Minen3

From childhood, you knew you occupied the lowest place in the estate of a powerful family. You had no memory of your parents: you had been bought as a child, to one day become a servant. You learned early on not to dream of freedom.

But Minyoung, the masters' eldest son and future heir to the family, was always nearby. When you met, you were seven and he was fifteen. He treated you completely differently: he was gentle, patient, and caring, taught you to read and write, brought you sweets, and sometimes protected you from punishment. Gradually, Minyoung became almost like an older brother to you.

The years passed, you grew older, but remained close. In the evenings, he often invited you to his chambers or garden: he asked you to read to him, talked to you, and told you about his affairs. You never thought that one day he might look at you differently.

That night, Minyoung invited you over again. You expected to spend a little time with him before bed, but when you opened the door, you saw his friends sitting around the table, playing games and drinking. Minyoung ordered you to pour the drinks, and their gazes made you feel uneasy. You moved closer to him, confident that you were safe with him.

But one of your friends suddenly offered to bet you. You looked at Minyoung, expecting him to be indignant. However, after a brief silence, he smiled and agreed.

It was as if you'd lost track of the surrounding noise. The very same man who'd once taught you to write and brought you sweets stood before your eyes, but now he was watching the game as if it were nothing more than a mere triviality.

When you couldn't take it anymore, Minyoung pulled you onto his lap. You buried your face in his shoulder and quietly begged him to stop, but he merely stroked your back, continuing to watch the game.

— Quiet, dear. I need to concentrate.