They got to the restaurant and Lisa was surprised at how intimate it looked. The small wooden tables were spaced out far from each other, there were lights and vines adorning the brickstone walls. The waiter took them to a corner table.
When he came back to take their order Lisa and Ella both said in unison "I want gamjatang."
Jennie giggled at her little Manobans as they fist bumped each other. She'd probably never stop marveling at how alike they were.
Lisa's stomach did a somersault at the sound of Jennie's giggle as Jennie placed her order too.
Jennie was glad her daughter was there because otherwise she wasn't sure how she would have survived dinner. Ella filled in the spaces of their conversation so easily that there was never an awkward moment. If there was ever a lull Ella would jump in with one of her little mini rants.
"—and then auntie Jisoo called him a bad word and a noob and stole all his loot and the guy started crying. Auntie Rosie told her to stop being so mean to grown men online and that she should let them win once in a while and then she hit her on the back of the head for saying bad words in front of me," Ella finished.
Lisa and Jennie laughed at her story.
Before their food had even arrived a couple approached them. Jennie apprehensively looked up, she had never really been good talking to strangers. That was always Manoban territory. Her eyes widened.
"Oh my god, Irene?!" Jennie squealed and jumped from her seat to hug her friend. Irene hugged her back tightly.
"It's so good to see you Jennie. I wasn't sure what had happened to you. I was worried. I tried to get a hold of you."
"I'm so sorry," Jennie cried. "I had to get a new number after we graduated. My parents took my phone back so I didn't have yours anymore either. I couldn't even reach out to you to find you since I moved to Seoul. I've missed you so much!"
They pulled away from each other.
"Im just so glad you're okay." Irene looked over to see Lisa and Ella sitting at the table.
"I knew you two would make it," Irene said proudly, looking between Lisa and Jennie smiling widely. All their other friends had gossiped that there was no way they would stay together once Jennie graduated and moved 8 hours away from Lisa. Especially since they had only been together a few months. Irene had always told them they were crazy if they thought Jennie and Lisa would ever break up. It was Jennie and Lisa!
Those two had been attached at the hip since Lisa had started school with them. Irene would have felt jealous of her downgraded best friend status, but she had always known they had feelings for each other so she really didn't mind. She was just happy for her friend. It was inevitable that they would end up together anyway.
She had been amused watching Jennie get nervous around Lisa. Always asking Irene if she looked okay after primping in the girls bathroom, putting on lip gloss and some light mascara because Lisa had once told her she was the most beautiful when Jennie didn't wear a lot of make up. Irene had watched Jennie take that to heart, she didn't wear a lot of make up after that.
Irene would tease her and say that her girlfriend Lisa would love it and Jennie would always blush saying she's not my girlfriend and that she didn't like her like that. Irene had been one of the ones who had cheered and whistled in the hallway when she witnessed Jennie kiss Lisa in front of everybody. Finally, she had thought.
Before either of them could respond to Irene's comment, Irene's eyes found Ella's, "and whose this cutie?" She asked the little girl. She knew full well it must be their daughter, she looked just like Jennie.
"Hi!" Ella piped up sticking her hand out for a shake, "I'm Ella, that's my mommy and thats my mama. Are you my mommies' friend?"
Irene laughed and shook her hand.
"Your daughter is adorable." She commented to the other two before responding.
"Yes, I was in your mommy's grade so I graduated with her and we were close friends. I wasn't as close with your mama but I always loved her because she took care of your mommy."
Lisa blushed at that. She had always been a little intimidated by Irene and she was scared that Irene hated her because Jennie and Irene had been best friends before Lisa had shown up so she never talked to her out of fear. Irene had always been polite though. Lisa felt kind of stupid now for not trying harder to be her friend.
"My mama always takes care of mommy," Ella responded seriously, "Mommy told me so." Jennie was trying really hard not to blush at what Ella had just said.
After a pause she asked "Whose that?" referring to the woman that had been silently smiling at the interaction the whole time next to Irene.
"This is my wife, Seulgi. I met her in college." She added, looking at Jennie now.
Jennie was a little more than shocked because she had no idea Irene was even into girls.
As if Irene could read her mind she said, "I know, I was shocked too, but you really can't help who you fall in love with. Look at you two, you've been in love with each other since you were like 15?" Irene laughed. "I doubt you guys planned that," She finished with another laugh.
"It's nice to finally meet you guys," Seulgi finally spoke up. "I've heard a lot about you from my wife. She said you guys were the gold standard," Seulgi joked. "You guys set the bar really high for me."
Irene shoved her wife playfully.
Jennie and Lisa blushed. Neither able to say anything. The fact that Irene had even told her wife about their relationship even though she hadn't seen them in years was sobering. They really had, had an epic love.
"Anyway, I'm so glad I found you again and I'm not letting you go this time so give me your number so we can catch up." Irene told Jennie.
Jennie and Irene exchanged info before saying their goodbyes. Lisa had struck up a conversation with Seulgi as Jennie and Irene talked and had hit it off so much so that they exchanged numbers too. Jennie had noticed and it made her want to laugh, Lisa could charm a polar bear into being friends with her without even trying.
"You guys have a beautiful family," Seulgi said before leaving.
Lisa and Jennie spent most of the rest of their dinner avoiding looking directly into each other's eyes after that comment.
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As soon as the waiter brought their food, Jennie's phone rang. She looked at it and frowned. She silenced the call, going back to her food and their conversation.
It rang again. Jennie ignored the call.
It kept ringing as they ate. Another call.
Lisa noticed that Jennie would look at it with a scowl when she read the name of who was calling and then press ignore.
It happened ten more times before Jennie finally lost her patience and excused herself to go answer it.
"I'll be right back." Jennie said as she moved to get up.
Ella spilled her drink over the table seconds later.
"I'm sorry mama!" She said with a pout looking at Lisa, hoping she wasn't going to get scolded for making a mess. "I didn't mean to."
"It's okay babygirl, I'll just go grab some napkins and we'll clean it right up."
Of course the napkins happened to be right by the restroom hallway where Jennie was currently taking her call. Lisa hadn't really meant to eavesdrop but she caught Jennie's end of the conversation nonetheless.
"Stop fucking calling me."
"I don't care that you're going on a stupid business trip for a week."
"I don't want to see you Kai."
"Just go, we can talk when you get back. I don't want to hear your apologies right now."
"No, you fucked up. I told you Lisa always comes first, you've always known that and you overstepped. This is your own fault."
"Look Kai, I'll just see you when you get back, I have to talk to you about something anyway." Jennie sighed.
Lisa realized Jennie was nearing the end of her conversation and she didn't want to be caught eavesdropping so she grabbed a shit ton of napkins and bolted.
Lisa was in a bit of a daze for the rest of dinner. Jennie kept looking at her worriedly but Lisa was unable to snap out of it. She kept thinking back to Jennie's conversation. Lisa always comes first. You've always known that.
Lisa really needed to get her stupid heart under control and her stupid brain to stop hoping.
—————-
After dinner, as planned, Ella squealed and pointed to the ice skating rink.
"Can we go mama please can we go?"
Lisa didn't even get a chance to object before letting herself be dragged to the entrance. Not that that she would have. Whatever Ella asked, Lisa would always willingly give. Jennie followed them reluctantly.
Ella was already at the counter before Jennie could even protest.
"Three please!" She said holding up three fingers.
Lisa pulled out her wallet to pay as the man asked Ella her size. He asked for the other two and Lisa gave hers and Jennie's, still remembering her shoe size right as Jennie made it to the counter.
"Wait, you two should go, I'll watch from here."
It had been too late though because the skates were already rented and on the counter. Ella was pouting at her and although her pout didn't work on Jennie like it did on Lisa—Lisa's soft "don't worry I won't let you fall" did work on her apparently because she found herself putting on the skates two minutes later.
They made their way to the ice rink with Jennie wobbling a little, already worried about falling. Ella didn't even wait for them. She expertly launched off of the entrance and took off.
"Bye mommies!" She said, skating backwards and waving frantically before sharply turning around and skating away.
Jennie wanted to roll her eyes at her. Stupid Manoban athleticism she somehow miraculously inherited.
"Do I have to go?" She asked Lisa nervously who was still standing beside her.
"Come on Nini, take a chance." Lisa said.
Jennie's heart fluttered. She hadn't heard Lisa call her 'Nini' in a long time—besides the time Lisa had thought Jennie was asleep—so she swallowed her fear and went for it.
She immediately wobbled and almost fell on her ass but Lisa caught her. They spent an hour like that as Ella zipped around and around the ring with a large group of kids she had rounded up herself. Ella had already made several friends within five minutes of getting there. She's literally a Baby Manoban, Jennie thought to herself.
Lisa coached her forward with her hands out without touching her, ready to catch Jennie. Lisa would skate backwards and grabbed on to Jennie to steady her anytime she almost fell.
Jennie finally got the hang of it and Lisa started skating backwards faster creating more distance from her and Jennie so naturally, Jennie panicked.
"Wait!" Jennie wobbled forward violently but managed to catch herself.
Lisa smiled at her "see, you're already a pro."
Jennie glared at her and straightened.
As Jennie did so a glint of silver caught Lisa's eye. What with Jennie's plunging neckline and her almost falling a second ago, the necklace she was wearing had freed itself from under her shirt.
Lisa stared, recognizing the engagement ring she had proposed to Jennie with. She stopped skating.
Jennie noticed Lisa pause and followed her line of sight, she looked down. She flushed seeing that the ring was out and in her haste to hide it she lost her balance. Unable to recover this time.
Lisa noticed and quickly skated forward to catch Jennie before she hit the ground. Jennie's momentum was too much to be able to steady her so Lisa maneuvered them so that she took the brunt of the fall by wrapping her arms around Jennie so that when she fell she wouldn't hit the ice as hard. Lisa felt her elbows sting as they hit the ice first, followed by a tumbling Jennie. Lisa made sure to cradle Jennie's head so it wouldn't hit the ice. Inevitably, Lisa landed on top of Jennie.
Jennie was breathing hard and it wasn't because of the scare of the fall. She hastily tucked the ring under her shirt with her free hand as Lisa stared at her intensely.
"I—" she what? What was she even supposed to say. How could she even begin to explain. She looked down. Avoiding Lisa's eyes.
Lisa looked at her hard. Some part of her hadn't trusted the thought that Jennie still wore the ring, thinking Ella might have been confused, but now that she had seen it...She tried not to kiss her. She knew it was wrong. Her heart hammered against her chest. She heard distant giggles and that snapped her out of her trance. She got up gingerly.
"Are you okay Jennie?"
"I—I'm fine."
"You're not hurt?"
"No, I'm okay. Thank you for saving me."
Lisa didn't ask about it. She didn't mention the ring on her necklace and Jennie was relieved. She had no idea what she would even tell Lisa if she had asked.
They rounded up Ella and Lisa started driving them to Jisoo and Rosie's house when they both got a text at the same time telling them not to come home yet because they were "busy."
Unnie: Let Limario entertain you for a couple more hours, I'm going to be a little busy with my wifey so don't come home yet unless you want to be traumatized 😉
Chaeyoungie: Busy with Jisoo so don't drop them off yet. You're welcome btw 😏
It was almost like the other two knew their day was over.
Ella might have stolen her mama's phone while she took off her skates to text her aunties and let them know they were already leaving before deleting the text.
Her aunties had caught on immediately and they made a plan to extend their friends "non-date." Plus, Jisoo had thought, some alone time with her wife couldn't hurt.
Jennie sighed as she read Jisoo's message, she didn't want to go back to Kai's house. He probably hadn't left for his business trip yet. She looked back and noticed Ella was asleep. She smiled at her warmly.
"Is she asleep already?" Lisa asked, it had been too quiet in the car after all.
"Yeah, I need to get her to bed already, she has school tomorrow."
"My apartment is closer, she can stay the night and I can drop her off to school in the morning if you want?"
"Okay."
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A/N
Very special thanks to everyone who has commented and voted! Thank you to my silent readers as well!
Hope you guys enjoyed reading chaesooella's master plan unfold