Master's ( Jungkook / BTS )

Episode II: Morning Errands II

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     When I arrived to the café it was close to being a little before eight o'clock, the sun was now fully risen. I pulled up my turtleneck and put on my mask, sunglasses and gloves. I opened the door to leave before realizing I didn't have my umbrella with me. It was in the trunk. I scratched my head and tried searching for a solution.
     I looked over to the snoring mess next to me. "Aish, she fell asleep again."
I elbowed her to wake.
     "I'm up, I'm up!" She said, eyes wide.
     "Yah! Where do you think you are, your house?" I scolded.
     "Huh? Where are we?" She rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
     I glowered at her. If she thinks I'm treating this idiot to breakfast, she's sadly mistaken. "Work! You're at work!" I snapped my head away from her and brought my head to my hands. "Speaking of work, I need you to do something for me."
     "What is it?"
     "Go get the umbrella out of the trunk for me."
     She looked out the window to check the sky.
      "Just do as you're told," I looked at her sternly.
      "Yes, master." She unbuckled her seatbelt, got of the car and went back to open up the trunk. She walked over to the driver's side and handed me the umbrella.
      I pulled up my turtleneck one last time before taking the umbrella from Lina and heading towards the the restaurant. Approaching the entrance, two nicely dressed men pulled open the doors for us. One of them followed us in, "We did as you requested; we cleared out all our guests and sanitized all tables, chairs, and silverware."
     "Good," I pulled out a bill and carefully stuffed it into the waiter's coat pocket.
     Another waiter came and lead us to a table. "Your table, sir." He pulled out a chair, I carefully took a seat. "And the lady," he pulled out another chair.
     "She'll remain standing," I dismissed him. I took out my handkerchief and closely examined the table for any dirt or smudges.
     "Master, they already disinfected everything for you," Lina spoke.
     Ignoring her, I rubbed a spot off the table.
     "You can never be too sure with people," I looked up and saw her tilt her head to one side, with a questioning expression. "People aren't perfect."
     "That's a little depressing to say."
     "Excuse me?"
     "Sorry, master." She looked down. She kept shifting her weight from side to side.
     "Stop that," I snapped.
     "Sorry, I forgot to use the restroom this morning."
     I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. How was I supposed to replace my mother when I have someone like her who might make me look bad in public. What happens when I start going to appearances and having photos taken become inevitable?
     "Go," I waved her away.
     "Thank you, sir." She sounded relieved and left, practically running to the closest restroom.
     By the time she came back from the restroom, all the food had arrived and Lina returned to her spot, standing off to the side.
     "Master..."
     "Yes?"
     "Why can't I sit down?"
     "Because I don't want people seeing us and thinking we're together."
     She looked around, "Master, nobody's here..."
     I checked outside, the streets seemed empty enough this morning. I turned my head back towards Ah Lina. "Fine, sit. I can't eat this all by myself anyway."
     A smile spread across her face, making her glasses rise a little. She gladly joined me at the table and pulled out some chopsticks and started placing food onto her plate. I noticed a small scar on the inside of her wrist.
     "What's that scar from," I asked as I put some more pickled radish onto my plate.
     She quickly covered it with her other hand. "Oh, this, it's nothing. I accidentally burned myself during a school lab when I was really young."
     It was easy for me to imagine her as a little girl in class, paying too close attention to her work that she didn't notice her surroundings. I guess some things just don't change as you get older; in her case she's still clumsy and clueless as ever.
     "I've been meaning to ask you."
     Lina looked up from her plate. "Yes?" She asked with her mouth full, making it come out all muffled.
     "Do you have the key to the basement?"
     "No, I haven't been down there since... well, you know." Her usual smile was replaced by a frown. Maybe the death of my mother is affecting her more than it is me. "Why do you ask?" I watched as she tried to attempt to bring a believable smile back on her face.
     "I was just curious." Lina kept her eyes on me before slowly turning her gaze back down to her plate.
     If she didn't have the key to the basement, who did? I don't see why anybody else would have it; out of all the people that my mother would've trusted with the key, Ah Lina should've been her first. Why would she want me to keep Lina around but not want her down in her lab? Mother, what are you trying to hide?