Ms. Kim wants me!

CHAPTER 3

LISA'S POV

It was now Sunday, and I was working at Barnes and Noble. The smell of fresh pages and coffee lingered in the air as I pushed a small cart of new arrivals toward the shelves. My job today was to put the newest books on display.

Of course, me being me, I had to climb up a ladder to reach the higher shelves. At only 5'6, I constantly felt too short for the job.

Seriously, 5'6 might not sound short, but in moments like this? I feel tiny.

I carefully slid the last book into place and exhaled with relief. But as I started to climb down, my clumsy self decided to make an appearance.

My foot slipped on the step, and I lost balance. For a second, I was sure I was going to hit the floor hard.

But I didn't.

Instead, strong arms caught me before I could fall. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest, and when I looked up, my eyes widened in disbelief.

"Surprised?" Ms. Kim teased, her lips curving into a smirk.

I immediately scrambled to stand upright, stepping away from her hold.

"More like scared," I muttered, cheeks burning.

She chuckled softly, and the sound was warm, almost playful. Her smile lit up her face, and I couldn't help but think just how pretty she looked when she wasn't so serious.

"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked, trying to sound casual as I picked up the ladder and carried it toward the storage room.

Unfortunately, the ladder was heavier than I expected, and I was clearly struggling to keep it balanced.

Ms. Kim laughed lightly before stepping in. "Here, let me," she said, effortlessly lifting the ladder from me as if it weighed nothing.

"Thanks," I mumbled, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

"No problem, Lili," she said with a wink.

My entire face heated up at the nickname. No one ever called me that except my best friend, and hearing it from her felt... different.

"So... what are you really doing here?" I asked curiously.

"I'm here because I need some books," she replied simply as she set the ladder down in the corner.

I tilted my head. "What kind of books?"

She hesitated for a second, then said, "Uh... cooking books?"

I laughed before I could stop myself. "Cooking books? Really?"

She nodded, looking just a tiny bit embarrassed, which only made her more endearing.

I led her upstairs to the section she needed. After scanning the shelves, I picked up a thick cookbook and handed it to her.

"Why do you need a cooking book?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um... I want to cook," she answered quickly.

I giggled, covering my mouth. "That's... cute."

She ignored my teasing and flipped through the book.

"Anything else you're looking for?" I asked.

She nodded. "My cousin is having a baby. Do you have any books for babies or something like that?"

I smiled and gestured for her to follow me again. We walked together to the children's section, and I pulled out the first book I saw, handing it over.

She glanced at the cover, then raised an eyebrow. "My Friend is a Monster?" she read aloud, looking at me like she wasn't sure if I was joking.

I sighed, snatched it back, and quickly picked another one.

"The Ladybug Adventure," she mumbled this time, nodding approvingly.

"That better?" I asked.

She gave a small smile. "Much better."

"Good. Is that all?" I asked, crossing my arms playfully.

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she just stood there, looking at me with that unreadable expression.

"Bye? The checkout is downstairs," I reminded her, laughing softly.

"Oh! Right." She blinked, then leaned closer.

"Uh... when do you get off work?"

Her question caught me off guard. "Um... in like one more hour. Why?"

"Wanna grab some coffee?" she asked casually, but her eyes stayed fixed on mine, like she was waiting for something more than just a yes or no.

I smiled, trying to hide my excitement. "Only if you buy me a cookie."

"Deal," she said, smirking.

I shook my head and laughed. "Now why are you still here? Go check out!"

She gave me a playful shrug. "I'll stay here. Just in case... anything happens." Her tone shifted to something more serious, and I rolled my eyes, though deep down, I found it kind of sweet.

I went back to finishing my tasks, but I noticed that Ms. Kim stayed close, leaning against the shelves with a book in hand. She looked oddly comfortable there, flipping through the pages while occasionally glancing at me.

It was strange, she was the most powerful CEO I knew, yet here she was, hanging out in a bookstore with me.

At one point, I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. "You're really just going to stand there the whole time?" I teased.

She glanced up from her book and smirked. "Maybe."

Before I could reply, a young woman approached me.

"Excuse me? Do you have any phone number books?" she asked politely.

"Yes, we do! Just follow me," I said with a smile, leading her toward the section. I was used to helping customers, but I could feel Ms. Kim's presence right behind us, her gaze never leaving.

We arrived at the shelf, and I handed the woman a book. "Here you go, miss."

She opened it, flipping through the pages with a frown.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked curiously.

She looked up at me, her expression shifting into something playful. "Yes. All these numbers, but I still can't find yours. What's your number, honey?"

My eyes widened, and I instantly felt uncomfortable. "Uh... that's personal," I said, taking a small step back.

"Aw, come on! Have some fun!" she pressed, stepping closer to me.

Before I could react, Ms. Kim suddenly stepped in front of me, her arm stretched out protectively. Her voice was sharp, commanding.

"GOODBYE, MISS," she said sternly.

The girl's eyes widened in shock before she quickly scurried away, clearly intimidated.

I let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Thank you... I owe you one."

Ms. Kim glanced over her shoulder at me, smirking. "See? Told you I needed to follow you."

I couldn't help but laugh, the tension melting away. Her presence made me feel safe, protected. And as she stood there, tall and confident,

I realized something I didn't want to admit just yet: her accent, her voice, her very presence... it was becoming my weakness.

Her accent really was so soothing.