The Heart That Beats For Her || jenlisa

Chapter Twenty

Jennie watches in utter horror as Lisa literally runs away after her mother so ignorantly dropped some information that wasn't hers to share. Yes, she wholeheartedly had planned on sharing this news with Lisa, but other things, more important things have been coming up on this trip. She knows moving to California is going to complicate things, but then again, she and Lisa agreed to live in the moment and not stress about the future.

"Mother," she growls, provoking Jisoo and her family to leap to their feet and escape the kitchen before the violent storm hits.

Because that's exactly what is about to happen.

"I thought Lisa is your dearest friend? How have you not mentioned your move?" Minzy scoffs, gathering her plate along with Taeyang to deposit in the sink.

"She is my closest friend, but I haven't told anyone of my plans except for this immediate family. I never even mentioned anything to Wendy. I wanted to wait and have everything settled before I jump the gun," Jennie explains, desperately trying to keep her raging emotions in control that are out for blood right now for hurting Lisa.

Minzy drops the dishes in the sink with an ear-piercing clatter before she whirls around and pins Jennie with a dangerous glare. "Bullshit, Jennie." Jennie pops her mouth open to argue, but her mother furiously continues. "Bullshit, that you didn't want to jinx things and bullshit, that she is simply a close friend. Friends don't exchange looks the way you two do. Friends don't share the same bed every night and friends most certainly don't freely touch each other the way you do," Minzy scolds, forcing a scalding heat to burst through Jennie's veins.

She's slightly aware of her father's presence, silent as always, listening, absorbing, maybe judging, but she explodes, firing off before she can think about the ramifications and stop herself.

"So what, mother? Am I not allowed to date ever again? Am I not allowed to find love because I already had it once?"

"I never said that," Minzy seethes, but Jennie doesn't back down, instead she steals an assertive step forward.

"Then, what? Is it because she's a woman?"

"Don't you dare put words into my mouth. Don't you dare paint me in that color when Dahyun and Sana are here, in my home every weekend."

"Then what is it, mother?"

"She's not Mino!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Jennie explodes, her entire body involuntarily trembling from just one thought of her husband once again.

"No, I don't believe you do. I think you are still grieving and you're vulnerable and you want to believe that Mino is still here, still somehow connected to you through that woman, but he's not, Jennie. She is not Mino!" Minzy shouts, provoking a heavy sigh from her husband, but he doesn't jump in to defend her or accuse her for being wrong either.

"I know that!" Jennie screams, her vision instantly blurring from the warm liquid filling her eyes. "I know better than anyone that she is not Mino. He enjoyed literature and expanding his knowledge, but she is obsessed with cheesy movies and superheroes. He spent every waking moment with his nose in a book and she spends her time staring out a window, she can't even walk outside without raving about the damn dirt," she states through a watery chuckle, but she refuses to allow one single tear to escape. "He was quiet, shy, and reserved and she is larger than life, always giggling and so damn lovable. The only thing they share in common is how kind they are and their need to always put me first."

"Jennie, this isn't healthy. She took advantage when you were vulnerable-"

"Took advantage?" Jennie laughs humorlessly. "What are you talking about? She was kind, supportive and nothing more than a friend for the past nine months. It's been strictly platonic until yesterday and I was the one who made the first move," she so boldly confesses, generating another deep sigh from her father, but nothing more.