𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐋𝐄 ♕ 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐎𝐎𝐊

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗻

Wook had been fidgeting and pacing around the house restlessly since dawn. It wasn't like him as, ironically enough, he hated waking up at sunrise. If there was anything Wook was fond of more than the honey cookies Madam Kim left around the house for him to snack on, it was going to bed early and sleeping past noon.

But even in her sleep, Gaeun could hear his discontented footsteps. She felt him enter her room, hesitating to rouse her from her much-needed rest. "Walking won't make time go by any faster," Gaeun mumbled and turned away from him. She drew the curtain around her bed and nestled into her sheets, "Go back to bed, Wook."

When she woke again, a slight headache assaulting her as a result of her drinking, she found Wook dressed and sitting at the foot of her mattress. Gaeun jolted, hugging her sheets to her chest. "What are you doing?" She exclaimed, wincing slightly due to her hangover.

He arched a brow at her, "Why are you acting as if I've never seen you in your bed?" The pillow hit him square in the face. "Get up," he whined when she tried to bury herself under her quilt, "Get up, Gaeun."

But no matter how hard Wook tugged and pulled, Gaeun didn't let go of her blankets. When he refused to give up, she peered out from beneath them and hissed, "Leave me alone unless you want me to set your precious hair on fire."

Wook fled while protecting his head in his hands.

Gaeun entered the dining room hours later, massaging her temples, and found that Wook had pulled a cushion for her. He placed it beside him, patted it, and looked at her expectantly, "Sit here."

She frowned at him. Gaeun could remember everything they had talked about the night before. She had told him about her powers and about Ren and then Wook had carried her back. They hadn't even done anything after that. He had simply tucked her in her bed and ended up sleeping in the other room.

So what was this? Pity? Was he being nice because he thought she was mourning? What was wrong with him?

"Stop staring and sit down already!" Wook exclaimed.

Realization dawned on Gaeun and she sighed. This wasn't him being nice to her. This was him being excited about something that concerned him and him alone. And perhaps Mu Deok as well, considering they were each other's complements now.

Gaeun sat as far away from him as she could. He didn't seem to care much. She sighed again. When was she going to stop getting her hopes up about him? And when was she going to stop sighing so much over him? This has turned into an annoying habit...

"You've been up since dawn," Gaeun commented, "Where are you going?"

Madam Kim brought her her breakfast while Mu Deok brought him his. Once Madam Kim had left, Mu Deok glowered at Wook. "I'm not going to bring you anything different," she pinched his side, inciting a yelp, "So keep your complaints to yourself and eat."

They argued for a while—Wook snapping that she couldn't treat her master that way and Mu Deok retorting by saying how convenient it was for him to switch between the role of pupil and young lord at his leisure. Gaeun took small bites of her food before the uneasiness in her stomach forced her to put down her chopsticks.

"Take your fight outside," she interrupted the two crossly, "I don't need you two worsening my headache."

Mu Deok's eyebrows creased together in puzzlement, "You will not accompany us, my Lady?"

"Accompany you where? I'm always the last to find out about his plans." Us. Gaeun's eyebrow twitched. Most of the time, Mu Deok loved to forget that she was a maid now and talked to Gaeun as if they were equals.