Chapter 91

Jennie Kim had never been subtle a day in her life.

Not when she became the campus “queen bee” within her first semester. Not when she walked into lecture halls like she owned the building. And definitely not when she fell hopelessly, undeniably, ridiculously in love with her roommate.

Everyone knew.

Everyone.

It started small—at least, that’s what Jennie told herself.

She told herself that cooking breakfast “just because” for Lisa every morning was normal roommate behavior. That waiting outside Lisa’s classes with an iced coffee (exactly how she liked it) was just… thoughtful. That casually mentioning Lisa in every single conversation wasn’t suspicious at all.

“Jennie,” Jisoo said one afternoon, watching Jennie doodle hearts around a very obvious “L” in her notebook, “you do realize the entire campus thinks you’re dating your roommate, right?”

Jennie didn’t even look up. “We’re not dating.”

“Right,” Jisoo deadpanned. “And I’m the university president.”

Across campus, Lisa sneezed.

Jennie snapped her head up. “Lisa sneezed.”

Rosé blinked. “You’re literally in a different building.”

Jennie was already packing her bag. “She might be cold.”

“Jennie—”

But she was gone.

—

Lisa Manoban, on the other hand, was… oblivious.

Not completely. She noticed things. Like how Jennie always saved her a seat. How her favorite snacks magically appeared in their shared fridge. How Jennie’s voice softened whenever she said her name.

“Lili.”

It always sounded different. Warmer. Softer. Like something precious.

But Lisa just… didn’t think too much about it.

Because to her, Jennie was just Jennie.

Her loud, clingy, ridiculously caring roommate who insisted on holding her hand when crossing the street “just in case,” and who pouted whenever Lisa chose to sit with someone else at lunch.

Totally normal roommate things.

Right?

—

The rumors, however, were anything but subtle.

“Did you see Jennie carry Lisa’s bag?”

“She literally glared at a guy for breathing near Lisa.”

“She said ‘my Lisa’ in class.”

“No, she said ‘my Lisa’ in front of the professor.”

Even the professors knew.

“Miss Kim,” one of them said during a lecture, “would you like to answer the question instead of staring at Miss Manoban?”

Jennie didn’t even flinch. “I am answering.”

Lisa turned to her, confused. “What’s the answer?”

Jennie smiled softly. “You.”

The entire class erupted.

Lisa blinked. “…I don’t think that’s correct.”

—

It all came to a head during the university festival.

Jennie, being Jennie, had somehow ended up in charge of half the event. She was everywhere—organizing booths, giving orders, making everything look effortless.

But despite all that, her attention was locked on one thing.

Lisa.

Lisa, who was laughing with Rosé by a food stall. Lisa, who had powdered sugar on her nose from a dessert she clearly attacked too enthusiastically. Lisa, who looked—

“Cute,” Jennie whispered to herself, already walking toward her.

“Hey,” Jennie said, gently brushing the sugar off Lisa’s nose.

Lisa froze for a second before smiling. “Oh. Thanks, Nini.”

That nickname.

Jennie melted. Completely. Instantly.

Rosé leaned over to Jisoo, who had just arrived. “Watch this.”

“Watch what—”

“I got you this,” Jennie said, suddenly pulling out a small plushie. A capybara. Of course it was a capybara.

Lisa gasped. “You remembered!”

“You mentioned it once,” Jennie said casually.

Rosé coughed. “Once. Yeah. Totally once.”

Lisa hugged the plushie, eyes sparkling. “I love it!”

Jennie stared at her like she’d just been handed the universe.

And that’s when Jisoo said it.

Loudly.

“In case anyone here is still confused, Jennie is very in love with Lisa.”

Silence.

Then every head in the vicinity turned toward them.

Lisa blinked. “What?”

Jennie didn’t deny it.

Didn’t laugh it off.

Didn’t even try to hide.

She just… looked at Lisa.

Soft. Nervous. Honest.

“I am,” she said simply.

Lisa’s brain short-circuited.

“You… what?”

Jennie shrugged, suddenly shy in a way no one had ever seen before. “I like you. A lot. Probably too much. Definitely too obvious.”

A pause.

Then—

“Oh.”

Lisa looked down at the capybara plushie in her hands. Then back at Jennie.

Then she smiled.

A slow, warm, impossibly fond smile.

“You’re kind of terrible at hiding it,” Lisa said.

Jennie groaned. “I wasn’t trying to—okay, I was trying, but it didn’t work—”

“I know.”

Jennie froze. “You… knew?”

Lisa nodded, stepping a little closer. “I just didn’t realize it was… like that.”

“And now?”

Lisa tilted her head, thinking for a moment before poking Jennie’s cheek.

“You’re cute,” she said.

Jennie’s entire system crashed.

“…That’s not an answer.”

Lisa laughed softly. “It is, though.”

And then, because Lisa wasn’t as oblivious as everyone thought, she reached for Jennie’s hand.

“Let’s go,” she said. “There’s more to see.”

Jennie stared at their joined hands like it was the most important thing in the world.

“Okay,” she whispered.

—

The next day, the rumors changed.

“They’re holding hands now.”

“Jennie looks even more whipped.”

“Lisa bought her coffee this time.”

Jisoo sighed. “Finally.”

Rosé grinned. “Took them long enough.”

And Jennie?

Jennie still wasn’t subtle.

If anything, she got worse.

But now, at least, Lisa was right there beside her—laughing, teasing, and squeezing her hand back just as tightly.

And honestly?

Jennie didn’t care who knew.

Because yeah.

The whole campus knew the queen bee was in love with her roommate.

But now?

Her roommate was in love with her too.