After All | Lisa × Female Reader

Chapter 16 - Care For Her

*No One's POV*

None of you spoke as your car moved through the visibly empty roadways of Seoul. There were hardly any vehicles in the vicinity, and you had no idea where you were driving off to. Lisa had asked you to keep driving, and you obliged. Even if you had to keep doing that till sunrise, you'd gladly do that.

The only stop you briefly had was at a convenience store. Only you got out, and when you came back, she gave you a questioning look after seeing chocolates and a can of diet coke in your hand. You passed them on to her and she quietly took them.

"You told me Dad used to give you chocolates to cheer you up." That's all you said while Lisa nodded and looked away from you. As you resumed the journey, you felt Lisa's head slowly resting against your shoulders, and she heaved a sigh. You kept your focus on the road, fighting the urge to hold the girl in your arms.

Finally, your car came to a stop as it stopped in front of a field. It was pitch black outside, and the only light was your car's headlight brimming ahead. You rested your head against the headrest while still holding the steering. You had no idea what to say to her. Lisa was silently staring outside — her head still on your shoulders. It looked like she had no idea what was happening around her, and she won't even know if someone tried to kidnap her.

You hoped she'd talk to you, but she said nothing. You checked the time; it was close to four in the morning. You adjusted in your seat and put one hand over her, pulling her slightly closer. She didn't say anything. Lisa snuggled closer to your body, feeling the warmth, and let out another sigh.

Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours, and before you realized it, you were watching the sunrise with her in your arms. The light, crimson rays of the sun, emerging from the clouds, landed on her perfectly sculpted face, which still rested against you, but she seemed asleep. You didn't even know when she had fallen asleep, but she looked so peaceful. You could see the puffiness and faint streak of tears on her face. It broke your heart.

You decided to drive back, and she didn't wake up till you reached her place.

"Unnie," You called gently and tapped her hands. "We reached." You whispered.

Lisa groaned. She slowly opened her eyes and raised her head to meet your orbs. She seemed to contemplate the situation for a while, but she only muttered a thank you and quickly rushed inside. You sat inside the car, having no idea what had happened or what to do, and watched her disappear from your sight.

Lisa felt stupid, and she was angry at herself that you were the one who found her in a situation like that. It even made her far more frustrated that you wordlessly took care of her and the fact that she needed your comfort more than anything. It less bothered her that her ex was using her for whatever purpose she had, but Lisa felt disgusted at herself that she let someone take advantage of her and for believing that Ye-rin could replace you in her life.

While Lisa drowned herself in alcohol again, another problem presented itself. Someone had seen you both at night, as she came to see you off, and had taken pictures of her hugging you. It went around on social media and stirred debates as to what your relationship was. Some accused Lisa of cheating on Ye-rin, while some defended her saying you must be a close friend. Lisa was tired of online drama, so she wasted no time in announcing her breakup with Ye-rin, but she purposely avoided every question about who you were.

Lisa then shut herself off from social media and everyone. The girls kept trying to reach her, but she didn't respond. After a few days into the incident, the girls received a call from Lisa's Mom that Lisa hadn't come home last night. Of course, the news was bound to reach you, and you being you, went with Jennie to look for her while Jisoo and Rosè went in another direction. Luckily, you were able to find her before she killed herself on alcohol.

You and Jennie sighed as you spotted Lisa sitting against a bar counter, lost. It was still very much bright outside, so there was hardly anyone present there.

"Unnie." You called as you walked over to her.

Lisa raised her head to look at you but immediately looked away, knowing it was you.

"What are you doing here?" She asked sheepishly.

"I came to pick you up. Mom is worried." You responded.

"I will leave once I am done. I don't need your help. You can go." She responded, and Jennie looked at the girl in disbelief. She couldn't understand why Lisa was being rude to you all of a sudden.

But as if you could read Lisa's mind, you shook your head. "I am not leaving without you."

"Why can't you understand, Y/N? What the hell do you want? I already told you to get lost. Haven't you seen enough? I am sure you must be feeling quite happy now." Lisa spat her words.

"Lisa–" Jennie was about to speak, but you stopped her.

"Is that what you think?" You asked, looking at her, but she looked away. "I asked you. Is that what you truly think? That I could be happy seeing you miserable. That I'd want you to feel the pain I felt once, the same pain I am living every day." Lisa bit her inner cheeks to stop crying. "You lost someone who didn't care for you, Unnie. But some people do, people who need you. I... I need you." Your voice cracked. "Despite hating this life so much, I chose this attire so that I could make myself worthy of you. I worked hard with grumpy men, and greedy eagles to make a position for myself so that you could look upto me. But I am still not good enough for you, right?" You cried, not caring about anything else. Lisa felt her heart getting stabbed again and again. She wanted to fall into your arms, but she couldn't. "I don't care if you hate me, Unnie, but stop hurting yourself. Please." You pleaded and roughly wiped your tears.

You turned to Jennie and spoke, "Please bring her, Unnie. I will wait outside."

Jennie nodded and watched you walk away. She walked over to Lisa, sat next to her, and found her sobbing quietly.

"What's wrong with you, Lisa? Why did you have to say such things to Y/N?"

"She should hate me, Jen," Lisa said between her sobs.

"What?"

"I need her back, Jen. I really, really do. I need her and no one else. But I... I don't deserve her. I don't want to go back to her life because I found that the person I dated cheated on me. I don't want anyone to think of her as a pushover. I don't want to use her. After what all I did to her, I don't think I should just barge into her life." Lisa said, sniffling. "I realized it much later, but... I still love her, Jennie. More than ever. I am not drinking to forget Ye-rin. I am drinking to forget Y/N." The Thai girl said as a teardrop rolled down her cheek.

Jennie wiped it and hugged the girl. Lisa sobbed against her shoulders as Jennie ran her hand in circles around Lisa's back. "If that's how you feel, I don't know what to say, Lisa, but I do know one thing, Y/N would never hate you, and she wouldn't care what others think as long as you will love her truly." Lisa shook her head against Jennie's body. The older girl sighed. "Think carefully and make a wise decision, Lisa."

You waited outside in your car for the two girls. Tears kept falling as the memories flooded your vision. A part of you strongly believed Lisa didn't mean any of the things she said because of the way she had looked at you before and how her lips brushed across your cheeks that night. However, your still insecure part made you think that maybe you never stood a chance against her and that she would never be yours.

After some more minutes, the girls came out. You watched how Lisa refused to get into the passenger seat next to you despite Jennie opening the door for her. You swallowed the lump in your throat and motioned Jennie to get in while Lisa sat at the back. Your eyes were gazing over to her frame through the rear mirror while Lisa had to fight the urge to look back at you with all her being. Because she knew once she saw the vulnerability in you, she'd never be able to let you go.

You dropped both girls off at Lisa's place. Lisa got out without even sparing you a look while you requested Jennie to take care of her. Lisa watched you drive off from afar and prayed that you'd stop coming back to her. But deep down at the corner of her heart, she hoped and knew you'd. Because her heart, too, only longed for you just as much as yours did for her.