Chapter 173

The rumor didn’t even deserve oxygen.

That was Jennie’s first thought when she saw it trending again.

A recycled clip. A misinterpreted greeting. A male idol-someone she had literally shared maybe two polite conversations with in her entire career-suddenly being dragged into a “dating scandal” with her again.

It wasn’t even new. That was the annoying part.

What was new was how tired she felt.

In the quiet of their apartment, the city lights of Seoul spilling through the curtains, Jennie sat cross-legged on the bed, phone in hand, expression unreadable.

Behind her, Lisa was half-lounging, hair still damp from a shower, scrolling through her own phone with a faint frown.

“They’re doing it again,” Jennie said flatly.

Lisa didn’t even ask what “it” was. She already knew.

“Same guy?” Lisa asked.

Jennie nodded once. “Apparently I’ve been secretly dating him for… what is it now? Three months? Six? I lost track.”

Lisa snorted softly. “At least they’re consistent.”

Jennie turned her head slowly.

That look alone made Lisa lower her phone.

“Okay, okay,” Lisa raised her hands slightly. “Not funny.”

Silence stretched.

Then Jennie exhaled through her nose, something sharp and decisive flashing behind her eyes.

Lisa recognized that expression immediately.

“…Nini,” Lisa warned gently, sitting up a little. “What are you thinking?”

Jennie didn’t answer.

She just shifted, scooting closer.

Lisa didn’t even get time to react before Jennie grabbed her wrist, pulled her in, and they both fell back into the bed, tangled in the blanket like it had claimed them on purpose.

“Jenn-“

Click.

A photo.

Lisa blinked. “Did you just-“

Click.

Another photo.

Then Jennie lifted her phone again, angling it slightly.

Lisa barely had time to register the mischievous curve on Jennie’s lips before she was being kissed.

Not a shy one.

Not a playful one.

A statement.

The kind of kiss that said everything Jennie had been holding back for months: the rumors, the assumptions, the constant erasure of what was actually real.

Lisa froze for half a second-

Then melted into it.

When Jennie pulled away, Lisa was staring at her like she was trying to understand what universe they were in.

“…You’re going to post that,” Lisa said slowly.

Jennie hummed. “Obviously.”

Lisa sat up abruptly. “Jennie-wait, that’s-“

But Jennie was already typing.

Her thumbs moved fast, calm, certain.

Lisa watched helplessly as Jennie selected the photos first.

The bed.

The blanket.

Them.

Then the video.

Lisa’s eyes widened. “You recorded that too?!”

Jennie didn’t even look guilty. “I record everything important.”

“That is not normal!”

Jennie finally glanced up, eyes soft but firm. “It is to me.”

Lisa opened her mouth-

Closed it.

Because Jennie was already pressing post.

And then-

It happened.

The notification sound didn’t just echo through Lisa’s phone.

It echoed through the entire internet.

Jennierubyjane:

Surprise? My girlfriend is the best kisser by the way. And who told you I’m straight? Happy Pride Month Bitches!!

For three full seconds, the world didn’t react.

Not because it was calm.

Because it was buffering.

Then it broke.

Everything broke.

Trending topics exploded in real time:

“JENNIE???”

“IS THIS HACKED??”

“SHE POSTED A KISS VIDEO??”

“WAIT IS THAT LISA??”

“NO WAY THIS IS REAL”

“PR TEAM IN SHAMBLES”

Entire fan servers went offline from traffic overload.

Reaction accounts started posting unfiltered screams.

News outlets refreshed their pages so fast they started lagging.

Meanwhile, in their apartment, Lisa was still sitting frozen on the bed, staring at her phone like it had betrayed her personally.

“…You didn’t even warn me,” Lisa said quietly.

Jennie leaned back on her elbows, calm as ever. “I’m warning you now.”

Lisa turned slowly.

“That’s not how warnings work.”

Jennie tilted her head. “It worked though.”

Lisa laughed once-short, disbelieving. “You just ended every rumor you’ve ever had in one post.”

Jennie shrugged. “Good.”

Lisa looked at her again, really looked at her this time.

The way Jennie wasn’t anxious.

Wasn’t panicking.

Wasn’t calculating damage control or PR consequences or what people would say.

She just looked… certain.

Lisa softened a little. “You know they’re going to go insane, right?”

Jennie nodded. “They already are.”

As if on cue, Lisa’s phone buzzed nonstop on the nightstand.

Then Jennie’s.

Then Lisa’s again.

Then Jennie’s again.

Lisa sighed, rubbing her face. “Your manager is going to combust.”

Jennie rolled onto her side, resting her head against Lisa’s shoulder. “They’ll survive.”

“That’s not reassuring.”

Jennie smiled faintly. “You are.”

That made Lisa pause.

The chaos outside didn’t matter in that moment.

Not the trending hashtags.

Not the shocked fans.

Not the headlines trying to rewrite reality in real time.

Just the warmth of Jennie leaning into her like she belonged there without apology.

Lisa lowered her phone slowly.

“…You really don’t care what they say, huh?”

Jennie hummed. “I care about you.”

Lisa went quiet.

Outside, the world kept screaming.

Inside, Jennie nudged her phone closer to Lisa’s hand again, already opening the comments.

Lisa groaned. “Don’t show me that.”

Jennie ignored her and read out loud anyway:

“‘THIS IS THE MOST POWERFUL HARD LAUNCH IN HISTORY’-“

Lisa grabbed the pillow and lightly hit her.

Jennie laughed for real this time, bright and unbothered.

And for the first time in a long time, it didn’t feel like they were hiding anything at all.

It felt like the truth had finally caught up.

And the internet?

Was still trying to recover.