Chapter 27: Chapter 27

The next morning, Lisa entered the office with her usual bounce, but there was a new excitement in the air. Seulgi and Irene’s first after-work drinks had gone well—Lisa had made sure to catch up on that gossip as soon as she’d stepped in—and now, she was riding the high of another successful match. With her matchmaking streak still going strong, she was feeling unstoppable.

But today, something was off. It started when Jennie walked into her office, her expression unreadable, which was always dangerous territory. Lisa had gotten used to Jennie’s slight smiles and subtle teasing, but today, Jennie was all business. Lisa raised an eyebrow, watching her carefully.

“Morning, Ms. Kim,” Lisa greeted, leaning back in her chair with her usual playful grin.

“You’re looking particularly serious today. I hope I’m not in trouble.”

Jennie didn’t smile. She closed the door behind her and sat down across from Lisa, folding her hands in her lap. For a moment, she said nothing, just watching Lisa with an intensity that made Lisa shift in her seat.

“Lisa,” Jennie started, her voice calm but firm. “I’ve been thinking.”

Lisa raised an eyebrow, trying to keep the mood light. “Uh-oh. That sounds dangerous.”

Jennie’s expression didn’t change. “You’ve been running around this office, setting up other people, making jokes, causing all kinds of trouble... and I think it’s time someone turned the tables on you.”

Lisa blinked, caught off guard. “What? Turn the tables on me? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jennie leaned forward, her eyes locked on Lisa’s. “You’ve been pushing everyone else to face their feelings, but you haven’t taken a single step back to think about your own.”

Lisa’s heart skipped a beat, her usual confidence slipping as she realized Jennie wasn’t joking. This wasn’t a playful teasing session. This was Jennie calling her out.

“Wait, what do you mean?” Lisa asked, her voice a little more hesitant now.

Jennie’s gaze softened slightly, but she didn’t lose that determined edge. “You push people toward what you think they want, but you’ve been avoiding what’s right in front of you.”

Lisa felt her throat tighten, her heart racing as Jennie’s words sank in. She had always been the one in control, the one making the jokes and orchestrating everyone else’s love lives. She hadn’t stopped to think about what was happening between her and Jennie, not really. Sure, there was flirting and a lot of teasing, but Lisa had convinced herself it was all just a game.

But was it?

“Are you saying... you’ve been... trying to push me into something?” Lisa asked, her voice quieter than she intended.

Jennie’s lips twitched into a small smile. “Not push, Lisa. I don’t play games like you do. But I’ve been waiting. Waiting for you to realize that you’ve been avoiding something important.”

Lisa stared at her, her mind spinning. The room suddenly felt too small, too quiet. She wasn’t used to being the one caught off guard, the one in the spotlight.

“You’ve been waiting for me to... what?” Lisa finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jennie stood up, walking around the desk until she was standing right in front of Lisa. She didn’t sit this time. Instead, she placed her hands on the desk, leaning in close enough that Lisa could feel the warmth of her breath

“I’ve been waiting for you to stop running around playing matchmaker and face your own feelings,” Jennie said, her voice soft but steady.

“You’ve been so busy setting up everyone else, you haven’t even noticed what’s been happening between us.”

Lisa’s breath hitched as the truth hit her full force. Jennie wasn’t just flirting, wasn’t just teasing her for fun. This was real. And she’d been too caught up in her own games to see it.

“You mean... us?” Lisa asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Jennie nodded, her eyes never leaving Lisa’s. “Yes, us. You’re always so focused on everyone else, but now it’s your turn. You can’t keep avoiding this, Lisa.”

For once, Lisa had no witty comeback, no playful joke to deflect the seriousness of the situation. She stared at Jennie, feeling exposed in a way she hadn’t expected.

“I... didn’t think...” Lisa started, but the words got stuck in her throat.

Jennie smiled softly, her voice lowering as she leaned in even closer. “You didn’t think I’d be interested? Or you didn’t think you’d have to face it?”

Lisa swallowed hard, her mind racing. She had been so caught up in her role as the office troublemaker, the one who never took anything too seriously, that she hadn’t let herself acknowledge her own feelings. But now, with Jennie standing this close, her eyes filled with something deeper than teasing, Lisa couldn’t hide from it anymore.

“I guess... both,” Lisa admitted, her voice barely a whisper.

Jennie’s smile widened slightly, and she reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from Lisa’s face. The gesture was so tender, so intimate, that it sent a shiver down Lisa’s spine.

“Well,” Jennie said softly, “it’s time to stop running, Lisa.”

Before Lisa could process what was happening, Jennie closed the gap between them, her lips capturing Lisa’s in a kiss that was slow, deep, and filled with all the tension they’d been dancing around for weeks. It wasn’t playful or teasing—this was real. Jennie was making sure Lisa understood that this wasn’t just part of the game.

Lisa’s heart raced as she kissed Jennie back, her hands instinctively reaching for Jennie’s waist, pulling her closer. The air between them crackled with intensity, the weight of all the unspoken feelings hitting Lisa like a wave.

When Jennie finally pulled back, her eyes locked on Lisa’s, the room was filled with a heavy, charged silence.

“So,” Jennie whispered, her forehead resting against Lisa’s, “what are you going to do now?”

Lisa blinked, her mind still spinning, but there was only one answer that made sense.

“I think... I’m done running,” Lisa said softly, her voice steady now.

Jennie’s smile softened, her hands still resting on Lisa’s shoulders. “Good. Because I’ve been waiting for you to catch up.”

Lisa chuckled softly, shaking her head in disbelief. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner.”

Jennie smirked, leaning in for another quick kiss. “You were too busy trying to set everyone else up.”

Lisa grinned, her heart feeling lighter now. “Well, I guess it’s time I take my own advice.”

Jennie raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Which piece of advice? You’ve given out a lot lately.”

Lisa laughed, her usual playfulness returning. “The one about not letting sparks sit on the back burner for too long.”

Jennie smiled, stepping back slightly but keeping her eyes on Lisa. “Sounds like you’re learning.”

Lisa stood up, a newfound confidence settling in her chest as she walked over to Jennie, her grin widening. “Oh, trust me, I learn fast.”

And with that, Lisa pulled Jennie in for another kiss—this time, not to run or hide, but to face exactly what had been building between them for far too long.

.................

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Lisa. The office moved as it always did—meetings, phone calls, and the constant hum of productivity—but her mind was stuck on that kiss. Every time she tried to focus on work, her thoughts drifted back to Jennie: the way her lips felt, the intensity in her eyes, and the fact that Lisa had spent weeks ignoring what had been right in front of her.

Now, it wasn’t a game anymore. The flirty banter, the teasing—there was something real underneath all of it, something Lisa had never quite let herself think about. But now? She couldn’t avoid it. Jennie had made sure of that.

As Lisa sat at her desk, attempting to get through emails, a soft knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. Seulgi peeked her head in, looking cautiously curious.

“Hey, Lisa,” Seulgi said, stepping into the office. “You’ve been quiet today. That’s... unusual. What’s going on?”

Lisa blinked, still a little dazed from the morning. “Oh, you know, just... thinking.”

Seulgi frowned, crossing her arms as she studied Lisa’s face. “You? Thinking? That’s never a good sign.”

Lisa chuckled, though it lacked her usual energy. “Wow, everyone’s got jokes today.”

Seulgi raised an eyebrow. “Come on. Something’s up. You haven’t harassed me about Irene once, and that’s suspicious.”

Lisa sighed, running a hand through her hair as she leaned back in her chair. “Okay, fine. Something is up.”

Seulgi’s expression shifted to concern as she sat down across from Lisa. “Is it the expansion project? Is everything okay?”

Lisa shook her head, feeling the weight of her conversation with Jennie pressing down on her again. “No, it’s not work. It’s... Jennie.”

Seulgi blinked, clearly not expecting that. “Jennie? What happened?”

Lisa hesitated, trying to find the right words. She hadn’t talked to anyone about her feelings for Jennie before. She’d barely admitted them to herself until that morning, but now, there was no turning back.

“She... kind of... turned the tables on me today,” Lisa admitted, her voice quieter than usual..

Seulgi tilted her head, confused. “Turned the tables? What do you mean?”

Lisa took a deep breath, leaning forward as she rested her arms on the desk. “You know how I’ve been running around, setting people up and making jokes? Well, Jennie basically called me out for avoiding my own feelings. She... kissed me.”

Seulgi’s eyes widened, and she let out a low whistle. “Wait, what? Jennie kissed you?”

Lisa nodded, feeling the warmth in her cheeks as she remembered the kiss. “Yeah. And it wasn’t just, like, a playful thing. It was serious. She told me she’s been waiting for me to stop messing around and face what’s been going on between us.”

Seulgi stared at her for a moment, then let out a soft laugh. “Wow. I didn’t see that coming.”

Lisa sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “Neither did I. I mean, I knew we had something going on, but I just kept telling myself it was all fun and games. I didn’t think she... felt the same way.”

Seulgi gave her a sympathetic look. “And how do you feel?”

Lisa hesitated, the weight of the question settling on her. “Honestly? I don’t know. I’ve spent so much time focusing on everyone else’s love lives, I didn’t think about mine. But now that it’s out in the open... I think I’ve been avoiding how I really feel about her.”

Seulgi nodded thoughtfully. “Well, sounds like it’s time to stop avoiding it, huh?”

Lisa chuckled softly, leaning back in her chair. “Yeah. Easier said than done.”

Seulgi smirked. “Hey, you’ve been the office matchmaker for weeks. You’ve got the skills. Now you just have to apply them to yourself.”

Lisa groaned, shaking her head. “I’m terrible at taking my own advice.”

Seulgi laughed, standing up from the chair. “Well, maybe it’s time to start. I think you and Jennie might surprise yourselves.”

Lisa smiled faintly, her heart feeling lighter at Seulgi’s words. “Thanks, Seulgi.”

Seulgi grinned. “No problem. Just don’t come to me for love advice. I’m still figuring things out with Irene.”

Lisa laughed, the tension in her chest easing slightly. “Fair enough.”

---

Later that afternoon, Lisa found herself standing outside Jennie’s office, her heart racing as she prepared to knock. She’d been avoiding Jennie all day, trying to sort through her own feelings, but she knew she couldn’t avoid her forever. It wasn’t like her to shy away from anything, but this—this was different.

She raised her hand and knocked softly, waiting for Jennie’s calm voice to call her in.

“Come in,” Jennie said, and Lisa pushed the door open, stepping inside.

Jennie was sitting at her desk, reviewing some documents, but as soon as she saw Lisa, she set them aside and leaned back in her chair, her expression soft but unreadable.

“Lisa,” Jennie greeted, her tone even. “I wasn’t sure if you’d come by.”

Lisa swallowed, stepping further into the room and closing the door behind her. “Yeah, I... needed to think.”

Jennie nodded, her eyes following Lisa as she walked over to the desk. “About this morning?”

Lisa nodded, taking a deep breath as she sat down across from Jennie. “Yeah. I didn’t realize you were waiting for me to... I don’t know, take things seriously.”

Jennie’s gaze softened, her lips curving into a faint smile. “I wasn’t waiting for you to change, Lisa. I just wanted you to see what’s been right in front of you.”

Lisa exhaled, feeling the weight of Jennie’s words settle over her. “I think I was too caught up in everything else to notice. But now... now I’m starting to understand.”

Jennie leaned forward slightly, her eyes searching Lisa’s face. “And what do you understand?”

Lisa met Jennie’s gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. “That I’ve been avoiding how I feel about you. I was scared to take it seriously, so I turned it into a game. But it’s not a game, is it?”

Jennie smiled softly, her voice gentle. “No, it’s not.”

Lisa let out a small laugh, shaking her head. “I’ve been a complete idiot, haven’t I?”

Jennie chuckled, leaning back in her chair. “Maybe a little. But it’s okay. I’ve been patient.”

Lisa’s heart swelled at Jennie’s words, the warmth between them growing stronger. She stood up, walking around the desk until she was standing in front of Jennie. Jennie looked up at her, her expression soft and open.

“I don’t want to run away from this anymore,” Lisa said quietly, her voice steady. “I want to figure this out. With you.”

Jennie’s smile widened, and she stood up, closing the distance between them. “Good. Because I’ve been waiting for you to say that.”

Without another word, Jennie reached up, cupping Lisa’s face in her hands as she leaned in for another kiss. This time, it wasn’t about pushing or pulling—it was about both of them meeting in the middle, finally on the same page.

When they pulled apart, Lisa rested her forehead against Jennie’s, her breath still unsteady.

“So,” Jennie whispered, her lips brushing against Lisa’s, “what happens next?”

Lisa smiled, her hands resting on Jennie’s waist. “Well, I think we should take it slow. One step at a time. But I’m in—if you are.”

Jennie’s eyes sparkled, and she nodded. “I’m in.”

Lisa grinned, pulling Jennie closer.

Continue....