Seohyun was getting busier and busier as days passed. Hana was getting ready to go to boarding school, and her new school term was about to start. She still didn’t have enough money to pay off her debts.

What a sad life I have, Seohyun thought as she sat on her bed one morning and folded her clothes. Why must this happen to me, of all people?

She wanted to be normal. She wanted to live a life of a normal student whom didn’t have debts to pay off, didn’t have to raise a sibling all by herself. She wanted to have 2 parents too. Seohyun wanted to live a normal life, but things just didn’t turn out that way for her.

“Unnie.” Hana  appeared at her doorway. “I’m done packing.”

Seohyun smiled and patted at the empty space beside her on the bed. Hana padded over, and plopped down beside her with a grin on her face.

“All ready to go?” Seohyun asked. Hana nodded, but her face suddenly crumpled and tears started to flow out from her eyes.

“Oh, wae?” Seohyun pouted and leaned over to hug Hana.

“It’s just….I will miss you so much, Unnie.”

“It’s only 1 year, Hana. Time will pass by quickly,” Seohyun started to say, but her wavering voice told otherwise. She felt a lump rising up in and swallowed.

“Really? It will pass by quickly?” Hana sniffled.

“Yea.” Seohyun started to cry. “Although…Unnie will miss you too. But I will visit you often and bring you your favourite snacks, okay?”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”
 

After fetching Hana to school and comforting Hana once again, Seohyun was getting ready to go to work straight. She felt so empty inside. Hana was the only companion by her side (other than Yoona, but Yoona was so busy sometimes that they only saw each other once a month) and now that Hana has gone away to boarding school for a year, she felt so….lonely.

At that moment, she wished that there was someone by her side.

*

The moment she opened the door, she was greeted by a cheerful Taeyeon.

“Hey! You’re back!”

Seohyun smiled. Taeyeon’s smile was so genuine that she felt a little better about being lonely.

“Yeah.”  She took off her shoes and gently placed them in the corner. “Any work for me to do now?”

“Not at the moment, but Master Yong wanted to see you once you got here.”

Seohyun furrowed her brows. “Me? Why?”

Taeyeon shrugged. “Probably just a short interview. He normally does this every time a new helper appears, but this time he was busy, that’s why you were only called now.”

She nodded and headed upstairs. She couldn’t help but feel nervous, ever since the last encounter with him.

What the heck, she thought. What should I call him now? Master Yong? Yonghwa oppa? Ugh…..

Still contemplating on what to call him, she hesitantly knocked on the door and shuffled her feet around, hoping that he was asleep, or showering. Or maybe she could say that she was busy right now and could she talk later-

The door opened and Seohyun faced a grinning Yonghwa.

“What’s up, brave girl.”

She winced. He remembered what happened last time round.

“Uh….”

“Come in!” He opened the door wider, and gestured for her to go in.

She reluctantly put her feet forward and stood awkwardly in the room. Yonghwa headed over to the coffee table beside his balcony, and pulled out a chair for her to sit.

“What is it, Master….Yong?”

Yonghwa frowned. “I told you not to call me that.”

“But… I’m not comfortable with calling you oppa.”

He looked at her with….was that a hurt look in his eyes? Seohyun wasn’t so sure.

“I mean, you’re my…boss. My employer. Oppa seems a little….”

Yonghwa shrugged. “Just think of me as a friend.” He laughed. “I may seem cold at times, but actually I’m a very out-going person. I too, don’t feel comfortable with you calling me Master. I explained before, didn’t I?”

She slowly nodded. “Maybe when I get to know you better.” She smiled.

“Maybe.” Yonghwa said with a twinkling look in his eyes. “Now, let’s get started with the session, shall we?”

*

Taeyeon held a wine glass in her hand and a cloth in another. She couldn’t help but occasionally worry about how Yonghwa and Seohyun were getting along upstairs.

She knew that something was familiar about her when Seohyun first came in to work. Her sensibility, her out-goingness once she knew her better, and her smile. The look in her eyes.

It wouldn’t take Yonghwa long to discover her familiarity. In fact, he had already discovered it. Taeyeon slowly relayed their conversation at the balcony that day.

“Don’t you find her familiar?” He had asked.

Taeyeon would have given anything to say, yes, she was. But once again, she couldn’t bear to. What if he gained his memory?

What if Yonghwa discovered the secret both she and Madame Jung had tried so hard to hide over the years?

*

“Who do you have in your family?” Yonghwa asked. “Sorry, but this is a basic question I ask every time.”

“Nah, it’s fine. Feel free to ask anything you want.” Seohyun smiled. “It’s only my sister and I.”

“Oh? Are your parents overseas or something?”

She shook her head, and took a deep breath. “They’re.....my father fled somewhere and my mum is….dead.”

“Dead? Yonghwa echoed, as if he couldn’t believe it. “I’m sorry……..”

“Nah.” Sorry was the word she heard every single time she told someone her mother was dead, and honestly, she was getting sick of it. Pity was the last thing she needed.

Despite being shocked that both her parents were gone, her situation was so similar to someone that he had known previously. It was probably someone that he had lost contact with after his memory loss.

Ugh. Damn that accident.

He looked at her again. He could see loneliness in her eyes. She looked so broken, so vulnerable, like a person whom had gone through incredible hardships. And all of a sudden, he had a sudden urge to take care of her.

“So…you’re living alone with your sister now?”

“Yeah….but not anymore. I just sent her off to boarding school before I came here.”

“So you’re living alone now?” Yonghwa asked incredulously.

Seohyun slowly nodded her head.

“Then it’s set.” He lay back and folded his arms. “Move in permanently here as of today.”

--

A/N:

I'm glad that you all are enjoying the story so far and I promise that I won't disappoint you. Thank you so much for 172 suscribers and over 500 suscribers overall. Thanks all :)