•••••

After receiving five voice messages where Nayeon was doing nothing but squealing, Jisoo blocked her. By the time she unblocked her, she was hopefully more stable.

Time for a late lecture. Jisoo doesn't attend a lot of lectures but this is one she never skips. That's because she and Jennie share it.

They don't share many courses because their majors are vastly different with Jisoo being a business student and Jennie going for pre-med.

This semester they shared at least one course, Healthcare Management. This course is attractive for pre-med students interested in the business side of healthcare. Jennie being one of them.

It's not long ago since she was attacked, yet she claimed she was okay now and Jisoo didn't have to tell anyone else.

Obviously Jisoo was still worried, so she knocked on her door and asked her if she wanted to head to the lecture hall together.

Jennie's brown hair was a bit tousled, normally she brushes her hair very well. And her blouse wasn't ironed, she always irons her clothes.

"Sure, let's go." Jennie went away to get her bag before she returned and locked the door. An exhausted sigh escaped her lips and her tired eyes were hard to miss.

"Did you eat today?" Jisoo tried to sound nonchalant, not worried. It was am extremely common question for Koreans, so she didn't have to try very hard.

"A bowl of rice." Jennie nodded. "You?"

"Grilled chicken with cilantro." Jisoo grinned upon seeing the other pull a face.

They walked together towards the bus stop. It was already dark and the street lamps were turned on.

"Why are you still frowning?" Jisoo poked her chubby cheeks as they entered the bus and sat next to one another.

"I had a problem with our last task. I stayed up late but I couldn't solve it." Jennie admitted, rubbing her temples. "It was about the calculation involving the cost projections for implementing a new healthcare program. No matter how many times I went through it, I couldn't figure out where I was going wrong. The numbers I got just didn't make sense."

"Show me." Jisoo exclaimed and waited until Jennie retrieved her notebook from her bag, showing her the calculations. "I see where you went wrong. You're overlooking the potential revenue from the increased patient volume. See, this part here..."

Jennie was surprised as the other explained to her quite well and immediately noticed the mistake. Oh well, Jisoo was a business student after all. She should have figured that she was good at this type of stuff.

"No wonder the numbers seemed off. Thank you!" Jennie breathed a sigh of relief, finally understanding. "You're actually good."

"You sound surprised." Jisoo let out a small laugh as the other blushed faintly.

"I just didn't think you took this course so serious. Or are you a natural?" Jennie asked sheepishly.

"I do study a lot." The raven denied the latter option. "I want to work in a big corporation like my late father."

"Your dad worked in a good firm?"

Jisoo wasn't sure what to say next. 'Yes, in your parents firm. They overworked him and mistreated their employees, so he died?' Nope, not tactful.

"Yeah, he did. It was a huge firm and he was so dedicated to his work. I guess you could say I want to take over his former spot, make him proud." She said instead.

Unlike him she would never prioritise work over anything else. Even if you don't show up to work, regardless of how good you were at your job, they would find someone else to do it and forget about you. It wasn't more important than her personal life.

Jennie's expression softened with understanding.

"That's admirable. I'm sorry if I sounded surprised. It's just, you always seem so carefree and relaxed. I keep forgetting that you actually live alone and work very hard."

"It's fine." Jisoo shrugged, no offense taken.

They exited together once they reached their stop. When Jennie hopped down and went after her friend, she felt goosebumps rise up on her skin. A cold chill that reminded her of the previous incident where she was ambushed after she left her bus.

Jisoo noticed the change in Jennie's demeanour, reaching out to hold her hand. She squeezed it reassuringly, making the other smile slowly.

"I still think you should report it to the police." Jisoo said, figuring she was thinking about it again.

"Forget about that already. It's useless, really. I'll never be safe from those type of people. Not as long as they know who my parents are." Jennie already accepted that a target was basically on her back. 

Jisoo didn't say anything but but her grip on Jennie's hand tightened.

•••••

They settled into their usual seats, awaiting their professor's arrival. As they chatted, a familiar face took the seat next to Jennie.

Doyoung shot Jennie a sidelong glance, and under his breath, he muttered, "Ah, not you again..." He sounded like he regretted taking this seat but didn't want to get any attention but going somewhere else.

Jisoo's first instinct was to be annoyed. He was the guy who leaked Jennie's private photos. Or at least he was an accomplice in it, instigated by someone who most likely wanted to blackmail Jennie's parents.

As an afterthought she remembered, Doyoung was also the boy who defended Jennie when she was about to get abducted. So Jisoo swallowed her irritation down.

"Hey." Jisoo stared at him, making him look up from his papers. "Thanks for helping Jennie the other day. I guess even a whiny boy can act like a man sometimes." 

Doyoung scoffed, his discomfort at being addressed was clear. "I don't need your gratitude. Anyone with slight decency would have done it. Now please don't talk to me, I'm studying." He looked back to his papers, ignoring both of them.

She exchanged a quick glance with Jennie who looked as amused as she was. Jisoo whispered to her that they should totally tease Doyoung, he seemed like he would give funny reactions. Jennie made her behave, telling her to leave the guy alone.

Come to think of it, Jisoo never asked Jennie why she had somewhat private photos on her phone, like underwear pics. Were those for her boyfriend? After heaering that question Jennie gagged, saying she wouldn't sext anyone. 

It was simply for a modelling gig, after being street casted. She needed the money, so she said yes, but in the end she decided to pull out, feeling like she didn't want it after all. She forgot to delete the pictures.

In the middle of their conversation, they stopped talking when another familiar face entered their vision. They both scowled as Kai sat in front of them. That one guy who took a stolen shot of Jennie's panties, as well as other women's. So he probably didn't get in trouble with the police. His rich parents must have saved him.

"But I can annoy him, right?" Jisoo whispered.

Jennie shrugged, allowing the raven to throw whatever she wanted at him. She experienced herself how insufferable it was to sit behind Jisoo. She would throw paper planes and even chewing gum into her hair. Even so, Jennie didn't feel like using any energy to protect Kai from her.

As the lecture started, Jisoo obviously tossed various stuff into Kai's perfectly styled hair. He reached up to pat his hair, trying to figure out what had disrupted his focus. When a green, slimy looking liquid glistened in his palms, he screamed wildly.

He attempted to wipe the gooey substance from his hands, a look of utter dismay on his face as he screamed for someone to save his perfect hair.

The day ended with part of his curly hair having to be shaved off.

*****

"Did you hear? Apparently Jennie and Chanyeol are a couple."

Jisoo's ears perked up at the sound of students gossiping. A frown crossed her face upon hearing those vile and untrue accusations.

Chanyeol? A random pre-med student that shared a lot of classes with Jennie? How could they think that? According to Jisoo's friends, the latest rumours clearly say that Jennie has a crush on Jisoo. No one else. She should correct them, so they don't spread misinformation.

"No. From what I heard, she's going to confess to him. They'll be homecoming queen and king."

Lies! Jisoo restrained herself from going over there and clearing up their confusion. They had to be confused. Jennie likes Jisoo!

She feels bad that totally untrue rumours about Jennie are spreading around. They have to be nipped in the bud. And what better way to prove them wrong and save Jennie from false dating rumours than to show them that the girl fancies her?

Besides, she can't let Jennie be unhappy and sulk in unrequited love forever. Sure, she doesn't feel like she is quite good enough for her, considering she was pretty mean to her before. But now, Jennie seemed to have forgiven her.

Therefore Jisoo might as well admit that she herself is quite a catch and it's no wonder that Jennie likes her, without feeling bad about it.

If Jennie wants to date Jisoo so much, she might as well accept her feelings, if she must.

Jennie also isn't exactly aesthetically displeasing to look at, nor is she a bad person.

No, she is pretty, cute, smart, soft-hearted and she has those pretty cat-eyes and chubby cheeks that Jisoo adores. Helping Jennie admit her feelings for her is a win-win situation.

Again, if Jennie wants to date Jisoo, she doesn't mind, at all.

•••••

"Oh, fancy seeing you here, Jen. You must be following me around." Jisoo noted with a smug tone, plopping down next to her.

"Eh, you were literally the one to come to me--"

"Shhh!" Jisoo put her index finger on Jennie's plump lips, making her furrow her eyebrows in confusion. "Don't be ashamed of your feelings."

Jennie's eyes widened in surprise, her cheeks tinting red. She gently pushed Jisoo's finger away from her lips.

"What are you talking about? I'm not... ashamed of anything."

Jisoo leaned in closer, making Jennie instinctively tilt her head away. Somehow she was acting strange.

"Really? Because I heard that you have a crush on someone in this room."

"Oh, so you also heard those rumours about me and Chanyeol? They are a load of bull! Don't tell me you believe them?"

"Of course I don't." Jisoo scoffed in dismay upon hearing his name. "I meant other rumours."

"Which ones?"

Jisoo's lips curled into a grin. "Oh, you know, the ones about you secretly admiring a gorgeous raven haired student with a quick wit and an irresistible charm."

"I've never heard about anything like that! It's all lies!" Jennie shook her head in defense.

"You sure?" Jisoo raised her eyebrows, giving her a teasing look which only further irritated the brunette.

"Pretty sure!" Jennie frowned.

"It's so cute when you play hard to get." Jisoo giggled, ruffling her hair.

At that moment Jennie understood what was going on.

Jisoo... She was too shy to admit her feelings for her, that's why she twisted the situation and asked Jennie to take a hint.

As cute as that was, Jennie wasn't a fan of it. If someone was going to confess to her, they had to do it themselves.

She had high expectations in a potential lover. If they didn't even dare to admit they liked her, how could they be brave enough to always stand by her side?

This wouldn't do. Unfortunately Jennie couldn't take the bait. Jisoo would have to come clean with her, if she hoped for anything to ever happen between them.

Honestly, Jisoo isn't so bad. She is actually pretty, witty, funny and sometimes caring, even if she is annoying. Maybe she wouldn't be so bad to be with. Still, Jennie would like to be courted first.

As she looked at Jisoo, she felt a little bad. She was just too shy, perhaps it would be a good idea to help her admit her feelings.

Yeah, that is a good idea. Then Jisoo would still confess on her own and she could finally spill out those feelings she harboured for her since forever.

Jennie grinned, taking a hold of Jisoo's hand that was caressing her head. She brought it down and put it on her lap, making the other freeze as a deep shade of red donned her whole face. As expected.

"Oh, Chu. If anything I think you have a crush on someone in this room."

"N-No way..." She stammered, clearing her throat.

"Just admit it."

"You admit it!"

"I have nothing to admit!"

"Neither do I!"

•••••

Jisoo searched for Lisa at her locker and asked her an unusual request that made the other drop the books she was holding.

"Lisa, I have a favour to ask. Would you mind giving Jennie this bouquet of flowers?" Jisoo requested, giving Lisa the Lily of the Valley, her favourite flower.

"You want me to give Jennie flowers from you...?" Lisa almost seemed excited but then Jisoo quickly continued.

"Yes but don't tell her they are from me. I need you to come up with an excuse and arrange for her to hold them at our usual lunch table."

"Huh...?" Lisa tried to follow her but she failed to connect the dots, not understanding what the point was in that.

"Thanks Lili!" Jisoo smiled, leaving her friend with the flowers.

Lisa still pondered and couldn't come up with the reason for that request. Even so, she did try to find Jennie, approaching her in the hallway.

"Jennie." She tried to get her attention, tapping her on the shoulder.

The brunette turned to her, greeting with a smile. "Hey, Lisa. What's up?"

"I found these flowers..." Lisa showed them off, the other staring at them. "Do you want them?"

"Do I want them...?" Jennie repeated her words, knitting her eyebrows together as she stared at her intently, making her gulp. "Do I want to give them to Rosé for you?" She finished for her.

Lisa shook her head. "No, these flowers are not from me." She clarified. "I just found them outside and thought you might want them."

"I don't know, Lisa. I don't think I can accept them. It would be weird because Rosie-"

"Please take them, I don't need them." Lisa started to sweat. She was so bad at this. Why would Jisoo ask her out of all people? She hated lying.

"Uh, okay." Jennie opened her hands to take them.

"So, we should head to the cafeteria now. The others are already waiting." Lisa explained.

"Let me just bring these flowers to--"

"No need! Just take them along!"

*****

Jennie felt awkward, carrying a huge bouquet of flowers through the hallways and even sitting at their lunch table with them in her lap.

"Those flowers are pretty." Jimin noted, leaning over to smell the sweet scent.

"Yes. They. Are. Pretty." Lisa agreed robotically, glancing on her hand where Jisoo scribbled something for her to read out loud. "Jennie. Did you. Buy them. For Someone?"

"What?" Jennie eyed her incredulously. "You were the one who--"

"Those. Are. Jisoo's. Favourite. Flowers. Right; Jisoo?" Lisa glanced down again.

"They are..." Jisoo nodded shyly, lowering her head. Just like that she made Jennie's eyes bulge at her sudden act of innocence.

Everyone at the table suddenly gasped in surprise as Jennie looked around, completely baffled.

Confusion and realisation slowly washed over Jennie's face as she connected the dots. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place, she stared at Jisoo in disbelief. This was another trap! She fell right into it!

She fell right into Jisoo's cunning plan! She looked around the lunch table, noticing the smirks and knowing glances