CHAPTER 6
On Saturday, Min-Jun walked along the now-familiar path, reaching the mansion at a steady pace. The whole week had passed, and Elena came out to greet him and let him into the house.
“Today you will start working on the ground floor because Mr. Wilton is still in his bedroom. And once you finish, go change the sheets in my room.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Is he ill or something? Min-Jun wondered, then another question struck him.
“Mrs. Glover?”
“Yes, Mr. Han?” Elena turned.
“When will I get my own uniform? You said after you get sure I’ll stay working here, but I wanted to ask...”
“Oh, about that! I guess in two months at least. Or maybe three.”
“That long?”
“Yes. Well…” Elena looked elsewhere, as if she wasn’t sure what to tell him. “We have to make sure that you will really stay and work here. It would be such a waste to make uniforms, and you decide that this job is not for you after all.”
Min-Jun wanted to say that they didn’t have to worry about that, but he realized that the woman was probably right, so he just added, “Yes, I understand.”
He entered the small room and slipped into the maid dress and put on the ballerinas.
I guess it’s better to get used to it and not to think about it too much.
He adjusted the fabric and looked in the mirror.
Good. He nodded to himself and headed out.
Min-Jun followed the instructions and cleaned room by room.
When he finished, he headed for the stairs to go to Elena’s bedroom.
As he approached the staircase, he heard footsteps at the top and looked up.
It wasn’t the sound of footsteps he already knew even though hardly anyone walked around the house.
The heels echoed on the smooth, hard surface, and Min-Jun saw the legs first and gradually the whole figure.
A woman he hadn’t seen before walked down the stairs.
Her curvy figure swayed, and her large breasts bounced invitingly with each step she took.
Min-Jun stared in astonishment because that meant only one thing–this person probably spent the night with the detective, and this could be the reason why the man was still in his own bedroom. The blood in his veins stirred at the mere thought.
The woman noticed him and greeted: “Good morning!”
“Good morning,” Min-Jun greeted reluctantly and tried to mask his displeasure with a smile. He avoided looking at her, but that was inevitable once the woman came down the stairs.
He noticed she was a little shorter than him, dressed in a black miniskirt with a red blouse and a short black leather jacket on top of it. Her blond wavy hair reached her shoulders, and her lips were covered with a rich shade of red.
The woman smiled back at him and lowered the sunglasses that hid half of her face. “You’re new? I don’t recall seeing you before.”
“Yes, he is.” Elena appeared out of nowhere, answering the question for Min-Jun. “Good day to you, Becky. Are you leaving us already? Won’t you stay for lunch?”
“No, Elena. But thank you!” the woman replied and looked Min-Jun up and down. “I’m in a hurry.”
“I guess next time.”
“Of course.” Becky gave her a broader smile and looked back at Min-Jun who remained standing in place, frozen. “But isn’t this a boy? In a dress?”
“Well, yes.” Elena nodded. “We didn’t have a uniform ready for him, but that will change soon.”
“Hm… At least he’s dressed! That’s the most important thing.” Becky looked back at Elena and laughed.
“Yes. Yes…” Elena agreed, but her face remained serious.
Min-Jun still stared at the woman; he wasn’t amused at all. The woman then winked at him and put her sunglasses back on. She turned and continued walking towards the front door. Elena followed her, and the two resumed their chat.
Ugh…
On Min-Jun’s face a frown appeared. He stopped listening to their voices and turned toward the stairs.
***
Min-Jun finished changing the bed sheets quickly. He carried the sheets piled in a basket and walked through the hallway when the door opened.
“Oh, Min-Jun, you’re here,” Aidan said when he spotted him. “I was on my way to look for you. You can change the sheets in my room now.”
His boss stood between the doors, eyes glued on him. A small, almost unnoticeable smirk danced on his lips.
Min-Jun gritted his teeth remembering the woman he saw leaving a few minutes ago. Though Aidan was already dressed in his usual clothes, his hair was still messy.
Damn, I hate that he looks so hot after – Not daring to finish his thoughts, Min-Jun’s cheeks heated.
“Alright…” Min-Jun took a deep breath while battling with his emotions. Aidan’s piercing look reminded him that he’d allowed a longer pause than was really necessary. “I’m just going to put this pile in the washing machine then I’ll come to clean your room.”
“Sure. I’ll be in my office.”
Once Min-Jun entered Aidan’s bedroom, he noticed that the sheets were in disarray. The window was wide open, and he could smell the faint smell of tobacco.
He wrinkled his nose and approached the bed.
It was probably that woman smoking.
He bent over the side of the bed to remove the sheets, but when he was close enough, he noticed something that stopped him in his tracks.
There, on the bedside table, something red caught his attention. When his eyes focused, Min-Jun realized it was a pair of handcuffs. And not ordinary handcuffs, but those soft and fluffy ones that kinky adults play with. In bed. And as if it wasn’t enough, next to it was a wooden box with condoms.
Min-Jun got his suspicion confirmed, and his hands began shaking. He got the urge to turn around and leave. To run and never come back. But he did neither of those things. He clenched his jaw and began changing the sheets. He’d come here to work, so he would work. And he would endure this.
But what do I actually have to endure?
He made a decision to get over his little attraction towards his boss. Why make a big deal out of it, when it was not a big deal?
I will get over it. This is just something temporary, and it will pass in the end. Min-Jun knew he was stronger than this, whatever it was.
***
Aidan sat in his usual place solving a crime that happened in Oxford the previous month while Min-Jun cleaned the windows. His eyes scanned through the reports and quite often they would stray off the screen towards the young man.
Aidan couldn’t be one hundred percent sure, but he had a feeling that the young man was keeping his distance. His avoiding eye contact was enough of a clue. He suspected he knew the reason; the question was whether it was true or not. That was another matter.
Since Aidan got the selfish urge to be at least a little bit the center of Min-Jun’s universe, he devised a smaller task for the boy.
“Min-Jun?”
Min-Jun paused and turned to him with a blank expression. “Yes?”
“Would you be so kind as to bring me a bowl of strawberries?”
“Strawberries?” Min-Jun asked, and Aidan could hear a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
“Yeah. With whipped cream,” he added.
“Sure.” The young man said and turned towards the door. Aidan looked after him until he completely disappeared from sight.
Only a few minutes passed, and Min-Jun returned with a bowl of promised strawberries with cream.
“Here you go, sir-” Min-Jun stopped beside his table and outstretched his hands. Aidan took the bowl and made sure that their hands touched.
“Thank you.” He looked him straight in the eyes and gave him a suggestive smile.
Min-Jun's face reddened; he pulled his hands away and went back to the window.
Eyes still glued on Min-Jun, Aidan satisfied his hunger for the young man with little red berries and cream.
***
Min-Jun’s face was red and his fingers were shaking as he cleaned the windows. He made sure he was at all costs turned with his back to the man. When he was done with the windows and went out to clean the balcony, his body relaxed.
Fresh air and the fact that he was all alone again allowed him to take a sigh of relief. He began wiping the dust that had collected in the corners, when suddenly he felt he was not alone. Mr. Wilton appeared beside him, making him jump.
Aidan stopped beside him and asked: “I hope you won’t mind?” He pointed to the cigarette between his fingers.
“No. I don’t mind. But you shouldn’t be doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“I heard you have asthma.”
“Unfortunately, that’s correct.”
“It could worsen your condition.” Min-Jun looked at him in disbelief.
“That’s also correct,” Aidan said with a shrug. He put the cigarette between his lips to light it and drew in the smoke. He blew it away, but the smoke spread through the air and reached Min-Jun’s nostrils too. Min-Jun tried his best not to cough, but his watery eyes gave him away.
Aidan offered him the package. “Want some too?”
“I don’t smoke.”
“Too bad.”
Min-Jun just looked at him, baffled, but said nothing. Then when Aidan smiled, with his eyes fixed on him, Min-Jun realized it might have a double meaning. He was sure that at that same moment his face had completely turned red.
He wished he could punch the man in the face for teasing him like that.
***
When Min-Jun neared the end of his workday, he swept at the front door. He noticed Elena heading back into the house when she finished talking with their gardener. As she walked up the stairs, Aidan came out of the door.
Min-Jun glanced in his direction and froze with his eyes glued on him.
The man was dressed all in black. His hair was combed back as usual, but since he was dressed in an elegant suit, the combination gave him a breath of mystery.
Min-Jun’s pupils dilated, and his eyes widened. His lips parted as well when his brain registered how hot the man looked like this.
Oh, my, why… He is like from a dream.
Aidan’s eyes landed on him as soon as the door closed, and he smirked and winked at him.
Min-Jun turned away and continued sweeping urgently, trying to act as if nothing happened. His face flushed; he couldn’t help it. He wished for the Earth to swallow him.
While Aidan and Elena exchanged a few words, Min-Jun managed to regain some control over himself.
Aidan meanwhile went towards the garage, and Elena stopped beside Min-Jun.
“You’re finishing for today?”
“Yes. When I finish this, I’ll go change.”
“Good job. I must admit you’re very diligent.”
Min-Jun paused and looked up at her with a smile. “Thank you.”
Not long after that they heard the garage door open and the sound of an engine purring lowly. Aidan drove the black Lamborghini down the path towards the main gate.
Min-Jun and Elena looked at the moving car that soon disappeared behind the wall. Elena turned to Min-Jun again, and Min-Jun tore his eyes from the car, hurriedly adding, “I also wanted to ask about the charity day…”
“Yes?”
“It’s this Tuesday, no?”
“This Tuesday,” Elena repeated. “Did you change your mind?”
He gave her a sheepish grin and shook his head.
“No... Just wanting to have it confirmed.”