Hobi's Demands • JHS

One

"How long have you worked as a nanny?" Ji-woo was reading through the packet of information from the agency, the pages spread out in her hands. She seemed a little frazzled, finally meeting your eyes and smiling apologetically.

"I'm sure they told me all of this information more than once when we spoke on the phone this week but do you mind going over it again? This is exactly why I need a nanny, nothing gets done around here." She tucked the pages into the folder and looked at you with a sigh.

"No problem at all. I've worked for one other family and I was with them for two years. Their son was six months when I started. Besides child care I did some home management, cleaning, meal prep, small chores around the neighborhood while getting their son outside for fresh air." Ji-woo was nodding and smiling at your description of your previous position, you guessed she had much of the same things in mind for you.

"Nabi is three months old, which is probably too young for a nanny. My husband has encouraged me to keep my attention on my business. I guess he's right, it seems to take as much of my time as she does." She was back to fidgeting with the corner of the folder, attention gliding away again.

"I don't think it's too young, if you have a successful business and busy family, there's no shame in needing a few hours a day to yourself. I believe you'll feel like a more present eomma to Nabi when you're not distracted with work." You smiled as brightly as you could muster without coming across as pushy or fake, saying the baby's name was a good technique you'd learned to seem relatable.

"I'm afraid it's going to end up more than just a few hours. We're looking for someone to live in the apartment below ours and care for her full time." Ji-woo winced at the admission and you nodded.

"There's still no shame in it, no one says a word to men when they continue their careers. I'm sure you'll find a healthy balance once your stress level subsides." She finally returned your smile, you almost felt guilty laying the reassurance on so thickly, but you needed this job.

"Why did you leave your last family?"

"They moved to Japan to expand their business and that wasn't a commitment I felt ready to make." You'd rehearsed that line in the mirror repeatedly, adjusting your facial expressions, slowing and speeding up your tone until it sounded utterly believable.

It was most of the truth, the Choi's had planned to move to Japan and you weren't interested in relocating. What happened the months leading up to it were quite a different story. Ji-woo would never find out, the Choi's weren't ever going to breathe a word to anyone.

"Are you good with routines? I'd really like her on a schedule and to be honest I might drive you crazy by micromanaging you."

She laughed but you could see in her eyes she liked things her way, and wouldn't feel bad at all calling you twenty times a day to make sure you were following her endless lists perfectly. It would drive you to madness and you'd probably text your best friend Suyee complaining all the time. The bottom line was you needed this job, and you needed the apartment, living with your step dad's wasn't sustainable.

"She's your daughter and I will do whatever steps make you feel comfortable. I know we both want Nabi to be healthy and happy." You gave her the smile again, she returned it at first then her face grew serious. You were sure you knew what she was going to mention next and you kept your face blank.

"I have to bring this up because it's been a problem in the past for me even with my friends." She folded her hands on top of the folder that contained all of your paperwork.

"My brother is a doting uncle, he lives in this building and he will be around quite a bit." She let the sentence build, you'd already decided when the agency gave you her information you weren't going to pretend not to know who she was.