Less Than Lovers | LisRene AU

5

She hoped Irene felt an iota of what she was feeling.

She's not nothing. You're nothing. You're nothing to her.

"Well. Let's just keep things professional, right?" Lisa said, her tone biting.

The doctor's eyebrows furrowed. "Oh. Okay..." She sounded disappointed. Lisa actively chose to remain indifferent. It was hard around Irene. "Well. We're done here so...you can go back to the waiting room and wait for Jisoo."

"Okay," Lisa said. Somehow Irene's frown went deeper.

"Lisa," Irene reached forward and Lisa stiffened at her touch. She pulled back immediately. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Just peachy."

"Are we okay?"

"There isn't a we, Dr. Bae," clenching her jaw to keep her from yelling.

At her title, Irene looked stunned. If she was trying to hide it from Lisa, she was doing a terrible job. Lisa was trying to decide between screaming at her or grabbing her and kissing her. But then she remembered she had a girlfriend.

She bit her lip and watched Irene's eyes follow the movement.

She's everything and you're nothing.

"Well...we should still go for coffee at some point?"

Irene looked hopeful and Lisa was this close to caving. But she couldn't. She was just going to keep hurting herself – and this was not her. She didn't ever yearn for anyone and she absolutely didn't ever fall for anyone.

A knock at the door. Lisa's saving grace interrupted them. She was never happier to see Jisoo's smug little face.

Irene jumped away – they hadn't even been standing close together at all.

"Uh, hey, sorry for the interruption Dr. Bae – it's just my turn to bug Miss Manoban here," she said, completely oblivious.

Irene nodded and excused herself out of the room without another word to Lisa.

****

Irene: 'You free to go for coffee tomorrow?'

Lisa: 'No.'

Irene: 'The day after?'

Lisa: 'Busy, too.'

Irene: 'Are you avoiding me?'

Lisa: 'No.'

Irene: 'Then hang out with me.'

Lisa rolled her eyes and ignored the text. She smiled at the girl at the end of the bar who had been blatantly staring at her and asked the bartender to send over a drink. A few moments later, the girl got up for her seat and sauntered towards Lisa. She smirked and put her phone away.

How do you get over someone? Find a distraction.

****

It was early in the morning a week later when Lisa saw her next.

Lisa was making her getaway leaving a particularly clingy one-night stand and was disoriented as to where she was. She knew she was near her place, but the hangover was muddling her memory. She looked down the sidewalk, looking for the street sign when she saw her.