Playing with Fire: A BLACKPINK Story

Chapter 10: Let Go for a Little

2018.

I didn't feel the need or even the right to go and interrupt Jisoo, so I pulled a beer out of her stash and seated myself on the couch with my book, determined to at least try and destress myself before we headed out for the evening.

Truthfully, it was going poorly. I could barely focus on the book and my thoughts were going in circles, but I was making a valiant effort. Jisoo, meanwhile, was sashaying around upstairs, singing and doing who knew what. I imagined a lot of makeup, a lot of gaming, and that little smile she got when she knew something great was about to happen.

That, at least, cheered me up a bit. Her emotions were always so contagious, which so often was something that I needed. I needed it more than ever right now. I felt consumed by guilt and regret, two things that I had managed to keep far away from my thoughts for a long time. Jisoo had done her best to assure me that I didn't need to feel that way, but it was one thing to hear it and another to internalize and believe it.

Eventually, it got late enough that I decided to give up on reading and to head up to my room with the goal of changing into something that would be fitting for tonight's New Year celebration. I wanted to give Jisoo a night she would remember, if nothing else. I vowed to shut off any heaviness that might be clouding my brain...

Just not yet.

For years, I had been exceedingly good at doing exactly that. It had made me a more effective operator. I had considered it one of my greatest strengths. Now I was beginning to wonder if it was actually one of my worst weaknesses.

As I passed by Jisoo and Rosé's room, I didn't hear any sounds coming from within anymore and I wondered if Jisoo had perhaps laid down for a quick nap to regain some energy before our evening out. It had certainly been an eventful day and I still didn't know what her plans were for the night.

I opened the door to my room and was taken aback to see a figure standing there, next to the bed. My fight or flight instinct activated for the briefest of moments before I recognized the figure. It was Jisoo, standing there in the dim room, wearing loose shorts and a t-shirt.

I turned the light on and looked at her questioningly. <What are you doing in here?> I asked. I noticed that even though she was dressed in casual clothes, her hair and make-up were done, giving her that trademark ethereal appearance that she had used to capture the hearts and minds of so many people across the world.

<I thought you might want to relax a little,> she said. Her voice and her face were very serious, but I could detect a hint of playfulness in her posture. <Come lay down.> She gestured toward the bed, which she had removed the top blanket from, leaving it bare for me to lay on.

<What...?>

She gave me a small frown. <Come on, lay down.>

I shrugged and went to do as she asked, having no idea what was going on. It seemed harmless enough, but I couldn't fathom where this was going. Before I started to lower myself onto the bed though, she stopped me with her hand and said. <Oh. Wait. Take your shirt off.>

<Excuse me?> I asked.

<No time for questions,> she responded. <Shirt. Off.>

I figured it didn't matter that much. No one was here and she had already seen my in various states of undress, going back to the time she had walked in on me after I had been injured. I pulled my shirt off and settled down onto the bed, laying flat on my stomach. <Like this?> I asked.

<Perfect,> she said. There was a small pause, and then I heard and felt her begin to get on the bed as well.

Instead of laying down though, she positioned herself over me, straddling my back, resting her light frame on top of me. <Try and relax, okay?> she said.