"Always remeber Jisung, if there is anything you are having trouble with, aunt Dahyun is here to help you."
Jisung's aunt cheered with a smile and held his cold hands to warm them up.
They were sitting in a fancy looking car driving through the busy streets of Seoul in the early morning hours after she had picked him up from the hospital.
To Jisung, she was pretty much a stranger and he only remembered having seen his aunt on pictures.
She wasn't as young as Jisung expected her to be... 28 years old. She talked to him nicely like a friend would probably do and Jisung could see that she was probably trying to cheer him up with her words but the boy didn't have the nerve talking to a stranger, right now. He didn't even feel enough energy to properly listen to what she said nor could he honestly appreciate the fact that she took him in.
Jisung would never get as close as friendship with her anyway. He couldn't even talk to her...
so in the end he just nodded putting on the best smile he could afford even if it pained him. Jisung wasn't even sure if she expected him to smile.
"Don't worry... the Lee family is not as bad as everyone sais." She added and turned around to speak to the driver.
This morning the hospital had released Jisung in what they called a stable condition. However, stable was a word that the boy didn't even think about... he knew that at some point all the emotions that he was surpressing would break down on him... and he wasn't prepared for that.
The doctor had told his aunt about his inability to speak for the moment and that Jisung would probably need a little time to open up if he'd get therapy, so the mutism was only temporary.
Right now he was in a mental state where he couldn't live alone nor attend university at the moment. And there was no way he'd go into a clinic or some hospital for psychos so the hospital had no other choice but to release him... it was his own decision and so his only option was to stay with his aunt.
The doctor also told Jisung that his post-traumatic stress disorder did get a lot worse, experiencing another traumatic event so he had to give his best to not fall back to old habits that he had overcome over the last years like self destructive and aggressive behaviour.
Lost in thoughts Jisung let his eyes wander over the scenery outside.
The car had left the city center and was on a road leading up a small hill. Trees covered in leaves combined with the yellow light of the morning sun gave away a calming and warm vibe that Jisung tried to capture in his mind. Autumn was his favourite season of the year... especially mornings like today, when the wind let yellow and orange leafs rain down on the grass that was covered in hoar frost and when the sun was painting everything in a shimmering gold.
The Lee Family had to be very rich that they could afford a house in such a beautiful scenery near the city. Jising kept imagining how life would be like there from now on. He was used to always living somewhere else before being thrown away so he already started telling himself to think of options if he'd leave this place. However, the mansion that was rising up in front of his eyes surpassed all of his imaginations.
The car stopped in front of a huge gate that opened on its own as soon as Dahyun stepped out of the car on the path.
"Come on." She waved her hand to sign her nephew to follow her and keeping a straight face Jisung did what he was told to.
The cold air hit the boy's face and let his body shiver for a moment.
'Being dressed in just jeans and a black hoodie might have been too less.' He thought but didn't have the energy to reconsider his choice of clothes.
Instead Jisung observed his surroundings very closely. It was like his senses had become extra sensitive since what happend 3 days ago.
Every noise that he didn't immediately know the origin of, made him flinch. Behind every of these perfectly cut bushes he feared something else that could potentially hurt him.
And everytime his eyes traced over the huge modern house with a glassfront that was reflecting the sunlight, his anxiety got worse.
Jisung wanted to be in a small room, alone with no one there to disturb him... but this house looked like an endless maze, with it's balconies and large garage for any kind of sports car that somebody could ever wish for.
They had to walk quiet a while to even arrive at the main entrance that was similar to the one of a 5 star hotel.
On the left next to the mansion was a rose garden and in the center of it a white fountain with an angel on top of it that poured water out of a can in a small pond creating a small brook on the ground that was ending in a large pond with coy fish in it.
"It's quite beautiful, isn't it." Dahyun said following her nephews gaze.
"This rose garden belongs to the Lady of this house hold. Her name is Lee Sol but to us it is just Lady Lee. I'd try to not get on her bad side in any way because she can be a real witch sometimes." Dahyun whispered the last part and rolled her eyes with a grin.
'Right... i'm going to work here from now on' Jisung remembered while following his aunt to a side entrance.
Dahyun was working in the Lee household as a chef and maid for the family together with 10 more people that were responsible for cleaning, doing chores and managing the household and more.
His aunt hadn't told Jisung much about this place yet so he could just follow along when she brought him to a rather large room in a deserted part of this mansion.
Two beds were standing on each side of the room and other furniture was filling the rest. Even a TV and a small kitchen were at the side.
It was very small, but it had everything someone needed to live.
"So.." Dahyun started explaining while placing the large bags and suitcases on the floor that she had gotten from Jisung's old home.
He didn't even want to look at these things so the only suitcase he opened was the one with clothes.
"I'll explain you the rules of this household bit by bit while showing you around. It is important that you listen closely, maybe even write down notes on your phone." She smiled gently pushing me out of the room again. Like that I was constantly forced to listen to her and couldn't think about all the possible mistakes I could do while being here.
"The room I just showed you is were we sleep, alright. It technically doesn't belong to me but to the Lee family but we have all right to kick anybody out of there."
She turned to each side and pointed at the other doors that were lining the bright hallway from which Jisung could directly look at the city further away.
"The other staff are also living here. All of them are good people but they are all at least 55 years old and focused on their job so you can just ignore them of you feel like it." Dahyun shrugged and continued in fast steps.
Jisung turned around to the hallway again feeling releaved that he didn't have to interact with the other people here. They'd probably be weirded out by him...
The next hour they walked around many different hallways and rooms, also the kitchen and although Jisung tried to remeber which way to go he just couldn't concentrate on the location he was being at.
Instead he tried to pick up as much as possible of what Dahyun told him about the family.
"I already told Master Lee about you starting to work here so there is no need for you to feel like a stranger.
However, I still have to try to inform him about your struggles to speak at the moment so it'd be good to stay away from situations when they might talk to you."
'This is already starting well...' Jisung sarcastically thought but kept listening to his aunt.
"However, Master Lee is pretty much never at home expect for a few days when he doesn't have to be at his company. If you ever run across him, no need to panic, he is a very nice man.
I already told you about Lady Lee before, she is usually at home every evening and at the week ends. To her the people working here are lower than herself and unfortunately she passed that down to her sons.
Personally attending her is my duty most of the time so I learned how to cope with it." This was the first time Jisung could sense a little flaw in her smile. It was obvious that she had difficulties coping with Lady Lee so Jisung had to try his best to not be another burden to his aunt.
"Anyways, the only way to make you stay here was to agree to her conditions of your new job. She needs a personal assistant for her eldest son Minho."
Jisung stopped in his tracks. A personal assistant? How was he supposed to help anyone or take care of anyone? He couldn't even remember the way back to his room.
"But don't worry!" Dahyun quickly added and grabbed his hand.
"Your only tasks will be things like waking him up in the morning and bringing him his food if he doesn't want to eat with his family. You'll also help him with different things if he asks for it but it'll be nothing more than that." she assured the boy and carefully pulled him with her again.
"Lee Minho is two year older than you so you might even become friends." she cheered while Jisung doubted that strongly. In his whole life he had only had one friend and this friendship was torn apart because of Jisung's mental problems.
"He can be really cold and usually pushes people away, thats why his mother wanted a person in his age to do this job. But believe me when I say that he has his good sides. Especially toward his little brother Felix who is the same age as you, he can be really kind and caring at rare times. And-"
Dahyun was suddenly interrupted when someone yelled her name from around the corner.
"Miss Dahyun!" it was a male voice obviously from a younger person. They were currently staying in the large kitchen so Jisung wondered who'd enter so loudly at this time of the day. It was only 8 o'clock after all.
Then suddenly a freckled boy with messy blond dyed hair jumped around the corner with shining eyes. His aura literally radiated energy and chaos.
"Miss Dahyun, have you seen Seungmin? He said he'd be here by now but he hasn't shown up yet and- huh, who is that?"
The boy's eyes landed on Jisung, making the boy immediately feel uncomfortable. He just wanted to disappear into thin air and don't be seen by others.
"Ah, hello Felix!" Dahyun greeted the boy making Jisung understand who was infront of him. Quickly he mirrored his aunts bow.
"This is my nephew Jisung, he is gonna work here from now on." she explained earning an understanding nod from Felix.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Lee Felix but you can just call me Felix or Lix because I don't think you're much olde than me."
Jisung was stunned by the energetic and kind greeting he just recieved and could only bow again with a shy smile.
Before the situation could get any more awkward Dahyun quickly broke the silence to save Jisung from his social pressure.
"I think Seungmin will probably be in the library where he always is. Since you gave him free access to this house he is waiting there for you most of the time." The woman explained and as soon as she was finished Felix ran out of the kitchen to continue searching for his best friend.
Jisung could only stare at his hands frustrated.
'He'll already think I'm weird.' he thought but didn't let it get to him. He had to focus on his job from now on... and forget about the things that happend even though that would never be possible.
"He's nice, isn't he?" Dahyun grinned while opening the oven. The smell of freshly baked croissants hit Jisungs nose along with the sweet fragrance of chocolate. He used to love warm croissants in the morning but strangely it made him feel sick now.
"I think Robert made them half an hour ago but they are still warm enough so I'll prepare breakfast for Lady Lee." she explained and handed me a tray with a some plates and bowls on it. Confused what to do I just took it and stared at her puzzled.
"Minho is probably still sleeping but if we don't wake him he'll forget to eat so it'll be your task to prepare a little breakfast for him and wake him up." Dahyun told her nephew and placed a croissant on the plate when Jisung slowly nodded.
"I'll help pick the things he likes."
(This is how I imagine part of the inside of the mansion could look like)
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Next chapter Minsung is finally gonna meet hehe.
Any ideas how it'll go down?