First Day as a Maid (1)
The next morning.
I was jolted awake by the incessant ringing of my phone on the pillow beside my head.
"Ugh... I have to get up earlier than I ever did for my part-time jobs."
I dragged myself upright, and before long, I ran into my first obstacle of the day.
"...Ah, right. What am I supposed to do with this hair?"
Just then, there came a knock at the door — tok, tok.
"Are you awake?"
"Huh? Oh, yes!"
"I'll come in for a moment."
The person who opened the door and stepped inside was Yujin. She looked me over, already fully put together for the day, and said, "Hurry up. We need to help prepare the Young Master's breakfast."
"Um... hold on, just a second."
"What's the matter?"
I looked back and forth between the maid uniform laid out on the bed and my reflection in the mirror.
"I can figure out something with the hair myself, but... could you show me how to put this on again?"
Yujin's gaze shifted to the maid uniform.
"...Did you not learn yesterday?"
"I learned, technically, but it was more like it was put on me than me putting it on."
After a brief silence, Yujin approached me.
"Watch carefully this time."
"Yes, ma'am."
Unlike yesterday, I put the uniform on myself this time, learning the order as I went. When I finished, Yujin headed for the door first.
"Fix your hair and come out."
"Thank you."
Once the door closed, I stood before the mirror again. Naturally, I had no idea how to style hair prettily. In the end, the option I chose was the simplest one — tying it all back.
"...This should be good enough, right?"
With my hair thrown into a rough ponytail, I stepped out of the room.
"Follow me."
I trailed Yujin, who was waiting at my door, down to the kitchen. Several other maids were already hard at work preparing the meal there.
"Oh, you're here? The Young Master's breakfast is all ready!"
The food was arranged neatly on a serving cart.
"I just take this and go?"
"That's right. The Young Master's room is right next to yours, Siwoo."
"Understood."
Pushing the prepared cart, I headed for Joohyeok's room.
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
I opened the door and stepped in to find Joohyeok slouching around in nothing but a bathrobe.
"Aren't you getting up yet? I woke up earlier than usual because of you, you know?"
"*Yaaawn.* Then take the money when someone offers it."
"Ugh, no thanks. Never mind — get up and eat."
"Feed me."
"...You want to die?"
"Hahaha. Your temper's as sharp as ever first thing in the morning."
I set the cart down in front of Joohyeok and plopped onto the sofa. Even though I was acting nothing like a proper maid, the guy just watched me like I was some kind of entertainment.
"Quit staring holes into me and eat. Before I start insulting you."
"Pfft. Hey, I'm technically your employer. Isn't that going a bit far?"
"How would I know? You're the one who made me this way. You should count yourself lucky I'm not suing you."
"And who exactly is going to believe that story?"
The words caught in my throat for a moment. Who on earth would believe something this absurd?
"*Sigh*... You're too loud. Just eat, I have to clear this later."
Joohyeok pulled the cart a little closer to the sofa and set the dishes out on the table.
"Speaking of which, did you even eat breakfast?"
"I came straight here with your breakfast the second I got up. What do you think?"
At that, he scooped up a bite with his spoon and held it out toward me.
"What are you doing?"
"Here. Say *aah*."
"Are you insane? Why are you like this first thing in the morning?!"
"Just eat it. You have to be hungry. Or should I have one of the other maids bring you food?"
"Oh sure, get me ostracized on my first day? Fine, I'll eat, I'll eat!"
The moment I reached out to take the spoon, Joohyeok raised his hand above my head.
"I said eat, so why are you grabbing it?"
"You said *aah*, not *take it yourself*."
"Don't tell me you're actually trying to feed me?"
"Yep."
Had I ever wanted to smack someone this badly before ten in the morning?
"What is wrong with you today? Quit doing weird stuff and just eat already."
"Not until you take a bite. Are you really going to refuse even this?"
"*Haa*... If I don't, you'll just starve instead. Do whatever you want."
When I turned my head away, Joohyeok called loudly for Yujin, and the door opened as she stepped inside.
"You called?"
"Siwoo says he won't eat unless I feed him. What kind of training did you give him?"
"No—! You lunatic, why are you taking that up with Yujin?!"
Watching my reaction, Yujin's expression twisted slightly.
"I apologize. I will speak with him again regarding his work conduct."
"No! No, it's fine! I'll eat. See? I'm eating!"
"Should have done that from the start."
And so I ended up opening my mouth — *aah* — and taking the bite off Joohyeok's spoon.
*Haa*... Damn it. Why is this bastard doing stuff he never does?
"How is it? Good?"
*Chew, chew.*
Say what you would about him being a spoiled rich kid — this was a taste someone like me would have gone a lifetime without sampling.
"Wow. That's really good!"
...Wait.
Without thinking, I had answered with a bright, beaming smile.
"..."
"*Ahem*! Anyway! We're done here, right? Eat up. And stop bullying Yujin."
Joohyeok studied my face for a long moment, then allowed himself a small smile before finally starting on his meal. Yujin's eyes darted back and forth between the two of us several times.
No... even if you glare at me like that, I'm innocent here, I swear...
A little while later, I stacked the finished dishes back onto the cart and moved to leave the room.
"Siwoo. Once that's cleaned up, do my room too."
"...Fine."
I nearly swore out loud on the spot, but Yujin was standing right there, so I bit it back as best I could and answered. With that, I left the room and headed back to the kitchen.
"My, the Young Master certainly took his time with breakfast today."
That's *long*? How fast does he normally eat?
"Ah... about that..."
"Please handle the cleanup. I need to continue Siwoo's training."
"Yes, ma'am! Good luck, Yujin! You too, Siwoo~!"
I followed Yujin to the staff break room.
"Um... excuse me..."
"*Hoo*... Siwoo. I understand the Young Master permits a certain degree of informality from you, but you must not forget that you are still on duty."
"That earlier was his fault, he started—"
"Who started it is irrelevant."
"...Yes, ma'am."
"At the very least, in front of the other staff, please keep your personal friendship separate from your work."
"Ah... yes..."
"And in the future, I would ask that you accommodate the Young Master's requests as much as possible."
"You mean keep going along with ridiculous nonsense like earlier?"
"Yes. I do."
Her firmness wrung a sigh right out of me.
*Ha*... Turning into a woman was bad enough, and now I have to play along with this absurdity too...
"If you dislike it, you are free to quit."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Your expression is saying quite loudly that you dislike it."
"No! No, that's not it! I'll do it!"
If I quit right now, where exactly am I supposed to find money...
Yujin walked me through my upcoming duties, and then I made my way back to Joohyeok's room.
"Please remember exactly what I've taught you."
"I will."
With that, Yujin departed, and I opened the door to Joohyeok's room and stepped inside.
"There you are."
"*Hoo*... Hey. Don't pull that stuff from earlier again."
"What stuff? Oh~ the feeding thing?"
"Yeah. What was that even about? It was creepy."
For the briefest instant, Joohyeok's expression seemed to flicker.
"Why are you making such a big deal of it now? You said you hadn't eaten, so I fed you."
"Guys don't just feed other guys, you know."
"You're not exactly a guy right now, are you."
"...Ah."
He wasn't wrong. My insides were still a man's, but the outside was a woman's — so from anyone else's point of view, it wouldn't have looked strange at all.
"*Haa*... Whatever. From now on, I'm just going to focus on the work I'm assigned, so don't expect anything else."
"Sure, sure. Now then — my room's all yours."
Joohyeok sauntered over to the bed and flopped down on it.
"Don't you have anything to do?"
"I'm going to read. So finish cleaning and then come get me."
Argh. I seriously want to punch him...
"You've got the face of a man who wants to throw a punch. Spend that energy cleaning instead."
"Your instincts are scary fast. Tch."
I pulled the cleaning supplies out of the storage cabinet and got to work, one thing after another. I threw the windows wide open, beat out the dust, swept and mopped the floor — and in the middle of it all, my foot slipped out from under me.
"Kyaa—!"
*CRASH!*
"Hey! You okay?"
"*Agh*... you scared me."
"You hurt anywhere?"
"No. My foot just slipped."
I looked up to find Joohyeok standing over me, peering down.
"What?"
"Huh? Oh. Nothing, nothing at all. Grab my hand."
I took the hand he offered and pulled myself up.
"Thanks."
"Be more careful."
"Lecturing me over one little fall, really."
Joohyeok went back to the sofa and sat down, and I picked up my supplies again, cleaning here and there.
"*Whew*. Finally done. What the... why does cleaning one room take this long?"
"All finished?"
"Can't you tell just by looking? I'm going to go rest now."
"Where to?"
"Why? I'm done cleaning, aren't I?"
"Unless you're headed to your next session with Yujin, rest here a while."
"Why would I rest in *your* room?"
"You're my personal maid, aren't you?"
"...Is that what that's supposed to mean?"
"By my definition, yeah."
"You really just do whatever you want."
I'd assumed "personal maid" meant doing my assigned tasks like the other maids and resting separately on my own time.
"So what am I supposed to do now, then?"
"Just sit next to me."
Exhaling a sigh, I sat down beside Joohyeok, and the guy simply buried himself in his book.
"By the way, have you always been into reading?"
"Mm. Whenever I'm not hanging out with you, I'm pretty much always reading."
"A certified bookworm, huh."
"Sit still and rest before I find more work for you."
Maybe it was because I'd gotten up earlier than usual, but as I sat there quietly, my eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
"*Yaaawn*—"
How does this guy not get bored...
Beside me, the steady rustle of turning pages droned on. I only meant to close my eyes for a moment. But at some point, even that sound faded away.
Joohyeok was reading when he felt something settle against his shoulder and turned his head. At some point, Siwoo had fallen asleep leaning against him.
"..."
Joohyeok didn't wake him. He simply went on reading.
Knock, knock.
Then came a knock, and Yujin entered the room.
"Young Master."
"What is it?"
Yujin started to answer — and then noticed Siwoo, fast asleep against Joohyeok's side.
"...I came to discuss Siwoo's remaining training."
"Today's enough. Let's take it slow."
"But there are still things he must be taught."
"It's his first day. Take your time."
Yujin fell silent for a moment.
"Understood."
As she turned to leave, Yujin spoke up again.
"Might I ask one thing?"
"What is it?"
"Is there a reason you show such favoritism toward Siwoo — and only Siwoo?"
"Because I want to."
"Is that the only reason?"
"Yeah. Don't go digging into it too deeply just yet."
Joohyeok answered with a smile. But while he was smiling, his expression made it clear he wouldn't tolerate any further questions.
"...Understood. Then I'll take my leave."
"Yujin."
Yujin, halfway to the door, looked back.
"Don't work Siwoo too hard."
Yujin's gaze drifted once more to the sleeping Siwoo.
"...Understood."
The door closed, and quiet settled over the room again. Joohyeok read for a while, then glanced over at his side. Siwoo was still fast asleep, blissfully unaware of anything.
"..."
*Snrk—*
Joohyeok let out a quiet chuckle and turned the page.