Love Charms and Donuts (JenLisa)

7: I'm Speechless, You Already Know That You're My Weakness

"Hello, is the yoga instructor already in the studio?" Lisa asked the friendly gym receptionist.

"Hi Lisa, how have you been? Chahee’s class will start in ten minutes. I think she just went to the washroom first," Nancy replied.

"Oh, alright. Thanks, Nancy!"

Lisa quickly made her way to the locker room. There were only two other people there, and she chose the farthest locker from Chahee, who was facing her own locker. The yoga instructor put her bag inside and closed the cabinet, holding a towel and water canteen in one hand as she strode toward the exit. Lisa crouched down, pretending to tie her shoelaces, as Chahee walked out of the room. It was fortunate that Lisa wore a black baseball cap to hide her face, just for good measure.

Lisa waited a few seconds until the other woman in the room, who was wrapped in a towel, headed to the shower, making Lisa thankful for her luck. Her heart was beating fast, and she nervously smiled at the woman before walking to another part of the room.

Now, all she needed was the locker combination. "Ah, for fuck’s sake," she muttered. She hadn’t thought this through.
She didn’t even know Chahee’s birthday.
How about 1-2-3? It didn’t work. She tried at least four more common digit combinations in her attempt to open the lock, but to no avail.

"Think, Manoban. How about… 1-1-6? It’s Jennie’s birthday." Lo and behold, the locker opened. Chahee’s fixation on Jennie was really something else. Lisa felt both relieved and proud that she succeeded.

Lisa pulled the little velvet pouch from her back pocket. Her hands were shaking; what she was doing was crazy. She unzipped Chahee’s bag and carefully placed the tiny talisman bag into one of its secret side pockets. This was foolish and creepy, Lisa knew it, but she had to do it.

"I’m sorry, Chahee. But I am doing this for you," she whispered, though truthfully, she was doing it more for Jennie. Yes, Lisa had just placed the un-love charm she got from the Shaman on Chahee to help Jennie finally get over her.

Lisa couldn’t stomach seeing Jennie so miserable. When she saw her Korean friend looking weary and miserable while they waited for Chahee’s sister at the hospital corridor, Lisa knew she needed to help Jennie out. She still planned to visit Shaman Min-young again, not to ask for another talisman to win Irene back; somehow, her ex-girlfriend had become insignificant.

Lisa just wanted to consult on any follow-up mantras or instructions needed to ensure the charm would work. It was crucial to her that she could help Jennie out of her predicament. Jennie was a very good friend, the best. In all the years of their friendship, the Korean had been the kind of friend who gave and gave, while not knowing how to take.

"It’s time I returned all the generosity, all the goodness, and favors Jennie has done for me," Lisa thought. "And this time, not just by giving her precious donuts." If giving up the talisman was what it took, then it was a sacrifice Lisa was willing to make, though her decision didn’t weigh heavy on her heart.

And she knew why.

Irene and she were a closed book. No part two or special chapter, and she was okay with that. While talking to Jennie and asking the questions she had wanted to ask Irene, Lisa realized that no decent person would deliberately hurt someone. Irene had loved her and perhaps even tried to love her more. There were just some things in life that weren’t meant to be.

When Lisa saw the guilt and frustration on Jennie’s face, she realized Irene might have gone through the same thing. Irene had been hurt when she hurt Lisa. Just as Jennie had said, if only Irene could, she would have continued loving Lisa; her ex-girlfriend simply couldn’t. Irene wouldn’t intentionally hurt her.

Still, Irene had found Seulgi, and Lisa recalled how relaxed they had seemed together. Jennie was right, frustratingly almost always correct. It was pride that had kept Lisa pursuing Irene; her ego had kept her from moving on. She wanted to avenge her wounded pride, which was why she wanted her ex-lover back. Her self-confidence had been shattered into bits and pieces.

"It fucking sucks," Lisa thought. But through Jennie’s troubled eyes and exhausted face the other night, she got past her pride. Lisa swallowed it and faced the truth, which wasn’t as awful as she had believed. Irene and she were through. She couldn’t change that. She had been hurt. She had grieved.

Now, Lisa was moving on.

And the first thing she had decided to do was help Jennie rid herself of Chahee’s manipulative claws. Talking to Chahee wouldn’t work; Lisa was certain of that. She wasn’t a psychotherapist. There were other ways to rid Jennie of Chahee, she supposed. But right now, she couldn’t think of anything but this un-love charm she planned to use to break up Irene and Seulgi.
Of course, its success was more wishful thinking, but she was desperate. What if it did work? Then Jennie would be free and happy. So, Lisa was willing to try.

After returning the bag to its original position, Lisa closed the locker and grabbed her own gym bag. As she approached the gym reception area, Nancy called out to her.

"Hey Lisa, you’re still not in the yoga class? It started like five minutes ago."

"Oh, y-yeah, I realized I still need to finish some work and won’t be able to make it."

Lisa urgently reached for the door handle, not letting the receptionist respond, as she made her way to the exit. Her heart was pounding, but she was smiling.

"It’s done," she thought, feeling like she had accomplished something significant. Lisa hoped it would work and knew she needed to follow up with the Shaman.

The Thai decided she was in dire need of some donuts. When Lisa was already in her car, she opened her bag to get her phone, planning to text Jennie to see if she wanted to go for another donut road trip. The battery was low, so she opened the glove compartment to get the phone charger. The cord was stuck to something, so she pulled it forcefully, causing something to fall from the compartment onto the car floor. It was a familiar-looking velvet sack.

"It can’t be..." Lisa picked up the small bottle from the tiny pouch. Inside were three pink crystals with herbs. When she took off the lid, she caught a whiff of roasted chicken—yes, it was thyme and rosemary, alright. It was a fucking un-love charm!

"What kind of black magic is this?" Lisa muttered. She could have sworn she had put
the un-love charm bottle in Chahee’s bag.

Why was there another talisman in her car?

How long had it been there? Surely, there was a logical explanation for this. Right?

Only one way to find out. She pressed her speed dial 1.

"Hey Poopoo, what is it?" the voice on the other end said.

"Are you in your shop? I am heading there. Don’t move."

"Oh-kay, bossy pants. Why are you even asking me that? You drove me to work earlier, dumb-dumb. Of course, I am here. Anyways, bring donuts and coffee," the other woman demanded before the line went dead.

Lisa couldn’t help but smile. Excitement coursed through her veins at the prospect of seeing Jennie again, as if they hadn’t been together just hours ago.