“Haa…”
Master let out a sigh and looked at me.
Just from that expression alone, I could tell how much trouble I was causing.
And yet, the Master did not shake off my hand.
After staring down at me for a moment, Master gestured to Sophia.
“Sophia, just go inside. I’ll guide her.”
“Yes, William.”
I felt relieved.
Even without looking in a mirror, I knew my face must have lit up with joy.
Watching Sophia quietly step back, I felt a little sorry—but still grateful.
“Follow me.”
“Yes!”
Master called me, seeming like he would personally show me to my room.
I followed behind him with a strange flutter in my chest.
It would be my very first space in this unfamiliar house.
We went upstairs.
My room was quite far from the Master’s.
“Is this my room?”
“Yes.”
“I wish it were closer to yours…”
“I hate noise, so I locked off everything in my room.”
“I see…”
I was a little disappointed, but still, I was happy just to have a room Master had prepared for me.
I opened the door with growing excitement and stepped inside.
The guest room on the second floor was spacious and warm.
A large bed was neatly covered with a white blanket, and a soft rug was spread at my feet.
Gentle moonlight flowed through the big window, softly illuminating the room so it didn’t feel dark at all.
The dressing room was empty for now, but Master said it would soon be filled with the clothes we bought today.
“If anything’s uncomfortable, tell Sophia.”
“Yes, Master! Good night.”
Once the Master left the room, I was alone.
After washing up, I changed into the pajamas prepared on the bed and burrowed under the covers.
The events of the day slowly replayed in my mind— the fragrant smell of coffee that filled the house in the morning, the chaos of trying on clothes at the department store, and the meal I shared with Master.
There were hard and disappointing moments, but the thought that these were all new memories with my new Master warmed my heart.
I smiled softly and closed my eyes.
But strangely, sleep wouldn’t come.
Even though the room was cozy and comfortable, lying in bed alone brought a vague sense of anxiety.
Was it because the space was unfamiliar?
But I was fine when I slept with the Master…
Should I go to the Master’s room and ask to sleep together again, like yesterday?
But I hesitated, worried I might be bothering him again.
I couldn’t stay a timid, fearful robot forever.
I had to become someone helpful to my Master.
Resolving myself, I squeezed my eyes shut, gripping the blanket tightly.
But in the end, I couldn’t fall asleep.
After tossing and turning several times, I finally got up and stood in front of the Master’s room.
Knock knock.
“Come in.”
As I carefully knocked, I heard the Master’s voice.
When I quietly opened the door and stepped inside, I saw him still working late at his desk.
‘Ah… He’s working…’
Without even looking at me, Master continued typing on his keyboard.
I hesitated.
Even asking if I could sleep with him felt like it would disturb him.
As I lingered awkwardly in the doorway, Master finally stopped typing, looked at me, and asked,
“What is it?”
“I…”
I fidgeted with my fingers and finally opened my mouth with difficulty.
“I can’t sleep… Would it be okay if I slept in your room…?”
“No.”
“O-okay…”
As I sulked and let my words trail off, my master’s face noticeably scrunched up.
Was he angry?
Just as I was about to step back in embarrassment, he suddenly rubbed his eyes roughly and let out a frustrated sigh.
“Ha, damn it… Why did I have to remember your crying face…”
My master gritted his teeth and stared at me.
When I looked puzzled, he continued speaking.
“Come in and sleep. But don’t bother me and stay quiet.”
I stared at him in disbelief, my eyes wide.
Did he really just give me permission?
Hesitant, I looked toward the door, but when my master scowled at me, I quickly shut the door and entered the room, feeling like I might be kicked out if I delayed any longer.
I cautiously checked to see if my master was paying attention, then climbed onto the bed in the corner of the room.
The soft sensation was the same as the bed in my own room, enveloping me.
A faint light was on in one corner of the room, and the sound of my master typing quietly filled the space.
I secretly stole a glance at my master.
Unlike his usual stiff suit, he was wearing casual clothes with his hair down, and for a moment, I thought I saw the old master in him.
But his rough actions, cold gaze, and indifferent tone reminded me that the person before me was a completely different person now.
“When do you sleep, master…?”
“I’m not going to bed yet. You sleep first.”
“Okay….”
I answered softly and pulled the blanket over me.
My master seemed to be planning to work late again today.
I remembered how he had been handling work during our outing, maintaining a stern expression and taking care of things in between.
Wouldn’t that harm his health if he kept working like this…?
Click click…
The sound of typing in the distance tickled my ears like a lullaby.
As I buried myself in the warm blanket, a comforting warmth spread over me, and the faint scent of soap from my freshly cleaned body lingered.
The fact that my master was nearby brought me a sense of relief, and my eyelids grew heavier.
The steady sound of typing slowly faded, and I drifted off to sleep.
“Didi, wake up.”
“Five more minutes….”
“Are you whining now?”
Instead of a soft morning greeting, I was met with an indifferent voice, and my eyes snapped open.
Quickly sitting up, I saw my new master looking down at me with an expression of disbelief.
That’s right…. My master is now….
Realizing the cold reality, I unknowingly felt a wave of sadness.
I looked at my master with sorrowful eyes.
A completely different person who wore the face of the one I loved.
His actions and speech were rough, and in the way he looked at me, there was no warmth to be found.
I missed the old master.
The one who smiled kindly and whispered love to me.
The moments I had spent with him felt as vivid as yesterday, but the fact that I could no longer meet him shattered my heart.
“I’ll be leaving in an hour. Get ready.”
“Okay….”
I answered weakly and headed toward the room.
Slowly entering the bathroom, I turned on the hot water, and my cold body began to melt away.
The warm steam seeped into my lungs, pushing away the chill of the early morning.
After being under the water for a while, all the sleepiness was washed away.
My mind cleared, and I started to feel a bit more energetic.
I needed to serve my master to the best of my ability today.
If I didn’t prove my worth soon, I might be abandoned again.
“Master, what should I wear today?”
After finishing my shower, I returned to my master’s room and peeked my head out to ask.
Turning my gaze toward the movement, I locked eyes with my master, who was tying his tie.
My master was stunning as always.
His neatly combed blonde hair caught the light, and his every movement exudes elegance.
The well-fitted shoulders, the firm physique visible beneath the dark gray suit, and the sharp blue eyes—everything was perfect.
My master silently passed by me and headed to my room.
As I followed behind him, I saw that the once-empty dressing room was now filled with clothes.
“When did this happen….”
“Sophia arranged it in the early morning.”
“I see….”
Looking at the neatly organized clothes, I thought of Sophia.
I had avoided her yesterday… I felt guilty imagining how she must have organized all these clothes alone in the dark early morning.
I would definitely thank her today.
My master scanned the clothes in the dressing room and, without hesitation, took one out.
“Here, wear this.”
“A suit?”
The only thing he handed me was a suit.
Why choose this one among so many casual clothes?
I suddenly wondered if it had something to do with today’s schedule, so I accepted the suit and asked.
“Come to think of it, where are we going today?”
“There’s a charity party in the afternoon. Journalists will be there, so be careful not to make any mistakes.”
A charity party.
I nodded, repeating the unfamiliar term in my mind.
After putting on the suit my master had chosen, I stood in front of the mirror.
My master was wearing a suit just like me, but my appearance felt different from his composed and austere vibe.
I expected a more mature look, but it only seemed awkward and unnatural.
I adjusted the suit with a slightly sulky expression.
I was thinking of trying to style my hair like my master’s when I noticed him watching me, and he stopped me.
“Don’t touch your hair. It’s cuter the way it is.”
“Okay….”
Even though I was told I was cute, I wasn’t particularly happy.
It felt less like a compliment and more like an assessment of my value as an object…
My master tidied up my messy hair.
As the bangs that had almost fallen over my eyes were returned to their place, he seemed satisfied and withdrew his hand.
Today, the strands of hair that fluttered in front of my eyes felt particularly itchy.
“When you’re ready, let’s go.”
My master called me from the door.
I nodded and quietly followed him.