The Quiet Contract

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Jennie POV

The morning started off like any other—a flurry of meetings, emails, and people bustling around the office. But today, I felt different. Lighter, somehow. Happier. I think it was because of Lisa.

Scratch that. I know it was because of Lisa.

After clearing most of my morning tasks, I had a random thought. I looked over at Mina, who was busy typing away on her tablet like the superstar secretary she is.

"Mina," I called, making her look up at me.

"Yes, Ms. Kim?" she replied, standing so attentively that I felt a little bad for what I was about to say.

"I need you to book me a cooking lesson," I said, trying to sound casual.

Mina blinked at me like I'd just told her I wanted to join a circus. "Cooking lesson? May I ask why?"

I tried to shrug it off, but I could feel my cheeks heating up. "No reason. I just thought... I should learn how to cook. That's all."

Her smirk was immediate, and it was obvious she wasn't buying my excuse. "Uh-huh. Sure, Ms. Kim. Any specific cuisine in mind, or should I just pick something random?"

"Thai food," I said without thinking.

She raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Got it. I'll find the best chef available and schedule it for you."

"Thank you," I muttered, waving her off before she could interrogate me further.

But, of course, Mina wasn't done. As she was walking out, she stopped and said, "By the way, after lunch, you have a meeting with the CEO of JGCorp about the expansion plans. They're excited to discuss collaboration."

I nodded, grateful for the distraction. "Thanks for the reminder. Make sure all the files are ready, and prep me before the meeting."

As Mina left, I leaned back in my chair, a small smile tugging at my lips. I couldn't stop thinking about Lisa. I don't know what's gotten into me lately, but every little thing makes me want to impress her. Cooking lessons? Who am I?

Lunch came and went, and soon enough, it was time for my meeting. I walked into the conference room where Mr. Kang, the CEO of JGCorp, was already waiting.

"Ms. Kim," he greeted warmly, standing to shake my hand.

"Mr. Kang," I replied, offering a professional smile. "Let's get started."

The meeting was intense. Mr. Kang was confident, and his pitch was solid, but I wasn't about to let that sway me too easily. I asked tough questions, poking holes in their plans wherever I could.

At one point, I leaned forward and said, "Your strategy looks good on paper, Mr. Kang, but I'm not convinced about your scalability. What measures are in place to ensure quality isn't compromised?"

He didn't flinch. "That's a great question, Ms. Kim. We've already identified key areas where additional resources will be allocated, and I'll provide you with a detailed breakdown in our revised proposal."

I nodded, satisfied for now. The meeting ended on a positive note, but as I walked back to my office, I couldn't help but feel distracted.

By Lisa.

I mean, I was proud of how the meeting went. Business as usual. But the thought of Lisa made me giddy in a way I couldn't explain. And when Mina teased me about Lisa after the meeting, I didn't even deny it.

"She's courting me exclusively," I had told Mina again with a proud grin.

Mina just laughed, shaking her head. "I've never seen you like this, Ms. Kim."