"So!... Issues with the equipment?" Lisa said with a huge smile on her face, but extremely terrified of what would come out of Jennie's mouth. IF anything would come out of Jennie's mouth.
"Oh yeah!" Jennie replied as she turned her face and the upper half of her body towards Lisa. Looking at her body language, Lisa thought that Jennie was actually happy that they started a conversation. Jennie swiftly continued:
"But it's just a minor thing, Chanyeol's guitar string broke, he's going to get it. I think there's a music shop somewhere near here."
This was Lisa's chance for a proper introduction, a way of saying Hey, I'm not from around here, I actually flew in here from Thailand just to see you. I know that probably won't impress you since you're a star and a performer and I'm just a simple fangirl, but yet, I hope it will cause some sort of happy emotion knowing you have a dedicated fan from Thailand. Or not. Either way, I'm doing this!
"Oh, I... I wouldn't know where that is." Lisa stated calmly, letting Jennie talk so that she might take interest in her story. She probably doesn't care-
"Oh!" Jennie was a bit surprised by this, or at least that's the way Lisa read her face.
"Yeah, I'm actually not from Seoul."
"Oh really?" Jennie was excited a bit. "Where are you from, then?"
"I'm from Bangkok!" Lisa stated happily, with a hint of home pride. She was also feeling very nervous because this was the moment of truth. As soon as she said "Bangkok", she felt a bit nauseous, because she did not know if the fact that she flew all the way from there to Seoul would mean anything to Jennie. She felt pressure. For a really, really brief moment, there was a certain silence between the two. Jennie's eyes were wide open and she was staring at Lisa like she wasn't sure if she heard her right. So she asked:
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that? Did you just say Bangkok?" Jennie said with a huge smile and a higher pitch in her voice.
"Mhm!" Lisa nodded her head rapidly, still with a nervous smile on her face, not knowing what's going on.
"Oh my....! Come here, give me a hug!"
THIS IS NOT HAPPENING. NO! NO! I'M DREAMING! I'm gonna wake up in my bed, I didn't pass the exam, I didn't get the ticke- OH MY JISOOS, I AM HUGGING JENNIE KIM! THIS IS HAPPENING! MY ARMS ARE AROUND HER BODY AND TOUCHING HER UPPER BACK AND HER ARMS ARE AROUND MY BACK... I KNOW HOW HUGS WORK BUT THIS IS.....
All of that was going through Lisa's head in the few seconds they were hugging. She felt really nervous but really happy at the same time. Jennie then asked for Lisa to join her at her table. They were sitting next to each other, but still not touching. There was a nervous but, obviously to them, positive kind of energy in the room now that they've met and hugged.
"I can't believe this! I was literally talking on the radio today about you!"
"About me? A girl you've never met?" Lisa said in a state of shock but ended that sentence with a nervous smile.
"Oh no! I'm sorry! What I meant was, they announced a couple of hours ago the list of countries from where the tickets were bought, and they said that one person was coming from Thailand! Is that you?"
"That's me!" Lisa responded with a more confident smile and even a chuckle.
"Oh my... come hug me again, please!" They hugged each other again. Lisa still felt the same nerves as she did when she hugged her for the first time. This is perfect. I don't want to let go. Give me at least a few more seconds.
After the second hug, Jennie pulled closer to Lisa and now Jennie's left thigh and Lisa's right thigh were touching. Lisa felt swamped with so much information she had to process, but there was no time, she had to keep this conversation flowing.
"I'm-" Jennie didn't see that Lisa was about to say something so she went:
"So what's your name?" Jennie went gleefully.
"Oh! Haha! I was just about to introduce myself!" They both giggled. She made Jennie giggle.
And it felt like such a precious moment. Lisa felt an instant admiration towards her and then she thought that if Jennie ever needed a professional dork on tour, someone she can giggle with, Lisa wanted to be that dork. They didn't have to interact much, well, they didn't need to do anything, but if she could watch Jennie Kim giggle from whatever shenanigans Lisa comes up with, that would be just fine. Lisa knew that these were all just musings from a fangirl, so she continued with the conversation.
"Lisa! Well, actually Lalisa, but everyone calls me Lisa, so you can too!"
"Lalisa! Ahhh" Jennie mused. "Do you like being called Lisa, or is it that you've just got used to it?"
"Oh, my friends and my girlfriend have a lot of nicknames for me, so I've heard it all. So uh... whatever comes to mind, you can call me that!" Lisa chuckled nervously again, not knowing what to add.
"I think I will stick with Lisa, since that's what you told me to call you!" Jennie said a slight smile, giggling again.
"Okay!" Lisa added.
Oh my, she seems a bit nervous. I get it, she's a fan, I'm supposed to be the one leading the conversation, so I'll make it easy for her. She's cute! And funny! And she said she has friends and a girlfriend, which means she's popular, which probably means she's got a great personality. And she has a camera, which means she has a healthy hobby. And she flew all the way from Thailand... Hey, I better ask her:
"So wait... Don't tell me you came all the way from Thailand JUST for this concert?"
This is my chance to shine like a true fan. Lisa thought. She then nodded her head vigorously while closing her eyes.
"Oh my...! That's SO COOL! I can't believe it! I mean, fans would usually fly from Japan and China... But wow! All the way from Thailand! This is... You're amazing!"
"No, you're amazing!" Lisa blurted out, not knowing what to say because she felt so overwhelmed with Jennie's praise.
"Awww! Thank you!" Jennie said with a huge smile on her face.
"Miss Kim!" - a huge bodyguard came up to their table. He was different from the one Lisa encountered at the entrance. He looked like he was the head of her bodyguard team.
"Yes?" Jennie asked confused.
"I'm so sorry to disturb you, but, it's one of my men. He already offered his resignation so you don't have to worry about that. He also said that he is very sorry and would like to apologize for the inconvenience. He would have said it in person, but I told him not to disturb you and have already sent him home, he should be out of this club soon."
"Why? What do you mean? What happened?" Jennie was even more confused than before.
"Miss?" The bodyguard turned his body towards Lisa. Lisa knew what was coming. She knew she wasn't supposed to be in this club this early, and she really would have left as soon as she was done talking with Jennie. Now she was caught in the act. I hope Jennie won't think less of me after this.
"Yes?" Lisa replied sheepishly.
"You are not a part of the press, am I right? I don't see any credentials." The bodyguard said calmly.
"N-" She wanted to say but Jennie interrupted her.
"No, she isn't, she's a fan." They still looked at the bodyguard confused. He turned his body again towards Jennie.
"Well that's the thing, miss Kim. Fans are not allowed to enter before the event starts. The press can if they have their credentials. One of my men who was working at the entrance is a new fellow. That is no excuse, but he saw this woman's camera and he thought she was a part of the press. He did not ask or check for credentials. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience. After this event, we will collectively resign as your security team because this is not the way we want to treat the people we are serving. Again, my deepest and sincerest apologies, from myself, the team, and especially the man who was supposed to guard the entrance."
Jennie just stood there, surprised. She then looked at Lisa and then back at the bodyguard.
"I will have to escort this woman out of the club for now, I apologize once again."
"No." Jennie responded calmly. Lisa looked at her with the most apologetic eyes she could come up with. She genuinely wanted to apologize by using her words, but nothing was coming out since she was scared, embarrassed and shy at the moment. Jennie felt that.
"Listen" Jennie continued. "You said this man apologized and offered himself his own resignation?"
The bodyguard was confused but responded with a simple: "Yes."
"Call him now and tell him to get back at his post. It's obvious he takes this job seriously, just like you do, and I need that type of security with me. Tell him that he will have to work harder now, but I know that he won't make a mistake again since this one will probably be buried in his mind for a long time. It was a simple mistake, he's young like you said, it won't happen again, I just know it." then she turned with a slight smile towards Lisa, while still talking to the bodyguard.
"As for Lisa here, she can stay. She came all the way from Thailand for this and I want her to have a good time here in Korea!" Lisa smiled. She felt like her nerves were calming down a bit since Jennie just gave that pep talk. After that, Jennie faced the bodyguard again.
"I like the fact that you informed me, that you did it in a calm manner and that you took responsibility. That is what I am looking for. Tell your man to come here so we can talk in person. Also, if your team resigns, I won't accept it. I will find a way with my management team to hire you again. I want you as my security team, and you as the head of the team."
The bodyguard stood there shook, but nodded his head in acceptance.
"I will send my man here as soon as possible. Thank you for everything, miss Kim." He said and went to call the other bodyguard.
Jennie sat back down with a proud smile on her face. Yeah, I did that - she thought to herself while smiling at Lisa.
"That was... Pretty great what you just did!" Lisa exhaled calmly.
"Oh, that was nothing. But it was the right thing to do." Jennie replied with a smile.
"I... I wanted to apologize for that."
"No. No. No really, no need." said Jennie.
"No, it's just that... I wandered in here on accident... I mean... I was going inside, I wasn't even thinking about security or anything. My legs just had a moment where they, I guess, had a mind of their own... And after a couple of minutes while I was photographing you-"
"You were photographing me?" Jennie was surprised, but in a pleasant manner.
"Yeah, I'm sorry... You're a huge star... And I... I will delete them!"
"No freaking way will you do that! I want to see those!"
"Okay... But... I just wanted to say that AFTER I was done photographing you, I just wanted to say "hi" in a cool manner, not disturb you, tell you why I'm here and that I'm your biggest Thai fan. After that, I would have left and came back when the event started."
"Yeah... That ship has sailed, sister!" Jennie joked. SHE CALLED ME HER SISTER! THIS!
"Listen" Jennie went on "Since none of that happened or is going to happen, and I really appreciate you coming all the way here, why don't we just sit here, talk, maybe order some food from a nearby fast food restaurant and chill. I mean, for as long as I can, I do have to perform later on" Jennie said chuckling.
"I see no reason why not!" Lisa spoke with a higher pitch in her voice and with a huge smile plastered on her face.
"Now, will you show me the photographs?"
THIS DAY CAN NEVER END. Lisa thought.