Warm On a Cold Night ★ JENLISA

Chapter 11

The weather changes, fall teasing at the edges. In the breezes that sweep across the city, that have a sudden chill hidden in them. The rain starts, pouring more fruitfully from the sky and dampening the spirits of all. Cold and wet. The night comes earlier and earlier.

Jennie has been buried in work and Lisa has been on a short bench trial for a few days. Just by her texts Jennie has a sneaking suspicion it's not going well for her.

It's been a quiet week, with Lisa in trial mode and Jennie's social calendar busier than usual. Trial Lisa is a beast unto her own. Jennie finds herself bordering attraction and annoyance with her clipped attitude and singular focus.

It's positively frustrating for her brain and body.

She's not entirely a stranger. This is the Lisa she has known the longest. But, it's different now.

And so, on one of her favorite days of the year, she finds herself huddled around a table at one of her favorite places in the city with Jisoo and Hyeri. Drinks and appetizers ordered and a few more empty chairs around them, signaling the late arrivals.

It's her birthday and she can't remember ever feeling this content about the calendar flip.

"Is Lisa coming?" Hyeri doesn't even try to keep her voice down or hide the look of glee on her face as she blurts it out.

"Lisa? Why is that name familiar..." Jisoo trails off, her brain whirring.

And if looks could kill, Hyeri would be dead on the dirty bar floor.

"Wait isn't that the prosecutor you hate, Jennie?" Jisoo asks, confused and not nearly drunk enough to forget this
.
"Mhm," Hyeri nods into her drink
.
"Shut up, Hyeri!" Jennie snaps, but it's too late. The damage has been done.

Hyeri's face lights up in a grin and Jisoo slams her hand on the table. "Someone explain!"

Jennie groans and Hyeri spills, "Jennie's been boning Lisa for a while now."

"WHAT!"

"Okay, fuck you and fuck you, it's my birthday are we really doing this?"

"Uh, yes. I can't believe you kept this from me, Jennie. I thought we were friends? Oh my god, is that why it took you so long to call me back a few weeks ago? Now that I think about it, you did look a little disheveled." Jisoo puts the pieces together astoundingly fast for someone who was just pounding shots.

"Yeah, it's also why she was late for Brunch n Bitch," Hyeri adds, shooting Jennie a look that screams she's been holding on to that revelation.

"Oh my god, Jennie? Seriously?" Jisoo looks positively gleeful.

"Ugh!"

Hyeri spirals into laughter and Jisoo just keeps pounding the table and looking at Jennie. And no, nope. Jennie does not want to do this. Not tonight and maybe not ever.

"Jennie- you need to spill the beans or I'm cutting you off. No more birthday drinks."

"Rude." Jennie glares.

"Seriously, Chu, it's amazing. Jennie here has no self-control." Hyeri is still laughing and Jennie seethes.

"Jennie this is your last chance-" Jisoo warns.

"You better get me another drink, I am not nearly ready for this," Jennie grumbles and knows there's no getting out of it. Has a sneaking suspicion Hyeri has been waiting to drop this bomb since they planned her birthday outing.

As soon as Jisoo leaves, Hyeri smiles like the cat that ate the canary. "Don't make me tell her how pouty you were all day because you hadn't heard from Lisa."