As soon as the tutoring ended, Yi Cheong and Seoldong couldn’t bear the boredom any longer and bolted out of the room. Seongyeom also tidied up the room and followed down the stairs, but the downstairs was in commotion. Among the rough-looking men, he made eye contact with the Boss, who was dressed in a suit and preparing to go out. It was a gaze that seemed to pierce right through a person in an instant. Those eyes felt like they were binding his entire body. Seongyeom couldn’t take his eyes off him and mumbled.
“The class… is all finished…”
At the gesture beckoning him to come closer, as he came down the rest of the stairs and approached, the black-suited men stepped aside as if clearing a path. All of them had fierce appearances, so Seongyeom, intimidated, kept his gaze cast as far down as possible and stood before the Boss.
“How’s the kids’ level?”
“Ah, well…”
Does this person even know what Choi Seoldong’s knowledge level is like?
Seongyeom briefly pondered how to explain Choi Seoldong’s brain state. As he habitually chewed on his lower lip and rolled his eyes, the Boss spoke.
“Well. You managed to hold onto the kids and finish the class to the end, didn’t you?”
“Yes, it definitely wasn’t easy, but… Ah.”
Seongyeom snapped to attention and clamped his mouth shut. He’d almost blurted out everything honestly because he related too much. The Boss watching him chuckled and continued.
“The other teachers all ran away without lasting even ten minutes.”
So that’s why the hourly rate went up to one million won.
“So, how was it?”
“Cheong could raise his grades quite a bit with just a little effort. He has the brains but doesn’t study. But Seoldong is a bit, quite a lot… he’ll need effort.”
Afraid this report might get on the Boss’s nerves, he glanced around. The hyung-nims standing behind the man were checking large knives or playing around with their fists. That sight was even more creepy, so Seongyeom swallowed loudly. Still, his throat kept getting dry.
The Boss, who seemed to be thinking about something while stroking his chin, nodded slightly.
“I know. Seoldong has never studied before. But I’d like you to teach him as well as you can.”
It was a request filled with affection for the children. Seongyeom was surprised by the unexpected words and found himself staring at his face without realizing it.
I thought he was just a cold and scary person, but he has a caring side too.
“Please take care of them.”
“Yes. Boss…”
I understand why bosses are popular in movies and novels. It’s totally unfair for such a charismatic handsome man to have a caring side too.
“Just call me President.”
“Ah, yes! President…”
If I keep facing him like this, I’ll fall in love for sure, so Seongyeom quickly lowered his gaze. Hoping his reddened face wouldn’t be noticed, he blurted out the words he’d been repeating throughout the tutoring session.
“Um, President!”
He put on his suit jacket.
Insisting on a suit even in this weather—is this really how gangsters live and die for style?
A random thought briefly crossed Seongyeom’s mind. The President, who’d been adjusting his collar, gave Seongyeom a look as if to say go ahead and speak.
“I’m confident I can teach the kids well! So… please don’t fire me from this tutoring job!”
At the bold statement, the President looked at Seongyeom with slightly surprised eyes, then soon chuckled and replied.
“Good, I’ll look forward to it. As long as you can put some proper common sense into those kids’ heads.”
When he lightly gestured, Daerim came over and handed Seongyeom a contract. Two hours a day. Tuesday and Thursday, twice a week. One million won per hour. It also stated concisely that tutoring hours could be flexible beyond that.
“Sign at the bottom.”
The Boss took out a fountain pen from inside his jacket and handed it to Seongyeom.
…This isn’t like a slave contract, is it?
As Seongyeom wrote his name in the signature line, he checked the Boss’s name written above it.
Kwon Siwon.
The same Kwon surname as Cheong. When Seongyeom murmured his name, Siwon chuckled and said.
“Cheong and I are half-brothers.”
“I thought so! I thought your eyes looked similar.”
“Really? Anyway, I’m counting on you with the kids. Teacher.”
“Yes, yes!”
Teacher!
Seeing his expression that seemed about to smile or not, Seongyeom’s face heated up once again.
I’m screwed.
Maybe I’ve already fallen for him.
From Siwon’s perspective, he probably said it without any particular intention, but all sorts of impure thoughts flashed through his mind. From old romance movies like ‘I’m the teacher, you’re the student!’ to B-movies like ‘A tutor who fell in love with a gangster boss’ were being whipped up in Seongyeom’s head.
“Now, let’s greet each other formally again.”
As Seongyeom looked at the large hand then awkwardly clasped it, the imaginary male lead Kwon Siwon jumped out into reality and answered.
“I’m Kwon Siwon.”
“Yesss… I’m Lee Seongyeom.”
His hand is so warm. He could also feel hard calluses for a moment.
“Boss.”
Daerim called while pushing up his glasses with his finger. Because of that, the hand he’d wanted to hold longer naturally fell away. The pink world that had been unfolding behind Seongyeom also disappeared.
“There’s a problem.”
“What is it?”
“The housekeeper Chang-ssi says she’s quitting.”
“Again? What’s the reason?”
“Yes. The same reason as the others who quit before.”
“Didn’t you say she has a nursing license?”
“That’s correct, but…”
The housekeeper is quitting? Nurse? What does all this mean?
Siwon, who seemed to be pondering for a moment, called Seongyeom, who’d been blinking in confusion.
“Teacher.”
“Y-yes?!”
Seongyeom stuttered like a broken robot.
“Are you good at housework? Can you cook?”
Seongyeom almost answered thoughtlessly. Thanks to his mom who runs a snack bar, he knows three or four solo meal recipes he can make when he has no appetite.
Seongyeom’s instincts were screaming not to create any more connections to get entangled with Kwon Siwon, but his body was already enchanted by his gaze and nodding. He naturally exaggerated that he knew about five or six devilish home-cooked recipes.
“I’m the son of a snack bar family.”
Ah, that was a mistake just now. Information that others wouldn’t be curious about at all. Siwon and Daerim briefly looked at each other and nodded. Warning sounds rang in Seongyeom’s head.
It’s dangerous. Getting more entangled with this person is dangerous!
But the desire to get hopelessly entangled with the man before his eyes collided with reason and won. Daerim asked in a slightly excited voice.
“Would you by any chance be interested in being a housekeeper?”
“…I’m still a college student, so… wouldn’t it be difficult…?”
Reality suddenly returned.
Right, I’m still a college student.
When he gave an awkward smile, Daerim quickly added.
“You’d just need to help with cleaning, cooking, and laundry. We’re planning to have someone else do external errands, so you won’t need to do those directly. Organization members are residing at the mansion.”
“No, but still…”
“Room and board provided plus 5 million per month. Separate from the tutoring fees, of course. How about it?”
Cutting off Seongyeom’s hemming and hawing, Siwon spoke. A sparkle entered Seongyeom’s eyes.
5 million per month…?
“Thank you! I’ll work hard!”
This is definitely a heaven-sent opportunity.
At Seongyeom’s quick change of attitude, Daerim also seemed satisfied and nodded.
“Good. Then it’s settled.”
“I’ll deliver the housekeeper contract as soon as it’s prepared.”
“Yes.”
Siwon, who checked the time on his phone, got up from his seat. As he hurried toward the entrance, he paused for a moment then turned around.
“Oh right. There are rules you need to follow while living in this house. First, don’t go out alone without permission. Second, don’t touch other people’s belongings without permission.”
As precautions suddenly poured out one after another, Seongyeom nodded in a daze. They weren’t particularly difficult rules.
“And third, absolutely keep your mouth shut about what you see and hear here.”
A chilling smile bloomed on his features that were as refreshing as his name.
Absolutely keep your mouth shut about what you see and hear here.
Those words kept circling in his head.
Since they’re gangsters… will I see bloodshed or something?
“Phew…”
He’d get to earn money, but he absolutely couldn’t tell his parents or college friends about this job. If rumors spread wrong, he could be buried socially, let alone getting employed.
Then why not just give up this job? That won’t work either. It’s an opportunity to earn over 20 million won a month!
If I endure just one month, a bright future awaits. If I endure one year, no, just six months, I’ll have enough money left over after getting a jeonse apartment. Seongyeom looked down at the card in his hand, imagining a pink future.
Seongyeom flipped the card over to check the name. ‘Kwon Siwon’ was clearly engraved.
“A credit card…”
Even though he’s a gangster, his credit must be decent.
Seongyeom wondered why Siwon, who possessed not only good looks but also wealth, ended up becoming a gangster boss.
But would they tell me that, haha. Let’s not worry about it.
I’ll just close my eyes and do it!
Seongyeom thought he should go grocery shopping first with the card Siwon gave him. When he checked the kitchen earlier, that housekeeper Chang-ssi either didn’t know how to cook at all or there were only instant noodles for ingredients.
“Going to the mart alone should be okay, right?”
As soon as the tutoring ended, something must have happened because even Yi Cheong and Seoldong all left. Even walking around this big mansion, he couldn’t see anyone. He was left alone in the house. Seongyeom went to the entrance and looked for his shoes.
Teaching kids, doing housework—it’s like I’ve become a devoted spouse. Seongyeom searched for a nearby mart while indulging in his own imagination.
