In The Sunset Where We Met
Chapter 20: Somewhere Only We Know.
29/07/22
Cross your limits to prove yourself.
Challenge yourself, at every moment you can and you'll see what you're capable of.
Daily words that made her the woman she is.
Kicking out her coach was not something that the man was waiting for, even less something that she expected to do. Ah! Her skin crawled every time she remembers it, but she also laughs at herself. My God, she kicked him out. She, literally, kicked him out of his own gym. Or she was crazy and too fooled by Jeon Jungkook, or the celebrity sickness went to her head.
No, forget it! She always had that sickness.
It's just... Even when she wasn't a super-recognized star, acting like she was one was fun. A part of her always knew it, even though we're taking in count this shameless behavior.
The man looked at her completely confused when she asked him if he could leave the establishment. Lisa had lost her mind... again.
Butttttt! In her defense... She didn't always train there with him included. The times she assisted, which weren't much due to her tight schedule, they always do it together. At this point, she knew every trainer and had a few acquaintances too. Some of them are more advanced than others. And Lisa wasn't the kind of person who sits and waits for his trainer to come, show her how to do something, and then leave. No. She was even annoying. She always wanted more and more. That eventually take them to the point of letting her do her thing and train by herself, always taking in count the recommendations and advice so she wouldn't get hurt. She didn't always need supervision.
And when the sudden call of that boy arrived, she was just entering the Gym. Yes, she didn't have a better idea than texting him before training. The latent emotion of wanting to see him whipped her like autumn's wind. And unable to flee from his convincing voice, she agreed to see him.
Right now.
Asking her trainer to leave them alone was an instinct that purely arose from her idol's life. She didn't want to bother Jungkook either, she didn't know at what point his limits could reach.
But, surprisingly and contrary to what she would suppose, the trainer told her no.
"No."
"What?!"
"I said no," he folded big big enormous arms over his chest. Woah, distracting. "Lalisa Manobal, get off your high horse. You're a nobody here."
She gasped.
Her mouth opened as well as her eyes. She looked at him in complete disbelief.
"How DARE you say that?"
"It's the truth, girly."
"This is unbelievable! I am even asking, how could you..."
The bald man turned around, letting the idol and her illogical mindset talk alone. Seriously, what was happening right now?
"After we've been friends for so long!" She took a hand to her head in a dramatic movement.
ugh.
"This is why you, female idols, do pilates instead of boxing..."
"Yah, what did we say about the stereotypes?!"
He turned to face her again, looking at her obviously.
"Oh, well, excuse me, I can't take it seriously with you," he explains with irony. "You were asking me to leave my own place!"
"Alright, alright! Nevermind, I did ask you anything!" She rolled her eyes, tying up her hair, and giving a few jumps above the ring. "Now come take some punches."
He laughed, noticing the irony of her rude words combined with her cute voice, who'd ever take her seriously?
"I see you're inspired."
"Of course...," she murmured, throwing punches at the air as if she'd be in a fight. "I didn't come to play."
He put himself in front of her, fastly dismissing the little fight she unsatisfactorily attempted to make, and started to give her instructions. The sequence would go light rather than something too complicated, and that was okay. She was not that frequent at exercising –due to her schedule– so she didn't consider herself more than a casual practitioner who now needed extra energy and stamina for the upcoming comeback.
Feels like the same old story now.
"By the way...," punch, "... as you told me no...," punch, "you'll have to...," punch. Sweat fell down her forehead. "...you'll have to accept my lover boy as well."
"Uh?"
The man looked at her like she'd lost her head once again.
"That," she stopped fighting for a moment. "He is in the way."
He blinked.
"So..., you were expecting me to leave my workplace just so you could have an encounter/possible date with your boyfriend, Lalisa?"
He looked at her with his eyebrows raised up. Blah, it wasn't that of a big deal.
"I didn't say boyfriend, I said lover boy–"
"Boyfriend sounds better!"
"I am a foreigner, I don't understand those concepts."
His eyelids fell down as he looked at her with an expression that yelled: be fucking real!
"Oh, and look at there!" She pointed at the spot behind his shoulder. "He is already here."
A young man, all covered in black clothes, and with a noticeable presence, went through the door. With an almost curious delicacy.
Jungkook eyed the place, wondering for the seventh time if he misread her text and if he was getting into the wrong place.
When he was just coming, and he arrived in front of this unknown gym, he seriously thought he was wrong, and he texted her once again, but she wasn't answering. The only thing he could do was to check it out himself.
And there she was, above the ring and wearing a tank top with loose pants. She was observing her with an expectant look.
From afar, Lisa saw the guy approaching, slowly and cautiously.
"Hi?"
Poor boy, Lisa, do something!
"Ah...," she basically ran towards the edge of the ring, taking the boxing gloves off her hands in the way. She pulled from his hand to make him step on.
"Wait, my shoes–"
"Coach!" Pushing Jungkook forward, who was dying of embarrassment, she smiled at the man. "He's who I was talking about, ta da!"
Ok, but she introduces him without even telling him before?!
He flashes a cordial smile down the serious big man's gaze and holds out his hand. Is this what he is supposed to do? Why is he so nervous? It's not like she's introducing him to her family!
"Uh... Nice to meet you."
The man narrows his eyes before accepting his hand. Thank God, it'd be uncomfortable and awkward if he wouldn't. Just imagine it! His hand would start shaking and he would say something stupid.
"Yeah, nice to meet you too."
The man quit his eyes off him to observe accusingly at the girl hiding behind Jungkook's broad shoulder. An innocent smile on her face.
"So your lover boy is a BTS member?"
What? Then he recognized him?
"Tsk! Those are just minor details!"
"Uhu... minors."
"Excuse me, Sir. You do recognize me?"
The big man frowned looking at the younger. He laughed, playfully bumping his shoulder.
"Yeah?" he turned around, stepping down the ring and still looking at him somewhat strangely. "To be a member of the biggest band, you're not the smartest guy, uh." Then he looked back at Lisa. "Oh, well, that might be why you two match well."
"How dare you?!"
He shook his head.
"I will quickly go to the bathroom and for more water. Get ready, Yoongi!"
HUh?
"Yoongi?!" He looked at Lisa, the nervousness and shyness going away to be replaced with disbelief. He was offended. "How dare he?"
"I know right?!" She laughed at him.
How could he be compared to Yoongi?! He gets if it's Tae-hyung or even Jin but Yoongi?!
Incredible...
The laughs died down as they finally noticed each other's presence.
Like... notice for real.
Jungkook observed her. He is been craving to see Lisa for such a long time now. Or was it a short time...? It was confusing. He definitely had liked other people before, yet he never felt that longing for any of them. While calling her, and sending her letters, he realized he might be a little too dense to her. Was he? Why couldn't he stop this feeling?
"Hi..."
She was being hyperactive and more than awake -despite not having slept that much-, with all her senses at their maximum power. Her schedule being full again was to blame for this. As if she drank all the available caffeine in her house. It wasn't true but it was a valid comparison. Forgetting the time and living in the now had become a lifestyle she couldn't even control.
Or at least, until he saw those eyes again.
"Hi..."
Jungkook stepped forward, giving himself the chance to be closer. A very tiny smile slips his lips as he tucks the long strand falling on her face behind her ear. His eyes roam over it noticing the peculiarity. She observes amusingly how they grow in curiosity. His fingers caress her cheek in a way that tickles her.
"It's not blonde," his sweet voice murmurs.
"It's not."
"What color is this?" He held another strand in the air.
He was cute, all interested in what she have done to her mane.
"Auburn. Do you like it?"
He didn't answer and kept on playing with the strands like a little kid but his expression didn't show disgust.
"And where's the bangs?" he frowned looking at her forehead. It couldn't just disappear, right?
"It's there."
"It's not here," confused he said.
She clicked her tongue with amusement on her face and raised her hands to ruffle her hair, the bangs appearing once again. All messy though.
"Oh..."
"Yeah. Oh~"
Both laughed, and he crunched his nose, leaning down to bump their foreheads together in a soft move.
"Auch," she whined with a smile, even when it didn't even hurt.
The auch was probably for her heart throbbing.
"So... boxing?" He looked around, for some reason not finding it surprising that she practiced this sport.
Yeah, the sweaty dance battle gave him enough hint of her strength.
"Mhmm..., sorry for bringing you here," she fiddled with her hands behind her back, her lip being caught between her teeth. "I didn't even ask you if you were okay to come here."
"What are you saying?" He chuckled as if it was a kind of joke. "I literally begged to see you."
The way he avoided her gaze as his cheeks turned bright red contented her heart.
"I wasn't much different either."
He chuckled, looking at the floor.
Lisa bit her lip as if that would prevent her from smiling, and cut the comfortable silence by jumping.
"Well, what do you think?" She jumped above the inflatable surface. "You could train me, Mr. John?"
He smiled back, and fastly took off his shoes to follow her jumps. He advanced with a defiant look on his face, an expression that was matched by hers. She would always be his favorite match.
"But isn't this your terrain? I don't want to disrespect you, miss..."
"Really?" Her tone shouted playfulness.
He approached... He approached until their noses brushed each other and her jumps become mere little bounces that stopped once his firm hands held her waist.
Her big eyes sparkled at him, looking expectantly for something to happen.
She always looked at him that way.
"No. But..."
She sighed deeply when those hands squeezed her frame and made her turn around, supporting her back on his chest. The air stuck on her chest.
"But?"
His lips brushed her ear lobe as he leaned down and his arms wrapped tightly around her shoulders, holding her steady.
"You could try to escape from here."
His breath fastened as his closeness affected her more with every beating second.
"From you?"
"From me."
Well..., he is asking for it.
In a smooth and seductive movement, she turned around still in between his arms. Their eyes connected once again, and with a sultry smile, she made them both fall in the ring.
The smile grew on his lips as she fell above his chest, his arms imprisoning her didn't release his grip. And she held onto his shoulders just as much.
"It's not fair if you let me win," she pouted.
"I didn't."
"Don't lie to me."
He raised an eyebrow, hugging her a little bit more.
"I do not lie to you. You beat me."
"No."
"Yes," he sighed before admitting the truth. "You just make my whole body like this... Soft, flabby."
"What?" She suppressed a chuckle.
"Like jelly."
She started to laugh which only made him smile. Okay, he can do say fool things –which were true after all– if she will laugh like this.
"You won. Fairly," he honestly said. "Also, you're the only one allowed to beat me, alright?"
She gulped, still feeling giggly, and placed both of her hands on his chest, supporting her chin there.
They were so close...
"That was self-defense, player two, not boxing," she murmured just millimeters away from his lips. "I thought you knew about this?"
He smirked, their hot breaths mingling in what their eyes couldn't take away from each other's lips.
"Investigating me?"
"What if I? Unlike you, I did google you a little bit."
His lips parted and brushed hers in a subtle caress. They were almost lost in that, their breaths fastening, their hearts beating loudly, and their eyes closening, willing to let their minds fly away so only hearts could lead them.
"Well, I have my tricks..."
One of her hands slid down towards the beating organ in his chest.
"I would appreciate it if you don't use them now."
None of them knew who started it but their lips crushed against each other once again.
Like they were meant to be, already knowing their texture and their taste, where it starts and where it ends. Like they knew each other's lips for centuries when that was far from reality. They had the pleasure of kissing just a couple times but it already felt so right. So correct.
How could this be wrong?
How could they be wrong?
Lisa moved her hands, and blindly remove a strand of his recently grown bangs off his face. She cupped his face in her hands with loveliness as Jungkook simply hold onto the feeling of the woman owner of those lips.
Her lips felt tender, wet, and healing...
Everything about her felt healing.
Impulses won over him. Suddenly, the positions changed, and now he was the one pressing her against the ring that now seemed like the most comfortable place to be in.
Lisa couldn't hold back her laugh when he kissed her once again, seeming so invested in it.
He separated. An addicting sound creating when he did. He raised an eyebrow at him.
"Are you laughing at me? Take into count that–"
"Shut the fuck up," she rolled her eyes, grabbing his neck once again and pulling him down to kiss her again.
The smile breaking into his lips in the middle of the kiss made her smile too.
Like she never did maybe.
And after all... The things she could ask herself, or that she could ask him, would only be related to the today.
There was no yesterday.
There was no tomorrow.
They were the today.
Just that moment mattered.
But at the end of the day... Their fantasy could not last forever.
And they knew it.
They always knew it.
"Lalisa Manobal, this is not your private place for make-out season!"
"Oops."
She looked up, focusing her eyes to see in the middle of the darkness of that unknown place where Jungkook had stopped.
It was... It was a house.
A cute and small house with not that much detail in it. With apple green walls, and two windows at each side of the only visible door.
It looked like takeout from a fairytale.
Her attention was stolen by the man who approached and grabbed her hand, reassuring her with a little smile.
"Where did you bring me?"
He didn't answer, and instead pulled from her hand, walking in front of her. He noticed he does that a lot, not answering and doing instead.
She didn't know where they were going, less in this darkness and in an unknown place. But she trusted him.
"The pretty part is... on this side." He made her turn around, swaying their hands once they went to the back side of the house.
"Oh, wow..." She murmured in awe.
While the front of the house looked simple, the back of it was hidden by big trees just where the ceiling begins, making it lose all the views from the back. And it was precious. The ceiling was much higher and the house much bigger than it seemed from the front, still painted in those apple green colors and with lights that reminded her of Christmas decorations. And the leaves of the trees above made it even more beautiful.
"Mhmm...," he tugged softly of her hand. "C'mon."
She followed her steps like a fool when she didn't even know where they were heading to.
"What even is this?" she asked finding out he was... climbing upstairs? "Woah! Where did these come from? Hey, we're not getting into private property, aren't we?" She carefully followed his steps, going up the stairs. "I don't wanna be in the news for this."
"Nobody will catch us."
"What?!"
Her eyes widened in the middle of the stairs and she stopped abruptly making him hold onto the railing.
"It was a joke, it was a joke!" he clarified in between nervous giggles. He didn't want to die. "I won't joke with you anymore."
She snorted.
"Let me tell you that you don't know how to joke."
"At least I didn't try to climb a wall like I'd be Spiderman when there was a visible ladder beside."
"You won't ever let that go, right?"
"Not in this life, baby."
Ha, ha.
They finally reached the top, the roof being steady enough for them to stand.
"Do you have everything planned or what?" She asked amused when he pulled a pair of pillows and a blanket from a side.
They were there actually.
The hot temperature and the humidity were at their highest point but they never hurt on a slightly windy night and on top of a hard roof.
"I'm offended that you question it."
They lay there. The ceiling was steady enough to do it without fear of falling and dying.
Looking up at the starry sky, this was definitely not how both of them expected their day to end.
Lisa closed her eyes, inadvertently. Her body seemed to have its own pilot for how she just let her head rest on his shoulder. Muscle memory of where she liked to be maybe. A sigh escaped her lips, and the weight of him leaning on her too was fastly noticed.
"This is precious..." she expressed, tangling her arms around his left one.
Jungkook let her do it, moving his right arm to grab one of the hands clinging to his. The side of their thighs supported against each other. Their bodies pressing side by side created a warm sensation of comfort, peace, and safety.
"The curious thing is... that it hasn't been this pretty before," he admitted admiring the sky full of stars, all of them sparkling like it'd be a show just for them. "Can I blame you for that?"
She smiled flirtatiously.
"You say it's so pretty just for me?"
"Exactly but...," he chuckled. "Don't let it go to your ego."
Pff!
"Don't worry, I know I make the impossible happen."
"I shouldn't have said anything."
"Okay! I'll be humble, maybe it's not me!" she raised her eyes at him. "Maybe if I come alone it won't be this pretty either."
"Maybe..."
"Maybe it's us."
Together.
He nodded, lost in thoughts.
"I think it's us too."
"Do you think we'll be the only ones to step here?"
His eyebrows raised up though she wasn't looking at him.
"Well, it's mine so..."
"Uh? Yours?"
"Yeah... I bought it once I knew it was in sale."
"And why?"
"Do you really wanna know?"
She pinched his arm.
"Auch."
"I wouldn't ask if I wouldn't."
"Yes, you would, you're polite as hell," he smiled.
How could they know each other so much in such a short time?
"Yah, don't distract me."
He stayed in silence for a moment and then he sighed, shrugging.
"I don't know. Sometimes I do impulsive things, and then I regret them... I used to pass by here before," he closed his eyes, immersed in memories. "It looked too... nostalgic. It reminded me of the kind of streets in my childhood neighborhood. This whole block does. And I loved to just see it from afar. One day I found out this house was for sale."
"How did you?"
"It belonged to a single man... He was always alone. Looking sad."
Her grip on his arm tightened.
"He was always nice to me and didn't act like a freak for who I am. When he put in sale the house, I approached and asked why... He said he wanted a new beginning. It looked like he had been alone for a long time, and he didn't want to be that way anymore. He wanted to live not survive. Whatever the reason was, I emphasized with him."
»My situation wasn't similar... Not at all. But... I did... I think for a little moment I saw myself in him.«
The air leaves her lungs as she hears him. She understands what he means.
Feeling lonely sometimes wasn't linked to how many people you have around.
"He left it in you?"
"I did buy it," he nodded. "And I promised him I would put it pretty."
"Look at the good side...," she used a soft voice. "If he ever passes by here..."
"He will see it, yeah," he agreed even before she says it. "I know. I want him to see it."
"He will see you did a good job. Maybe he will be happier, it'd be good that the house is happy too."
"Indeed."
Another question appeared on her head, she didn't even think before bringing it up. Her head leaned even more on his shoulder.
"Will you live here?"
"No," he instantly shook his head. "It's pretty, I like and I would, but I don't want people to know about this. I don't want people invading the privacy and just making this a whole fuss. Just like in the Cafe, it's something I'd like to keep for myself...," he looked down for a moment. "And for you too, of course."
She chuckled, accepting it.
"You're good at finding places."
"I have a tendency. I lived a long life," he murmured like he'd be an eighty-four years old man who went through war.
"Yeah~ say it like you're not only twenty-four."
"The hell you talk about? I am twenty-six!"
"Okay, we're not going to that topic," she dismissed, ignoring the fact that, according to his logic, she was younger.
"And what you'd want to do with it?"
"I–"
"If you ask me!" He laughed at the way she didn't even let him respond. "I think you could, I don't know, make a place like the Cafe here. I mean, kind of like it. Looking at you, I see the perfect owner of a bar..."
"For real?"
"Being a singer and a superstar is still your thing," she nudges him. "It'll never stop being."
"Then, why should I be a Cafe owner?"
She pursed her lips together.
"I don't know... Because you'd look good with a suit?"
"Fair enough. You'd look good as the waitress."
"A pretty waitress?"
"The prettiest and only one," he assured her firmly.
"I can't do all the work alone."
"Mhmm... You're right. We should hire more people."
"But I'd still be the prettiest one right?"
"Yes, only you."
"We could fill it in flowers!"
"And pint it in yellow..."
"We could have some vinyl music in the background!"
"And CDs free to play."
"You could sing."
"And you could dance."
It'd be only them.
Both smiled, chuckled, and laugh. Being immersed into that beautiful and enjoyable daydream fantasy their minds could create.
A place where to be free.
A place where only today were lived.
A place they could love and where they would love.
That place should be somewhere.
Somewhere Only They Know.
"We could..."
"Yes. We could."
And the should and shouldn't suddenly become a could and couldn't.
This could be the end of everything,
so why don't we go
Somewhere Only We Know?
19/08/22
The cards were on the table.
The MV was out. The band was back and their hearts should be the fullest ever.
Right?
A phone ringing woke up the four girls and the rest of their team from the entertaining talk about their pets they were having. Apparently, being a pet's mom was the actual style.
No babies, only dogs and cats.
The blonde stretched her arm just to reach the phone that was ringing on the table beside.
"Pick it up...," Chaeyoung handed Jennie her phone after giving it a quick glance. She frowned seeming bothered by it. "It's... Yian Suk-nim?"
"What?" Jisoo laughed from her side of the room. "Why is he calling you? All of a sudden?"
Jennie raised her gaze, something changing in the way she was looking. The pets talk long forgotten.
There was no hint of disbelief on her face. She looked like she'd be waiting for it.
"Because things need to be cleared up."
almost crying.
hello, everyone!
literally at the edge of crying. I know I'll read the chapter now and I won't find it as cute like how I felt it when writing but it still moved some feelings in me 😫
something really curious happened and it's that their part was supposed to be a little different (at the end) yet even when I tried a lot, the conversation flew somewhere else and I decided to take it as s fate sign that it needed to be like that ❤️
how are you all? :) I've been having emotional days for real, I've been consuming a lot of tragic romance things that has me destroyed. Lmao. I only suffer by books but I feel it DEEP!
I didn't mention it BUT we have only like ten chapter left to the ending. Get ready 😣❤️
Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for the love and appreciation, you all the best and I hope you're having a good week ❤️ my dm is always open if somebody needs to talk 🤍 ( I meant it hihi)
I hope you all enjoyed this. I'll update soon!
With love,
V.