11

Jennie's POV

"I'm not Lisa, why should I be the one making decisions for her?" I asked, my eyes fixed on the balding principal standing before me.

"Please excuse us for a moment," he said curtly, his hand on Lisa's arm as he pulled her away from me. A group of people trailed behind him, their faces set in grim determination as they dragged Lisa towards the stage.

"Mr. Kang, could someone please record Lisa's performance and send me the video?" I said firmly, my tone carrying the weight of authority.

Earlier my eyes shifted to Lisa, who was sitting quietly beside me, her face a mask of emotionless stoicism. I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt as I thought about how she must be feeling earlier. She had wanted to come and enjoy the event, but I was here, and that had stopped her from doing so.

"Ms. Kim, all done," one of the guards announced, as he sent the file to my phone.

"And where's Lisa?" I asked, I thought he'll also escort her back.

She's resting backstage," the guard replied, gesturing towards the direction of the stage. Since Lisa might take a while to go back here, I pull out my earphones and decided to watch the video quickly.

From the moment the music started playing, I was captivated. Lisa moved with such fluidity and grace, her every movement a testament to her dedication and talent. I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the way she effortlessly glided across the stage, her body perfectly in sync with the music.

As I watched the performance, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret. I realized that I had never really taken the time to get to know Lisa as a person, despite her being a part of my life for a while now. I had only seen her as someone who needed money and was alone in life, without considering her as a multifaceted individual with her own passions and dreams.

As the video came to an end, I put my earphones back in my bag and looked up at the stage, where a few people had gathered around Lisa.

As I stood up and made my way towards the stage, flanked by the guards, I noticed a group of people surrounding Lisa, all clamoring to take a picture with her. I couldn't help but feel a sense of irritation at their intrusive behavior.

"Excuse me, coming through," I said firmly, my voice carrying over the noise of the crowd. The guards immediately sprang into action, pushing some people away to clear a path for me.

As I approached Lisa, I noticed her expression fall as she saw me. I could tell she was disappointed that I had come to take her away from the excitement of the event.

"Let's go, Lisa. It's too hot in here," I said, gesturing for her to follow me. I turned on my heel and began to walk away, hoping that Lisa would follow.

---

Lisa's POV

After saying goodbye to Bambam and Jisoo, I followed Jennie to the waiting car. I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment that our day out was cut short, but I knew that I had to put those feelings aside. After all, this was just a job to me.

As we sat in the car, Jennie informed me that she needed to go to the office to take care of some business. I simply nodded.

When we arrived at the company, Jennie made her way to her office while I waited on the couch, feeling a bit bored and unsure of what to do next.

"Jennie Kim," I said, turning to face her as she sat at her desk, surrounded by a sea of papers. Her focus was intense, her brow furrowed as she worked diligently. "Is Jackson around?" I asked, hoping to catch up with him.

At the sound of his name, Jennie's pen immediately halted its scribbling and she looked up at me.

"He's on a business trip," she informed me. My heart sank at the news; I had been hoping to see Jackson at the very least.

"I'll just go out for a moment," I said, my eyes glued to the TV as I stood up from my chair and shut it off. As I made my way out of Jennie's office, my thoughts were already on my next destination. I decided to take a quick break and headed for the elevator, the buttons glowing softly in the dimly lit hallway.

With a quick press of the "ground floor" button, the elevator began its descent. The rhythmic hum of the machinery filled my ears, and I felt a sense of relaxation wash over me. I decided to grab some snacks from the cafeteria - a little indulgence to brighten up my day.

However, my plans were interrupted as the elevator stopped abruptly on the 5th floor. The doors opened with a soft hiss, and a woman stepped in, her face tense and tired. She looked to be in her mid-40s, with graying hair and lines etched deeply into her skin.

"What are you still doing here when there's a lot of work on the 3rd floor?" she asked me with a piercing gaze, causing my eyes to go wide in surprise. Before I could even attempt to explain myself, she interrupted me and pushed the button for the 3rd floor.

As the elevator started moving, my heart began to race with anxiety. I had no idea what kind of work was happening on the 3rd floor, but clearly, it was urgent enough to warrant a stern scolding from a stranger.

The tension in the elevator was palpable, and my mind raced with worst-case scenarios. I tried to calm myself, taking deep breaths, but before I could even begin to settle, the elevator came to a sudden halt and the doors opened.

I wonder how she didn't recognize me when most employees in Jennie's company, so far, knows me. We literally went viral online for that water thing, she either doesn't go online often, or she doesn't care about her boss' personal life, or both.

People were rushing about in a frenzy, some shouting. The chaos was overwhelming, and I felt a cold sweat break out on my forehead. I had no idea what was going on, but the sense of urgency was palpable.

She thrust a flash drive towards me, almost like a hurl, and yelled, "Print out file number 3, hurry up!" Her tone was commanding and urgent, leaving me with no choice but to comply. I quickly made my way over to a nearby computer, inserted the flash drive, and began searching for the file.

My heart began to race as I realized there were two files with the same name. I hesitated for a moment, uncertain which one to print, but with the woman's insistent shouting ringing in my ears, I decided to print the first one and make a run for it.

With papers in hand, I hurried back to the woman, hoping I had completed the task correctly. But as I handed her the printed sheets, her expression turned from one of impatience to one of fury. "Are you fucking dumb?!" she spat, her grip on my arm tightening with painful force.

"That's not file number 3 you idiot!" she bellowed once more, her voice echoing through the hallway. My heart sank as I realized my mistake. I quickly went back and clicked on the other file named 3, and I printed it out with shaking hands.

Snatching up all the papers, I stapled them together haphazardly, hoping to avoid the woman's wrath. "Have it signed, hurry!" she shouted once again, before striding off, leaving me to fend for myself.

I looked down at the pile of papers in my hands, feeling overwhelmed and lost. I had no idea where to start, and panic set in. I began wandering aimlessly down the corridor, looking for anyone who could help me.

Thankfully, a few kind souls took pity on me and pointed me in the direction of the people who needed to sign the papers. I made my way over to them, my heart pounding with nervous energy.

As I glanced down at the pile of papers, my heart sank as I noticed a name that I had missed earlier. Mr. Song. I had no idea where to find him, and I could feel the panic beginning to rise within me once again.

With a deep breath, I approached one of the workers and asked if they knew where Mr. Song could be found. They pointed me in the direction of a nearby room, and I made my way over, my nerves getting the better of me.

I knocked on the door tentatively, unsure of what to expect. After a moment, the door creaked open, revealing a stern-looking man in a sharp suit.

"Mr. Song, can you sign this up?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly as I placed the paper down on his desk.

"Why is this incomplete?" he barked, his voice echoing off the walls and making me feel even more nervous.

I tried to speak up and explain, but my words caught in my throat as he shouted again, his frustration growing by the second.

"I'm asking you why the hell is this incomplete!" he thundered, and I flinched at the sound of his booming voice.

As I stood there, the weight of the situation bearing down on me, I couldn't help but feel like I had been there for an eternity. Every second felt like an eternity, and the anxiety that had taken hold of me showed no signs of dissipating.

I couldn't believe that I had been dragged into this mess by mistake. It was like I was stuck in some sort of hell hole, and no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't seem to find my way out.

The sound of her voice cut through the air like a knife, and I could feel the eyes of everyone in the room turning towards me. The lady from earlier was looking at me with a glare that could cut through steel, and I could feel my heart rate increasing with each passing second.

"Mr. Song, this girl didn't print out the whole thing," she said defensively, as if to deflect blame away from herself. Then, turning to me, she delivered her final blow: "Are they paying you to work like that?"

Before I could even respond, her hand came crashing down on my face, the sound of her palm hitting my cheek echoing through the room. My face stung with pain, and the whole place fell silent as I stood there, head down, trying to compose myself.

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I couldn't believe that she had just slapped me in front of all these people.

"Ms. Kim," the lady said, catching my attention.

"Ms. Kim, what brought you here?" I heard Mr. Song asked.

Before I could even respond, Jennie stepped forward with a stern expression on her face. "We're not paying her, Song. Neither does she work here," she declared in a forceful voice. Her words made it clear that there was a serious issue at hand.

As Jennie continued to speak, her anger became more apparent. "You're both fired for hurting a person who's not even an employee and also my fucking girlfriend," she exclaimed.

At that moment, I felt a firm hand on my arm, pulling me away from the group. I recognized the scent of Mr. Kang, who had come to my aid. It was clear that the situation was escalating, and I was grateful for the timing of their intervention.

Jennie's voice cut through the tension in the air as she spoke with a commanding tone. "Do not show your faces here again," she said firmly, her gaze fixed on the two individuals in front of her. Her words left no room for negotiation or debate.

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