Servant [Chuuves]

Chapter 3

It was the next morning and Jiwoo had awoken early to do her daily duties. She throws on her work clothes then does her tasks immediately. The butler walks downstairs, feather duster in hand, and begins to clean of the decorations in the main entrance. Sooyoung was in the kitchen cooking breakfast, and the smell conquered the entire bottom floor. As she dusted away, Sooyoung noticed Jiwoo cleaning, then calls out to her. "Hey! You should eat something before cleaning." She said. Jiwoo, confused, places her feather duster against the wall then makes her way to the kitchen. She stares at Sooyoung for a bit. "Come on, get over here and wash your hands." She said. Jiwoo makes her way to the sink and soaks her hands with soapy water. She then sits down across from Sooyoung, with a bowl of fried rice in front of her. Jiwoo stares into the bowl. "Your food will get cold, go eat." Said Sooyoung as she took a bite of rice. Jiwoo slowly picks up her spoon then proceeds to take a bite slowly. She chewed and chewed, whilst Sooyoung looked right at her with widened eyes. "Is it good?" She asked. Jiwoo chews, then slowly looks up. She nods her head then continues to eat. As they were finishing up, Jiwoo cleans her bowl, and is stopped by Sooyoung as she exits the kitchen. "Is everything ok?" Asked Sooyoung. Jiwoo slowly turned while staring straight at the floor. "You know ever since you started working for me, you never smiled once. You've kept that same expression the entire time. Are you okay?" Asked Sooyoung again. The butler slowly looks up at her then nods. "Yes ma'am." She said softly. Jiwoo then turns around and heads for her room. She felt very confused as to why Sooyoung was suddenly being concerned for her, since she always mistreats her and yells at her everyday. She then sits down on her bed, contemplating and having random thoughts run through her head. Suddenly, a knock was heard at her door. "Hey um, can I speak with you for a second? Sooyoung said. "Come in." Replied Jiwoo. Sooyoung slowly enters the room then takes a seat on the ottoman across from Jiwoo's bed. Sooyoung held out her hand to Jiwoo, it was her medal.
"Do you mind explaining what this is? It was in the trash in the kitchen." Said Sooyoung. Jiwoo began to tense up, and all of the flashbacks came back. She held her forehead for a little then took the medal from Sooyoung quickly. She was startled, then Jiwoo reached for the nightstand. She opens the second drawer and pulls out a wooden box. Sooyoung looked a bit confused but at the same time interested, and kept watching. Jiwoo opens the box then places the medal inside. The box contained many items from when Jiwoo was in the military. She had pictures of her comrades, her dogtags, name tag, unit patches, her ranks, and several more medals in there as well. Jiwoo then pulls the picture out of the box and observed it. "They were my friends." She said softly. The photo was of Jiwoo and her comrades in uniform, posing for the picture. Sooyoung looked at the picture then at the box. "Wait, so were you a-" "yes, yes I was." Said Jiwoo immediately. Trying not to tear up, Jiwoo, shares her story to the woman in front of her. "I served for three years in the military, I was a part of the special warfare command as a paratrooper." She said. Sooyoung looked interested then Jiwoo continued on. "During the war, we went on an airborne operation to support our guys on the ground and cover their flanks. It was hellish. This was the last mission I had with my friends, including my field commanding officer." Jiwoo then looks at the picture again. "We jumped out of the airplane and there it was, the battlefield. Hellfire rained around us, I thought I was gonna die before I even land. While on the ground, we had to defend against a force of about a thousand enemy soldiers in large waves. We thought we would defeat them just like that. But I was wrong." Jiwoo tears up slowly. "My friends around me, they were killed before my eyes. I couldn't save them, and I felt like that my duty as a protector to my friends has failed, as I watched their bodies fall and lay in the ground. The enemy overwhelmed us, and was merciless. They mowed down my best friend, I couldn't save her. Her dying breath, and her last words haunt me to this day. My commanding officer got his leg blown off by a mortar shell. As he tried crawling to cover he was gunned down." Sooyoung listens more attentively. "I tried to save them, I really did, but it was too late. I ended up breaking my leg when a frag detonated next to me, launching me a distance and landing weird on my right leg. Shrapnel flew fast and cut up parts of my arm. Even with my injuries, I tried saving my friends, but I had to be dragged out of there by other soldiers because if we didn't leave, we all would've died. I even took a shot to the stomach to save them." Jiwoo sobs slowly. She rolls up her sleeves and reveal her wounds. Large scars covered her forearms like tattoos. She then pulls up her shirt a bit revealing a large gunshot wound on the right side of her stomach. Sooyoung looked in horror, covering her mouth with widened eyes. "I was taken out of the battlefield and eventually we had evac save us. In the hospital, I realized I was the only one left who survived. I couldn't get sleep that night, since I cried the hell out of my eyes." Jiwoo stares into the picture again. "Everyone here, is no longer alive. I'm the only one left in this photo." She said. "The medal that you mentioned earlier, I earned that and was awarded to me for my heroic actions, same with my other medals in the box. I was then medically discharged for my injuries, but I was screwed in the head ever since I left the service. I always have thoughts of them, or flashbacks of my friends, or in combat. It was a terrible feeling and it's painful. It's painful having hurtful memories corrupt your mind when you lose your loved ones. I struggle with it still. I wanted to take this job as a butler so I can support myself and not live under my parent's roof forever. I was jobless until I found out you were hiring." Jiwoo begins to sob a little more then wipes her tears away. "Before entering the military, I used to be cheerful, bubbly, and very sociable. People used to praise me for my cheerful and positive aura, but that's not me anymore." Said Jiwoo as she wiped a few tears. Sooyoung, felt the tears falling down her face. She then reached in to hug Jiwoo, and cries right in her shoulder. "I'm deeply sorry Jiwoo." She cried. "Please forgive me for all the mistreatment I gave to you in the past, I didn't know you went through all of this." She added. Jiwoo stared right into space as she was in Sooyoung's embrace, she returns the favor and hugs her back. "Why didn't you tell me about this?" Sobbed Yves. "I didn't think it was necessary." Replied Jiwoo, staring into the floor.
The next day, Jiwoo wakes up to tend to her chores as usual. She throws on her outfit then walks downstairs. Sooyoung had just finished cooking breakfast then spots Jiwoo. "Good morning Jiwoo! Come eat!" She said beckoning her over. Jiwoo walks slowly to the table and sits down. She was quiet as usual. Sooyoung then hands her a plate full of food, then proceeds to eat. As they dig in, Sooyoung looks up at Jiwoo. "Hey um, do you wanna do something today?" She asked. Jiwoo looks up slowly as she ate. "Wanna go to the amusement park? We can have a chill day today if you want." She said. Jiwoo returns to eating then replies. "Sure." Sooyoung smiles brightly, then finishes up her food. "Okay well, get ready whenever you are done, I will put on some clothes and whenever you're ready, we will go." Said Sooyoung. She then runs upstairs to change. Jiwoo's perception of Sooyoung would change forever after this day and moving forward.