Stranger

.FORTY SIX.

LA GRANDE MAISON
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In Seojun's room, Jennie watched as he looked through his closet.

"You have a date?" he asked as he took out a clean white dress shirt.

"Yeah... I-it's only for the press. I just need to be seen with him at a restaurant."

Seojun nodded and buttoned his shirt then took out a black suit, putting on the pants first then the jacket.

"Can you drive me there? It's close to where we are right now..." Jennie asked cautiously.

He nodded again as he wrapped a tie around his collar.

"Where is it?" he asked and walked into the ensuite bathroom to use some mouth wash.

"It's a place called BIYA. Hey, is there somewhere you need to go?"

"Mhm. I have to check up on some company papers with Chaewon."

"Oh..."

"It shouldn't be long so I can pick you up after your date if you want."

"No, it's okay."

Seojun finished tying his tie and gave Jennie a look up and down.

"Is that what you're going to wear?" he asked about his baggy shirt on her small body.

"No, I was going to wear this dress. It's what I planned since yesterday... I wore it last night since you came so fast."

"So... you were going to wear that dress for someone else?" Seojun was a little hurt that Jennie want to wear his favourite dress of hers on a date with another guy, but he kept his thoughts to himself. "Lucky him, huh? I'll give you a minute to change. Let's not keep him waiting."

Seojun left the room and closed the door. Jennie changed into her dress while silently scolding herself on the intense interaction. She knew Seojun wasn't happy about Kai. She kind of wished he would just admit it.

They made it to the parking garage without speaking much and got in his car. Right before Seojun had a chance to drive, Jennie stopped his hand on the stick.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this sooner," she said.

"Don't apologize if you don't mean it," he said then looked over at her. He looked angry but his glare began to turn her on a little bit.

Jennie shook her dirty thoughts away to continue the conversation. "You know these dates with Kai are meaningless to me yet you still get so jealous. Don't you trust me, Seojun?"

"I trust you, Jennie, I do. But I don't trust Kai. And if this relationship was for publicity, it doesn't look like it's doing anything good for you," he said, thinking of the all the hate Jennie had been receiving. "If it's a relationship you need, why can't you tell everyone that I'm your boyfriend?"

"I'm not even supposed to be dating, Seojun..." she sighed, "I can't tell my boss I have a boyfriend. He'll murder me. It was already difficult to explain the video of me sitting on your lap when I was singing Sure Thing in our school's cafeteria."

"Why did it have to be you, Jennie?" he asked. They looked at each other now. "There are three other members of BLACKPINK. Why'd it have to be you?"

"I'm the one with the solo."

"You're also the one with a boyfriend!"

"But it's not my decision to make, Seojun!"

They still held the eye contact as both their voices raised from emotion. They both noticed how Jennie's fake boyfriend could slowly tear their real relationship apart.