Sanctuary | Jenlisa

PART THREE

I.

Pranpriya didn't believe in love, didn't know it was real. She never seen it, never knew it nor felt it. She thought it was a fantasy, a fiction created by desperate minds to persuade themselves that there was still something that was worth living for in this chaotic world.

For Pranpriya, love was something that she cannot give nor accept.

But love suddenly had its own ways to crept up into her, unseen, so slowly, carefully and delicately. It radiated warmth into her toes, up to her belly, heart and head until it consumed her entire being.

She discovered that love was a savior, a sanctuary, a she, and it was named Jennie.

But not everything about love was beautiful, because she also discovered that love was a risk, a deception, a thing that can make her fly and let her fall down into the ground, breaking her into pieces.

Love offered happiness, but with it, comes the pain and tears.

As the years passed, when the ghosts of her past were already turned into ashes and locked away from her mind, Lalisa discovered that there was more to love than Jennie.

She discovered that love can be safe, and calm, and secure. Love broke her heart but love also healed her damaged soul. She discovered that love can be patient, and kind, and love can also be found in the soft eyes of her lover, Chaeyoung.

But what she didn't realize, that even when love broke and betrayed her, love still stayed deep within her, waiting to rise again and consume her.

Because as Lalisa stared across the field, searching for a familiar feline eyes, she knew exactly right then, that love was there and it never really go away.

So she tried to ran into her, to cry, and to embrace her. But Chaeyoung suddenly whispered something into her ears that made her gaze to shift. It was only for only a beat, but when she looked back again at the far distance, Jennie was already gone.

"Are you okay?" Chaeyoung asked, touching her with gentle hands.

Lalisa nodded as she looked at her and forced out a smile, hoping that her lover won't see her breaking heart.

II.

It was autumn when it happened again.

Their daughters turned thirteen then, both were too old to be carried in their arms but too young to be left alone.

She remembered how the wind touched her skin, how the leaves slowly fell into the ground, how the sunset made her children's eyes glow, and how Chaeyoung almost squealed in surprised when she saw a familiar face in the crowd.

"Jisoo?"

Kim Jisoo never aged. Her face was the same as it was all those years ago. Young, beautiful, and warm. She came with her lovely daughter who gave each of them a beautiful smile and a kiss on the cheeks.

They all laughed and talked for a little while, filling up the gaps of the years that had passed. They didn't mention anything about the academy though nor about the kids that they saved, it was a topic that was close to their hearts and yet a nightmare to their minds.

"Let's have dinner. Are you free tonight?" Chaeyoung asked, just as when they were about to leave.

Jisoo had a hesitant look on her face and for a moment, Lisa thought that she would decline, but Chaeyoung was convincing and their daughters pleaded with their lovely eyes.

So with a smile that didn't quite reached her eyes, Jisoo replied, "Alright. We'll meet you tonight."

III.