"YOU'RE PREGNANT?" The rest simultaneously shouted.
When a slightly bashful Jisoo had nodded, loud cheers, whistles and claps started to erupt from the friends.
Wine glasses clinked against each other more excitedly. Champagne bottles were starting to pop with their corks flying all over the dining hall.
The girls had went ahead to hug Jisoo, all gently touching her stomach with loving eyes.
"Unnie!" Lisa has started, running towards Jisoo with happy tears starting to form in her eyes.
The action had startled a few of them since it was surprisingly familiar to Lisa's old habits and actions.
The current Lisa was more reserved and serious, different from the old one that was joyful, cheerful and playful.
"Lisa" The older breathed out through her hug, a smile on her lips, showing a relieved expression.
Jisoo had reacted in that way because for the first time, in almost 6 years, she saw a glimpse of the friend she grew up with.
Roseanne came next, regally and calmly nearing Jisoo before a euphoric smile was casted on her features.
"I knew it!" she states as she hugged her friend. And as she distanced herself, she saw the tiny bump that was barely visible.
"you knew?"
"I had a hunch. I've been pregnant before so I saw how picky you were with food. You also couldn't stand some things you used to love and ate others that you usually couldn't even swallow.
I also saw how you never once touched your glass of wine and kept drinking from your glass of water. And we all know that you and Jeongguk would never pass up on a chance to drink"
Jisoo was surprised that her friend had noticed, but of course it should've have been expected when the heiress who was also a brilliant attorney had been pregnant for quite a few times now, meaning that she could catch anything with those eyes.
Jennie came last, her eyes bewildered at the fact that another one of her closest friends had gotten pregnant.
"Congrats, babe" she says, hugging Jisoo tightly and the latter knew that tightness of the hug had something to do with Jennie's self-trauma that the girl never told anyone.
"How far along are you?" she asked, her eyes starting to form fondness in them. Jennie was always fond of children, however regarding the issue of having her own, her opinion on that remains unknown to everyone.
"about 8 weeks" Jisoo admitted with a shy smile as she glanced at the tiny bump on her flat and tiny stomach.
The other three simultaneously released their "oh my goodness" before hugging their friend in a tight warm embrace.
The males were all congratulating Seokjin, both for his birthday but as well as for his unborn child.
"I'm betting my money that its a boy" Jeongguk says, lightly punching Seokjin's arms.
"With Jisoo's sweetness at the moment and her lack of crankiness today, I think its a girl" Taehyung responds back.
"what do you prefer it to be, hyung?" was what Jimin said as he held onto their oldest' shoulders.
"I'm alright with anything. May it be a girl or a boy, all that it matters is that they're my children with her and her only." Seokjin says before drinking wine.
His words had earned groans and laughter from his other friends, the three asking "when did you become so cheesy".
"But you have more to say about the gender, don't you." Jeongguk stated as he looked at the body language of his friend.
"well- If it's a boy, then i'd have an heir for the throne which will remove any pressure that the court continues to condemn to Jisoo. But, they would pressure him to the brim, expecting a lot from him since he's a boy.
If it's a girl, then she'd be my heiress to the throne and they'd treat her more mercilessly cause of her gender. The court is still conservative regardless of the fact that they allow heiresses now.
And if I coddle her, most people would think she's too weak to rule."
The rest of the heirs considered Seokjin's dilemmas before starting to voice their own opinions.
"If it's a boy, then he'll learn a lot of tricks from us-" Taehyung starts which earned an eye roll and a heavy sigh from the royal.
"I'm well aware Vantae, you needn't remind me"
"-But if it's a girl, its gonna take a lot before a single boy can even breathe her direction. You've seen the way that we all act around Areum.
Well, if it weren't for Junhoe saying we're too 'uptight'. Shouldn't the man understand that that child is not just his child but Rosie's child? He acts as if we give a damn about him, if Areum wasn't Rosie's child we wouldn't interfere." Jeongguk finishes, continuing Vantae's previous statement.
"He is still the father and the husband, guk. No matter how much we voice our opinions, his decision and word is final, not ours." Jimin explained, trying his best to stay neutral.
However that didn't go past his friends. They were all knowledgeable of the fact that Jimin's neutrality wasn't simply for his kind and good nature, but the woman who was possibly involved in the topic also played a big role.
It was obvious to the other three. Well, simply not them. The three heirs and the other heiresses found it obvious.
The way that Jimin's eyes automatically skim through a room to find the familiar eyes that she owned.
The way that her laughter or quite literally anything she had done had always casted an adoring look on his face.
The way that despite all these years, despite the fact that she now belonged to another, he was still madly in love with her.
Even Lisa who was unknowledgeable of their past and had a hard time remembering her memories could see it. So how could the two of them not figure it out?
It could be told by anyone that the secret glances that he gave to her had another meaning. That the way that he rescued Junhoe's name in every conversation wasn't for neutrality but for her sake.
Her sake and her sake only.
The uncountable sacrifices he's done was all for her.
Giving up his own happiness for hers. Watching her marry another man despite knowing she loved him. Pretending to love another for her to find her own rightful love. Pushing her away so that she can live freely away from him.
All the things he did had always been with the interest of her happiness.
Suddenly, before more philosophical thoughts were formed in their heads, Jimin had spoken up.
"Guk, a word?" Jeongguk was slightly confused but he agreed, excusing themselves from the other two males before they were able to leave the dining hall, far enough to have their conversation.
Jeongguk was expecting for his friend to lecture him about his poor choice of words regarding Rosie's husband, which the younger remains to believe is nothing but the truth.
"Jim, if this is about Junhoe, you sure as hell know-"
"Jeongguk, you came in with Lis, am I right?" he starts off, cutting Jeongguk off as well as trying his best not to sound like he was prying.
With a suspicious look appearing and dissolving from his expressions quickly, Jeongguk nodded in confirmation.
"This is to say that, you two had planned your arrivals before? Correct?"
Once again, Jeongguk nodded in confirmation.
"So you two were in contact before today. Meaning, you've been talking for quite some time, may it be through text messages or physical conversations, am I right?"
Now, Jeongguk had become suspicious. His friend had always been good at observing even the faintest details. And if Jimin was here to inform him that his emotions and feelings that remained to linger for Lisa was obvious, then he was about to kick himself by the gut.
"yes Park, what are you trying to say?" Jeongguk could not take it anymore and decided to just get it out rather than dilly dally over the obvious issue.
"Kim Namjoon, you know him right?"
"The head of the neurosurgeon department of your hospital? and Noona's friend, right?" Jeongguk confirmed, referring to Jisoo as the woman who was friends with Namjoon.
"Correct, but besides that, he's the official doctor of Lisa after she had graduated college so about 4 years ago."
Jeongguk continued to listen, realising that Jimin's observations weren't about Jeongguk's inability to control his emotions but rather the health of the woman who came with him tonight.
"I don't want to tell anyone yet but I felt like I needed to tell you." the surgeon starts to trail off
"Lisa's condition is..."
"is what?" the other impatiently questioned.
"It's critical. fragile. one wrong move and Namjoon says that the temporal lobe can damage the other parts of the brain, causing Lisa to be in need of a surgery that is rarely practiced by neurosurgeons"
"meaning?"
"Meaning, if she remains to have a lack of progress of her memory gain and her headaches continue, she will be in need of surgery. And if the surgery is unsuccessful and we accidentally hit a different nerve..."
"spit it out, Jimin"
"She could either be brain dead or she could permanently forget her memories before the surgery, with 0% guarantee of ever getting them back" Jimin finally states, his shoulders seemingly becoming heavier than before.
"what?" Jeongguk expressions were calm and collected but Jimin saw through those eyes the raging anger, pain and different emotions that the heir had so longingly tried to hide.
"One wrong move can place her in deep perishable state..."
"I don't know why you can't say this to the rest of our friends. Shouldn't they know too? So that they can be careful as well?" Jeongguk had a point, but Jimin had another perspective in mind about.
"Yes, they should know and be careful. But your actions are the greatest ones that can affect Lisa's state.
Namjoon informed me that last month Lisa stopped coming in for her usual complaints of headaches.
Lisa also informed him that her memories had begun to resurface, something that hasn't happened in about 3 years"
Jeongguk could connect the dots. It was obvious that the moment the heir had begun to hang with her, the betterment of her condition had started.
However, he remained to close some boundaries on the two of them, fearing that if he goes too close, the memories would start coming back too quickly which was why he was so adamant on keeping his distance.
However, he hadn't realised that his distance was causing her even more harm.
"Guk, whatever you're doing, don't leave Lisa's side. Don't play on her emotions by being with her and then leaving her the next second.
If you know what's your obligation as a friend, as an ex, as a person who's still possibly in love with her, then don't cause her any more harm that you've done by distancing yourself.
I know deep down you remain to blame yourself for what happened, but guk, don't you think it would be harder for you to move on or forgive yourself if you don't save her from a vicious fate that you've could've prevented ahead of time?"
Jimin had a point. And it irked him. It irked Jeongguk because everything that he did, the distancing, the pretension that he never cared for, it was all for her sake.
Because he was begging the heavens that she could get better if he wasn't around bringing back the traumatic memories of her past that mostly centred around him.
Yet even the time that his main purpose was to help and save her, he ended up hurting her like usual.
It seemed that every time she was near him, danger and pain came upon her. It was his fault. It was all because of him.
Even her kidnapping. The fact that she was taken away and abused, hurt, brainwashed. It was all so that his rivals could get to him.
Because, it wasn't just because of the fact that he was the heir to the Black Dragon Mafia Group that they wanted to get his head. His enemies had another reason. And it was starting to spread.
The secret he has tried so long to hide was becoming more known.
The true secrecy of his existence for being the Crown Prince of the North Korea throne, the future rival and competition of one of his greatest friends, Kim Seokjin.
"I'm already causing her too much shit right now Jimin. I don't wanna cause further damage
.... And this relationship me and Lisa have, it's all I can give. This is the full extent. To be honest, even doing this is such a drain..."
Jimin's eyes wavered in a serious threat, as if anger was slowly consuming the usually calm and reasonable male.
"what do you mean?"
"Trying to keep my feelings in check. Trying to make sure I don't go beyond the line. Trying to respect her boundaries when for years now all I've wanted to do is just to be with her"
"You distancing yourself is what's gonna hurt her guk. So it's either you kill her by making her suffer or you help her by being her salvation".
_
The party had started to quiet down and most of them had proposed to leave early so that the married couple may spend more time with each other as well as considering Jisoo's pregnancy.
The group had descended to the garage level through the house' elevator where a huge parking lot with LED lights were scattered.
All of the sports cars that they had come with were all placed side by side by the valet workers.
Each one of them were starting to give their hugs, pats, and cheek kisses as a form of goodbyes while others were having small talk before their separation.
Jeongguk neared Taehyung, his expression different from the one the mafia heir had when they weren't alone.
"Guk" Vantae starts by giving a nod to his best friend who he knew himself was acting quite differently than usual.
"Taehyung. you haven't told her, have you?" he starts off. The racing heir had realisation dawn on his face.
Ah. So this is what this was about.
"Why are you in such a hurry for me to say it, Jeongguk?"
There was tension between the two friends. Tension that no one wasn't able to notice since everyone thought that out of all the members of elites, those two were inseparable.
"Jen is my friend" The Black Dragon heir stated with force, eyes boring through his best friends' mocking ones.
"She's my fiancée" The young master of the Red Pheonix retaliated, a mocking and pissed off expression on his gaze.
"Precisely" the other heir finishes.
"It's not like I'm telling you to shout it out, but you could at least have the conscience of being truthful to your future wife of who you truly are, Vantae." Jeongguks words were dripping with lethal seriousness.
"Don't act as if its as easy as telling her that I love her, because God Guk, you're the last one who should be talking about being truthful" Vantae states, his eyes suddenly glancing at the long-legged food chain heiress who was talking to Roseanne at the moment.
"You know that that situation is fragile. You know every thing is for her sake. At least I did something by asking other's for help to make sure she's getting better" Jeongguk fights back, scoffing in the process.
"You know that's not what I'm talking about"
Jeongguk felt a pain from his back, goosebumps spreading through his skin. He couldn't have known..too...right?
Vantae snickered, tongue pressing towards his cheeks before heaving a heavy sigh.
"Let's end this before it gets out of hand" Vantae proposes.
"I think we shall" Jeongguk agrees, his jaw tightening as if trying to control his impulsiveness.
"I'll tell her soon, I promise you, I would. But don't act as if you don't have your own mess to handle. Let me handle my own and I wont interfere with yours" Vantae says, face with playfulness yet a deathly glint was in his eyes.
"Is that a threat?" Jeongguk asks, his lips curving in a pissed expression while he tried his best to bite his inner lip to prevent the situation from getting out of hand.
"It seems that there's too much secrets between us, brother" The young master stated before leaving the black dragon heir at his position.
And when the Red Pheonix master was farther away from him, "It seems there are" he says under his breath.
He watched as his closest pal near his closest female friend.
Vantae's hands were lightly hovering over Jennie's waist as the latter remained to be in a conversation with Jisoo.
Jeongguk watched the sudden alteration of expressions on Vantae's ethreal face. Transforming from a furious mockery to an endearing one.
He loved them both, which was why Jeongguk kept pushing for his friend to say it. He wasn't just Taehyung's long time friend, but he was Jennie's as well.
He wanted to avoid the bigger heartbreak that the two would get if the heiress ends up being the one to find out on her own.
And besides, knowing Taehyung, Jeongguk knew that his friend was being hostile regarding his engagement with Jennie, thinking that its fragile. The racing heir always acted like that when it came to her.
He's avoided so many situations of confrontations and confessions with Jennie fearing of the countless possibilites that may arise after it.
However, when it came to anything but Jennie, he was strict and direct to the point, making it very clear that his word was law.
But, with his vulnerability for his love for Jennie he always ended up becoming a mess when it came to her.
Jeongguk knew it was messing with Vantae's head, which was why he was so serious about forcing the heir to confess to her. He knew it wasn't an easy thing especially with the information he found about the engaged couple's past,
But in a battle of pain and deceit, the lesser evil was to be chosen. He knew that Vantae confessing to Jennie would cause a disruption between the two's happy relationship, but would it be far better for the fashion prodigy to find out about it after they've long been married?
He would give his friend time, but his patience can only run for so long, especially when his own conscience was eating him alive of the terrors he now knew.
Without noticing, Jimin had neared Jeongguk, a hand suddenky clasping on the younger's shoulders.
"What are you gonna do about it, guk?"
He knew what his friend was referring to, and after his deep and silent thinking, he had decided that if approaching Lisa would save her life, even if it means that she got her memories back and would return to hating him, then so be it.
"All the things I've ever done was to make it up to her. To keep her safe and happy. And if it means that she ends up hating me in the end, then so be it"
Jimin flashed him an understanding smile and a grateful nod before clasping Jeongguk's shoulders tightly once more.
The older meant to say, "you chose right".
With a tired sigh, they all said their final goodbyes and Jeongguk headed towards Lisa who was kissing Jennie's cheek goodbye.
Jeongguk had said his goodbyes to Jennie and a tense one with Taehyung before turning to Lisa.
"I'll take you home" he offers, making it automatic that he'd take her home since he was the one who drove her there in the first place.
"I'm alright. Chaeyoung is taking me, Thank you though" the heiress replies but Jeongguk couldn't help but feel that Lisa's voice and aura around him was way different from the one she had when they came together, as well as when they were seated together.
She felt more distant. More cold.
With a forced smile, Lisa said her goodbye to Jeongguk and proceeded to walk towards Rosie, lightly locking her arms with the other as they headed towards Rosie's sports car.
"What was that all about?" a female voice questioned, making the black dragon leader face the way the voice had come from.
"I'm not quite sure either" was all Jeongguk who was currently dumbfounded and confused could reply back to Jennie.
Taehyung gave a look to Jennie, signalling that they shouldn't question Jeongguk right now and that they should head out.
By casually holding her waist, he was able to direct her to where their way to Vantae's car was.
Taehyung and Jennie started to walk before the former casually laid his hand on his best friend's back.
With a grasp on his shoulder from Taehyung which was a sign that he and Jennie were leaving, Jeongguk remained to look at Lisa's direction, unable to figure out what had just happened.
_
Before all 6 of her friends could get into their respective cars, something had come up in Jisoo's head making her eyes slightly widen.
She had forgotten to tell them.
"Guys! next week Saturday, on the 11th of December,
is the 5th year reunion of our batch in La Tremoille. You better get your asses there, don't forget"
The remaining 6 were slightly surprised. They all had forgotten of the celebration of their 5th year reunion, but it was partially because they didn't even know it would be on the 11th.
Most of them had thought that it would happen after Christmas but it seemed that the events committee had other ideas.
Most of them had backed out from becoming part of the reunion committee due to their busy schedules despite being former heads but Jisoo had wanted to join, making her the only past-head who actually knew what was happening.
A sequence of confirmations regarding their presence erupted from different areas of the garage.
That was all the eldest heiress had needed to hear before she gave all of them a charming smile, watching as they each headed out of the parking garage.
A light beeping came from every car to signal a 'farewell' to the married pair before exiting the underground.
In a white two seat porsche, Roseanne had made her car roof top down, allowing the wind to run through her hair.
The city's wind under the neon lights as well as passage ways had given a scenery and a good feeling to the friend beside her a sense of calm.
Something that Rosie was sure that the troubled younger was in need of.
Roseanne knew that Lisa had been alright the whole evening, however something had happened that suddenly caused her mood to change.
Rosie decided not to pry, knowing full well that it was hard as it is for Lisa to open up as it is, making her decide that she should wait for Lisa to speak when the latter wants to.
The female attorney had studied psychology for her prelaw, making it easy for her to pinpoint and understand when something was amiss in one's actions.
But Lisa wasn't a case or a client, she was one of Chaeyoung's childhood best friends.
And she knew by the sudden request of the younger to drive her home, it had something to do with the male that the heiress had initially had come with.
Lisa was ever so grateful to the motherly and understanding nature of her friend.
Chaeyoung was probably the most comforting companion one may ask for, making it easy for her to understand why one of their friends remained to be madly in love with the married gal.
But her focus suddenly went back to him. He who she thought she finally found an ounce of comfort in.
He who she thought was her salvation in this fucked up condition that she had.
His kindness and understanding despite his slight coldness was something she appreciated in the past weeks they hanged out.
He didn't push her too much but he wasn't too aloof either. Something- No. Someone she needed.
Jeongguk's very presence had given her peace and tranquillity. His rare yet endearing smiles and the glances he would give her had started to tug a small string in her heart, allowing her to forget about her situation and sudden infatuation for Vantae.
With that thought, as well as the memories of the happenings for the past few weeks, a bittersweet smile tugged on her lips.
Yet the scene awhile ago had resurfaced in her mind, making Lisa taste the bitterness on her tongue.
She was just supposed to grab another wine bottle from the kitchen. She wasn't supposed to snoop on the two shadows that were talking outside the dining hall, but the echo of their feet and breaths due to the huge size of the house had made it inevitable for Lisa to hear their conversation.
Inevitable for her to hear those words that made her heart and mind stop dead in their tracks.
".... And this relationship me and Lisa have, it's all I can give. This is the full extent. To be honest, even doing this is such a drain..."
She wasn't mistaken.
It may have been more emotional than usual but she could bet her life on it, that that voice belonged to none other than, Jeon Jeongguk himself.
The crown prince of North Korea as she had remembered from her memory gain last night.