Lisa couldn't sleep that night.

She'd tossed and turned in her queen bed and had woken up, her bangs sticking to her forehead, shivering.

She couldn't do it. Lie. Not to the rest of the world.

But I have to. For my members.

The clock on her walls read 07:43. Too late to return to sleep, anyways, she thought. As if she could.

So, 30 minutes later, Lisa sat on the couch in Blackpink's living room, awaiting to be brought back to SBS' studio, for their second rehearsal, for the Gayo Daejeun.

She couldn't help but pray that this one wouldn't be like the last. There was no way she could look Jimin in the eyes today.

This time though, she did remember her pass.

//

'Oh- hi, uh- Lisa-'

The receptionist stammered when Lisa walked through the glass entrance, standing up.

Lisa ignored her and walked straight through the way.

Serves her right.

Lisa heard her scoff all the way through the door and rolled her eyes.

Two-faced bit-

The door to the studio flew open and Lisa's hair was blown back by the gust of air conditioner wind. A girl stepped out and noticed Lisa standing outside.

'Lisa!' Seulgi called and approached her. 'You're here! Guess what?'

Lisa gave her a questioning look and shook her head. 'What?'

'There's rumors going around that Jimin actually has a girlfriend,' Lisa froze. 'Like it's not the thing about you, and the girls inside are fighting over him 'cause they believe the girl is each other and no one's telling them.'

'Can you even believe that?' She started laughing and Lisa awkwardly laughed along. 'Are you okay? You're starting to get a little pale.' Seulgi placed a hand on Lisa's forehead that she quickly brushed off.

'I'm fine.'

Seulgi nodded. 'I didn't even tell you the most shocking part yet.' She lowered her voice. 'Someone's going around claiming he'll announce it today.'

Liar, liar, liar-

'Personally, I don't believe it one bit.' She proceeded to link her arms with Lisa's. 'Let's go, I think we're starting.'

Lisa debated whether or not to tell her the truth. But she knew she couldn't. Not when she signed the contract.

She sighed to herself as she was walking towards her locker.

'Listen up, people!' The instructor ordered. Lisa paused her actions and turned around to listen to what he had to say. 'Today, we will be arranging the dance that will be performed by all of you, on the day of Gayo Dajeun.'

She nodded along with the rest of the people. The dance video had been sent to her a few days before and she'd already tried it in advance.

When she'd finally made her way to the group, Lisa realised there was someone missing today. And by the way the many females in the room were glancing anxiously around, she could tell that she was not wrong.

Her suspicion was confirmed when the room was greeted with silence as his name was called out during roll-call.

The door crashed open with a slam and Lisa jumped at the sound and so did eveybody else.

The silhouette of a familiar man stood at the doorway. He angrily stormed in, a dark scowl on his face.

'You're late,' the instructor warned and Jimin's frowned deepened but he continued to refuse to speak. 'Now that we are all here,' the instructor restarted, not subtly glancing at Jimin. 'I have an announcement to make.'

The many males and females looking at her leaned forward eagerly.

'Since we are many, there can only be a few who are in the front line. Therefore, we,' she paused, gesturing to the other choreographers, 'Have decided that we will choose the front line dancers based on your performance, today.'

Whispers rose from the crowd and Lisa fidgeted anxiously. Seulgi leaned to whisper her ear,' We've got this in the bag.'

Lisa smiled at her.

'Think of it as a friendly competition, of some sort,' the instructor added. Then he clasped his hand together. 'Now, shall we start?'

By the time Lisa had completely mastered it the dance without mistakes— and it didn't take that long, to be honest— the clock had ticked well past noon. Wiping off the sweat on her forehead with a towel, Lisa took a break from her activities and directed herself towards the water fountain.

Once again, she paused on her track when the instructor clapped his hand, in an obnoxious manner, attempting to attract attention.

'Everyone, the dance positions will be announced after lunch break,' he said. She felt eyes shift onto her back and went solid. 'For now, go treat yourself to some food.'

Lisa stood frozen in her spot. Something happened. She could feel it. She could feel it by the pair of eyes now burning holes through her back.

Seulgi came to a halt in front of Lisa, who snapped out of her trance. 'Wanna go eat together?'

Lisa nodded slowly. She took slow steps to get her wallet and returned to Seulgi, feeling slightly better.

Why do I always feel guilty? I don't even know if I did something wrong.

Passing by a group of whispering girls, Lisa pulled her cap down. She recognized some of them as members of other senior girl groups. One turned to the pair and looking at Lisa, mockingly laughed. 'Don't get your hopes up, little one. You won't be in the front line.'

Lisa came to a halt. 'Excuse me?' She asked as calmly as she could. She didn't have time for any of this crap today. Taking a small step in their direction, Lisa found herself staring eye to eye with the girl. Seulgi stood watching, arms crossed, giving the side eye at the rest of her crew.

'Wanna hear it again?' Lisa's eyebrow rose at the response. 'I said, don't get your hopes up, you won't be in the front line.'

Lisa gave her a small condescending smile. But before a retort could come out of her mouth, her arm was abruptly tugged backwards, causing her body to turn around. 'WHAT THE FU-'

Her words caught in her throat and Lisa shut her mouth. Jimin stood in front of her, hand tightly gripping her forearm. He forcefully dragged away from the rest of the crowd and Lisa turned her head back, giving Seulgi an apologetic look, mouthing,' Hold on.' Seulgi smiled back. Lisa spotted the girl stomping her foot, angrily.

I didn't insult her. But the boy she likes is holding my hand.

Ignoring the nice side to her, Lisa cheered at the small victory, internally. Turning back to the situation at hand, Lisa smile faded to a frown. She fought to free her arm from his grasp, but that only made him grip it tighter.

He released her when they were at the far edge of the room. The instructors sitting at the same side gave them curious glances but dismissed it as a simple conversation which Lisa was grateful for. The last thing she wanted was some stupid rumour to go around again. Even if in a few days, the rumours would come true. At least to the people. To the rest of the world.

'What do you want?' Lisa hissed, glaring at the man before her.

'I waited for half an hour at your dorm,' he spat out. Lisa took a small step back. 'For you to come out.'

She looked at him, a look of doubt crossing her face.

'Rose came out instead, to tell me you'd left, nearly half an hour before.'

Lisa raised her eyebrows.

So he can acknowledge my members, but he can't even speak to me properly?

'And why exactly would you have come to pick me up?' she asked, not nicely. With her arms crossed, she continued. 'How would I even have known?'

'Because I was ordered to,' Jimin stated, face starting to show anger. 'Did you really think I would have done it of my own free will? You are such a waste of my time.'

With a dark look, he left, leaving Lisa standing alone.

A sharp pain pierced through her heart and Lisa looked down as his last words replayed in her mind.

'You are such a waste time.'

I am, aren't I?

//

Lisa and Seulgi made their way back into the room just as the clock stroke 1, giggling at a joke Lisa had cracked. The instructor stood abruptly from his seat and faced the unsettled crowd.

'We have finalised the positions of everyone, and so we will now announce those who will be in the front line,' the instructor said. 'There will be four people. Those whose names will be called please step forward.'

He paused, dramatically inhaling a breath and Lisa rolled her eyes at his extra-ness, chuckling under her breath.

'Yugyeom and Jimin,' The instructor commanded, waving his hands. 'The two males of the line.'

The two of them walked out to the sounds of loud cheering, high fiving each other.

'The other two will be female,' the instructor said. 'Seulgi, come on out.'
Seulgi looked at me, happily, before dashing out. 'And finally..'

All the girls in front of her leaned forward eagerly.

'Lisa, come one out.'

She felt a smirk make its way onto her face as Lisa watched the realisation hit the girls who'd taunted her earlier.

Karma's a bitch innit?

Shouldering gently past everyone in the crowd, she smiled innocently at the girl, who was glaring at her.

Lisa finally found herself standing next to Seulgi in the front line, Yugyeom beside her. She suddenly felt self conscious, standing next to the best dancers of this generation. Yugyeom gave her an encouraging smile that she shyly returned.

You've got this, Lisa.

'And so, she finalises the front line,' the instructor ended. 'I will post everybody else's position here,' he paused, sticking the paper onto the mirror. 'Have a look for yourself and get into position.'

***

Lisa leaned against the white pillar, waiting for Seulgi to reappear outside the changing room. She had finished early and stood, watching as everybody slowly filed out. She had given polite smiles at the people who had been nice to her, nodding shyly when they talked to her, slowly making acquaintances in the industry.

That was the point of this all, isn't it? Connections.

And now her connections brought her where?

A relationship with a member of one of the biggest groups out there. A fake one, at that.

She laughed darkly to herself. This was all too unbelievable. Everything that had happened over the course of a week had all been too unbelievable.

But that was just the start of it all.

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