It's a new Monday, and Lunette's conference room gleamed with glass and chrome, the kind of place where even the silence cost money. Isaac was already seated at the head of the long table, dark suit pressed to perfection, his notes neatly arrayed in front of him. His expression was unreadable, as if carved from the same stone as the towering skyscrapers outside the window.
Emily swept in first, her calm, professional steps cutting across the carpet. Right behind her, Mina clutched a leather folder and a tray of porcelain cups, her eyes darting around at the expensive art and panoramic view. Her hair bounced in twin buns, whimsical against the sterile setting. Annie, and other juniors followed. The juniors were accompanying the executive team into one of their negotiations.
Emily leaned toward them just before they reached the table. "Smile, but don't talk unless spoken to," she murmured, giving Mina's shoulder a light pat. Mina and the others nodded quickly.
The client was already waiting, and he wasn't what Mina expected at all. He was young, maybe in early thirties, maybe, with sharp features softened by an easy confidence.
As Isaac began the pitch, his voice smooth and deliberate, Mina kept her head down, setting cups on saucers and pouring tea, humming faintly under her breath as she tried to remember if sugar went before milk. At one point, she nearly tipped the spoon into the saucer, and the client chuckled softly. The client's gaze followed her movements, then drifted to other new faces. Then, as Mina offered him his cup with a bright smile, he asked casually, "I see fresh faces today, are interns part of the deal now?"
Mina froze mid-pour. "Oh! I, I'm not....well, I am new, but not exactly an intern. I'm just here to support and observe." She grinned, cheeks warming. "And, uh, make sure the tea doesn't end up on anyone's suit."
The client laughed, a genuine one this time. "Admirable. Most people here act like robots. It's nice to see someone human."
The other juniors looked at each other, puzzled. Isaac's pen tapped once against the table. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. "She handles administrative work," he said flatly, steering the conversation back. "Now, as I was saying about quarterly forecasts..."
But the client leaned back in his chair, watching Mina with faint amusement. "Administrative work, hm? You look more like someone who'd be good with people." His expression was smiling, but his eyes seemed dark.
Mina tilted her head. "Oh, do I? Well, I do like people. Talking with them, I mean. Listening too. I'm not sure if that's a skill, though?"
The client's lips curved. "It is. Trust me."
Across the table, Isaac shifted in his seat, eyes narrowing ever so slightly. He caught himself, redirected to the documents in front of him, and continued the pitch with practiced precision. But the steady rhythm of his delivery was sharper than usual, as though the edge of annoyance slipped into his voice.
Emily, sitting quietly off to the side, noticed. Her eyes flicked between the client's polite interest, Mina's cheerful obliviousness, and Isaac's unusually clipped tone. She hid her knowing smile behind her notepad.
The rest of the meeting carried on, but the dynamic had shifted. Whenever Mina refilled a cup or scribbled notes, the client seemed just a bit too attentive, throwing her the occasional comment or amused glance. Mina, for her part, simply took it as politeness. Isaac, however, found his patience tested in ways he didn't care to admit.
Mina sat on the table, attentively listening. She looked at the presentation slides presented behind Isaac, her eyes scanning the charts, tables and numbers. Isaac finishes his part, waiting for the client to answer.
Instead, he turns his chair, and asks Mina, "Well administrative girl, what do YOU think?"
It catches Mina offguard, she looks around, her coworkers have the same surprised face. She sheepishly points at herself, "Me?" The client nods.
"Oh um-" she stands up, "Well I donot have much data and information about this, but I think Lunette is giving you a fair deal, it is 3% more than the usual market rate. And since Lunette handles so many branches, you can just use one of our subsidiaries, reducing third party costs?" She asks, looking at Isaac, wide eyed.
The client laughs heartily, then stands, "Well, she's said so. The deal is fair to us" he walks to Isaac, "Looking forward to working with you."
Isaac scoffs, he knew the client was accepting regardless, but shakes his hand anyway. He watches the client walk towards Mina, asking for her name and business card.
Mina fumbles through her purse, cheeks burning. "Ah, I don't have a card yet, sir. I'm just, uh, still new." She never even thought about getting business cads. Silly Mina, she thought.
The client chuckles, unbothered. "All the better. That way I'll remember your name directly." He offers his hand. "Mina Kang, was it? You're sharper than you look. I'll make sure to ask for you next time."
Mina beams, shaking his hand with both of hers. "Oh! Thank you, I'll try my best!"
Isaac's eyes flick briefly toward their handshake. His lips part as if to speak, but he stays silent, jaw tightening for the second time that morning. He gathers the documents with deliberate precision, papers snapping crisply as he straightens them. Emily clears her throat from the corner, almost too softly. "The next meeting, sir." Isaac doesn't look at her. "I know," he says, his tone blunt.
The client finally lets go of Mina's hand, flashing her one last grin before striding out. The conference room hums back to life as assistants begin collecting things, voices low. Mina sits back down, heart still racing, not because she realized she'd been flirted with, but because she'd managed to sound smart in a room full of executives.
"Whew," she exhales, puffing her cheeks. "I didn't ruin it." Annie grabs her hand, and they exit, gossiping about what just happened.
Emily catches Isaac's expression as he shuts his folder. He's calm, too calm, the kind of calm that only makes sense if something bothered him. She smirks faintly, leaning close as she helps him gather the files.
"He liked her," Emily murmurs just for him, tone teasing.
Isaac doesn't look up. "Clients like whatever saves them money."
"Mhm," she hums knowingly. "But he also asked for her at the next meeting. Should I schedule that, sir?"
Isaac finally glances at her, eyes sharp. For a heartbeat, he doesn't answer. Then he adjusts his cufflinks, voice smooth but clipped. "No need. She has enough on her plate."
Emily hides her smile behind her clipboard.
"Oh, and one more thing," Isaac adds, "Don't make the juniors pour tea for our clients. Make sure the refreshments are served by the kitchen staff, at the beginning or the middle of the meeting."
Emily smiles a bit, and nods. "You're right sir, I'll have that arranged from tomorrow onwards."
He simply nods, and rushes out the room. There Mina was still waiting. He looks at her with the same calm expression. She walks towards him, and an involuntary gulp runs down his throat. "I'm sorry if i spoke unnecessarily sir. But I'm glad it worked out well! I hope I did good!" She smiles radiantly. Perhaps she wanted praise, or perhaps she just wanted to make sure she didn't get in trouble.
Isaac regards her for a moment, unreadable as always. He could tell her that her input wasn't part of the agenda, that she overstepped. He should. That would keep boundaries clear, keep her in her lane.
But instead, he hears himself say, "You didn't ruin anything. Your observation was practical."
Mina tilts her head, blinking. "Practical?" "That's what matters in negotiations," he adds quickly, eyes flicking toward the hallway as if already moving on. "Not dramatics. Practicality."
Her smile widens anyway, lighting up her face. "So I did good?"
Something in her tone makes his chest tighten, though he doesn't let it show. He clears his throat, tugging at his cuff. "You...did your job."