Yongguk shuts the door behind him, kicking his shoes off and walks briskly up to the stairs, throwing his keys onto the couch along the way. He hears the patter of footsteps on the marble floor and doesn’t bother to turn around.

“Maria, don’t bother.” He calls out as he makes his way up the winding stairs.

“Sir…” His housekeeper stands at the foot of the stairs, looking up at the young master who didn’t come home last night as the sound of a door shutting echoes through the spacious house.

Yongguk flings his bag to the wall and leaps into bed, hugging his pillow as he smells the fragrant clothes detergent on his uniform. Zelo washed it for him yesterday and it smells just like him. A smile creeps up on Yongguk’s lips. He pulls out his phone and searches through the contacts for Zelo. Finally, they got each other’s number.

What a lag. Yongguk grins.

He opens his closet, picks out a few clothes and heads to the bathroom, hearing the clattering of pots and utensils coming from the kitchen below.

Yongguk rolls his eyes. ‘I told her not to bother.’

Maria came after his mother left. His father couldn’t stand the house being uncared for. The foreign worker was a stranger to Yongguk at first but now, Yongguk almost feels like she’s part of the family partly because he sees her more than he sees his Dad. Maria is a woman in her forties, and a funny accent rolled on her tongue whenever she speaks. She cooks really well and does so even when Yongguk says he doesn’t want to eat, but he eats it anyway.

After bathing, Yongguk goes back into his room and switches on his computer.

“Sir! Come down for lunch!”

Yongguk groans. “I told you not to cook!” He shouts back.

“Come down now before I go up!” Yongguk groans and rubs his eyes. Maria is more of a persistent mother who thinks eating is the most important thing in the world than his housekeeper. Yongguk thinks his father hired her to nanny him rather than take care of the house.

He makes his way down the long spiral stairs, and shivers a little as he steps on the cool marble floor. He takes a long walk pass the long dinner table and into the kitchen, where a plate of rice is sitting on the kitchen table.

Maria pulls out a chair and gestures for Yongguk to sit down. “Come, come, sit down here. Eat your food.” Yongguk sighs and takes a seat, staring at the plate of hot rice with eggs, bacon, hotdogs and a salad to boot. It isn’t as elaborate as the dinner Maria serves, but enough to make Yongguk’s stomach growl. Yongguk digs in while Maria busies herself behind him. The sounds of clattering kitchenware and running water are the usual background music for Yongguk when he eats lunch at home.

Ever since Maria came, Yongguk eats in the kitchen when his dad is out. The long dinner table is too lonely for meals. “Here.” Maria sets a bottle of ketchup beside Yongguk as she wipes her hands on her apron.

“Thanks.” Yongguk uncaps the bottle and pours some onto his food.

“Where did you go last night?” Yongguk sighs inwardly. Sometimes Maria takes on the role of Mom.

“My friend’s house.”

“Which friend?”

“You wouldn’t know.”

“Then you can let me know.” Yongguk groans. This foreign woman has an authoritative tone about her that Yongguk can’t disobey.

“Somebody from my school.”

“Oh really? What’s his name?” Yongguk can hear the delight in Maria’s voice because she is glad he wasn’t with some street kids that will ‘lead him down the wrong way’.

“Zelo.” Yongguk answers between chews.

“Oh. What a strange name for a Korean.”

Yongguk laughs. “Agree.” He makes a mental note to ask for Zelo’s Korean name next time.

“What were you doing there?”

‘Oh God, just when you thought her interrogation ended.’

“Hanging out.”

“You want some more?” Maria asks as she picks up Yongguk’s plate and goes back to put some more food and rice on it. Yongguk nods. Maria is more than happy whenever he asks to have more food. There’s this strange idea that eating more is good for people like Maria.

Maria returns with a second plate, as filled as the first one and Yongguk puts more ketchup on the bacon.

“You didn’t call home last night.”

Yongguk swallows his food hard as Maria’s tone suddenly turns serious. She goes to the fridge to pour out some orange juice.

“You should at least tell me you won’t be coming back.” Maria hands Yongguk the glass of fruit juice and he accepts it gratefully, using it to wash down the food stuck in his throat. “I thought you went out there and picked a fight again! Wait till one day nobody knows about you and you die on the streets. Cos I won’t be there to save you.”

Yongguk laughs at Maria’s dramatic evaluation and earns a smack on the head.

“Relax, I was just too busy hiding from the rain.”

“Last night Sir came back and you weren’t at home. How worried was he.”

“He wouldn’t care.” Yongguk mumbles but Maria hears it anyway, she’s heard this line many times. She sighs and returns to her chores.

Just when Yongguk is clearing his plate of the stranded grains of rice, the sound of a door unlocking is heard. Maria walks out calmly to the door while Yongguk tenses.

“Is he home?”

“Yes, Sir.”

The heavy footsteps are heard and Yongguk picks up his glass, drinking calmly.

“Where were you?” The voice asks, almost emotionless.

“Friend’s place.”

“You didn’t pick up my call.”

“The rain made my phone a little messed up.” Yongguk sips on his