The Quiet Contract

Sick Lisa - Cooker Diana

Jennie POV

I was half-distracted by emails when there was a knock at my office door. Assuming it was Tzuyu with the usual breakfast Lisa sent, I mumbled a distracted "Come in."

The door creaked open, but instead of Tzuyu's familiar figure, Lisa walked in, carrying the paper bag herself.

I blinked, taken aback. Lisa? Here?

I tried to mask my surprise by sitting up straighter, my tone sharper than intended. "You're here?"

She gave me a small, tired smile, walking over to set the bag down on the mini table by the couch. "Good morning to you, too, Jennie."

Her voice sounded quieter than usual, and when I looked closer, I noticed something off. Lisa's usual sharp energy was dulled; her complexion looked pale, and there were faint shadows under her eyes.

"What are you doing here? Didn't you send Tzuyu?" I asked, standing up and walking toward her.

She waved off my concern. "I had time, so I thought I'd bring it myself."

That wasn't convincing. I frowned. "You don't look like you have time—or energy."

Lisa chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I'm fine, Jennie."

She wasn't fine, and we both knew it. She was pale, slightly hunched, and even her smile lacked its usual brightness. For a moment, I wondered if she'd been pushing herself too hard for work again, but I kept the thought to myself.

Instead of grilling her further, I decided to take a softer approach. I sat down on the couch, gesturing for her to join me.

Lisa hesitated, but eventually sat down, leaving a noticeable gap between us.

The breakfast bag sat on the table, untouched. Normally, I'd just let Lisa sit there in silence for the obligatory thirty minutes while I worked, but today... I felt different. I couldn't shake the image of her pale face or the slight crack in her confident demeanor.

"Have you eaten?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Lisa looked at me, surprised by my question. "Not yet. I'll eat later."

"Why not now? You look like you need it."

She gave me another weak smile, leaning back against the couch. "I'm okay, Jennie. Really."

I wasn't convinced. I studied her for a moment, trying to decide if I should push further. Lisa had always been the one to push boundaries with me, yet now she seemed so determined to keep her walls up.

For reasons I didn't fully understand, it bothered me.

"You're lying," I said softly.

Lisa's smile faltered for a split second before she masked it again. "I'm not. I just didn't sleep well last night. It's nothing serious."

Her voice was calm, but there was a weight behind it that made me hesitate. I didn't press further, but I stayed sitting there, pretending to fiddle with the breakfast containers on the table.

The air between us felt different today—quieter, more fragile.

I didn't know why, but I felt a strange need to make sure she was okay. Even though it wasn't my job. Even though she drove me crazy most of the time.