Chapter 45

Third Person's POV

The clattering sound coming from the kitchen was heard once again which made Jennie paused from her tracks. She flinched in surprise when she heard that mysterious sound once again. Her curiosity about who would be the reason of those sound grew even more.

Jennie carefully continued her tracks, afraid that she might surprise that person. Her heart was pounding loudly that her own ears can even hear every bit of it. She has a huge gut feeling that the person inside there was the girl that she was longing for.

"Damn. I already told Palisa to put this pots at the countertop." The mystery person said.

Jennie quickly covered her mouth to prevent a loud gasp to escape. She was facing the person's back so she wasn't sure if what she's thinking is correct. But judging by the aura and especially by the voice, the feline was pretty sure about her hunch.

The mystery person was wearing a black hoodie, the hood of the jacket was covering her entire head that made Jennie have some difficulty to check her face. She was stacking the pots carefully and put it at the counter top beside her.

Jennie's eyes widened when the girl slowly turned a bit as she put her both hands on her hips and let out a sigh of relief. The feline can feel her heartbeat double its speed but before she muttered a word, she was interrupted by a blonde chipmunk.

"Lalisa?!" Rosé called in a high pitch. There was no sign of hesitation at her voice.

Rosé's loud voice gained the attention of the mystery person. She turned around, facing where the voice came from. The hood was still covering her eyes, only showing her lips that is now wearing a mischievous smirk.

"Yah. Are you really that monkey?" Jisoo's voice showed a little bit of threat but the mystery person didn't move an inch and gracefully removed the hood of her jacket instead making Jennie frozen.

"I am. Miss me?" Lisa said confidently. Her smirk is now turned into a grin but that was instantly replaced when she darted her gaze to Rosé.

"What happened to your hair?!" Rosé and Lisa said at the same time. They're pointing at each other and their mouth was open, showing how surprise they are.

"I told you I'm making my hair blonde because I want us to look like twins!" Rosé said and walk fast towards the latter. "Why did you cut your hair? Why did you changed your hair color?" Rosé asked while repeatedly hitting Lisa's arms.

"Stop! Will you?" Lisa said.

"Why?!" Rosé said, both of her hands are on her hips while glaring at Lisa.

"New look?" Lisa said while smiling awkwardly. She grew pretty tired of her long blonde hair that reminds her of some hurtful memories that she wants to bury forever. So, Lisa came up with a decision to cut her hair short and turned it into a brown or copper with a touch of an ash. Even she didn't knew what exact color was it. She just pick it because she thought it was cool.

"You look good in blonde." Lisa said, trying to lighten up the tension. It was very effective since Rosé's once glary eyes turned into a soft one as a smile escape from her lips.

"I know right." Rosé said and do a hair flip which made the both of them giggle. Rosé throw herself into Lisa for a hug. "You look good on your new look too." She whispered.

"I miss you chipmunk." Lisa said and hug the latter tightly. Hearing those words made Rosé to pull away in an instant.

"I miss you too. But you got a lot of explaining to do." Rosé warned her. Before Lisa muttered an apology, Jisoo quickly joined them. The short girl jumped into Lisa and wrapped her legs around Lisa's torso which almost made the copper haired girl lose her balance.

Lisa's eyes drifted towards a certain feline who is still frozen in her spot and watching them with those cat-eyes of hers.

"Hey, Jennie. Don't you want to join us?" Lisa said casually.

Jennie furrowed her eyebrows. Hearing Lisa ask her in that manner sent a lot of questions throughout her mind. Jennie looked at her eyes, it wasn't cold like what it was way back before but still, there was something hidden in those brown orbs of hers.

"Jennie?" Lisa called once again. The feline was about to take her first step when the cheerful girl from earlier suddenly showed up.

"I was looking for you upstairs! Didn't know you're in here." Palisa said.

"I got bored, so I started unpacking the other boxes." Lisa answered.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Jisoo asked innocently not minding a feline that silently praying to all of the saints that she knew.

"No. She's the granddaughter of one of my grandpa's friend. I asked her for help since she lives around the corner." Lisa said. "Palisa, here are my friends. Rosé, Jisoo and Jennie." She added. The girls exchanges greetings towards each other.

"I think I should go by now. The people that you've been waiting since yesterday are already here." Palisa said but the truth is, she was really bothered by how Jennie look at her.

"Oh, I'll walk you home." Lisa said and tap Jisoo's butt lightly, asking for her to already come down.

Palisa bid goodbye to them and Jennie was still sending her deadly glares until she disappeared at the front door. Rosé and Jisoo sent a knowing look at each other when they saw how Jennie act. They decided to tease the feline for a bit.

"Do you really think she's just a friend?" Jisoo pretends to ask Rosé innocently who is now busy browsing her phone.

"I don't think so. Look at what I've found." The chipmunk showed them a photo of Lisa and Palisa together at Palisa's Instagram account that send Jennie into burning in anger.

Seeing an angry kitten made Rosé and Jisoo instantly regret what they did. They took a step back every time Jennie took a step forward. The eyebrows of the feline are furrowed and her fist are clenched tightly. Jisoo tried to calm down the feline by telling her that they were only joking but it wasn't effective. Luckily, Lisa came back making Rosé and Jisoo breathe in relief.

"What are you guys doing?" Lisa asked when she found Rosé and Jisoo at almost leaning at the wall while Jennie seems like she was about to jump at them anytime by now.

"Nothing. We were just talking." Jisoo said and laugh awkwardly.

"But why does Jennie looks like she's angry?" Lisa tilted her head a bit out of confusion.

"Because she's jea-mmmff." Rosé quickly cover Jisoo's mouth with her hands. Afraid that Jennie might really attack them this time despite of having Lisa in front of them.

"We were just teasing Jennie and she got annoyed." Rosé said, telling half of the truth. "Right, Jen?" She added.

Jennie scoffed and flipped her hair and cross her arms afterwards. "Whatever." She said.

"Okay." Lisa said slowly, as if she's not yet convinced. "Anyway, where do you guys want to have dinner? I want to cook for you but I'm not yet done unpacking the other kitchen stuffs." She added.

"As if you really knew how to cook." Jennie quickly covered her mouth when she realized what she said. Her eyes widened in surprise as she look at Lisa. She don't know if it is okay to talk to her this way. Jennie thought she may be overwhelmed when Lisa talk to her casually earlier. But knowing that there's something between them going on, Jennie's mind turn into a disaster.

"Try to ask Rosé. She loves my cooking." Lisa said and stick out her tongue to the feline. Jennie once again was surprised by the way Lisa act towards her. She was expecting a cold, emotionless response but she got the opposite of it. Not only Jennie was the one who was surprised, even Rosé and Jisoo can't hide how they are shock.

"Y-Yeah. You should try Lisa's cooking, Jen. It's delicious! I also didn't trust Lisa at first but expect the unexpected." Rosé said, saving them from an awkward atmosphere. Jennie can't utter a single word so she just nodded slightly.

"I'll cook for you one of this days, Jennie." Lisa said with a bright smile that made Jennie's heart skip a beat. "I'll make sure that you'll never forget how it taste like." Lisa added.

"O-okay." Jennie said. The feline held her chest and feel her heart beating. She took a couple of deep breathes, hoping that it can calm herself

"Let's go? I found a good restaurant around here. I'll wait for you guys at the car." Lisa smiled before walking her way out.

"Whoa. What the actual fuck?" Jisoo said when Lisa finally disappeared from their sight. "I thought Lisa would gave you a cold answer." She said to Jennie.

"I expected that actually too." Jennie said.

"Maybe Lisa already moved on?" Jisoo blurted.

A pang of pain hit right into Jennie's heart. She realize that Jisoo has a point. Lisa wouldn't talk to her like that if she still have feelings for her. Rosé pulled Jisoo by her ear, as a punishment for being insensitive. Jisoo mouthed an apology towards the feline. Jennie smiled and nodded and walk her way outside.

--

"So how was it?" Lisa asked.

Rosé gave her a thumbs up since her mouth was stuffed. She was eating nonstop ever since they came here.

"Yah. Eat slowly." Jisoo warned her. Rosé suddenly choked which made the latter panicked. Jisoo hurriedly gave her a glass of water.

"I told you to eat slowly." Jisoo said worriedly.

"Sorry." Rosé answered with a smile as soon as she finished drinking. "How did you find this place?" She asked the tall girl sitting beside her that is busy sipping her soup.

"I ate here with Palisa yesterday." Lisa answered casually.

"Ooh. Is that Palisa not really one of your girls?" Jisoo asked with a smirk.

"What? Of course not. And what do you mean by one of my girls?"

"You became a huge flirt obviously. You're together with lots of different girls after we came back from the tour."

"Is it my fault when they're the one who is coming to me? I'm just being nice by keeping them entertained." Lisa answered with pure confidence.

"Damn. You're really a flirt." Jisoo grimaced at Lisa's answer. Lisa was about to talk back again but her attention was caught Rosé who put down her chopsticks at the top of the table creating a loud thud.

"What? What's wrong?" Lisa asked.

"I think this is the time that you need to explain your sudden disappearance." Rosé's eyes narrowed which sends shiver down towards Lisa's spine.

"Okay. Where do you want me to start?" She asked.

"From the top obviously." Rosé rolled her eyes.

"Yah. When did you get this rude to me?"

"Are you going to speak or not?"

"Okay. Fine." Lisa said. She let out a couple of dry coughs before starting to speak. "A week right before the graduation, my mom called. I think it was about midnight and Rosé was sleeping soundly by that time. Mom told me that Dad was sick and my Grandpa needs some help since Dad left a loads of paper works to do. Mom don't know anything about it so she decided to ask me for help. I didn't think twice and I flew back to Thailand that night." Lisa explained.

"I thought you're leaving us for good. You're things are gone when I woke up." Rosé said.

"I was thinking that I might not be able to come back here in Korea a day before the graduation. Which became true when my plane got delayed. I was disappointed that I wasn't able to attend the ceremony and since all of my things are with me, I decided to went straight here at Seoul." Lisa said.

"Wait. How did you knew about the house? Did the owner also sent you an email? Is the house really free?" Jisoo asked.

"Is the house haunted?" Rosé added.

"Silly. My grandpa bought it for me." Lisa answered. She never failed to surprise her friends.

"What? So the email.."

"It was me, Jisoo. I sent it to you so that I can be able to surprise all of you."

"Why only to me?"

"Because you're dumb enough to believe." Lisa said. The shorter girl was about to attack her but Rosé stopped her. She told Jisoo to focus on her food which obeyed by the latter easily.

"It's true anyways. You're really dumb enough to believe." Rosé said.

"Yah!"

After they finished eating, Rosé volunteered to pay for the food that they ate while Jisoo excused herself to go to the bathroom. Lisa was busy scrolling her phone but her eyes caught something. Jennie has been quiet since they came here. She's still thinking about what Jisoo said earlier.

"Jen?" Lisa called.

Jennie flinched for a bit when she felt Lisa's hand touches hers, they were sitting across each other. Blood rush towards Jennie's cheeks forming a tint of pink.

"W-what?" Jennie manage to answer. Her eyes are still darted on the latter's hand resting at top of hers.

"Are you okay? You've been unusually quiet." Lisa said.

Jennie slowly lifted her eyes up and gazed upon Lisa's face. She felt herself drowning at those gorgeous brown orbs that seems like staring her throughout her soul. Jennie's breath hitched as Lisa removed her hand leaving her longing for more of her warmth.

"L-Lisa. About-"

"It's fine Jennie. Everything is in the past. I'm okay now." Lisa answered with a bright smile that made Jennie realized what Jisoo said must be true. Lisa must forget already the feelings that she have for her.

"O-okay." Jennie said weakly. She kept her cool to prevent herself bursting into tears.

"How are you and Hanbin anyway?" Lisa asked. Jennie looked at her once again with an unreadable expression. "Don't worry about me. I already told you I'm fine. I just want to know how you are. It's been a while since we last talk like this." She added.

"Hanbin and I never happened." Jennie said with a small smile making Lisa dumbfounded for a few seconds.

"O-oh. May I know why?" Lisa asked. Jennie took a deep breathe before answering her question.

"Let's just say that I realized that my heart already belongs to someone else." She said.

"Yah. Tell me who is it." Lisa said but Jennie just shook her head.

"Why? Do I know him?" Lisa asked again.

"It's no use. I'm too late." Jennie said, trying to hide the pain from her voice.

"Come on. Tell me. I'm your best friend." Lisa whined which made Jennie gasped in surprise. It's been a while since Lisa threw this kind of tantrums to her. And she admit, she miss seeing this Lisa's side.

"No."" Jennie said. The feline was now grinning widely because of the cuteness that Lisa's showing to her. Lisa was about to whine once again but Rosé and Jisoo suddenly came. They need to come home already since they haven't finished packing out their own stuffs. They still have some lot of works to do.

"You and Lisa seems to get along again. Mind telling me what happened?" Jisoo whispered to Jennie and wiggled her eyebrows. The feline push the latter slightly and followed Rosé who was now clinging at Lisa's arms while they're talking to each other.

--

It was already late but Jennie seems to have some difficulty on sleeping. Her body is tired from all the work that they do but her mind is still wide awake. She can't count how many times she rolled on her bed, trying to find a comfortable position.

"Why the fuck I can't sleep?!" Jennie groaned in annoyance and flopped herself back to her bed.

Her arms spread wide while her eyes fixed on the white ceiling above her. The image of Lisa smiling at her was the main reason why she can't sleep. Jennie can't get it out of her mind. She missed it. She missed that bright smile. That doe eyes. In short, she really missed Lisa.

Jennie felt her throat became dry so she decided to get up and go downstairs to get glass of water but she was taken aback when she heard someone screamed in horror. It was coming from the room across hers. And that room belongs to Lisa.

Jennie hurriedly went out of her room, she was very worried that something might happened towards the girl. Maybe a burglar? Or a serial killer? Lucky her, Lisa didn't lock the door.

"Lisa!" Jennie shouted as soon as she entered the room. It was dark but the light coming from the moon was enough for her to be able to see Lisa, sitting at her bed while her elbows rested at the top of her knees. Her face was buried at her palms and she can hear Lisa's ragged breathing.

"Get Rosé, please." Lisa muttered softly.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Jennie said. The feline was about to took another step closer towards the latter but she quickly stopped herself when Lisa lifted her face up. Her hair was disheveled, she was covered with sweat and a hint of pain and fear were visible to her eyes.

"Just go and get her! I need Rosé!" Lisa screamed at the top of her lungs which cause Jennie to lose her strength to move.

Jennie wants to run towards her and wrapped her in her arms and tell Lisa that everything will be okay even though she don't have any idea what happened to her. But at the same time she don't want to anger the tall girl even more and besides, Lisa already told her that Rosé is the one who she needs, not her. And that fact make her heart ache.

Jennie literally jumped in surprise when she felt a warm hand held her shoulder. She quickly turned and saw it was Rosé, looking at her in a mix of apologetic and worried way.

"Chaeyoung-ah." Lisa called when she saw the blonde. Vulnerability is visible throughout her voice.

"I'm here." Rosé said and smiled weakly before turning back to Jennie. "I'll take care of her. Don't worry." She added and sent her an apologetic smile.

The blonde girl closed the door leaving Jennie clueless, confused and dumbfounded at the same time.