The previous night I had been up until after 2 a.m., so the next day I woke up near noon again. The moment I opened my eyes I was surprised to realize that something was missing.
Ah, yes that's right. Jisoo called last night and said she wouldn't be able to come over during lunch. Apparently, there was going to be a meeting at the company and it would be running late into the afternoon. Our phone conversation had been rather short.
"You don't have to call and tell me this." I had told her dismissively.
"Oh, but I thought you might miss me and think I had abandoned you if I didn't tell you."
"Don't talk nonsense! I'm hanging up now!"
Jisoo had been coming over to my place so often lately, that I somehow had gotten used to her presence. I would lie if I said that during the afternoon, I didn't feel a tad bit lonely. But I guess it couldn't be helped. We both had our jobs and also it mustn't have been easy for her to come over so often just to have lunch with me.
All I could do was sigh and prepare my instant noodles. I saw Leo shooting me disapproving glances all throughout lunch.
"Stop looking at me like that! There is nothing I can do about it. I don't have any ingredients to cook a proper meal and I don't feel like going out."
Honestly, I feel as if my cat is beginning to resemble Jisoo more and more lately. Does she, by any chance, have a special ability to talk to animals and she asked Leo to keep an eye on me?
No, I'm just being stupid now, letting my imagination run wild again. How can something like talking to animals really be possible?! But then again, isn't my own strange ability to hear thoughts just as improbable?
That day I decided to take a break from writing, and enjoy a cup of green tea on the balcony. The weather has been warmer these days, making it perfect for relaxing outdoors. Since I didn't like going outside, though, I decided to transform my rather large balcony into a perfect place for relaxing. Outside, trees and flowers had already bloomed and the cherry blossoms were being scattered through the air, creating a beautiful painting capable of soothing the mind and soul.
My mind has been able to spring into action whenever I thought of the plot and everything just naturally came to life on paper. I was pretty satisfied with my work and believed that if things kept going like this, I might finish the second half of the book in less than a month.
Just as I was calmly sipping my tea and enjoying these musings, the doorbell rang. It's useless to tell you whom I instantly thought of. Hadn't Jisoo said she couldn't come by today because of the meeting? Why is she here now?
While wondering and questioning her so-called professionalism, I went ahead and opened the door. I began scolding before I even took a closer look at the person in front of me.
"Wasn't there supposed to be a meeting? How come..." I stopped abruptly and gaped at the newcomer as if she was an alien sprouting from the ground. "Cheshir! Y-You... Why are y-you here?" I stuttered, all to Cheshir's utter amusement.
She chuckled and raised a hand holding a bag, dangling it in the air.
"I brought goodies. Won't you let me inside?"
Without a word, I stepped aside and made room for her to enter.
"Were you perhaps expecting someone else?" Cheshir questioned, a mischievous glint appearing behind her rimless glasses.
"No. What makes you say that?" I looked away, avoiding her meaningful gaze.
"Oh, is that so? Then who were you about to rebuke so terribly when you opened the door? Could it be..." a devious grin spread on her face. "You're waiting for Jisoo?"
I felt a jolt of surprise and my breath caught in my throat. I had been found out. If Cheshir knew how often Jisoo came over, or that we had gotten closer over the past few weeks, I would never hear the end of it. Therefore, I had to try on a new profession: acting.
"Don't speak nonsense. Why would I wait for her? Today is not a meeting day with my editor." I tried to keep my voice steady and my expression calm. Yes, very natural indeed. At this rate I might appear as a cameo in Snowdrop.
"Hmm, alright. If you say so." Cheshir eventually decided to be merciful and spare me. She turned towards the bag and fished out a box of cookies. "I received these from a client on my way here. Let's eat them!" She said excitedly.
"You know I don't like sweets." I decided to burst her bubble. Though the cookies looked delicious, I never had a sweet tooth.
"But I like them." She ignored me and shoved an entire cookie in her mouth. After she finally swallowed it, Cheshir glanced around and asked pointedly. "Where is Leo? I don't see him around."
"He knew you were coming, so he hid himself." I lied without batting an eye.
"How cold! Both cat and owner are so mean to me. Why is that?"
"Because we disliked you profoundly." I decided to continue to pour cold water over her head.
"Tsk. And here I am calling you friend."
"No one asked you for that."
During our banter, Cheshir had advanced towards the living room. She took a seat at the table, continuing to munch on her cookies.
"Want some tea with those?" I asked heading towards the kitchen.
"Ooh, first you allowed me entry in your sanctuary, now you are offering me tea. I feel like I am being spoiled by you today. Thank you Lisa-ahhh~~~!"
"Haven't I told you to stop with that creepy tone?" I grumbled.
When we both had a teacup in hand, we settled down on the sofa.
"So, what's the purpose of your visit? Wasn't there a meeting at the company today?" I asked, taking a small sip of tea.
"Oh, how do you know about that?" Cheshir asked, this time without any of her former playfulness.
"Jisoo called me last night and told me about it." I replied calmly.
"As I thought. You two have gotten quite close." Cheshir smiled, a tiny spark of amusement flashing in her eyes. It made even her glasses glitter. "I am glad to know that. She is a good kid."
"Stop talking like you're an old woman." I paused, then glanced at her from above the cup. "How come you left so early? Wasn't the meeting supposed to continue until the evening?"
"I skipped it." Cheshir grinned. "I asked my assistant to go and take notes. If anything happens, they can call me."
"It sure is good to be the president's second daughter." I retorted, scrunching up my face.
Ah, yes. I forgot to mention that this girl sitting on my sofa, eating cookies like a preschooler is LF Publishing president's second daughter. She might have gotten her job easier than others, but it was undeniable that she was very good at it. Being smart and charismatic, made her way up the chain smooth. Her father was satisfied with her progress inside the company, and even the older directors approved of her results. Therefore, her skipping on a meeting with the entire editorial department came across as a surprise.
"You're staring at me with that lofty look of yours. I am sure you are thinking how irresponsible of me to be skipping on such an important meeting, right?" Cheshir hummed.
"Right on spot! Don't tell me you are beginning to hear people's thoughts as well." I gasped sarcastically and feigned shock.
"No, I think I will leave that troublesome ability to you. Hearing what my former boyfriend think of me... now that is a scary thought." Cheshir said, wolfing down another cookie.
I couldn't help but shake my head and laugh. That was indeed the Cheshir I knew. From the first moment I brought myself to tell her about this ability of mine, she had never once stopped teasing me about it. But the way she did it was always able to make me feel better, like it didn't really matter. She made me feel confident that regardless of what strange powers I might have, I am still myself. No one else had ever done that for me. Well, at least not until recently. Now there was one more person whom I confessed this dark secret to and she accepted it. Jisoo was slowly beginning to be another special being in my life after Leo and Cheshir. And yes, the cat comes first.
"So, Che, you decided to skip on work and come over to kill time?" I asked after several minutes.
"I only said I skipped the meeting, not that I didn't go to work." Cheshir retorted, placing the cup down on the table. "I went to have a meeting with the representative of the company who is going to finance the upcoming movie."
I was stunned for a moment. I had almost forgotten that a movie was about to be made based on one of my books.
"Is that so? And? How did it go?"
"It went rather well. They were open to discuss the details about the copyrights and we agreed on almost everything. If one of their last requests is granted, then we can set a date next week to sign the contract."
I nodded in approval. If things were moving so quickly then it must mean that the terms and conditions were agreed upon by both parties. Since I trusted Cheshir, I didn't want to ask any further.
"That's good. Seems like they are a serious company." I could only say.
"Yes, they are. But there is something more I need to tell you." Cheshir said, leaning forward with a serious expression on her face.
"Oh? What is it?" I asked in bemusement.
"They asked for you to take part in the early stages of the planning." Cheshir replied bluntly, without beating around the bush.
"Mwooo?! What does that even mean?" I asked, being even more confused.
What early stages? What do I have to do with anything the company that finances the movie decides?
"At the meeting, besides the financier company, there was also the director and producer of the movie. The big shot who offers the money wants you to come along when the casting is made and when they have to decide on the setting and character apparel."
"What and what?! Are you serious?" I barked. This was truly something straight out of a nightmare.
"Very serious." Cheshir nodded, her serious gesture and expression feeling like a death sentence.
"But why me? I am simply an author. Did the production company actually agree to this nonsense?" I asked, clinging onto the last straw of hope. Surely, the producer and director wouldn't allow a simple novelist like me to call any shots.
"You might be surprised to know but they not only agreed, but even insisted on it. I don't know the exact relationship between the corporation that finances the movie and the production company, but it seemed that they had already discussed things between themselves before they approached us. They want you to be part of the early planning stage and it is one of the major conditions for the contract to be signed. This means that..." Cheshir's words faded away and she stared at me quietly for a moment.
"It means that if I refuse, they will not buy the rights and make the movie, right?" I asked despondently.
"Precisely so."
After hearing Cheshir's final verdict, I slumped onto the sofa. My thoughts were in disarray, my emotions a complete mess. Dejection, sorrow and frustration swirled inside my chest, making it hard to breathe.
If they wanted me to take part in this planning, that meant I had to get out and meet so many people. I had to be surrounded by strangers whose thoughts I was in danger of hearing at almost every step. For a moment, I felt a sudden nausea rising in my throat.
Seeing me like this, Cheshir leaned closer and placed her hand on my shoulder.
"It's alright. They told us to think about it and give a reply in a few days." She said softly.
The touch of her hand was gentle and it felt warm, but it made my body shudder when her thoughts flooded inside my mind.
Lisa, I am sorry I couldn't protect you more.
"No... It's alright." I gasped, barely keeping my emotions from bursting out. "You have done so much for me already. Thank you."
"Stop saying thank you with such a painful expression. We're friends after all." She replied, a sad smile blooming on her face.
Soon afterwards Cheshir left, saying she had another client to meet. Right before she left, she didn't press me for an answer. Instead, she just said to take my time and think about it and when I have an answer to give her a call.
The rest of the day ended in a blur. There was no way for me to write and I couldn't focus on reading either. Therefore, I curled up in my bed with Leo in my arms and drifted to sleep.
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