Erased (Chaelisa Au)

Chapter 7: Refuge

"Wait, seriously?" Lisa then replied, surprise in her tone.

"Oh, so it is a date then?" Dr. Manoban then said.

Damn it. That was smooth, father, smooth.

"No. I-I already told you..." Lisa replied before clearing her throat and trying to keep the fluttering feeling inside of her from overwhelming her.

There were more serious matters at hand.

"I'm planning to go out with Chaeyoung." Lisa then replied and Dr. Manoban simply nodded.

"Still sure you've got nothing you want to tell me?" he then asked.

"Yes. Quit bugging me about that already." Lisa replied, looking down on her plate again and placing her head in her hands as she ate, hoping her father doesn't notice the bright crimson color undoubtedly tainting her cheeks.

"Alright." Dr. Manoban replied, hands up in the air in surrender. "For as long as you come home before midnight."

"At midnight the latest." Lisa then bargained.

"Okay. But that's the latest. And you're telling me where you're going."

"Deal." Lisa replied with a genuine smile. Things were falling into place.

So maybe that's why Lisa's been in a good mood the entire day, buying Jennie lunch for her help the day before in keeping Chaeyoung company while she enjoyed pretty much the rest of her free time with Chaeyoung studying at the library. For her part, Chaeyoung didn't protest when Lisa asked if she could join her, also thankful that the fiasco about forgetting Chaeyoung's birthday was temporarily forgotten. Despite everything that's happened, she had to admit that Chaeyoung's resolve in working hard at school was something to be admired. Suho, who Lisa had a brief chat with after running into each other on the way to school, had pretty much said the same.

"She really wants to get out of here you know. Get into college, live independently. Chaeyoung's always been a good student so she knows that's her ticket out." he had said.

And in a way, it gave Lisa the boost she needed to tackle her own scholastic progress if she really is serious in giving going to college a try.

Lisa sat in comfortable silence doing her own work, glancing up at Chaeyoung every once in a while. She knew that for her plan to work, she'd have to actually invite Chaeyoung but she hasn't settled her options on where to go first. Making a mental note to finalize plans later, Lisa tried to focus on studying but getting through her math homework was harder than Lisa had wished it to be, and going through the notes that she did have was just painfully boring.

So Lisa tried to motivate herself with a bit of music, placing her the trusty headphones she had always hanging around her neck over her ear and turning on her old iPod and listening to some the first song and mashups she'd worked on, putting a smile on her face as she felt a wave of nostalgia hit her.

Lisa managed doing pretty well after that, fining it easier to focus on her work. Before she knew it, the situation had reversed and, to her own surprise, Lisa found Chaeyoung starring at her as she worked.

"Sorry, just... you started tapping and humming and..." Chaeyoung started to say.

"Oh, drat. Didn't mean to disturb you." Lisa mumbled as an apology but Chaeyoung shook her head.

"No, I... I was kind of just intrigued." Chaeyoung then replied. "I always see you with your head phones on and all. What do you listen to all day long, anyways?"