"Someone is extra chirpy today." Says one of Jennie's blockmates, they're resting in the central park of the campus near their building while waiting for their last class of the day.
Jennie looks up from texting through phone after hearing that, she instantly wiped off the smile on her face, she didn't realize she was smiling. "Huh?"
The same person says, with a grin never leaving her face. "I said, you're happy today."
"Am I not happy all the time?"
A shake of the head. "You are but you're extra happy today. Did you and oppa went out yesterday?"
She shakes her head, still not getting it. "No."
"Ah. Then he must be the one you're texting. Well, couldn't blame you. He's handsome, smart and a gentleman so I'd be happy too if I were you."
Jennie's heart started to beat fast. Who wouldn't if one of her friends would point out that she's "extra" happy while texting and found herself smiling when it was just Lisa whom she is texting with?
After that kiss from last week, the blush on Lisa's face whenever they meet inside the campus has been showing very frequently and it's such a scenery to watch. Jennie wanted to push herself to where her limit would allow her by asking Lisa for a dinner, which had been politely declined — twice by the way.
Jennie did not ask why because she doesn't want to sound very aggressive or pushy but she knew Lisa is with Jongin every night. Lisa promised her for a raincheck though, it should be tomorrow, Saturday night.
Despite Lisa's busy schedules, they have been constantly texting. Jennie also noticed a pattern in Lisa's text. No replies from 5 to 6:30 o'clock in the evening, short conversations around 6:30 to 7 o'clock then another silence before a full blown messaging session from 9:30 o'clock and onwards.
Their messages are just casual conversations though, nothing really worth noting for but Lisa never fails to send her Good Mornings, Good Noons, Good Evenings and Good Nights — add the daily reminders of taking meals on time too.
All of this started right after that kiss and Jennie loves the attention she's getting.
"Uh. I guess." Jennie awkwardly replies after a brief pause.
"You're still not official?"
Jennie is seriously getting tired of this type of questions. She gets it, her friends and blockmates like him a lot but Jennie doesn't owe them explanation so she shrugs, locks her phone, grabs her bag and stood up. "Nope, I'll just go the washroom."
"Okay."
"Don't be late!"
Jennie waves them goodbye before heading straight to the building's wash room.
She settles her bag at the corner before she begins washing her hands and took all time time drying them couple of minutes after. She ended up staring at the mirror and sighed.
Why can't they let her be? Right, sure he's a great catch but she could use a day without getting questions like that, it's starting to irk the living shit out of her.
I am probably near my time of the month to be this sensitive and unreasonable. Gosh why can't I just have a day without hearing his name from my friends' and classmates' mouths? I just—
"If a glare could cut a glass, you'd probably destroyed it."
Jennie was way too zoned out to even noticed someone getting in and now smiling at her through the mirror. Upon realizing who it was, it made her smile too — she noticed how infectious that smile had become to her though she would never admit that she missed seeing that personally, it's been almost a week since the last time they've had a decent conversation.
"Hey." Jennie says.
Lisa grins. "Hello. Bad day?" They're still looking at each other throughout the mirror.
"Not really. Just had too many things going on. What are you doing here in the building by the way?"
Lisa turns her tap off and moves to where the dryer is. "Our block will be attending one fashion class for collaborative project, I think."
Jennie turns to finally look at Lisa, hips leaning against the frame of the sink. "Oh? Really? Which class?"
Lisa shrugs whilst looking over her shoulder, still drying her hands. "No idea yet."
They went quiet for a while because some students went in. Lisa gestured Jennie to go out and the latter agreed.
They were walking through the hallway when Jennie spotted a clock around the corner. "Shit! I'm gonna be late! I'm sorry Lisa! I gotta go!"
"I'll accompany you."
Her chest suddenly felt warmer, adrenaline maybe? "No no. You don't have to." She's now starting to increase the pace of her walk.
Lisa chuckles. "That wasn't a question."
"Huh?" Her adrenaline rush is way too strong for her to comprehend things properly.
"I said, I'll accompany you. Now let's hurry. You'll be late."
"And how about you?"
"I have 30 minutes to spare."
"Okay."
5 minutes and few onlookers noticing them — who wouldn't? The new face of the dance club and the vice president of the student council, power walking like a madman making a bee line to the 3rd floor — they finally reached Jennie's room.
Jennie was trying so hard to get her breathing to normal. "Breathe, Jen. Breathe." Lisa says.
"I.. I am." She takes one deep breath before turning to face Lisa. "So it's me." She points her thumb at the classroom.
"So I've noticed."
Jennie shakes her head before smiling. "Thank you for walking me up though you didn't really have to."
Lisa smiles and does a small wave, it was too damn adorable for Jennie not to break out another gummy smile. "Not a big deal. Now get in. Thank goodness your professor is still not around."
"Right." A small part of Jennie wanted her to ditch this class or be late just to spend another minute with Lisa but that voice had been pushed straight to the tip of her toes. "Thank you again. See you around."
Lisa's smile is still there. "No problem and absolutely."
Jennie gets in and notices few of her blockmates are looking straight at the door. Lisa is still there, as if waiting for her to take a sit before walking away and her presence is getting all the attention now.
"Go." Jennie mouthed.
Lisa grins, waves and finally walks away. "That woman." Jennie whispers but she couldn't deny how that small gesture made her happy.
It had been such a long time since someone bravely walked her up to her room other than Jisoo, Joohyun and Chaeyoung.
He never once did that to her because of some image shit he explained back then that Jennie easily accepted because hell, one of the most popular students in the campus was courting her though only few knew about it until he graduated.
"Whoa, didn't know you're close with Lisa." Says one of Jennie's blockmates who absolutely had a growing dislike towards him. Her name is Chahee.
"I'm not even sure if we are. Just friends, I guess."
"Same thing. No one other than Jisoo, Joohyun and Chaeyoung walked you to your classrooms."
Jennie shrugs, her heart beat is increasing rapidly. "Not a big deal."
"It is. No one dared to do that because — excuse the incoming french — I know a motherfucker sort of set a fence around you, he didn't even have the decency to do that when he's still here."
Jennie chuckles, at least she still has a friend who isn't simping over him like the others. Jennie had no idea when and why Chahee hated his guts so much but the latter would just say "He's just a pretty face bastard." when asked why.
It's a great contrast to her life honestly.
"He isn't here anyway." Jennie casually says that and it made Chahee grin widely.
"You go girl!" She raises a hand and both of them briefly high-fived each other. "I am sooooo glad you're still not saying yes to him, yes girl. Fuck them all who are trying to pressure you."
Jennie could only shake her head whilst smiling because a part of her knows she is on the same page with Chahee.
Their professor, Tiffany, soon came in and discussed about a project she and other professors decided to have.
"This is probably another head whacking project." One of her classmates seated at the back of Jennie mutters.
"Okay. I want everyone's attention because after this, you will be free to go."
The entire class almost hollered but stop when Tiffany raises her hand. "Before all of you throws a party, this is a collaborative project between the Fashion Department and Media Arts Department." She calmly says.
"This class and all of my other classes will be collaborating with students from MA Department. This project requires your creativity, imagination and passion. We will be having a fashion show by the end of this semester and I want all of you and the MA students that will be assigned in this class to brainstorm."
And before Tiffany could finish, one professor softly knocks to grab her attention.
"Oh. The MA students are here." She says.
The professor walks in first followed by 20 students, now standing in front of them. Jennie is not really paying too much attention to it because she had immediately grabbed her sketchpad and started whipping rough drafts earlier.
"Hello everyone, I am Professor Song Minho, the adviser of this class."
Jennie recognizes that name. Song Minho or Mino is one the most successful alumni of Media Arts Department who graduated 3 years ago. On his first year as Director, he produced, wrote and direct an indie film that was then nominated and won 3 awards in the country's counterpart of Film Independent Spirit Awards.
His movie won, Best Cinematography, Best Screen Play and he won Best First Time Director. All in just one year after graduation.
But instead of pursuing that path, he made a u-turn and applied as a professor to inspire aspiring young and soon to be directors.
"I am not sure how much you know but I'll give the floor to you, Professor Tiffany." And takes a step back.
"Thank you, Professor Mino. So now, I want my class to design and of course create all the pieces in whatever collection you'd agree with. If you will be working inside the campus, you can use our sewing rooms but everything have to be scheduled because other classes will be offered the same thing too. Take the stage, Prof."
Mino nods. "And as a help, my students will help you with the photoshoot and studio designs. We will use some of those pictures to create catalogues that will be distributed before the show. My students have been briefed about this so this will be 40:20 headcount ration, 40 fashion students and 20 media arts students."
"With that, we will free up our classes for today so you can brainstorm. You have 2 hours to come up with draft plans and propose it to us before the end of the day today." The professors said their goodbyes and excused themselves out of the room.
The students from the MA Department are all freshmen while in the Fashion Department are all sophomores, luckily some of them already knew each other which made everything easier to communicate and get things done across each other's perspective.
Jennie however is still drowned in her own world and didn't notice the person standing across her until her vision finally got bothered by its shadow but she refused to do something about it.
"Don't be too hard on yourself, we're all here to make things work."
The voice instantly made Jennie look up and was welcomed by a smile. "Hello there, I knew you were already sketching when you didn't even look up when we got in."
"W-Wait what? You're assigned in this class?!"
Lisa nods. "Yes ma'am. We're here to help." The smile never left her face.
Jennie was still not able to recover and comprehend the warmth she felt earlier when Lisa walked her up and now it's creeping back up again. "For three months?"
Jennie probably sounded very incoherent to Lisa right now because the latter broke into a chuckle. "Yes, for three months. Loosen up. You have 39 other brilliant fashion minds here plus 20 more to make things even glorious."
"..." Jennie is too disoriented and taken aback to answer.
Lisa's smile never left her face. "Can I sit beside you?"
"Y-Yes. Yes of course."
Their classroom seats are arranged in a series of long rows and one flight higher than the other so Lisa jogged towards the other end before going up one flight to walk straight to where Jennie is sitting. She then sat on the empty space beside her.
Lisa's eyes immediately landed on Jennie's sketches, it may be just rough draft but the idea and creativity are there, making Lisa stare at them in awe. Jennie is indeed born to do this.
Jennie on the other hand stared at Lisa's side profile and the urge to kiss her cheek is once again driving her to the edge. The one she did a week ago was out of an impulse and solely for appreciation but this time, she just genuinely wants to do it and feel the softness of her skin against her lips again. Jennie is starting to crave and this is not good to her.
"Did you hear what the professors said earlier?" Lisa starts.
"Yeah I did. Should we have our block representatives take the lead?"
Lisa nods. "Good idea but it's not you?"
Jennie shakes her head. "No, I can't handle two responsibilities at once."
"I see. Well, let's have them."
"Hey Chahee!" Jennie calls out.
Chahee spins around, she was talking to one of the MA students she apparently knows. "Yeah?"
"Go talk to the MA representative, we'll have you guys take in charge this first meeting. We'll come up something today."
"Good idea. Who's their rep?"
"Yoon!"
A man immediately turns around after hearing his name. "Lisa, what's up?"
Lisa grins. "We'll have the representatives of our classes take in charge. Chahee will be with you."
"Oh, okay." He then calls Chahee to meet him at the front and ground floor area of the classroom.
"His name is Kang Seungyoon by the way." Lisa adds before leaning her back against the back rest of the chair.
It didn't take long for them to come up with collection ideas — the fashion department will be sticking to fall collection and the color palette will be ranging from dark to very light orange with combinations of light to very dark blue hues.
As for the media, once they got the final sketches of the collection, their department will then start the production designing.
"Hey Lisa!" Yoon says, making all students look at her.
Lisa raises her eyebrow. "What?"
"Can we use your studio for the photoshoot?" Yoon grins, of course he knows. He has been Lisa's partner in their collaborative tasks lately.
All students had turned or leaned forward to look at her.
"Whoa she has a studio?"
"What? I didn't know you have a studio Lisa!"
"Whoa! Nice one!"
Lisa had to roll her eyes at him. "Yeah we can but I don't think we'll fit there."
Seungyoon taps his fingers against the table while thinking for plan B and before he could say or come up with something, Lisa speaks again. "I'll handle the studio problems."
The man in front finally grins and gives her a hyper extended thumbs up. "I knew we could depend on you."
Lisa just rolls her eyes whilst shaking her head and smiling, after all, he had become one of Lisa's friends, a very talented one at that.
"Just how rich are you?" Jennie says after the commotion.
Jennie still remembered those 3 people Lisa was with in the park that day, she knew they're not anyone related to her because of their uniforms. Moving back to present, Lisa lives and owns an apartment unit in one of the most expensive buildings around the area, owns two expensive cars and personal studio. Who wouldn't question?
Lisa turns her head to face Jennie. "I am not."
Jennie narrows her eyes at her but Lisa is just and still grinning. "Sure." Jennie heard Lisa chuckle but she did not say anything.
About 15 minutes before their schedule ended, Seungyoon and Chahee volunteered to report everything to their professors so others could pack up and go home.
Lisa looks at her wrist watch, pulls out her phone from her pocket when it went off. It's Jongin.
"Hey, should we go there together?"
Lisa hums, now standing up whilst shouldering her bag. "Yup. I have to pick up Mina from her apartment though, her car's still in the shop."
"Cool. I'll be hitching a ride with Bam. Is that okay?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Nice. See you at the parking lot in 15?"
"Yup. Be there."
"Okay. Bye."
"Bye."
This routine of going to the shop all together started since the very first day of their work, it made them even closer. Sometimes, three would hitch a ride with whoever isn't too lazy to drive and leave the other three cars in the school's parking space for the rest of the shift and just come back when it's done.
They established this bond in just a week of being together as workmates and now friends.
"You're in a hurry again?"
Lisa turns her head to face Jennie who's stuffing her things in her bag. "Yeah, will be picking up a friend."
"Heard it. What have you been up lately though? You seem.. occupied." Her curiosity got into her before she could even stop herself.
Both of them are now walking out of the room, side by side. "Ah, I got a part time job in a café two blocks from here."
"Huh? You? Part time job for? With Jongin?"
Lisa chuckles. "Long story but yes, Jongin and I are working there." She then looks at her wrist watch again before saying. "Where are you headed to by the way?"
Jennie, didn't want to sound nosy and decides to drop it off. "SC Building."
"Okay, I'll walk you up. I'm heading to the parking space anyway."
And there is it again, the warmth is once again creeping back up. "O-Okay." She almost cusses herself for stuttering like a mad fool.
The walk was quieter than usual, not awkward though but still silent, saved by the casual "Good Afternoons" from the students who recognized them.
Lisa's replying Mina's messages while Jennie on the other hand had been trying to figure out why on earth she's feeling all these whenever she's with Lisa.
She did not even realize they've reached her stop until Lisa stops walking and turns her body to face her.
"And there you go."
Jennie halts after that, silently cussing herself for spacing out and masks it with a smile. "Thank you. I should visit that café with others. What's your shift time?"
"We'd be happy to welcome all of you. It's 5 to 9 o'clock."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"I'll see yo—" BamBam's loud voice rang into the air, perfectly cutting Lisa off.
"Yo! There you go! Let's go! Mina's waiting." BamBam said, raising his hand while standing near Lisa's car.
Lisa and Jennie chuckle because Jongin literally had slapped the back of BamBam's head using a folded face towel.
"Well, I gotta go before he disturbs everyone. That's BamBam by the way. He's one of our workmates and the second one is Mina." Lisa steps forward but her body is still slightly facing Jennie's.
Jennie feels a tad bit sad at that and it's making her even more frustrated. "Okay. Enjoy your shift."
Lisa nods and was about to jog off when she remembered something, she looks back at Jennie. "You're still up for that dinner tomorrow?"
Jennie's face immediately lit up. "Absolutely."
"Nice. I'll let you decide the place this time. Text me the location."
"Okay, I'll find a good place."
"Lisa! Hurry up!" BamBam shouts again.
Lisa turns towards the parking space. "Going! Shesh! Stop screaming!" She shouted back and turned again to face Jennie. "I should hurry or else he won't shut up."
Jennie chuckles. "You should. See you tomorrow!"
Lisa smiles, waves her goodbye and jogs straight to where the duo are. Jennie sees Lisa throwing BamBam her car keys and says. "You drive, noisy prick."
BamBam fumbles but was able to catch it nonetheless. "Yes ma'am." All of them got inside her car.
BamBam honks at Jennie once, Jennie waves her hand before he drives off and out of the campus.
When the car is finally out of sight, Jennie walks inside the building with the smile still sitting on her face. Her phone went off, the smile immediately wiped off her face.
"Hello."
"Hey. Free today? Can we meet?"
"You're in town?"
"Yup, let's have dinner?"
"Uh.."
"Please? We've not seen each other for almost a week. I miss you."
Jennie opens the door of their office. "Okay."
"Nice. 7?"
"Sure, enough time to finish my stuff."
"Nice. I'll pick you up?"
"No, I brought my car. Just text me the location."
"Okay. See you."
"Bye."
"Bye."
Jennie places her phone on the table and stretches, Joohyun should be there in a few minutes so she starts sketching to kill the time.
Her message notification ringtone went off, thinking it's him, she did not check it and continued to sketch. Little over 5 o'clock, Joohyun came in with stack of papers.
"What are those for?" Jennie asks.
"All of the department's request forms. We will have to review all of this before discussing it to the chancellor."
Jennie had to groan. "That's a lot."
Joohyun drops half of the papers on Jennie's table before sitting on her chair. "Tell me about it. Let's get it going."
She sets her sketchpad aside and grabbed her phone to find songs they could jam with while working. Her lock screen notifications showed a text from Lisa, it immediately made her smile.
"Hi. I'm off to start the shift and give Bam a living hell. That prick probably had 10 doses of sugar to be this hyper so he'll be running the floor service today. Don't work too hard! Don't forget your meals! See you tomorrow." it reads.
"That smile."
"Huh?" Jennie looks at Joohyun.
Joohyun is smiling at her. "I said.. that smile is beautiful and I've never seen that in a long time. Glad to know you're happy, Jenjen."
"You're the second one who told me that today."
Joohyun chuckles. "That's because you're radiating it. Well, whatever or whoever makes you happy.. treasure it." and started reading the papers.
Jennie clenches her jaws, this is not looking good.