The Nanny
"Hey.. what's up?" Amber asked the moment she sat down to the empty chair infront of her. Sulli asked her to met at Cafe Lua a coffee shop nearby Yoogeun's school.
Sulli just gave the lass a half smile.
"So how's the Choi's?" Amber continued.
Sulli shrugged. "They're fine." she answered.
"But you're not?" asked Amber.. though it was more a statement than a question. Her almond eyes were looking at her intently trying to read her.
Sulli sighed in surrender and shook her head but didn't say anything. Amber grasp her hand.
"You gotta quit.. it's just that simple." Amber said.. she look at her with a question look though she knew what she mean.
"You think so?" she asked.
Amber nodded. "Yeah.. did I even told you before that this isn't a good idea? Look at you now.. where's the cheerful Jinri?"
"Amber!!" she yelp and pouted. "I didn't asked you to met me here to hear your rants.. not you. You're the only one I have now." she said.
Amber let out a sighed. "It's because I love you and it's really hard seeing you this way. I miss my bestfriend.." she said.
"I'm sorry." Sulli said with a pout as she squeezed Amber's hand.
"Why don't you do a soul-searching? Let's take a vacation.. with Kibum. I mean is this really what you want to do for the rest of your life to be Yoogeun's Nanny? How about you and Mr. Choi? Think about it.. okay!" said Amber.. there was something glitter in her eyes when she utter the name of her roommate.
Sulli smiled. "Yah~ you're hiding something from me. Don't tell me you and Key are now....?" she asked.
Amber just gave her a meaningful smile and waved her hand in the air. "Seriously, what do you think about my suggestion?" the lass asked instead.
"You know I can't right?" she said.
"C'mon Ssul give yourself a break.. say yes!" Amber said..
Sulli shook her head. "Next time.." she said.
"As expected..." said Amber, she can see her disappointment as the lass slumped herself on the backrest of her chair.
Sulli smiled wryly. "Next time okay? But why not spent that vacation with Kibum alone?" she teased.
Amber just rolled her eyes. "Let's just order.. I'm famished." she suggested which she nodded. "What do you want?" Amber asked.
"Uhmm.. any-" her words were cutted off as her phone suddenly rang. She get her phone from her pocket to check who it was and Ms. Victoria's name appeared on the screen. "Just order me anything.. I'll just take this call." she said to Amber as she touch the answer button to take the call.
"He-" she was about to greet the lady.. but as usual Ms. Victoria always cutting her off.
"Nanny where re you now?" Ms. Victoria asked from the other line.
"I-i'm here at Yoogeun's school." she answered.
"It still early, right? What are you doing there?" asked Ms. Vic which made her roll her eyes.
"I-" she wasn't able to finish a sentence as Ms. Vic spoke again.
"Anyway.. come home, leave Yoogeun there. I'll let Krystal to pick Yoogeun later.. I need you to attend a seminar." said Ms. Victoria.
"A Seminar? What for?.. if you don't mind?" she asked.
"The Nanny Conflict Resolution Seminar.. it's from Parents Society so I need you to be there." explained Ms. Victoria.
"Okay.. I'll be there." she said.
"Now okay!.. hurry! the seminar will start at 10:30. You should be here before 10." ordered Ms. Victoria.. she nodded as if the lady would see her, she heard the lady end the call without saying goodbye.. which is nothing new to her.
She left her seat and walk towards Amber who's on the counter to bid farewell. "Hey.. I'm sorry Amber something came up." she said.
"Huh? Don't tell me your leaving me here?" asked Amber with huge eyes and she nodded looking at her apologetically. Amber let out a sharp breath as she motioned her head towards the door as if telling her to just go.
"I'm really sorry.. I'll make it up to you next time.. okay? Bye!" she said as she gave her a peck on the cheek before heading her way out.. she'll just take a cab to reach the Choi's house before the said time.
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Sulli wasn't surprise at all to see Ms. Victoria waiting impatiently at the front porch of the house.
"Where have you been Nanny?" asked Ms. Victoria the moment she arrived.
"I just met with Amber while waiting for Yoogeun at school.." she said which made the lady raised her brow.
"In your working hour?" Ms. Victoria shook her head in a mocking way. "Anyway.. let's go. I waited long enough." the lady said as she walk ahead of her towards the car.
"I thought I needed to wear a formal clothes?" she asked following her trail.
"I don't have time to wait for more than a sec. Nanny.. my time is precious more than yours." the lady said in a sarcastic tone which made her roll her eyes secretly. She has no idea why the lady was acting that way towards her... which she can only sigh. She doesn't want to deal with her temper as much as she wants to.. for the sake of Mr. Minho and Yoogeun.
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"What day is today Mr. Kim?" asked Minho.
"Monday Mr. Choi." Mr. Kim answered.
"What are my appointments?" he asked again.
"You have a luncheon meeting with Mr. Kang and you have a flight this afternoon to Singapore." Mr. Kim said as he read the clipboard he was holding.
"Cancel them." he said plainly.
"But Mr. Choi you can't cancel your appointments today specially your flight.. you have convention to attend to for tomorrow." said Mr. Kim who's stopping him from keeping his things on the table. Minho look at his watch and turn his gaze at Mr. Kim with a furrowed forehead as he spoke.
"Who's the boss of this company?" he asked.
"Of course you Mr. Choi." Mr. Kim answered.
"Then?.. when I say cancel my appointment today.. cancel it. Okay?" he said firmly not giving Mr. Kim any chance to oppose.
"But what would I tell Mr. Kang?.. and what woud be your excuse of not attending the convention? Mr. Choi remember they're expecting you to be there." Mr. Kim reminded.
Minho let out a sigh as he put his hands on hs waist. "I have a parents society to attend to..." he said.
"But Ms. Victoria is taking care of it, right?" said Mr. Kim.
"Yes, but I don't trust her." he said.
"But what is more important Mr. Choi that seminar or your clients?" asked Mr. Kim.
"Ms. Sulli is more important to me Mr. Kim. You should know that.. and please the least you could do is nag me about on this matter Mr. Kim." he said.. "Prepare the car.. and tell my secretary to cancel the flight this afternoon and start to come up with an explaination now to Mr. Kang and to the organizers of the convention so you could call them." he ordered.
"But Mr. Cho-" Mr. Kim was about to argue with him but he cutted him off and glared at him.
"I'll follow you in the car..." he said as he motioned his hand towards the door for him. Mr. Kim was left scratching his nape as he headed the door. He knew how important the meeting and the convention is to the company but he can not leave Sulli in the hand of Victoria. He has this feeling that she's planning something foolishness and he can not allow that to happen.
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All eyes were darted at Sulli the moment they arrived at the venue of the seminar. It was as if the people in there were really expecting her. She look at Ms Victoria who fake a smile to the person who welcomed them.
"Ms. Victoria.. you came. Come in, please take a seat." said the woman giving them a friendly smile. The facilitator she presumed. "But not you.. you stay at the side please." the woman turn to her.
"Please take care of her.." said Ms. Victoria with a slight tone of sarcasm and turn around and gave her a mischevous smile. She wonder what the woman has in mind. It seemed it was only her who was invited to that seminar...
"So she's Mr. Choi's Nanny.." said one of the Mom who were seated among the others.
"Yes.. I remember her.. she had a very peculiar attitude." one Mom said so... which made her shook her head silently. It took her sometime to make sense of all that she had witnessed. She was her to accept critics from those hyprocrites. She let out a sigh... expect her to accept whatever words they might throw to her.
As she studied the anthropology.. believe that just by observing a culture you inevitably change it. In the many times she thought of Yoogeun, she secretly hope that those critics should be worth.
"So shall we start?" said the facilitator. "Ms. Victoria please.. do the honor."
Ms. Victoria stood up from her seat.. clearing her throat as she spoke to the audience. "What we have here is the latest example of Nanny disaster." started Ms. Vic who acted extremely to say the least. But before she even started Mr. Minho came to the picture... which made the lass eyes widen. "Minho!" Ms. Victoria gasped.
"Am I late?" asked Mr. Minho, his eyes were darted at Ms. Victoria with scrutiny.
"No.. actually were just starting Mr. Choi. Please have a seat.. Ms. Victoria were just starting to talk." said the facilitator.
"Ms. Sulli are you okay? Did I miss something?" Mr. Minho asked.
Sulli shook her head.. "None at the moment..." she said smiling faintly. Now it is getting more interested... as Mr. Minho is here.
"Ms. Victoria please proceed." the facilitator motioned the lass.
Ms. Victoria again clear her throat.. but this time she was more agitated than earlier. "As what I was saying. Since I was the one who's responsible of hiring Yoogeun's Nanny. I have all the right to talk... in Mr. Choi's behalf. She, Ms. Sulli.. neglected Yoogeun. She drank.. she even flirted with Mr. Yonhu.. Mr. Choi's business partner. So I finally had to fire her... for promicious behavior with a guy who happens to be a colleague."
"Victoria... stop." Mr. Minho butted in. "We all know.. what's the truth." he added giving the lass a warning.
"Not just that... I have all this evidence that Ms. Sulli is feeding Yoogeun a peanut butter and jam directly from the jar. Not following the given child's care rules was not the least.. she also teaches Yoogeun to become rebellious which made the kid runaway from the house. So now tell me.. is it still right for us to trust our kid with a Nanny who has a peculiar attitude according to some Mom here?" said Ms. Victoria.
Sulli closes her eyes not from embarrassment... she wanted to laugh out loud from the horrible reactions of the Moms that was given to her. It was the same reaction she got from Yoogeun the first time she taught him to eat peanut butter and jams from the jar.. though Yoogeun's reaction was cute unlike from those elites Mom.. as if it was the most horrible thing their child experienced from a Nanny.
"Am I allowed to speak?" she bravely asked.
The facilitator, Ms. Victoria and the Moms were shocked with her action.. even Mr. Minho. Well, the latter should know that she won't just sit in the corner while this hypocrites throwing dagger looks at her as if she committed a crime or something.
"Sure Nanny.. the floor now is yours." said the facilitator.
"I assume she will just made an excuse.." said Ms. Victoria.
"Victoria!" Mr. Minho stopping the lass from talking.
"Your wrong.." she said. "Well.. first thing. At this point.. I am no longer Yoogeun's Nanny. This maybe unprofessional of me but yes, I am resigning. You already made your point Ms. Victoria earlier. So there is no longer to stress that matter. I was already abruptly terminated by you but not to Mr. Choi.. but yeah I am resigning. " she confidently said. Though this may hurt Mr. Minho and Yoogeun but the lady made her come up to that decision.
"Ms. Sulli you don't have to do this." said Mr. Minho.. who's trying to keep it cool.
"It's okay Ms. Victoria and Mr. Choi.. we also needed to hear her excuse... or whatever it is. We might also get something good from her." said the facilitator who's being fair with the situation.
"Okay.. Ms. Victoria.. and Mr. Choi and every Mom in this room. It's time for a few simple child- care rules." she started as she even stood up at the center facing her audience.. as if she's having a lecture. "Oh, all was right. I am here being compromised. But I have no complains.. maybe it's about time for everyone to hear our side.. First.. Slamming the door at your kid's face is not okay.. that was according to some Nanny's whenever we have time to chat with the behavior of the kids Moms. Second.. spending more time on a benefit.. charity works with the people you've never met than you do with your own blood is not okay.." she said while giving everyone a glance specially to Mr. Minho.. then at Ms. Victoria. "Third.. doing your Yoga while your kid is around whining but you never pay attention of what he needs.. that officially makes you an unfit guardian or a Mother." she pointed out.
"This is outrageous.. just stop." said Ms. Victoria who was now furious.
"Oh, no.. she is clearly a disgruntled Nanny!" said the other Moms there.
The facilitator clear her throat. "We.... we might actually have something to learn from her. Please continue..." the latter said.
"Shall I?" she said in a mocking tone. Looking at every face inside the room before she spoke. "Yeah.. generally Moms are busy with their hair appointments, your Watsu.. Thai massages and your attempts to stay young so your husband won't leave you.." Sulli saw Mr. Minho chuckled with her antics but she continue anyway.
"... But here's an idea why don't you try eating dinner with your child once in a blue moon? And a head's up here ladies... try smiling. So people won't hate you and never called you hypocrites." she said blutantly. "As for you Ms. Victoria.. who are you? maybe you're asking the same thing about me. But we have something in common here... we're not both parents yet. But here's a little hint... okay? Also to you Mr. Minho... I am the one who's been raising your nephew, your son... Yoogeun is not an accessory.. you didn't order him from a catalouge. Your son, your children in general... are people from your home. A human being who are drowning in their desire for you to just look at them..." she said.. she pauses everyone was now listening intently to her. "Truth is... I don't wish anyone from Mr. Choi's family harm. If for no other reason than everyone here having the profound privilege of being a parent... Lucky for you folks.. you are so blessed having those kid.. Your children loves you.. those kids.. they doesn't care what you're wearing or what you buy him. What school they gets into... those kids just wants you to be there for them!"
Sulli waited for someone to react... but no one dares to talk, seemed everyone was appalled. But she continues.. "That's it.. and time is running out, they won't love you unconditionaly that much longer. So for everyone's own good, don't miss out on getting to know your child. Like Yoogeun... he is... he's truly an amazing.. amazing little person." she said while glancing at Mr. Minho... "If you will only know what he truly needs.... honesty." she said giving the latter a message by emphasazing the last word.. as she don't want to talk to the crowd what was the real reason behind the last incident they had at home.. for everyone's knew it was her fault that Yoogeun runaway.. for carelessness reason but haven't this people realize that the kid was going through a lot. She no longer wait for someone to react as she excuse herself. She was done talking.. "Excuse me..." she said and leave the room.
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"Wooh.. that was tough." said the facilitator.
Everyone was left strucked.. including Minho did he hear it all from her?... he thought.
"I hope we learned something from her. That was actually a good point of view from a Nanny. We didn't expect someone to tell us right through our face.. that in some ways we are lacking as a parents. I wish Mr. Minho and Ms. Victoria as well as the Moms here.. realize the value of our children. That would be all.. thank you for today." said the facilitator ending the seminar.
Minho didn't move from his seat as he waited for Victoria to explain.
"O-okay... You should have told me.. earlier that you were coming." said Victoria.
Minho gave the lass a dagger look. "Have you planned this?" he asked.
"No.. I didn't. And besides what I said was all true." said Victoria defensively.
"True? The what? That she was flirting with Yunho? We both know that wasn't true... it was you who made up that story because you were jealous. You should just have told that it was me.. I am flirting with my Nanny. That was more acceptable." he said.
"So do you want me to tell everyone that you have an affair with your Nanny?" Victoria counterback. "You are really out of your mind Minho!" she added as she was about to walk out on him.
"We're not done yet Vic.." he said grabbing the lass arm.
"Let go of me!" said Vic.
"I said we're not done yet! You will come with me and you will apologize to Ms. Sulli!" Minho said firmly as he drag Victoria to his car.
"The hell I will... you can't do this Minho. I will never say sorry to that filthy Nanny of yours!!" Victoria said taking off her hands from his.
Minho snapped. "Fine! Then don't.. But I will tell you this.. you will loose everything.." he said as he left Victoria furiously there. This time it wasn't a warning... as he called Mr. Kim and gave the lad an instruction to close Victoria's credit cards that was named after him and cut all the luxury that Victoria was able to enjoy not after her latest scheme.
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Sulli found herself in her room at the villa.. after she left the seminar she went straight there and started packing her things. Even herself didn't expect it to be this soon.. she took her phone and called Amber.
"Hey.. Amber. Are you free?" she asked the moment Amber received the call.
"Yes.. I am actually on my way home." Amber answered.
"Will you pick me up here? Please..." she said following a sniff trying not to crack up.
"Hey.. Is something wrong?" Amber asked.
"I'll explain to you later... " she said.
"Okay.. wait for me. I'll be there soonest." said Amber and ended the call. She sat down on the edge of her bed.. thinking about Yoogeun.
She should be out before Yoogeun came back from school. But it seemed the universe doesn't want her to escape from the most hardest part of her life as of the moment as Yoogeun came home earlier than she expected.
"Nanny! Nanny!... I'm home!" she heard Yoogeun's voice coming outside of her room. Sulli took a deep breath as she hid her luggage inside the closet.
"Hi, Mr. Tattle-tale.. why are you so early?" she greeted pretending that everything was normal.
"Our teacher dismissed us early today." said Yoogeun.
"You're probably tired." she said.
"Uhmm.. not that much though. Where have you been Nanny?" Yoogeun asked.
"Just somewhere... that's why I wasn't able to pick you up from school." she reasoned out. "Ahm.. how about you take a nap?" she asked trying to chase the kid away.
Yoogeun suddenly yawn . "Actually.. I am certainly ready for one."
"Okay.. let's go. You change your clothes first." she said as she lead the kid to his room.
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"Nanny why are you so gloomy today? Is there something wrong?" asked Yoogeun.
Sulli faintly smile. Of course Yooguen would notice that she was acting different, that 's how smart he is... "Nothing... c'mon, close your eyes and try taking a nap." she persuaded as she tuck the kid on his bed.
"Stay here Nanny, okay?" Yoogeun said as he closes his eyes. She just smiled as she nodded... while watching the kid drifting off to sleep.
"That's good... sleep. So it wouldn't be hard for both of us." Sulli thought.. while caressing Yoogeun's forhead.