“Ummm…” Kyuhyun’s tone fell in pitch before he finally caught himself staring, stepping into the entrance and closing the door behind himself. “Kim Ryeowook-sshi, I presume?”

Sungmin swallowed quickly, the bread thick in his throat. His voice came out weak and cracked. “Actually, I’m Ryeowook’s permanent replacement. Um, Lee Sungmin. Sorry about….this.” He gestured to the ground quickly and flung a few specks of mousse to the floor. “I – uh, sorry.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” Kyuhyun replied, shrugging out of his suit jacket and loosening his tie. He stepped past Sungmin, and Sungmin noticed that he didn’t even bother to take his shoes off. “I’m planning on taking the carpet up soon anyways, so it’s fine if it gets stained.”

I don’t think chocolate mousse would stain a carpet, Sungmin thought to himself, slightly indignant. Still, he chirped, “Oh, that’s good! Um, I guess I’ll just clean this up and finish what I was doing. I’ll try to stay out of your way though!”

Kyuhyun started up the steps, waving his hand as if to say it was no problem. Sungmin sighed once he was gone, taking a good look at the mess he had made. What a great first impression.

Now that he had been caught in the act, Sungmin decided to just finish a few more chores and then leave quietly. Part of his job description was to be a ghost – never seen, but leaving things different than the way they were before. He’d never met with his employers more than once; if they needed to tell or ask him something, it was always through a note or email. It was really for everyone’s comfort – his employers don’t feel comfortable having someone in the house with them while they’re alone, and he doesn’t like the feeling of having to scurry around like a mouse, trying not to make too much noise and being unable to do certain things for the sake of intruding on any privacy.

Sungmin threw his decimated dessert away, giving up any attempt to salvage it. He quickly cleaned up the mousse with a wet rag and then started on the dishes, which covered the counter and stove. He grimaced and wondered how Cho Kyuhyun – such a neat looking man – could possibly make such a mess in just one day.

Although, he really did look like the business type, Sungmin pondered as the sink filled with hot, soapy water. Good-looking, with perfectly-styled hair and a young face with a strong jaw. Of course he had everything, Sungmin scowled. Money, a great job and great house, good looks – it was completely true that the world is unfair. But, even if he didn’t have the looks, Sungmin would eventually have the same status and his own dream job, dream house, dream life. He pulled the first dish from the pile and started scrubbing it, eyes completely focused on his hands.

He almost didn’t hear Kyuhyun coming down the steps until the man landed on the first floor, entering the kitchen swiftly with a natural strut. Sungmin tried to make himself invisible as the man reached into a cupboard and pulled out a glass, grabbing a drink from the refrigerator. Sungmin expected him to leave again, but instead he sipped at his drink as he leaned against the counter, watching Sungmin with appraising eyes. Sungmin tried not to, but he found himself glancing at the man in return, not quite meeting his gaze.

“Is Ryeowook-shii alright?” Kyuhyun finally asked after a while, setting his glass down on the counter beside him.

“Ahh, yes. He was just unable to take your request and asked me to take it for him,” Sungmin responded. He thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. “I’m sorry if I don’t…suit you.”

“Oh, it’s no problem,” Kyuhyun replied congenially. “But I don’t believe I have your contact information, so would you be kind enough to leave it on a note for me before you leave? Just in case I have an emergency and need to get ahold of you.”

“Of course, Kyuhyun-sshi.”

“Ah, and I know I asked you to come in during the morning while I’m not at home, but I’ve recently been leaving the office earlier than expected. Will that be a problem for you?”

“Not at all! I should be the one asking you that.” Sungmin finished rinsing off a dish and placed it on the counter to dry, turning to face Kyuhyun. “If you want me to come in earlier so that I’m done before you get home…”

Kyuhyun waved his hand as if dismissing the idea. “I don’t want to bother you too much. By coming home early, I basically mean that I’m dropping in to the office in the morning and coming straight back home when I’m done.” He gave the blond a crooked smile. “Why spend any more time there than I need to, right?”

Sungmin gave a small smile in return, but wasn’t sure how to respond. He eventually let his gaze drop and the air was awkward for a moment before Kyuhyun cleared his throat, reaching for his glass and draining it all in one go. He then pushed off from the counter and reached around Sungmin to place the glass on the dirty side of the counter. “Then, I’ll be upstairs if you need me,” he said, turning to leave. Sungmin nodded silently and turned back to the dishes as his employer left, but the man paused before reaching the stairs.

“By the way, I noticed that I’m missing some clothes from my wardrobe. Do you know what happened to them?”

“Clothes?” Sungmin thought about where he might have put the clean clothes when he finished with them, but he couldn’t remember folding anything or hanging anything up in the closet. “I think I…oh!” A quick glance in the laundry closet showed a dryer full of clothes, left from yesterday. “I have them ready here, I just forgot to put them away. I’m sorry.”

Kyuhyun laughed. “It’s fine, I was just wondering. When they’re ready, feel free to bring them upstairs. I’ll show you where everything goes.”

Sungmin gave an affirmative reply and stared at the innocent dryer. What the heck is wrong with me? Thankfully Kyuhyun seemed like an easy-going guy, but Sungmin didn’t want to push his luck by continuing to do his job improperly. Honestly, all he wanted to do was go home and spend some quality time with his laptop, but he knew that if he was going to take cleaning job as extra income, he needed to devote time to it as well. Time and effort, because Lee Sungmin was not a man to do things imperfectly, no matter how unimportant they were to him personally.

He took a few minutes to fold the laundry that was already in the dryer and piled it up on the kitchen table, putting the new wet laundry in the dryer. He would take everything up all at the same time, so he didn’t have to disturb Kyuhyun more than once.

The dishes, mopping the kitchen floor, taking out the trash – Sungmin accomplished them all while he waited on the dryer. And when it was finally done, he gathered all of the clothes together in a basket and carried them upstairs.

He was surprised to see his employer sitting crosslegged on the couch in the loft area, his laptop on his lap but the screen being projected to the tv mounted on the wall. Sungmin didn’t recognize the game – not that he was much of an expert on gaming. It looked too complicated for his tastes anyways.

Kyuhyun spared him a glance before turning back to the tv. “I’ll be right there, just let me finish this,” he said, sounding completely calm despite the rate his fingers were flying over the keyboard. Sungmin brought the clothes basket into Kyuhyun’s room, placing it on the ground near the closet and taking the towels out. Kyuhyun hissed lowly as he went to put them in the bathroom and Sungmin froze, afraid that he was the cause. But the man just continued to focus on the game, so Sungmin crept towards the bathroom as quietly as possible, not even turning on the light as he stashed the towels in the cabinet.

When he was done he crept back out to the loft area, but he felt it would be awkward to wait for Kyuhyun in his own bedroom, so he stood by the door and watched Kyuhyun game. Once in a while the man would curse or smirk heavily, but Sungmin had no idea why he was doing so. Just watching the screen made him a little dizzy, because so many things were moving by themselves, it was almost like a mirage. After a while he turned his attention to the player instead, amazed by how relaxed Kyuhyun looked sitting on the couch in his business slacks and dress shirt.

The game took a while to come to a close, but when it did Kyuhyun sat his laptop aside and stretched. “Finally,” he sighed, rolling his shoulders and standing. He caught Sungmin’s gaze and smiled slightly. “Sorry that took so long. Damn respawns were killing me.”

Sungmin just shrugged his shoulders. Kyuhyun led him into the closet of his room, apparently not expecting a response, as if he was used to having people not knowing what the he was talking about.

Kyuhyun showed him where all his clothes went, and Sungmin had to admit that he was fairly organized despite the lack-a-daisy way he took care of his things. He even offered to show Sungmin around the rest of the house in case there were things he couldn’t find, but Sungmin politely declined and insisted that he return to his work so that he wouldn’t bother Kyuhyun.

It was certainly strange, Sungmin thought to himself. Cho Kyuhyun seemed like he had never had a housekeeper in his entire life. Besides the huge messes in the kitchen (which magically appeared overnight) and the bad habit of throwing his clothes and towels on the ground, his employer didn’t seem to need such a deep cleaning. Once or twice he found used dishes in the loft area or on the desk in the bedroom, but the second bedroom and the downstairs living area seemed virtually unused.

Kyuhyun continued to come home early every day for a week. On the weekend Sungmin came as expected and was surprised to find the house empty. He thought that perhaps the reason Kyuhyun was so successful was because he worked even on the weekends, but not even 15 minutes after he arrived the door opened with a beep and a very flushed Kyuhyun walked in, wearing a thick fall coat and a grin.  He had a small bag in one hand with a gaming center logo on it.

“Are you going to need anything from me?” he asked, rummaging through the kitchen with one hand to find an armful of snacks. “Because once I start this game I don’t think you’ll be able to reach me. For say, the next 24 hours.”

Sungmin gaped. The man still had a grin -- with a load of food in one arm and a new toy in the other, how could he not? “I think I’ll be fine. You still want me to come in tomorrow, right?”

“Oh, yeah,” Kyuhyun replied nonchalantly, edging towards the loft. “I’ll still be awake, so don’t worry about bothering me. Just come on in and do your thing. Actually, can you focus on the second bedroom tomorrow? I think I might be having guests soon.” One foot was on the first step by the time he finished his sentence, and as soon as Sungmin bowed to show his understanding he heard the man scurry upstairs, dropping something from his armload and swearing brightly.

Sungmin continued to come in as promised, Cho Kyuhyun’s house increasingly becoming his favorite one to clean. He even, miraculously, got into the habit of going to bed earlier at night so that it wouldn’t be such a chore to wake up every morning. His writing work was suffering, but he managed to get the most important things done before his editor came storming against his door.

One day, when he was turning in a finished manuscript for a directional tourist guide his editor pulled him aside with a frown on her face. Sungmin began to worry when she pushed aside his completed manuscript and leaned against her desk, facing him and crossing her arms.

His romance novel had done much better than expected, and they had had to order a large reprint to fill the demands bookstores were placing with the company. Sight Publishing, the company he had signed a contract with, of course knew about his success in the romance field and were gleeful, sure that they had him under their fingers.

Recently, though, Sungmin’s editor had been contacted by another publishing company. “They’re much larger,” she told him slowly, capturing his entire attention, “and they’d be willing to publish your work in other genres. They asked me if you’d be interested in a full-time contract.”

Of course, it was exciting. What wasn’t there to love? He could finally focus on writing what he wanted, with the security of a full-time job and the paycheck to match. Sign me up, he told his editor with a smile.

Of course there was a catch.

-------------------------------

Sungmin was deep in thought and knee deep in soapy water when Kyuhyun came home, walking into the dining area with a sigh. “Hello, Sungmin-sshi,” he called quietly when Sungmin didn’t greet him first, as usual.

“Ah, hello,” Sungmin replied automatically, sitting back on his haunches. “Can I ask you a question?”

Kyuhyun raised an eyebrow and Sungmin looked him straight in the eye. “How the hell do you make such a mess in this kitchen every single day? Are you afraid I’ll run out of things to clean?”

Choking on his sudden breath of air, Kyuhyun burst out laughing. “Sorry,” he immediately apologized, “but I’m hardly in here. I actually have a cook who comes in and makes me food, but apparently he’s more of a cook than a cleaning lad.”

Sungmin scowled. “Fire him,” he grumbled. “If he can’t even clean up a spill on the floor or do his own dishes then you probably shouldn’t be eating anything he touches..”

Smirking amicably, Kyuhyun stepped into the kitchen and helped Sungmin to his feet. He contended, “Unfortunately I’m completely useless in the kitchen, and eating out every day doesn’t sound that appealing.”

“Even I could cook more properly than that,” Sungmin scowled.

“You would do that?” Kyuhyun interjected smoothly, innerly laughing at the face Sungmin made. “Well, I do trust you enough to stay home alone with you, I’m sure if you really wanted to kill me you could find another way besides poison.”

“I…I wasn’t being serious,” Sungmin admitted, slightly horrified that he had let Kyuhyun witness him losing his temper. He honestly hadn’t been in the best mood the past few days, too frustrated and worried to get enough sleep at night, too tired to think or function properly, and getting irritated over the slightest things. Not only that, but the one credit card he had ever taken out in his name was found to have suspicious activity on it – and by suspicious activity, the bank explained to him, they really meant that he was a victim of identity fraud and they might be able to salvage what little credit rating he had left. And he soon had to figure out the situation with this second publishing company on his tail…

Sungmin grew distant and Kyuhyun watched him pensively. “Actually,” he murmured, “I’m getting sick of my chef’s style, so lunch at a restaurant sounds like a great idea. And I do need to go grocery shopping. Would you like to join me?”

Immediately refusing, Sungmin took a step back. “I couldn’t do that, really.”

Except Kyuhyun played the “I’m your employer, do as I say,” card and he really didn’t have anything else to do that evening, so Sungmin reluctantly found himself climbing into Kyuhyun’s well-kept Hyundai. Kyuhyun must have sensed that he was trying to think of ways to get out of the impromptu lunch, because he had the slightest hint of a smirk as he asked Sungmin to help him carry in and put away all the groceries later. Of course, he couldn’t say no.

Sungmin remained strung tight throughout the entire car ride, despite Kyuhyun’s efforts to get him to relax. He mentioned more than once that this sort of thing wasn’t in his job description, but Kyuhyun just laughed and replied that those were the perils of having him as an employer. Sungmin chuckled a little at that, because really, Cho Kyuhyun was possibly one of the best employers he’d ever had.

Admittedly, things were awkward in the first week or so. But Kyuhyun was always friendly and willing to joke around. Actually, he treated Sungmin like a dongsaeng more than a worker, and so Sungmin gradually felt more comfortable letting himself into the house and finding his way around. Even the way they spoke to each other was impacted as Sungmin learned about Kyuhyun’s quirks. He liked that Kyuhyun didn’t take advantage of having him around by making even bigger messes. The man respected him even while he , playful but not too personal. He seemed more like a distracted college student than a successful businessman with billions in his bank account.

He was distracted by his thoughts, so he didn’t notice where they were until Kyuhyun slowed in the street, backing into a parking space easily. “You’re fine with a café, right? I know it’s not very fancy, but this place has great soup. Perfect for a chilly afternoon.”

“Oh, I’ve been here before. I actually live in this neighborhood.” Sungmin was a little surprised that they weren’t dining at some super fancy place, but he was more relieved than anything. Plus, he would at least be able to afford his own meal here.

The café was fairly busy, but most of the customers were taking their lunch orders to go, so there were plenty of tables available. The two men took their time staring up at the menu, deciding what they wanted. When they finely reached the head of the line Kyuhyun ordered smoothly and then looked expectantly at Sungmin, who just shrugged and pretended that he was having a hard time deciding. He thought that Kyuhyun would just pay and step back, but both he and the cashier kept up their expectant stares until he finally chose something. And when Kyuhyun whipped out his shiny credit card, Sungmin was quick to take out his wallet as well. But it didn’t take long to swipe the card, and Kyuhyun slyly slipped past him even as he counted out his part of the meal ticket. Their drinks were already waiting at the end of the counter and Kyuhyun picked up both of them, ushering Sungmin in the most bossy tone he had ever used to “hurry up and put that away, take this quickly!” Disgruntled, Sungmin slipped all the change back into his pocket and took his drink, following his childish employer to a table near the windows.

They settled into the table, and before Sungmin could even mention Kyuhyun treating him the man crossed his legs, cupped his hands on his knee, and tilted his head slightly with smile that was more smirk than anything. “So. Tell me about yourself.”