◦ ◦ ◦
My left leg is asleep before I am: a travesty of epic proportions.
Mrs. Jeon is frantic. Jeongguk and I sit patiently at the marble island and watch her pace to and fro through the kitchen, muttering to herself. Every once in a while she'll pause to jot down something on her every-growing list of Things Jeongguk and Taehee Must Not Forget. Then she's up and moving again and I'm slumping in defeat knowing our debrief is long from over.
She's been at it since I arrived after dinner.
It's almost midnight.
Even my leg knows it's past my bedtime.
Just as I begin to lose all hope in humanity she finally calls it a night, albeit still looking worried. As she and Jeongguk help me with my bags, she rattles off important details that have been repeated so many times they're practically imprinted on the back of my eyelids.
Under no circumstances are we to have people over. There is a difference between our grocery money, necessities money, gas money, spending money and fun money: we are not to confuse it. The maid comes Mondays and Fridays and the house is to be cleaned before she arrives. Iseul is not to have his technology past eight. Chul and Sejun won't be able to sleep without a nightlight or a bedtime story.
As we move I barely keep up - not just from exhaustion but the rush of spidery tingles that crawls up my leg. The curving grand staircase is a particular brand of torture sent straight from hell. When Jeongguk finally stops to pull open one of the many unmarked doors in the hallway - indicating this will be my bedroom for the next three weeks - I almost shed tears of relief.
The room is large and spacious, furnished with a desk, a walk-in closet, an on-suit bathroom and a vanity stacked high with packages of unopened beauty products — thank you gifts, Mrs. Jeon explains with a weary smile. The french doors that lead out to a balcony are thrown open and the humid breeze sticks to my skin. A large four poster bed dominates the space, dressed with a plush grey duvet, fluffy white blankets and overflowing with pillows.
It takes every every molecule in my body to keep from flinging myself straight into the bed.
Jeongguk leaves without a word but Mrs. Jeon stays to help me organize some of my things. I don't have much so it doesn't take long. When finished, she pulls me in for a long hug.
"Our flight leaves first thing in the morning. Hyuk should be bringing the boys by at around seven." Mrs. Jeon presses a tender kiss between my brows before smoothing my hair back. "Get some sleep, Taehee."
I don't need to be told twice.
As soon as my head sinks into the pillows I'm out like a light.
•••
The sound of crinkling plastic and paper being torn pulls me from my slumber.
Disoriented, I push myself up on my elbows, one eye screwed shut against the harsh rays of sunlight. It takes a moment to realize that this isn't my bed nor my room.
And this certainly isn't my kid.
A child no taller then my waist stands at the vanity, using the stool to add a few inches to his height. A ring of packaging and soiled tissues encircles him and I realize it's the gifts from Mrs. Jeon that he's been opening. From my angle on the bed, I can make out a sliver of his reflexion in the mirror. I barely swallow my gasp at the bright pigment that stains his eyes, cheeks and lips.
This must be one half of double trouble.
"Can you help me?"
YOU ARE READING
The Babysitting Contract | j.jk
Fanfiction❝The only reason Kim Taehee agrees to help her sworn enemy Jeon Jeongguk babysit his younger brothers for three weeks is because of the fat paycheck that now sits in her account. It's definitely not because he's a good kisser.❞ [a jeon jeongguk fanf...
