19ineteen

Jennie POV

I pulled away slightly, just enough to see Lisa's face. "Are you gonna sleep now?"

Lisa shook her head. "No. I just woke up."

I nodded, biting my lip. There was something that had been nagging at me since Paris, something I needed to clear up. "That night... when I called you..." I started carefully. "Who was with you?"

Lisa's brows furrowed slightly. "What night?"

"When I was in Paris," I clarified. "You were with someone. I heard them."

Lisa blinked, then sighed. "That was Jisoo."

I frowned. "Jisoo?"

"She was taking care of me," Lisa admitted. "I was already sick that day."

I stared at her in disbelief. "So you've been sick for a week now?"

Lisa shrugged like it was nothing, but I could see the exhaustion in her eyes.

I crossed my arms. "You need to get checked."

Lisa shook her head. "I have no savings for that."

I scoffed. "I'll cover it."

Lisa frowned. "Jennie—"

"How about the 50K a month?" I interrupted. "I'll give it early so you can go get checked."

Lisa chuckled, shaking her head. "Jennie, the deal is over."

"No," I said immediately, serious.

Lisa blinked at me, startled by my tone.

I wasn't playing around. I wasn't going to let her push me away, not after everything.

Lisa opened her mouth to say something, but then she stopped. She studied my face for a long moment, something unreadable in her gaze.

Then, after a beat, she sighed. "...You're stubborn."

I lifted my chin. "And you're sick. So let me take care of it."

Lisa just looked at me for a moment before finally giving me a small, tired smile. "You're impossible."

"And you're annoying," I shot back, but there was no real bite to my words.

Lisa chuckled, shaking her head. "Fine," she muttered. "You win."

I smirked. "I always do."

Lisa leaned back against her pillows, her fingers lazily tracing patterns on the blanket. "So..." she started, her tone casual but her eyes sharp. "How was your little date with Kim Taehyung?"

I groaned, rolling my eyes. "It wasn't a date."

Lisa smirked. "Oh? Looked like one to me. Hand in hand, late-night stroll by the river in Paris... very romantic."

I crossed my arms. "It was just for PR. You know that."

Lisa hummed, unconvinced. "I mean... you guys are compatible, though. Same world. Rich. Famous. Perfect on paper." She shrugged. "Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea."

Something about the way she said it made me narrow my eyes at her. "You really think that?"

Lisa simply looked at me, her expression unreadable.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It wasn't even my idea," I muttered. "I got back from the event, and suddenly CEO Yang and Taehyung's label had already decided to confirm it. I didn't even get a say."

Lisa raised a brow. "And you just went along with it?"

"I didn't have a choice!" I huffed. "CEO Yang said 'majority wins,' and Taehyung was fine with it. What was I supposed to do?"

Lisa scoffed, shaking her head. "Tough life, huh? Being forced to fake-date one of the most eligible bachelors in Korea."

I shot her a glare. "You're being ridiculous."

Lisa smirked but didn't push it further. Instead, she sighed, shifting slightly under the blankets. "So you really don't like him?"

I hesitated before answering. "I mean... I like him. He's nice. We get along." I shrugged. "But not like that. Never like that."

Lisa studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

That was it? Just 'okay'?

I frowned. "That's all you have to say?"

Lisa smirked. "What else do you want me to say? That I'm jealous?"

I opened my mouth, then shut it.

Lisa chuckled, reaching out to tug at the sleeve of my sweater. "Relax, princess. I believe you."

For some reason, hearing her say that made my chest feel lighter.

Lisa tilted her head slightly, eyes still locked on me as if she were trying to figure something out. "Okay, so the statement was PR," she said, voice slow and deliberate. "But what about the video?"

I swallowed. "What about it?"

Lisa leaned forward slightly. "Was that PR too?"

I hesitated. I knew Lisa would catch onto it if I lied, so I sighed. "No. That was literally some random French paparazzi who spotted us and took a video."

Lisa blinked, then let out a small laugh, though there was no real humor in it. "So, what I'm hearing is... it wasn't staged, but it still happened?"

I frowned. "Well, yeah. But it's not what you're thinking."

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "What am I thinking, Jennie?"

"That it was a date," I huffed.

Lisa let out a dramatic gasp, hand over her chest. "Me? Assuming that my situationship—you—was out on a romantic nighttime stroll with one of Korea's most famous heartthrobs? Why would I ever think that?"

I shot her a glare. "Because you're annoying."

Lisa grinned but didn't let it go. "So, you weren't on a date?"

"No," I said firmly.

Lisa tilted her head. "But you were walking together at night, holding hands, talking, and you agreed to go out with him when he asked."

I groaned. "It wasn't a date, Lisa."

Lisa crossed her arms, lips curving into a smirk. "So, what was it then?"

I sighed. "We were at the same event. Taehyung just suggested we take a walk because the place was stuffy, and I thought, 'Hey, why not?'"

Lisa let out a low hum, still looking way too amused. "And he just happened to hold your hand?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it. "I... I didn't even notice when he grabbed it, okay?"

Lisa pressed her lips together, nodding. "So it was a date."

I groaned, throwing my hands up. "No, it wasn't!"

Lisa chuckled. "Jennie. If I asked you to take a walk, held your hand, and spent the night talking with you, what would you call it?"

I frowned. "That's different."

Lisa leaned in slightly. "Why?"

"Because it's you."

That seemed to catch her off guard. Her smirk faltered just slightly before she composed herself. "I see. So, if it's with me, it's different?"

I suddenly felt my face heat up. "That's not what I meant."

Lisa just smiled lazily. "Okay, okay. I believe you."

But I could tell from the look on her face that she didn't.

Lisa casually grabbed her phone from the bedside table, scrolling for a moment before pressing a contact. I watched her, confused, until she brought the phone to her ear and spoke.

"Yo, Seulgi," Lisa said smoothly. "Wanna go for a walk by the Han River tomorrow night?"

I blinked, my brain short-circuiting at the suddenness of it.

Lisa leaned back against the pillows, completely relaxed. "No, no, it's not a date. Just a walk," she continued. "We'll just talk. Nothing serious."

Whatever Seulgi said on the other end made Lisa grin slightly. "Alright, cool. See you then."

I sat up straight. "Excuse me?!"

Lisa ended the call and set her phone down like she didn't just drop a bomb in the room.

"What the hell was that?" I asked, voice rising.

Lisa looked at me with innocent eyes. "What do you mean?"

I scoffed, throwing my hands up. "You just asked Seulgi out!"

Lisa blinked, then shrugged. "No, I didn't. I asked her to take a walk."

I gaped at her. "That's literally the same thing you're accusing me of doing!"

Lisa nodded. "Yep."

My jaw clenched. "So, you admit it. You're trying to piss me off."

Lisa tilted her head like she was thinking about it. "I don't know... If it wasn't a date when you did it, why is it a date when I do it?"

I gritted my teeth, anger bubbling inside me. "Because you're doing it out of spite, Lisa!"

Lisa gave me a blank look. "Or maybe I just wanted some fresh air with a friend. Isn't that what you said?"

I exhaled sharply, my hands balling into fists. "You're being petty."

Lisa smirked. "You're the one ranting right now."

I opened my mouth, then snapped it shut. Oh my god, she was doing this on purpose.

Lisa let me stew in my frustration for a moment before she spoke again, her tone too calm. "Why can you do it, but I can't?"

I clenched my jaw, glaring at her.

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "It wasn't a date, Jennie."

I was going to explode.

I snapped.

"You're such an asshole, Lisa!" I shouted, my frustration boiling over. "You just love messing with me, don't you? You're so fucking childish!"

Lisa just sat there, silent, watching me with that unreadable expression.

I threw my hands in the air. "You're the one who accused me of going on a date when it wasn't even like that! I explained everything to you, and now you pull this shit?" My voice was rising, my breath coming out short. "For what? To get back at me? To piss me off? Congratulations, Lisa, you succeeded!"

Lisa stayed quiet, her gaze steady as she listened to me unload every ounce of irritation, guilt, and stress I'd been carrying.

"You're such a hypocrite," I continued, my voice breaking slightly. "You act like I did something unforgivable, but the moment I try to fix things, you turn it into a fucking game! I'm trying here, okay?! I came back, I ran to you, I—" I swallowed thickly, feeling the burn behind my eyes. "I fucking missed you, Lisa."

Silence.

I was breathing heavily, my hands clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. Lisa still hadn't said a word.

After what felt like forever, she finally spoke, her voice calm. "I was just proving a point."

I stared at her in disbelief. "What?"

Lisa sighed and leaned back against the pillows. "I wanted you to feel how I felt. When you were out there with Taehyung, I had no idea what was going on. I saw the videos just like everyone else. And you didn't even text me. It took you how many hours to try to contact me."

My lips parted slightly, my anger fizzling out, but Lisa wasn't done.

"You expect me to just believe whatever you say, no questions asked. But the second I do something similar, you explode." She shook her head, looking down. "It's funny, really."

I swallowed hard. "Lisa, I—"

Lisa looked up, meeting my gaze with something softer. "I get it now."

I furrowed my brows. "Get what?"

Lisa gave a small, sad smile. "You don't want me, but you don't want anyone else to have me either."

My breath hitched. I opened my mouth to argue, to deny it, but no words came out.

I was speechless.

Lisa's words were like a slap I never saw coming. They hit me so hard I felt my chest tighten, like something inside me cracked.

"What?" I managed to whisper, my throat dry.

Lisa let out a bitter chuckle, shaking her head as she stared at me. "You heard me. You want me? Fine. You can have me—whenever you want." Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but beneath it, there was something else. Something raw. "That's what this is all about, right?"

No.

No, that's not what this was about.

I tried to speak, to explain, but Lisa wasn't done.

She met my gaze, her eyes sharp and unrelenting. "You don't want me with anyone else, but you won't even admit what this is between us." She ran a frustrated hand through her messy hair, exhaling heavily. "You say you want me. For what? Sex? Because if that's the case, sure. I'll give you that. Anytime, anywhere. But you don't get to control me outside of that."

Her words left me breathless.

"That's not fair," I whispered, my voice shaking.

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "What's not fair? That I finally said it out loud? That I stopped pretending I don't notice how you only want me when it's convenient for you?"

I shook my head, my hands curling into fists at my sides. "That's not true."

Lisa laughed, but it wasn't her usual laugh. It was empty. Hollow. Like she already knew the ending to this argument before I could even start defending myself.

"Then prove me wrong."

My heart pounded painfully in my chest. I wanted to say something, anything that would make her understand. That would make her stay. That would fix this mess before it spiraled further out of my control.

But I had no words.

Because deep down, I wasn't even sure what I wanted either.

Maybe Lisa was right.

Maybe this was all just about sex.

Because love? That was impossible. Right?

I sat there, frozen, my mind spiraling into places I didn't want it to go. The truth was ugly. Too ugly for me to face. Because if I really thought about it, if I really picked apart why I was here right now, why I was so obsessed with making Lisa believe me, it all led back to one thing—I didn't want to lose her.

But why?

Was it because I liked her? Or because I liked what she fuck me?

The way she touched me. The way she made me feel things no one else ever had. The way my body responded to her without hesitation. Maybe... that was it. Maybe it wasn't Lisa I wanted, just what she could give me.

The thought made my stomach turn.

Was I really that selfish?

I clenched my fists, hating the way my own thoughts made me feel like a villain.

Then, suddenly, Lisa spoke.

"It's okay."

Her voice was quiet, almost tired.

I snapped out of my thoughts, staring at her as she let out a small sigh.

"No worries about it," she added, her tone lighter than before, like she was trying to downplay everything. "I get it."

Get what? That I was using her? That I was a terrible person?

Lisa didn't wait for me to respond. Instead, she laid down, turning her back to me, like she was done with this conversation.

Like she was done with me.

And for some reason, that hurt more than I expected.

Just as I was about hug her, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I sighed, already dreading whatever news was waiting for me.

Allison:

You have a 3 AM schedule tomorrow. Your team will be at your penthouse to get you ready for the HERA shoot. Get some rest.

I groaned internally. Of course. Just when I didn't want to go home.

I turned to Lisa, watching the slow rise and fall of her shoulders as she lay on her side, still facing away from me. I bit my lip, debating whether to just leave quietly or tell her I had to go. But something inside me couldn't walk away just like that.

So, I moved closer.

Slowly, carefully, I wrapped my arms around her from behind, pressing my forehead against her back. Lisa stiffened for a moment before relaxing under my touch.

"I have to go," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. "I have an early shoot tomorrow."

Lisa was silent for a second, then let out a quiet "Okay."

She didn't ask me to stay. She didn't ask me to come back.

She just... accepted it.

That should've made things easier. But somehow, it only made the knot in my chest tighten.

Lisa sat up, her movements slow and a little stiff, no doubt because of the bruises I saw earlier. Without looking at me, she pushed herself off the bed and walked out into the living room where Jisoo was still watching TV like she had no care in the world.

"Jisoo," Lisa called, her voice quieter than usual.

Jisoo turned her head lazily. "Hmm?"

Lisa glanced at me briefly before speaking. "Can you drive Jennie back to her penthouse?"

Jisoo frowned. "What? No, you're sick. I'm not leaving you alone—"

"Please." Lisa cut her off, her eyes pleading. "I don't want her driving alone in this area at night."

I blinked, taken aback.

Jisoo hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Lisa—"

"I'll be fine," Lisa insisted, offering a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Just take her home."

Jisoo exhaled sharply, clearly annoyed but relenting. "Fine."

I didn't know what to say. I wanted to argue, to tell Lisa she shouldn't be alone, but the look in her eyes stopped me. It wasn't just concern for me—it was something else. Something deeper.

Something I couldn't quite name.

I turned toward the door, ready to follow Jisoo outside, but before I could take another step—

Lisa grabbed me.

Her fingers curled around the nape of my neck, pulling me back toward her before I could even react.

And then—

Soft. Warm.

Lisa's lips pressed against mine in a gentle, lingering kiss.

I froze. My heart pounded in my chest so hard I thought she might hear it.

She pulled back just enough to whisper against my lips, her voice barely above a breath.

"I miss you too, princess."

Then, just like that—

"Goodbye," she murmured.

And she let go.

I couldn't move. I couldn't even breathe.

Lisa turned away first, walking back into her tiny apartment like she hadn't just turned my entire world upside down.

Jisoo clicked her tongue beside me. "God, that was so dramatic. I feel like I just watched a K-drama in real-time."

I shot her a glare. "Shut up."

Jisoo just grinned and pulled her keys out of her pocket. "Come on, princess. Let's get you home before you start crying or something."

I rolled my eyes, but the truth was...

I already felt like crying.

--

STREAM RUBY

Short update...