Lalisa fidgeted in her seat as Jeongguk sped the car on the highways of Seoul.
Minutes after she'd read the text, she immediately woke him to get ready to go back to Seoul. He obliged, doing as best as he can to tidy up and move quickly. Their road trip was cut short as panic surged through her just because of one simple text.
"Why do you think they're summoning me?" She asked, bouncing her knees in anxiousness. As far as she knew, she had no schedules for the week and it was a mystery as to why she was summoned. For a CF, maybe? An urgent photoshoot?
Jeongguk shook his head from beside her, "I don't know, but I don't have a good feeling about this." She felt the same way.
Looking at him, she grabbed one of his hand and held it, "Guk, no matter what happens, we'll get through this, yeah?"
His mouth twitched, "Of course, darling. I know we will."
I hope we do.
▪️
Lisa gulped nervously as the CEO entered the office. The entire atmosphere just screamed bad news to her but she ignored it, thinking it was just her brain imagining things. In all honesty, she preferred their first meeting.
"Good morning, ma'am." She greeted, standing up beside Manager Jung. Unlike her, he seemed to know what she was here for and based on his expressionless face, it wasn't pretty.
"Morning, Miss Manoban." CEO Hwang replied, nodding to Manager Jung as a sign of acknowledgement. Secretary Gong, like always, stood at the corner with a small smile on her face.
Lisa sat down on the chair, hands together as she asked, "What's with the urgent summon, ma'am?"
As the CEO's eyes landed on her again, she felt chills rush down her spine. "First of all, Miss Manoban, I would like to apologise for this inconvenience. But I assure you, what we're going to talk about today is major and will have a huge impact in your career."
She was about to question what she meant when CEO Hwang placed two pictures at the table in front of her.
Lisa's blood chilled.
"Care to explain why you were in these photos?"
I am fucked.
▪️
Jeongguk panted as he ran from the elevator to the rooftop of Bamseom apartments. Lisa had texted him an hour ago to meet her here but she didn't give any clear explanation after relaying the message.
As soon as he opened to door to the rooftop, he saw her.
Lisa had her back facing him, arms crossed as she stared towards the view of Seoul and the Han River from above.
Walking towards his girlfriend - his real girlfriend now, he smiled to himself and wrapped his arms around her, making her look up at him and smile back, but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Hey, darling," Jeongguk kissed her temple, "What are you doing up here? What's wrong?"
"Just thinking," She replied, shaking her head. After a moment peace and silence, she took a deep breath, "Guk, I have to tell you something."
The way she spoke startled him. "What is it about?" When she didn't reply, he asked again, "Is it about the CEO?"
Slowly, she pried herself off him while taking a shuddering breath, "She..." Lisa rubbed her face and muttered, "God, I can't say it."
"Lis, what's wrong?"
She ignored him and bit the inside of her cheek, her gaze transfixed on the scene below her. What she felt inside were a hurricane of emotions - she just couldn't say it, she doesn't know how to.
"Lali, please." He pleaded, putting a hand on her shoulder, "What is it? What can't you say? Tell me."
"I..." She turned to him, her eyes now glazed with tears. Just the sight of her made his heart quench. "I can't..."
"Darling," He knew where this was going, but he didn't want to believe it. No. "Please."
"Guk," Lisa didn't meet his gaze, her eyes focused on her hands instead, "Guk... she found out." She whispered, voice breaking.
His entire body froze, "Found out about what?" He knew what the answer was, but he just wanted to make sure he was hearing things right.
"She found out about the truth." Her breath hitched, "About us."
"How?" This must be a dream. He thought, panicked.
"Care to explain why you were in these photos?"
The pictures that she'd put on the table were her and Jeongguk, one from the time where she kissed him in the airport at Newark and one fron their lunch yesterday when they ate in Chicken Maru. The sight made her frozen.
Lisa didn't know what to say. She debated on whether denying it or facing the truth...
It was silent for a moment before she bit out, "He is just a friend, ma'am." The CEO raised one of her brow, waiting for more explanation, "That one, in Newark, he went there for his own personal reasons and I just dropped him off the airport because he asked me to."
"But why did you kiss him?"
"The kiss meant nothing, ma'am." She tried to hide the shake in her voice by clearing her throat, "And this one, we had lunch yesterday."
The CEO gave her a small smile, calming her nerves for a while, until her gaze turned murderous, "Don't lie to me, Lalisa."
Her sudden change of tone made her entire body tense, "I know what you've been doing. I know where you've been going. Don't you dare lie to my face as if I'm a child because I know a liar when I see one," She squinted her eyes as she said, "And you are a liar, Miss Manoban."
Her hands were cold as she tried to reason out, "Ma'am, I am not-"
"Although," The CEO's voice became gentler now, "I understand why idols do it - why they ignore the rules and do what they're not supposed to do.
"Idol life gets lonely sometimes, am I right?" She chuckled, "I suppose you all try to find comfort in one person, idol or no. And that's alright, because when you find this person, you see life in a different perspective. You change the way you look at things. Love can either make you better," She clicked her tongue, "Or ignorant."
"Ma'am, what are you implying?" Lalisa asked as her brows scrunched together. Her? Ignorant? Manager Jung and Secretary Gong were silent as the both of them engaged in a conversation.
"I'm implying that you're ignorant, Lalisa." The woman replied, direct to the point, "Don't you see? YG's stocks are falling, we're going bankrupt, the artists' life are being threatened yet here you are. Going on road trips with your boyfriend when you're supposed to be at home doing nothing.
The look on her face must've been obvious because a second later, the CEO spoke again, "Oh, you must be wondering how I knew about that." She leaned back on her chair, "I placed a tracking device on your phone."
So that's why they took it. She couldn't stop herself as she turned to the man beside her, "Manager Jung, you're in this, too?"
"Lisa," He tried to tell her, "I didn't know at first but now-"
She felt betrayed. Her own manager, siding with the CEO that he didn't even know, "Save it." Lisa turned to the CEO again, "What do you want to happen, ma'am? Are you going to threaten me like what you did with Jennie?"
The CEO scoffed, "Wow, where did that surge of bravery came from?"
"Why do you meddle in your artists business, anyway?" Lalisa snapped, not caring about who she was talking to, "I understand, we have dating bans, but don't you realize that the reason why we don't follow it is because it's too much. Love is an unavoidable thing." She thought of Jennie, fuelling her anger even more, "No drinking? Fine. No driving? Okay. No plastic surgery? Cool. But no dating for more than five years? I mean, one or three is fine but more than five? Wow. Who are you to control and refrain us from our own feelings, God?
"I understand that dating could affect our reputation and I'm willing to follow the rules, but is the extension really necessary? It's too much. We're not a rookie group anymore. We're almost a three year old group with thirteen songs and no full album! We already know the ways of the industry and we are more than capable of hiding our relationships. We're in our early twenties, not teenagers. Like everyone else, we're curious about love.
"It's not anyone's fault whenever they fall in love with someone. Love is a constant thing in life and in our line of work, love is one of the major factors that encourage us to work even harder. I don't know if you know this," She crossed her legs, "But being an idol requires your sweat, your blood, your body, your time, your entire focus. It's exhausting, it drains you slowly and slowly until you have nothing left.
"But then, this person comes into your life. This person makes you feel alive again, inspires you to do best in what you love to do. Love doesn't make us ignorant, it makes us better. Now I know the current situation of the company and I would like to give you my sympathy, but is it my fault that the stocks are falling? Is it my fault that we're going bankrupt? Is it my fault that the artists receive death threats?
"As far as I know, I've done nothing except love the man that has been good to me and treats me better than this piece of shit company. I've given all that I can to give YG a good image through our performances and thi-"
"Break up with him."
Lalisa stopped mid-sentence. "What?" was all she could say.
"Break. Up. With. Him." CEO Hwang tilted her head, "You said this was a piece of shit company, right? Well, here's your ticket out."
"I don't want to." She shook her head, "I love him."
"Break up with him, or leave BLACKPINK."
She opened her mouth to answer, but the reality of the situation hit her hard. If she breaks up with him, she's going to lose the man that has seen who she really was. If she doesn't, she's going to lose everything she'd worked hard for. She was going to lose her members.
"I..."
"What, Miss Manoban? Cat got your tongue?" CEO Hwang smirked, "Aren't you going to deliver another speech? Go on, I'm listening."
"Ma'am..." She tried to chuckle, "You must be joking."
"Do I look like I am?" The woman crossed her arms, "Break up with him or leave the group."
Lisa couldn't think straight as a stack of papers was placed on the table in front of her. Termination of Contract.
"Ma'am, I..." She paled, "I can't break up with him."
"Okay. Sign the contract and we'll be done here." The CEO motioned for Secretary Gong and the woman walked to her, handing her the tablet, "Although I can't promise that you'll still have a good image once you leave."
What?
She watched as the woman scrolled through the tablet, "Here we have proof of your rhinoplasty back in 2015... your skin bleaching in 2016... your photos with Jeon Jeongguk, and a lot more interesting stories the public doesn't know about you."
As she enumerated each and every thing that she'd kept as a secret, she couldn't help but shake - in anger or fear, she doesn't know.
"I can't break up with him..." She clenched her teeth, "But I can't leave the group either."
"So, what is it, Miss Manoban? Make up your mind. We don't have all day."
Lisa didn't meet anyone's eyes. Her confidence crumbled. She was at a dead end.
She must choose one, and one only.
I'm sorry.
Jeongguk was speechless as she told him the entire thing. She didn't meet his eyes all throughout, afraid to see his face. However his mind was in a frenzy, trying to let each and every word she'd said sink in.
He placed his hands on the railing, taking deep breaths to control his emotions, "Well..." He gulped, "What's your decision, then?" Please tell me you chose me... please. He thought, but knew it was impossible. Being an idol was her dream, and he was just a distraction. The harsh reality.
Lisa cupped his face with her hands, staring into his eyes, "Guk, I'm sorry." Her trembling voice betrayed her emotions. He doesn't deserve this... he doesn't deserve me, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She whispered, touching her forehead to his and closing her eyes to prevent her tears from falling. "I tried so hard but..." Her face crumpled, "They made me pick."
Does this mean-
"Lali," His voice broke, "Tell me..." He let out a shuddering breath, pulling away to look at her, "Lali, tell me you fought for me... tell me that you fought for us."
Her heart broke at the sound of his voice... she'd never heard him speak like that before - it sounded vulnerable... painful... so unlike him. "I did, Guk, I did." She smiled for him, mouth shaking to prevent her sobs as tears rolled down her cheek, "And I'm sorry..."
He let out a half hearted chuckle and wiped his eyes, "Hey, why are you apologzing?" Jeongguk tried his best to smile, even though his cheeks were wet and his voice was raspy, "I understand, darling. I truly do."
She shook her head, grabbing his hand, silently weeping, "Guk, I-" She regretted what she was going to say next, "Guk, let's break up."
It felt like the world stopped.
Jeongguk knew this was coming. He expected it... but hearing her say those words, it hurt more than anything. It was more painful than any other injury he'd gotten, it was more painful than the hate being thrown to them 24/7.
Then, their memories started flashing in his mind.
The first time they met... their breakfast date... when he first walked her home... their dance on her birthday... the first time they kissed... yesterday's sunrise...
Just like that... it would all go to nothing in just a matter of minutes.
"I..." His eyes didn't meet hers, "I... I'm sorry for bringing you into this mess. If it wasn't for me, you won't be in this situation-"
Lisa sniffed, "Jeongguk, stop blaming yourself."
"No, no, it's my fault that we even got to this." He wiped his face with the sleeve of his hoodie and cleared his throat, "I've got to go now... I'm sorry for everything."
"What?" His change in demeanor perplexed her, "We need to talk this out, Guk," She watched as he walked back to the entrance of the rooftop, ignoring her words, "Jeongguk-"
And he left. Just like that.
As soon as everything weighed down on her, sobs tore through her body. She let it all out.
She fished her phone out of her pocket and stared at the on-going call with CEO Hwang.
Yes, she'd been listening all this time.
"Are you happy now?" Lisa screamed while crying at the phone, her emotions getting the best of her, "Are you happy that we're done for? That he left me?"
Without waiting for any reply, she threw the phone from the rooftop as her knees buckled and with a thud, she fell on the floor.
Funny how much can happen in a day. Yesterday they were just watching the sunrise on the beach and singing songs in the car, now they were broken up and done for good.
We'll get through this, she said.
But they weren't able to. Not even a day has passed since their confession to one another, somebody had taken away that opportunity in minutes.
Her hands shakily covered her mouth to stop any sounds from coming out. Her entire body racked after sob after sob after sob, her mind going dizzy by the sudden rush of emotions.
He just left her...
He left her when she needed him the most.
It was all my fault.
I didn't-
Suddenly, a pair of arms encircled her.
Lisa looked up, surprised to see Jeongguk kneeling before her, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling his face in her neck.
"Guk..." She started, wiping her tears frantically, "I thought... I thought you left."
"I can't do this." Jeongguk shook his head and looked at her, eyes red rimmed from crying, "Is there another way, darling? Is there another way for us to continue what we have?"
He looked so desperate, so eager and willing to do anything just for her to say yes. Oh what she would give just to never see him like this again. It hurt her heart when she replied, "I wish there was, Guk, I wish there was."
His head lowered as new tears fell into his cheeks, "Lali..." He turned to her after a moment, with that forced smile of his, "I... I don't want to be the person that... will get in the way of your dreams."
Slowly, his hands reached up and wiped her cheeks one by one with his thumbs, "But... please do know that I'll always be here if you need me."
Lisa couldn't help but burst into tears again, embracing Jeongguk in a bone-crushing hug.
"I hate her, Guk," She sobbed in his shoulder, his hand rubbing circles on her back, "I hate her."
"If you keep on crying," He started, voice raspy, "You'll be like Annabelle soon."
That joke made her chuckle a little bit. He always tried to make her happy... even if he himself is hurting, "Shut up, Junglebook."
He kissed her forehead and replied, "As you wish, darling."
The both of them remained in that position, entangled in a hug, as if they won't ever do it again.
a/n: y'all must be hating me now, huh lololol
anw i've been obsessed with social media aus recently tbh it makes me wanna try something new hahaha. some fics that i would recommend are:
OH JEONS! by SUNREIGNS
BORDERLINES by LIZGGUKED
VIRAL (rosekook) by deuxmin
** EDIT. MAY, 2, 2021 **
hi its me the author here from the future. i just want to say that ive been reading the replies in this chapter, specifically the part where i recommended a rosékook socmed au and lovelies i am not happy.
we do not book shame in this house!!! we also do not ship shame either. yes, we're liskook shippers, but we have to keep in mind that liskook isn't real. rosékook isn't either, but pls stop hating on the ship??? it's just a ship. don't take it too seriously. cmon now.
also what's up with ricekook? is that supposed to be an insult? what's disgusting about rice???? did u know that rice has low amounts of cholesterol and it helps reduce obesity??? rice is my life.
so anyway. stop with the rosékook slander. they're a cute ship. i like reading fics about them. they're cool.
i like liskook better though. but at least u don't see me talking shit about rosékook.
anyway that is all. pls stop bashing on rosékook. they're innocents and they're my babies.
caly x