30
Fake Dating... or is it real?
A/N
Yet another chapter I didn't mean to write lol so I might have extended this ish again. It's almost overrrrr thoughhhh...
Drop ya comments as you read and tell me your thoughts even if its good or bad!
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"Chaengie?"
"What's up Lis, I thought you had class right now? Why are you home so early?" Chaeyoung asked from the couch. She had been in the living room playing her guitar, trying to compose her next song when she heard the door click. She thought it was Jisoo because Jisoo had texted her that she'd be home soon.
"Oh, well. Yeah I kind of lied. I just needed Jennie not to know I wasn't busy so that I could talk to you in private without arousing suspicion so I told you all we rescheduled dance rehearsals for today."
"What's going on Lis?" Chaeyoung asked worriedly. "Why would you lie?"
"Well, I had to. I made my first big sale this weekend, with that picture of Santos."
"You made a lot of sales off of that picture though, what do you mean?" Chaeyoung asked curiously. Lisa's studio opening had been a hit after all. She'd sold multiple copies of every photograph she had up and her studio was very popular ever since then. Lisa's photobook already had hundreds of preorders.
"Jessi and Mrs. Kim took it upon themselves to teach me a lesson about the prices of my pictures." Lisa offered.
"Oh goodness, they hustled someone didn't they?" Chaeyoung said, giggling.
Jisoo got her deviousness from Mrs. Kim after all, and Jessi was her best friend so she was obviously just as cunning. She wouldn't put it past them to hustle money out of someone.
"They told me it was for the new university president, the one that took over after Jennie's sperm donor got fired so they had me print out an eleven by eight foot picture of Santos pointing his rifle despite being hurt. They're putting it in the art building apparently."
"I didn't even know you could print a photograph that big." Chaeyoung said, bewildered.
"You can't. I had to print it off in sections and then I'll put it together there. Anyway, the point is that since it's so big and it takes a lot more work, they lied about the price I set.
They both convinced him that since I technically graduated from SNU from photography already because of my fellowship, that it would be great publicity since I won that IPA so he could use that as a recruitment incentive for students interested in photography, so yeah. They hustled him. He took the bait despite it being a ridiculous amount."
"Well, honestly I think they were right. Your pictures are beautiful and you should be charging more but I don't understand why you needed Jennie out of the house to tell me that. You know she'd be ecstatic."
"They hustled him out of thirty thousand dollars Chaengie."
"Holy shit Lis! You made that much for one photo?!" Chaeyoung said incredulously, rushing up to hug her, feeling incredibly proud of her best friend. "Wait, I still don't see your point. This is really great news. Are you trying to surprise Jennie or something so you can break the news?"
"Sort of I guess. It's something like that. I just can't do it yet."
"Why not?"
"Because, that money was the exact amount I needed to finally be able to afford this." Lisa said, pulling out the ring she had bought just an hour ago.
"I knew you were going to propose." Chaeyoung said, smirking when Lisa opened the box.
"Of course you knew, you always know." Lisa said, rolling her eyes good naturedly.
"It's beautiful Lisa." Chaeyoung said as she took it out gingerly and admired it. "I'm guessing that based on the price tag you just said, that it's Chanel?"
"Yes, it had to be Chanel. It's her only true bratty vice and I wanted to get her the best." Lisa admitted. "I wanted to do that part on my own, so I didn't tell you yet. I thought it would be more special if I actually found a ring I thought she would like all by myself. I did good right?" Lisa asked apprehensively.
"That ring is perfect for her. It's exactly her taste Lisa. Jennie's going to flip when she finally stops freaking out and crying about you proposing to actually look at it." Chaeyoung giggled.
"Actually, that's kind of the part that I wanted to talk to you about. I got the ring, but the actual proposal, I don't know Rosie. I need your help. I know it's too soon. We've only been dating for real after all of that bullshit for a few months but I know she's the one. There's no one else for me.
I know I can't propose yet but I want a head start. I don't want to pull a Jisoo and wait forever to ask her. As soon as I know she might be thinking about committing to me too I'll ask and hopefully she says yes but I really need help with what I should say to her to convince her to marry me. What do I say Rosie?"
"Lisa, you could ask her right now, even without that beautiful ring, and blurt it out just like Jisoo did with me and she'd still say yes." Chaeyoung answered, shaking her head at Lisa's cluelessness.
"Chaengie, I know you're practically a mind reader but I doubt my baby brat is ready for that yet. She has so many goals she wants to achieve still.
She wants to make sure her nonprofit keeps succeeding and she wants to be a surgeon and that'll take years for her to get there. She still has to go to med school and then she'll have to do her residency and then focus on her specialty and anyway I doubt she wants to settle down already.
She needs to focus on her career. It's super important for her and I can't distract her. She has too much on her plate already for her to add a marriage with me too if she actually happens to say yes.
Plus, I have to spoil her, she loves it when I spoil her, it needs to be perfect when I finally ask."
Chaeyoung rolled her eyes.
"You're still the dumbest smart person I know Lis."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lisa pouted.
"It means you literally do everything right, for Jennie, for me, for Jisoo because you're smart and so caring over us. You're successful because you're one of the smartest and talented people I've ever known, but you're also so dumb, because you're so dense when it comes to our feelings for you."
"How am I dense?" Lisa said indignantly.
"For starters, you don't even know that besides me, you're Jisoo's favorite person, even over Jennie."
"That's ridiculous. She loves Jennie."
"Of course she does. She adores Jennie. She'd take a bullet for her and go broke for her but I also know that Jisoo loves spending time with you the most. She loves hanging out with you even more than she does with Jennie and sometimes even more than with me because you're two peas in a pod.
You're right on her level. You catch her humor. You challenge her and you bicker all of the time and Jisoo loves that because you know her, besides her games and sleeping, scheming and teasing and light bickering is her favorite past time and you're her perfect partner for that. She can't do that with me because she's whipped and loves me too much and would never argue with me even if it was just playing around and she hardly does it with Jennie."
"Slightly disagree but either way I don't know where you're going with this."
"I'm saying you don't realize how important you are to all of us. Especially to Jennie. She'll say yes if you ask, I know she will."
"Okay fine, I know I'm important to all of you guys I guess, but still."
"Still nothing Lisa. You don't see the depth of what you mean to us. It's like with me Lis. You always tell me you owe me and our family. That you would have gotten nowhere without me but that's not true.
If anything, I wouldn't be graduating soon without you. I wouldn't have had the courage to chase my dream too. I'd have chosen to be a lawyer like my parents and been miserable, unlike them because it's just not for me.
You're so important to me. You're my other half, literally. There's no Rosie without Lisa. I couldn't live without you just as much as I couldn't live without Jisoo.
You don't even know that though. You always sell yourself short.
My point is, you don't see things clearly. You don't see just how much you mean to the people around you.
Jennie is madly in love with you, she always has been. She's your literal soulmate Lisa. You could have asked her to marry you when you got back from your trip and I know for a fact she would have said yes. You're it for her too Lis. Ask her. Sooner rather than later."
"I don't know Rosie. I feel like I shouldn't yet. There's no rush right? I want to ask already but I don't want to ruin it if she thinks it's too soon. Everyone else would think it was too soon. I don't really care what they think, but what if it influences Jennie and she says no solely because of that?"
"Of course there's no rush. You're practically married already anyway, just like Jisoo and I are even though we haven't had our wedding yet. But, from my own personal experience, I'd ask soon Lisa, because I know Jennie feels the same way about you like I feel for Jisoo and I know all you want is to make her happy and this, proposing, would make her the happiest girl in the world behind me.
You don't understand the amount of happiness I felt, still feel, when Jisoo asked me. I wish she would have asked sooner so I could have felt this joy for longer.
I knew it was inevitable. It was pretty much love at first sight for me. As soon as I saw her, I was mesmerized, I had no chance. There was no one else for me but her.
For the first few moments, my love could have been considered shallow, because she's so devastatingly beautiful and I was so attracted to her it was ridiculous. I didn't even care if she turned out to be an asshole, I still knew that I would probably do anything for her even if she turned out to have an awful personality, she was that gorgeous to me.
She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and would ever see.
I know you'll disagree because you think Jennie is the most beautiful girl in the world, but for me it's Jisoo. No one compares. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I was smitten. I completely fell in love with her when she spoke though. The shallowness of just being attracted to her was gone because she was perfect for me.
It only took one interaction with her for me to completely fall for her so the fact I get to marry her is so wonderfully overwhelming. I know Jennie would feel the same way Lis. Just ask her already."
"I hate that I don't even know how you guys met. I've been dying to know. You refused to tell me. I thought I was supposed to be your platonic other half." Lisa teased her best friend, deflecting from her nervousness of possibly asking Jennie to marry her sooner rather than later.
"Honestly, I just wanted to keep it to myself until she asked me, because even from then I knew I wanted to marry her so I made a silly bet with the universe, I told it that I wouldn't tell anyone, not even you as long as I got to marry her eventually."
"Are you going to tell me now then?" Lisa asked eagerly. "Or do I have to wait until your wedding?"
Chaeyoung smiled softly.
"She's asked me to marry her now, and Jisoo never breaks promises so I'm safe from the universe, so now you get to know.
Do you remember how Jisoo and I had that elective together our freshman year? Astronomy. You know I love the stars so of course I signed up. She only picked it because she knew we'd have to be in the planetarium for most of our classes and the projector required it to pitch black so she figured she could sleep in class without being caught by our professor."
Lisa snorted. "Sounds like her."
"That's my Kim Jisoo. Always scheming and sleeping and doing whatever the hell she wants." Chaeyoung said fondly.
"Anyway, she was right. She did sleep in class without getting caught, a lot, and she almost failed despite being so smart so she forced herself to go on the extra credit camping trip to see the meteor shower in order to pass. I think you remember the one, because you wanted to go with me too but my professor said no because there weren't enough seats on the bus.
Our Astronomy class was huge, not to mention the fact it was dark half the time in the classroom as our professor taught us so I didn't meet her until that trip. We ended up sharing the same tent. The day I finally met her, I walked in to that tent, only to find her singing."
Chaeyoung smiled at the memory of Jisoo singing the most perfect nonsense as she unpacked some sweats from her backpack so she could change and how Chaeyoung just jumped in and sang with her, echoing the last part of her made up lines.
I can't be cold (can't be cold)
if it's cold you'll catch a cold (catch a cold)
if you catch a cold it'll hurt (It'll hurt)
we can't be cold (can't be cold)
Rosie giggled and sang the ridiculous ditty to Lisa.
"I didn't even know her yet. I had just walked in to the tent they assigned me to and found her singing. It was really catchy despite the fact she was singing some silly made up song on the fly about the cold so I kept chiming in at the end, singing it with her, she was just so contagious. I couldn't help it. Jisoo didn't tell me her name right away either. We just fell into a banter after that.
She asked me if I got my flu shot when she stopped singing. I told her no and asked her the same thing and of course she hadn't either. I asked her what we were going to do, considering we didn't and all she did was deadpanâ
I like the flu.
I lost it after that. I couldn't stop laughing. She was so utterly her. Unapologetic, hilarious, blunt, random and confident. And so damn beautiful.
It took me one minute with her and I was in love. Truly in love. After that, she took entirely too long to ask me out. I would have asked her, but she was seeing someone, I found out on that weekend trip.
We would always sit together in Astronomy after that and Jisoo stopped sleeping in class. Instead she tanked my grades because she would whisper things to me during class that would make me giggle so I stopped paying attention to the professor too because she was the one that had my undivided attention. I was so in love with her that I didn't even care about the stars anymore, or my grades.
I didn't know she and her boyfriend had broken up the weekend after that camping trip. She didn't tell me until she asked me out.
Jisoo eventually told me she had broken up with him because of me, because she had met me and she realized something. We spent the weekend together in that camping trip laughing and bonding and Jisoo realized that if I had tried to kiss her she wouldn't have pulled away.
She realized she didn't love her boyfriend enough not to cheat on him with me, and it didn't sit well with her because as devious and as much of a troublemaker as she is, she refused to be a cheater. So she broke up with him, but she couldn't find the courage to ask me out.
She finally asked me out on a date the semester after that, when we ran into each other at Bam's food truck. You were late, so I was ordering for us. She blurted it out, just like she always does. It was the cutest thing ever. It was over after that. I knew if I didn't marry her I wouldn't ever marry anyone. How could I when she exists?
My point in all of this is that despite us already acting like a married couple, she ended up taking too long to ask me. I would have said yes the first week.
The overwhelming joy I feel right now at the fact she feels the same way about spending the rest of our lives together, despite knowing it way before she even thought to ask me is ridiculous.
I wish she would have done it sooner, because she's my high, my dopamine, and the happiness never goes away despite my downs in life sometimes, it really can't when I know she's choosing to be mine forever now.
I know Jennie feels the same way Lis. You'd make her so happy if you just proposed already. I know that's all you care about, making her happy, so do it."
"It's just, we've been through a lot. We've only just figured out how to be together properly, what if she backs out?" Lisa asked nervously, because she wanted to drop down on one knee as soon as Jennie walked in, but she was scared of the answer.
"Lisa, you've been together for way more than a few months. You spent a year apart, but together. She was forced to break your heart. She was broken too, and yet you still had eyes for no one else but each other despite all of that hurt. It should have broken you guys, but it didn't because you're meant to be.
Jennie lived and breathed Lisa Manoban when you were away, and you did the same for her. I know for a fact all you thought about was each other that entire time. Other people didn't exist for you for an entire year despite being heart broken and thinking Jennie thought you cheated, and she didn't speak to you at all so you thought she hated you and would never take you back.
Honestly, to me, it's like you weren't even broken up. To me you've been together for that long because you stayed loyal to each other despite the fact that officially you were broken up.
Even before then. I know you were dating Suzy, and Jennie was forced to be with Kai, but I know for a fact she hadn't kissed him for years, and the most you did with Suzy was a peck on the lips ever since meeting Jennie.
That's when your relationship really went down hill. It was already messed up to begin with but after Jennie it was over. You didn't cuddle her, kiss her, you weren't even intimate with her for like two years."
Lisa's eyes widened. "How do you even know that?"
"She called me once. She asked me if you were cheating on her or if there was something wrong with her because you always made excuses on the rare visits you made to her. I told her the truth."
"And what truth was that?"
"That of course you would never cheat, and there was nothing wrong with her but that in my opinion, I thought you guys didn't love each other like that anymore. That you'd fallen out of love about three months in. Just like I told you the day you forgot your one year anniversary with her."
"I don't remember that. How could I forget our one year? I couldn't have forgotten."
"You wouldn't remember that, you always block out all of the awful stuff you did with Suzy. You couldn't remember your one year but I know that you do however remember the exact date you met Jennie, don't you?"
"February 6th." Lisa said immediately. "Wow, how did I even know that?" Lisa said incredulously to herself. "I don't even remember what I wore yesterday. How do I know that Chaengie?"
Chaeyoung smirked.
"She remembers too." Chaeyoung answered.
"That's very doubtful. I probably only remember because I had a test or something coming up that day and you kept reminding me like you always do. Maybe that's why I remembered the date."
"When's Bambam's birthday?" Chaeyoung asked Lisa, rolling her eyes at her as she pulled her phone out and sent a text.
"UhâMay....something?"
"When is Kuma's birthday?"
"March 24th." Lisa answered. She knew that one.
Chaeyoung raised an eyebrow at her pointedly.
"You still think you remember the date you met her because of a test and not because you met the love of your life that day so it was seared into your brain? You don't even know Bam's birthday and you've known him for longer than you've even known me but you know Jennie's puppy's birthday?"
"Okay I guess you have a point. Still, I don't think Jennie would know though."
"We're about to find out, and when I'm right I hope it'll help prove to you that you have nothing to worry about if you ask her to marry you already."
________
Jennie sneakily looked at her phone in class, knowing it was Chaeyoung. She had special vibrations for all of her closest friends so she would know when to check it and when not to. She was very serious about school but if Lisa, Chaeyoung, or Jisoo ever texted her she always looked.
Hubby
Hey wifey, do you remember the date when we had our disaster dinner and we introduced you to Lisa?
Wifey
Yeah, I do actually. Why?
Hubby
When was it? I can't for the life of me remember. Jisoo and I went for drinks afterwards and she swears it was the day before she first lost a gaming tournament because she was too hungover the next day but I don't think it is so we have a bet going on when we find out who is right.
Part of that was true. They had drank but Jisoo hadn't been hungover. Jisoo had claimed the disaster dinner was the reason she lost for the first time because she was too stressed about the fact that her baby cousin didn't get along with her girlfriend's best friend and she worried it would break Chaeyoung and her apart because they were the two most important people in their lives.
Wifey
It was February 6th, I'm pretty sure it was a Friday.
No, actually I know it was a Friday because I remember Lisa complained during dinner about her psychology class and she only had those on Monday, Wednesday, Friday's back then.
Hope that helps you win your bet hubby!
"See." Chaeyoung smirked, showing her the texts.
"She's a genius though. She remembers everything. She can recite the entire periodic table, with symbols and all, I heard her once! I don't see how that makes your point about her wanting to marry me already."
"My point is the fact that Jennie remembers the first day you met, just like you do, but can't even remember her own birthday sometimes speaks volumes. She only remembers the things that are important to her, and that includes you."
"She just didn't look at the date that time." Lisa protested. "That's why she forgot that year. That's why I bought her the clown cake, to tease her about the fact she didn't even know her own birthday even though she obviously does."
Chaeyoung rolled her eyes again.
"You bought her a clown cake because you wanted her to have a cake for her birthday Lisa, but you were too proud to admit you cared about her celebrating her birthday and having a good day so you disguised it as teasing her. You remembered her birthday before any of us and when we were sitting at the quad and no one had said happy birthday to her yet you took it upon yourself to celebrate her."
"Okay fine." Lisa said sheepishly. "I guess that's true, I just didn't know it yet. I don't get how you and Jisoo could forget her birthday though! How could you forget my Nini's birthday?!" Lisa said indignantly.
"You know we didn't Lis. We had a cake for her too, and a party and fireworks. You know Jisoo, she just wanted to tease her and pretend she forgot her favorite cousin's birthday then spring it on her. We were going to throw her a surprise party after school.
Everything was already set but since you guys started bantering over the cake and ignoring us we dropped it because it's like we weren't even there."
Lisa thought back to it, Chaeyoung raised her eyebrow at her mockingly again.
"You remember don't you?" Chaeyoung asked.
Lisa nodded, "God, how did I not know I was in love with her for so long."
"Because, as your future wife would say, you're an idiot." Chaeyoung said teasingly.
___________
"Happy Birthday ice queen." Lisa said, setting the cake down in front of Jennie. "It's an ice cream cake, to fit your cold heart. Also, I didn't want you to melt or anything. I'm pretty sure you're a witch and I don't want to be a murderer so I figured I'd get the icy kind."
"A clown. Cute." Jennie said sarcastically, scowling.
"I thought it would be appropriate considering you are a clown. Who forgets their own birthday? Especially since you're such a brat who loves attention. Everything okay in there?" Lisa tapped Jennie's head mockingly.
Jennie swatted at her hand, scowling even more. Lisa resisted the urge to wince because for such a tiny thing, Jennie packed a punch. She opted to laugh instead.
"Nice try. Maybe go back to your witchy spell work and curse me instead because your fists are tiny." Lisa said as she grabbed the lighter she brought and lit the candles for her. "Now make a wish, or I'll make it for you and wish that you weren't so self absorbed. I guess it's already working though since you forgot you're getting old."
"I'm literally only a year older than you, now move so I can wish that you disappear." Jennie said, shoving Lisa over a bit.
"Then who will you blame for being dumber than you? You need a scapegoat don't you? You always choose me. You really need one now, considering you forgot how old you were. Especially for someone so conceited as you. Is this another bratty thing, you expect everyone else to remember for you?" Lisa teased.
"That's what it is isn't it. You didn't forget, you just wanted to be a drama queen and make a whole show of it. So you feel good about yourself because people remember you were born."
Jennie rolled her eyes hard at Lisa before responding.
"My birthday should be a national holiday, everyone should remember." Jennie said matter of factly. She closed her eyes and made a wish.
She wished for her father to be out of her life. She wished that she could be free to make her own decisions and to be happy. She felt really silly, but she also wished she could find love. Maybe then, she could finally find the courage to be able to get rid of that loveless arrangement with Kai that her parents forced her into.
At least that's what she told herself, but she knew deep down, she just craved to be loved like that. She'd never been in love before, but after seeing Jisoo and Chaeyoung together, she wanted what they had so bad. She wanted to be lucky enough to find an epic love like that one day so she wished for that the most.
Jennie blew out the candles and opened her eyes.
"What a shame, you didn't disappear even though I wished for it. You rigged this cake didn't you? Is it poisoned?" Jennie asked Lisa.
"Try it and find out." Lisa said tauntingly, cutting up a slice for her and handing it to Jennie. "Maybe I can finally get rid of you if you're dumb enough to taste it."
Jennie raised an eyebrow at Lisa.
"You don't scare me." Jennie said adamantly. She grabbed the fork from Lisa and took a big bite of the cake. "I know you're trying to poison me but at least you got my favorite ice cream flavor. I can die happy now." Jennie said as she hummed because the cake was so good and it really was her favorite.
"That was intentional, I know you can't resist ice cream and now I can be rid of you and kill you for good." Lisa said smugly. "I was lying about not wanting to be a murderer. Not that I could even be called a murderer if I kill Satan's spawn so I think I'm good. You fell for my tricks and now I can be free of the angry kitten and annoying baby brat for good and finally be able to live my life in peace."
"Hey guys let's go to the apartment. For the partyâ " Chaeyoung started, but was completely ignored by the other two.
"Oh please." Jennie mumbled, digging in heartily in to the cake now. "You're not smart enough to poison me correctly."
"Why can't you just have a nut allergy." Lisa continued, grabbing her own slice of cake. The cake had pecans in it after all. "It would be so much easier than actual poison. Then I'd get off of the murder charges because I could say it was an accident and I didn't know you were allergic.
Though I doubt anyone will even care when you're gone anyway so I'm probably safe. We can all throw a party once the biggest brat on earth is gone. I'll honor you for a week and throw a rager for leaving us and finally giving us peace on earth."
"I'm pretty sure I do have a nut allergy." Jennie mumbled. "Just not the kind you're talking about."
"What?" Lisa asked in confusion, she almost ripped the cake away from Jennie but she stopped herself at the last second because suddenly she remembered that they went to a Korean bbq place a several months ago to celebrate Chaeyoung's showcase and she vividly remembered that Jennie had eaten the peanut side dish.
They had both fought over who got the last of the ddangkong jorim, it was both of their favorites and they kept having to ask the owners for more, so Lisa finally relaxed. She had freaked out for a moment because she thought she might have actually needed to take Jennie to the hospital because she almost killed her with her clown cake.
"Nothing idiot, the joke clearly went over your head, as per usual because there's nothing in that brain of yours except hollow space, dance routines, and stupid vacant grins." Jennie said, poking Lisa's temple as she said everything.
"Guys!" Chaeyoung said again, a little louder this time. "The party?"
Jennie and Lisa were too into their banter to really hear her. Jennie stuck her finger in the cake and rubbed it on Lisa's face, giggling as she left the whipped cream behind on her cheek and Lisa scowled.
"It's useless chipmunk. They'll be at it all day. We can just celebrate Jendeukie later tonight when they're over it. Come on, date night? I know you've been wanting to watch that movie at the premiere but you didn't ask because it was Jendeukie's birthday. Let's go, we still have time to catch the show and still make it back. Let's just text them about it."
Chaeyoung beamed, "Okay." She figured Jisoo was right. The other two were too wrapped up in themselves anyway to even care about them being there.
"You're so annoying!" Lisa complained, rubbing her face free from the whipped cream. She grabbed a piece of the cake in her hand, not bothering to cut it and Jennie bolted as soon as she saw her, knowing what Lisa had planned. Lisa started chasing after her in the quad with a fistful of cake.
"I don't know why people keep raving about your long legs when you can't even catch me you idiot!" Jennie shouted back, giggling.
"Please! I was just being nice since it's your birthday and you're going to die soon. I was giving you a chance."
Jennie squealed when she got cornered into a wall at the edge of the quad, Lisa was smiling at her deviously, holding the piece of cake up.
"Got you now." Lisa said, smirking.
"You wish!" Jennie retorted back, trying to run away again.
Lisa managed to grab Jennie's shirt before she got too far and pulled her back into the wall.
"Wanna bet?" Lisa grinned.
"Don't you dare." Jennie said, a little out of breath, thinking it was from the running and not from the fact that Lisa was pretty much pinning her into the brick wall. Too close. Way too close.
They stared at each other for a second too long. Lisa didn't shove the cake in her face like Jennie expected her to just yet. Jennie was completely at her mercy right now but Lisa was just grinning at her.
Jennie's stomach did a weird tumbling thing when she saw that stupid grin. She almost slapped Lisa for it so she would stop smiling like that. She was about to do just that when Lisa's smile finally dropped.
"Um, waitâwhere's Jisoo and Chaengie?" Lisa said, looking around towards their usual table and finally dropping the cake.
She had been fighting over herself. She really was planning on shoving the cake into Jennie's face but she decided to be nice for once because Jennie had cute light glitter around her eyes that had probably taken forever to do and it was her birthday so Lisa decided she couldn't ruin her make up like that.
Jennie never really needed make up, but when she did wear it Lisa always assumed it was done professionally because it was always light but it accentuated her features so perfectly. She always thought there was no way Jennie did it herself despite Jennie always telling her she was the one that did it when Lisa called her a spoiled brat for having a team of make up artists.
"Probably getting more food." Jennie said softly, her heart racing uncomfortably at Lisa's proximity.
"You're right." Lisa said, figuring Chaeyoung probably wasn't full yet. They always ended up going for seconds after all. "Wait, forget I said that. You're never right." Lisa backtracked.
"You're so annoying."
"You're worse."
"Am not. I'm perfect." Jennie said haughtily, crossing her arms in defiance and tilting her chin up at Lisa.
"Stupid spoiled baby brat. You're so entitled. No one thinks you're perfect."
"Everyone thinks I'm perfect."
"They do not."
"Well, everyone with eyes and a brain does." Jennie said challengingly. "Which you don't have so of course you wouldn't know that."
"I have a brain." Lisa said in annoyance.
Jennie made a fist and knocked on Lisa's skull mockingly.
"Nope, see, all hollow." Jennie smirked.
Lisa scowled and narrowed her eyes and Jennie bolted again. She knew Lisa was coming for her again after that despite dropping the cake in her hand. Jennie couldn't help the giggles as she dodged Lisa when she started catching up to her. Those stupid long legs, Jennie thought, despite saying otherwise before, she knew they really would help Lisa catch up to her quickly.
Jennie was so distracted by trying to swerve and avoid Lisa's grabbing arms that she rammed into a body who sputtered and started wiping the nonexistent dirt from his suit when she ran into him.
"Jennie? Goodness girl, this is very uncivilized! I could have broken a bone. Why are you running? Don't tell me you're late for class. I will not have you ruin my reputation with any of this frivolousness. You will be punctual from now on."
Jennie deflated immediately, standing up straight.
"I'm not late father. I don't have class right now."
"Well, no matter. You still shouldn't be acting like a child and running around like this. Imagine if I wasn't your father. I could have you expelled for this."
"For accidentally running into you?" Jennie said with a frown. "Seriously? You'd expel someone for that?"
"It could be deemed as assault of course. Anyhow, I expect you tonight at the estate by no later than 6 p.m."
"For what?" Jennie asked.
"We're celebrating my official initiation as president of the university of course. How could you forget that?"
Jennie scowled.
"Sorry father, I have plans. I can't make it."
"What possible plans could you have that are more important than my party? You're attending this university for free because of me and my achievements. How ungrateful can you be. Cancel them."
"Don't you know what day it is?" Jennie asked him.
"Of course I know what day it is. Today is the day I've set yet another milestone in my career. Now don't be late. Here's the black card. I expect you to be dressed to the nines. Kai will be there so do your nails and hair too. On me." He winked. "A lady must look good for her future husband."
Jennie took it dazedly and she watched her father walk away.
"Hopefully, I won't see you around, idiot." Jennie said to Lisa in a monotone voice. "Since it's my birthday. You're the last person I want near me. I'll unfortunately see you in the quad on monday." Jennie finished flatly, not meaning it.
"You're seriously going to your dad's stupid party instead of the party Jisoo and Rosie organized for you for your birthday?" Lisa asked incredulously. "Just so you can do your hair and nails with daddy's money?"
Jennie ignored Lisa and walked away dejectedly, ignoring her question because she had no choice. Jennie's heart dropped.
"Spoiled brat." Lisa said, shaking her head and feeling a weird ache in her heart as she watched Jennie leave.
Jennie texted Jisoo about the change of plans as she left Lisa.
Jendeukie
I'm so sorry. I love you. Thank you for my party but I can't go. The president has summoned me once again. You guys have fun. I'll make it up to you later for doing all of that for me.
Jichu
But it's your birthday Jendeuk? Why can't you skip and come. Screw him. You can skip one summons, this is your day.
Jendeukie
Well, as per usual, he forgot it's my birthday. He only remembers I'm even born when he needs me for his crap. So I can't. Even if he hadn't forgotten, I doubt he would care about my birthday over his 'achievements' anyway. He'd probably pretend like he threw a party in my honor like the good sperm donor that he is. I'm sorry you wasted the effort to do this for me.
Jichu
Don't worry Jendeukie, we'll just do it tomorrow. Chipmunk is already texting everyone that we're rescheduling. The balloons we got will probably stay up and this just means I have time to get you a stripper.
Jendeukie
Idk what I would do if I didn't have you Chu.
Also, instead of a stripper, can you help me prank Lisa instead? Gotta get her back for that clown cake.
Jichu
Way ahead of you. I thought a nice birthday present for you was to steal Leo for a bit so Lisa thinks he ran away. He's with Rosie's sister Alice since she's in town. I'm planning on teasing her relentlessly over the fact her favorite cat 'left her.' Don't tell Rosie though. Alice and I are planning to say it was her idea so Rosie doesn't hate me.
Jendeukie
I won't have to tell her. She's going to find out either way and you know it.
Either way, thank you, the fact you're willing to upset your girlfriend just to get me this as a present is even better than the fact I'll get to witness Lisa pout all day about the fact Leo doesn't love her.
I think she's a masochist. She loves things that don't love her back.
Jichu
HAHAHAHA like she loves you?
Lmao just kidding. That would blow my mind.
Jennie's stomach did that familiar weird tumble when she read that message. She rolled her eyes and sent her last text.
Jendeukie
Ew. No. I'd move countries if that stupid barbie face dance machine actually liked me. You're funny. Thanks Chu, now I can bear through the night thinking about that actually being true lol.
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Jennie ended up calling Alice about an hour in to her party that next day so that she could bring Leo. She really didn't need Lisa ruining her party by crying over her stupid cat.
Leo ran straight to Jennie when she got there and Jennie picked him up, stroking his fur as he purred.
"Hey Leo, did you have a fun vacation away from your idiot mother? You did didn't you?"
Jennie walked over to where Lisa was sitting dejectedly on the couch, looking way too depressed.
"Found your cat, idiot. Take care of him better."
Lisa jumped up from the couch as soon as she saw Jennie holding Leo, hugging Jennie in excitement. Then she realized what she had done and stepped a few paces back.
Jennie stood there a little awkwardly, not really sure what she should do so she held Leo out for her.
"Here." Jennie said to the ground, avoiding eye contact.
Lisa tried to grab him but Leo just clung to Jennie tighter, refusing to leave her.
"Umâwell, yeah I guess he's just happy that you found him so he can stay with you for a bit." Lisa said, kicking the ground. "He'll come to me eventually."
Jennie cuddled Leo to her.
"Yeah, okay. I'm sure he'll get tired of me in a bit. Cats don't really like being held anyway so, yeah, you can get him back soon."
Lisa merely nodded.
Leo didn't leave Jennie's arms all night and Lisa was confused because Leo didn't like to be cuddled or held. He was a temperamental cat. She found it odd. Even when Jennie set him down every once in a while, he kept roaming around her ankles, never straying too far away.
"I think your cat has a new mommy." Jisoo teased Lisa, handing her a drink because she felt a little bad about almost making her cry when she couldn't find him.
"Angry kittens like angry kittens I guess." Lisa said as she watched Leo purr and not run away when Jennie leaned down to scratch behind his ear after she took a shot with Chaeyoung.
_______________
Lisa was finally knocked out of her reverie as she reminisced by Chaeyoung.
"So, now that you remember how much you've both always loved each other, are you going to ask her?"
"Of course, just, I don't know, whenever it's the right time. Besides, I need it to be perfect, which is why I even went through all of this. I need your help."
"For tops, you and Jisoo really aren't tops." Chaeyoung sighed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lisa asked indignantly.
"I mean Jennie would propose to you first, she wouldn't be scared. I'm sure the only reason she hasn't is because she still thinks she needs to make amends to you. She'd steal your thunder if she had the chance. Anyway, that doesn't matter, what do you have? What did you write for her proposal. I'll help."
Lisa opened up the backpack that was sitting next to her full of papers.
"Help me pick one?" Lisa said sheepishly, feeling slightly embarrassed at how much she had written.
Chaeyoung reached into the bag and picked a paper at random.
"This one is it."
"You haven't even read it yet!" Lisa shouted indignantly.
"I don't have to. Do this one."
Lisa scowled and ripped the paper away from her best friend and started reading it.
"Oh." Lisa said softly as she read what she wrote. "I can't believe this is the one you grabbed."
"Do it soon Lis. All you've got to do is ask her to marry you now and your last dream will come true." Chaeyoung said, smirking as she got up from the couch.
She knew any one of the proposals she would have picked would have been perfect, considering Lisa was so completely in love with Jennie, but based on Lisa's own reaction, she thought maybe it was fate that she had picked that one.
She really didn't have to know what it said to figure out that it was the one.
_______________
Lisa ended up getting her way about changing their annual 'What's Better Expensive Food or Cheap Food BFF Tour' to include Jennie's food.
Though everybody except Chaeyoung vetoed having a whole nine meals in one day. They could never have that kind of food stamina so they decided they were all down for a 'What's Better, Expensive, Cheap, or Homemade Food BFF Tour Weekend' instead and they'd do their three meals in each category each different day.
They also decided that they'd change who cooked the homemade food every year because even though Jennie loved to cook, she was really going to have to slave away on a Sunday to make food for everybody and they didn't think it was fair.
No one was looking forward to Lisa's year. Jisoo said she didn't want her house burned down and offered to rent out a restaurant so they could use their kitchen, whichever one was closest to a fire station just in case.
Lisa only shrugged as everyone laughed, she figured that was probably a good idea. Lisa was usually too noble to cheat in a game, but she was seriously considering getting Bambam to cook for her and say it was her.
She was really glad she was going to go last so she would have years to plan it out and decide if cheating was worth it or if she should just take a bat to the face and get locked in the bunker again when Jisoo had to pay damages to the restaurant after she most likely broke or burned something when she cooked.
They had to change the rules again on their traditional game considering Jennie was cooking so Jennie wasn't going to participate in the voting, but also since she was the one that cooked she didn't have to pay at all that year and the loser or losers of the bet had to pay up twice for her.
They did the expensive food tour on a Friday, going to boujee restaurants for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
On Saturday they did the cheap food tour, which mostly consisted of hole in the wall restaurants and a food truck that served Doh Khlieh, for their 'adventurous food' portion of the tour, which no one told Jisoo were literal pig brains mixed with curry because they all knew she would end up throwing up before trying it despite how delicious it was.
They finished up their What's Better, Expensive, Cheap, or Homemade Food BFF Tour Weekend on Sunday with Jennie's homemade food. They all got together and helped Jennie cook. She picked the menu but they all mostly helped cook under her guidance.
Everyone except Lisa, who was only allowed to hand Jennie things since she couldn't cook to save her life.
Even Kai came for a bit, but only to help Jennie because he was surprisingly a good cook. He didn't want to intrude on their tradition though so he left once he finished helping her, but only after Chaeyoung loaded him up with containers of food so he could take it and go eat with Felix.
"This is super good Jendeukie." Jisoo said during their lunch.
"The best!" Chaeyoung added.
"You say that about everything, but for once you're right." Lisa teased her best friend.
Chaeyoung shrugged.
"Thanks guys. I've never made Indian food before so I didn't know how it would turn out." Jennie said.
They had a theme now that they had to pick from three different categories so they picked Indian food that year. Well, Jisoo picked, considering she was the pickiest eater.
Lisa smirked once they were all done when they finally had dinner, knowing she had finally won a bet for once. Jennie's food had definitely been the best, hands down.
"Okay what's the score!" Lisa asked excitedly.
Chaeyoung tallied everything.
"Okay, what did everyone pick to win?"
"Cheap." Jisoo said.
"Me too." Chaeyoung added.
"Oh it's definitely going to be cheap." Jennie agreed, despite not voting herself.
"Seriously? You guys are idiots, it'll be Jennie for sure." Lisa said. "You're not an idiot though babe. You're just too humble." Lisa added hastily, realizing she had accidentally included Jennie in that idiot category because she thought cheap would win too.
Jennie rolled her eyes at her playfully.
"Okay, so expensive food got 63, cheap food got 82, and homemade food got 80." Chaeyoung said. "Cheap wins."
"What! No way!" Lisa said indignantly. "Let me see that!"
Lisa read the numbers and saw that she and Chaeyoung had both given Jennie tens on all of her meals, but Jisoo had given her a zero for dinner.
"A zero! You gave my woman a zero?!" Lisa shouted towards Jisoo. "How could you give my woman's delicious food a fucking zero!"
Jisoo smirked in response.
"She knows I hate clams, even if it is in curry. This is her fault, not mine." Jisoo shrugged.
Lisa jumped over the table to try and smack her but Jisoo was already prepared. She had started running and laughing maniacally as soon as she answered Lisa.
"You guys are so bad." Chaeyoung said to Jennie, giggling as she watched her fiancée and her best friend run around the house as Lisa shouted to Jisoo indignantly for apparently not rating Jennie's food correctly.
"She's a fucking food god! You practically ate it all you fucking liar!" Lisa shouted indignantly, catching Jisoo's ankle, which made Jisoo trip over into the pillows they had laid out in the middle of the living room in between the wrap around couches like they had for the last few days. They'd had a bit of a mostly grown up sleepover after dinner for the weekend, adding that into their new tradition.
Lisa dove on top of her and they started wrestling.
"What do you mean?" Jennie asked Chaeyoung curiously.
"You're the smartest person I've ever met, and you and Jisoo are incredibly close so I know for a fact you didn't forget that Jisoo hates clams or most seafood in general. You're also not like Lisa and Jisoo.
You don't prank people just for the fun of it or force them to do stuff like eat things they hate just to mess with them for your own entertainment. You'd only do something like that if someone was hitting on Lisa or someone hurt me or Jisoo. You'd do it to get back at them. You can be vengeful but you find no interest in messing with people just for fun like those two do.
Not to mention the fact that Jisoo is the pickiest eater I've ever met, she's also incredibly blunt and has no filter yet she didn't even whine about eating what you made and that's very unlike her, it was completely out of character for her to willingly eat clams just to spare your feelings.
Well, it wasn't completely out of character, because it told me something. Jisoo doesn't do things she doesn't like unless she plans it for a reason so it all added up to one thing, you both planned this so Lisa would lose the bet again, and I'm sure it was one of Jisoo's schemes and she somehow came up with a way to convince you to get in on it."
Jennie smiled sheepishly.
"You're too smart for my own good." Jennie said, taking a sip of her wine. "No wonder Lisa always calls you a stupid mind reader. Not that you're stupid, far from it, but you know what I mean."
"How did Jisoo convince you?" Chaeyoung asked, giggling because Jennie was just as whipped over Lisa as Lisa was with her so it must have been an incredibly convincing argument to make Jennie betray her girlfriend by going behind her back and making her lose the bet.
Jennie blushed harder.
"Well, umâgosh this is embarrassing." Jennie murmured, taking another sip of her wine, downing it all in one go. "Jisoo overheard you and Lisa talking."
"About?"
"Jisoo said Lisa was talking to you about wanting to propose to me. I didn't believe her. As if she would. We've only been together for a few months and I broke her heart. I still have so much to atone for butâI don't knowâJisoo got to me. I wanted it to be true.
I don't know what Jisoo wants from Lisa, she clearly has an ulterior motive so she said that if we won the bet she would dare Lisa to do it already and propose to me and I would have to ask Lisa what Jisoo wanted. I feel kind of stupid because of it all, but I couldn't help but agree just in case it was true. I can't imagine Lisa wanting to marry me already, it would be a dream come true so I caved in."
"Oh wifey. Just you wait." Chaeyoung said.
"You think she really wants to marry me?" Jennie asked hopefully. "You don't think this is just one of Jisoo's elaborate schemes?"
"No spoilers." Chaeyoung said, kissing Jennie on the cheek. "More wine?"
Jennie held her wine glass out gratefully, letting Chaeyoung refill it.
"FUCK YOU TURTLE RABBIT!" Lisa shouted from the floor as she pinned Jisoo down.
"You're just mad you lost another bet!" Jisoo cackled. "Wait till you see what you have to do!"
"That's not even how it works. I have to buy something for each of you guys and if I can't afford it then I gotta do something for you instead!"
"Buy me a jet then."
"I can't afford a jet! You can't even afford a jet!"
"I probably could, but that's not the point. The point is that since you can't buy me a jet, you have to do what I say."
Lisa pouted. "Fine. What do you want? Please don't make me streak down Hongdae, Jennie will break up with me."
Jisoo grinned and motioned for Lisa to get closer so she could whisper in her ear.
Lisa reluctantly leaned down, looking at Jisoo warily.
"Stop being a pussy and just propose to my baby cousin already." Jisoo said. "You have less than six months to make it perfect for her or I'll swipe that ring you bought for her and give it to Jiyong so he can propose to her."
Lisa looked on indignantly, not even bothering to wonder why Jisoo already knew Lisa had been planning to marry Jennie already. The jealousy hit her too hard to think about that.
"That creep has been obsessed with her for years! You wouldn't do that!"
"Wanna bet?" Jisoo said, pulling out the ring she swiped from Lisa already out of her pocket and showing it to her.
Lisa panicked, pushing the ring down and looked to Jennie to see if she had noticed.
Jennie had been getting a refill from Chaeyoung so she didn't, but she caught Lisa's eye right afterwards and grinned her gummy smile.
I love you. Jennie mouthed out after she took a sip of her wine. She winked to Lisa and looked back to Chaeyoung..
"I love you too." Lisa whispered.
"Six months Limario, that's all you get." Jisoo snickered. "I'll be holding on to this at all times until you're ready. You're an idiot, so I don't want you to ruin the surprise for my baby cousin when she catches you with it."
Jisoo stood up and held an arm out for Lisa. "Come on, let's go spoil our women."
Lisa took the offered hand.
"I swear if you lose itâ"
"I won't. I've got you." Jisoo said honestly. "I'm serious. It'll always be on me. Just say the word when you finally need it."
Lisa wanted to hug her. She couldn't say the words. She choked up a bit and looked at the ground sheepishly.
"I'm happy it's you Limario." Jisoo said, reading Lisa's mind.
"You promise?" Lisa asked, still avoiding eye contact. "I know it's a little outdated, but I wanted to ask your permission before I proposed. Her parents suck so I wouldn't have asked them. So it was you who I planned to ask for the blessing. You're the most important person in her life so I wanted to ask you if it was okay if I tried to marry her, if you thought I deserved her?"
Jisoo leaned in for a rare hug, holding Lisa tight.
"I wouldn't ever trust my baby cousin to be in safe hands, except with you Lisayah. You love her as much as I love my chipmunk, and I know you'll treat her like a queen. Of course you deserve her, and she deserves to be happy and you're the only one that does that."
Lisa started tearing up at the fact Jisoo was really giving Lisa her blessing to marry Jennie.
"Alright, that's enough sappy shit Limario. Let's get drunk. I've got another bottle of Cristal downstairs." Jisoo said, feeling a little choked up too.
"No, no more crystals. Jennie almost didn't sleep with me that time cus of crystal."
"Cristal Limario, its 'al' not Crystal."
"Whatever, like I said before. Fuck Al too."
Jisoo rolled her eyes in amusement and dragged Lisa to their girls. Jisoo went straight to Chaeyoung and whispered into her ear about what she had done.
"I had a feeling." Chaeyoung whispered back, dragging Jisoo to the couch so they could cuddle and give Jennie and Lisa space.
"So, what do you want double for winning the bet?" Lisa asked Jennie when she got to her.
"Forever." Jennie replied immediately. With you. She thought.
"Forever?" Lisa asked questioningly. "Forever what?"
"Forever teasing you!" Jennie giggled, running off and enjoying the fact that Lisa immediately started chasing after her. "Stop it Lili!" Jennie squealed when Lisa quickly caught up and started tickling her.
"Lili! Stoooooop!" Jennie squealed again. "I won't kiss you anymore!" Jennie finally said when the laughter died down.
"Anything but that." Lisa pouted dramatically at her as she brought Jennie in to her lap, who obliged and immediately circled her arms around Lisa's neck.
Lisa looked deeply in to Jennie's eyes as she stroked her jawline. "You're the love of my life Jennie Ruby Jane. I hope you know that." Lisa whispered.
Jennie couldn't even respond, her heart was beating out of her chest at Lisa's words and all she could do was dive in to perfect plump lips so she could kiss Lisa senseless but as per usual, Lisa was the one kissing her senseless.
Who told this perfect woman she was allowed to do that? Jennie didn't know who, but she wouldn't trade Lisa's kisses for the world because they were perfect and Jennie was in bliss and she'd do it all over again just to have her.
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