33

No one knew Jisoo was buying and selling property the entire time during their trip. Not even Rosie. Jisoo would always be on the phone while Rosie got ready for her show and then promptly hang up during her sound checks because she loved to watch her.

Everywhere she went she bought something. She bought out the first club Rosie ever sang at for her official tour just for the nostalgia of it. She planned on having it renamed after Rosie.

It was going to be called Rosé's, after Rosie's stage name pretty soon. The old owners had just given it a random name anyway, they had no emotional attachment to it so Jisoo didn't feel bad hijacking their brand, besides, Jisoo was just the new owner.

The old owners were still going to manage the place and had all rights to the decision making. They got a nice bonus and a great deal from Jisoo buying it just so she could do something thoughtful for her future wife.

Rosie was sentimental and she knew she'd probably cry when she saw the pictures of her first ever show on the wall of that club that Jisoo insisted they put up.

She would show her on the year anniversary of her first ever professional show, Jisoo already had the date planned out.

_______

Jisoo signalled Lisa as soon as the trial ended a couple months into their trip after Rosie had gotten the call from her sister that Jennie's fake mother was put away in jail for basically the rest of her life.

The trial had lasted a whopping thirty minutes because Alice destroyed them with the evidence Jisoo provided, the testimony of old employees, and things she herself had dug up with those leads.

She shut them down so quickly that the judge didn't need much time to deliberate and sentence Mrs. Kim and allow Alice to proceed with the lawsuit to have all of President Kim's fraudulent assets transferred to Jennie considering that the new damning evidence presented in court meant his sentence was going to be extended even more now and he'd probably never get out at this rate.

There were no victims other than certain employees he and his wife had under them so other than Alice getting them their well deserved pay out with a portion of that money, Jennie was going to get the rest.

"Keep her away from the t.v's. Joy's about to make her broadcast exposing the Kims about trying to frame Scarlett. It's going to be huge, some of Scarlett's coworkers even sent in their own testimonies so the story will probably be on every channel." Jisoo whispered to Lisa when they got home to their hotel that day. "I know she likes to watch the news for stock prices at this time so you better distract her before your date tomorrow when you finally tell her."

Lisa smirked deviously. "Don't worry, I got it covered. I've been practicing for this day."

Jisoo scowled. "Ew Limario, I really don't need to know. Just do what you need to do!"

"I'm doing your baby cousin." Lisa teased her and Jisoo smacked her over the head and walked away. "She'll be very, very distracted by me tonight!"

"My baby cousin is a virgin!" Jisoo shouted back. "Your adoptive sister however, is not, because I defile her every single night! And she loves it!"

Lisa grabbed a throw pillow from the couch and threw it at Jisoo's head.

Jisoo had expected it so she dodged it and ran out of Jennie and Lisa's shared hotel room, winking and smirking before slamming the door.

"What are you guys fighting about now." Jennie said, giggling. Her hair was still wet from her shower and Lisa found her so damn hot.

"She's annoyed that I told her what I'm going to do with you tonight."

"Oh, what's that?" Jennie asked, grinning and kissing Lisa's cheek. "You got something planned for us? We're not doing dinner and a movie with them this time?"

"Nope, it's just me and you tonight baby brat, I'm stealing you away." Lisa grinned deviously and gently shoved Jennie down to the couch. "I thought I'd give you that lap dance I've been practicing for you."

"L—lap dance?" Jennie asked, stuttering a bit because Lisa turned on the music and then started.

Jennie immediately felt hot all over because Lisa was so incredibly sexy and still gave off this masculine energy she loved so much that suited her so well.

Jennie was pretty sure she was watching the lesbian version of a Magic Mike show right now. Her mouth was dry and it took her five seconds after the song was over to pounce on Lisa and beg her to make love to her all night.

Lisa obliged and the t.v was easily forgotten.

Of course Lisa was just trying to make sure Jennie didn't hear the story from other lips. Joy kept the fact that Jennie was Scarlett's daughter from the broadcast of course but they all agreed it would be better if Lisa told Jennie first and then she could watch the broadcast afterwards.

Still, it wasn't like Lisa didn't try to seduce Jennie every single night anyway so she didn't feel bad using that lap dance to distract her and to get some because she would have done it anyway. She had just saved the lap dance for tonight just in case.

Lisa took Jennie on a perfect date in Busan the next day. They were walking with their hands interlaced on the beach at night and the beautiful skyline of the colorful buildings framed the background.

"That was perfect Lili. Thank you for taking me out."

Lisa squeezed her hand.

"You had fun?"

"So much fun. I always do with you though. I kinda feel bad Rosie didn't come to that restaurant with us after you took me to Illumia though because I'm not a foodie like that but the food was divine. She would have loved it and I feel like we kept a secret from her or something."

"Don't worry, Jisoo is the one that found it. She took her for lunch after they went to that VR room for their own date. Then the marketplaces. Rosie's stomach is most likely very happy right now."

"I should have known." Jennie replied, smiling softly.

"Baby brat?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you happy?"

Jennie gave her a wider gummy smile in return.

"What do you think?"

Lisa made them stop walking and leaned in to kiss her for a few minutes. She spoke again once she pulled away.

"Baby brat, I have to tell you something, and it's going to break my heart because I think it's going to make you happy and sad all at once and I'm dreading seeing you cry."

Jennie looked at Lisa in confusion and Lisa could do nothing but sigh heavily.

"Jisoo and Rosie are waiting for us under the pier. Jisoo wanted me to do this alone because I'm supposed to be the one who gets to protect you now, but I thought that the best way to protect you was to have all of us there for you when we tell you."

"Tell me what Lili? You're not making sense."

"We've been keeping something from you, and I'm so so sorry Nini. I hated lying to you, we all did, but it was like when you made that choice to let me go on that fellowship and not tell me or them that you were being blackmailed.

We all did what we thought was best for you, to protect your happiness. I completely understand you now, after having done this. It's okay if you're angry with us once we tell you for not letting you know sooner."

"Why would I be angry with you? What did you lie about Lisa?" Jennie asked nervously.

"Come with me?"

Jennie laced her fingers into Lisa's again and they walked to the pier. Rosie and Jisoo were already waiting for them under it, sitting cross legged on the sand. Jennie gulped hard because Jisoo looked guilty, and that was a look she had never seen on her menace of a cousin and Rosie looked like she was about to cry so for Jennie it all added up to the knowledge that she might not like what she was going to hear.

Lisa made Jennie sit in between her legs, in that familiar position they always did when Jennie was working on something and Lisa just wanted to be near her. Lisa circled her arms around Jennie's waist and set her chin on her shoulder.

Jennie noticed Jisoo was holding something in her hands.

"What's all this about guys?" Jennie asked a little nervously.

"I'm protecting her by being here for her and holding her, but I think you're the one that has the right to tell her." Lisa whispered to Jisoo, planting a small kiss to Jennie's temple afterwards and Jisoo noticed how Jennie relaxed even more in Lisa's embrace so she nodded.

"Jendeukie, I don't really know how to say this so I'm just going to say it. Lisa should have probably done this because despite being dense she's a little more sensitive with feelings and I'm—well I'm not so I'm not sure the right way to go about it so I guess I'll just be myself." Jisoo looked to Rosie nervously for reassurance and Rosie grabbed her hand and nodded, smiling sadly.

"Just start with the bad news first baby. So you don't give her false hope. Wifey is just as tough as you, she won't break." Rosie reassured her.

Jisoo took in a deep shuddering breath and Jennie felt her heart race and then calm slightly when she felt Lisa's hand caress up and down her arms soothingly before interlacing their hands again.

"Your real mom, your biological mom died of cancer when you were six months old Jendeukie. I didn't know until my mom gave me my inheritance, that's when I found out your father's wife isn't your actual mother but I couldn't tell you yet. Rosie's only known for a few months and Lisa for even less time than that.

My mom told me. She did some things to protect you but it wasn't enough for her to protect you fully so she couldn't tell you until the time was right. Until you were away from them completely. She asked me to tell you she was sorry for keeping such a huge thing from you considering she's known from the beginning."

"Jisoo what are you talking about?" Jennie asked incredulously. "Is this another one of your schemes because I'm not falling for that one. I'm not dumb."

"Your fake mother, your father's wife is in jail now. Alice just put her away. Literally just a few hours ago."

"Fake mother? Chu I've seen my birth certificate. I needed it right along with my Resident's Registration Number for when I registered the nonprofit under my name, how can she be my fake mother when her name is on it."

"It's a forgery."

"It couldn't have been, they check that stuff." Jennie said immediately, because she had gone through so much excessive paperwork just to get her nonprofit going it was ridiculous. "You don't understand how they are Jisoo. They have everything under a microscope. There's no way a forged birth certificate would have gotten past them."

"Not like that. It's real in the sense that its actually 'official.' Your father bribed someone in the government's office to issue a new one that took away Scarlett's name and replaced it with hers."

"Scarlett?"

"Your real mom. Why do you think your middle name is Ruby? Your maternal grandmother's name is Jane. Jennie Ruby Jane is the name your mother gave you before she passed. This is her."

Jisoo handed Jennie the album and Jennie opened it. Her eyes widened in shock because a woman that looked just like her was in that first picture but it clearly wasn't her, she would have remembered it.

Lisa squeezed her before speaking.

"Your mom's friends wrote you letters about her. About how they remembered her. Your Auntie Kim said they all remembered her fondly, that she was the sweetest woman.

So they wrote them for you, so you could get to know her. Do you want to be alone when you read them baby brat? Do you need your space?"

Jennie shook her head no wildly, and Lisa squeezed her tighter. She didn't have to see Jennie's face to know she was already crying now that she believed what they were telling her.

She locked eyes with Rosie and she could tell it was taking everything in her power not to come hug Jennie too.

Lisa nodded at her and Rosie got up immediately and then kneeled in front of Jennie and hugged her too. Jisoo followed right after.

"I'm so sorry wifey. I'm so sorry you never got to meet her. I'm so sorry you didn't even know about her all of these years."

"Jendeukie." Jisoo started, faltering for the first time in her life. She didn't know how to apologize for keeping this from her despite knowing it was the smartest choice. Not knowing how to apologize for this.

Jennie finally found her voice, reading her cousin's hesitation immediately.

"Don't apologize. I've known you all my life Jisoo. You're one of the smartest and kindest people I know, despite being a menace. You're not cruel, especially not to me. I know you must have had a good reason to keep this from me. Auntie Kim too.

She was more my mother than the woman I thought was my true mother was. You can tell me what that good reason was after I read these letters because I really need to know who the woman I missed out on was, and I need you all here because you're my favorite people ever and my chosen family and I need you all here for when I ugly cry."

Jisoo and Rosie pulled away and Jennie smiled at them teary eyed. Rosie was already crying with her and she could tell Lisa was probably on the verge of crying too.

Jennie turned the page and started reading the first letter out loud.

She read them all and there were certain snippets that almost had Jisoo crying too.

Oh you know, my favorite memory of Scarlett was when she found out she was pregnant with you. I immediately freaked out for her.

She was barely twenty four and was about to have a baby so I told her I'd drop my weekend plans to fly with her to America or something to terminate the pregnancy. I thought that's what she would want. We were so young and she didn't have a husband and was working a very demanding job.

It wasn't legal in Korea back then so I was fully prepared to drop a couple grand to fly with my favorite coworker and support her for this.

I'm sorry Jennie, I hate admitting the fact my first thought was that she wouldn't want you but oh goodness, did she love you even before you were born.

She was radiant. I should have known better. Your mom was always happy for the most part. Always had a smile on her face even when things were rough but that day that she told me she was going to have a baby, goodness. The sun should have been jealous because her smile was brighter than that.

She was a hard worker, and so smart. I remember when she was eight months in and she was still wobbling around like a duck at work. She didn't show for about six months but when she did it was like she was suddenly growing a massive watermelon inside of her and she never faltered, checking on her patients despite her big belly and the pain she was in.

She was a very stubborn woman and wouldn't take time off despite her ankles swelling so much she could barely walk and yet she was still our best nurse.

I remember when you were born. Her water broke literally in the middle of surgery. She was Dr. Oh's favorite scrub nurse so she was always in there.

Even when she got pregnant he would half heartedly try to kick her out so that she could rest but she'd never listen so Dr. Oh gave up eventually.

Everyone else was freaking out and grabbing a wheelchair for her and your mother was the picture of calm despite the contractions she'd been having for almost twelve hours and handed Dr. Oh the sutures needed for the surgery.

Honestly, she should have been a surgeon herself because I'd bet she would run circles around half the doctors in that hospital.

Jennie couldn't help the tears as she finished that particular letter.

"You were meant to be a surgeon baby brat. You take after your mom." Lisa whispered, squeezing her tight.

"I hope I make her proud." Jennie said as she traced her finger over the pictures following the letter of her mom in scrubs with other nurses and doctors.

"You already are." The other three said in unison immediately and Jennie couldn't help but giggle despite crying so hard at their serious faces and the fact that her cousin, her best friend, and her girlfriend all thought so.

"I love you guys so much." Jennie told them and then proceeded to read the rest of the letters to them. They were there all night. Jennie and Rosie's eyes were so red from crying it was ridiculous. Lisa had cried a lot too.

Everyone pretended like they hadn't seen Jisoo shed a couple tears at some point as well when Jennie read the letter from one of her coworkers about how they all reacted when they found out Scarlett had cancer the first time and how devastated they were when it came back.

She had a newborn baby and she was ecstatic about it. Scarlett was never sad but now her happiness was beyond once she had you. She showed us polaroids of you when she would come by the hospital and I swear she took pictures of you every day.

I'm not even a baby person, I thought I hated children but Scarlett had a way of changing people's minds. I loved those pictures. She was so happy. So much so that she even made us children hating doctors happy and I thought I might want children after all.

She didn't tell anyone about the cancer coming back. We only found out because I caught her leaving the oncology department in another hospital. I was working with a doctor there on a patient that crossed both our specialties and I saw her there by chance.

Besides being the kindest woman, another thing your mother couldn't do was lie. I didn't even have to ask, I just knew. It was back.

I was known as 'the robot' in our hospital because I'm very career driven, I don't care about love or families and I hardly show emotion besides anger when someone under me is incompetent and yet...

Jennie, I cried. When your mother confessed the cancer was back despite me knowing already just from the look on her face I cried and I don't think there was a single person that knew her that didn't cry for her when she told them too.

Her funeral was packed. Even the people that didn't know her personally went because she was always so kind to everyone. She greeted anyone that worked in that hospital if she came across them.

There were a slew of surgical interns that went that literally only knew her by name because she made a fresh batch of coffee for them during a night shift before she left once, that's how much of an impression she made on them.

Her old patients went. Families of patients. Even the asshole surgeons like me that didn't care about anyone but themselves went.

I can't tell you who we all cried more for, our beloved nurse, or you for not getting the privilege to know her like we did.

Especially because you cried too. Scarlett's best friend had you in her arms the day of the funeral and it felt like you just knew that your mother was gone because of the way you were crying, I could never describe it, they weren't normal baby cries, they were soul wrenching.

I know this is a very unconventional way to honor her but to me, this is the most powerful. For you to know how much pain her absence caused, even to a cold hearted doctor like me. I think that should tell you how special of a person your mother was and how we all hate that you never had the chance to get to be loved by her as you grew up the way you were meant to.

Jisoo had tried covering the small tears up by sitting behind Rosie and holding her like Lisa was holding Jennie but they all saw. No one said anything about it. The moment was too sacred and they all knew Jisoo prided herself in being the tough one so that she could always be the one to wipe their tears.

Lisa told Jennie they had deviated from their trip and went to Busan for the weekend so Jennie could get to know about her mother even more because this was her home town and Jennie didn't know how she could love this woman even more. She only didn't propose to Lisa right then and there because she was too busy crying.

Jennie insisted they all go to with her. They went to the hospital first and saw the memorial for her mom. She spoke to several nurses who immediately pulled her into a hug and held her tight for several minutes because they all said it was like having Scarlett back because Jennie looked just like her.

Then they would apologize for invading her space like that but they all said they couldn't help it. They missed Scarlett too much, even after all of these years.

Jennie spent the entire time either laughing or crying as they told her story after story of her real mother.

They finally went to Scarlett's best friend's house after the hospital and a woman named Mikyung answered the door. She immediately burst into tears when she saw Jennie and Jennie ran up to hug her.

"I miss her so much, thank you for coming. Thank you. This is as much a gift for me as it might be for you." Mikyung immediately said to her as they both sobbed.

She served them tea and Jennie caught Mikyung up on her life.

"You really are your mother's daughter. The way I can hear her in my head bragging about you right now. She used to never shut up about you. Not that I minded, you were an adorable baby. Sassy too, Scarlett swears up and down you learned how to roll your eyes at one week old."

"That, I don't doubt." Lisa said giggling and Jennie rolled her eyes hard at her. "See! She's perfected it!" Lisa said, pointing at her girlfriend because they had all seen it.

Jennie eventually joined in on the laughter at her expense.

"Always been a baby brat. Even as a baby." Lisa said fondly, kissing Jennie's temple quickly to pacify Jennie so Mikyung could continue.

"That woman never took a day off of work until you were born. She put in her resignation letter and was planning on using her savings so she could be with you 24/7 for at least your first year but of course the hospital wouldn't take it. She was too valuable to them.

She was the first person in that hospital to get authorized for a year long maternity leave just so she wouldn't quit. She was that good.

She'd come visit us a lot and bring you and you had everyone smitten and Scarlett would spend the entire time bragging about how she had the cutest and smartest baby in the world.

I guess she was right after all, CEO of a nonprofit and a future surgeon, there's no one in that hospital, patients included that Scarlett wouldn't be bragging to right now about you. You were her pride and joy and I know wherever she's resting that you still are."

Jennie smiled, feeling the tears coming again. She'd never felt a mother's love before and the fact her real mother had loved her like that was overwhelming her. Lisa clearly saw it coming and threw an arm around her, kissing her temple and Jennie shot her a small smile in gratitude because Lisa's physical closeness always soothed her.

"She had cancer?" Jennie finally managed to ask. "Everyone said she had cancer."

Mikyung nodded sadly.

"She was in remission for years, then suddenly it came back. It was aggressive. She refused to take anything while she was pregnant with you for fear of hurting you."

Jennie frowned.

"She's dead because of me?" Jennie asked, her voice breaking.

"No honey, don't blame yourself. It was her choice and at the time it was a good one. She was safe according to her tests. She was supposed to be able to handle nine months without chemo or drugs, she did, but cancer is tricky.

It came back double fold three months into you being born. They had to switch her meds for the pain because it was that bad. They didn't work well for her. The combination of everything ended up killing her instead of healing her at about the six month mark when the doctor had to prescribe her a new pain reliever.

The treatments weren't working so all they could do was ease her pain. She had no chance either way but she had one of the worst side effects to the meds and went into cardiac arrest. No one could have known.

Trust me, Dr. Oh and I both checked her charts and everything to make sure a mistake hadn't been made. It wasn't a mistake the doctor made. She was thorough with everything she prescribed. It was just her luck that she didn't react well to the drug, but I'll show you everything so you can see for yourself. I don't expect you to take my word for it."

"I'd appreciate that, just to put my mind at ease."

"Of course honey. The doctor has obviously retired but she agreed to speak with you too if you had questions. She worked with your mom too and adored her, it was her worst case. She was never the same after that, after we all lost her, none of us were."

"She really was loved wasn't she?" Jennie asked.

"You have no idea. There wasn't a person that met Scarlett that didn't fall in love with her immediately, platonically or otherwise. That's probably why she had awful taste in men." Mikyung joked. "She attracted the powerful handsome ones because she was so charming and they wanted her to themselves."

"Like my father."

"Like your father. We all raised money for you, at the hospital in Scarlett's honor when she passed. He said he was going to put it in a trust for you but after everything I saw when he got arrested I assume you didn't see a single penny of it."

"It's probably buried in his charity somewhere." Jennie answered. "Thank you for doing that for me though, it means a lot."

"I have something for you." Mikyung got up from the couch and went into another room. She came back holding a few things. "The rest of her clothes are here, I didn't have space so I rented out a place to hold them. She had great taste, you seem to as well. I'm sure you'll love them." Mikyung handed her a business card to a storage unit. "They already know to let you in and take whatever you want."

"You kept her stuff?" Jennie asked hopefully.

"She willed it all to me to give to you. It's all in there. It's yours. The only thing I didn't keep in there, just in case it got damaged is this. These are the scrubs she was wearing when she had you."

Jennie grabbed them and caressed them reverently.

"And this is the baby blanket she and I made for you. We learned how to crochet when she knew she was going to have you. I didn't trust him with it.

I figured your father wouldn't tell you where it came from, even then, even before I knew what I knew. I would have given it to you sooner but Mrs. Kim told me everything and I knew I had to wait so I've been holding it for you until this day came.

I know you don't know, but I'm also your godmother. I've kept in regular contact with your aunt considering I couldn't be in your life so I know a lot about you already from her, I hope you don't mind."

Mikyung handed Jennie one last thing.

"This is from your mother. She wrote it when she knew she was probably going to die. I'll leave you girls to read it and make more tea."

Jisoo and Rosie shared a look and they both got up too. Jisoo dropped a kiss on Jennie's head and ruffled her hair and Rosie gave her the warmest hug ever before they both reached out to each other and followed Mikyung in to the kitchen.

"Baby brat?" Lisa asked tentatively. "Do you need me for this or do you want alone time? I know this is so important to you. Even more than the other stuff from her friends. Do you want me here?"

"I always want you here." Jennie whispered, her voice breaking a bit.

Lisa wasted no time after that, taking her familiar position behind Jennie. They sat on the floor with Lisa's back to the couch and Jennie right in front of her.

Jennie shakily opened the letter but her eyes were already welling with tears and she couldn't read it.

"Lili. Please, can you do it. Can you read it to me?"

Lisa dropped a kiss on her shoulder and grabbed the letter from Jennie, hugging her tight with her left arm still and started reading.

"My dearest baby girl.

I can't apologize enough for bringing you into this world knowing there was a chance that I might leave it and make you have to fend for yourself. I was young, forgive me.

I thought since I beat it once, why couldn't I beat it again if the cancer happened to come back. Especially after being blessed with the most perfect little darling I could have asked for.

I thought I could fight literal wars for you and win because I loved you that much. I felt like a superhero the first day I set my eyes on you. I don't think you understand the overwhelming joy and unconditional love I felt for you when they handed me to you when you were born.

You were so perfect Jennie Ruby Jane. I know you still are. The nurses couldn't pry you away from me. I held you all night instead of letting them put you in the crib, they had to bring it into my room because I refused to part from you.

I've had six blissful months with you and my heart aches at the fact I don't get any more but just know I'll always be with you. Whatever comes next, you'll always be on my mind my love.

I'll always be rooting for you. I'll be proud of everything you do. I'll forgive you if you ever mess up. I'll love you even from the beyond, so so much because having you was my greatest accomplishment.

I never knew how much of a blessing it was to create such a perfect being and I'm so sorry you'll have to deal without a mother and be by yourself.

I hope he takes care of you well. I know that at the very least he can provide for you and I hope that's enough for the time being. I'm sorry Jennie. I'm so sorry. Your mother is so foolish but when I found out I was pregnant with you, the joy I felt at having you was a little overwhelming. I wanted you so bad even though he wasn't in my life anymore.

I could write a book on how much I love you. How much of a blessing you were despite you waking me up in the middle of the night at exactly four a.m on the dot every single night and not letting me sleep because you wanted a bottle. Though I'm lucky, you were a good baby, and I always had Mikyung. She helped me so much when my health started declining.

She's the one that's writing this letter for me right now because I can hardly move now. If you ever need anything, reach out to your godmother. She's my dearest friend in the world.

Jennie, since I won't be able to raise you, I just have some simple advice. Love hard. Find your chosen family because I doubt your father will be that. Do something that makes you happy. Your father will probably say money is more important but don't listen to him, money helps you tremendously in life but it doesn't make you happy. It doesn't fulfill you.

I worked long hours, too many hours and busted my ass and I should be paid way more than what I got paid but I wouldn't trade it for the world because it was still my dream job. I got paid in other ways.

I loved being a nurse. I loved the fact I could help people, even if it was something as simple like bringing their family members a pillow when they stayed in the hospital with them and reassuring them about their progress.

I'd take the long hours and the fulfillment I had over a raise in pay and working at a soulless office any day despite how difficult my job was and how many things I was tasked to do every day and wasn't compensated fairly for. Hopefully that will change soon for my colleagues and they get paid properly but I know they all feel the same way. We loved our job and we were happy doing what we do.

When you find love, don't be a fool like me, find someone who doesn't just tell you pretty words. Find someone who backs up what they say through their actions.

Only accept the person that shows you they love you, not just says it. I have a feeling you're going to be very smart, so I probably don't have to tell you this anyway but I hope you find someone that is willing to take care of you no matter what your flaws are.

I know you'll be very capable of taking care of yourself, but I'd feel even more at peace knowing you had someone there who loved and cared about you just as much as me and was willing to do anything for you.

I hope you show this to them when the time comes, when you're serious about someone, so that they know I'm watching and they know that they're only worthy of my little girl if they follow through. They'll have my blessing to be with you if they take care of you like that."

Lisa paused after that because she was too emotional, getting choked up.

Jennie turned around in her arms and wiped away Lisa's tears.

"You think I'm doing okay baby brat?" Lisa whispered. "Do you think I'd have her blessing to be with you?"

Jennie smiled softly and pecked Lisa on the lips after wiping her own tears away.

"I obviously didn't know her, but after all the stories I've heard about her from her friends and the letters, I think my mom would adore you Lili because you've been like a dream to me. You've been perfect."

"I don't know about that baby brat, we fought so much in the beginning, she would have probably hated me even more than you pretended you did. I was so mean to you."

"You weren't ever really mean Lili. You always managed to compliment me with your insults, don't you remember? Because I do. One of my favorite ones was when you tried to insult me and said that you always thought it was daddy's make up artists that made me look pretty because I was spoiled.

Then you proceeded to say that you guessed I was apparently that naturally beautiful one of the days I didn't wear make up and you tried to insult me by saying that I was basically an attention whore and did this on purpose.

That I wore make up one day and not the next just so people could know that I was apparently naturally pretty. It's not verbatim, but I vaguely recall you saying something like that to me once or twice." Jennie said smirking a bit.

Lisa blushed. She remembered it verbatim, at least the first time she teased her like that. Jennie had a really busy week that time and hadn't bothered to do much but pull on a pair of over sized sweats and some sunglasses and Lisa had teased her about not being the usual perfect beauty queen during their usual lunch with the girls but still ended up complimenting her on accident because Jennie had looked adorable.

"I still called you spoiled." Lisa mumbled. "And said you wanted attention and you were not happy about that."

"And yet you still called me beautiful." Jennie said, smiling, sporting her own blush now at the fact Lisa saw her like that, even then. "I have a feeling we would have dated sooner if she was alive. I get the feeling she would have figured out I was into you way before I did and called me out on the fact we were basically acting like first graders picking on their crush because we didn't know how to deal with our own feelings." Jennie said with a teary giggle.

"You really think she'd approve of me baby brat?"

"I know she would. I'm not sure why, but it feels like the truth. I feel this odd deep connection to her now. She would love you. I just know it, and the way Mikyung didn't even bat an eye at the fact I have a girlfriend, my mother's literal best friend accepting us told me everything.

I don't know, because of that it makes me think that my mother wouldn't care about both of us being girls either. I think she would accept our relationship and I think she would love you just as much as I do because you would never hurt me intentionally, you literally never have since we got together and it seems to me like that's all she ever wanted for me, to not be hurt and to be loved unconditionally. You've done that for me. Always."

Lisa leaned in to kiss Jennie, feeling a deep emotion within her and she really needed her lips to ground her before continuing and Jennie happily obliged, she loved Lisa's kisses. Lisa eventually brought the the letter up again to finish reading it for her.

"To my daughter's future spouse, tell her you love her every day, but show her a million ways more that you do. Life is short. You never know when you won't be able to do that anymore.

Jennie. My darling Jennie. I love you more than anything I've ever loved before. I wish I could show you but since unfortunately, the universe decided I was to leave this world soon I hope these few measly words can show you  that I mean it with my entire soul.

I'll miss you more than anything but something tells me that despite being gone, somehow I'll always be with you, proudly knowing you were the miracle that I was blessed enough to say came from me.

Your loving mother,

Scarlett."

Lisa could tell the signature was actually Jennie's mother's. The penmanship was completely different than the rest of the letter, even for a signature.

"I think this is her signature Jennie. She wrote her name in herself."

Jennie finally calmed down enough to grab the letter and traced her finger over the name reverently.

Neither Jennie nor Lisa could tell you how long they sat on the floor holding each other. Jennie was sitting sideways on Lisa's lap now, her face buried in Lisa's neck as she cried and Lisa soothed her by rubbing her back and reading the letter for Jennie over and over again, as many times as she wanted.

Lisa decided then and there that she couldn't wait for the end of the trip to propose now. Especially not after reading Scarlett's words and the fact Jennie thought her mom would give Lisa her blessing.

When Jisoo and Rosie came back into the room after giving them their space Lisa took the opportunity to go to the kitchen where Mikyung still was while Rosie and Jisoo comforted Jennie.

"You knew Scarlett the best, at least according to everyone. If she was here, do you think she'd give me her blessing to marry her daughter?" Lisa asked tentatively without preamble because if she didn't rush it out as soon as she walked in she never would out of nerves.

Mikyung smiled softly, placing her hand on Lisa's cheek and Lisa felt like a child again under a mother's gaze.

"I have known you for all of two hours and not once this entire time have you truly taken your eyes off of that girl. Even when you have, you lean into her. You're both very much in sync, if she shifts, you do too and vice versa. You seem to anticipate when she's upset and she relaxes immediately as soon as you touch her, even if it's a simple touch on her thigh.

Two hours Lisa, but it took me all of two minutes to know you're irrevocably in love with her and she's in love with you too and I promise you it would have taken Scarlett even less than that, even less than this trained psychologist to figure that out and she would have teased you when Jennie introduced you as her girlfriend and asked you when the wedding was within the first five minutes."

Lisa's eyes welled in tears and she swallowed hard because of that cosign. It was all she needed to hear to finally get the courage to push herself to do what she had wanted to do ever since she fell for Jennie.

"Do me a favor Lisa, and take care of my best friend's daughter." Mikyung said, tapping her cheek once before dropping her hand.

"Always."

Mikyung searched her face and smiled, "I believe it, and I know Scarlett does too."

Lisa walked shakily back into the living room and Jisoo noticed her immediately. Rosie and Jennie were too busy crying over the letter so it was easy for Lisa to signal Jisoo and take her aside without much fuss.

"You have the ring?"

Jisoo discreetly dug into her pocket and pulled it out to show Lisa before putting it back in quickly so Jennie wouldn't see.

"Always. Like I promised Limario."

"I want to change our plans. Any chance you're down to just scrap the next few cities and go to Thailand this weekend so I can propose to her? I can't wait anymore. After reading her mother's letter to her, I don't know, I feel like I got her blessing to be with Jennie. You've given it to me, Mikyung did too. I think I'm ready. I think I finally feel worthy of her."

"Consider it done. I'll book the tickets."

"No, it's okay. I'll pay. You've already done so much for this trip. I know it's technically an investment and you're doing it for Rosie and Jennie but I want to do this."

Jisoo rolled her eyes.

"Did I not tell you to save your money Limario. I have more money than I know what to do with now. So much that I literally just bought out a start up gaming company so they develop an idea I'd been thinking about cus I'm bored of the usual games I play and they're working on it for me right now.

They're even doing a full on RPG on mobile for my dad for Dungeons and Dragons and I'm giving it to him on his birthday when they're done with it. I'm paying for the damn tickets and the hotel room."

Lisa was going to protest but Jisoo held a finger out to shush her.

"I need you focusing on Jendeukie tonight instead of something silly like accommodations for us. She's had a hard day and your job is to focus on making sure she doesn't cry too much at the fact she never knew the mother that truly loved her. It's all she ever wanted now go take care of her and me and my chipmunk will take care of everything else."

Lisa had no argument for that because she really would have hated spending the rest of the night trying to change their trip and leaving Jennie to fend for herself so she let Jisoo take care of it and spent the night holding Jennie who alternated from crying to giggling about the stories she heard of her mother.

Lisa knew she was sad that Scarlett was gone but she could tell Jennie was also happy there was a woman once upon a time that loved her dearly, that she had a mother that actually loved her and she could erase the years of anguish given to her from her father's wife of feeling unwanted.

Jisoo had told Lisa about the mother's day card incident and Lisa had almost driven to Jennie's old house and strangled Mrs. Kim for that.

The only reason she and Jisoo didn't go to beat her up, who had grabbed her bat because Lisa had riled her up too when she told her and Lisa was so angry they started scheming on how to hurt her was because Rosie stepped in, smacking them both across the head when she found them.

"It's not like we're gonna kill her Chaeyoungie!" Lisa said indignantly. "We're just teaching her a lesson for making my baby brat cry!"

"Right, I should have done this forever ago for Jendeukie." Jisoo agreed.

Rosie crossed her arms and looked at them sternly.

"The woman has a tracking bracelet on and a patrol car outside watching her house and anything she does 24/7. If you two want to get caught red handed 'teaching her a lesson' and beat her up, be my guests.

I'm not bailing you out of jail when you immediately get caught and you both can explain to Jennie why you tried beating up her mother without spilling the secret that she's not her real mother yet."

They both deflated after that.

"Damnit." Lisa mumbled.

"Stop being such idiots and think things through please! I swear, you two are the dumbest smart people I know." Rosie huffed, walking away from them after grabbing Jisoo's bat. "You're not getting this back for a month."

"Awww come on chipmunk!" Jisoo whined.

"Make that two!" Rosie said as she went to go hide it from her fiancée.

Jisoo shut up after that, knowing she'd only make it worse.

"I think I know some people in jail." Lisa whispered under her breath as they watched Rosie walk away. "That one time I got arrested for punching that girl that talked shit about the Parks for adopting me, I had a bunkie who was also in there for assault, but like way worse.

All I did was punch a girl. Homegirl on the other hand was savage but surprisingly sweet, she only went crazy when people crossed her. She used to be in the Seoul Detention Center before she got caught up in a bar fight after getting out in Rosie's home town."

Jisoo smirked, knowing exactly where Lisa was going with this. They did their truce handshake again while they planned a way to figure out who could get back at Mrs. Kim once she was in jail for them and they started by trying to figure out if Lisa's old cell mate was still in jail or not and if she might know someone who still was.

_______________

"Change of plans baby brat, we're going to Thailand tomorrow instead of at the end of the trip."

"Really?" Jennie asked excitedly.

"Mhmm."

"I'm so excited, ever since I tried Thai food I've wanted to go."

Lisa immediately smirked and Jennie inherently knew where her girlfriends's mind went.

"THAT'S SO NOT WHAT I MEANT LISA!" Jennie shouted, blushing hard.

Lisa smirked harder, "I knew I was your favorite food." Lisa said, wiggling her eyebrows and walking out of the room to pack her cameras.

"Lisaaaaa. You pervert, that's not what I meant and you know it! I just meant the authentic cuisine!" Jennie said, following her out.

Lisa stopped abruptly and Jennie rammed into her.

"I'm not authentic enough for you?" Lisa turned and husked in to Jennie's ear. "You want to find something more authentic to eat than me?"

"I—um. What?" Jennie stuttered, feeling flustered as Lisa's breath hit her skin, Lisa knew what that always did to her. She wasn't playing fair.

"That's okay baby brat, because I personally prefer Korean and I'm quite starved right now. I think it's time for dinner anyway."

Jennie squealed as Lisa unceremoniously picked her up and threw her on to their hotel bed, the packing completely forgotten.

Jennie would have protested and said something about responsibility and the fact they'd have to fly out in the morning and needed to pack and needed rest but well, Lisa's mouth was very, very persuasive so the only sounds coming from her mouth was chants of please don't stop and Jennie saying Lisa's name more times than she could count.

_____________

A/N

Still didn't get to the proposal hahahaha at this rate this story will never end 😅🤦🏽‍♀️

Sorry guyssss.

Also, a little behind on comments and dm's and answering your questions rn cus I'm working on another update but I'll get to them, pinky promise!