My Pretty Apprentice (Completed)

Part 20 - Progress

Lisa's POV

"Two more items and we're good to go." I said to Jennie smiling.

"Yes! I'm so tired!" She complained.

"Aww you want to take a rest first?" I ask concerned.

"Nah, I'll take a rest after." She said giving me a reassuring smile.

I gulped.

"What?" She asked. Maybe she noticed my reaction.

"Nothing Princess." I answered while offering my hand for her to take. She casually accepted it then we continue walking. This made my heart flutter.

"So our last two items are chocolates and letter. Hmm what are the clues Lisa?" She asked me.

I checked and saw direction.

"There's a direction, I think we need to follow it." I answered.

"Okay let's go. We still have 2 remaining hours." She stated.

***

Jennie's POV

"A store?"

"I didn't bring money. How about you Princess?" Lisa asked me hoping that made me gulped.

She chuckled.

"So I guess you didn't bring any either. How come will be able to pay for chocolates and envelope (letter)?" She stated the obvious. "We're quite far from our hotel, specially if we walk." She added.

"Should we give up?" I ask defeated already.

"Nah of course not Princess. Come, we'll try our luck talking to the owner." She suggested then gently dragged me inside the store. Its a small store with varieties of items and since Valentine's Day is approaching some of the displayed items are all about it.

We slowly walked to the counter but when we're near there, we saw some of our colleagues talking to the owner.

"Come on! We need those. We'll pay for sure, it's just that we didn't bring our wallets with us now." One of the Kim's Corp. employee said rudely that made me raised my brow.

"I'm sorry, I can't fully trust your words Sir. This is a small shop as you can see and we can't afford to risk even the cheapest item in here." The store owner (I guess) calmly stated.

"What the?! Can't you listen? WE.WILL.PAY.YOU!" He rudely answered back.

I'm about to approach them but I felt Lisa's hand removed from gripping mine and when I look up she's already walking towards them.

I decided to follow her.

"Mr. Jung." She called the man talking to the old lady (owner).

The man immediately bow the moment he saw Lisa.

"Ms. Manoban. You here, is it mean you also have the same task? Did you bring money?" He asked immediately and Lisa shook her head.

The man looked disappointed.

"I'm sorry Ms. Manoban, I did everything but this lady won't believe me, I guess there's no way you'll convince her as well. If you don't have money to buy the needed things I'm afraid there's no way for you to get those." He informed.

Lisa acted as if she didn't hear him and proceeded to where the owner is. She respectfully bowed and smiled.

"I'm so sorry for my colleague's behavior Ma'am. I'll talk to him don't worry." She said eyeing Mr. Jung. The man gulped. I know he's terrified because of what Lisa said.

The old lady smiled.

"Call me Aunt you kid, you're still a customer after all." The old lady answered.

"Thank you Aunt. I'm here too because of the items that man are asking but just like him me and my partner here..." she looked at me and gestured me to walk near her which I oblige. "failed to bring money as well." The old lady look at me, I smiled and bow too. "Is it okay if I'll leave my phone here? I'll return later to pick it up and I'll bring my payment as well." She added hopeful.

"Yah. No need to leave your phone. Get what you needed then pay me later or whenever it suits you." The old lady stated that made me and Mr. Jung gasped. How come Lisa made her agreed? And not even asking to leave any valuable things.

"Thank you Aunt, I'll return later that's for sure." Lisa said smiling. "Mr. Jung." She called the man. "I think you know what to do." Lisa sternly stated.

The man froze. Lisa rarely showed that side of her's, like what I've said, but if she does, it's really terrifying.

The man bowed non stopped in front of Aunt.

"I'm really sorry for being rude Ma'am. I'm just being competitive." He said apologetically.

The old lady smiled at him too.

"You're forgiven. But I'll still not give you the items you needed for you to learn your lesson. Sometimes in life you need to evaluate things keenly, you need to analyze how you'll deal on things you don't have any control. Try to step back and see if you really doing it right. Not because you need it, you'll do everything including bad things just to get it. If you don't have a power or capability try to seek help. Not be rude or intimidating, if earlier you talked and asked me calmly I'll be happy to help you but since you showed disrespect specially to an old woman like me, I rather chose not to help." The old woman explained. Guilt can be seen to Mr. Jung's face. He bowed again and said he understood it now and will do good soon.

We bid our goodbyes to the old lady and about to go back to our hotel. Mr Jung and his partner are in front of us. They looked like they lost a battle or something, who wouldn't if you realized you failed just because you are rude.

"Mr. Jung." Lisa called him.

He immediately turned around and approached Lisa.

"I'm so sorry again Ms. Manoban." He really looked guilty.

I thought Lisa will scold him again but what startled me is when she smiled.

"I know you're really sorry. Here." When I looked at the things she's handling its the items we needed.

The man look confused, hell me too is confused.

"I get two per items." She simply said. "I know you learned your lesson. Sometimes in life you need humility, not all the time we're strong, not all the time we know everything, not all the time we have power, if those time comes, when we are weak and vulnerable try to be honest and accept you can't do it. That kind of situation will not degrade you as a person but will make you even stronger, knowing your weakness and accepting it is a big advantage after all because you know already when to concede and ask help." She added.

The man cried.

"Thank you Ms. Manoban. Thank you very much. I'll remember that." He said then accepted Lisa's offer.

"Nah. It's okay. Let's go, its nearly 6, we might lost if we continue talking here." She joked that made all us chuckled.

Mr. Jung and his partner continue walking in front of us while me, my eyes fixed on Lisa's face. I admired her more because of that.

She might noticed it so she look at me as well, I didn't bother to look away.

"Yes Princess? You want to say something?" She confusedly asked. I shook my head then smiled at her. I diverted my eyes away from her and look in front of us. She didn't ask again which made me sighed with relief.

While walking our hands sometimes bumped and touched so when it happened again, I made a bold move of grabbing it and intertwined it with mine. Again she didn't speak but I felt that she squeezed it.

It made me smile.

Little progress.

***

Apologies for errors. 🤗