Chapter 23

The university courtyard had never been this loud.

Or maybe it just felt louder because Lalisa Manoban couldn’t hear anything over the sound of her own heartbeat violently drumming in her ears.

She stood frozen near the fountain, hands clenched, eyes locked on one person only—Jennie Kim.

Jennie was laughing.

Of course she was.

Surrounded by admirers, classmates, random people who just wanted to be within a five-meter radius of her. She was effortlessly glowing, her smile bright enough to make Lisa question every decision that led her to this exact moment.

“Just do it,” Rosé Park whispered beside her, pushing her forward like a supportive but slightly evil angel.

“Yes, please. I’m tired of watching you pine like a Victorian ghost,” Kim Jisoo added, arms crossed with a grin.

Lisa swallowed. “What if I pass out?”

Rosé shrugged. “Then we’ll drag you with dignity.”

Jisoo nodded. “Minimal dignity.”

Lisa shot them a betrayed look… but it didn’t matter.

Because Jennie had just turned.

And their eyes met.

Time stopped.

Or maybe Lisa’s brain just stopped functioning.

Jennie tilted her head slightly, soft smile forming when she noticed Lisa standing there awkwardly like a glitching NPC.

And that was it.

Lisa snapped.

She marched forward—too fast, too determined, too chaotic—causing people to part like she was on a mission (which she was).

“Jennie!”

Jennie blinked. “Lisa?”

Now everyone was looking.

Great.

Perfect.

Amazing.

Lisa inhaled sharply.

“This is fine,” she muttered to herself.

“It doesn’t look fine,” Jisoo whispered loudly from behind.

Lisa turned briefly. “Stop talking.”

Rosé gave her two thumbs up. “You got this!”

Lisa turned back to Jennie, who now looked curious… and slightly amused.

And that somehow made everything worse.

Lisa’s brain short-circuited.

Words? Gone.

Coherence? Missing.

Dignity? Never existed.

“I—You—We—” Lisa gestured wildly like she was casting a spell.

Jennie blinked again. “Are you… summoning something?”

“YES—NO—WAIT—” Lisa groaned, dragging her hands down her face. “Okay. Okay. I practiced this.”

Jisoo coughed. “She did not.”

“I DID,” Lisa snapped.

Rosé leaned to Jisoo. “She practiced in front of a mirror for two hours.”

Jennie’s lips twitched, clearly holding back laughter.

Lisa saw it.

And suddenly—

Calm.

Because if she could make Jennie smile like that?

Then maybe…

Just maybe…

“I like you.”

Silence.

Lisa froze.

Wait.

That… that wasn’t how she planned to say it.

Her eyes widened.

“I mean—like LIKE you. Not like… like-like but—no wait—IT IS LIKE-LIKE—”

“Oh my god,” Jisoo whispered. “She’s spiraling.”

Rosé covered her mouth. “This is better than I imagined.”

Lisa took a deep breath, then blurted out—

“I REALLY REALLY LIKE YOU, JENNIE KIM. LIKE OBNOXIOUSLY. LIKE I THINK ABOUT YOU WHEN I SHOULDN’T AND WHEN I SHOULD AND PROBABLY WHEN I’M ASLEEP TOO.”

Dead silence.

Even the wind seemed to pause.

Jennie stared at her.

Wide eyes.

Pink cheeks.

Unmoving.

Lisa’s voice softened, trembling now.

“You don’t have to say anything… I just… I needed you to know.”

Another second passed.

Then another.

Jennie opened her mouth—

And then—

THUD.

“…”

“…”

“…”

Lisa blinked.

Jennie was on the ground.

On the ground.

Flat.

Unconscious.

Lisa screamed. “I KILLED HER?!”

Jisoo immediately ran forward. “YOU DID NOT KILL HER—WAIT—WHY IS SHE NOT MOVING—”

Rosé knelt beside Jennie, gently tapping her cheek. “Jennie? Hello? Earth to love-struck disaster?”

No response.

Lisa was pacing now, panicking. “THIS WASN’T IN THE PLAN. SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO—TO—REJECT ME NICELY OR SOMETHING, NOT—NOT—DIE—”

“She didn’t die!” Jisoo snapped, though her voice had a hint of panic too.

Rosé squinted. “Wait… she’s breathing.”

All three froze.

Jennie suddenly stirred.

“…Lisa confessed…”

Lisa dropped to her knees. “YES I DID, PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME—”

Jennie’s eyes fluttered open, dazed.

“…too much…”

And then—

She fainted again.

Rosé burst out laughing.

Jisoo followed immediately.

Lisa looked between them, horrified. “WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?!”

Rosé wiped tears from her eyes. “She fainted from butterflies, Lisa!”

Jisoo nodded. “Congratulations. You’re dangerously romantic.”

Lisa stared at Jennie, who was still unconscious.

“…so she doesn’t hate me?”

Rosé grinned. “Oh, she’s gone for you.”

Jisoo smirked. “Girl literally short-circuited.”

Lisa slowly processed that.

Then—

A tiny smile formed.

“…I made Jennie Kim faint.”

Rosé snorted. “Please don’t let that boost your ego too much.”

Lisa gently held Jennie’s hand, panic now replaced with soft awe.

“Hey… Nini… wake up.”

Jennie stirred again, eyes opening slowly this time.

She looked at Lisa.

Then immediately covered her face.

“Don’t look at me.”

Lisa blinked. “Why?”

Jennie groaned. “That was so embarrassing…”

Lisa laughed softly, relief flooding her.

“It was kinda cute.”

Jennie peeked through her fingers. “…you really like me?”

Lisa smiled.

“Obnoxiously.”

Jennie’s face turned even redder.

“…I might faint again.”

Jisoo clapped once. “Okay, no more confessions. We’ve reached maximum chaos capacity.”

Rosé nodded. “Let’s get her water before she confesses back and passes out permanently.”

Jennie mumbled, still hiding her face—

“…I like you too.”

Lisa froze.

“…wait what?”

Jennie groaned louder. “I SAID I LIKE YOU TOO—DON’T MAKE ME REPEAT IT—”

Lisa’s brain stopped working.

Again.

Jisoo sighed. “And now Lisa’s the one fainting internally.”

Rosé patted her shoulder. “Balance.”

Lisa just sat there, smiling like the happiest idiot alive, still holding Jennie’s hand as the chaos slowly settled around them.

And honestly?

Best confession ever.