No Strings Attached

Chapter Eleven

Seoul

Jennie was hunting for a business card in her handbag when she accidentally dropped her schedule book onto the floor. Scraps of paper were scattered all over her marble floor when the book landed. Chucking her bag on the table, she bent down to pick up the pieces of paper.

It had been two weeks since she got back from her business trip in Tokyo. Usually she was quite prompt in clearing receipts and name cards from her schedule book but this time, she didn’t touch the book until she needed to look for a particular business card.

Jennie laid the pieces of paper on the floor and sorted them out so that she could clear them from her book. She picked up the handwritten notes and arranged them in chronological order. As she read through the notes, she felt tingles throughout her body. It brought back memories of the three weeks she spent with Lisa in Tokyo.

She smiled when she saw the last note Lisa wrote.

“What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful. ~ Scott Westerfeld”

P.T.O.  (Please Turn Over)

“See you at the official opening of my café. I’ll give you a discount on cakes.

Here’s my number, so call me, maybe?”

She rubbed her thumb across Lisa’s Korean mobile number and recited it softly to herself.

“That shrew businesswoman. Starting to charge me for cakes because her café is opening. I ought to be getting a lifelong membership of free cakes since I helped her design her website,” Jennie grumbled.

After keying Lisa’s number into her mobile phone, she slotted the note into the schedule book and tucked it inside her handbag.

Should I text her? But…would I sound desperate for her if I make the first move? Then again, I didn’t ask when she would be back from Tokyo. Oh well, I shall email her instead.

Sitting at her desk in her study room, she opened up her email on the laptop and began typing.

At about 7pm, Jennie’s mobile phone rang. She pressed the green button to answer the call but before she could press the phone to her ear, she heard the loud chirpy voice of the caller.

“Hey Jen! I’m at the foot of your apartment and I bought your favourite pizza for dinner. Be prepared to welcome me at the door!”

Just minutes later, Rosé appeared at the door, grinning from ear to ear.

“What’s up?” Jennie asked as she took the pizza to the kitchen.

“Remember that guy who asked me out for a meal? We’ve been meeting regularly during the time you were away,” Rosé squealed.

“Ah, that’s good for you isn’t it?” Jennie replied. She took out a bottle of red wine and brought it to the kitchen.

“Or course! You’re looking good too. Hardly see you smile so much. I’m sure your facial muscles have been strengthened with the constant smile that’s plastered on your face since you came back from Tokyo. Met someone new in Tokyo?”

“Bumped into Lisa by chance,” Jennie casually replied.

“Whoa whoa, sounds like something’s brewing. You’re blushing!” Rosé teased, pointing a finger at Jennie.

“Am not. It’s the reflection of the pizza box since it’s red,” Jennie retorted.

Rosé laughed. “Smiling for no reason is one of the tell-tale signs of being in love. Come on, spit it out, Jennie Kim.”