The New Household Staff
“Come on, stay still.”
I gently scooped up Meonji, who was blocking the way, and started walking down the hallway again. Everyone stared in surprise at how unusually docile the cat was while being held, but the moment passed quickly. The moment we reached the second floor, I let out a short gasp at the sight of the long corridor stretching out before us. Even then, Yoo Jimin was already examining every corner with the sharp eye of someone with plenty of experience.
That’s why hiring someone with experience is worth it.
From an employer’s perspective, there’s nothing more reassuring than a seasoned worker. Of course, filling every position with veterans isn’t realistic. Look at me, thinking like this already. The feeling of going from employee to employer was strangely surreal. It made the fact that I’d become this wealthy sink in a little more. And the situation that led me to these thoughts was odd in its own way.
Anyway.
If the first floor was designed for the family living here, the second floor felt more like a space for the people working in the house or for occasional guests. Especially the long corridor that appeared right after climbing the stairs from the first floor—it almost felt like a hotel. At the end of that corridor was even a living room and kitchen for anyone staying on the second floor. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a dedicated space for the household staff.
“Once you start working, you can stay here on the second floor. If you’d rather commute, we can arrange that too.”
To be honest, living with strangers still felt a little awkward. Maybe it was because I’d never really lived with anyone else before. I’d stayed in dorms, but this was different. Still, it would be rude to feel uncomfortable about people Yoo Yeona had personally vouched for. Besides, making the housekeepers commute every day from such a large mansion didn’t make sense. It would only be more trouble for me in the end.
I mentioned the commuting option just in case, but they all just smiled and nodded as if I were joking.
Guess no one else thinks the way I do.
A small laugh escaped me. I trusted Yoo Yeona, so I trusted the people she recommended. It wasn’t blind trust—I’d still need to see how they worked together—but there was no need to worry too much. Security companies existed for people like me, and the mansion was designed so that important areas couldn’t be accessed by just anyone. Most of my assets were in banks and securities firms anyway, so there was nothing to steal. Still, I planned to add at least basic precautions to my dressing room and master bedroom, just in case. After all, even the best people can be tempted by valuables.
While sorting through my tangled thoughts, I showed them the large room right by the stairs.
“These are the rooms. The two on this side are the bigger ones, and the two across the hall are smaller.”
There were four rooms in total, arranged like hotel rooms along the corridor. Two had bathtubs large enough for one person, while the other two only had showers. I wasn’t sure why they were split this way, but the original designer probably expected to hire about two housekeepers. If three people ended up working here, it might feel a little cramped, but they were all adults—they’d figure it out.
After the brief explanation, I slowly showed them the rooms they’d use if hired, then took them to the second-floor living room and kitchen.
“You can relax here when you’re off. The basic furniture is already here, so just let me know if you need anything else.”
Yoo Jimin and Park Sujin bowed their heads in surprise at my words. Lee Yebin, on the other hand, looked around excitedly, already thinking about what she might need.
She reminds me of myself when I first bought the house.
A small laugh slipped out. Compared to the other two, Lee Yebin clearly had less experience. Then again, I didn’t really understand why Yoo Jimin and Park Sujin were so surprised either, so maybe I wasn’t that different from her.
Our thoughts aren’t that far apart, at least.
The quick tour of the living quarters ended there. I showed them the rest of the second-floor rooms, then the third floor, first floor, garden, and garage. When we returned to the living room, the three women and Yoo Yeona were sitting neatly in a row, just like when we’d started.
While I was wondering how to continue, Yoo Yeona spoke up at the perfect moment.
“Her house is pretty big, right?”
Lee Yebin nodded enthusiastically, adding that it was her first time in such a large house. Park Sujin and Yoo Jimin simply nodded quietly, as if they were used to places like this. They’d probably lived in houses like this before.
After that, the conversation turned to practical matters—salary, days off, benefits, and daily tasks. Once everyone had left, I sat stroking Meonji’s head as he slept peacefully in my arms and began thinking about who to hire.
“Hmm… I should definitely hire Park Sujin, at least.”
Freshly baked bread was hard to pass up, after all.
“Thank goodness…”
Park Sujin, who had caught Choi Yeonbi’s full attention with her experience as a bakery section manager, let out a sigh of relief after reading the message a few days after the interview. She had quit her previous job because she couldn’t handle the cliquish atmosphere. Worried about the career gap, she was grateful that her college senior, Yoo Yeona, had solved the problem for her. Even though Park Sujin was older, Yoo Yeona had always been the one to handle things, so she felt more like a reliable senior than just a friend.
After texting her thanks, she stretched and lay down on the bed.
I got lucky.
It wasn’t just luck. Building a good relationship with Yoo Yeona and earning her favor wasn’t something that happened by chance. Neither was becoming a bakery section manager. Still, Park Sujin had two reasons for feeling lucky. First, she’d be starting fresh in a place with no existing housekeepers. Second, the pay and treatment were better than before. And on top of that—
“The young lady seemed really nice too.”
The young, pretty employer had seemed a little unusual but genuinely kind, which made her feel truly fortunate. Grateful for this stroke of luck, she got up again and started packing the things she’d take to the mansion. At the same time, she decided to leave her own house in the care of her younger sibling while she was away.
Meanwhile, someone else was jumping around in excitement after receiving the acceptance message.
“Wow, I’m so glad. I thought I’d be rejected since the other two had way more experience.”
“You should bow toward Yoo Yeona’s house every morning from now on.”
Lee Yebin burst out laughing at her mother’s comment. She hadn’t originally planned to become a housekeeper. She didn’t have any particular dream either. With no clear goals, she had bounced between part-time jobs until she realized she actually enjoyed cleaning the most. So she quit her other jobs and started working at various cleaning companies. But none of them satisfied her. The work itself was fun, but the pay was terrible. Sometimes companies even withheld wages. Even when she cleaned thoroughly, clients would make excuses and refuse to pay, claiming the cleaning was insufficient. The work was enjoyable, but the stress was overwhelming. Then, by chance, she met Yoo Yeona.
Yoo Yeona had noticed a young woman working at a cleaning company. Impressed by how meticulously and cheerfully Lee Yebin worked, she decided to hire her for her relative’s house. At first, Lee Yebin worked as a regular cleaner, but eventually she became a full-time housekeeper. When she could no longer work at Yoo Yeona’s relative’s house, this opportunity came along.
“It’s thanks to Yeona unni, but it’s also because I’ve been working hard!”
And finally, there was one more person who had secured a job right away.
“It’s good that you found work so quickly, but why don’t you take a break first?”
“I should earn money while I still can.”
“Even so, isn’t this pushing yourself too hard?”
“Don’t worry about me. Just focus on your exams. I’ll come home every weekend, so don’t skip proper meals.”
“Okay.”
Yoo Jimin, now in her early forties, clicked her tongue lightly while looking at her high-school-aged son. Leaving him behind to go to work didn’t sit well with her, but she couldn’t just stay home either. Her son had already passed his rebellious phase and was responsible enough to handle the housework on his own, so she wasn’t too worried. She wished he’d study a bit more diligently, but since she hadn’t been a great student herself, that might be asking too much.
Smiling faintly, she scolded her son, who was lying on the sofa watching TV.
“Don’t stay up all night gaming with your dad, got it?”
“These days Dad falls asleep while gaming, so he can’t pull all-nighters anymore.”
Yoo Jimin laughed in disbelief at her son’s answer. Chuckling, she headed to the master bedroom to start packing.
####
Without Yoo Yeona here, the atmosphere felt strangely awkward. It was like meeting a friend’s friend without that friend present. Like meeting B, who’s friends with my friend A… Never mind. It was just awkward.
Hmm…
The three housekeepers seemed just as uncomfortable. They sat quietly, waiting for me to speak first. When things got awkward, I knew one simple solution: introductions.
Now I understand why professors always did self-introductions on the first day.
Maybe it was their way of trying to connect with students. Though for introverts, it could be a bit harsh.
Still.
“Since we’ll be working together from today, how about we do quick self-introductions?”
Time to get it over with. The three women looked slightly flustered at my suggestion. Maybe this wasn’t common? But they couldn’t ignore their employer’s request, so Yoo Jimin, the oldest, hesitated for a moment before standing up awkwardly, bowing her head, and speaking.
“Hello. My name is Yoo Jimin.”
She finished and sat back down. That was barely an introduction—just stating her name. It felt a little lacking, but pressing for more details would be rude, so I just clapped and nodded encouragingly.
Next, Park Sujin stood up.
“I’m Park Sujin. Please take care of me.”
After she finished, it was Lee Yebin’s turn. She glanced around nervously before standing and bowing politely, her voice bright and confident.
“Hello, I’m Lee Yebin!”
Her energetic, almost uncle-like greeting made me laugh as I clapped. The other two housekeepers were smiling too, so it hadn’t been a bad idea after all.
Finally, I stood up as well.
“I’m Choi Yeonbi. Please take care of me and the house from now on.”
With the greetings done, I felt like things wouldn’t be boring anymore with so many people in the house.
“Well then, shall we move on to work-related matters?”
The moment I mentioned work, the awkwardness vanished from their eyes. They looked focused and ready. Just where did Yoo Yeona find these people?
Really impressive.
Quietly impressed, I handed out the documents I had prepared in advance.