LISA
"Chu. Why aren't you eating?"
I grab lunch with Jisoo every Monday, and today because the sun is out, we've ventured down to the Liberty Public Market.
After picking up some food from the old navy building, we find a free table outside.
"Deep in thought." She slurps on a ramen noodle just as some live acoustic music starts up behind us. "Going to see Georgia again?"
"No. Probably not," I reply, pushing the seaweed in my bowl from one corner to another.
Sure, Georgia Mason is beautiful, polite, and ticks all the right boxes. She also stirred absolutely nothing in me.
Jisoo pauses. "Jennie is quite lovely, isn't she?"
"I suppose she's fairly competent." I slide some vegetables over the table. "Have you been doing your two miles on the elliptical each morning?"
Jisoo screws up her face at the kale. "When I'm not busy."
"Honestly, you're worse than a child." I pick out broccoli and put it on her plate. "Eat."
I say this, but Jisoo is as sharp in her early thirties as women in their sassy twenties. Apparently, I'm the baby sister she never had, and she's, without a doubt, the closest thing I have to one. Jisoo was my executive assistant for four years when I worked at Hartman Myer as a marketing manager.
However, she wanted to step back from her role when I became CEO at The M Media. She also said I was a bit much as a manager. And to be honest, I didn't really care for her constant interference in my romantic life as much as I knew that her heart was in the right place.
I tried to replace her. Franny talked too much. Neil couldn't type. Thankfully, Jisoo and I found some middle ground because I love her to pieces and couldn't be here without her. She works part-time in reception now but still likes to 'keep an eye on me.' Whatever that means.
A seagull lands beside Chu, and I batt it away when she tries to feed it some kale. It's hard not to laugh.
She sighs loudly. "I mean, she's like a breath of fresh air, isn't she?"
"Who?"
"Jennie. Attractive too."
I draw a circle with my chopsticks in the air. "Where are you going with all this?"
"It's been a while since your divorce," she chirps, and I level her a look.
"Chu. Stop meddling."
She giggles.
"Anyway, hardly my type."
"So, you've thought about it?"
"No."
"Will you think about it?"
"No."
"Am I still employed?"
"Just."
She continues to snigger, and I catch myself starting to smile.
"Honestly, what is this quest to find me a woman?"
"Partners can be a very nice part of life, Lalisa. I mean, when they don't grate on your nerves."
"Like Hae-in?"
She huffs and rolls her eyes. "Hae-in is my friend."
"Like a friend friend? You see him Thursday and Saturday."
"What's a friend friend? Don't fish, Lalisa. Nothing going on there," splutters Jisoo.
I can't help laughing.
