Her elbows were resting on the shiny, spotless countertop. Her chin was propped up, nestled between her knuckles. Her mind was elsewhere, everywhere. And by everywhere, she meant that particular nanosecond it took for a kiss to happened. It was so swift, light and so quick, she didn't even know it was happening until it was over.

Jisoo released another sigh. Her many for the night. Long, dragging, somewhat sounding irritable but short from the usual sharp huff at the tail of it. Never had she ever been in a situation where logic failed her. It was frustrating.

She could hear all the sound around her. The clinking of the glass bottles and shot glasses. The chatters and laughters. The high giggles from the girls being teased by the boys they were with. The sound of the instruments harmonizing with one another. The sound of Chaeyoung's rich velvety voice singing:

Confession
I've got my own questions
About how we make each other make
Bad decisions
But there's some kind of precision
In both our thinking
I know when I'm faking
And this ain't like it
I'm saying what you're saying

Every sound she could hear was muffled. It was like she was enclosed in a huge plastic bubble. In fact, if she hadn't known exactly what was happening around her, she might have just settled with the idea that there was a colony of bee flying and buzzing around her, swarming inside her plastic bubble.

She was pulled away from that loop of nanosecond event inside her head when she heard a rather loud banging in front of her. Solid against solid. Jisoo jumped a little on her seat when Chahee, the bartender who was still obviously resenting Jisoo's presence judging by the look on her face, slammed the tall glass of bluish with a tinge of pink cocktail, in front of her.

"T-thanks," Jisoo said weakly. She didn't mean to stutter. But there was something intimidating with the way the bartender's eyes were piercing on her. So, she asked, "What?"

"I don't know what's happening but I should let you know that I still don't trust you," Chahee said. Her arms were stretched in front of her, hands resting on the edge of the cold countertop, supporting the weight of her body. "But Chaeng told me to attend to you while you're here, so here's your drink. Let me know if you need anything."

Jisoo heard Chahee loud and clear. But out of all the words that the bartender had said, Jisoo had only caught two words and it had sent her already-haywired brain into another level of panic.

"Chaeng? Happened?" Jisoo blinked, like those two words were a taboo, pulling her away from her own reverie. She shook her head absent-mindedly and said, "No! Nothing happened between me and Chaeng. I swear!"

Chahee eyes squinted and directed rather unabashed straight through Jisoo's eyes.

"Where did you and Chaeng go? And why is she tipsy when the two of you came back earlier?" the pretty bartender asked. Her long, silky hair was tied in high ponytail, the ends of it cascaded on her spine. She looked like a Korean chick sidekicking another chick from some badass movie.

"We had dinner. She drank all the wine. I tried to stop her," Jisoo explained, although she didn't know exactly why she need to do that. Not at Chahee, most especially.

"And?" Chahee was coaxing her.

"And...then...nothing," Jisoo replied slowly, curving her tone a little on the end before she took a long sip of her cocktail, making her sound and looked unsure that nothing had happened that it only made Chahee looked more suspicious.

"Why are you here?" Chahee asked rather rudely, although she didn't mean it to sound that way.

And Jisoo took no offense. Because she was also wondering that, herself, and had been asking the same question to herself for quite sometime now.

"Chaeyoung invited me," Jisoo said, instead of saying that she didn't know. Because that would only raise more suspicion from Chahee. And because what else was she supposed to say?

"Huh!" Chahee huffed and straightened up her stance, obviously unconvinced. She eyed Jisoo conspicuously before saying, "You hate each other," in a matter-of-fact tone, raising her eyebrows the raven-haired beauty.

"Do we?" Jisoo asked, but not in a manner that might aggravate Chahee further. But in a way that which made her sound like it was a 'yes' but wasn't sure what happened with that mutual hate, either.

"What the heck is happening?" Chahee demanded again, but with less conviction on her voice this time but giving no room for Jisoo to respond when she saw a familiar pair striding towards them. "Oh! Hey, Lisa! Hi, Jennie!" she greeted the new arrivals and prompted Jisoo to turn around on her seat.

Indeed, there was Jennie and Lisa. Walking hand in hand, beaming and glowing as they did so.

Lisa was wearing a pair of tight denim pants that was ripped on the hems, black stiletto that made her look taller than she already was, a cropped top knitted wool cardigan and a white undershirt underneath it. Her long hair was swaying lazily behind her. A Barbie, Jisoo thought.

Jennie, meanwhile, was still wearing her Saturday office attire. An expensive pair of black suit and a white long-sleeved turtleneck under the suit jacket. But unlike Lisa, Jennie decided to ditched her stiletto in exchange for a pair of classic white Converse, that made her look minute compared to Lisa's gigantic height. Jennie wore the Converse like slippers, Jisoo noticed and it made her smirk. Classic Jendeuk, she told herself.

"Hey, Chahee! It's good to see you!" Jennie greeted back, showing her gummy smile ro the bartender before she took a leap forward to flung herself at the bewildered and waiting Jisoo Kim. "CHU!" Jennie screamed happily when she wrapped her arms around her bestfriend's neck.

"Hi, Chu!" Lisa greeted Jennie's bestfriend. Which Jisoo responded with a jovial "Hey, Lisa!" but sounded like she was already choking from Jennie's hold.

"Aigoo, Jendeuk! I can't breathe!" Jisoo complained but a huge smile was painted on her face and embraced Jennie back as tight as she could.

It was evident how both women were ecstatic to see each other again, that both Chahee and Lisa concluded separately on their minds, as they were looking at and listening to Jennie and Jisoo fussing about each other's non-existent flaws, that it was probably natural for the two women to choke each other to death whenever they miss the other. Lisa wondered if it was a chaebol thing.

Lisa was the first to pull her eyes away from the two women beside her and turned to the bar. Her doe eyes scanning the variety of bottles of different sizes and shapes lining up at the shelf behind Chahee.

"Chahee-ssi! Can I have the usual, please?" asked Lisa expectantly and took the high stool next to Jisoo. The two women beside her were still busy cooing and now complaining how they both looked different from a week's worth of not seeing each other.

"Did you mean chocomilk?" Chahee smirked.

"I seriously hate you right now," Lisa said in a deadpan voice, which earned her a chuckle and a wink from the bartender, and turned to watch the Chipmunk from afar who was singing:

I wanna be free
I see it in you
I know you see it in me

"I won't give you anything other than lemonade, Lisa. Because the last time the four of you were here and got drunk together, it was pandemonium," they heard Chahee said.

Jisoo halted from sipping her cocktail. Jennie pouted, as if offended by the idea of her involvement in a pandemonium but made no comment because she really was present in such a situation some weeks ago. Lisa raised her hands in front of her and laughed, because the memory that Chahee was talking about was now something that she could only laugh about. Although, it didn't seem funny when it happened. Especially when it was her fault why it happened in the first place.

"And your bestfriend was swaying on her every steps and would burst into a fit of giggles when she walked back in earlier. Tipsy," Chahee continued after assessing the three's reaction and turned her gaze on Lisa. "So, no. No alcohol for you tonight, Lalisa," she said, shaking her head.

"What?" Lisa asked, her doe eyes doubled the size, her mouth was gaping open and craned her neck to try to take a better look at her bestfriend on the stage. "Why? What happened to the Chipmunk?" she inquired.

Chahee shrugged and said, "Ask her," nodding her head towards Jisoo's direction. "They walked back in together. I honestly don't know what's happening anymore."

Jennie, Lisa and Chahee fixed their eyes on Jisoo. They were looking expectantly; Chahee, especially. Lisa looked more curious and Jennie was smirking. But all three were imploring.

Jisoo stood up and closed her hand around Jennie's wrist. The spotlight was too much for her to bear at the moment. She felt the need to get away before she would explode.

"Hey, Lisa? Can I borrow Jendeukie? I just need to talk to her in private," Jisoo said addressing the blond.

Lisa was taken aback for being asked and said, "Of course, Chu. Yeah, sure. Go ahead."

"We'll be right back," Jennie told Lisa and offered the blond a wink before allowing Jisoo to pull her away from both Chahee and Lisa and led her outside the Orange, away from the noise. Away from everyone else.

"Where are we going?" Jennie asked, as Jisoo led her towards the park Rover few meters away from the Orange's premise. "Chu, we can't leave yet."

"We're not leaving. I just have to tell you something," Jisoo replied.

"What is it? Did something happen?" Jennie asked as soon as Jisoo had released her and they were both standing beside Jisoo's car, concern was all over her face.

"She kissed me! She kissed me to get even, Jendeukie. That's what she said after she did it," Jisoo hissed, arms linked across her chest.

"Who? Not Chaeng, of course?" she asked. And when Jisoo offered no confirmation nor denial, she brought her hands to her mouth and said, "Oh my god! Chaeng kissed you?!" she asked loudly, due to extreme shock and excitement.

Jisoo brough her hand to Jennie's mouth to cover it, 'shh-ing' her bestfriend as she did so, in fear of being overheard.

"That woman is tormenting me! I swear to God I almost dropped dead when she kissed me in the middle of a full-house restaurant. In the middle of all those people, Jendeukie! She's crazy!"

"Okay, Chu. But why are you whispering?" Jennie asked when Jisoo uncovered her mouth, unable to hide the smile that was slowly creeping on the corners of her mouth.

But Jisoo was still not done yet. She was livid. She was fuming. Perhaps thag was the reason why she was remotely silent and unable to think straight after it happened. Because she was livid and she didn't had anyone to talk to about it.

"'Okay'? Okay?! That's the only thing you can come up with, Ruby Jane? Really? This is a serious matter!" Jisoo ranted.

And only then that Jennie realized how bad it was and that it wasn't the time for teasing. Not when Jisoo was breathing and spitting fire on her. As if it was her fault that Jisoo had a dose of her own medicine.

"Chu, I know. Alright? I'm sorry. Please, calm down," Jennie said and reassured her bestfriend that she was on her side by gently squeezing Jisoo's forearm. "But I still don't understand why you're whispering, Jisoo Kim? Are we suppose to be talking about this matter in whispers?"

Jisoo sighed and slowly shook her head. "No," she said. "But I don't know what's happening."

"Well, how about you tell me what happened, Chu? From the beginning," Jennie suggested. "But maybe we should get inside the car? Because we both don't want to die from hypothermia tonight."

Jisoo agreed and took her keys out. Once they settled inside the comfort of her car, she went about and told Jennie what happened. From the beginning, as Jennie had suggested. Jennie was listening with rapt attention. She started by telling Jennie how she had been restless and anxious for the last week, contemplating about whether she should drop by the Orange and talk to Chaeyoung Park to apologize for what she had done or not. The former won, of course.

"You know me, Jendeukie. I can't have my peace knowing that I did something wrong and not make up for it," Jisoo said ruefully and Jennie nodded because she knew Jisoo well.

"I know, Chu. You're always the first to apologize. Even when you know that you're not at fault. I understand," said Jennie reassuringly. "So, what happened next?"

Jisoo resumed telling her tale and told Jennie how she ended up of the Orange, parked her car exactly where they were situated at the moment and how it took every inch of her to fight the urge to turn around and just "let bygones be bygones, right?" Jisoo said. "And then Lisa arrived..."

That part of the tale made Jennie's face lit up when she heard Lisa's name. She was smiling widely from ear to ear and almost laughed out loud when Jisoo told her how Lisa was eyeing the two of them--Jisoo and Chaeng--conspicuously at some point. "Because Chaeyoung stopped me from leaving," said Jisoo.

"She has that habit," Jennie said, laughing, pertaining to how Lisa would often look at her with those soft, round of hers with a mix of curiosity and suspicious whenever the opportunity would arise.

"It was unnerving," Jisoo pointed out.

"It is," Jennie agreed, but was laughing softly. "And annoying, most of the time. So, what happened next?" Jennie asked.

"We had dinner," Jisoo said. And she went on telling Jennie the series of events that took place in Ciuri Ciuri, in chronological order.

Chaeng looking around. Chaeng saying that was weird. Chaeng looking around. Chaeng saying that was weird. Chaeng looking around again. Chaeng saying--

"Is there any significance as to why you need to specifically tell me that particular part of the event, Chu? Because, you know?--we can skip the third time that Chaeyoung said it was weird? It will save us the time," Jennie suggested.

"You told me to tell you what happened from the beginning!" Jisoo argued.

"I know I did! But what does Chaeng's looking around and saying it was weird, whatever it was that she thought was weird, for I don't how how many times, have to do with this story you're trying to tell me?"

"Everything, Jendeuk! Because I think it was during those times that she was scheming things inside her head to get even to me," Jisoo said hotly.

"That's honestly--,"

"And then she asked me if I like her!" Jisoo blurted out to shut Jennie up and stop her from interjecting. "She asked me if I like her, because she heard me telling her I kinda like her after I kissed her that night--,"

"Do you like her, Chu?" Jennie interjected.

"That's beside the point, Jendeuk!" Jisoo replied hotly. Anyway, she said I have to give it back or she'd take it back. I didn't understand what she was talking about until she did it. And then it happened. She kissed me in front of all those people and I didn't realize it was happening until it was over!" Jisoo said breathlessly.

"Whoa! Chaeng really did that?"

"And then she told me we're even. She was sitting there right in front of me, drinking the wine, smirking at me!" Jisoo concluded the tale. "And then we returned here. It was so awkward because people kept looking at us because that--that crazy woman kept on giggling. I had to shut her up everytime."

"Aww, Chu! Come here," Jennie cooed and pulled Jisoo to a hug.

"Why are you hugging me? This isn't the time for hugs, Ruby Jane! What if Dad finds out? What if they will find out? We'll be dead, Jennie Kim. They'll take over everything!" Jisoo protested, but gave in to the hug, anyway. Because she needed it.

"I missed you, too, Chu," Jennie said jokingly. She was chuckling when she let Jisoo go.

"Did you hear me? We'll be dead, Jendeuk. We'll be stripped off from everything. I can't do that to my father," Jisoo said, on the verge of crying.

"No, they won't, Chu. I am the President. I'm never gonna allow that to happen. I promise!" Jennie said with conviction. "Now that we're talking--you know you could've swung by the office just once, right? But you didn't," she pouted.

"Your mother said not to disturb you on your first week," Jisoo replied.

Jennie looked genuinely shock and asked, "Really? She told you that?"

Jisoo shook her head and said, "No. Not personally, at least. She said it in passing. And my Dad, too. Basically everyone in the family. And you know what offended me the most, Jennie Kim? It was the idea that everyone thinks I'm a bad influence to you when in fact it's the other way around."

"Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?" Jennie demanded.

"You've rubbed the gay powder or whatever gayness it was you had acquired when you met Lisa, on me, Jendeukie. This is your fault!" Jisoo said grouchily.

But Jennie could only laugh and said, "See? This is why you should've swung by the office, Chu. We could've talked about."

"I shouldn't have come here to apologize in the first place. I did it twice already and it only made things worst. It was a bad idea," Jisoo said and let out a sigh.

"But you're still here, Chu," Jennie pointed out.

"That's because she didn't want me to leave," Jisoo argued.

"But you have a choice, though?" Jennie argued back.

"I--okay, fine. I didn't want to leave," Jisoo admitted.

"And thank God you didn't leave. Or I wouldn't see you," Jennie said with a pout. "So, how did it go?" she then asked.

"How did what go?"

"The kiss?" Jennie replied and smiled because she could still remember what it felt like when the drunk Lisa had grabbed her by the nape and kissed her for the first time. "Was it everything you imagined?"

"First of all, I did not imagine kissing her again. The first time was a mistake. Okay? And secondly, I think it was better than the first. She definitely knows how to kiss," Jisoo said and groaned after. Which made Jennie laugh.

And when all their laughters had subsided, Jennie took Jisoo's hand and said, "Hey, Chu? Don't worry about it, okay? They will never find out. But if they will, they'll have to get to me first before they can get you and your family. I promise. Okay?"

Jisoo nodded. "Okay."

"Now let's get back inside. I miss my Lili already," Jennie said.

Meanwhile, inside the Orange, Lisa had already given up from trying to convince Chahee and Jiyeon to give her anything other than lemonade. And so, she settled with her lemonade, albeit sullenly, which Jiyeon insisted that it was a special lemonade only made for her. Which definitely was a lie because it was the same lemonade that Chahee would give her every time.

"So, you and Jennie, huh?" Jiyeon asked out of the blue.

"Is it official now, Lis?" Chahee butted in.

It seemed like the two women had been waiting for the opportune to ask her that question, Lisa thought.

"We haven't talked about it yet," Lisa replied. "We want to take it slow."

"But you're like a thing now?" Jiyeon inquired.

"You can say that, Jieyon. But is that even like a definition of something? A thing?" Lisa chuckled. "I think we're exclusively dating now."

"Are you happy, Lisa?" Chahee asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am. Jennie... She