Lines Crossed - Volume 1 Chapter 51 Your Job?
I leaned back into the large creamy leather c.u.mbersome couch clicking the snap on my bag repeatedly out of sheer boredom.
Tiredness tugged at my mind. ‘No, Mina stay awake, it doesn’t matter how bored you are right now.’
I looked around at the empty, enormous room and sighed. I was the only one in the big empty space with the ceiling to floor windows, and a small indoor terrarium off to the side. The small sounds of a water fountain that seemingly trickled onto the floor had to be an optical illusion, a trick of perception from far away into the floor played behind me as soft background noise.
I had been waiting over forty-five minutes in the empty area with nothing to amuse myself, but a table in front, with nothing on it but a single stack of three current car magazines, and a coaster with a water glass. The car stuff certainly didn’t intrigue me one bit and the water had acc.u.mulated enough beads of condensation for the water to streak downwards and create a small lip of water that ballooned capriciously close to the edge. Its small girth threatened to spill over the small coaster and down onto what had to be an expensive one of a kind custom table top. With its intricate geode like patterning, fresh wood panels, and what looked like stained glass in the middle of it.
The heavy echo of footsteps broke into my tedious, monotonous boredom and not for the millionth time I wished they had not taken my phone at reception. My muscles relaxed from the anxiety of waiting for the drop to fall. To catch it before it landed on the precious table that was probably worth a whole year of my old salary from the other world.
“Sorry for the wait, he can see you now. Miss Mina.” Jaemin said politely before gesturing I should follow him.
I jumped to standing, feeling ridiculous in my long blush pink skirt, beige heels, and the long white blouse that was so far from what I would normally wear that I had to ask Heyri to borrow some clothes.
That and I had purposefully only been buying food since I got here and nothing else, but the absolute minimum essentials. Because at any moment I could vanish from this world as I didn’t know what brought me, so how could I know when I would go back? I knew good enough from watching as many dramas that I could that you shouldn’t leave anything behind if you planned on never coming back to a place. I had to assume it was the same for any place real or drawn. And I had checked the bank card that was in the nightstand in the dresser. It turned out whoever’s life I had taken, they were loaded.
‘Why they lived in that shack. I wasn’t sure. But it was actually really nice and cozy and made me happy to be there. Something warm and familiar about it.’
She still didn’t know whose house this was here, and whose car it was.
The card belonged to the writer’s name she used here in this world so she could only assume it was safe as she was pretty sure it was made up.
But just to be safe, she was scrinching pennies. A real job would be super helpful, just so she could start buying the insignificant things
Mina clomped behind him ungracefully, Jaemin glanced back watching her stomp like a five-year-old in her mother’s shoes and she chuckled awkwardly.
“I don’t normally dress like this,” Mina said, gesturing to herself.
“I promise I will get the hang of it again in a second. I used to dress like this all the time, I am sure it’s like riding a bike. Just a few more.” Jaemin gave her a look.
I caught the way he looked at me very clearly showing he thought grace and poise far beyond my capabilities. I glared under my lashes while trying to calm my annoyance.
I pulled the pencil skirt nervously, then did my best to remember the years of poise and training I had gotten living with the Taylors and flying off to spend the summer at Max’s house. I paused as Max popped into my head for the first time in years. I smiled as the cute little kid from my childhood popped into my head and I smiled at his pretty life filled eyes sparkled at me.
Even back then he called me big sister.
‘The Kings had always been so nice, to me.’
‘I wonder will I ever see that kid again? That hilarious, kid who never held back, who always went for what he wanted. I wish I could be that brave, that strong.’
‘I wonder what are you doing now Max? I bet that whatever happened to you, Sam is probably there too creating trouble.’
Jaemin opened one door and held it open motioning I should enter first. I nodded, a small polite bow, then walked through the double doors and paused startled as I ran straight into Mark.
I sucked in the brief yelp that pulled from my chest from the startlement.
I fully stopped inches from his chest and waited for my heartbeat to slow down and return to normal from the surprise.
“What are you doing near the doors?” he asked intrigued.
“People open them, to come into a room,” I snapped, flicking my short brown hair away from her face, in anger.
Mark smiled charmingly at me and I looked away, ignoring the obvious charm, he was purposefully exuding to influence the situation.
“It was actually not on purpose if you would believe it. I just happened to drop my pen and it rolled near the door. I went to grab it and you came in.” Mark explained.
“So in actuality, you opened the door at the wrong time.”
‘Trying to blame me, are you? Well, two can play at that game.’
“No, he invited me in at the wrong time,” I said pointing at Jaemin.
Mark smiled, then looked over at Jaemin. “Ahh,” He nodded.
“I agree.” He said and I gave him a look able to see he was placating me.
“Thanks for the support.” I responded dryly.
“Come sit and let’s discuss your… Information.” He said slowly.
“My information, Mina Taylor’s.”
“Yesss,” he said slowly, watching me.
I smiled, then sat down obediently.
“So what do you have me doing here, am I your secretary or something?”
“What, no,” Mark laughed.
“What gave you that impression? You are super underqualified to work here.”
“Can’t you pull strings and…” I caught Mark staring at me as if the words I was saying were alien.
“You are not working here in this office. The people here must be qualified, if I suddenly changed the rule for you it would look really fishy.”
“We decided to go with the idea that you are my personal physiotherapist. Since I keep getting into dangerous situations, it’s good to have one at all times that can take care of my aches and pains.”
“Me, a personal therapist.”
“Sure, all the rich and elite have one.”
“Besides, I didn’t have any other idea of your skills and capabilities. You don’t exist. I can’t exactly look you up in our system.”
“Oh, right.”
“Do you have any other skills and abilities?”
‘Does being a snobby brat that no one cares about from another world count, no? Okay.’
“No, not really,” I said softly.
“Good, then this will do.”
“Okay, well, what will I be required to do for the responsibilities?”
Mark smiled, leaned on the table, and clasped his hands together. “Simple, only two things.”
“Follow me everywhere I go”
” And take care of my body.”
I stared at Mark, utterly astonished.