Chapter Text
Two years. It's been two years since Camila lost her father in a tragic car accident. She was only 14 when she had to cope with losing the one person she thought she could always rely on. She was now 16, working 4 jobs a week, scraping by to earn enough money so her family could actually eat for the day.
"Hey! You over there! Come here and take my order!"
Sigh. Camila didn't know when she started getting used to this kind of thing, but she never dwelled on it too much. It would just drudge up emotions she'd been trying her best to ignore for these past couple of years. So she put on her best fake smile and walked over to the table where the yell came from.
After hours pass, she had finally reached the end of her shift. She took off her uniform and hung it on the rack. Needless to say, today wasn't the greatest day for her. But that wasn't because of the incessant amount of rude customers she had dealt with or the vomit she had to clean off the floor. It was because today marked the 2nd year anniversary of her dad's death, which was something she wasn't too keen on remembering. On her walk home, she watched as the leaves turned from its original green to a browning state, which only left her with the hard truth that life went on even when she didn't think she possibly could. Life went on even when her father didn't.
And that broke her.
She had planned on just heading straight home and pushed the recurring memories to the back of her head, that was until she heard something loud behind her.
"That's it, I quit! I can't handle working for you anymore, I'm done!"
A woman, who looked to be around her 20s, storms out of a home, and not just any home, the Han Estate. Its architecture lived up to its high reputation, grandiose and prestige, very much like the rumored family who owns it.
The Hans are one of the most respected and wealthiest families in all of South Korea. There wasn't anyone who didn't know who they were.
Well, except for Camila. All she knew was that this was the richest district in Seoul, one she had to walk through to get home every day. And when she did, she would huff at the houses she would see and wished she were here instead, wondering why she had to have such a hard life while others have it easy.
But she didn't have a clue who the Hans were, so when she locked eyes with the man who followed the enraged woman out, Camila quickly broke eye contact and turned to head home. That was until she heard footsteps rush behind her.
"Miss! Miss, please stop for just a second!" She felt a hand on her shoulder turn her around when she was met with a panting man in front of her.
"I... I know this is of sudden notice but are you willing to consider working here? We're short on staff and we need as many as we can employ. And, don't worry, I can assure you the job here pays extremely well."
Camila was so shocked by even the thought of being asked the question that she just blinked in response, letting out a few unintelligible sounds.
The man seemingly got impatient and took her silence as confirmation, pulling her arm into the house.
"Hey! W-wait!" She tried to get the man's attention so she could get even a little bit more of an explanation, but it was too late before she was already in front of the grand doors.
Wow. That was all Camila could think, as she stepped foot into the Han property. It was nonetheless huge, ceilings reaching up heights she'd never even imagined possible. There were people everywhere, the amount looking large enough to fill an entire stadium. She didn't believe for a second that she'd belong here, but her mind snapped back to reality as she felt the tug of the man's arm pull her into an empty room.
"Put this on."
In one hand, the man was holding the tiniest, shortest maid outfit one could ever think of. In the other, he was holding bunny ears.
Camila's mind went blank at seeing what she was being told to wear, when all she could feel were the items being shoved into her arms.
"Your stockings and shoes are in the corner. When you get dressed, come outside and I'll give you the rest of your directions." He exited the room and left her alone with only her thoughts.
Once he finally left, she scoffed. "What is this? Maid Sama?" Camila grumbled. She stared at the outfit until she was ready to wear it, carefully putting on each garment, layer by layer. She walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room and looked right back at her reflection. She didn't look like herself she thought. But, then again, she never thought she did, not after her father passed. I wonder what he'd think if he saw me now. After pulling up the stockings and stepping into the black shoes, she patted her skirt down, fixed the ears on her head, and headed towards the door. She placed her hand on the handle.
I can do this.
She took a deep breath and opened the door to the beginning of her new life.
Pushing past the bunches of people running past her, Camila searched the house for the reason she was even here in the first place, the man who had previously yanked her into the estate. She figured she must've taken too long to change because when she finally came out, he was nowhere to be found. Having no luck, she stopped and decided to rest for a bit, leaning her head against a nearby wall. On her right, mumbling from a closed-off room catches her ear. She gets curious and pushes herself off, nearing towards the room.
"You all will serve the courses in order and make sure everything is perfect. Do not refuse to help anyone. Our guests must be happy at all times, do you understand? This party needs no mess ups nor interruptions."
Camila creaked the door open a smidge and peaked her eyes through. There, she saw a line of other girls, all dressed in maid outfits similar to her own. She quickly realized that this is where she was supposed to be, so without thinking, she pushed the door open all the way.
The room immediately went silent. Everyone's eyes flickered to where she as standing, right at the foot of the doorway. What do I do? Yes, she had just noticed how dumb of a decision that was, but there's no going back now. She silently walked over to the line of other maids and kept her head down. She could feel the intense glare she got from the person who was speaking before the disruption. She tried her best not to look back up and eventually, to her luck, the lady turns her gaze away and back to the rest of the girls.
"Any questions?" The woman asks. The room remained silent. "Good. Now go and do what you're paid to do." She walks off, and the maids follow behind, one by one, until Camila was the only left. Great. What am I supposed to do now? She started to make her way to leave when, suddenly, the door flew open.
Ow. She rubbed her forehead and prayed that it wouldn't leave a mark. She didn't want to mess her job up already when it hadn't even started yet, even if it was temporary. She already started mumbling sorry's and had begun to state her apology when she felt a finger under her chin, pushing her head up to face who was in front of her. The person in question was a boy, appearing to be around the same age as her, staring at her with a dark gaze. His whole persona seemed dark, with his silver eyes and black hair, wearing a fitting black suit to match.
He looks really good.
"Be more careful next time."
Her thoughts get cut off after hearing his voice. She had never heard such a voice like his. It was so unique, sweet like honey yet like the magma chamber of a volcano, deep, but filled entirely with molten rock. His voice was powerful enough to make you feel like there were goosebumps crawling all over your skin, but also soft enough that it feels like you're listening to a lullaby. She imagined that when he spoke, everyone would turn, whether they knew him or not. His voice was so him, suiting him perfectly, even though she was sure she had never met him before. She knew she wanted to hear it more, but couldn't find the words to articulate what she was thinking.
"I-I'm sorr-"
"Don't apologize. Just don't ever do it again." The boy removed his finger, pushing his hand into his suit pocket. He checked the time on his watch, huffed out a breath, and left the room, forgetting whatever he originally came in for and left it behind.
Camila froze, not knowing what to do. She could still feel the warmth of where his finger lingered on her chin just a few moments ago. Her face burned red. You shouldn't be thinking about this, Camila, focus on your job. You probably won't even see him again, especially not after today. She knew she had to shake these thoughts off. She took a few seconds to recollect herself, and with that, exited the room.
The party started off fairly simple. It was easy, all she had to do was hand out appetizers and gave a smile to a guest or two if needed. The party was as she expected: elegant, classy, dignified. There were maids all over the grand setting, circling around dozens of tables seating who she assumes to be other affluent families. She continued her rounds around the room and is about to place a couple of drinks on a table when she overhears a conversation.
"I figured it would be passed down to him. He appeared the most dignified out of that family."
"Have you ever spoken to him?"
"No, but I've seen the way he gives his input whenever Mr. Han and I have our discussions. He's good; reliable and quick on his feet, too."
"I see. Well I guess we'll see for ourselves, because they ultimately have to introduce him. I mean this party is for him, so it only makes sense."
"Yeah, you're right."
Hm? Who are they talking about? Being as nosy as she was, Camila tried her best to decipher who the topic of discussion was, but to no avail. She heard it was a "him," but that was the only piece of information she managed to get. She shrugged it off and figured she'll find out eventually. Nonetheless, she couldn't help but feel this weird tug on her heart. Still, she wrote it off as just her nerves on the job and carried on with her tasks.
As she was walking, her, not having her glasses on that day, bumped into a chair, dropping the drinks in her hand. Glass shatters all over the floor, sounding across the entire room. All of the guests looked in her direction, and she prayed this wouldn't take a turn for the worse. Luckily, another girl was nearby, helping clean up the glass before any trouble spewed. She stood up to thank the girl for her help, and that was when she saw him. The guy from before. The guy who's voice still lingered in her mind. He was in the front of the room, in conversation with what appears to be a man quite older than him, perhaps being his father. She studied his every movement: the way his perfectly styled hair bounced every time he spoke, how he licked or bit his lip every time he nodded, to the way his finger tapped on the glass of champagne his hand was wrapped around, the same one that tilted her chin up not too long ago.
She felt her cheeks burning up and was going to find some water to calm herself down, but that was quickly stopped short once she heard the feedback on a microphone, coming from the same place she was staring at a few moments ago.
"Welcome everyone and thank you all for coming. Now, let's get to the real reason why you are all here tonight. I am honored to introduce to you the prospective heir of the C&R International Company, Mr. Ju-"
Camila feels a hand on her arm, and she sees that she is being guided outside of the room.
"Come on, our work is done for today, we can leave now" She hears the person saying. Once out of the room, she realizes it was another maid. She thanks her, because that had pulled her out of her thoughts, ones that she was focusing too intently on while hearing the speech.
C&R International Company. Heir. So that's who is he is. Pretty fitting, she thinks, looking back at it. She changes back into her original clothes and leaves the Han Estate. Back at her own home, she takes a look at the maid outfit hanging in her closet. Knowing that it's not something easy to forget, she replays today's events for the rest of the night.
It's the next morning. Camila wakes up to the sound of her phone ringing at 8 am in the morning. Seeing that it's from an unknown number, she chooses to ignore it. But it rings again, and knowing how much of a light sleeper her mom is, she picks up the call.
"Hello?" She sleepily says.
"Yes, Hello. Miss, we need you to come in to the property today. Your shift starts at 9, see you then."
"Huh? What did yo-" The phone disconnects on the other end.
Shift? I actually work there? I thought it was just a one time thing. She didn't complain though. The man didn't lie, the pay was good, and if she had a chance to earn that much every day, she would certainly not pass it up. So she got up from her bed and opened up her closet doors to a maid outfit hanging inside, with the bunny ears to match. Putting it all on, she took one last look in the mirror and headed out the door.
Finally at the estate, Camila works throughout the morning. Though she has always been known to never keep a room tidy even if her life depended on it, she manages to clean the home as much as she can. As she was wiping down a table and about to give up, she saw a flash of white hair. She didn't get a chance to inspect it because once she got up, a man came storming in.
"Ugh, I hate you, did you know that? You're such a douche!" The man also looked around her age, having delicate features and pale skin, pairing that with his red eyes and white hair that's longer in the back than it is in the front. With that, he also sported a scowl on his face. However, despite his obvious frustration, he stops short when he sees Camila.
"Oh. Hello there, pretty lady." The man flashes her a smile. "What's a girl like you doing working for this spoiled brat?"
"Um-"
"Ah, no need to answer. I already know you're suffering so much just having to be in the same house as him. Well, if you ever need someone to make you feel better, don't hesitate to find me. I'm way better than him, I'm loved by many." He begins to twirl around in a circle and sticks his arms out in the air. "You probably know who I am, don't you?"
"Sir, I don't-"
"Sorry, no pictures right now. I'm on a tight schedule. Maybe next time, sweetheart. You're pretty cute." He gives her a wink and walks off, leaving the home.
What was that? Who is that? I seriously have no clue. She shrugs it off as another delusional egotistical guy and shoves it to the back of her mind. She does get curious as to who he was talking to. "Him"? She walks over to where the white-haired man previously stood, not expecting to see what she just did.
It was a garden, a beautiful one at that. Patches of grass sat everywhere, with flowers of different shapes and sizes growing from within. Cherry blossom trees corner the area, with its petals laying on the ground, browning and changing color as the seasons change. Clean cut bushes and shrubs are lined in a circle, adding to the already magnificent beauty of the sight. Colors of white, pink, blue, and yellow dot the scenery, and scents of lavender and jasmine fill her nose, perfectly complimenting the ambiance. And, in the middle of it all, stood another surprise. The boy. The boy who she couldn't stop thinking about last night. The one she bumped into in that room. The heir. It was like all the air she had breathed was sucked out of her lungs. He was staring at the row of roses that were the color of red wine growing in the center, seeming to be lost in thought. She figured he heard her footsteps because as she was nearing to leave, he snapped out of it and faced her.
"What are you doing here? Don't you have a job to do?" He stares at intently, just like he had that day.
She ignores the rudeness of his comment and instead says she finished all the work she's set to do today.
"Oh." He immediately turns back around to the roses. She steps towards him and stands quietly. After enduring the silence for too long, she gets impatient and tries to make conversation. "Why are you standing here looking at these roses? I know they're pretty, but they're not that nice to stare at for so long." Silence comes after that statement. She's about to make another comment, when she's abruptly interrupted, by that familiar voice she's already so used to.
"Elizabeth the Third." He does not look in her direction, rather chooses to stay focused ahead.
"Elizabeth..the Third? Who's that?"
She sees what might be a ghost of a smile. "My beauty. She has beautiful soft white fur, clear blue eyes, and pretty ears. I have never found any cat..no, any woman more beautiful than her. She loves these roses and so do I. They're beautiful, they remind me of her everlasting perfection.
A cat. Out of all things it could've been, it was a cat. She looks at him dumbfounded. Actually, on second thought, that makes him even cuter. Wow. He is literally the only person who can pull off an obsession with a cat.
However, she can tell there's something more to it for him than that reason, but she doesn't pry. Instead, she lets slip out the first thing that pops into her mind.
"Can I be a cat, too?" After hearing the words that just came out of her mouth, she slaps her hand over her face and prays he didn't hear that. Unfortunately, luck was not on her side today, as she sees him slowly turn his head and meet her eyes.
"What?"
She quickly tries to find a reasonable solution to the matter at hand. She points to the top of her head, where the bunny ears are. "Yeah!" Like a furry, you know?" She awkwardly chuckles. While yes, she did come up with something, it was certainly not reasonable, not even in the slightest, but it made the most sense to her at the time.
"What's...a furry?
"Um, well, it's like people who cospla...ah never mind." She darts her eyes to anywhere but his, hoping this conversation wouldn't last much longer.
Though she couldn't see him, she could most definitely hear him, especially the words that he monotonically stated.
"You could never be like my Elizabeth the Third. She has class. And, besides, she most undoubtedly would be not be...5'2. He looks her up and down, verifying his measurements. She thought it was her nerves that were making her hear things, but when she raised her head, he was looking straight at her, so she knew her ears weren't deceiving her.
She goes to retort back, but the shock that washes over her stops her in her tracks. "It's actually 5'3..." She mumbles, low enough so he couldn't hear her.
A few beats pass, and she thinks she's finally in the clear, but unexpectedly, someone speaks, yet this time, it's not her.
"Jumin."
"Huh?"
"Han. Jumin Han. That's my name."
Jumin. What a pretty name.
"Camila! Camila Park. My name, if you were wondering." She breathlessly says, scrambling to find the words to speak because her head is spinning.
He doesn't acknowledge her statement with a response, rather, he slightly, but surely, nods.
After the exchange of their names, no one said much after that, letting the both of them bask in the silence. After a few minutes pass by, she gathers up the courage to speak again, but he doesn't even let her begin as he turns around and begins to walk out of the garden. "Goodbye" is all he says and as nears the exit, Camila acts on impulse and goes to grab his wrist. A shock of chills spark all over body when she does so, but as she scans his face, he keeps the same blank expression he's had on the entire time. Nevertheless, his face begins to shift as he registers what just happened.
"What are you doing, let go of me this instan-"
She spins him around and points to an empty patch of soil. "Let's plant some."
"Plant?" He gives her a puzzled look.
"Have you ever gardened before?"
He shakes his head, keeping the same confused look on his face. At this, her eyes light up and she gives him a fond smile,
"Well, there's a first time for everything, right?"