Mark stared at Seonhwa, who was now an aging woman but still an active one, moving around and placing the dishes on the table in the kitchen. They were to have meals in the kitchen of the house, not the dining-room; but the kitchen alone was much bigger and nicer than Mark's small room where he used to have his meals at the staff house.
Both Nanseok and Jinyoung were out, and the whole house was somehow quiet.
"It's not good that there is no Mistress in a house," Seonhwa said, as she finally seated opposite Mark, after placing all the dishes on the table, "Our Mistress was really a good woman, both a good mother and wife. Without her, now our Master is only a lonely figure and young master still doesn't seem get used to her absence."
They had the lunch, taking their time, and Seonhwa spoke occasionally.
"Young master is still not over his mother's death. He has lost his spirit. He was not at all a kind of person, who seemed to be far away from the present. But these days, he looks just like that."
Mark did not reply or say anything; Seonhwa continued.
"Having been here for my whole life, I know very well how young master was attached to his mother. Sometimes nobody could handle him but Mistress always could. Often he listened to her words only. It's bad enough that he lost his mother, but to watch her suffer before dying, it must have been too much for him."
Seonhwa mused and the rest of the lunch, she was silent. After they had finished the lunch, however, she continued, while doing the dishes.
"I don't know who can comfort young master. Our Master is himself still grieving and somehow ignorant of his son's feelings. He's not to be blamed anyway," she went silent a moment and then turned to Mark, who was cleaning the table.
"You're one year older than young master?"
"Yeah."
"I want to urge you to talk with young master and give him some comfort or company. You're nearly of the same age and you might understand him better than I do."
Mark halted cleaning the table as the incident from yesterday came back to his mind.
"I don't think he needs something like that. Or maybe he doesn't want. He won't like being bossed about by someone like me."
"It's not bossing him, of course. You just need to share some thoughts."
"I don't think it's a good idea. You know, we never get along."
Seonhwa finished doing the dishes and turned to look at Mark, quite incredulous.
"That was from long ago, wasn't it? And you still don't get along?"
"Time can't make any difference. Maybe it's simply because we don't want to get on well with one another."
Seonhwa shook her head, heavily, "I don't think I understand young people. Oh," she stopped and pricked up her ears, "It could be young master's car."
There was the sound of two cars coming into the yard, and one, for sure, was Jinyoung's.
"Do you want to drink a coffee?" Seonhwa asked Mark, shifting her attention back to him.
"No, thanks. I'm leaving after a while."
Seonhwa moved around, placing the plates inside the cupboard back and arranging them.
The door of the kitchen was opened suddenly and both Mark and Seonhwa turned to see who it was.
Jinyoung opened the door wide and came in. Throwing a disapproving look at Mark, he went straight to Seonhwa.
"Get two lemon juices and bring them to the living-room."
"Yes, young master."
Jinyoung turned around at once and ignoring Mark's presence, left the room.
"He's brought someone else," Seonhwa commented.
Mark got off the seat, feeling that he should leave now.
"I'm going back to my place now. Got some assignments to work on."
"Alright, don't be late for dinner in the evening."
Mark promised her and walked out of the kitchen. Just then he realised that he would have to pass the living-room and the thought of bumping into Jinyoung again revolted him.
Even worse to see him almost on the lap of a guy, who Mark must admit was really hot and handsome. He kept his hand around Jinyoung's waist and nuzzling his face against Jinyoung's hair. Mark tried to pretend he did not see anything as he passed the living-room quickly and moved to the main door, and finally out of the house.
"Who's he?" Daewon asked Jinyoung, once Mark was out of sight.
"Just some guy who lives at the backyard."
Daewon bit Jinyoung's earlobe teasingly, "And you've never mentioned to me that some handsome guy is living near you."
Jinyoung crinkled his nose, "Don't talk like that. He's just a servant's son."
"Whatever," Daewon moved his hand lower down Jinyoung's waist and felt him,"Let's go to your room. Where's it?"
Jinyoung removed Daewon's hand, "For what?"
Daewon raised his eyebrows, "For what else, I'll be suggesting that?"
"No. I've never had sex at my house and never will."
"What? Are you kidding me? Whoever has such kind of ridiculous rules?"
"That's not ridiculous," Jinyoung said, "This has been a habit of mind and I'm not going to change it easily."
"Then change it for me," Daewon demanded.
"Why're you always that desperate? Don't we have enough sex at your place?"
"I want to here as well. Do it for me if you love me."
Jinyoung could have laughed at those words but he only got angrier, "Love? Are you thinking that I love you?"
"What?" Daewon's eyes started to shine with anger.
"That's it. I'm so fed up with you now. You think of nothing but sex. I'm not your sex slave. I'm so tired of all of these. Daewon, let's break up."
"What the hell? How can you say it so easily? No, no break-up. You're just being angry."
"This is not only because I'm angry with you now, I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I can't anymore continue this relationship."
Daewon got up to his feet in fury and stared at Jinyoung, "That's it? Just like that? Here I was, the whole time, thinking that you changed, just like I did. No more fooling around but only us. But now I see what you're about."
"I don't care if you're satisfied or not."
Daewon looked at Jinyoung, a flame in his eyes, "You'll be wrong if you think that I'm that easy. You'll regret one day, Park Jinyoung. Just wait and see that."
Jinyoung just shrugged and looked at Daewon, who turned around and stormed out of the house, with wrath in his every step. Jinyoung did not care and all he thought was that one burden had been lifted off him.
