Maid to be Mine

Life Without the Monster

Seulgi

Although life was less, 'interesting' you could say, it was definitely more stress free. It had been a couple of months since Irene had left. For the past three years, the only person I knew my age was her, and what a person to know indeed, and I wasn't even friends with them, I was also their maid. I would still have to clean and maintain Irene's room here at home, as she only took the necessities, seeing as her parents bought basically everything else she didn't want to take to Daegu for her house over there.

It wasn't as messy of an exit as I thought it would be, especially considering Irene's initial reaction, but as Mr. Choi and her parents were bidding her goodbye out front, I was inside watching from the window, and I am pretty sure I saw her sob a little in her parents arms, a slight crack in her cutthroat personality. That small moment made me think how much easier her life would be if she just loosened up a little, and I couldn't understand her reason for being so mean.

I would hear Mr. and Mrs. Bae speak to Irene through video call from time to time to check in on her, and she would mostly be quite dismissive and nonchalant, and some days she would be quite angry, complaining about how separated she is.

Since I had more time to myself as I had less to do, seeing as I didn't have to do Irene's laundry, and her room didn't require much heavy cleaning anymore, I took the time to pick up some leisurely hobbies, some light reading and watching a show or two, and got to enjoy getting to know Mr. Choi as well, seeing as he had less to do too, now that Irene has her own assistant over in Daegu.

He was such a nice man, and got two months off each year that the Bae family has granted him undisturbed leave, January and December, as he takes that time to spend time with his family. He actually doesn't live in his own wing in the house, although he did before, but over time he was trusted by Mr. and Mrs. Bae to be at the house early enough at the start of days. His family is understanding of his job, and the Bae family have continued to increase his pay as he is consistently reliable for them.

I noticed myself feeling less stressed and angry too, I was scared I would pop a vein one of these days with how much I had to bite the bullet and put up with Irene's antics. I have been offered days off when Mr. and Mrs. Bae have noticed that I have done all I have been required to do, but I have declined all of them, as there is nothing out there for me. I am able to eat with Mr. Choi, getting to cook what we wanted, and I was turning into a semi-decent cook thanks to him. My wing had a computer, TV, and Mr. and Mrs. Bae were even nice enough to let me pick a gaming console for me to enjoy, trusting that I am still able to do my job properly with these things.

I was never really into fitness, but my wing even had its own gym, and back then I would never even consider working out, but I found myself using the gym when I had a good amount of free time and when I wanted to blow off some steam and I didn't feel like reading, watching or gaming. I was also too busy dealing with Irene's crappy behaviour that I would just crash when I would get back to my own wing, but I have developed somewhat of a healthy lifestyle now that she's gone. I was working out consistently to the point where I was actually getting quite strong, and my body more defined, never in my life would I think I had abs, but I do. I found myself with more energy, less tired and able to carry more things at once, being able to do my duties faster and more efficiently.

I also forgot how it felt to consistently have a clean uniform. Irene would purposely bump into her with drinks or messy foods to stain my uniform, making me have to change into my spares on the daily, and creating more laundry stress for me, as that's less time to do their laundry. Life was definitely more peaceful, relaxing, and even though most people wouldn't consider this an ideal life, with such a job and lack of social interaction, this was more than I needed, I was actually starting to feel happy.

Time skip

6 months now, that's how long the monster has been gone, and I cannot complain, I haven't ever since she left anyway. I even took a day off, and even though I haven't gone out again after that day, it actually wasn't so bad. Would have I wanted to have friends with me? I wasn't even sure, I haven't had friends for so long, and being a young adult at 21, I felt like I was doing just fine. I got to try street foods, enjoy some time in the park, and go to the arcade. To most that may sound lonely to do on your own, but I'm used to this, and I know in my heart I'm enjoying myself.

I came home that day to hear Irene complaining to her parents yet again. Even though things were going smoothly in terms of her running the company from what I hear, that didn't mean she missed being here, with her friends, and probably even me to mess with. I heard she also had to learn to clean and maintain the house for herself, and was upset that she even had to do such a thing. Her parents prevented her from paying for a cleaning service or hiring a maid of her own, as they said she should know how to do such things, as good life skills. She was getting sick of takeout, and sick of failing at cooking, and was complaining that she struggled in the few cooking classes that she went to, failing to cook eggs on occasion and that she admitted to missing Mr. Choi's cooking.

I bowed to Mr. and Mrs. Bae as I was making my way back to my wing, and I couldn't believe another unexpected thing would happen. I don't know if it was because they saw me in my outdated fashion, an excuse for casual clothes, as I have never bought much for myself seeing as I stay inside for the most part, I have just been saving up my money. I don't know it was because I was the same age as Irene, or the fact that Irene is familiar with me, or all of those things, but Mr. and Mrs. Bae said that they'll be sending me to live with Irene....as her friend and roommate.

Of course Irene was mad at such a notion, calling it a lame attempt to make things up to her for sending her away from her friends. Of course I don't want it either, someone who has always treated me badly, and now I have to be friends with this person? Mr. and Mrs. Bae did note that I am going as a friend, and not as her maid or her butler, but someone to keep her company and someone familiar that she can come home to. They told her that if anything happened to me that was out of line from her that she will be punished accordingly. I didn't need to see Irene's face to know that a very big eye roll was made by her.

After their talk with Irene about the whole matter, they did apologise for the spontaneous suggestion to do such a thing, and that I should call them if I was being treated badly. They did note that they'll increase my pay and that I'll be basically getting paid to be Irene's friend. I tried getting out of it by arguing that no one will be here to be the maid of their house anymore, in which they did forget about, but Mrs. Bae made one phone call and for some reason, Ms. Kwon agreed to come back out of her early retirement, I forgot she was retiring early, sigh, so she was more than happy to come back and work for them.

They gave me a couple of weeks to get things in order, and for Ms. Kwon to be settled in. They gave me extra money to buy myself a laptop, to take my gaming console with me, and to even buy myself some new clothes, and even got one of their stylists to measure me and style me. It was already noted what my boundaries were in the house with Irene and that I shouldn't be afraid to stand up to her, as I should be respected, and we are the same age too.

And now here I am, on the train to Daegu, suitcases loaded with all my stuff, on the way to live with the person I hated the most, Irene. And I thought my life was getting good.