Chapter 25

The thing about Lisa was that she loved loudly—just not in ways she realized counted.

Everyone else saw it. Rosé saw it in the way Lisa’s eyes softened whenever Jennie walked into a room. Jisoo saw it in the way Lisa always, always saved the last bite of her food without thinking and slid it over to Jennie’s plate like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Jennie saw it too.

Which was exactly why she was losing her mind.

“Lisa,” Jennie said one afternoon, resting her chin on her palm as she watched the girl across from her carefully peel an orange, “if someone liked you… how would you want them to confess?”

Lisa blinked, fingers pausing mid-peel. “Huh?”

“You know. Hypothetically.”

Lisa thought about it, brows knitting together in genuine concentration. “I don’t know… maybe something simple? Like, just saying it straight?”

Jennie nodded slowly, eyes narrowing just a little. “Just saying it straight.”

“Yeah,” Lisa said, smiling softly. “I think that’s really brave.”

Jennie stared at her for a long second.

Then she sighed.

“Wow,” she muttered under her breath.

“What?” Lisa tilted her head.

“Nothing,” Jennie forced a smile. “Here, you missed a piece of the orange.”

Lisa brightened immediately. “Oh! Thanks, Jen.”

Rosé, sitting beside them, nearly choked on her drink.

—

Jennie had been dropping hints for months.

Not subtle ones either.

There was the time she held Lisa’s hand “because it was cold”—in the middle of summer. Lisa had simply smiled and intertwined their fingers tighter, completely unaware that Jennie’s heart was about to burst out of her chest.

There was the time Jennie casually said, “If you were my girlfriend, I’d spoil you so much,” while they were shopping.

Lisa had laughed.

Laughed.

“Then I’d be really lucky,” she said.

Jennie almost confessed on the spot.

Almost.

And then there were the looks. Jennie didn’t even try to hide them anymore—the soft stares, the lingering glances, the way her voice dropped just a little when she said Lisa’s name.

“Lili.”

Lisa never noticed.

Or maybe she noticed—but never understood.

—

Meanwhile, Lisa was going through her own personal crisis.

Because she was hopelessly, disastrously, ridiculously in love with Jennie.

It hit her in the quiet moments.

Like when Jennie would fall asleep on her shoulder during movie nights, her breathing soft and even. Lisa would freeze, afraid to move, afraid to ruin it, her heart pounding so loud she was sure Jennie could hear it.

Or when Jennie would laugh—really laugh—and instinctively grab onto Lisa’s arm like she needed something to hold onto.

Lisa lived for those moments.

And suffered because of them.

“She’s just… so amazing,” Lisa groaned one night, face buried in a pillow as Rosé sat beside her.

Rosé raised a brow. “You mean your best friend who literally looks at you like you hung the moon?”

Lisa sat up immediately. “She does not!”

“She does,” Rosé said flatly.

“She’s just being nice.”

“Lisa.”

“She’s nice to everyone.”

“Lisa.”

Lisa huffed, flopping back down dramatically. “I can’t confess. What if I ruin everything?”

Rosé stared at her for a long moment.

Then she muttered, “Unbelievable,” under her breath.

—

The breaking point came on a rainy afternoon.

They were alone in Lisa’s apartment, the soft patter of rain filling the silence. Jennie sat on the couch, scrolling through her phone, while Lisa hovered awkwardly nearby, trying—and failing—to focus on anything else.

“Lili,” Jennie called softly.

Lisa looked up immediately. “Yeah?”

“Come here.”

Lisa walked over, sitting down beside her.

Too close.

Not close enough.

Jennie turned to face her fully, tucking a strand of hair behind Lisa’s ear in a way that made Lisa’s brain short-circuit.

“You’re really oblivious, you know that?” Jennie said quietly.

Lisa blinked. “Huh?”

Jennie searched her face, as if looking for something—anything—that would tell her Lisa understood.

There was nothing.

Jennie exhaled, somewhere between fond and frustrated.

“Okay,” she murmured. “Let me try one last time.”

Lisa’s heart started racing.

Jennie leaned in slightly, her gaze steady, unwavering.

“If I said I liked you,” she said slowly, “not as a friend… what would you say?”

Lisa froze.

Her mind went completely blank.

Jennie’s heart sank at the silence.

“I’d say…” Lisa started, voice barely above a whisper.

Jennie held her breath.

“…that you deserve someone really amazing.”

Jennie blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then she laughed—a soft, disbelieving sound.

“Lisa.”

Lisa panicked immediately. “I mean—you are amazing! And—and anyone would be lucky—”

“Lisa.”

Jennie reached out, cupping her face gently.

Lisa shut up.

“Look at me.”

Lisa did.

And for the first time—finally—she saw it.

The way Jennie was looking at her.

Not just warmth.

Not just fondness.

Something deeper. Softer. Brighter.

Something that made Lisa’s chest ache.

“I like you,” Jennie said simply.

Lisa’s breath hitched.

“Not hypothetically. Not as a joke. Not as a ‘what if.’” Jennie’s thumb brushed lightly against her cheek. “I like you. I have for months.”

Lisa stared at her, heart pounding wildly.

“…You do?” she whispered.

Jennie let out a small, incredulous laugh. “Oh my god.”

Lisa’s mind replayed everything.

The hand-holding.

The comments.

The looks.

“Oh,” she breathed.

“Oh.”

Jennie raised a brow. “Oh?”

Lisa suddenly grabbed her hand, eyes wide and shining. “Wait—so when you said you’d spoil your girlfriend—”

“Yes.”

“And when you held my hand—”

“Yes.”

“And when you—”

“Yes, Lisa.”

Lisa’s face turned bright red.

“…I thought you were just being nice.”

Jennie stared at her for a moment.

Then she groaned, dropping her forehead onto Lisa’s shoulder. “I’m in love with an idiot.”

Lisa melted instantly, wrapping her arms around her without thinking. “Hey!”

Jennie didn’t pull away.

“…I like you too,” Lisa mumbled into her hair.

Jennie stilled.

“Too?” she echoed.

Lisa nodded, hugging her tighter. “A lot. Like… a lot a lot.”

There was a pause.

Then Jennie pulled back just enough to look at her, eyes soft again—but this time, triumphant.

“Finally,” she whispered.

Lisa laughed nervously. “I’m sorry, I’m just—”

“Oblivious?” Jennie offered.

Lisa winced. “…Yeah.”

Jennie smiled.

Then, without hesitation, she leaned in and kissed her.

Lisa froze for exactly half a second before melting into it completely, like she had been waiting her whole life for that moment.

When they pulled apart, Lisa looked dazed.

Jennie smirked. “Do you get it now?”

Lisa nodded quickly. “Yeah. Yeah, I get it.”

Jennie narrowed her eyes playfully. “Good. Because I am not doing that again.”

Lisa grinned, pulling her closer. “You don’t have to.”

And this time, when Jennie rested her head on Lisa’s shoulder—

Lisa knew exactly what it meant.