Chapter 192

Everyone who knew them had the same reaction.

“Oh, there goes Little Nini and Little Lili.”

Jennie and Lisa had been inseparable since daycare.

On the very first day, three-year-old Jennie had quietly sat in a corner, hugging her tiny bunny plush while refusing to talk to anyone.

Then another little girl waddled over.

“Hi!”

Lisa grinned brightly before holding out half of her animal crackers.

“You look lonely.”

Jennie stared at her for a long moment before taking one cracker.

“…Thank you.”

Five minutes later…

They were building block towers together.

An hour later…

They were holding hands during nap time.

By pickup time…

Jennie refused to leave unless Lisa came with her.

Their parents simply laughed.

—

From then on, they did everything together.

Daycare.

Kindergarten.

Elementary.

Middle school.

High school.

Even college.

They were always side by side.

Their families became so close that holiday dinners turned into one giant family gathering.

Whenever someone asked,

“So… are you two cousins?”

Their parents would answer at the exact same time.

“No.”

“…Future in-laws.”

Everyone laughed.

Little Jennie would blush.

Little Lisa…

“…What’s an in-law?”

—

When they were eight…

Lisa proudly announced,

“I’m gonna marry lots of dogs!”

Jennie nearly cried.

“You can’t marry dogs!”

“Why not?”

“They’re dogs!”

“Oh…”

Lisa thought for a second.

“Then I’ll marry you instead.”

Jennie’s tiny heart exploded.

“O-Okay…”

Lisa smiled.

“Yay!”

Then immediately forgot about the conversation five minutes later.

Jennie…

Never forgot.

Ever.

—

By high school…

Jennie realized something.

She wasn’t just fond of Lisa.

She was hopelessly.

Completely.

Ridiculously.

In love.

Unfortunately…

Lisa possessed the emotional awareness of a potato.

—

Jennie’s hints became increasingly obvious.

She’d bring Lisa homemade lunch.

“Aww, thanks bestie!”

She’d buy matching phone cases.

“Cute! Friendship cases!”

She’d hug Lisa from behind.

“My cuddle buddy!”

She’d stare lovingly during class.

“…Why are you looking at me?”

“…You’re pretty.”

Lisa blinked.

“…Did I spill something on my face?”

Jennie internally screamed.

“HOW ARE YOU THIS OBLIVIOUS?!”

—

Her friends were losing patience too.

Jisoo rubbed her temples.

“…Just confess.”

“I’ve been trying!”

Rosé frowned.

“No.”

“You’ve been flirting.”

“Same thing!”

“No, it isn’t.”

—

One afternoon…

Jennie decided to try again.

They were walking home.

“Lisa?”

“Hm?”

“If someone loved you for a really… really long time…”

Lisa nodded.

“Mhm?”

“…Would you notice?”

Lisa answered confidently.

“Of course!”

Jennie brightened.

“…Really?”

“Yep!”

“…”

“…”

“I’d probably help them confess to whoever they like.”

Jennie froze.

Jisoo, who happened to be walking behind them, nearly tripped.

Rosé covered her face.

Jennie slowly looked at the sky.

“Give me strength…”

—

College arrived.

Nothing changed.

Except Jennie had become even more in love.

And even more frustrated.

—

One day…

Jisoo had enough.

She grabbed Lisa by both shoulders.

“You.”

“Huh?”

“Has Jennie ever called anyone prettier than you?”

“No.”

“Has she ever prioritized anyone over you?”

“No.”

“Has she ever remembered every tiny detail about someone else’s life?”

“…No?”

“Has she ever looked at anyone the way she looks at you?”

Lisa blinked.

“…I don’t think so.”

Jisoo leaned closer.

“DO YOU SEE THE PATTERN?”

Lisa thought…

And thought…

Then gasped dramatically.

“I KNOW!”

Jisoo looked hopeful.

“Jennie is…”

“…my best friend?”

Jisoo let out the loudest groan in history.

—

A week later…

Jennie couldn’t take it anymore.

She invited Lisa to the park where they first met.

The old playground was still there.

Even the tiny slide they used to fight over.

Lisa smiled.

“This place hasn’t changed.”

Jennie laughed softly.

“Neither have we.”

“…”

“…”

Lisa noticed Jennie looked unusually nervous.

“Nini?”

Jennie took a deep breath.

“I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Jennie smiled weakly.

“I’ve liked someone…”

“…since daycare.”

Lisa’s eyes widened.

“Wow…”

“For that long?”

Jennie nodded.

“She was my first friend.”

Lisa smiled warmly.

“She must be really lucky.”

Jennie laughed.

“I packed her lunches.”

“Aww.”

“I walked her home.”

“So sweet.”

“I celebrated every birthday with her.”

Lisa nodded happily.

“She sounds really important.”

Jennie inhaled deeply.

“She is.”

“…”

“…Because she’s you.”

Silence.

Lisa stared.

Jennie continued before she lost her courage.

“I’ve loved you since we were little.”

“I’ve dropped hundreds of hints.”

“I called you pretty.”

“I held your hand every chance I got.”

“I wanted every future to have you in it.”

She laughed through embarrassed tears.

“Honestly…”

“I’ve wanted to smack your head so many times because you’re so unbelievably oblivious.”

Lisa remained completely still.

Jennie sighed.

“If you don’t feel the same, that’s okay.”

“I’ll always-“

She was interrupted by a very tight hug.

“…Lili?”

Lisa buried her face into Jennie’s shoulder.

“…I…”

“…I thought that’s what best friends did.”

Jennie blinked.

“Huh?”

“I thought everyone wanted to spend forever with their best friend.”

Jennie slowly pulled back.

“What?”

Lisa looked adorably confused.

“When my mom asked if I’d marry someone someday…”

“I always imagined you.”

“When people asked who I’d live with…”

“I said you.”

“When I imagined my future…”

“You were always there.”

Jennie stared in disbelief.

Lisa scratched her head.

“…Does that mean…”

“…I’ve loved you too?”

Jisoo, Rosé, and both sets of parents-who had secretly been watching from a distance-collectively facepalmed.

Mrs. Kim sighed dramatically.

“It only took them…”

“About fifteen years.”

Mrs. Manobal laughed.

“I was expecting longer.”

Mr. Kim grinned.

“I already had ‘future son-in-law’ crossed out and replaced with ‘future daughter-in-law’ years ago.”

Mr. Manobal nodded proudly.

“We’ve been treating each other like in-laws since daycare.”

Lisa finally turned toward their parents.

“…Wait…”

“You guys were serious?”

Every adult burst into laughter.

Jennie couldn’t help laughing too.

Lisa looked back at Jennie.

“So…”

“…Can I officially be your girlfriend?”

Jennie smiled so brightly her cheeks hurt.

“You’ve been my favorite person since we were three.”

“I’d love nothing more.”

Lisa immediately hugged her again.

“I guess everyone knew except me.”

Jisoo folded her arms.

“We’ve known since you shared animal crackers.”

Rosé giggled.

“You two were basically married in daycare.”

Lisa sheepishly smiled.

“…I really was oblivious.”

Jennie gently flicked her forehead.

“Very.”

Lisa laughed.

“Sorry.”

Jennie kissed her forehead.

“Worth the wait.”

As their families watched the two childhood best friends laughing together beneath the same playground where everything had begun, Mr. Kim wrapped an arm around Mr. Manobal’s shoulder.

“Told you.”

“They’d become forever.”

Mr. Manobal smiled.

“They were family from the moment Little Nini accepted half of Little Lili’s animal crackers.”

And neither family had ever been wrong.