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While she was prepared to leave, Ha Yun quickly skimmed through the bills tucked away in her wallet. She had thirty bucks left and decided to leave twenty dollars behind for Hyun Woo to spend. After all, he was still a kid. Since it was a weekday, she had to go and clean some apartments for people who were either: too busy, too rich or too lazy to do so themselves. It was another part time gig she managed to score thanks to her personal connections and she was grateful to have been hired.

Even though Ha Yun didn’t personally like the clients she had been assigned to, she had to it up and deal with it because money didn’t grow on trees. At least she didn’t have to see them unless it was necessary, which definitely made the job more tolerable. Things went like this. Ha Yun would usually go in and clean while they were out at work and be finished before they got out. It was what they agreed upon and, frankly, she preferred it this way. She never had to deal with them directly and they didn’t have to feel uncomfortable with her presence. Again, it was a win-win situation for everyone.

She was walking toward the bus stop when a familiar car pulled over next to her. Jae Min rolled the window to the passenger’s side down and called her name. Ha Yun glanced over to him and her eyes widened. She unplugged one side of the headphones from her ear and pivoted her entire body in his direction. What was he doing here at this hour? “Oppa, aren’t you working today?” she questioned as she adjusted the heavy bag hanging over her shoulder.

He shook his head and gave her a smile. “No. I have the day off. Where are you going?”

Ha Yun jutted her bottom lip out and formed a tiny pout. “To work,” she answered as she recalled the long and tiring day she still had ahead of her. No, this was not the time to be sulking. She had places to be, things to do. As much as she enjoyed Jae Min’s company, she had her priorities. Besides, they were neighbors. They could see each other whenever.

“Do you want a lift?” Jae Min offered.

Her eyes skipped back to the bus stop. “No, I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” he asked in case she wanted to change her mind last minute. He knew she wasn’t the type to be wishy-washy. Yet, there was still a small flicker of hope that thrived inside of him and refused to give up. Maybe today would be the day.

“Mhm.” Nodded Ha Yun. She didn’t want to bother him. She could take the bus on her own. It’s what she’s always done anyway. Jae Min was a nice guy but he had his own life to live. Ha Yun didn’t like to rely on him unless she was in a serious bind. Perhaps if she had been running late, she would have accepted his offer. However, since she was right on schedule, there was no need for her to.  

“Okay. I’ll catch you later then.” When she resumed walking, her back now the only thing in his line of sight, Jae Min’s smile faded. His grip on the steering wheel tightened and the colors in his knuckles disappeared. With his teeth clenched, he peeled away from the curb and drove off. How long was she going to make him wait like this?

The bus was packed, as she expected it to be, and Ha Yun had no choice but to stand. At one point, a high school student had offered her his seat, and the woman politely declined. She was almost there. The ride was a little turbulent, the stops rather jerky, and if she didn’t have such a strong grasp on the handle, Ha Yun would have been thrown around like a ragged doll. Her mind then wandered back to the conversation she had with Yoon Do a few days ago and the corners of her lips etched up. That’s right. Even if the whole world turned against Iseul, Ha Yun would always be right by her side. They were a family. As long as they had each other, who cared about everyone else?  

At the front gate, Ha Yun conversed briefly with the security guard before she lugged the bag stocked with cleaning supplies up the elongated driveway. It was a bit of a drag because the driveway itself felt like it extended out for miles. You’d think she would’ve gotten used to it by now but she hasn’t. On the way up to the complex, she greeted the man who was in charge of t the hedges and he waved back at her, an enthusiastic smile graced upon his lips. Finally, she reached the grandiose apartment complex and heaved a sigh of relief. Next, Ha Yun punched in the passcode she’d been provided by the company and entered the building. Her first client was a young bachelor and probably the most arrogant person she’s ever met. By the chaotic state his place was usually in, he was also a rather messy and unorganized person and Ha Yun couldn’t help but wonder if he had been pampered his whole life.

When she entered the apartment, it was hectic. Clothes were strewn everywhere, empty takeout boxes littered the countertop and on the marbled tiles she discovered a sticky liquid. It looked like spilled red wine which had been sitting there for ages and Ha Yun gritted her teeth. Next, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. For a grown man, this guy sure was a piece of work. After, she unpacked the supplies, pulled her hair back and slipped into her thick, rubber gloves that reached her elbows.

With a scented garbage bag in her grasp, she went around and collected any trash she came across. When she found her way into the bedroom, however, she was in for a surprise. The man she was working for, whose name was Ahn Kyu Won, was passed out on the carpet at the foot of his bed. He was on his stomach, his head turned to the side, and Ha Yun immediately knew something was wrong. Acting out on natural instincts, she dropped the bag and scurried over to examine him. She didn’t move his body in case he sustained an injury and repeatedly called his name. He wasn’t responding to her at all and Ha Yun whipped out her phone. “Hello? I need an ambulance sent to this address right away. It’s an emergency!”

* * *

Ha Yun stepped out to the side and watched the paramedics lift the unconscious man onto the stretcher. She followed them out to the ambulance, unsure of what to do. They loaded him into the back and one of the paramedics glanced at her. “Are you coming along as well?” Ha Yun opened to say no, but the word suddenly got caught in when she saw Kyu Won hooked to an IV machine and a mask sitting on his face. From what her coworkers had told her, Kyu Won was never close to his family since they were always traveling for business and although this wasn’t part of her job, Ha Yun decided she couldn’t leave him alone at a time like this. Hopefully her manager would understand or else she’d have to look for another job.

As she sat outside of the emergency room, Ha Yun wondered if she had made a mistake. What was she doing here? The doctors didn’t inform her of the specific details about Kyu Won’s condition. They only said it was an emergency and they needed to operate on him pronto or else his life would be endangered. Purely out of concern from one human to another, Ha Yun begged them to do whatever it took to save the man, as arrogant as he may be.

The hours were quickly ticking away, along with her chance to make money. In the back of her mind, though, she was very well aware of why she was doing this. Growing up, her father had always reminded her that nothing was more important than a life of another human being, even money. In the beginning, it was something she herself strongly believed in as well. As a child who didn’t know better, a child who had been blinded by naiveté, Ha Yun thought that you could never put a monetary value on a life because it was priceless. Overtime, however, her views started to change. When her father became ill and they refused to treat him unless he had the funds to cover the expenses, Ha Yun realized what a cruel world it was they lived in. Wasn’t what they did practically the same thing as placing a price tag on his life?

At last, the surgeon in charge came out. Ha Yun shot up to her feet and dusted off her jeans. This was it. “How is he?” she questioned. He has to be all right. She did not waste all this time lounging around, filled to the brim with anxiety, only to hear bad news.

“The surgery went well,” the man declared, putting her worries to rest. “He had an intestinal obstruction which had been left untreated for quite some time now.” Ha Yun looked a little confused and the doctor realized she most likely didn’t understand what he meant. “His large intestines were on the verge of rupturing when we brought him in. They were knotted up and didn’t allow food to get to his digestive system. If it had ruptured, harmful stomach contents would have leaked into his abdominal cavity and if that had occurred, the result could have been fatal.”

“Really?” Ha Yun gaped. She didn’t think it was something this serious. He could have died if she hadn’t found him when she did! “But he’s all better now, right?”

“For the time being yes,” he replied. “However, the patient will have to stay overnight for further observations. We have already transferred him to one of the suites. He should be up in a bit.” His words made her feel alleviated and Ha Yun was happy that she had been at the right place at the right time or who knows what could have happened to the guy.

She thanked the man for his hard work after and collapsed into the chair once he was gone. She stared up at the ceiling and nibbled on the inside of her cheek. Perhaps she should check up on him before she left. Quietly, Ha Yun entered the well-furnished room. Kyu Won started to stir and his eyes fluttered open. His lips were cracked and his throat dry. “Who are you?” he croaked. His voice was hoarse and the woman was actually startled, surprised that he was already awake.  

What was she supposed to say? His lifesaver? His maid? Although she preferred the former over the latter, she decided against both options. “The person who was hired to clean up after you,” she answered.

Kyu Won frowned and took in the unfamiliar surroundings. “What are you doing here? What am I doing here?”

Ha Yun inched closer to him but still maintained a respectable amount of distance. “The doctor said your intestines were all tangled up,” she reported. “I found you passed out in your room this morning.” Instead of nodding in comprehension or inquiring more about his condition, Kyu Won’s reaction was definitely not one she had anticipated but she should have known better. What was she expecting?

“Did you at least clean the place up?” he asked. The stoic countenance he was sporting told her he was absolutely serious and Ha Yun scoffed incredulously.

“Are you joking right now? I just spent three hours waiting for your surgery to be over and I don’t even get a thank you?” Somebody here clearly lacked common sense and it wasn’t Ha Yun.

“It’s not like I asked you to stay here,” Kyu Won retorted.

“Wow. I’m utterly speechless.” How pompous could people be? She had to pause for a moment to control her temper or else she’d lash out and regret it but it was already too late. “You’re right, you didn’t ask me,” she agreed through gritted teeth. Ha Yun was not someone who allowed her pride to get in the way of things so easily, and it looked like today was the first time it’s happened. She just couldn’t let this one go. For someone who was on the verge of death only a few hours ago, he sure had a sha