Unspoken Desire JenLisa AU

Chapter 12

Lisa stepped out of the elevator, the time she spent with Jennie was wonderful. But the walk to her hotel room felt longer than usual, the quiet hallway amplifying every thought she tried to suppress. When she reached her door, she hesitated for a moment, gripping the keycard as if it could anchor her. She knew Chaeyoung could be waiting for her all night.

She has to keep it together.

The lock beeped, and Lisa pushed the door open. She stopped in her tracks.

Chaeyoung was sitting on the couch, her posture stiff, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed, as though she had spent the entire night fighting tears. When she looked up at Lisa, her expression was an agonizing mixture of worry and anger.

"You're finally back," Chaeyoung said, her voice trembling, barely above a whisper.

Lisa closed the door behind her, bracing herself. "Chae... why are you awake? You should be resting."

"Resting?" Chaeyoung repeated, her voice growing louder. "You've been gone all day and night , Lisa. I've been calling you, texting you-nothing. Do you even know how worried I've been?"

Lisa sighed, setting her bag down by the door. "I was busy. Work ran longer than expected. I didn't have time to-"

"Don't," Chaeyoung interrupted, standing up abruptly. "Don't give me excuses. I went to your coworkers, Lisa. Do you know how humiliating that was? Asking around for you like some desperate woman? And when none of them could tell me where you were, I almost went to your boss!" Her voice cracked, and she shook her head, her hands trembling.

Lisa's chest tightened, guilt clawing at her, and Chae couldn't probably do that since her boss was with her the whole night but she stayed silent, unable to meet Chaeyoung's gaze.

"I thought something happened to you," Chaeyoung continued, tears finally spilling over. "I thought-" She cut herself off, covering her mouth as a sob escaped.

Lisa stepped forward instinctively, but Chaeyoung raised a hand, stopping her. "Don't," she said sharply. "Don't try to comfort me when you're the reason I feel like this."

Lisa froze, her arms falling to her sides. "Chae, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry. I-"

"You didn't mean to?" Chaeyoung repeated, her tone bitter now. "Lisa, you always do this. You shut me out when things get complicated , and I'm left here, wondering if I've done something wrong or if I'm just not enough for you anymore."

Lisa flinched at the words, guilt twisting like a knife in her gut. "That's not true," she said quietly.

"Then why?" Chaeyoung demanded, stepping closer. "Why are you acting like this? I came here to fix things, to find a way back to each other, and all you've done is push me further away."

Lisa's throat tightened. She wanted to explain, to tell Chaeyoung that it wasn't her fault, that it was her own crumbling resolve and selfish choices that were to blame. But the words wouldn't come.

Chaeyoung let out a shaky breath, her voice softening. "Do you even want this anymore, Lisa? Do you even want us?"

Lisa looked at her then, really looked at her. Chaeyoung's eyes, filled with pain and desperation, cut through her defenses like glass. She wanted to say yes, to reassure her, to fix the cracks she had caused. But the truth lingered in the silence between them, and it was unbearable.

"Of course I do," Lisa said finally, her voice hollow. "I'm just... tired, Chae. I'm trying."

Chaeyoung's lips trembled as she searched Lisa's face for sincerity. "If you're trying, then stop pushing me away. Let me in. Please."