She had kissed Jungkook for a total of 3 times within a span of 3 hours during their breakfast date, and it left her daydreaming among those butterflies - floating across endless rainbows and sunshine for the next 2 days. The first was soft and sweet, ended with both smiling shyly down to the ground. 

The second was when they returned back to the car, with him leaning forward - seemingly rushing past to open the passenger door and ended up grazing her cheek with his elbow. It was only a brush, but she can't pass the opportunity to exaggerate a little. He kissed her with a playful giggle while cupping her face when he realized that it was only a tease.

And the third left her a little breathless. It was between her words, 'thank you for the breakfast - it was so unimpressive that I don't think I'll be able to forget it' and before her feet heavily walked out from his car. He joked about how he already knew that the food was so bad that she would've ended up remembering it for the rest of her life and they both laughed before taking a deep breath and she muttered the awkward, "So..."

"I'm thinking it's too early to invite myself in -"

"Oh yeah...definitely! It's only eleven in the morning," It was unexpected so she rolled her eyes in an attempt to appear unaffected. 

"I was leaning more towards it's-only-the-first-date, but okay," The small tease had her lips pressed into an embarrassed pout and right after, he continued with a breathy voice, "Keep doing that if you don't want me to give a shit about taking things slow,"

She only realized the intense stare when she replied, "Do what? This?", and turned to him with another playful pout. His palm reached her neck almost immediately before leaning forward to briefly lick her bottom lip, having her gasped a sharp breath. 

"Yes. Exactly that," A flicker of smile appeared in his eyes before his kissed her, harder this time. 

Lisa fanned herself every single time she's reminded of that scene and the feel of his palm across her neck. She had been kissed hard many times before by her ex, but it never felt that way...or perhaps she couldn't recall if it had ever been that good. It's like they weren't just in Jungkook's car - parked across the lobby of her apartment with the probability of anyone seeing. No, it's a whole different world she'd dive into. A dark vision, yet filled with bright and clear wanting...needing.

"You're red again," Jisoo's voice caused her hand to abruptly tremble, almost knocking the glass of juice in front of her. "Seriously, you need to see a doctor. You've been turning red every what - ten, fifteen minutes now?"

Well, give me the contact for any doctor who can cure this...this...what - what is this? What am I on about again?

"I'm fine, unnie...just...a little hot in here,"

"The air-con is fine from where I'm sitting. You wanna switch places?" 

Oh...my dear, sweet, sweet unnie! From across the cafe, she spotted Jennie coming through the entrance. Seeing her little wave, Jisoo turned and gasped, "Have you guys made up? Why didn't you tell me she's coming??", while fixing a strand of hair falling on her shoulders.

"Why are you surprised? It's not like you had a new hair or something -"

"I barely put anything on my face! I didn't even brush my hair - she's gonna comment on - hey!!" Jisoo beamed brightly when Jennie pulled the chair beside her. Still with her pursed lips, the younger took off her sunglasses and placed it on the table, along with her handbag. 

"Is this an intervention?" She asked Jisoo after ordering a glass of water. "You're gonna tell me to stop being so hard on her?"

Unlike the last time they sat together, Lisa is not as nervous nor intimidated. In fact, she is feeling quite excited to be sitting here today.

"I didn't even know you were coming! Yah, I'm older than you and I wasn't the one being attacked - you could've greeted me properly!" Aishh these two...

"Sorry, my bad. Hello, dear Chu unnie," Jennie's pretentious cute voice and plastered dumpling cheeks made Lisa chuckle. "I haven't seen you for almost a week - how have you been - aigoo...did you miss me so much that your hair had gotten dry?"

Jisoo shot her a glare immediately. "See, I told you she's gonna say something!"

These two made her laugh the hardest, really! Lisa can't help but thank her lucky stars to have found not one, but two amazing women who have done nothing but keeping her heart happy. Three, if Chaeyoung is here!

"So? What's up?" Jennie returned to her normal poise, looking as if she's not sparing much time chit-chatting about. 

Her fingers began fidgeting underneath the table and she started second-guessing her decision to open up. One glance at Jisoo - who's eyeing her with a question mark - then the other at Jennie. Her guilt tripled all of a sudden and she fights the urge to tear up. First step...the first step always seemed like the hardest. 

"I need to apologize to both of you..." Her voice started a bit shaky. "For not telling you about my past,"

"Lisa-ya, there's no need -"

"Yes, unnie. I need to," She gave a slow nod to Jisoo's worried face and took a deep breath. "When I left, I thought it's a brand new life that I'm living. I kinda forced myself to believe that it is. I didn't wanna think about the weight that was my past, although once in a while, it does tend to catch up. That's how Chae found out, by the way. It wasn't because I favor anyone in particular - she just happened to see me broke down. I left my hometown because everyone treated me like...both a victim and a villain...when I was dumped on my wedding day. So I especially didn't want anyone I meet to hear that story and think the same,"

"Lis, we're not -"

"I know...I know that now. It was wrong for me to think that you'll act the same way, so I'm sorry. To both of you. You've been nothing but wonderful to me. Unnie," She reached across the table to grab Jennie's hand. "You took such good care of me...from Auckland to here, and I'm so, so grateful! You're like a sister to me too - both of you. So please...please forgive me...and please trust me again," 

"Lis, you know I have nothing against you. Like I said, it's your choice - whether you wanna talk about it or not. None of us are entitled to force it out of you. But hearing you say this..." Jisoo started fanning her pink cheeks with one hand, as if she's trying her best to not cry. "From the moment you stepped into the interview, I knew I sensed something. Reservations...from what I could remember. I figured that since you're alone out here, maybe you're being a little too careful for yourself. It's not a bad thing at all. It's close to a year, and you're still that warm sunshine with secrets behind. I treated you the way I do to my family, because I already considered you as one. I just hope you'd find it in you to feel the same about me,"

Lisa's eyes had turned into a pool of gratitude, and when she looked at Jennie, the woman is already wiping her cheeks. "I do. To both of you. Nothing makes me more happy than seeing my unnies bickering with each other every single day," She sighed a small laugh and allowed the waterworks to fall. It might as well be a crying frenzy in this cafe - none of us give two shits if anyone's watching!

"I know..." Jennie tried holding back her sobs. "I know I can be harsh sometimes. And you know how protective I can be. It's not - not that I'm forcing you to say or do anything. I just want you to genuinely be happy. You...you might not see me showing it..but I see right through you. You kept saying that you're fine with anything...everything. But I know you're not. I just want you to stop downplaying your life. Both of us...all we want is for you to be who you wanna be. Laugh as hard as you want - get angry when something's not right to you, cry to us if you want to. It's your life, of course I have no right to say what will be best for you but at least...at least I'd like to know that you have a clear picture of it. Stop letting people treat you like shit and let them pass by like nothing happened. I just wanna see the real you, you know?"

She nodded with heartfelt understanding. Her mind had been a little cold and careful but now... 'Perspective' - she heard Jungkook's voice in her head. Perhaps her perspective had been affected by the trauma too much that it fixed the fear in her. 

"When I heard it from Chae...I was so angry to know that you left without saying anything to your ex. I don't know who the fuck he thinks he is -" Jennie rolled her still-teary eyes. "But he should at least get a hard fucking slap on the face - literally, just one super hard slap -"

All three sighed a few laughs, with Jisoo nodding in agreement.

"Even your friends...Chae said you still haven't upload a single picture on your socials and I got even angrier. They should see how well you're doing over here, with us! They should know that they betrayed you and it's only right for you to move on instead of hiding from them. Fucking delete them off your friend lists or something - I don't know! Just do something...instead of keep taking the beating like you don't matter. Cus you mattered...to you...to us. And I guess that's why I was so persistent about that club owner..."

Okay, maybe it's time to tell them the good news - "Unnie,"

"I know, I know you've decided and it's okay. I just thought I saw the sparks in you two...in the way you looked at him. And I wasn't gonna tell you this but Tae told me something about him at the wedding,"

Oh? Something good or something bad? Please...let it be good...please...

"He once asked Tae about Auckland. Tae said he was a little weirded out when that Jeon guy suddenly asked if I'd ever been to Thailand. He said he knew someone who went to Auckland but also that he didn't really knew who she was - basically, the whole conversation sounded weird!" Jennie shook her head and Lisa sighed in relief. 

So wait, he's been asking people about me? Anyone who's ever been to Auckland? What - did he think Auckland's that small?? Lisa suppressed the urge to laugh out loud, thinking of how adorably desperate Jeon Jungkook had been before she actually met him at the shower!

"So when Tae saw both of you together at the wedding, he recalled that conversation and put two-and-two together. He's fairly confident that you're the girl Jeon was asking and it made a whole lot of sense to him, for some weird reason in his guts," 

Lisa is finding it harder to keep a straight face, especially when Jisoo had just gasped loudly! 

"Omo! So he knew her before she came here? But...but how?? Before the stripping -"

"I um..." The word 'stripping' almost had mind wandering off to nowhere land again so she took a deep breath and prepare herself for their anticipated screams. "I have a confession," She watched Jennie wiped her face clean before both of her unnies leans forward, seemingly calm and ready to hear her out. "You can throw that hell of a party, unnie,"

It took Jennie a second or two to process it and when she did, a smile began growing, wider and wider. 

"Yes...I went on a date with him," One second of silence, followed with...a lot more seconds of high-pitched shrieking - just as how Lisa imagined it. Gone were the tearful mess - now their table is being glared at for being too loud! "And yes, there's a high chance that there'll be more dates to come," The sounds grew louder. "And yes, unnie. I'm the girl he was asking about. Apparently he saw me at the airport in Bangkok before I left and..."

She didn't even bother to finish the sentence as Jennie and Jisoo's loud screams will definitely drown her voice! "When's Chae coming back?? We'll just book the same room and re-enact that hot scene - I'll get Tae to bring in the champagne!!" 

Damn...I knew they'd get excited but I didn't expect this over-the-top, pop-the-champagne excitement!! It's not like we're announcing an engagement - no Lisa, DON'T GO THERE!

"Tell us everything!" Jisoo emphasized, eyes already grown wider than she'd ever seen. "Hang on!! I thought you were sick - you lying little -"

"I was!! You can ask him - he came to visit -" 

She thought their pitches was at the highest before...well, they proved her wrong!

...

"She always appeared like magic, presented by the universe...you know? It's like her sole purpose is to tempt me, or guide me - hell, I don't even know why I can't stop thinking bout it! I used to feel so normal...but she made me feel like I'm not. Like I'm this...this special person who deserves special things, if that's even possible,"

 Jungkook's beginning to think that he must've done something great in his past life for God to bless him with this ever-twinkling star. Never mind the previous sudden shows before he even knew her name. He honestly thought it was over when she ghosted on him. He was big on 'reality-checks' and he knew the only possibility he could ever see her again was through Jimin and his wife. 

But then she appeared - out of the blue, at his club...just to see him. Even then, he could sense that it was a heavy decision to make - to agreeing on going out with him. He was prepared for another set of rejection when he sent her home that night. Jungkook might pull out all his confident charms every time he's with her but deep down, there's always those little uncertainties roaming around.

When she said she was sick - he wasn't going to lie to himself but he did think for one second if she's making up the excuse in order to ghost on him again. But then he thought of the way she sounded...and it brought him this weird little worry in his guts. Even on their less-than-perfect date, he thought that she might end their walk with a warm 'well, we tried, didn't we?'...but instead, she made the first move to kiss him.

"Ahh...I'm really going crazy! I think you guys would too if you see her,"

What a wonderful time to feel alive!, he thought. She really caught him off-guard with that one! You know that feeling when you're all warm and cosy in a blanket while thunder rages outside your doorstep? That's exactly how he felt when she kissed him that morning! It was a 'breakfast date'. Breakfast should be the highlight - how the hell can it be called a 'breakfast date' if the breakfast is non-edible?? I really have to review all the restaurants in town beforehand for the next ones!

Yet again, never mind how things hadn't turned out the way he imagined it to be because...well,  Lisa had effortlessly made it the most perfect first date he ever had! She just managed to sneak up on him with a mountain's height of fireworks when he least expected it and now he can't get her off his mind for even a damn minute! Her lips could just kill me, really!

"I know what you're thinking. You're probably wincing at how corny I sound right now...right? But you know what...I really think this is what it's supposed to feel like! Like when you meet that special person and the whole world just...turned wonderful..." 

The two pups only looked at him with hopeful - or maybe confused, round eyes - one sitting still with his wiggling tail and the other's on four of his feet, tilting his head as if he's trying to understand human language...or his stupid grins and giggles! For a second there, it really made him believe that he had gone crazy - talking about a girl to two dogs for five minutes straight! Or was it more?

But what else can he do? It's too soon for him to be talking about it to anyone relatively close to him because what if things don't work out as wonderfully as it felt? He's not the kind to dwell on negativity but it's the first time that something resembling 'fear' had creeped up in his little chest - wanting something so desperately. 

He's been counting the hours for the past 2 days, just to hype on the third. If it were up to him, he'd take her out every day - but again, reality-check, ladies and gentleman - she had work in the day and she insists that he attends to his work at night. 

Jungkook practically spent the past two nights revising his floor manager's whole-month's roster in order to convince Lisa that he would have 3 nights a week, free only for her. And since she'd have the weekends off, he could use those 2 days too!

"Anyway...I'm meeting her later. Promise I'll bring her to see you in one of our dates, okay?" He gave little scratches on one and ruffled the cheek and head of the other. "You'll be my most precious golden ticket!"

...

Her heart does that double-flip thing since he reached for her hand, as soon as she got up from her chair in the hotpot restaurant. Just done with lunch, he's now leading her to a place of 'de-stress' - as what he called it. Bless his ears for putting up with her talking about work for the whole one hour! 

Walking beside him hand-in-hand feels weird. Not the bad kind...just enough to pinch her weak knees if she's really doing this. The only guy she's ever walked with like this before was her ex-fiancé...leading her to the first love and her last heartbreak. It's partly nerve-wracking for Lisa to be here again.

"Something wrong?" Jungkook asked when they stopped by the traffic light.

She looked up abruptly, looking clueless as to why he would ask that with a hint of smile in his eyes. 

"You're being weird,"

"What? How?"

"Well...for one," He turned to face her directly. "Your hand is shaky. You've been walking like a robot since we left the restaurant,"

Oh. "Robots don't have brittle bones," She joked just for the sake of it. "Sorry, I was just nervous about where we're going..." The amused stare had her looking down to the intertwined fingers.

"You walked just fine at the country club, even when we got lost -"

"You said we weren't -"

"You knew I was lying and you were still fine with it,"

She sighed a few laughs and nodded. That was quite a funny spectacle, to be honest! There he was, looking around like a nervous little bunny - pacing back and forth while trying to convince her that he knew exactly which way to go. 

"Sorry...I'm just not used to this," Signalling to her hand in his, she pursed her lips apologetically.

"Takes practice. I'm a great hand-holder too, did I tell you that?"

"Ahh...maybe that's why! Although I can't imagine if anyone could even be bad at it -"

"You can! Clammy palms does no one good actually, especially if the person knew it and refuse to do anything about it," He made her laugh so easily! "One of those squeezers might break your brittle bones -"

"I'm stronger than I look, Jungkook-ssi," She smirked.

"That, you are," She felt a little squeeze and feel her heart fluttering again as they continue their walk across the street. "And you can do that when we're alone, not in public,"

"Do what?"

"Call me that. 'Jungkook-ssi'," He imitated her with squinting eyes. It made her giggle.

"What - why not?"

"Cus it makes me wanna kiss this," He brushed his thumb across her lips surprisingly quick that it halted her tracks immediately. He followed suit and turn to face close to her. "And I don't think you're big on public display of affections," His sexy smile is tempting. She could feel the ambience drifting...shifting...but his playful, twinkly eyes are the only ones she's focusing on. 

Geez...how can he be so boldly seductive at the most random timing?? Thank God a car honked because Jungkook's gaze is not one to mess with - that, she's taking into her notes! He was seriously inviting her to maybe reconsider PDAs!

"Why are you walking so fast?" Lisa could hear the laughter in his voice but refused to look up. She could feel the motorists disgusted eyes on them and it made her cheeks warm. Or maybe that was Jungkook's fault.

"Yah...don't do that in the middle of the street! You made people angry," She sulked when they reached the pavement. She didn't realize when she lets her hand loose, but both are now crossing against her chest - emphasizing the frown on her face.

"It's just proving my point," He pursed the smile on his lips and the cute dimples appear on his cheeks. It makes her even more frustrated, if she were to be honest!

It should be illegal to be this handsome AND be this cute at the same damn time!! "Your point?"

"Yeah. That you shouldn't tempt me," He said, tilting his head slightly as if he's being apologetic about it. She could see that he's not. "The world tends to disappear when you do that to me...so I'm sorry...okay?" 

Oh...I mean...I guess...he said he's sorry...it's not even a big deal, right? So they had to wait an extra minute - why the hell can't they wait an extra minute? Is it the end of the world?? No. So?

"Are we okay?" He held the palm that was holding onto hers a few minutes ago facing up. Damn it, I hope the blush isn't showing!! 

Lisa took a few minutes analyzing his question of 'are we okay?' after she took his hand and started walking beside him again, just to stop her heart from beating so fast. Are we okay... it sounded so simple, yet so foreign. She remembers being left alone after arguments and lovers' quarrels. For more than what should be a decent amount of time, she was always the one to run back to her boyfriend - acting like the fights never happened and that everything was fine. From the little sulks to the bruising of trusts, he never once asked her if they're okay.

"People are gonna think what they wanna think, so there's no point of thinking too much over it," She looks up with questioning eyes. "For all you know, they could just be thinking 'they look too perfect together, I might just rush home to cry by myself',"

It made her smile in less than a second. "I sincerely doubt it,"

"You don't think so?" He cocks an eyebrow. "Let's prove it. I think we're so damn perfect for each other than we'd even finish each other's..."

She took a brief moment to recognize his game. "Ice cream?"

"Exactly. That's exactly how I'd end the sentence!" 

She laughed, "I'm quite protective of my ice creams though. You should finish your own,"

"And when we're done with the ice creams, we realized that we haven't paid yet and our wallets are missing,"

"Why would our wallets be missing - and both of our wallets? What, did they planned to run away together?" The cheeky smile had her grinning like a fool on this street but for once, she didn't have to try not to care of how loud they're being. 

"And the cashier is still waiting for us to pay so we have to figure it out quick,"

"Easy! We tell him nicely that we lost our wallets,"

"SHE got upset cus you mistook her for a boy," Oh...are we really playing pretend now? 

"We'll just ask for -"

"Her wallet,"

"Extension of payment,"

"She said no. I asked for her wallet nicely but she refused, so you..."

"Pull a really sad but cute face and say -"

"Give me all your damn money or I'll start shooting!" His sudden aggression made her laugh louder than expected.

"Wait, what??"

"You suddenly pull out a gun,"

"Only it's a water-gun,"

"And you started firing in the air like a..."

"Trevi,"

He stopped and the confused look made her laugh even harder. 

"Trevi...Rome?" He's still not getting it - looking more and more like a lost bunny by the second! "It's a fountain of love,"

"And..." She could tell that he's suppressing the urge to laugh before they continued walking. "...she didn't take you seriously. Instead, she flipped a penny and told you to take your water-gun and piss off cus it's not cute anymore,"

Okay, now we've gotten to a different ball-game! "I take out a real gun and ask her what's not cute? Me or the water-gun?"

"She stuttered -"

"She shouldn't. So I asked her again...really slowly this time, last chance for her to redeem herself,"

"You can really see the fear as she starts having flashbacks of her entire life while I try to calm you down. But you -"

"Told you to shut the hell up and take all the money so we can get more ice creams! We're in this together so you better grow a pair or I'll shoot you too -"

"A...pair? A pair of what - ice -"

"Balls!" Was she shouting? Maybe. Her serious frown is met with his pursed lips. It's obvious he's trying to contain the need to laugh out loud but Lisa is already so deep into the plot that her mind cuts the cute dimples short. "Take everything! And once you're done with the money, I want the dark chocolate with caramel ribbons, two pints. You can take your flavor too,"

"That's nice of you to offer,"

"Do it!!"

"My hands began to shake and I whispered to her 'sorry, but you did this to yourself. You shouldn't have stuttered'. She began to cry and you hated it. You hated it so much that you..."

"Asks her to lip-sync for her life,"

A few seconds of silence from Jungkook, followed by, "Lip...sync...exactly," with his round, doe eyes filled with either humor or shock - she can't tell.

"And suddenly there's music in the air. It's now a musical! 'Swalla' starts playing and there's applause coming out of nowhere. The bystanders got into lines and started dancing to a choreo they've never even practiced for -"

"Swalla...right. I look at you and you look at me. We're both confused,"

"No, just you,"

"Is...what you said! And I asked...what the hell is going on??"

"And I told you that this life as you know it...is actually a game that I created. And everyone's moving on my own terms,"

"I didn't believe a word you said, so you -"

"Say no one can defy me! Imma make it rain!"

"And the water-gun started flying high up by itself, and out pours endless drops of -"

"Cats!"

"Amazing -"

"Is what you said...as you wondered if you ever knew me at all,"

She didn't realize when they had stopped walking, but is now fully aware that Jungkook had faced her fully. His smile is a mix of awe and humor, and she breathed in the fact that she just had the most fun conversation she's had in years. This is by far, the number one on my list of Favorite Moments with Jungkook! The thought is an apprehension that there's already a list, and it's already a long one. 

...

I swear she just raised the bar by half a mile! Damn it - who was that girl?? She just kept surprising me at every fucking turn! 

Jungkook couldn't help from grinning like a fool since their little play-pretend earlier. Her eyes were glowing with excitement and delight - almost like a child! It's a new look that he hadn't seen before and it's so satisfying to witness her turning into a playful villainess - he did not expect that to come out so soon!

"I can't remember the last time I've been in a place like this!" Again, she bubbled over with enthusiasm - staring across the large arcade in awe. 

A jittery feeling ran through his body when he felt the slight squeeze in his hand. He is now convinced that falling for her was inevitable, and it's only a matter of time before he starts fearing for his future. She lets go of his hand and hopped forward with joyful readiness. Jungkook watched breathless, as consequences started listing themselves in his mind.

She turned back to face him from 8 feet away. "I wanna play everything!! Where should we start?!" 

He couldn't find the words to say anything. Her wide smile...puffy pink cheeks, and those pretty curves arching across her eyelids - looking perfectly happy at where she's standing. For all of these reasons, he was stunned. Everything about her right now is radiating excitement and his heart beat increases. The soft hues from the neon lights of the machines had only made her look even more angelic. 

Jungkook knew his feelings well. He always had. And he knew he liked her before but this...it was at this point that he realized...

Stopping this will not be my decision...it won't be my option. It will be hers. I could see it even before it happens. It's only our second date. Third, maybe. But when - if it ends...I will definitely scream. I'll definitely cry. And drink...a whole lot. Blink and repeat. It'll change everything. It'll change me. There's nothing I can do to stop these consequences...but I'll be damned if I stop us from happening!

As if she heard everything that was said in his heavy chest, Lisa came back to him with confidence, sparkling in her eyes. "Hey...come back," She chuckled. "Or maybe take me with you,"

See, I knew you were an endless dimension from the moment I saw you! Not once will I regret this!

"We'll do anything, everything you wanna do," 

...