"You gotta go and get angry at all of my honesty
You know I try but I don't do too well with apologies."
Artist: Justin Bieber
Song: Sorry
Album: Purpose (Deluxe)
Lalisa
It's already 10:34 in the evening, and I'm standing in front of this massive gate of a massive mansion.
I decided to personally apologize to Jennie since I'm feeling guilty for the words I said to her. You know, words are deeper than knives.
I'm carrying a couple of 1/4-size illustration boards that Haruto asked me to buy for his project, and a plastic bag. It's quite a lot and heavy, but I can still manage since I'm pretty strong.
"Miss, you have been standing there for almost an hour. I wonder if you are looking for someone." A man, I think in his forties, wearing a suit saie. I bet he is Jennie's family butler.
I bowed at him and spoke.I need to talk to Jennie, and I'm still gathering strength to talk to her.
"May I know who you are?" I nodded.
"I'm Lalisa Manoban, her teammate and trainee." I introduced myself and he nodded.
"I'm Sungji, Kim's family butler." He offered a handshake, and I quickly shook it. "Let's go inside."
He guided me inside the gate, and we walked a bit until we arrived at the mansion.
"Why did you let me in?" I asked him what made him chuckle.
"Why not?" He asked.
"You don't know me, but I might steal some expensive vases here."
"I know you are not going to do that, and I saw you a couple of times taking her home." We arrived in front of Jennie's room, and he knocked on the door.
"Ms. Kim, your teammate named Lalisa Manoban wants to talk to you." He said.
She opened the door, and her eyes widened when she saw me. Maybe she didn't know that I was with her butler.
"Get lost!" She shouted and slammed the door at us.
The loud bang of the door echoed through the whole mansion, and we just stared at the door for a couple of seconds.
"She clearly doesn't want to see you. I bet you did something that made our grumpy Jennie super mad." He stated, and he chuckled a bit.
"I called her bitch twice." I admitted it, and he suddenly patted my shoulder.
"Nice one, that is the word she despises the most, despite the fact that she is the very definition of it." He continued chuckling and we went downstairs.
I went out of their mansion and Mr. Sungji was still accompanying me. It's pretty cold here outside, and there is no star indicating that it might rain.
All of a sudden, an idea hit my head that made me stop walking. I looked at Mr. Sungji, who was looking at me confusedly.
"Do you have a black marker?" I asked him.
"We have. Why?" He asked back.
"Can I borrow it?" He nodded and jogged back into the mansion.
I walked to where Jennie's window can be found. I dropped my bag and the plastic bag I was holding on the ground.
Mr. Sungji arrived with a permanent marker in his hand, and he handed it to me.
"What are you going to use this for?" He asked and watched me.
"I need to apologize to her. I hurt her so much." I removed the plastic from the illustration board and wrote something on it.
"It's already late. You can say your sorry to her tomorrow." He said.
"There is a Filipino saying that we shouldn't sleep if we are still not on good terms with someone. I don't think you ever heard that saying, but it's an old saying for couples. " I stated that as I finished writing on the illustration board.
"But you two are not a couple." He responded nonchalantly.
Ouch! You didn't have to tell me, and I don't have any plans to like her more.
"I'm done." I changed the topic and returned the marker to him.
I searched for a good stone that would wake Jennie if she was sleeping already.
"Gotcha!" I exclaimed when I found a nice rock.
I threw it at her window and no one opened it. I tried once again, but to no avail.
Mr. Sungji just watched me in amusement and didn't bother to stop me from throwing a stone at Jennie's window.
I threw four stones, and that made Jennie open the window. She looked around and I waved my hand so she would notice me.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" She shouted, and she was about to close her window, but I shouted.
"Yah! Jennie Ruby Jane Kim! Don't close the window, listen to me first!" I shouted back.
"Shiro! Get lost!" She shouted angrily.
"I will break your window if you don't let me talk to you!" I threatened, and she threw me some dagger looks.
"Try me then!" I grabbed a big rock and pretend like I was going to throw it at her. "Yah! Don't you fucking dare! Stupid Monkey!"
"You told me to try! Scaredy Kitten!" We glared at each other. "Fine, if you don't want to listen, then just read it!"
She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. I lifted above my head the illustration board and showed it to her.
'Captain, I'm truly sorry for what I've said.'
I dropped the first illustration and let her read the other one.
'I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, it was just that I'm hurt too when you make me feel like I'm just part of the team because you need your team to be exact twelve.'
'Please, I hope you will forgive me and accept my apologies.'
I promise that I will do my best in the future to stop myself from calling you the b-word.
I finished flashing the illustration board at her and looked at her with my pleading eyes.
All of a sudden, she closed her window and turned off the lights. I guess she is still mad at me.
Mr. Sungji told me to just go home and let Jennie's cool down. He guided me till I was outside of the massive gate.
I sat on the sidewalk and put my things down on the floor.
"My effort went to waste." I mumbled under my breath and deeply sighed.
It's already around 11 p.m. and I'm still here in front of her mansion. I think I should probably go home and just talk to her at the university.
I carried all my stuff and started walking when suddenly I felt something cold drop on my skin.
It's started raining; such a lucky day.
I let the rain fall on my skin since I don't have an umbrella and I still have a long way to walk till I arrive at my house.
•••
Jennie
I'm walking to the court when suddenly my mind flashes an image of how Lisa asked for my forgiveness.
She looked so guilty and sincere when she apologized to me last night. Her effort made me realize that Lisa is not like others; she knows and can easily read me.
I think her special abilities are not only to see physical capabilities but also to see what I am feeling inside and what's going on inside my head.
Mr. Sungji told me that she stood for a long time outside our mansion before he let her in, and he said that Lisa is definitely one of a kind and I'm lucky to have a friend like her.
Well, she is not totally my friend. We are just teammates, but our connection is a bit deeper than that, especially when we hung out twice and she comforted me twice.
When I walk onto the court, I see my teammates practicing, as they always do when they have free time.
I sat beside Jessi, who was watching my teammates.
"Did you hear something about Lisa?" She asked, which made me confused.
"What's wrong with her?"
"She is still not here and she is not answering her phone. Our third game will be in three days. She needs to train with them so she will have a good connection with them." I take out my phone and stare at Lisa's contact number.
"Maybe she is just late." I said and pocketed my phone.
"I don't think so." She said this as she walked away, probably going to her office.
Last night it rained hard. I think she already went home before it started raining, since Mr. Sungji told me that she guided her till our gate.
" Haruto replied to me. He said that his sister is sick and can't come to her class today." I heard Rosie say.
"Should we visit her?" Jisoo asked our teammates.
"I think we should." Seulgi answered.
"Let's just ask her brother first if it will be okay since Lisa hates it when someone visits her when she is sick because she thinks she has an uncurable disease every time someone visits her." Rosie said, that made me raise an eyebrow.
She knows a lot of stuff about Lisa. I don't think that Rosie only sees Lisa as a friend, especially when her eyes light up when Lisa is around and she is always staring at her.
I scooted closer to Rosie, which caught her attention.
"I didn't know you were that close to Lalisa." I said, and she nodded.
"We are friends, that's why."
"How did you two meet?"
"When her family stayed for a couple of months in Australia, we coincidentally met each other and became friends."
"You like her?" She nodded.
"As a friend." She added.
I don't think so. I bet you like her romantically.
They continue their training and I stayed in the bleachers staring at my phone and contemplating wether to contact Lisa's phone or not.
Suddenly, my phone rang and I quickly answered it not looking who is calling. I hope it was Lisa.
Me: Hello.
Unknown: Ruby Jane, I want you to come here in my office in 30 minutes. Don't be late.
He immediately ended the call, not waiting for my response. It was my father. He probably wants us to pretend that we have a good father and daughter relationship.
I picked up my bag and exited the court. Luckily, I brought my car with me, so I drove to my father's office.
A lot of employees greeted me, but I didn't bother to greet them back, especially when I'm not in a good mood.
I arrived at his office and knocked three times on the door.
"Ruby Jane, come sit beside me." My father said this with a smile on his face. I sat beside him and looked at who was with him.
My jaw almost dropped and my eyes widened when I saw the two people I've been idolizing. It's Marco, the famous coach and trainer. He is sitting beside his wife, Chittip, the best fitness specialist.
"Annyeonghaseyo, I'm Jennie Ruby Jane Kim and I'm such a big fan of both of you." I introduced myself and bowed at them.
"Nice to meet you, Jennie. I'm Chittip and this is Marco, my husband, but just call us Uncle and Auntie." They offered a handshake, and I quickly shook their hands.
"You are a very beautiful woman, Jennie. It's sad that my eldest child is not here. She is around your age and I think you two will be good friends if she is here." Uncle Marco said.
"May I know where she is?" I asked.
"She went home late and wet last night because of the rain, and then earlier this morning she had a fever."
"Oh, that's a pity. I hope to meet her soon. "
"We will bring her next time along with her sibling." I nodded and smiled at them.
They talked about my father's upcoming business. Uncle Marco and Aunt Chittip will be part of it. I didn't know that they were also interested in business.
I just listened to them and Auntie Chittip sometimes talks to me, so I will not feel out of place.
Later on, their meeting ended, and both Uncle and Auntie left together. It's now just me and my father here in his office.
"Ruby Jane, I want you to go to the hotel and restaurant of your Uncle Woosung." Dad said, but it sounded like a demand.
"Why?" I asked.
"To meet and entertain their son. I bet you will like him, and I want you to make sure that he will fall for you for the sake of our merging going to happen between our and their companies." I furrow my eyebrows.
"I don't want to. I don't even like him." He raised an eyebrow.
"Do it. The wedding is the only thing that will make our company and their company bond stronger."
"Uncle Woosung has been your friend since you two were toddlers. He will never withdraw from the merging and his shares in your company. " I stated
"Still, you will make him fall for you and marry him. So, I know for sure that you have a secure future." I looked at him in disbelief and clicked my tongue in annoyance.
"You know what? Uncle Woosung is much better than you. He never controls his child and gives him freedom to do whatever his child wants. And you, you are the total opposite of him. You don't even care what I feel and you never ask me if I'm okay. There are a billion people in the world, and I'm one of the unlikiest children for having a father like you! " I raised my tone, and he suddenly slapped me in the face.
"How dare you raise your tone at me, Ruby Jane?" He growled, and I glared at him.
"I think it's better if I stay away from you and live my life alone since you and my mother are always making me feel alone and abandoning me in a big mansion. From now on, you are not my father anymore, and I'm not your daughter anymore. I can't consider you my father because you treat me like a servant who will follow everything you say. I hate you so much, Jungjae." I left his office and stopped myself from crying.
He looked so shocked when I called him by his name. Maybe he didn't expect that his daughter would call him by his name like a stranger.
I got inside my car and drove away. When the traffic light turned red, I stopped and I felt my tears slowly fall from my eyes.
This time, I have no one to cry on and sboulder to lean on. No one will comfort me like Lisa did when we were on the rooftop and hospital.
I need you, Lalisa.