Jennie
On our way to the Holiday Inn, I pull down the passenger-side mirror. I run my fingers through my hair, fix my lipstick, and try to make myself look a little less, like I've been rolling around in the back seat with Lisa.
Lisa, on the other hand, leaves herself as she is. She's lucky, she always looks ready to take on the world. She could pull out of me, zip up her pants, and go straight into a business meeting and no one would be any the wiser. The thought makes my thighs clench a little tighter. Focus, Jennie.
We drive up to the hotel minutes later. Lisa leaves her blazer balled up under the seat, and we head inside. We take the elevator up to Ren and Nayeon's room. I follow the maze of numbers until we get to theirs, and I knock on the door.
It's only a moment before the door swings open. Ren stands on the other side of it, and immediately, his eyes graze us. His lips press into a frown.
"You two have clearly been having crazy rabbit sex without us." Ren announces. "How uncouth."
"We're not... what?" I fumble.
"Your lover has your lipstick on her neck."
Lisa's hand flies to her throat as though she's been bitten, and she rubs the offending smudge off.
"Can we come in?" I ask delicately. Ren is perched like a hawk and clearly in a mood.
"If this is a coup..." Ren starts.
"No. No coup." I lift my palms to show him that I mean no harm. "I'm not here to take over. You're right. I thought I could handle this and... I can't." I shrug. "I'm just here to help, in whatever way that I can."
Ren watches me sceptically, but then the hardness around his eyes softens and the crease leaves his forehead. "Bollocks. It takes big balls to come crawling back." he admits. "All right, come on in. Welcome to the front lines."
Whatever can be said about Ren, he is organised. There is no madness here, only method, unless, of course, a wall full of Post-it notes, magazine cut-outs, and invoices looks like madness.