Kiss, Don't Tell | JJK

01 | no strings attached

01

NO STRINGS ATTACHED

Pushing up the glasses to my nose, I stared intently at the laptop that glared emptily back at me; my insides churning like burning coals. With cautious eyes shooting daggers to the screen of my laptop, I exhaled slowly before plopping down to my seat. "Aja, Min Nari!" I screamed like a banshee, not caring if my roommate heard it or not.

I began typing, my lips pursed, and my brows furrowed as I tried to rewrite Mika and Paul's kissing scene for the umpteenth time. Sure, my manager may be demanding, but I was not one to give up that easily.

"I felt his hand slowly curl around my waist that sent me to utopia. I felt like flying and falling, at the same time. I couldn't get enough of his touch..." I said dramatically, my hands leaving the keyboard to reenact the scene, before grinning to myself. Yes, this could work.

"Slowly, yet dangerously, he leaned closer as..." My hands paused, a frown settling on my features. "As what?" I mumbled to myself, feeling my insides slowly crumble in slight horror. Just then, the sound of the door being shut interrupted my thoughts, and I glanced tiredly at the screen before groaning to myself.

"Not again," I groaned, my face first falling into my cold hands. I was nearly close to crying my eyes out.

"What's with the get-up?" a voice interrupted. I took my face off my hands and turned to look up at Iseul who stood by my doorway with her arms crossed on her chest. She wore her working attire, and she was raising her brow at me. I looked at the mirror beside my desk, frowning at the bandana wrapped around my head and the black marker smeared over my cheeks.

"This?" I motioned, "This is to hype me up for my novel." I said proudly. However, my voice squeaked at the end, giving away the very little confidence that I had mustered.

A pause came after. I shifted under her stare that totally gave me the impression she was thinking I was sort of stupid.

"I'm leaving for work," she only said, before slinging her purse and grabbing her keys. "Please eat a proper meal before you head off to your agency." She said, before she turned and left the apartment.

I sighed heavily, before I began typing again.

▁▁▁▁▁

"Again," my manager said, pushing the thick stack of paper on the table. Lia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose making me wince as I stood before her awkwardly, hands clasped together. "Nari, this isn't working," she said, her voice trying to be calm as her dark eyes shot daggers through me, making my skin crawl in slight fear.

"If you don't manage to pull this fiction by a rank higher, you'll end up being the fifth down to the tenth until you can no longer be seen in the top 100 of the week!" she exclaimed, her hands slamming down the table making me flinch. "Actually, it might be a little too late for that, the newbie's already the first this week."

"W-What?" I stuttered, disbelief taking over my features. "That fast?" I exclaimed, "No, that can't be true...I've managed to catch the first place for the agency the past few months, and I've been doing well despite not being experience with romance at all!" I burst, my cheeks growing hotter as I was talking.

This can't be right. It's only been two weeks and now that newbie has already gained the top spot while it took me months to earn that place. My fist clenched as I swallowed thickly.