Start from Scratch (JenLisa Adaptation)

29

'Cruel to be Kind'

No One's POV

After storming out of the apartment, Jennie took a walk. Ranting drunkenly to herself as she went. It was only when she started to sober up, did she feel bad about yelling at Lisa, but her inner drive to fix Lisa was unyielding.

By the time she had returned home, Lisa had already gone to bed, so Jennie did the same. Falling asleep, feeling pretty cruddy about the whole thing.

Sometime later, she felt herself being nudged.

"Wake up!"

Opening her eyes, she could see it was morning and Lisa was sitting on the coffee table next to the couch. It was Friday so Lisa was dressed for work at the bank. Jennie however didn't have to work and her first hung-over thought was, 'Why is she waking me?'

"Jennie." Lisa said clearing her throat. "I want you to listen and not say a word. I do not want to be interrupted. Nod if you understand."

Jennie reluctantly shook her pounding head.

"Good, for starters I want to apologize for having our discussion when we'd both been drinking. It was a terrible decision to speak of it then and only made things worse. I am sorry."

Jennie nodded again in acknowledgement.

"Okay, I've been thinking. You want to help Rosé, as you see it helping me. I also know you're hella bent on doing this. You're frustrated, still somewhat traumatized and impatient. You also feel an uncontrollable urge to fix me. Perhaps, you think I need to be fixed in order for us to proceed. I do not agree. I want to proceed and I know you do as well. I think both of us can be very happy together, I really do. I'm being honest here, even the best of relationships go south sometimes. So a part of any relationship is to compromise and sometimes doing things to please the other, even something you may not like. Are you following?"

"Yes."

Lisa frowned, "I said no talking! Nod."

Jennie then nodded to answer her again.

"So to help you deal with your urge and to get my friend back, I will help you liberate Rosé. But I will be in charge and we will do it under my conditions and rules. You look like you have a question. Speak."

"What if I don't follow the conditions?"

Looking deadly serious, Lisa quipped, "I don't want to lose another friend, what we're doing is possibly quite illegal. It is something my father would not be pleased to hear about, not one bit. All I need to do is make one phone call to my dad, where I let him know you're about to do something rash and 10 minutes later, the Busan police will know and to be expecting you. Am I being clear?"

Jennie snarled, "You wouldn't dare... that's blackmail!"

"Yes, I would. Blackmail is such an ugly word, I prefer to describe it as protecting my investment. You obviously think I'm being unfair, tough cookies. But think of this as an exercise in compromising and cooperation, for the betterment of us. That and you being a good little girl and not going off half-cocked will please me. You want to please me, don't you? Someday the shoe will be on the other foot, where I'm sure you'll delight in putting the thumbscrews to me, but for now, I have the power. Got it?" Lisa said, looking a little like she was enjoying having Jennie on the spot.

With a sudden look of defeat on her face, Jennie nodded.

"Okay, I'm in charge of this operation. I even looked up the proper terminology." Lisa remarked proudly.

"Jennie, if at any point I see danger or harm or possible arrest, I will abort the mission. Then we will go home and leave Rosé be. But to start, today when you get up, you will call Rosé's parents. I believe you've known them for a while. You will talk to them and get permission for us to take her from the cult. I was told by Bambam that Rosé has cut off communication with her parents, so I think they will go along. We will only proceed with their blessing. Understand so far?"