Third Person's POV
Lisa emerged from her room at precisely 5 PM, eager to lend a hand with the campfire setup on the field. She had spoken with Rosie's mother earlier, who had informed her that the necessary equipment for a barbecue was already in their possession. Upon reaching the common room, Lisa spotted Rosie's father and approached him with eagerness.
"Excuse me, sir," Lisa said, with a friendly smile. "I was wondering if I could help with the campfire setup in any way?"
Rosie's father looked up from his task and returned her smile. "Well, young lady," he said, "all we need now is some meat to cook. If you could run down to the nearest market and buy some, that would be greatly appreciated."
Thrilled to have been given a task, Lisa turned to head out the door when she was suddenly stopped by a young girl barreling towards her. It was Rosie, and she was dragging Chanyeol behind her by the hand.
"So, where are you going?"
Lisa tried to keep her voice casual as she responded, "Just outside." She shifted her weight from foot to foot, hoping to avoid drawing too much attention to herself.
But Jisoo was not to be deterred. "Lisa! " she cried out, her voice ringing through the air. Chanyeol, Lisa, and Rosie all turned to look at her, their attention now fully focused on the energetic young woman. "What's your plan with your date?" Jisoo continued, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"I told you guys not to tell her!" Rosie pouted, frustration evident in her voice. The group had discovered Lisa and Jennie's plans to go out earlier that morning, when they had dropped by Jennie's house to say hello to James. The young boy had excitedly shared the news of his mother's evening plans. Unfortunately, Jennie had let the cat out of the bag, and tell them about their plan.
"But I want to tell her!" Jisoo protested, sticking out her tongue playfully. If Lisa was not familiar with Jisoo's personality, she might have mistaken her antics for those of a mischievous child. However, Jisoo was simply expressing her excitement about Lisa's plans in her own unique way.
"Why are you still asking me, then?" Lisa asked, turning to look at Rosie with a hint of confusion in her eyes.
Rosie's gaze met hers, a spark of excitement dancing in her eyes. "I know of a theme park around here," she said, her voice filled with anticipation. "Let's go there!"
But Lisa was determined to stick to her original plan. "I had intended to simply enjoy a barbecue outside," she said firmly.
Jinyoung chimed in, understanding dawning on his face. "Oh, so that's why they're setting up a campfire," he said, his voice tinged with realization.
"I suppose a barbecue could be fun too," Rosie mused, her eyes flickering with thought. "But I've been eager to visit a theme park for some time now. I remember the first time I went there, it was on my second date with Chanyeol." She cast a fond look in her boyfriend's direction, a warm smile spreading across her face.
As Rosie spoke, Lisa stole a quick glance at Jisoo and Jinyoung. Jisoo's gaze was fixed elsewhere, while Jinyoung was staring intently at his friend, a look of concern on his face. The silence hung heavily in the air, until Jinyoung finally spoke up, his voice filled with a sense of urgency.
"You're going out with Lisa, right? Great! Let's go!" he said, his words serving to jolt Jisoo out of her reverie. Jinyoung cast a pleading look in Lisa's direction, and she offered a nod in response.
"Yes, I'm just going to grab some meat first," Lisa said, confirming her plans. She then turned to leave, eager to get the ball rolling on their evening's festivities.
"Awesome," Chanyeol said, a grin spreading across his face. "We'll come along and help you with the shopping. Jinyoung didn't bring his car today, so we'll all go in mine." He gestured towards his vehicle, his hand beckoning them towards it.
Sensing the awkwardness of the situation, Lisa stepped forward and offered a solution. "I can drive them, if that's okay," she said, her voice calm and confident. Chanyeol nodded, a smile of gratitude spreading across his face.
As they settled into the car, Jisoo took her place in the front passenger seat, while Jinyoung climbed into the back. The drive was quiet, and Lisa could sense the tension in the air. Despite this, she felt it was not the right time to broach the subject of Jisoo's feelings, and so she focused on getting them to their destination as quickly and smoothly as possible.
"Jisoo was actually the first one to go to a theme park with Rosie," Jinyoung interjected, drawing Lisa's attention up to the rearview mirror. Jisoo's gaze also shifted to meet Lisa's eyes, and she appeared to be aware that Jinyoung had already shared her feelings for Rosie with Lisa.
"But she said she went there with Chanyeol on their second date," Lisa said, her eyes focused back on the road ahead.
"That's what she chose to remember," Jisoo replied thoughtfully. "Maybe that was the happiest moment she had at the theme park, and that's why it's the one she chose to remember as her first time there." The words carried a touch of sadness, and Jisoo's gaze shifted to look out the window, lost in her own thoughts.
"Come on Jisoo, brighten up!" Jinyoung exclaimed, playfully nudging her arm. "We're going to have a great time at the barbecue later, and I'll even treat you at the market. And I promise, I'll buy you some delicious chicken skewers!" He punctuated his words with playful taps on Jisoo's arm, until she finally turned around and met his outstretched hand for a high five.
Lisa couldn't help but shake her head at the interaction between Jinyoung and Jisoo. Despite Jinyoung's obvious affection towards her, Jisoo still seemed completely unaware of his feelings.
Upon arriving at the market, the group made their way inside. Jinyoung and Jisoo were eagerly selecting the finest cuts of meat, determined to make the most of their time together. With Lisa offering to pay for everything, the two didn't hold back on their purchases. Despite Lisa's reservations, Jinyoung and Jisoo both made it clear that they planned to join her and Jennie for the barbecue, regardless of whether or not she wanted them there.
Lisa couldn't help but be happy at the thought of having her friends with her for her last day in New Zealand. After they had finished their shopping, Lisa suggested they stop by Jennie's house before returning to the apartment. She wanted to spend as much time as possible with her friends before they all went their separate ways.
Lisa POV
As I approached Jennie's home, I noticed the couple had arrived at the same time as us. Jisoo and Jinyoung were already eagerly sprinting inside, eager to be the first ones in. I walked alongside Chanyeol and Rosie as we approached the front door. Before we even had a chance to enter, a woman appeared from inside, and I immediately recognized her as Jennie's mother, Mrs. Kim. I quickly bowed to show my respect and greet her, as did Chanyeol and Rosie.
"Hi Mrs. Kim, it's a pleasure to meet you," I said, greeting her with a warm smile. She stepped closer to me and opened her arms, and I was momentarily taken aback. Not knowing what to do, I hesitantly placed my hands on her back and patted it gently as she enveloped me in a comforting hug.
I was struck by the kindness and warmth that radiated from Mrs. Kim. Her embrace made me feel welcomed and at home, even though I was a stranger. Her genuine smile and sparkling eyes were enough to put me at ease, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for such a warm introduction.
"Thank you for taking James and Jennie out," Mrs. Kim said with a soft, gentle voice that immediately made me smile.
"We tried to take them out, too," Jisoo chimed in from behind, causing Mrs. Kim to pull away from the hug and burst into laughter.
"Did you even succeed?" Mrs. Kim chuckled, eliciting a pout from Jisoo. Before we could continue our conversation, Jinyoung appeared, cradling the little boy in his arms.
"Who's your favorite uncle?" Jinyoung asked playfully, looking down at the child with a grin.
"Uncle Chanyeol-"
"I'll buy you chocolates," Jinyoung interjected, interrupting James' response to his question.
"Uncle Jinyoung!" James quickly corrected himself, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
"Who's your favorite Aunt?" Jisoo chimed in, trying to make her name an answer.
"No one," Jennie said as she walked out, cutting Jisoo off and causing the older girl to frown. Jisoo playfully hit Jennie's shoulder, but Jennie paid her no mind.
"Baby, put this on," Jennie said as she took James from Jinyoung and placed a warm beanie on his head, shielding him from the chilly weather. As Jennie was busy tucking the beanie on James. She caught me watching the tender moment and our eyes met.
The love and affection between Jennie and James was palpable, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of warmth in my chest.
"Mommy, is she your friend?" James asked innocently, his young mind unable to recall my face from when I had visited him in the hospital.
"Yes, she's the prosecutor who helped you when you were sick," Jennie answered, causing Jinyoung and Jisoo to sigh in unison.
"Stop with the formality, Jennie," Rosie interjected.
"Yeah, she's going to be your future mommy, James," Jisoo teased, causing Jennie to spin around and playfully swat at her friend.
"Ya Kim Jisoo!" Jennie scolded playfully, causing Jisoo to turn around and face Jinyoung instead.
As we said our farewells to Jennie's mother, we made our way back to the car.
"You didn't bring your car, Jinyoung?" Jennie asked, causing Jinyoung to shake his head.
"We'll just go with Chanyeol and Rosie," he replied, as Jisoo held James' hand.
In that moment, Jennie and I locked eyes. She leaned in closer, causing my face to flush with heat. I tried to keep my cool, not wanting to let my nerves get the better of me.
"Can they join us in your car?" Jennie asked, concern etched on her face for Jisoo. Despite not knowing that they were actually with me on the way there, she was seeking my permission.
"Of course," I replied quickly, eager to end the conversation and move away from her close proximity that was causing my heart to race.
"Do you want me to take the passenger seat?" Jennie asked, as we approached my car.
"Do you want to?" I countered.
"I'm asking you first," she retorted. The back-and-forth banter between us only added to the already fluttering feelings in my chest.
"I mean, yeah, sure," I said making Jennie nod her head. She then approached Jisoo, inviting her to join us in the car. She informed Rosie and Chanyeol about the change of plans, but Rosie seemed hesitant at first. She seemed to want to give us some alone time in the car to talk, but I quickly dismissed the idea, explaining that having Jisoo and Jinyoung along would bring liveliness to the car and make the atmosphere more comfortable.
As we settled into the car, Jinyoung and Jisoo took their places on the back seat with James, while Jennie settled into the passenger seat with an air of ease. Despite the familiarity of our surroundings and the fact that I had spent the last ten days with her every night at the café, I couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness that had settled in my gut.
Jennie turned to me, her eyes curious. "Are you planning to drive?" she asked, her voice light.
"I'm just waiting for the car to be ready," I utter, feeling foolish for using such a weak excuse. I let out a deep sigh, regretting my lack of creativity. I cast a glance towards Jennie and noticed that she doesn't drive, thus she is blissfully unaware of my lame excuse.
"Make sure to put on your seatbelt," I instruct her, watching as she obediently fastens it. Meanwhile, Jinyoung and Jisoo are occupied with playing with Jennie's child in the back seat, a welcomed distraction.
The drive back to the apartment is a short one, as we had walked from the café to Jennie's house the day before.
As we arrived at the apartment, Jinyoung took charge, eagerly carrying the food inside with Chanyeol and Rosie's assistance. Meanwhile, Jisoo stood idly by, a mischievous glint in her eye, as she watched the scene unfold.
As soon as we stepped out of the car, Jisoo announced, "Okay okay, the first one to reach the field will win!" She barely gave Jennie, who was cradling her child, a second glance before starting to count down. In a flash, Jisoo took off, leaving the others in her dust.
Jennie, broke into a jog to catch up to her son. I quickly followed suit, and soon we were all sprinting across the field. Just as Jisoo was within reach of her goal, James tripped and fell to the ground. Despite the setback, Jisoo didn't even pause, continuing to run towards the finish line with relentless determination.
"Ya Kim Jisoo!" Jennie cried out, her voice carrying across the field as she rushed over to help her son back to his feet. Despite the fall, James was unscathed and grinning from ear to ear, seemingly unfazed by the tumble. I couldn't help but chuckle at Jisoo's triumphant expression as she basked in the glory of her victory.
As I approached, Jennie handed James off to me, and I bent down to brush the dirt and grass from his clothes. "James already fell," Jennie scolded Jisoo, who was still beaming with pride.
"But I wanted to win, I'm competitive you know," Jisoo protested, causing Jinyoung to break out in laughter at the sight of her being scolded.
With James now free of debris, I looked into his curious eyes and asked, "Does anything hurt?" He shook his head.
"No, I'm already a big boy," James replied with a bright smile, his innocence shining through. His words made me smile in return, and I found myself at a loss for words in response. I could only lightly pat his head in agreement, struck by his wholesome demeanor.
James then wandered over to Rosie, leaving me to assist Jinyoung and Chanyeol with setting up for the gathering. Jisoo and Jennie expertly arranged chairs around the roaring bonfire, while the mouth-watering aroma of barbecuing meat wafted through the air.
As we all settled into our seats and dug into the delicious food, Rosie turned to me and said, "Lisa, you should go back once you're free."
"Yeah, we can't afford to go back to Korea," Jisoo said, taking a bite from one of the two chicken skewers she was holding. The fire crackled and the sound of the sizzling meat filled the air.
"Don't push her like she's obligated to go back," Jennie interjected, her voice gentle and protective. She didn't want me to feel any pressure to make a decision I wasn't ready for.
"You don't want me to come back?" I asked, feeling a mix of confusion and amusement. The others chuckled at my question.
"There you are twisting my words again," Jennie said with a smile. "It's your choice whether you want to go back or stay here, but don't push yourself to do something you don't want to." Her words were like a comfort, reminding me that the decision was ultimately mine to make.
For a few more hours, we lingered around the bonfire, chatting and laughing together. The sound of Jisoo and Jinyoung bickering could be heard in the background, a familiar and comforting tune. As midnight approached, we all decided it was time to clean up, with James already fast asleep. Jennie passed her sleeping son over to Rosie, who then cradled him as she and Chanyeol made their way to the car for the drive home.
As Jisoo and Jinyoung tidied up the area, I helped Jennie put the chairs back in place. In the quiet of the moment, I felt compelled to express my admiration for her.
"You're a good mom," I said suddenly, catching Jennie's attention. "You've raised James so well. He told me earlier that he doesn't cry a lot because it makes you worry." My words had a profound impact on Jennie, who closed her eyes for a few seconds, probably struggling to hold back her emotions.
"And you are a good person," Jennie replied, her voice filled with emotion. "You have this way of reminding me of the things I don't truly believe, making me see that I truly am a good mother, despite everything. Thank you."