“Why are you standing, Jiyong?” the Ahjumma asked.

I was looking up at him too, like the others on the table. He was already red from anger, I guessed. But he remained silent.

At first, I thought that he would rescue me from this Ahjumma here but it seemed that anyone couldn’t even overcome their fear from this wicked Ahjumma. Even Jiyong lost his voice upon hearing his Grandma talk.

“Well?” the Ahjumma asked. “Are you already full or what? Do you have anything to tell me?”

Jiyong remained silent still, until he decided to turn his back and leave us in the dining room with a tense aura surrounding us.

-

I tiptoed silently along the dark corridors of the mansion, trying my best not to create the slightest noise that would wake the monster up.

A while ago, after dinner, I immediately went back to the guest room which the monster gave me for tonight. I stayed there and never left because I didn’t want to see the Monster Ahjumma’s face. It was around ten in the evening when I felt my stomach grumbling. Okay, this was what it led me to, my stubbornness of eating in front of the monster because of her intimidating remarks and stares.

I totally left the dining room without touching more than half of my food. Even though the monster Ahjumma gave me her last sarcastic remark, I refused to go back and finish my food.

“I hate girls who are too skinny,” she had said.

I remembered clenching my fist but since I was too stubborn myself to prove her that I could be the girl she liked for her grandson, I left the place immediately.

So, this led me here. Me, hungry. Me, tiptoeing towards the kitchen. Me, like a ninja in the night.

I had been wandering around the mansion for almost half an hour. This was a very big mansion for an Ahjumma and her family. Back in my old apartment, I was contented with my small unit as my home. Is this how rich people live? Spending all their money on making their houses as grand as a mansion or even a palace? If they chose to donate their money to charity or orphanages, wouldn’t it be better?

My stomach grumbled once again as I clutched it. I took another turn and silently cursed. It was the same corridor I walked on a while ago.

“Damn this place,” I cursed, giving up on trying to not make the slightest noise. “They should have put some map on every corner so anyone won’t get lost.”

I was still mumbling under my breath, together with the grumbling of my stomach, while walking the dark corridor.

“I swear I won’t build a mansion as big as this if I would earn tons of money. What did the Ahjumma have in mind when she built this? Is she some kind of a-“

“A what?” a voice cut me off.

I immediately felt shiver running down my spine as I heard that particular voice. I wanted to retrace my step back to my room, but of course, that was impossible right now since I was caught red-handed.

A wide grin crept my lips and I chuckled awkwardly and nervously. “Annyeong,” I said, waving stupidly.

“What are you doing still up at this time?” the monster Ahjumma asked.

My mind went blank. Did this monster have the same effect on me like Jiyong, Dami, and their Appa? Damn!

Ottokae? I looked on both of my sides for some excuses I had to make. I suddenly spotted a painting on the wall. I immediately went to it and stretched my hand towards it.

“A very nice painting neh?” I told her. “I was strolling to admire the beauty of the paintings. I see you’re fond of them. I am too.”

Through the darkness, I swore, I saw her brow rose.

“I can relate to this painting the most,” I said, without breaking my gaze off her.

“Really?” she asked.

I nodded, slowly turning my head towards the painting and my jaw dropped as my eyes landed on the painting. It was actually a painting of a lady, her s showing with a cloth covering her lower half. Why hadn’t I noticed this the first time?

Damn these paintings and their painters who didn’t decide to cover every part with that cloth. Seriously, what’s with these painters and the half- ladies on paintings? Aish! Now, what should I do? I just admitted that I could relate with this painting.

“You said you could relate to it. On what aspect?” she asked.

Omo~ Ottokae? “I…uh…you see, paintings like…this…well…” GROWL~~~

Her brows knitted immediately.

“Were you hungry?” she asked.

I shook my head.

“You know what I hate more than skinny girls?” she asked. “It’s those who lie and make lame excuses.”

I looked down immediately. Why did she have to rub it in my face that she hated me? That she didn’t like me for Jiyong? Was I that bad?

She started walking away, but she stopped on her tracks. “Oh, I suddenly remembered something. Didn’t you get guilty why Jiyong did not get the valedictorian award?”

I turned towards her, confusion clear in my eyes.

“I sent my right-hand man a couple of months ago. First, I just sent him here to guard over my house but I also told him to look over Jiyong from a far. He told me how he was involved in a rumble because of a certain girl. Then, he got suspended from school for a week and even got detention after another school fight. As a consequence, his once clean records were tainted and he was disqualified from getting the award even if he got the highest scores.”

Her words…what was she saying again? Why was she saying things like this?

After a while, I heard her footsteps echoing down the hall. I was about to make my way towards my room, wherever it was, and go back to sleep with an empty stomach or just think over the new revelations I learned tonight. But I heard another set of footsteps.

“So, you were hungry, Dara?” Jiyong’s Appa’s voice filled my ears.

I looked up and saw his smiling face. I nodded slowly.

“Come. Let me cook for you,” he said.

-

“I’m sorry if what I can cook is only ramyun,” Jiyong’s Appa said.

“Omo, that’s alright. Ramyun is my favorite actually, more than any other food,” I said happily, slurping on the last noodle.

“So, are you full yet?” he asked.

I stared at the couple of bowls stacking up on the table. I smiled shyly and nodded.

“I’m sorry I had to trouble you,” I said.

“It’s okay,” he said.

There was silence as I went to the sink with the bowls. This wasn’t my house and wouldn’t it be rude if I let them wash my mess?

“Did Jiyong’s Grandma scare you too?” he asked.

I stopped my hand midway as he stood beside me and helped me with the dishes. I looked at him and smiled reassuringly. “It was fine. She’s a human like us too, right? Why shall we be scared?”

He shrugged. “Well, that means you don’t know her yet,” he said.

“I just don’t understand why she hates me that much.”

“Because she loves Jiyong too much,” he answered, even though I didn’t ask for any reason. “Please excuse her. She’s just like that. She had been like that since the first time I met her.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well, the first time I met her it was the time when Jiyong’s mother introduced me to her. She was so intimidating then, trying to pull me down, trying to lose my self-esteem.”

“Why did she do that? Didn’t she like you for her too?” I asked, even before stopping myself.

“Well, that’s right. She hated me for Mina, since I was just a commoner, unlike them. She wanted to choose her daughter’s husband so that he may have to inherit and take control on her business. But, Mina was stubborn, just like you, telling her how much she loved me and she would not let anyone bring me down. And so, we got married without her blessing, permission, nor knowledge. We just went home with the rings on our fingers.”

My hand stayed under the faucet, the water running through my fingers. Jiyong’s mother did that? She fought for her love for him? Even marrying him against the monster’s will? Would Jiyong do that for me too?

“What happened to her?” I asked, not wanting to think of the near future of me and Jiyong.

“She died when she gave birth to Dami,” he said, a hint of sadness on his voice.

“I’m sorry,” I instantly said.

“Don’t be,” he said. There was silence but he continued. “That made her hate me more, saying that it was my fault that she died. That if I didn’t give Dami to her as a child, she wouldn’t have died.”

“But it doesn’t seem that she hates Dami,” I said, noticing how tender the monster’s eyes were when she talked to Dami a while ago.

“She doesn’t, despite it all. In fact, she loves her too much, because she greatly resembles her mother.”

I nodded. “She does not seem to hate Jiyong too.”

“That’s true. But that’s just because she wishes that Jiyong would take over the business.”

I looked down. She wanted him to take over the business? Did that mean that we won’t be…? No! I didn’t want to think any of that.

Erasing the thoughts, I changed the topic. “Jiyong’s Grandma said that she had a right hand man looking over Jiyong for a couple of months now. Was it true?”

He nodded. “And we learned everything from him.”

“Sir, it wasn’t my intention at all,” I said hysterically, referring to Jiyong being involved in the school fight because of me. “I never wanted him to do that. But he was just-“

“I know, Dara. And he did that because he loves you too much. I don’t mind him not getting the award or something. But it was sure a big deal to his Grandma.”

“I think that means that she will hate me more,” I said, dropping my voice.

“Don’t worry. I got your back,” he said. “I like you for Jiyong, as you may have noticed already.”

I smiled as he patted my back.

“Now, let’s go back to sleep?”

-

“Good night,” Jiyong’s Appa greeted me before I closed the door behind me.

I turned and sighed. What else would I have to experience? I wanted to go home now.

“Where were you?” a voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up and gasped as I saw Jiyong lying on the bed.

“Gosh, you scared me!” I complained. “What are you doing here?”

He sat up and walked towards me. He hugged me from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder. “I couldn’t sleep alone and… I missed you.”

I smiled as I turned to him and pulled him by the wrist. I led him to the bed and lied down with him beside me. I rested my head on his chest as I listened to his steady heartbeat.

“Let’s sleep now?” I asked looking up at him.

He nodded and kissed my lips lightly.

I stared at his face as he closed his eyes. I did not break my gaze off his face as he started to snore lightly. There were too many questions swarming my mind. I wanted to ask him all of them, since it practically included him. But this wasn’t the right time. I would ask him the next time I would have time with him. For all I know, the monster Ahjumma had a surveillance camera or a bug or something to listen and watch me.

I shuddered. Creepy.

With that, my eyes closed and I drifted to oblivion.

-

Maybe it was because of the unfamiliar bed or the unfamiliar room. Or maybe it was the evil aura contaminating the air of this mansion. But, like yesterday, I was able to wake up very early in the morning.

Although I slept in the arms of Jiyong like we usually do back at our apartment, I wasn’t able to sleep comfortably. I gently removed his arm off my waist and got up. I grabbed my hoodie and went out for a morning walk.

Unlike last night, I was able to find my way out. The maids were still sleeping and the mansion felt so empty. I just hope that the monster wasn’t up as well.

Despite of myself, I tiptoed my way towards the hall. I was in front of the door as I breathed in. Why am I nervous all of a sudden? Maybe because I expected the monster outside of this door?

I opened it as I saw a hand clenched in front of a guy. It looked like he was about to knock.

“Sandara Park-ssi!” he greeted.

I looked at him, bewildered. How the hell did he know me? And who is this guy? He looked really weird wearing that fugly hoodie with a cap on.

“Who are you?” I managed to ask, as if I owned the mansion.

“Oh, where are my manners? I am Teddy,” he introduced himself as he bowed. “I am Madam Kwon’s right hand man.”

---------

*poster credits to pinky861