a/n: such a long ass chapter im sorry
"Not going to lie," Lisa sighed, recalling the most recent call-out. "it was very scary."
"I can imagine." Jennie sat down with a cup of tea. "Why do you go to those anyways?"
"Well someone has to go." She responded, fiddling with the ends of the couch pillows. "And besides, I get to spend time with Jungkook."
The brunette rolled her eyes. "God, you two are so weird. You classify a call-out as a date?"
"You know it." Lisa smiled inwardly. "Did V ever come to you? He had his shoulder beat up pretty bad."
"He...did." Jennie trailed, mind automatically recollecting to the events of that day. She turned away so the younger wouldn't just suddenly see Jennie smiling for no reason.
"What was that hesitation for? Did he not or something? I swear if he didn't I will go and beat his—"
"H-He was there Lis, don't worry." Jennie awkwardly chuckled, grabbing an apple from her kitchen and biting into it suddenly.
"It's like both of you are the same person." Lisa grumbled, watching Jennie eat her apple with a weirded out expression. "I asked about you to him and he like pretty much did the same thing."
"He ate an apple?" Jennie questioned. Lisa rolled her eyes, sitting cross-legged.
"No stupid, he started laughing all weird. V doesn't laugh. I swear, did you freak him out or something with one of those freaky wound pictures on your phone?"
"No, of course not!" The brunette snorted. "But maybe I should show him one of those."
The blonde sighed. "Jennie, I recommend you tell him something else more important than that."
"I did."
There was a loud cough, Jennie glanced over to see Lisa's bewildered expression, eyes wide as saucers.
She stifled a laugh. "What?"
"Bitch what? And you didn't even, I don't know, bother to tell me?"
"Well, I didn't really say it upright but he knows."
"Knows what?"
"That I..." Jennie backed away from Lisa. "like...him."
"Oh thank god we were thinking of the same thing." She sighed. "When did this even happen?"
"When Jungkook got shot."
"So y'all were nasty and confessed right in front of me and Jungkook." Lisa groaned. "Damn, I missed a good show."
"I'm glad you were asleep." Jennie flashed her a fake smile, patting the taller's shoulder then moved to the couch, sitting down.
"Did he kiss you?"
"Lisa!" Jennie whined. "Stop pressing about it, I'm still trying to figure out what happened as well."
"So you guys did kiss? Are you dating now?"
"No, we didn't!" She shrieked, moving away from Lisa. "Stop worrying about it!"
"You know I can't help it. When was the last time I've truly seen you with some guy?"
"Well..."
"Who was the last guy you even dated?"
The brunette awkwardly laughed again. "I don't think you want to know the answer to that."
Lisa groaned. "That last guy you dated was V?"
"Like legitimately, yes."
"You. Are. So. Fucking. Whipped."
"Shut up."
"You couldn't even move on to another guy?" Lisa snorted. "This should be cute, but I don't know why I find this so funny."
"Lisa, you truly know how to make a girl embarrassed." She grumbled.
"Listen, I'm just shocked for both of you. Seeing V...smile in itself was a rare sight. Girl, you make him smile a lot more, you even made him laugh whenever you're around. That's true talent."
"It's not talent." Jennie smiled softly. "That's just his natural personality. You really think Tae was naturally born to act like a cold hearted bitch?"
"He was far from it." Jennie glanced at the shoe rack near her door. "Seeing him not smile is what scared me."
"I forget that you guys used to be friends." Lisa grinned, realizing there was much about the man's previous life which she did not know. "Tell me more."
Laughing, the brunette sighed, sitting back down. "Well, back in high school when we used to date, it was like nothing changed. We were still super close, we didn't act like a couple in school...but after school we would always go to this one bakery near our neighborhood and buy a milkshake. It was a Korean dished bakery, they sold only Korean sweets, but the owner always used to make an exception for us and make these delicious milkshakes."
She glanced at the TV. "The owner said she went to America herself and learned several things, like making those sweet milkshakes. Taehyung always used to get chocolate, and I would get vanilla. In college, especially med school, there would be nights where I would crave something sweet to keep me awake so I could stay studying...and I always thought of those drinks. And it reminded me of my childhood and him, to be honest, it made me kind of sad."
Jennie's life had never been particularly easy. Especially as a kid, there were struggles that neither Taeyong nor Lisa knew. Simply because it was something she did not want to talk about.
It was her form of protecting herself.
"That sounds so sweet." Lisa grinned cutely. "Aw, Jennie and V—you two are so cute."
"Lis, way to ruin the moment."
"I'm not ruining the—" Lisa stopped talking abruptly, eyes locked onto Jennie's window. Or rather, something through the window.
Jennie glanced up, then frowned in confusion.
"Hm? You were saying?"
Lisa blinked, then suddenly bounced up from the seat, backing away.
"Oh my god."
"Lisa? What's wrong?"
"C-Close the window." She whispered, before sighing shakily. "And call V please."
"Lisa, what's going on?"
"Just call him!" She yelled, mainly lashing out in fear. Jennie shut the window, but not before glancing out the window.
Seeing no one or nothing of suspicion, she was more confused. Jennie drew the curtains, then looked back worriedly at the younger girl.
The blonde paced back in Jennie's kitchen, trying to conceal her fright.
"Hey Jungkook." Jennie murmured once the receiver picked up the call. "Lisa's acting weird."
"A little specificity would help Jen."
"Well, we were just chatting and she glanced out the window before acting all weird. She told me to shut the window and call Taehyung." Lowering her voice, Jennie sighed.
"She just muttered something like 'how did he get here?'. Do you understand what she means?"
There was a dead silence, before she heard a slow exhale.
"Ill be there in five. Make sure you lock your door, I'll text you once I'm outside."
He ended the call with those final words, leaving Jennie more and more bewildered. What in the world? What was going on?
She was shaken from her thoughts when Lisa started to cry.
"Jennie, I'm scared." The blonde slumped her head into her arms, sitting down at the kitchen counter. Her eyes softened, approaching Lisa.
"Lis, I don't know what's going on...but you'll be fine."
"Will I?"
"Yes, I'm right here. I'll make sure nothing happens to you."
"You don't even understand though." She murmured, then sighed shakily. "W-When will V be here?"
"I called Jungkook. He said he'll be here soon."
"Jungkook? Why did you call him?" Lisa glanced at her warily.
"Lisa, he's your boyfriend. You can't leave him in the dark—"
"I don't want him involved. He'll just get hurt again, and I really can't handle him getting hurt. Why did you do that?"
"Lisa, what are you even saying now? I don't care if you don't want him involved, but I'm involved right now. You're scared and clearly I can't help you, so the person who can is him!"
"I told you to call V!" She shrieked. "Why didn't you listen to my goddamn instructions!"
Jennie clenched her jaw, then got up from her seat, heading back into the living room. Lisa started to cry again.
The girl's behavior was unlike what she had seen before. What was with this weird attitude? She was crying one minute then she was yelling at Jennie as if she did something wrong.
Why did it matter that she called Jungkook? Why did it even matter that she called him instead of Taehyung?
jungkook: open the door
Jennie sighed, putting away her phone. She unlocked the front door, running a hand through her hair wearily, opening it wider for them.
Jungkook and Taehyung marched inside, both scanning for Lisa. The younger found her in the kitchen, walking up to her. Jennie shut the door.
Taehyung glanced between them. "What exactly happened?"
"I...don't really know." She breathed, eyes glued to the carpet. "She just panicked all of a sudden when she glanced out the window."
"Did she yell at you?"
"Yes."
"I figured as much." Taehyung's eyes scanned over her face, debating whether he should say something or not.
He stuck with the latter, glancing away from the brunette and joined Jungkook.
•
Jennie didn't feel like being around Lisa at the moment. So after their arrival, Jennie had gone promptly up to her room, working on some of her notes for her hospitals rounds later that week.
It was extremely hard to focus however; she couldn't help but wonder what was going on.
Jungkook getting shot, Lisa's weird behavior...it seemed that there was something bigger going on.
Jennie wanted to know. Is this why Taehyung was so secretive about everything? Is this why he was so hesitant to have her involved?
Jennie groaned to herself, feeling a headache coming on. Getting up from her seat, she left her room again, heading down the stairs back into the kitchen.
"It's late." She mumbled, resting a hand on her forehead. "She can sleep in my room. And, uh, feel free to stay the night if you want."
Jungkook nodded. "Thanks."
"No worries." She watched Jungkook leave up with Lisa, then downed a glass of water. Jennie was aware of Taehyung's watchful eyes on her, just observing.
They made eye contact, when she noticed how exhausted he looked. It seemed he hadn't gotten any sleep lately, his eyes were sullenly void of its usual glint, his shoulders sagged slightly.
"Taehyung, you look tired."
"I'm fine."
"You should go sleep."
"It's fine."
"I—fine." Jennie turned away, frowning. She missed the small snort that left his lips.
"Didn't I tell you not to worry about me?"
"Well, you're asking for a lot." She scoffed. "...it's hard not to. You look like you haven't slept for days."
"I've just been very busy."
"So busy you can't even spare a little sleep?"
"As i always say—"
"—business never sleeps." She mocked, scrunching her face in disapproval. He laughed again.
"What's going on with Lisa?" Jennie asked softly, looking up at him. He looked away as she uttered those words, the brunette nodded awkwardly.
"Another thing you can't tell me, huh?"
"Jennie, it's not like that."
"If it's not like that, then tell me please. I will understand!"
"It's not about you not understanding, this just for your safety."
"My safety?" Jennie stepped closer to Taehyung, he darted his eyes back to her.
"So you're allowed to worry about me but I can't?"
"Yes." He breathed. Jennie rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.
"That's just a bit unfair, don't you think?"
"You're part of a gang. You think a lot of what goes on is fair?"
"Just go to sleep." The brunette pleaded. "It's not healthy to be awake for so long, Doctor's orders. It's your fault for choosing a paranoid person like me to be your medic. You either listen or—"
"Fine." Taehyung aired, cutting her short. Jennie grinned.
"There's a spare room upstairs."
"I'll sleep on the couch."
"Taehyung."
"Yes?" She could sense the amusement rolling off of him in waves, Jennie suppressed her irritation, saying nothing as he laid down.
"If this is you trying to be a gentleman, we know you're far from one."
"Who ever said you liked gentlemen anyways?"
•
Jennie was finally able to finish her residency notes in peace. She found more concentration in the kitchen. Though it was late, she wasn't tired.
Taehyung had fallen asleep fairly quickly, Jennie's instincts were right. He clearly hadn't slept much.
But for what? What was keeping him up so late?
Jennie had originally thought he was keeping things from her just because well, this was a gang. Now she couldn't help but feel that the things he kept from her were much more than that.
Far more connected than she could currently understand.
Jennie shut her laptop, then got up with a stretch of her arms. She smiled softly at the sight of Taehyung sleeping soundly.
Getting up, she approached his sleeping form with soft footsteps. She peered over him sleeping on the couch, mainly to look at his shoulder from what she could see.
It still looked slightly beaten up, but was definitely getting better. Jennie lowered her eyes, scanning his face.
What exactly was going on in his life that he wouldn't let on? Being a gang leader was certainly no easy task, and encountering dangerous situations like this and not even be phased?
He almost died the other day, she had a feeling that certainly wasn't the first time. This is what he got himself into?
But why?
Jennie bit her lip, as if a habit, her hand reached out to smooth his hair. She sat down on her knees, her hair tickling the side of his arm.
She was surprised when Taehyung's eyes cracked open, looking back at her. They stayed like that—in that position—for god knows how long.
His lips curved upwards to a small degree, when his thumb brushed against Jennie's cheek. The brunette sighed, resting her head near his elbow.
It hurt.
She wanted to be there for him. But how could she if he wouldn't let her in?