Work Text:
BEGIN.
The weather was gloomy, and the rain was pouring down. Lisa was sitting in a cafe with her boyfriend. Both sat in silence until her boyfriend decided to speak.
“This isn’t working,” he said as Lisa stirred her cup of tea. She sipped it and it tasted bitter on her tongue.
She looked at the window and watched the rainfall, just like how her relationship fell apart. They were so in love at one point in their lives then suddenly they woke up one day and they do not feel the same anymore. Both knew that this farewell was bound to happen when they started not to miss each other when they were apart.
When their stares at each other lacked the warmth and love they used to have.
‘How you love someone today but tomorrow?’
“I understand,” she said, and he smiled at her for the last time.
“I don’t think marriage is for me, I’m sorry.”
After working hard for two years at Sumeru, Lisa thought that marriage is her way to stop the mundane life of her as a working class. She is thinking about how it feels like to just rest at home and become a happy housewife and have a partner that would treat her well. It sounds nice, but in reality, it never was easy. She really does not have any aspirations, to begin with, perhaps marriage is her last resort to have a fulfilling life.
“I guess this is goodbye?”
Lisa nodded her head slowly.
“I wish you well.”
“You too, I hope you start anew and find someone who suits you more.” the guy stood up from his seat and hugged her.
‘How you pulled somebody closed then turned away?’
“May you find a love that will stay forever.” he walked away.
Lisa watched her now ex-boyfriend exiting her life. Though the breakup is mutual, she couldn’t help but feel sad about it. There was one point in her life that she thought he was the one, but her hunches were wrong. There is only one thing left for her to do now, which is to move on and find herself again.
“Is there such a thing as love that stays forever?”
She sings a heavy metal song in Karaoke to let out every emotion she is feeling. It is a hobby that no one ever knows.
“FUCK GUYS, IF YOU CAN’T MARRY THEN WHY HAVE A GIRLFRIEND?! MATRIMONY IS WHAT I WANT TO SAVE ME FROM WORKING! WAAAAAAAHHH!!!!”
She switched her job site and moved towards a new town to start a new life.
***
Moving into a new town and finding a place is a bummer, but Lisa was determined to find herself and maybe this new town could help her heal her broken heart.
One night, the landlady was showing her the place. It is simple, yet good enough. There were two rooms in the flat. She got the other one.
“So, this is our vacant room.”
Lisa looked around the room. It looks dull.
‘I need to paint the walls.’
“Thanks, I’ll take it.” the landlady gave her the keys.
“Okay, just text me if you need anything. The other room is occupied, but Jean is barely at home so you'll probably see her less.”
“Jean?”
“Oh, she’s the girl staying in that room. You will share this place with her. Don’t worry, she’s a nice girl.”
She wanted a place for herself but with her just starting a new job, a shared place is more convenient for her budget.
‘It’s a good thing we won’t see each other often.’ Lisa thought.
***
Lisa was doing her work from her laptop inside her room until it shut off and she wasn’t able to save the files she needed.
‘Damn it!’ She rubbed her forehead in stress.
“When your IT boyfriend broke up with you and your computer just broke.”
‘Great, just great!’
When she went out of her room, she saw an unacceptable commotion in the living room. Candy wrappers, cans of empty soda and an unkept game console. Lisa thinks it’s an eyesore.
She saw the ‘Do not disturb.’ sign on her flatmate’s door. She sighed and walked away.
The first few weeks in her new place were rough. Lisa was beyond annoyed by her flatmate’s (whom she has not seen yet) behaviour. She does not understand how a girl can be so messy. Which caused her to leave some friendly notes like ‘I cleaned the living room today, you’re welcome and have a good day!’ to ‘Can’t you fucking clean the god damn living room for the love of Barbatos!’
Her flatmate would give her a standard reply of: ‘K. :)’ And it left Lisa frustrated.
Lisa bought her groceries and put it on the top shelf of the kitchen cabinet. Typical food like her instant noodles, pack of juices, boxes of milk, canned goods, and her favourite boxes of cereal.
‘Froot Loops.’
Everything in the kitchen seems a mess. It seems like her roommate was not cleaning properly. Lisa felt quite annoyed but nevertheless cleaned the trash and washed the undone dishes on the sink.
She left a note on the fridge expecting the same standard reply to come from her flatmate, but things seemed to be different when Jean replied to her more than that one letter K, a period, and a smiley.
'I hope you do know that the plates in the sink won't magically wash themselves and the trash at the kitchen won't disappear unless you put it in the bin. I heard from our landlady that you got promoted. As a part of my regards, I bought some groceries. You can have some of it if you like.'
The next day, Lisa saw her Froot Loops arranged in a Chromatic set of colours on the table forming a word 'SORRY' and a cut out of the Toucan Sam the mascot bird on the side.
'What the hell…'
There was a note below it.
'This is some weird OCD shit (like what you have maybe). Thanks for the food though. Indeed, your regards are very warm. - Jean'
She immediately checked her groceries in the kitchen cabinet.
All her cereals were gone.
'JEAN, WHEN WE MEET, YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR EVERY CEREAL YOU STOLE FROM ME. - LISA. '
The message written in all caps as a sign of her aggression. The next day, she saw a reply from Jean.
'You said I can have some if I want to. Just following instructions. - Your lovely flatmate, Jean. :)'
That night, Lisa knocked on Jean's door to confront the latter, but she's not at home. She posted some notes on her door.
'You cereal killer! '
Lisa was mad. Again.
She saw her favourite pink mug on the sink. When she checked it, it had some cracks on it.
“Fuck you, Jean!” she cursed and wrote a note.
‘When you’re borrowing a mug, better not destroy it or I’ll destroy you!’
Jean replied with her standard note: ‘K. :)’
She saw a mess in the living room again the next day.
“Please clean your mess.”
Jean replied the next day with, “It’s not a mess, it’s just some stuff laying on the floor.”
Lisa thinks she will never get along with Jean.
“As long as I don’t see her, I’ll be fine.” she sighed and went to her work.
That's when their not so friendly notes and treatment with each other started. Lisa found herself going to Karaoke lately to be distressed from a nuisance named Jean.
“TO THE FLATMATE I HAVEN’T SEEN, YOU TAKE MY FOOD FOR FREE, DESTROY MY THINGS AND YOU’RE FUCKING MESSY! SEE YOU NEVER! RAAAAGEEEE!!!” she sings at the top of her lungs.
Surely, heavy metal saves her soul from crumbling.
***
After her long day at work, she decided to eat some noodles at a distant restaurant near her workplace. She was greeted warmly by a beautiful girl who is also there to eat. Blonde locks, pale skin, round ocean eyes and red lips. She exudes a warm aura that makes Lisa feel comfortable.
The girl looks so neat, and she looks like she smells good.
Lisa likes neat people.
The stranger smiled at her, and Lisa nodded in acknowledgement.
It went like that for weeks until Lisa saw that person in her office. They said it is a newly promoted high ranking official. Her office mates called the woman ‘Director Gunnhildr’. She sees the woman walking with poise and confidence and it makes everybody respect her. She is always in the office and everyone doubts if Director Gunnhildr still goes home.
A workaholic.
Warm but strict. That is how she is. Even the company owner is afraid of Director Gunnhildr. She is the type of person that could persuade anyone. Lisa was shocked to know that the person she was exchanging smiles with at the noodle restaurant for weeks now is Director Gunnhildr.
“Director Gunnhildr looks like a person whose life is so organized. I aspire to become her.” Lisa told herself.
“Is she married?” Lisa wonders.
‘Perhaps not, because she works so hard.’ she frowned when she looked at the pile of paper works on her table.
‘I wouldn't be able to get married if I have this pile of paperwork too.’
Lisa looked at the leaflet of a Yoga program on her table. Maybe looking good and slim would land her to a perfect guy. She scheduled an appointment on her phone and was startled by a voice. Director Gunnhildr went to the records division, and she saw Lisa’s table.
“You seem busy.” the woman said as she passed by. Lisa was ready to be sacked.
“O-Oh… I... I was just checking my pho-”
“I mean you have many papers works on your table.” Director Gunnhildr pointed and Lisa sighed in relief.
‘Ooof! I almost got caught slacking.’
Then, Director Gunnhildr took half of it to distribute it to other people in records.
“You shouldn’t be doing all of this. I’ll talk to Sucrose about the records division’s distribution of work.” Director Gunnhildr explained, and Lisa could not believe her ears.
‘She’s a lifesaver.’
“Thank you, Director Gunnhildr!” she stood up and bowed.
“We have no time for gratitude, get back to work.” Director Gunnhildr said before she left and Lisa, despite the seemingly cold statement, knowing that the director was right. She must start working so she could be home early.
Work, Home, Internet, and Sleep.
That is her life cycle since forever. And she wanted to change that badly.
“Better me for my future partner!” Lisa signed up for the Yoga class as she looked at her savings.
‘This is some expensive shit, this better be worth it.’
Then, she printed out her personal dietary plan secretly via a printer in the office.
‘Free stuff for me.’
Little did she know, someone saw her.
***
When the weekend came, Lisa attended her Yoga class. The Yoga master started the session by doing the mountain pose. By that, she just has to raise her hand and stand upright.
‘This is some easy shit.’ Lisa smirked.
Then they moved into the Easy Seat position and Lisa felt like she’s reaching the god level of Yoga positions already until the Yoga master started some weird shit position that made Lisa’s bone cracks a little.
They made the Downward Facing Dog position and Lisa’s face fell on the floor.
“Owww!”
And it seems like someone was watching her misery because somebody laughed at her misfortune.
“The nerve of you bitch to laugh at me, I’m going to kill y-” Lisa was ready to fight until she saw the person who laughed at her.
It was the ideal woman, Director Gunnhildr.
“Director Gunnhildr?!”
Director Gunnhildr smiled at her and pointed at the Yoga instructor.
“Pay attention,” she said, and Lisa nodded embarrassedly.
‘So, she’s taking Yoga class too? No wonder her body looks good.’ Lisa could not help but to side glance at the fine director.
After their yoga class, Lisa was contemplating whether she will say goodbye to her superior or just let it be and go her own way. She decided to be polite, she approached the director who was drinking her water and wiping her sweats at that time. Lisa was in a daze.
‘She looks hella fine… Even when she sweats, she looks so clean and perfect.’ she didn’t realize she was gaping and almost drooling until Director Gunnhildr called her attention.
“Do you want to have some noodles, Miss Minci?”
‘She knows me!’
“I-I don’t want to impose.”
“I insist.”
“If that’s the case, then it’s okay, Director Gunnhildr.”
For her six sessions of yoga class, Director Gunnhildr became the person she had dinner with, and she felt the luckiest person on Earth. The director is beautiful, her salary is attractive, and her personality is warm. They became friends. She started it by opening about her annoying flatmate.
“And so, my flatmate would just leave everything messy on the floor and I hated it!” Lisa said passionately as she rants about her flatmate. Director Gunnhildr seemed to be amused as she stirred her drinks.
“Well, the person I am sharing the house with has extreme OCD. She thinks everything is messy even if things are just right in order.”
“The Director Gunnhildr shares a house?” Lisa asked confusedly.
“My mom thinks my place is too big for myself.” Director Gunnhildr shrugged, “How about you Ms Minci? Where do you live?” she asked.
‘I haven’t asked her first name nor told mine.’ Lisa frowned. She hated her last name because it sounds old.
“Just two stations away. By the way, Director Gunnhildr, you can call me Lis-” she was cut off when the waiter came with the bill.
“I’ll take care of this.” Director Gunnhildr said.
‘She’s such a gentlewoman.’
“I’ll go home now, Director Gunnhildr.” Lisa bowed. Director Gunnhildr nodded and offered, “Would you like me to give you a ride? I will be back at the office though. I have some work to do.”
“Wow, Director Gunnhildr, you surely are very hardworking.”
‘I wish my flatmate too is hardworking instead of being a slob.’
“The company should prosper for the sake of the employees. So, do you need a ride?” Director Gunnhildr asked
“It’s okay. I can manage on my own. Take care Director Gunnhildr!”
“You too Miss Minci.”
***
She started to anticipate her small talks with Director Gunnhildr. She looked forward to seeing her in the office and yoga class.
‘She’s a girl, how can I like her?’ she was in denial.
One time, while she was staring at Director Gunnhildr at their office as the latter passed by, her heart started beating fast.
‘Confirmed, I like her.’ Lisa was swooned by the perfect director.
Director Gunnhildr noticed her staring and gave out a small smile. Lisa felt the arrow strike her heart.
‘I could’ve died right now. But the question is… does she like me?’
It was the time Lisa had to go home, she’s too lazy to drop off the groceries to buy some water, so she looked around the pantry and brought out her 1000 ml water bottle and refilled it. Then she drinks on it after.
“Ahhh, everything free tastes sweet.” then she could swear she heard footsteps, so she looked at her back.
She found no one.
‘Maybe it’s all in my head.’
***
One day, Lisa went to her flat and was surprised to see a person sleeping on the couch surrounded by food wrappers, empty beer cans and an unkept game console. The sheets were up to her head and the person was snoring. She saw her flatmate’s room open and looked back at the person on the couch.
‘Is this Jean?’
“Jean?” she gently pats the girl.
“Hmm… go away.” the girl groaned.
“Clean up,” Lisa said sternly.
Jean lowered down her sheet and her hair was sprawled over her face.
‘That scent.’
“Ants are going to come here if you don’t clean up. We both wouldn’t like that.” Lisa was pissed off.
“Uhh... Lisa, nice to meet you too but won’t you just go away and give me a break? I’m tired.”
‘That voice.’
“I won’t go until you clean up.”
“Then look at me sleeping!” Jean brushed her hair away from her face and Lisa’s eyes widened.
‘That face.’
“Director Gunnhildr?!”
“Ms Minci?!” Jean was beyond horrified by the revelation.
“How c-can you be Jean?”
“That’s my name, how can you be Lisa?”
“That’s also my... anyway I-I…”
“S-Small world, huh?” Jean laughed awkwardly.
Hair dishevelled looks like she has not combed for years. A neet looking hobo who looks like she does not have friends.
‘What happened to the confident, neat looking and perfect Director Gunnhildr at the office?’
“U-Uhm… you l-live here?” Lisa wanted confirmation and Jean who is now fully awake nodded her head.
Expectation broken.
‘Director Gunnhildr is a slob.’
After that fateful encounter, Lisa went to her usual Karaoke to brawl.
“FUCK EXPECTATIONS, HOW CAN MY FLATMATE BE THE PERFECT DIRECTOR GUNNHILDR AT THE OFFICE?! WHAT A FUCKING BOGUS!!!!!”
And with that, Lisa started to find another candidate for her heart. Luckily, her mom sent her a text.
‘My friend has a son; it would be nice if you two meet each other.’
Lisa raised her brows, “It’s the match mixer party again, huh?”
‘Okay.’ she replied.
At the mixer, she could only hope that it would not be as bad as it was before, but she was wrong.
“Hi, my name is Lisa,” she said as she reached for a handshake.
“Pallad.” The guy was about to shake her hands until he coughed and spat water on the table.
‘Goodness gracious.’
***
Lisa felt dead at the matchmaking party set by her mom. When she got to her flat, she saw Jean playing games in the living room.
‘God, I will never go to a mixer again.’
“You look dead,” Jean commented as she spared the latter a glance.
“I am,” Lisa said tiredly as she sat on the other end of the couch.
“Want to play with me?” Jean gave her a game console.
“I don’t know how.”
“I’ll teach you.”
They played games and Lisa kept on losing so she frustratedly threw the console on the couch.
“I don’t want to play anymore.”
Jean just laughed it off.
“Such a sore loser.”
Jean was quiet for a moment until she decided to speak up.
“Director Gunnhildr?”
“Hmm?”
“What do you think about marriage?”
“What’s with the question?”
“Well, I was thinking of quitting work and getting married to become a happy housewife. Maybe by then, I wouldn’t have to work hard and just be happy.”
“Do you think when you become a housewife, all your troubles would be gone? Life is life whether you’re married or not, it is a working progress.”
“I don’t know, the idea of marriage seems to be a promising solution for a girl like me who doesn’t even have a plan for my future.”
Jean put down her game console and drank a bit of her canned soda. As if she is trying to form up the words to say.
“Marriage is nothing to aspire to,” Jean said casually.
“And why is that?”
“You get hitched and then fall out of love before you know it.”
“That’s why you have to marry someone you really love,” Lisa argued.
“I’m saying that selfish aspirations hurt you in the end.”
Lisa laughed, “You can’t know that until you’re married, right?”
Jean stared at her for a good minute until Lisa realized what she wanted to convey.
“O-Oh my...y-you’ve been..”
“Yes, I was married for four months. After the divorce, I was able to find myself.” Jean wiggled her brows.
“But not every marriage is a failure!”
“Marriage is fun but getting the alimony is better!”
“I’m not interested in the lectures of a proud divorcee!”
“What did you say?”
And they argued about the sanctity of marriage all night until one of them got angry and called it a night as she slammed the door.
“Good night!” Lisa slammed her door and Jean shook her head.
‘Stupid girl.’ Jean thought and went back on her games.
***
They refused to talk with each other after that night, note wars passive communication continues. Lisa bought her favourite Froot Loops again only to find out one morning that the box is empty. Jean left some Froot Loops on the table that formed a note.
‘TY. :)’
Lisa sighed and got a portable vacuum to clean Jean’s mess on the table. When she went to work, she saw Jean the slob looking like the perfect Director Gunnhildr again.
‘Does she have a multiple personality or something?’
She did not realize she was staring until Director Gunnhildr put tons of paperwork on her table.
“Due today, please work on this.” she saw Jean smirked and Lisa sighed in distress.
‘Why does my slob flatmate have to be my boss?’
Lisa frowned, “Okay, anything else Director Gunnhildr?”
Another pile of documents was put on her head.
“These too. Due tomorrow.”
“Jean.”
“It’s Director Gunnhildr for you.”
“Okay, Director Gunnhildr. Anything else?”
Jean looked at Lisa in amusement, “Yoga later, don’t miss the session.”
“As if I can with all this paperwork.”
“Are you saying something?”
“Nothing, Director Gunnhildr.”
“Good. Be expecting the documents later.”
It was quarter to 8 PM and Lisa was still swamped with work. She hated everything. Her life, her job, and her bland love life. She hastily typed the document; everyone seems to have gone home.
‘Great, I’m going to die alone.’
Then she heard footsteps.
It was Director Gunnhildr.
“You’re still not finished?” Jean asked.
“Sorry, I’ll be in a while… uhh, I thought you’re going to the yoga session?”
“Well, you didn’t.”
Jean went behind her to check on her computer work, “This is wrong, place it on this tab.” she pointed out.
“O-Oh, okay.” Then Lisa must have placed it in a different place again and Jean shook her head.
“Let me help you so we can go home already.”
Home.
Lisa smiled a bit at the irony. The two of them live in the same house after all. Jean got half of the remaining paperwork and opened the computer beside Lisa. She started to type and show Lisa what to do.
“It’s easier to put the two side by side so you can check if the numbers are the same and correct. You can use the formulas too to compute the outcome.”
Lisa tried it and was quite surprised.
“You’re right, it’s easier this way.”
They proceeded to do their work and the dominant sound was only their keyboard typing until Director Gunnhildr spoke as she heard Lisa sighing repeatedly.
“Miss Minci?”
“Hmmm?”
“Do you like your work?”
Lisa suddenly stopped typing to look at Jean. She does not know what to answer because she doesn’t know what she wants to do.
“I-I guess this is okay.”
Jean looked at her seriously, “Not doing what you love in life feels like walking on eggshells that’s about to crack and fall into the eternal abyss. So, what do you really want to do? Figure that out.”
Lisa was quiet for a while.
“D-Do you love your job, Director Gunnhildr?”
“Yes.”
“How did you know what you wanted?”
“What do you want to be as a kid?”
“Is that important?”
“Kids are risky, when they grow up to be an adult, soon they develop inhibitions because of what society tells them. Resulting for them to meet expectations and do those things that follow the norms instead of what they really want.”
“It’s easier that way, isn’t it?”
“When I first met you here in the office, I thought you were just another airhead that does whatever other people tell you with precision, but you were quite sneaky.”
“Huh?”
“Texting at work, refilling personal water at home using the office dispenser, printing personal stuff using the company's printer and you’re also a lazy worker when no one asks you to do anything, you don’t have the initiative.” Director Gunnhildr looked at Lisa and Lisa started to be nervous.
‘Am I being sacked?’
“But that caught my interest. Good things won’t matter so much if there’s nothing bad around it.” Jean smiled at her, “If you weren’t my annoying flatmate, I’d say I’ll consider dating you.”
“D-Director Gunnhildr, I-”
“Finish your work, let’s eat noodles after and go home together.”
When they finished their work, their dinner together at the noodle shop was awfully quiet. But it is just the comfortable silence that the two of them enjoyed together.
“I guess, I want all the luxuries in life without having to do anything,” Lisa said as she looked down her soggy noodles,
“Hmmm?”
“That’s what I want to do as a child.”
“I see, your expectations have been broken, right?”
“Yes.”
“That’s why you feel a bit lost in life.”
“I guess.”
“What if you just live your life with no expectations?”
‘Is it really possible to live a life without expectations?’
When they reached their home, Lisa bowed at Jean to thank her for her time.
“Good night Director Gunnhildr.”
“Good night, Miss Minci.”
When Lisa went inside her room, she felt as if she ran a marathon.
“If you aren’t my annoying flatmate, I’ll also consider dating you too, Director Gunnhildr.”
‘But you are that flatmate.’
***
They went back on being civil with each other. Sure, they have differences at home. Jean is lazy at home and Lisa is super clean while at work, they have differences as well. Jean is a workaholic and Lisa is a happy go lucky employee. Both tried to co-exist in one place without any commotion since they see each other every day. Not only at work but also at home.
“Good morning, Director Gunnhildr.”
“Good morning, Miss Minci.”
Then, they just passed by each other and that went for months. The passive-aggressive notes have stopped since they can tell each other what to say directly. It seems like Director Gunnhildr has been staying a lot in the flat, so they usually go home together.
Until one day, they had another misunderstanding. Lisa met the guy named Albert at the mixer for a date due to her mom’s request. The date was horrible as usual and she had too much wine due to boredom when she came back to her flat, she saw Jean being messy again in the living room.
Being so sensitive because of tiredness and bad days, she snapped at Jean who was minding her own business while playing her games.
“Won’t you please fucking clean up? How can you be the neat and perfect Director Gunnhildr at the office while being a slob Jean at home? You’re so fake!” she snapped like she's singing her death metal song at the karaoke. Jean was taken aback.
“Did you just call me a slob and a fake?”
“I-”
“Miss Minci, I may be your superior at the office and your flatmate at home, but you have no right to judge me as a person.”
Lisa’s eyes widened when she realized her mistakes but it was too late to take it back now so she just remained mum.
“Don’t worry, I’ll clean up after my mess. I’ll mind my own business too.” Jean stood up and cleaned her mess in the living room before she retreated to her room and Lisa just watched her helplessly.
‘What have I done?’
The next days had been different. Lisa’s cereals remained untouched. The living room is cleaned and the plates on the kitchen are done. Jean stopped giving her paperwork as well in the office. Lisa felt guilty for what she has done but she wanted a clean place and less work in the first place so why is she not happy about this change?
It is because Jean ignored her like she didn’t exist on Earth, and it hurts her pride.
‘Should I just apologize to her?’ Lisa thought to herself as she saw Jean walking in the hallway and didn’t even bother to bat an eye on her.
“It’s not my fault anyway.”
Her pride talks louder than her guilt.
Lisa had been observing Jean at work. The woman is hardworking. She was caught up with a realization that Jean might be a slob at home but that is because she is resting and enjoying her day after long hours of her dedication at work. Lisa felt so wrong.
They did not talk for months until Lisa had enough.
Lisa went to a tavern to get drunk. She decided to go to her usual Karaoke place until she saw Jean walking on the street with groceries in her hands.
‘Froot Loops.’
She saw Jean bought three and it is like a pang inside her heart. Why did Jean buy her own Froot Loops if she could just ask Lisa at home for it? Lisa bought dozens of it before to lure Jean to speak to her but the latter ignored it.
“Director Gunnhildr,” Lisa called out the girl with a slurring voice. Jean looked at her worriedly but knowing their current situation, she decided to not speak anything and just passed by but Lisa gripped her wrist.
“Do you sing?” Lisa asked out of nowhere.
“Go home, you’re drunk,” Jean told her and she just shook her head.
“If you won’t sing, then why won’t you hear me out as I sing?”
“Huh?”
Lisa dragged poor Jean on the Karaoke and Jean struggled with her groceries.
“Hey!”
“Party for two?” asked the concierge.
“Yes.” they were given a room and Lisa pushed Jean on the sofa.
“What am I even doing here?” Jean asked.
“You’ve been ignoring me for months now and it felt weird right here.” Lisa pointed to her heart and Jean was surprised.
“Stop wasting my time.”
Lisa took a box of Froot Loops from Jean's grocery.
“Hey!”
Lisa opened it and ate some of it.
“Quits,” she said as she munched her froot loops.
“Whatever. I have to go.”
“No, hear me out.” Lisa shook her head and punched in some numbers on the Karaoke and started to show Jean her real self at the Karaoke.
The death metal queen.
“I’M SORRY, I'M SO SORRY! I HATE YOU FOR BEING A SLOB AND YET YOU IGNORED ME LIKE I WASN’T EXISTING IN YOUR WORLD! DO YOU KNOW HOW HURT YOU MADE ME FEEL?! I LIKE YOU A LOT AND YOU’RE THE KIND OF PERSON I WANTED TO MARRY!”
“Huh?”
Mic dropped.
Lisa brought out a Froot Loop piece and knelt in front of the shocked Jean.
“Please marry me. I really really like you.”
It was her drunk and absurd self-talking.
“What the…”
Lisa stood up and kissed Director Gunnhildr then she tried to fit the Froot Loops on Jean’s ring finger, but it was not working. She groaned frustratedly and Jean burst out into laughter.
“What do you want in life, Miss Lisa?” Jean sighed and looked at Lisa straight in the eyes. Lisa looks exalted with Jean calling her name and she looked so serious, and it almost convinced Jean.
“I want to have someone to love.”
“And you think it’s me?”
“Why not?”
“Just how much do you like me?”
“A lot.”
‘Maybe it’s okay because she likes me.’
“My sister works for a church nearby.”
That night they had an impromptu marriage.
***
Lisa does not recall anything that transpired that night, she just woke up on Director Gunnhildr’s bed and nothing more. In the office, she heard from her officemate that Director Gunnhildr changed her civil status to married and everybody is going crazy.
“Did you know? Director Gunnhildr got married!” One of Lisa’s colleagues told her. Lisa gasped almost offended but she tried to conceal it.
“To whom?”
“Nobody knows but they said it’s one of the employees here in the office. It’s a good thing that the management doesn’t have any issues with it.”
‘I wonder who that bitch who stole Director Gunnhildr away from me!’ Lisa balled her fist and glared at Director Gunnhildr who was walking happily at the hallway.
‘How dare she smile when I am dying inside?’
Lisa saw the ring on Director Gunnhildr’s finger, and she felt extreme sadness.
‘When will I find someone, who suits me?’
Director Gunnhildr approached her with files and put them on her desk.
“Due today, Mrs Gunnhildr.”
“Huh?” before she could understand it Jean walked away already, she opened the folder and saw a note in front of it.
‘I love you! Dinner at 8 PM. With Love, Jean.’
“What the hell?”
Lisa noticed a ring on her finger.
‘Oh, shit.’
Later that day, she confirmed everything when she got a kiss from Jean at their dinner and a bouquet that says ‘To my lovely wife, let’s be together in the end because divorce is such a pain in the ass and alimony is expensive.’
***
Lisa dreamt of being a housewife but after marrying her director, she does not want to quit since there are a lot of girls and guys lurking around Director Gunnhildr. Since they are from different departments, their marriage was not an issue in the office but more like who’s Director Gunnhildr’s wife?
Today, Lisa let them know who the wife is. Especially to that bitch who was lurking around at the record’s division just to get Jean’s attention.
“Did I make this right, Director Gunnhildr?” the woman asked suggestively, and Jean seems to be oblivious about it.
“You made wrongs in this part.” Jean pointed out on the screen.
“Will you teach me?”
“Su-”
“ME!”
Lisa volunteered and she smirked when she saw the girl’s face.
“I’ll teach you a lesson,” she said smugly, and Director Gunnhildr thought Lisa is finally having initiatives at work.
“Good job, Mrs Gunnhildr.” she commended Lisa.
“I have a good mentor,” she told Jean and Jean squeezed her hands.
“I’ll see you later. I have a meeting.”
“Sure, see you later loves!”
‘A kiss...’
The woman could only watch dumbly on the lovey-dovey couple.
“So, you’re Director Gunnhildr’s wife?!”
“Yeah, about the lesson…”
“Uh… I-It’s okay. I got this already.” The woman said nervously.
“Good.”
And the news of Lisa being Director Gunnhildr’s wife spreads like a wildfire in the office and Lisa could not help but feel so proud of herself.
‘That’s right. She’s mine.’
***
Jean is at home. She is lazing around the sofa but this time, Lisa is laying on her lap. She feels like she is in her natural habitat. She can be herself if Lisa is there. No matter how many misunderstandings they have, they still were able to resolve them because they talk about it like mature people they are.
“Jean, dear?” Lisa called out softly.
“Yes, love?”
“Why did you marry me?”
“Because when you asked me nicely and you looked like you’ll take good care of me.” Jean shrugged.
“That’s lame.”
“You’ll stick with this lame forever, I’m too lazy to divorce twice.”
“Fair enough,” Lisa put her hands on Jean’s face and squished it, “I love this slob Jean.”
Jean’s heart started to beat faster, and she smiled. She knew it was a love for keeps. The next day, she prepared Lisa’s breakfast and left a note because she had to go to the office first. ‘To my wife, Toucan Sam the bird says Hi.’ She decided to be nostalgic and re-create her Froot Loop masterpiece with some revisions.
‘I love you. <3’ Pink Froot Loops formed on the table.
When she came back from work, she saw Lisa’s reply on the table.
‘K. :)’
That was enough to make her whole life better.
And for Lisa, who knows that her heartbreak with the wrong person led her to someone right for her.