Chapter XIII
1665 Words
JENNIE'S POV
We are preparing for Christmas Jisoo is the one who is cooking the pasta while I am the one who is baking. The table is almost done. It is already 10:45 on the evening of December 24.
"I am almost done here!" Jisoo yelled.
"Me too!" I yelled back. We just ordered other foods because it will eat time to cook.
The doorbell rings. "That might be Rosé, open the door for me Jen." Jisoo told me.
I walk towards the door and opened it. Yes, it was Rosé but she's with ... Megan and Lisa.
"Hi. Merry Christmas." I greeted them. "Please come in." I said.
Why are Lisa and Megan with her? Oh God, Jisoo also invited them? Great.
"Merry Christmas." Lisa greeted me while holding a bottle of champagne and smiling fully. When she raised her hand I saw an unfamiliar ring she's wearing. I have never seen her ring before.
I went to the kitchen to talk to Jisoo. "Hey." I tapped her while she's pouring the sauce to the pasta.
"They are already here?" she asked.
"You invited Lisa and Megan?" I asked her discreetly because it will be awkward if our guess heard me right?
"No, I didn't. It was Megan, she wanted to come. It will be rude of me if I said no." she explained. "I'm sorry." She mouthed.
"It's fine. Are you done?" I asked her. I can't do anything about it, they are already here and it is going to be rude if I shoo them away.
The clock is ticking and it is already 11:15 in the evening. Christmas is approaching.
The Christmas tree has gifts underneath. The Christmas lights are sparkling and everyone is already sitting in front of the table that is full of fruits and foods.
I can't believe that we are going to celebrate Christmas with them. Megan brought us gifts and she put it on the Christmas tree with the gifts Jisoo and I wrapped.
Megan opened the Champagne it is not yet time? I checked my watch it is 11:35 PM we still have a couple of minutes before Christmas.
"Lisa and I have something to announce to you guys and we want you to be the first ones to know about this." Megan blurted out.
Jisoo, Rosé and I look at each other, clueless. What are they going to tell? Are they going to marry each other? I laugh at my own thinking but then I realized it can be ...
When Megan is about to talk someone rings the doorbell again.
"Did you invite someone?" Jisoo asked me.
"No. I was going to ask you if you are expecting another visitor." I said to her but I was the one who stands up. "I'll get it. Continue what you are going to announce, Megan." I said to her.
"No, we'll wait for you to come back," Megan said to me and I just nodded at her.
I opened the door not looking first if who it was. But then when I opened it I saw a man's back.
"Kai?" I mumbled.
"Hi. Merry Christmas." He greeted me and looks at his watch. "I am not yet late right?" he talks again. I let him in. He is holding paper bags with gifts wrapped inside and a bottle of wine to his other hand.
"Kai!" Jisoo yelled. "You invited him? You are almost late!" she shouted again. Kai just laughs at her silliness.
"We're complete. This is great." Megan said. She really confuses me this time. I look at Lisa who is just simply quiet.
I haven't told Jisoo what Kai told me so she's still clueless about it. I did invite Kai but I forgot about it because I become busy. We are still friends whatever he confessed to me that day.
Kai sat beside me then Megan pours a drink to his glass. She then remained standing.
"Lisa baby please stand up." She asked Lisa to stand up with her. They are both holding their glasses.
"We just want to announce that .. we are getting married," Megan announced happily and they showed their rings to us.
That's the time where everything slowed down. We are all in shock so there is a second of silence in the dining area for a while.
"Why the hell I did not know about this?" Rosé asked Lisa.
"I was also surprised when she proposed to me yesterday. I woke up in the smell of roses and there's this bunch of petals leading my way to the garden. Megan set up a table in the middle of my garden and there's a boy playing his violin. Then the next thing I saw was Megan kneeling down and asking me to be her girl for life." Lisa tells what happened to Megan's proposal. Sounds sweet ...
".. and then I said yes." She said happily.
I don't know what to feel about it. It was heartbreaking to see how happy she was while telling this story to all of us.
Everyone is congratulating them. I also did. "Congratulations, Lisa." I greeted her while Megan is busy telling the story to Rosé and Jisoo to what happened.
"Thank you." She said briefly. Her eyes cannot look into mine, while mine is still searching for hers. Waiting for her to look at me the same way she did before. But I gained nothing.
She looks really happy tonight. I felt someone touch my shoulder. It was Kai and he is looking at me. I could also feel that Jisoo is taking glances at me. I know what they are doing. But I am okay. I am right?
"Are you alright?" Kai mouthed and I just nodded at him.
I am not.
I sip the champagne in my glass and drink it all up. Jisoo saw what I did so she distracted everyone.
"Jennie and I will just go to the kitchen to get the other foods okay? Stay here, guys." Jisoo told them and I agreed to her.
"Pull yourself together," Jisoo mumbled.
"Wh-at do you mean .." I said timidly.
She then faced me. "I know. I know you are hurting but you cannot let them see it. You are a different person now. Jennie, you are stronger than before. It is just maybe you guys are not really destined." Her last words came in almost whisper.
"I am fine. I was just surprised, I guess?" I said. I mean this is all unexpected and too fast?
"Yes, you are." She said. "Now show me your gummy smile and never ever let a tear escape from those beautiful eyes tonight. This night is going to be memorable but not because of their announcement but because you endure the pain and you did not go away just because you can't take it. I am always here for you." She told me. Jisoo's encouragement is really the thing I need right now.
"Yes." I said to her and keep up a straight face.
"It is almost Christmas," I yelled happily when we are back in the dining area.
Jisoo and I placed the foods on the table and back to our seats.
Kai keeps on looking at me so I need to assure him that I am okay. "Kai, don't worry about me. I am alright." I whispered to his ear and he gave me a sweet smile.
"Merry Christmas!" Rosé exclaimed and we all greeted each other. Take pictures and started eating our meal.
"Merry Christmas baby!" Rosé told Jisoo while they are dancing. After the meal, we decided to party in our hotel room. Jisoo and Rosé looks really wasted. They are dancing like kids and kissing like they are going to be far from each other again. They look really cute. Rosé can be wild if she wanted. She's now pinning Jisoo to the wall. Oh someone is going to get laid tonight.
On the other side, Megan and Lisa are drinking and chatting. Megan is already wasted she drinks a lot. Well, I can't blame her she looks really happy. Lisa was just sitting while Megan is already sleeping on her lap. She's brushing Megan's hair. Nice. I can't take the view so I went to the kitchen.
I did not know Kai followed me.
"Drinking alone at Christmas?" he said.
I sighed heavily and offered him a drink. "You want some?" I said to him while handing him the bottle of the wine.
"Sure." He said and walks closer to me to get the bottle.
We sat at the counter of the kitchen and drink in one bottle. "Hurting?" he blurted out.
"I don't know," I answered him honestly. "Maybe just surprised," I added.
"They look really happy," I said as I bowed down my head.
"Yeah. I'm sorry." He murmured.
"Why?" I asked him.
"I said I'm going to protect you but I failed .. " he said.
"It's not your fault, Kai." I said to him sincerely.
"It was mine. There's this little hope in me that I shouldn't let grow inside me. I was still hoping that maybe we find our ways to come back like Jisoo and Rosé but I think we are a different story." I chuckled while I am holding back my tears.
Kai gulps then he hugs me. The tears finally escaped from my eyes. I was trying to hold it back but his hug made me fragile. "Shhh.. everything will be alright." He said.
He is trying to calm me but I think the alcohol already taken my body that I couldn't stop from crying. I heard someone walking from our behind but the next thing I knew was .. Kai was kissing me.
But instead of pushing him I let myself kiss him back .. the steps go away. But we are still kissing each other. Ignoring whoever it was.
I feel safe for a moment.
- Writer
