Kim Jisoo smoothened her collar as she stared at her reflection. She was ready to go and start another day at work. At least that's all she assured herself until she remembered JND Corporation is supposed to seal a deal in an hour with none other than Jentle Home, a famous and highly acclaimed designer brand that they everyone wants to sign with. Jisoo's company seemed like a far off choice from all the group of companies, of marketing means the brand could choose from yet here they are.

Here they are and Jisoo is thinking how to impress the other CEO who's even younger than her.

She was a little bit worried when as young as they are, no older than mid 20's, Jennie Kim is probably far more succesful than them. Maybe not that far yet there was still a need to impress. She reassesed her form once more and once she realized she couldn't be anymore decent and appropriate with a tad of intimidating aura for the meeting, Jisoo set off in her Kia on her way to Jentle Home's headquarters.

Good thing there wasn't any traffic nor accident that made her tense more than she usually does when meeting a VIP.
 

***

It was getting draggy.

That would be a one sentence description Jennie would give as the meeting carried on. It wasn't like she needed any more details to ensure the partnership or collaboration whatever it is that seemed inferior to her massive headache. Her hangover was killing her but dare say she managed to pull it off alright with her own favorite and created sunglasses named after her Kuma.

She knew it would mostly give her a bad rep if she took the shades off now but Jennie was bored. Bored as hell. If it was anyone else and not this particular company, she would've cut off the presentation, sign the papers and be done with it. Yet there was that pretty- no- there was that beautiful and all alluring Aphrodite opposite her.

Jennie Kim isn't a er for powerful women that get her running down words just to impress them but Kim Jisoo is something else. Luckily, she was careful enough to brush it off with her cool and somewhat icy demeanor the latter easily accepted like it was what she summed her up as. Luckily too, her shades were dark enough so she could observe the other CEO from head to toe.

"Do I still have your attention?"

Jennie doesn't understand why the CEO was the one presenting in the first place. Nor did she understand how Kim Jisoo noticed she wasn't listening at all. "Are you accusing me of being bored and inattentive from your presentation, Miss..."

The black haired woman smiled but she could see her clenching her jaw briefly. "Kim Jisoo."

"Ah. Miss Kim Jisoo." She flashed a smile before her brain decides to go along with a joke. "Don't take it personal. I'm bad with names. I don't even know the full name of my secretary."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Pardon? I didn't catch that." Jennie leaned forward when the latter muttered.

"Oh so you're now listening when it's small talks?"

The silence in the room became too loud. Jennie pull down her shades a bit, her eyes finally meeting Kim Jisoo's intense gaze or maybe even glare without any barriers. She doesn't know why but it tugged the corner of her lips up.

"Well, that small talk seems more interesting than your lengthy presentation. No offense."

Jennie had no plans of offending the other woman but teasing her with her presentation might've done just that. CEO Kim Jisoo stood up taller and even with that simple but also quite expensive piece from Christian Dior, she could see the S-line perfectly. The other must've realized she was running her eyes all over her and not wanting to be labeled as a creep, Jennie leaned back on her chair as well.

It was her home court. Yet inside the room, there are two CEOs who seem good at excelling in their job and dominating in it as well. They also seemed to be hot for very different reasons and Jennie blames her lack for caffeine for not making her think so clearly.

"How about we just seal the deal already?"

"Just? Already?" Jisoo raised an eyebrow as if she decided on a whim to agree on their proposal.

"Surprised much?"

"I wasn't aware all we needed to do is make you bored and tire you out so much you look like you're having a second hangover just for you to seal the deal."

Jennie patted herself internally for not whipping her head so fast at the comment and making the accessory big enough to cover her hangover fall. Though it did slide down and the slight smirk she saw through her peripheral vision made her blush. Jennie Ruby Jane Kim does not blush nor feel flustered in business meetings she should be taking the lead of.

"Do you need a pen?"

"I have a pen." Jennie replied through gritted teeth.

Jisoo bit her bottom lip and it was obvious she was holding back a smile or a laugh. Either way, Jennie tried not to focus on it. She didn't want to entertain her thoughts of shutting up the other woman.

Once the papers were signed from both companies' copies, the two women walked towards each other. There was definitely a prolonged eye contact as if challenging or urging the other to take the first steps. As if taking the initiative to close the gap meant submitting.

The people around them were quite antsy at the tension. Though Jennie wanted to act like she hated any second longer in the room, she still can't manage to do that. Not when JND's CEO Kim Jisoo really looked far more stunning and more of the sun so powerful that if simply staring at her was so tempting, then touching her too was on another level. She took off her shades completely and the latter took a pause to just stare at her, not minding her outreached hand.

"Congratulations, Miss Kim Jisoo."

"Thank you and to you too. For a harmonious work ahead of us."

"I'm sure that can be arranged." She gave another smile and offered her hand closer.

The other woman stared at it first before she accepted the handshake, giving a polite smile and sealing the deal. It was all too professional so Jennie was surprised when she came close to whisper next to her ear. Her breath was ticklish and if they were in any other place, Jennie would've loved to pull her closer until the space between them are nonexistent just to feel more.

"Coming this close to you... I hope you know you reek of alcohol and that's not appropriate for work ethics, Miss Kim." Jisoo said in a deep and husky voice. "Maybe change that habit before your unknown employees decide to do the same and ruin everyone's day."

Jennie Kim does not give a about old men's criticisms telling her what a CEO must do. Nor does she ever feel the need to prove someone's first impression of her as wrong when they don't know the first thing about her. Yet Kim Jisoo's words, the little disapproving twitch of her lips and lingering gaze made her feel hot all of a sudden. And it wasn't in a good way this time at all.

She is infuriated alright.

The worst part of it... is not having the last word said as the JND group exited the room.
 

***

"Wait!"

Jisoo was going to ignore it but the faint sound of stilettos clacking almost sloppily halted her. She turned in time to see the brunette who she was minutes from throwing something at during the meeting. Her other employees were already inside the elevator and the other company's members were roughly present around them.

When Jennie sent them a look, they scattered and flee. Jisoo gave a sign for her people to go on ahead. So once left alone with the younger woman, she had more time judging her. She wanted to give the benefit of the doubt but Jennie Kim got onto her nerves the minute she saw her.

"Chasing people around might've made you look lousier than usual."

"I am not lousy." Jennie stated as there was a good meter between them. "I am not chasing people either. Do I give that impression?"

"Are you going to apologize for showing up unpresentable then?"

"No."

"Oh."

"I mean I am presentable." She replied in as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

Jisoo squinted her eyes at the still confident tone. "Yes. Showing up tipsy and sealing a deal that will eventually affect the stocks and the lives of thousands of workers while being so... I wonder how that kind of presentable had you surviving for so long."

"I will take that as a compliment because even when tipsy, I could still make right decisions and manage to give my company a boost." She gave a tight smile. "I'm sorry, are you upset that we signed the deal? Do you want me to revoke my decision?"

"That would be a breach of the contract. Unless you want to face a monetary crisis... go ahead."

"I think it would be you in much of a crisis instead of me."

Jisoo had been into many arguments, used to love all the debates that gets her fired up. But talking to the younger CEO was getting her rather pissed. Her presence was insulting, her mere comfortable stance and smirk made her jaw clench and her blood boiling.

It's true that between the two of them, the two companies... JND Corporation will have more to lose.

"What do you want, Miss Kim?"

Jennie took off those goddamn sunglasses, her eyes intense yet having the mirth in them almost caught Jisoo off guard again. Sure, it was true she smelled the booze off her earlier but it was those chocolate brown hue seen through the cat-like eyes that got her to stop everything. It was one of the most beautiful pair of eyes she had seen if not the most.

"I feel like explaining myself. Then again you don't know me enough to be casually throwing that kind of words."

"Which ones?" The brunette tilted her head to the side and Jisoo had no qualms in saying what she might've overheard from her. "The I hate your guts? Or you don't know how to use a hairbrush?"

"I'm sorry... what?"

Jisoo pressed her lips together because a smile was about to pop out. It was very unprofessional but still her need to get back on the latter's bored look and nasty comment was strong. When the realization set in onto the younger CEO's face, Jisoo acted as if she said the wrong words.

"Oh! You mean the one I said back there in the meeting room about a big flaw in your work ethics?"

"Big... big flaw?" She scoffed and let out a laugh. "Are you being serious right now?"

"I wouldn't be joking if I wasn't drunk."

Jennie started stepping closer to her. "Well how are you then when drunk?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Jisoo just smiled, not even backing away from the latter

"I would very much so." She smiled, flashing her perfect white teeth. "Care for a drink?"

"I don't drink with people I'm not comfortable with."

"What a great excuse to say you can't drink at all." She chuckled and her bottom lip. Jisoo glared into her eyes instead, hating how that action distracted her. "Do you spill your dark dirty little secrets when drunk?"

"Why? You interested now in people's drunk habits more than a presentation for a partnership?"

"As a matter of fact, I'm interested in you." Jennie replied without missing a beat. "In a pretty face that's brave enough to question my abilities when it's as clear as day that I'm in authority because I deserve to be in it."

"Your ability in summing someone up and first instincts about them must have been really lacking and unhelpful though."

"Lacking? And yours are flawless?"

"Don't judge a book by its cover. Haven't you heard of that?" She said with an arch of an eyebrow. Jennie's smile still taunting her and the distance between them more than what's necessary. "Well, I'm not just a pretty face."

"I'm pretty sure that should've been taken as a compliment, Miss Kim Jisoo."

"Not for me, no. And I'm pretty sure my comment earlier about sealing a deal while tipsy and barely could think straight shouldn't be taken as a compliment at all."

"And I wanted a second chance for us to know each other but you're more of stubborn brat than I am. I'm sorry I offended you that much."

Jennie's eyes glinted even when the words should come of as repenting. She breathed through her nose and white teeth flashed even more widely upon Jisoo's view. Nope, Jennie Kim does not look sorry at all.

"Do know that my comment earlier or comments like that shouldn't get you so fired up. It could be some good old constructive criticism and you just don't know it yet, Miss Kim Jisoo."

After what seemed like an endless back and forth exchanged of lines between them, the younger CEO stood straight. She began walking past her before Jisoo could throw another remark.