This will be a three-shot fic inspired from Sarah Waters' book titled Fingersmith and the Korean movie adaptation called Handmaiden.

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It was year 1930.

Korea had been suffering under Japanese colonization for almost 20 years.

Goods were taken, lands were stolen, and people were murdered brutally or forced into slavery.

It was a dark time in history and hope was slowly dwindling away, leaving behind only a number of people who were still trying to fight despite their grief and loss.

The stronger ones picked up weapons to retaliate, while the weaker ones had to pick up other things just to stay alive.

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“Seulgi unnie! Guess what we got today!”

Seulgi lifted her gaze from the silverware she was melting on the blacksmith’s brazier to see Sooyoung dangling a shiny jade bracelet in her hand proudly.

Yerim popped up behind her too and split into the same huge grin. “Seulgi unnie! We got a lot of nice stuffs today! You won’t believe it!”

The duo barrelled inside the shack hurriedly and locked the door shut before splaying their earnings that day on the dirty wooden table.

Sooyoung unloaded the goods from her pocket with giddy hands.

“Sooyoung unnie got a jade bracelet, a gold ring, and a silver pendant from three Japanese today! Among the crowd, none of them even saw her move!”

Seulgi stalked over and patted their youngest’s head with fond smile as she scoped up a piece to examine. “Sooyoung is a ghost, I think we all know that. And oh, this one is pure gold, I will melt it separately later.”

“We have a ghost here?” Seungwan emerged from the darkened kitchen with a tray of breads in her hand and grinned as she limped her way to her three friends.

Out of reflex, Seulgi moved to help her immediately, but she held a palm up to stop her.

“Nuh-uh, stay there Seulgi. I can walk alone with my crutch without toppling on my face, see?” She motioned to her straight posture proudly and blew out a breath. “Now, who wants stale bread for their dinner? I have butter with me.”

“Me!” Yerim shouted. Sooyoung didn’t even bother shouting and already reaching over to snatch the morsel. The two immediately began chasing each other inside their cramped shack.

Seungwan laughed with delight when Yerim managed to tackle the bigger girl onto the ground. “Bless you and your butter-bread, Seungwan unnie.” She muffled through full mouth.

Seungwan giggled and shook her head. “You’re welcome. Eat a lot, you feisty brats.”

She swayed on one foot feebly when she tried to go back into the kitchen, and Seulgi had to stop herself from rushing over to help.

It had been a little over two years since her last stunt with Seungwan, in which their attempt to rob a Japanese household went terribly wrong and a bullet lodged itself in Seungwan’s knee to cripple her forever. Seulgi still felt bad up to this day.

Her mind was dead-set that it happened because of her, and nothing Seungwan said to her could convince her otherwise.

She was too young back then, reckless and taking everything as challenge because she was the oldest girl in the house, ignoring the obvious signs of danger when Seungwan had pointed them out.

Now her friend couldn’t walk because of her. Seulgi lost the courage to ever steal again. She had been staying home like a coward that she was, taking care of Seungwan and helping Mr.Lee, their old guardian, forging metals while her younger friends went out for the hunt.

Sometimes when Yerim, who barely turned 12, handed her a gold or silver from her pilfering session, she wanted to cry in shame.

Feeling useless was a complete understatement.

“There’s someone on the door.” Seungwan said. The four of them immediately sat taller and silenced to hear the noise.

Sooyoung jumped on her feet and got ready to snatch their belongings in case Japanese police found them and they needed to run.

“Open up, losers! It’s cold outside!”

At the familiar voice, they all sighed in relief.

“Chanyeol.” Seulgi breathed. “I’ll open the door for him.”

She went to unlock the wooden door and grumpy Chanyeol immediately shoved inside, Mr.Lee following closely behind.

When Seulgi wanted to close the door, she noticed that there was another man coming in with them.

“Gentleman.” She greeted sourly. The man in black coat tipped his hat at her and smiled cunningly. “Seulgi. Haven’t seen you in a while.”

Seulgi forced a polite smile on her face and let the man step inside as she closed the door behind him.

She had no idea why Gentleman, who was anything but a gentleman at all, was here in their little hideout at night when he could be lying pleasantly in his grand house bought for him by the Japanese.

The man was a korean con-man who lived his life up to the Japanese people for easy money. Seulgi didn’t know why Mr.Lee, who despised Japanese so much, hadn’t fed this man to lions.

He was a betrayer.

“What are you doing here?” Her question came out a tad more civil than her inner thoughts.

Gentleman smiled at her brightly. “I missed my fellow koreans, of course.”

“Cut out the bull, Gentleman.” Chanyeol snided from the fireplace. “It’s late at night and unlike you, who will be fed by the Japanese, some of us have to work like dogs tomorrow. Go straight to the point.”

Mr.Lee gave him a look for his rude behavior and Gentleman laughed quietly. Seulgi looked at them in confusion.

“What’s going on here?”

“Gentleman has something to say to you, Seulgi.”

“Me?” Seulgi stared at her guardian in bemusement. “He wants to talk to me?”

“Oh, yes dear.” Gentleman smiled and pulled off his hat casually. “I have a sweet bargain to make with you. Sit down.”

He settled on one of the chairs around the wooden table as if it was his own damn home and crossed his legs comfortably. Seulgi stared at him without moving.

“Sit down, Seulgi. It’s going to be a long talk.”

“I can do it just fine from here.” She said. “What do you want to say?”

Gentleman flashed a look at Mr.Lee who then nodded him an agreement.

“Alright, since all of you look so impatient to get me out of here, I will go straight to the point.” He said. “You do realize that all of you are in dire need of money, yes?”

The girls passed a look at each other and Seulgi cleared dryly. “Yes, and?”

“And you realize that I happen to work for Lord Hashimoto, one of the richest Japanese men in our land, yes?”

Seulgi snorted slightly. “Of course we do, Gentleman. Everyone around here knows that you have been working for the bastard who ups our taxes every month.”

Gentleman only smiled at her sarcastic remark and carried on. “Okay, fine. Now say, this greedy Japanese bastard whom I work for, is quickly getting old and only has one daughter left to succeed his whole fortune, what do you think I should do?”

When Seulgi couldn’t answer, Chanyeol cut her impatiently. “Marry her, moron. He wants to marry her and takes her money.”

“Exactly.” Gentleman laughed, leaning back on his chair. “I’m planning to marry this girl, Seulgi. You see, she’s entitled to all of her father’s fortune once she turns 20 at the end of this season. We’re not talking about thousands here, dear. We’re talking about millions. You can buy a small country with her fortune.”

“And this somehow has something to do with me?” Seulgi panned.

Gentleman laughed softly. “Why, of course, dear. I need your help for it to happen.”

“How so?” Seulgi arched her eyebrow. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I follow.”

“Because I haven’t finished.” Gentleman mused and inched forward on his chair, his eyes sly and dancing. “This young lady, Seulgi, has been shut off from the world her entire life. Her father forbids her to leave the mansion, afraid she will see how cruel he is, and so she never spoke to anyone aside from her servants. She’s lonely, motherless, and all she ever does is read books to her father for long hours. The old man is obsessed with literature.”

Gentleman’s lips tugged up into crafty smile. “I’ve gained enough trust from him to interact with his daughter in simple, painting lessons, but of course he won’t let a man alone with his daughter without eyes. A maid has always been present. And how lucky I am, for her maid suddenly fell ill and had to be sent home yesterday...”

Gentleman grinned, slyly, and Seulgi finally understood.

“I want you to be her maid, Seulgi. Be her friend, win her trust, and help me woo her. When it’s all done, half of her wealth shall come to you.”

Seulgi flitted her eyes to the surprised faces in the room and saw Mr.Lee look down.

He knew this.

Him and Chanyeol.

“Take it, loser. It’s not like you do anything useful around here anyway. You’re about as useless as Seungwan who can’t bring us a penny anymore, and even that is your fault.”

“Chanyeol!” Sooyoung scolded him and threw him a dishrag. “Shut up that mean mouth of yours!”

“You mean honest.” Chanyeol sneered. “Oh come on, don’t tell me you are not pissed that you have to go out everyday stealing and risking your life to feed these two girls who are older than you.” He spat.

Shame swallowed Seulgi whole and she looked down. Even Seungwan’s gaze fell to the floor.

“She made one of us disabled and she couldn’t even steal anymore. Don’t you think she can at least play friends with a stupid lady and get us money?”

“Enough!” Mr.Lee blared. His palm slammed on the table and made everyone shut up.

Gentleman watched them in amusement as he swiveled his gaze back to Seulgi, smiling. “So? What do you say, Seulgi?”

Seulgi cleared quietly and balled her fists. Her head hung low in shame.

“What if the lady doesn’t want me as her maid? I have no knowledge about this.”

“I will teach you.” Gentleman said. “You already speak enough Japanese and most of the time, you only need to dress her, bring her food, and clean her room. It will be as easy as flipping a coin.”

“And say she doesn’t fall for you as much as you hope for?” Sooyoung cut.

Gentleman grew modest and laughed wickedly. “I think I know when a green girl likes me, Sooyoung. Trust me, she’s within my reach. If those blushes on her cheeks when I brushed my fingers against hers during painting lessons were any proof. She’s a simpleton. As easy as a clueless child.”

“An innocent dummy.” Chanyeol grinned.

Seulgi swallowed uncomfortably and croaked. “And after you’re done with her?”

“I shall leave her to a mad-house and go alone with her money. She’s...a weird kind of girl, so shy and withdrawn. All those years trapped alone in a mansion has affected her. It won’t be hard to pass her as a nuisance.”

At that, Seulgi ran out of excuses and was forced to come to a conclusion.

“So...? What do you say, Seulgi? Are you in or not?”

She lifted her eyes to Mr.Lee, the man who had raised her all these years since her parents got murdered, and to Sooyoung, Yerim, and Seungwan whom she owed a lot to, and cracked weakly.

“Fine, I’ll do it.”

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“You don’t have to do this, you know.”

Seungwan’s words echoed in her head as she sat inside the carrier that took her to her new home; a giant, secluded mansion that stood alone at the outer border of the city with nothing but forests around it.

The place was eerily quiet and Seulgi couldn’t help but think back about her last morning in the city.

“It’s just another Japanese, Wan. It will be over like our usual stealing.”

“Except that you have to lie and ruin a lady’s life, and I know that you will feel bad after it.”

Seulgi leaned her head against the carrier’s wall and gazed outside emptily. The houses were slowly dwindling as the tall trees took over.

“I won’t. She’s just a Japanese. All of them are the same. I will only be taking back what they took from us.”

Seulgi blew out a breath and shook her head, not wanting doubts to falter her now.

She tried to concentrate on other things, like the lesson Gentleman taught her about putting a proper gown or kimono on the lady, or about her fake identity.

As far as her new master knew, she was a pitiful child from the city whose family couldn’t afford taxes and was forced into slavery. Gentleman saved her from crueler fate by making her a maid.

Seulgi’s heart stopped when the carriage-puller halted. “We’ve arrived.”

She exhaled deeply and gathered her belongings before stepping out of the carrier. The cold, gloomy air clung to her immediately.

Before her eyes, stood a tall mansion stark and vast against white fog and thick forest. All its windows were black and shuttered, and its walls had dead ivy clinging on them. The morning barely crept but the place felt like six at night.

It felt cold and glum.

“Come inside, girl.” The Japanese woman who appeared to be the head-maid beckoned her, and she immediately rushed inside.

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“You will be waking up Miss Joohyun every morning at six and prepare her dresses while she’s bathing. The western dresses are used for common days and the kimonos are worn on special occasions. You will help her wear those, do her hair, and bring her breakfast after that. She will stay in library with Lord Hashimoto until lunch time and you will take her again after that. You will walk with her in park, assist her with painting, sewing, or anything, until dinner starts at seven. Do you understand?”

“Yes, mam.” Seulgi prayed hard that she didn’t forget anything.

Mrs.Koguchi, the head-maid, was speaking fast as she led them down the glum corridors. Seulgi followed behind with quick steps as her head hung low.

“One more thing, make sure that your hands are always clean and your hair is neatly braided. Lord Hashimoto hates it when servants look dirty. Miss Joohyun herself is very pristine.”

Seulgi looked at her nails and muttered silent gratitude to Seungwan who had nagged her to clip them this morning.

“I think that’s all. Do you have any question before meeting Miss Joohyun?”

Seulgi shifted a little and the question rolled off her tongue before she could stop it. “Why the korean name when she’s a Japanese?”

Mrs.Koguchi’s face turned stern at this and Seulgi thought she had crossed a line.

“Our lady’s mother was a korean. She passed away after giving birth to her and nobody here is allowed to talk about her. You better keep that in mind.”

Seulgi nodded and Mrs.Koguchi cleared . “Now, let’s bring you to Miss Joohyun. She has been waiting for you since morning.”

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When Gentleman told her about the weird, shut off girl in the far-away mansion, Seulgi had imagined her to be a quiet, freakish girl with a strange look on her.

But then, as she stood there in the dark room panelled with black wood all over its walls and grey carpet lining its floor, she started to think that she had given the lady too little credit in her fantasy.

Joohyun, the mistress of the gloomy house, the one whom all their plots relied on, was a very poised girl and a very...beautiful one.

Seulgi’s breath caught in when big, brown eyes flitted up to hers.

Joohyun stood and looked absolutely otherworldly wonderful in comparison to her glum surroundings.

Her skin was fairer than snow and her black hair was pulled up in its neat net of velvet. Her cheeks were soft and pale, and her lips were faintest color of red.

She looked like she was bubbling with excitement as she stepped forward to Seulgi. Her hands were clad in white gloves and clasped together in front of her skirt as she spoke shyly, her cheeks slowly turning crimson.

“Seulgi. Kang Seulgi, aren’t you? I have been waiting for you all day.”

Her cheeks continued to blush and she fidgeted around anxiously, her voice soft and halting. “I hope you like it here, Seulgi. May I call you that? Oh, I hope you like me too. There’s not much to like, in either case, but I...I hope you do, very, very well.”

She looked around nervously and Seulgi finally remembered her role as a maid. She bowed deeply. “Thank you, Miss. I think I will like you a lot.”

Joohyun smiled and gave a motion to Mrs.Koguchi to leave the room. The old lady obeyed, and Joohyun immediately led Seulgi to one of the sofas near the fireplace.

“So Seulgi, you’ve come from the city, haven’t you? It must be thrilling out there. Can you tell me about it?” She sounded eager, excited.

Seulgi humored her curiosity.

She explained all the good things about the city, deciding to leave out the part where people were tortured and killed daily. Joohyun looked worried as she wondered if Seulgi would like this gloomy place after having such a 'lively' life outside.

“You see, we are quite quiet and boring here, at the mansion. There’s nothing exciting as you may like. The sun never shines here too because father doesn’t allow it. It causes books to fade...” She trailed. “You have heard about my father, yes?”

Seulgi nodded politely. “He is a big collector of priced literatures.”

And a bastard who starved people for books, she thought.

Joohyun played with her gloved hands and smiled anxiously. “Yes, he keeps a great library. The largest library of its kind in Asia. I dare say you will see it soon.”

“It will be something to see, Miss, I’m sure.”

Joohyun’s lips stretched into a faint smile and Seulgi noticed that she had a very, very pretty pair of eyes. She looked endearing.

“Come fetch me at the library at one, Seulgi, and oh --“ Her smile fell at the sound of the loud bell and she looked over her shoulder anxiously. “That’s the sign that I have to go to father. I’ll see you later, Seulgi.”

She rushed to the door but stopped when it was half-way open. Her cheeks colored again as she whispered. “I hope you will be happy here, Seulgi. I hope your family, in the city, won’t miss you too greatly. I’ve heard