ten reasons to date me || lisoo

ten reasons, and so many more

Lisa's eyes widened at the two words, even as an excited murmur rippled through the people watching.

"My feelings for you Lisa, because make no mistake I do have feelings for you, have been there since I met you. I just didn't recognize them for what they were. Or I didn't want to." Jisoo took a deep shuddering breath, the oxygen flowing into her lungs helping to calm her. "They scared me, when I finally realized what they were, and I don't do well with things that scare me."

Lisa's face contorted strangely at her last words. "When did you? Realize?" her voice was a croak.

"Subconsciously? Probably when you asked me out for the first time. You were all cocky and assured, with that smile as you asked me to come grab a crappy burger with you. Twirling that scalpel around so fast in your hands that I was sure you were going to slit your palm open." Jisoo felt a smile pulling unbidden at her lips at the memory. "Out loud? Four days ago, but I had realized internally from the moment you started this bet that they were there."

Lisa took another step forward, her hands now hanging by her sides. 

"I know I should have said something sooner. Should have said anything that would have made things easier for you, not kept you so much in the dark. But, I was always so scared, scared that I wouldn't be any good. That I would let you down, not be good enough somehow. I was worried that I was going to hurt you. And I did." She sighed. "The other night in the bar, I hurt you, when you had done nothing wrong other than standing up for me. I regret that more than you will ever know." Jisoo felt her foot moving forward a few paces, the urge to be closer to Lisa becoming stronger by the second, they were now less than ten feet away from each other. The closest they had been since the kiss in the bar. Since the moment that Jisoo had not been able to get out of her head.

"You told me yesterday in the library that you had failed in the bet, that you had only given me nine reasons. I should have spoken up yesterday, I should have told you."

"Told me what?" Lisa pressed when Jisoo lapsed into a momentary silence. Her expression had lost its hardness, now she just looked vulnerable, nervous and Jisoo hated herself that it was because of her that Lisa felt this way, that it was her fault that Lisa's confidence had dimmed.

"Told you that you hadn't failed, that you gave me your ten reasons, and so many more." Jisoo stepped forward, hoping that her expression showed Lisa how sincere she was being. "Lisa-yah, you've been giving me reasons to date you since I first met you."

She could see Lisa swallow hard, as if there was a war raging inside her. Jisoo allowed herself a moment to break her gaze, sensing Lisa needed a moment to collect herself. Looking behind her to find Chaeyoung, Seulgi and Jennie watching her from the front of the crowd.

This was it. This was the moment, it was make or break time.

Chaeyoung and Jennie both gave her comforting, reassuring smiles. Seulgi gave her a nod of encouragement, their conversation standing at the forefront of Jisoo's mind.

It was all she needed to turn back to Lisa, who looked a little like a deer caught in headlights and begin to speak again.

"I know I have no right to ask for your forgiveness, and I'm not saying you should forgive me. But you have spent the last two weeks giving me reasons why I should date you. And it occurred to me very recently, with the help of some friends," she gestured behind her, to a probably very smug looking Seulgi, "that I hadn't given you any reasons to date me. That I hadn't shown you once how I felt."

Lisa's eyebrow arched in surprise as Jisoo ploughed on too far gone to even worry about fear of rejection.

"So, Lalisa Manoban. I don't have fourteen days, and I don't have any elaborate gestures or props. But I do have my words, and my sincerity." She took one more breath.