BE ALRIGHT

22

As I was packing my bag, my phone rang, and I saw that it was Jisoo calling. "We'll go out tonight," she announced excitedly as soon as I answered. She's talking about her and Rosie.

"I didn't even know you were talking to her already," I replied, surprised by the news. Jennie had mentioned that Rosie had plans to go out with someone, but I didn't expect it to be with Jisoo.

"I'm Jisoo, man, c'mon," she boasted, her tone filled with confidence.

"Sure, whatever," I said, rolling my eyes. "Tell me about it when we land." I hung up and returned to packing my bag.

Jennie and I were on our way to the airport for her upcoming meeting in New York, and as always, she had invited me along.

After navigating through a sea of paparazzi at the airport and waiting at the lounge, we finally made our way to the airplane. As we settled into our seats, Jennie began removing her makeup, preparing for the long flight ahead.

"Are you going to sleep?" she asked as she tied her hair up into a messy bun.

"No, I need to catch up on some school work," I replied, grabbing the laptop that Jennie had bought me for my studies.

"I'll just watch some movies and wait for you," she said. Lately, Jennie had become more comfortable around me, and while she could still be snarky at times, I appreciated her small gestures. It was just part of who she was.

Several hours later, I finished my work, and Jennie took the laptop from me. "Let me check it," she said, removing her AirPods and handing them to me.

"You don't have to," I protested, but she shook her head.

"You're a bit stupid, it's always better to be sure," she said, scanning through my work and correcting any mistakes.

"Don't make it all perfect, or they'll get suspicious," I said, glancing over at Jennie.

"Do you think I'm stupid enough not to know that?" she retorted, rolling her eyes. "If anyone's the fool between us, it's definitely you." That was Jennie, always quick to throw a playful jab my way.

After enduring a long flight, we finally arrived in the icy city of New York. I hastily plunged my hands into the pockets of my coat, attempting to shield them from the frigid air. Jennie, and I ambled out of the airport, bracing ourselves against the biting wind.

As we waited for our ride, I noticed that Jennie was shivering. Without a second thought, I took her hands and clasped them tightly within mine. My pockets had already been serving as a safe haven for my fingers, and now they would be a source of warmth for Jennie's delicate hands as well. She gratefully nestled her fingers within the cozy confines of my coat pockets.

Our car soon arrived. She informed me that we would be attending a meeting right away, and therefore, we wouldn't have time to stop at the hotel. I heeded her advice and dressed in my finest attire, carefully applying my makeup with precision.

As we get out from the vehicle, a bald man greeted us with open arms. He introduced himself as a member of the meeting's staff and extended a handshake to Jennie. To no surprise, she stared icily at his outstretched hand until he hastily withdrew it, looking slightly embarrassed.

Jennie and I followed the man as he led us through a maze of people. It seemed as though everyone in the vicinity was familiar with Jennie and her wealthy lifestyle. I, on the other hand, was unaccustomed to such extravagance.

Suddenly, the man addressed someone behind us. Jennie flinched and abruptly withdrew her hands from mine. I spun around to see who had caused this reaction in her.

The bald man's incessant repetition of "Mr. Kim" grated on my nerves. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, scanning the crowd for any sign of relief from this monotony. My attention was drawn back to the scene unfolding in front of me as a newcomer arrived, bowing and apologizing for being late. Jennie's expression was one of bewilderment, and I couldn't figure out whether she was shocked, angry, or something else entirely.

The man approached us, his eyes fixed on Jennie. I was uncomfortable that he was blatantly disregarding my presence. Who is he anyway?

He extended his hand to Jennie and addressed her using her full name. My eyes narrowed, and I stepped forward, ready to assert my dominance. But before I could say anything, Jennie had taken the man's hand in hers. My jaw slightly parted in disbelief. What was happening?

The man's attention was solely focused on Jennie, as if I was invisible. It was infuriating. I coughed, hoping to get his attention, but he barely glanced in my direction before turning back to Jennie, his smile never faltering.

The bald man ushered us all into a room, and I trailed behind Jennie. The stranger continued to chatter away to Jennie, completely oblivious to my presence. I watched as Jennie's eyes glazed over, lost in thought.

As we approached the door, a burly guard yanked me aside, stopping me from entering. My heart sank. Why was I being excluded?

"Please step aside," the guard said. I turned to him and protested, "No, I'm with Jennie..."

But before I could finish my sentence, they shut the door in my face, leaving me standing there alone. The guard didn't seem to care either, as he refused to let me in.

"Hey, look, I'm with Jennie Kim. You can ask her if you want," I pleaded with the guard, but he just shook his head and walked away. Frustrated and angry, I pulled out my phone and dialed Mr. Kang's number.

"Mr. Kang, can you come pick me up? Jennie went in without knowing that a guard pulled me out because they don't know me," I explained to him. He promised to come in 10 minutes, so I decided to sit and wait on the side.

As I waited, my phone rang, and I saw that it was Jackson calling. "Lisa," he said with a serious tone, "I heard from Mr. Kang about what happened. Why didn't Jennie know about leaving you behind?"

"She was pretty occupied with the guy who seems like they know each other," I replied, still frustrated.

"Who is the guy?" he asked.

"I don't have any idea, but he's pretty tall and probably around our age. And if I heard it right, someone called him Mr. Kim earlier," I explained.

"Kim Jongin," Jackson muttered under his breath. "Look, Lisa, once Mr. Kang arrives, I'll tell him to drive you back to the hotel. He'll just pick up Jennie later. Go rest, alright? Don't wait for Jennie."

I was confused by his instructions, but I just hummed in response. "Lisa... I'm saying sorry for the troubles that Jennie's been giving you. You deserve better," he added, sounding sincere.

I didn't know what he was talking about. "Just please look out for yourself and rest, alright? I'll treat you to some food when you get back," he promised before saying goodbye.