My phone alarm goes off, jolting me awake. I rise from the bed, determination coursing through me. It's the big day—my job interview! I rush out of bed and head straight to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth, I take a quick shower and dry my long black hair hurriedly with a towel in front of the mirror.
I scurry back to my room, opening the wardrobe to pick out my outfit. I slip on a short flowery dress and, standing in front of the mirror, tie my hair into a neat ponytail. I dab some face cream on my skin and apply a clear gloss to my lips.
Taking in my reflection, I nod approvingly. On to the next step! I grab a pair of black flats and my tote bag before heading into the living room.
"Good morning!" I sing out cheerfully.
"Good morning, Aunt Kitten!" Ha Eun replies cheerfully from the table.
I rush over to her and give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "If this isn't my sweetest cheeks! I see you're all ready to go to school."
"You bet! This one right here loves going to school. Thank God she doesn't take after me," Hye Ri says as she turns off the gas and serves breakfast. I nod in agreement with her last sentence, and Hye Ri catches that, giggling as she drinks her milk. "Ready for your interview, Kitten?"
"Yes ma'am! I think I'll head out now so I'm not late."
"I figured you might want to leave early, so I made you a sandwich. Going to an interview on an empty stomach is a bad decision," she shrugs.
I grab the sandwich, taking a huge bite while attempting to put on my shoes with my free hand. Hye Ri watches me with amusement as I make ridiculous attempts at balancing.
One more big bite and I'm done with the sandwich. I pour myself a glass of water from the jug on the table and down it quickly, putting the glass down dramatically with a satisfied sigh.
"See you guys later!"
Throughout my bus journey, I can feel my palms getting sweaty. Somehow, nerves creep in. After alighting at the last bus stop, I pull out my phone to use the map for directions.
The neighborhood is extremely quiet and serene, and the view is stunning. It definitely gives off 'rich society' vibes if I'm being honest. If I'd taken a taxi, I would have arrived faster, but I need to save money, so walking took about thirty minutes—thankfully, I left home early.
Standing in front of the huge gated mansion makes me feel even poorer than usual. I dial the agent's number to inform him of my arrival, and not long after, the gate opens to reveal a tall man who greets me and leads me into the house.
Wow! The interior is incredible!
As we walk through a charming garden that feels like something out of a fairytale, I mentally scold myself to focus. Slapping my cheeks gently with my palms helps bring me back to reality as I follow closely behind him.
We reach the entrance of the house. He pulls open a glass door and waits for me to enter. Curiosity hits me hard—I can't wait to see who owns this magnificent mansion. Is it some A-list celebrity? Does my Lee Ye live in similar luxury? This thought brings a smile to my face until it vanishes at the sound of an angry yell coming from inside.
"You are fired!" A deep voice echoes through the space, sending shivers down my spine.
The man in front of me stops and steps aside for me to enter the living room area. My eyes land on a young woman in uniform crying as she shakes on her feet. My heart goes out to her.
Uh-oh… this celebrity is definitely a diva, just as I suspected.
The agent clears his throat to get my attention. Realizing it's time for me to step forward, I do so hesitantly. The celebrity stands there—tall with broad shoulders—and his white T-shirt clings just enough for me to see he works out regularly.
But he still has an awful attitude, I remind myself inwardly.
The agent calls over the man behind me who takes away the young woman who has been apologizing profusely. As they leave, I hear the celebrity say, "And you—who the hell are you?"
Me? My eyebrows nearly shoot up at his rudeness.
I turn around to answer him but suddenly freeze. My mouth hangs open as butterflies flutter wildly in my stomach.
Holy shit!
"Mr. Baek?" he calls out urgently.
"Yes, I'm here," Mr. Baek answers immediately as he moves closer to him.
"Did you bring me someone with hearing impairment?" he snaps irritably.
Mr. Baek replies, but everything around me fades away and time seems to stand still.
I'm lost staring at Lee Ye's beautiful face—his scowl only makes him even more captivating. Poor Mr. Baek signals for me to say something until he finally gives up and shakes his head disappointedly.
A smile starts creeping onto my face as I open my mouth to speak but—
"You are fired."
My sweet Lee Ye… I had no idea we would ever meet in this lifetime!
"Wait—what?"
The words tumble out before I can stop them as confusion washes over me like cold water splashing from a bucket.
He turns his piercing gaze toward me again, eyebrows raised in disbelief as if he can't fathom why I'm still standing there instead of running for cover like everyone else in his life seems to do when he gets angry.
"Are you here for an interview or just here for comedic relief?" he asks sarcastically.
I blink rapidly, trying to process what just happened while also trying not to swoon over how ridiculously handsome he is—even when he's being rude!
"I—I'm here for an interview," I stammer awkwardly.
"Well then," he says with an exaggerated sigh as if dealing with mere mortals is such an inconvenience for him. "Can you cook?"
As he gestures for me to sit down across from him at an opulent table that looks like it belongs in a royal palace rather than an ordinary mansion, one thought crosses my mind—this is going to be one wild ride!