Sungmin quickly adjusted the position of the teaspoon, ensuring that everything was straight and neat for the last time before Heesun walked in to check his work. He could do without another few on his palms, especially after the fifteen he took during the lesson for the dining table setting the previous evening. He had woken up fifteen minutes earlier today to report at 6am, and though the redness on his palms had faded, it was as though he could feel the pain whenever he recalled the .

He backed off from the table when the doors to the dining room opened, and Heesun walked in with another two maids following behind. The two maids, Hyoyeon and Yoona, were originally in charge of the setting up of tables for meals, but were relieved of the duty today for Sungmin’s ‘test’.

It felt as though his heart was going to jump out of his chest any moment as the two maids inspected his work. Sungmin only realized that he was holding in his breath when he felt his tense shoulders relaxing a little upon hearing the report from Hyoyeon.

“I think he passed, Halmeoni.”

Heesun said nothing, instead moving towards the table, examining the placement of the utensils on her own.

“How far should the spacing between the utensils be?”

“Half a cm between the top.” Sungmin answered, recalling his lesson yesterday.

“Come here,” Heesun ordered, and Sungmin scooted over, anxiety rising in him again. “Does this look like half a cm to you?”

Sungmin frowned at the question, looking down at the utensils. He was sure he did it right. “Is it not half a cm?”

Heesun narrowed her eyes. “This is more like half an inch, Sungmin.”

“But half an inch is like less than half of this—” Sungmin widened his eyes at the realization. He had stupidly mistaken a centimetre for an inch. “Ah! Sorry Halmeoni!” Sungmin brought up his palms together in a pleading gesture. “I-I mixed up the cms and inches!” He quickly adjusted the utensils as Heesun watched him sternly, ignoring the muffled laughs coming from the other two maids.

Sungmin almost flinched when Heesun gestured at Yoona for the cane, and he obediently lifted his palms for the punishment without Heesun asking. He didn’t have a way out of this life until their debts were all cleared, and Sungmin knew better than to go against Heesun. He needed to stay in this ‘job’.

When Heesun raised the rattan cane, the doors burst open suddenly, prompting everyone to look in the direction. Luna ran in, blurting out in surprise at the room occupants. “Halmeoni!” She threw her body forward immediately in a bow, obviously not expecting Heesun to be there.

“How many times have I said not to run around in the house?” Heesun asked in her usual calm tone, but Luna lowered her head with a guilty expression as though someone had just scolded her harshly. Nobody could withstand Heesun’s aura, even Sungmin found it intimidating.

“Sorry, Halmeoni. I’m here to look for Hyoyeon unnie and Yoona unnie…” Luna answered timidly.

“Why do you need them?” Heesun continued her questions when she got no reply. “Is the Young Master out of bed?”

“No, Halmeoni… He threw the lamp at Sulli this time.” Luna bit on her lower lip, fidgeting with her fingers. “We were hoping to get some help.”

“It’s already 6.50am. Young Master should have been up twenty minutes ago.” Heesun stated.

“Please, Halmeoni. Let Hyoyeon unnie and Yoona unnie help, please?” Luna asked, but Sungmin could see the unwillingness in Hyoyeon and Yoona’s expressions. It seemed like nobody liked, or rather dared to take on the task of waking the Young Master up.

“Sungmin.” He almost jumped at the unexpected call of his name.

“Yes, Halmeoni?”

“Go with Luna. If you manage to wake the Young Master up in five minutes, I’ll take away the punishment for the table setting.”

“But—”

“What are you waiting for? The Young Master is going to be late for school,” Heesun said, and Sungmin cursed under his breath as he recalled the encounter with the Young Master in school yesterday.

“No cursing, Sungmin.” Sungmin heard Heesun say as he made his way to the door, where Luna was waiting.

“Yes, Halmeoni.” He bowed, wondering if Heesun was psychic.

~--~

“Get out!”

Sungmin heard the Young Master’s voice before the door to the Young Master’s room – more like suite – was shut behind a dejected Sunny.

“What happened?” The other two maids, Sulli and Seohyun, asked as they examined Sunny, possibly for any injuries.

“I’m fine.” Sunny shook her head. “He only threw the pillows at me… What are we going to do though? It’s going to be seven soon.”

“Unnie! Our savior is here!” Luna shouted as they neared, prompting everyone to turn towards them with a curious expression.

“Sungmin-ssi?” Sunny blinked at him. “Luna! Halmeoni said yesterday it wasn’t his duty to wake the Young Master up!”

“Don’t worry, Halmeoni was the one who sent him!” Luna replied.

“Really?” Seohyun asked.

“What am I supposed to do again? Just wake that brat up, right?” Sungmin asked, irritation catching up on him as he spotted the bruise on Sulli’s arm. Stuck up brat who refused to wake up with four maids calling him and even hurting them. He did rather take the punishment than handle the brat, but he didn’t have a choice.

“Sungmin-ssi! You can’t call Young Master that!” Sunny whispered, eyes darting around their vicinity.

“Yeah yeah.” Sungmin waved his hand dismissively. He knew he only had to hold up his pretense in front of Heesun. Even Leeteuk just laughed it off when he called the Young Master a brat when he recounted the incident in school to the head butler last night. “I only have five minutes before Halmeoni skins me alive, so let’s go.”

“Wait, Sungmin-ssi!” Sulli pulled him back. “Young Master isn’t so easy to please!”

“Who said I was going to please him?” Sungmin snapped, before sighing at the scowls on the maids’ faces. “I’m going to wake him up, not please him.”

“You have to be careful,” Luna repeated her warning for the hundredth time since they left the dining room. “Young Master is a little… violent.”

“We’re not kidding, Sungmin-ssi!” Sunny exclaimed. “You can get hurt like Sulli!”

Sungmin nodded exasperatedly. “Okay, I understand. I heard your warnings. Can I go in now?”

The four maids frowned at him, but Sunny nodded, opening the door for him.

~--~

“I said get out!”

Sungmin heard his Young Master yell as soon as they entered the suite, turning towards the bedroom. The four maids hid behind him, pointing towards the bed, where only a mob of brown hair was visible.

Clearing his voice, Sungmin decided to be as sweet and polite as possible, moving towards the bed carefully. “Young Master, it’s time to wake up.”

“Young Master?” Sungmin called out again when there was no reply, turning once to look at the maids who had stopped by the bedroom partitions. They vehemently pointed towards the bed.

“Young Master? You need to get ready for school.” Sungmin daringly stopped by the bed, reaching out a hand to pat on the comforter, where he assumed the Young Master’s shoulder was.

He gasped when there was a sudden pull on his arm, causing him to trip over the side and fall onto the bed. Arms wrapped around his waist and he yelped, instinctively kneeling the offender in the crotch.

“!” The Young Master cursed, groaning in pain as Sungmin scrambled off the bed. “Where did this new violent come from?!”

“Young Master!” Sunny and Seohyun scooted over as the Young Master rolled off the bed, pulling the comforter along.

The Young Master pushed the two maids away, throwing the comforter towards them. Sungmin immediately lowered his head to hide his face when the Young Master got up from the carpeted floor, looking towards him.

“Sunny! Who the hell is she?” The Young Master bellowed, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “She bloody kneed me!”

“Young Master, please don’t be angry!” Sunny tried to grab the Young Master’s arm, only to be shrugged off as he stormed over to Sungmin. “Young Master—”

“Who are you?!” The Young Master demanded, and Sungmin avoided his gaze as the Young Master tried to look at his face. “You—”

“Please get ready for school, Young Master. Excuse me, I need to report to Halmeoni.” Sungmin rambled on in his sweet voice, scuttling towards the exit.

“Stop there.” The Young Master ordered when he reached the partitions, making Sungmin freeze in his steps. He heard the Young Master’s footsteps nearing, and he had to force himself not to run away.

Sungmin darted his head when the Young Master stopped before him. A hand landed on his chin, pushing his head up roughly. Time seemed to stop as their gazes met, though it was only a few seconds of staring before a crease formed between the Young Master’s eyebrows.

“Have I seen you before?” The Young Master asked, tilting his head from left to right to observe him from different angles.

Uncomfortable at being handled as though he was being sold, Sungmin swatted the hand away. “I’m new here, Young Master.” He kept up his sweet voice at an attempt to hide his identity, though he couldn’t help openly glaring at the Young Master.

The Young Master shook his head slightly. “No, I’m sure I have seen you somewhere before.”  

“Maybe you saw him in the house yesterday, Young Master,” Sunny said, hoping to resolve the situation without anyone getting hurt.

“Him?” The Young Master turned towards Sunny.

Realizing the slip, Sungmin waved his hands vehemently behind the Young Master’s back, hoping that Sunny could get his hint, but the maid widened her eyes confusedly at him. When the Young Master turned back unexpectedly, he immediately dropped his hands, giving a sheepish grin.

“I… only came in yesterday as a new maid, Young Master.”

Sunny finally caught his hint, laughing awkwardly. “Sorry, my… brain isn’t working in the morning, Young Master. Her, her… She’s new.”

“New hur?” The Young Master repeated with doubt, but he seemed to have believed them for now. “There’s a few things you should know as my new maid then.”

The Young Master circled him, and Sungmin almost wanted to punch the eyes scrutinizing him.

“Firstly, if I don’t see you with long hair tomorrow, you’re fired.” The Young Master picked at a few short strands of his black hair tucked under the headband.

“Secondly, lose some weight. You’re too fat.”

“Fat?!” Sungmin couldn’t hold himself back this time. He didn’t mind people saying he was ugly, stupid, or y. But fat? No way in hell was he going to let that go. “Who do you think you are?” Sungmin took a step forward, causing the Young Master to take a step back from his sudden outburst.