The Lady and the Maid
I was dragged off without warning and immediately subjected to an interrogation.
“Hey! Kang Ijin!”
“Yo, Lee Yena. Did you have a good weekend? What’s got you in such a hurry…”
“Just come with me.”
Even though it was Monday, she was brimming with energy. It was a nice sight.
“What the hell did you do to the young lady… I mean, to the president?”
Yena, I know you’re treating me like this because of all the things I’ve done to you. But didn’t I behave myself over the weekend?
“Why are you asking about the weekend?”
“It’s just… the president is acting strange.”
“Strange?”
“She keeps saying she has arrhythmia and goes to the hospital. And that’s not all—she’ll just zone out, then suddenly slam her head on the desk or slap her own cheeks.”
The moment I heard it, I understood exactly what was happening.
Cha Yeri was going through the classic denial phase. The typical rom-com cliché where someone insists, “Why would I ever like someone like him?” even though their body and heart have already fallen completely.
I didn’t know exactly how deep she’d fallen for me, but if she was tormenting herself this much while lost in thought, she was pretty much over the edge already.
Imagining Lee Yena’s shocked face as she watched her elegant young lady suddenly start self-harming out of nowhere made me want to laugh. Maybe I should drop by the student council office later and see her reaction for myself.
“It’s probably nothing.”
“How would you know? The president never acts like this.”
“Just trust me a little. I made a promise to you, didn’t I? Why would I do anything to the president? If I messed with her for no reason, you’d throw a fit at me. Obviously.”
So stop pestering me. The more you do, the more it just makes me want to rebel. And if that goes too far, I’ll get so irritated I’ll feel like ruining everything.
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. I’m keeping the promise I made with you. I haven’t laid a single finger on the president.”
What I’d promised Lee Yena was simply that I wouldn’t make any moves on Cha Yeri. If Cha Yeri came to me first because she wanted it, that was a different story.
“Then why on earth…”
Lee Yena seemed to believe me to some extent, but she still couldn’t figure out the cause of Cha Yeri’s behavior. Well, who would ever imagine that the strict, dignified student council president would suddenly become absent-minded because she’d developed feelings for a guy?
“By the way, didn’t the president tell you anything?”
“Tell me what? So something really did happen between you two!”
“Something did happen, but… ugh, it feels like I’m bragging if I say it myself. Aren’t you two close? I figured the president would have told you already.”
When I spoke in a slightly mocking tone, Lee Yena’s expression darkened. She looked angry at my words, but also hurt that Cha Yeri was hiding something from her.
“M-maybe she just forgot to mention it… S-so? What is it?”
Seeing her like that, the corner of my mouth curled up.
“The president might have a reason for not telling you. Are you sure it’s okay to ask me?”
You’re her maid. Are you really trying to find out something your master deliberately didn’t tell you?
Lift your skirt. As punishment, you’ll get five smacks on the ass.
“Ah…”
Lee Yena let out a small gasp and froze. Her visibly flustered reaction was adorable. As expected, teasing Yena was always incredibly fun.
“I’m kidding. It’s not that she deliberately hid it. She just didn’t think it was necessary to mention. It really isn’t a big deal.”
“R-really?”
“Yeah. It’s just that when some lunatic pulled a knife, I got stabbed instead of the president. Seriously, it’s nothing.”
“You got stabbed and you call that noth— huh…? You got stabbed?!”
Lee Yena’s eyes widened dramatically. I hadn’t expected much, but her reaction was more delicious than I’d imagined. This was exactly why I could never stop tormenting her. Despite that sexy older-sister vibe and her glamorous blonde hair, she had such a clumsy, airheaded side. And in fiction, that kind of clumsiness was often used as a pretty strong moe trait.
“H-how did that happen?”
She asked for the reason first. I frowned slightly and said,
“Someone got stabbed and you don’t even ask if I’m okay?”
“Ah… are you okay?”
“Wow, that was fast.”
“Tsk, if you’re just going to be sarcastic… Forget it. I’ll ask the president myself.”
She was getting tired of talking to me? From her reaction, it seemed so. I gave the grumbling Lee Yena a sly grin and asked,
“If there’s nothing else, want to go to the school store with me?”
“Why would I go to the store with you?”
“You could, you know.”
“Am I crazy? Why would I go with you?”
“Look at the way you’re talking. I’ll buy you something. How about that?”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a child.”
Ah, that was my mistake. I’d unconsciously spoken to her the same way I did with Sua. That wouldn’t do. You’re not my lover—you’re supposed to become my slave maid. This kind of treatment is far too generous for you.
“Hey, Lee Yena.”
“What.”
“It’s about time we set a date. When’s good for you?”
What I meant was the day she’d agreed to play with me. Of course, since we were both adults, it would be sexual play.
“Y-you can decide… I’ll match my schedule as much as possible…”
“Sounds good.”
Watching her face flush and pale repeatedly, I smiled. The fact that she hadn’t run away earned her a passing grade. Did that mean she secretly wanted to play with me that way? Or was it a noble sense of self-sacrifice for the young lady she cherished? Personally, I hoped it was the former, but her reaction suggested the latter, which was a little disappointing.
“Oh, by the way, do you have a favorite color?”
“Why?”
“I’m going to buy a collar to put around your neck. Might as well get one in the color you like, right?”
“Y-you… you… What the hell are you planning to do to me…”
Lee Yena stammered, completely flustered. It was hilarious how she pretended not to understand what I was saying even though she clearly did. I knew exactly what kind of manga she read—most of it was exactly this kind of stuff.
“Think about it and text me. I’ll head to the store by myself.”
I lightly grabbed her by the neck, squeezed once, then smiled at her bewildered face before walking away.
“Hmm… I should go on a quick patrol around the school.”
Cha Yeri stood up from her seat, speaking in an unnaturally stiff tone. The moment I entered the student council office, she acted like that. It was obvious she was deliberately trying to avoid being in the same space as me.
I let out a small chuckle and opened the door I had just closed.
“Then let’s go together.”
Cha Yeri flinched, then looked at me with the wary eyes of a stray kitten.
“Why?”
“Pardon?”
“Ah… I didn’t mean why, I… Ahem. Then could you go on patrol by yourself? I have a lot of paperwork to handle.”
“Give me half of the documents you’re working on, President. I’ll help. Once we’re done, we can patrol together.”
“That’s not efficient at all. One person should handle the paperwork here while the other does the patrol.”
After confirming that she was using efficiency as an excuse to avoid being alone with me, I turned the lock and shut the student council office door.
Click.
“Kang Ijin? Why did you suddenly lock the—”
After I’d even locked the door, she hesitated. I stared at her quietly and asked,
“President, do you hate being with me?”
“I didn’t say that… It’s just that, efficiency-wise, this is the most ideal arrangement…”
Fine. I’ll let you have that. I nodded slowly and began walking toward Cha Yeri. The closer I got, the more she flinched, until she finally turned her gaze completely toward the desk and pretended to work.
“People can’t live only thinking about efficiency. We’re not machines. I just want to be with you, President, so please understand.”
“You want to be with me because you like me… Is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s right.”
“Ahem! If that’s the case… then I suppose it can’t be helped… Then please take care of this much for me.”
Even while handing me the documents, she still refused to make eye contact. It was so cute that I decided to let it slide.
“Of course. But President.”
“Yes?”
“I heard from Yena that you got hurt somewhere. She said you went to the hospital.”
“Ah, it’s nothing… I was just a little shocked at the time and my condition wasn’t great.”
“Did you get injured back then? Show me where it hurts. I’ll check it for you.”
“M-my chest?!”
“Pardon?”
“N-no… I mean… T-the bathroom! I need to use the bathroom!”
Cha Yeri shot up from her seat and rushed to the door, grabbing the handle.
Click.
But the handle only turned without opening the door. Desperate to escape, she began yanking on it roughly.
“Uh… Is it broken? Why won’t it open…”
“President, the door is locked. You have to unlock it first.”
“Ah…”
Only then did she realize the door was locked. Her face fell. Cha Yeri quickly composed herself, turning only her head as she spoke.
“Actually… I knew that. I was just showing you what could happen if you lock the student council office door. Unless the room is completely empty, don’t lock it arbitrarily…”
“I see. I’ll be careful. Anyway, you should hurry and take care of your business. You shouted ‘bathroom’ so loudly, it must be urgent.”
“R-right.”
Cha Yeri, who somehow looked exhausted, opened the door and left. In truth, I wanted to keep her here and spend some quiet time alone with her, but I held back. There would be plenty of opportunities. I’d try again once her mind had settled a little more.
While she was gone, I quickly finished my share of the work. Even after a long time passed and she still hadn’t returned, I realized she had run away. I finished the rest of the documents on the desk in her place and was about to leave the student council office when my phone rang.
I checked the screen.
[I took care of everything that happened over the weekend, so don’t worry.]
It was a message from Cha Yeri. The weekend incident—she must have been referring to me beating the knife-wielding lunatic half to death. No wonder there hadn’t been any major consequences even though I’d pummeled the guy so brutally. She had taken care of it.
[Thank you, President.]
Watching Cha Yeri gradually become more favorable toward me, I smiled and thought that I needed to push her conquest forward as quickly as possible.