. What's new?" Jennie said as she plopped herself back to the soft mattress of her bed. "What is it this time?" she asked curiously. Because Jisoo's curiosity about everything was always contagious. And when Jisoo was curious, she was bound to ask the most awkward or weirdest question.

"Did you, like, well," Jisoo hesitated, "you know, did it?"

"Did it wha--," Jennie asked for a start and suddenly sprung herself up and looked at Jisoo accusingly with her eyes widened, after she realized what Jisoo was talking about. "Oh my god, Kim Jisoo! No! Of course, me and Lisa did not have sex! How dare you even think about that?"

"Oh, right," Jisoo muttered. "But did you and Lisa even, like, kiss?" she asked with a smirk.

Jennie was now looking murderous. But Jisoo was unaffected by it and did not even bother to wipe the smirk off her face.

"Seriously? No. I mean, Lisa kissed me on the cheek before we parted ways. but that was it. Can you stop this already? This is making me awkward," Jennie said, now red on the face.

"That doesn't make sense, though," Jisoo said thoughtfully. "Most people do it on first dates nowadays."

"But I'm not 'most people', Chu. And it wasn't even counted as first date," Jennie pointed out.

"It still doesn't make sense to me," Jisoo responded stubbornly.

"Is that necessary?" Jennie asked.

"No. I don't know. I haven't dated anyone yet, Jendeukie. In case you haven't noticed," Jisoo answered. "That's why I said I'm curious."