BE ALRIGHT

16

Lisa's POV

As I stirred from my slumber, the creaking of the door echoed through the room. I lifted my gaze and there was Jennie, dressed in her workout gear, heading towards the bathroom. The sudden noise and movement woke me, causing me to rub my eyes to fully wake up.

With a quick stretch, Jennie turned towards me and declared, "Get up, I'm going for a jog and you're coming with me." Her voice was assertive and authoritative, leaving no room for argument. She then walked towards the side of the room, where her shoes lay neatly arranged, and grabbed a pair.

Feeling groggy and still half-asleep, I couldn't help but ask, "Why do I need to come?" My back was sore from sleeping on the couch and all I wanted was to get some more rest.

"I'm leaving you here in Vietnam if you won't stand up," she declared. With a sudden burst of energy, I jumped up from the couch, feeling both startled at her dramatic threat.

I followed her into the bathroom and went through my morning routine, taking my time to make sure I was fully awake. As I looked down at my bag, I saw that I had grabbed the same type of clothes as Jennie, only in a bright red color.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I saw Jennie turn around to face me, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What the fuck are you wearing?!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in pitch. Despite her initial shock, I couldn't help but smile widely.

"It's trendy nowadays for couples, you know," I explained, hoping to diffuse the tension. "We're a couple, aren't we?" I asked teasingly, trying to make light of the situation. But Jennie simply rolled her eyes and walked out of the room, leaving me to chuckle to myself before following her lead. As we made our way past the guards, I greeted them warmly.

As we made our way downstairs, we were greeted by a couple of guards in their training outfits. It was clear that they were going to join us for our morning jog, both to keep us safe and to keep themselves fit for duty. One of Jennie's guards approached us and led us through a series of stretches, ensuring that our muscles were warmed up and ready for the run ahead.

With the stretching complete, we set off on our jog, with Jennie leading the way and her AirPods in her ears.

After a few minutes of running, we reached a park where we could take a break and catch our breath. Some of the guards quickly sprang into action, running off to buy water for all of us to rehydrate. As we rested in the cool shade of the trees, I stole a glance at Jennie, who was still lost in her music. I decided to strike up a conversation with the guards who were left with us, asking about their lives. Most of them are a man of few words, so I didn't get to talk to them for a longer time.

Suddenly, a voice broke through the silence, calling out from my left. I turned to see a group of girls approaching us, their eyes curious and friendly. The guards tensed up, ready to intervene if necessary, but I assured them that everything was okay.

"You guys look foreign," one of the girls remarked, and I couldn't help but chuckle at her directness.

"They're Koreans and I'm Thai, but I live with them," I explained.

"Do you guys enjoy being here in Vietnam?" one of the girls asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.

I smiled at her enthusiasm, feeling a sense of warmth and connection with these strangers who had just approached us.