Dating The Knotsfords

Chapter 19: Brother-in-L? (Jennie)

Granting there’s a genie who shares a space with me right now, I’d rub all sorts of lamp just so I can make a wish. I’ve always wanted to have an older brother. Sure, I love Jisoo-unnie but a part of me wanted to have someone older than us girls, yeah an oppa, to take care of us. Do you have an older brother? I actually envy Somi for having one.

And speaking of an older brother, his older brother whom we fondly call Lucas-oppa, is with us in flesh right now. The siblings joined us in the living room, enjoying the hot chocolate mom prepared. It’s been a while since I saw him and I must say he’s become more handsome. “A complete dapper” as what Lisa would tell me. Lucas treats us like his younger sisters, the protective type, although two years away from us might have changed that because right now, he’s immensely quiet. Tonight, he seems distant. Gone’s the sheepish grins, the banters, the playful one-liners.

“How is it going?” I heard him asked Lisa. His voice cold as ice, tone flat as the valley. I worried when Lisa seemed to lose her voice. Cat got her tongue, huh? “Well…?” he further asked. I can see he’s getting bored listening to the conversation especially when Somi’s account of misfortunes resurfaced.

Lisa put down her phone and flashed a smile, “All good, oppa.” I saw how she puts up a great strength in there. There’s something that my sister’s not telling me and I guess I was the only one who noticed their awkwardness towards each other. There’s silence after that. I mean, between the two of them. For people who worked together as undercover agents, I think they’re being too honest about the code of discretion.

“Lisa, do you mind?” I called her. “Help me get a refill of the hot choco?” I lift the empty clay jug and motioned our housekeeper to leave the simple task on us.  I had to steal a moment.

Lisa excused herself and we left the living room together. We were silent until we reached the kitchen.

“I thought the both of you are okay?” I keep my voice down and shook my head. Of course, there’s no way people from the living room will hear us, right? Silly me.

Lisa sharply breathed. “We should be, Jen. It’s just…” she trailed off, “I guess he’d forever gone mad with me. What do you say?”

Huh? “Well for starters, he won’t talk to you if he actually is mad. But the animosity distracts me. Why would he be mad in the first place? Is there something else that I missed out from our late-night confession gigs? Lucas is your senior in the agency who has been relocated in Paris because of a special undercover assignment…” I tried to recall topics from our serious sisters bonding, “and you have a huge crush on him. What did I miss, my secret agent sister?” I added, the last fact flustered her.

Lisa covered her face with both of her hands and desperately groaned, “He asked for that. Well, in his attempt to stay away from me.”

“But why?!”

“Because I told him I can’t date him.”

“What?!!!” Now, what do you call a person who sabotages her own love story? I stopped myself from groaning out of frustration. But can I pull her hair? Paisa lang, pwede?

“And just recently, I discovered that he actually retired from work after solving a case in Paris. Our boss blurted the news. He’s out.”

“Hold it up right there, Lalisa!” The wire inside my brain as if fluctuates.

Lisa pulled a stool and lazily sat down. My brain’s a frenzy now. Let me sort things out for my sanity this evening. I involuntarily clicked my tongue. “Wait. Lucas likes you? As in he likes you, too?”