How to Disappear - Chealisa

Chapter 18

Lisa pulls her chair out and takes a seat across from Jisoo at a table that's far too small for two people and covered in white, lace fabric. Jisoo had recommended the place with enthusiasm, calling it "the best damn French café you'll ever set foot in." And while it might live up to its high praise, Lisa's firmly against falling in love with the restaurant in the way that Jisoo has.

As soon as she pulled into its parking lot, all she could remember was the hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint with phenomenal tacos and fried ice cream that once stood in its place. But, like much else in Lisa's life, the restaurant has drastically changed. Though it's a bit nicer now and more refined, it's almost unrecognizable.

Lisa feels out of place, but the feeling isn't new. She's felt out of place for a while now.

"I spoke to Chaeyoung."

Jisoo looks up from the packet of sweetener she's pouring into her coffee and nods, "I know."

"You know?"

"She told me."

"Oh," Lisa nods and, well, she supposes it makes sense. Jisoo and Chaeyoung are nearly inseparable – why wouldn't Chaeyoung share this with the older woman? "What did she tell you?"

"I'm a little bit more interested in what she told you," Jisoo says, her voice sounding a bit agitated, "Because she didn't tell me much other than 'Lisa dropped by my appartment today.'"

"That's really all she said?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Jisoo sighs, "We were out for breakfast and she waited until the check came to tell me. I asked her how she felt and she didn't say anything – kind of just shook her head at the idea that she's supposed to feel anything at all. It was weird, Lisa."

Lisa nods, "That's similar to the reaction that I had, too. Well, at first she thought she was dreaming but then I kissed her and –"

"Wait, you kissed her?" Jisoo raises her eyebrows, "And you didn't think to mention that earlier?"

"It wasn't a big deal. It wasn't even... well, I don't know if I can even call it a kiss, it was more of a way to get Chaeyoung to realize that she wasn't dreaming everything that was happening."

"Okay, so you kissed her and she realized she was awake?"

"Yeah," Lisa nods and furrows her brow, "She cried for a while after that and I held her and then her girlfriend..."

Jisoo senses that Lisa's struggling with her name, so she intervenes, "Joy."

"Her name is Joy? Wow, alright. That's... unexpected. Anyway, Joy knocked on the door and Chaeyoung kind of just snapped out of it. She stopped crying and pulled herself together and told me that I should leave."

"And that was it?" Jisoo questions, her tone suggesting that she wants to hear more of the story.

"Yeah, that was it. I left and Joy took my place and that was that. Chaeyoung said we'd talk about it later but I haven't heard from her in..." Lisa looks down at her phone, squinting to read the date, "almost a week now."

"God," Jisoo shakes her head, "I bet scientists everywhere would love the opportunity to study the inner workings of Park Chaeyoung's mind."

Lisa ignores the comment, "I don't know what to do, dude. I just want to talk to her one-on-one. I'm not even concerned about discussing our relationship or what happens with us now, I just... I just want to talk to her about everything that happened. But she doesn't seem concerned in the slightest in listening to what I have to say."

"Look Lisa, I know Chaeyoung better than anyone, including you. And I know that whatever she seemed to be feeling when you saw her last week isn't what she really feels. For Christ's sake, the girl is about as in touch with her feelings as my ex was, and that's saying a lot."