Chapter 3 Joday and Doday

"Is she alright?"

"She looks pale."

The voices surrounded me as I slowly opened my eyes, greeted by a ceiling painted in soothing shades of blue. Confusion filled my mind as I tried to piece together my surroundings. Where am I?

"She's awake!"

"Hey, Lyka! Are you okay now?" Miss Linda's concerned voice reached my ears, but my head throbbed, making it hard to focus.

"Miss Linda, what happened?" I asked, my gaze scanning the room. Madam approached, walking towards the side of the bed where I lay.

"You made us worried, Lyka. You fainted...." she explained, gently brushing a stray strand of hair away from my face. As she did so, her kind nature became evident.

"F-fainted? Oh my! I'm so sorry, Madam! It's my first day here in the mansion, and I should be working!" I exclaimed, ready to jump up and resume my duties. However, Madam stopped me.

"No, no, it's okay. You need to rest-"

Before she could finish her sentence, a loud growl echoed from my stomach. I felt my face flush with embarrassment. Not again! The hunger persisted, refusing to be ignored.

"Oh, uh, sorry Madam, Miss Linda...." I mumbled shyly, avoiding their gaze.

"Oh! You fainted because you were hungry, right?" Madam asked, deducing the cause. I was about to deny it, but before I could utter a word, she instructed Miss Linda, "Prepare some food for Lyka, immediately!" Her command was swift, and Miss Linda promptly obeyed.

What was happening? I was supposed to be the one serving them, but here they were, taking care of me.

"Lyka, what happened? You didn't eat anything before coming here? That's not a healthy lifestyle, Miss," Madam scolded, her concern evident.

I couldn't believe it. They were just too kind, too caring.

"Here it is, Madam."

"Thank you, Linda..."

"...Lyka, feel free to eat now. Satisfy your hunger, okay? After you've eaten, Linda will show you around the mansion. It's nice to meet you!" Madam said before bidding her farewell.

Once again, I was taken aback by their unexpected kindness. I had anticipated a strict and unfriendly environment, but instead, they displayed genuine care and compassion. Perhaps, working here would turn out to be a positive experience after all.

"You may eat now, Lyka," Miss Linda said with a warm smile.

I mouthed a silent 'thank you' and, following Madam's instructions, I began to satisfy my hunger.

The food in front of me looked absolutely delicious! My mouth watered at the sight of it. I couldn't believe they allowed a maid like me to eat such expensive fruits and dishes. It felt like I was being spoiled.

"Thank you so much, Miss Linda. The food was amazing!" I exclaimed, clapping my hands with delight.

"Madam is truly kind, isn't she?" Miss Linda said, helping me to stand up. I feel much better now. Food really works like magic. I chuckled at my own thoughts.

"She really is! I'm sure I'm going to love working here," I replied, excitement evident in my voice.

"Calm down, Miss. Now, I'll show you the maids' quarters," Miss Linda said, leading me to a plain pink door adorned with a simple lace doorknob. It looked simple yet neat. As we entered, four beds greeted us.

Four beds? That meant there were two other housekeepers besides me. No wonder the mansion was so big.

"This bed is for you, Lyka, and the one next to it is mine," Miss Linda explained. "The other two are for Joday and Doday. Since you're all close in age, I'm sure you'll become good friends," she smiled.

So, Joday and Doday were my fellow housekeepers. I hoped we would get along well. I quickly placed my belongings on my bed. It looked warm and comfortable. Each bed also had a small table beside it. The maids in this mansion were definitely well taken care of.

Miss Linda proceeded to show me around the mansion-the kitchen, the pool area, the garage, the garden-every nook and cranny except for one room, which belonged to someone named Kiro. I didn't bother asking about it since I wasn't particularly interested.

"Lyka, this is our uniform- the maid's uniform," Miss Linda handed me the outfit.

"You should change into it since it's time for work."

I went to the comfort room to change and looked at myself in the mirror. The uniform suited me surprisingly well. Was I really destined to be a maid? I chuckled at the thought.

"Wow! You look stunning in the uniform, Lyka! Your beauty doesn't match what you're wearing. You look like a princess!" Miss Linda exclaimed, looking at me with awe.

Princess. That's what my Papa used to call me when I was a child. I smiled weakly at the memory.

"Thank you, Miss Linda," I said shyly.

"Oh my goodness! You're such a sweet and beautiful person, Lyka! Now, let's head to the kitchen and get to work," she said, leading the way as I followed.

As we entered the kitchen, the air was filled with a mouthwatering aroma. It seems that Joday and Doday have already cooked something delicious.

"Joday and Doday, come over here! I want to introduce you to our new friend that Madam hired," Miss Linda called out.

The two immediately approached us. Like me, they were dressed in maid uniforms. I wanted to smile at them, but their expressions seemed to say 'don't smile at us'.

"This is Joday, Lyka. She's assigned to take care of the pool and garage areas of the mansion," Miss Linda introduced me to her. Joday had cute curls and fierce eyes. I smiled at her, but she just smirked in response.

"Nice to meet you," I said politely.

"K," was Joday's short response.

"And this is Doday," Lady Linda continued. Doday had a bubbly personality, with a carefree and cheerful attitude.

"Hi Lyka! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" Doday exclaimed, repeating the phrase several times. I extended my hand to shake hers, but she surprised me by pulling me into a hug. It was endearing.

Despite Joday's stern look, there was a friendliness about Doday. Overall, I felt like I would enjoy working with them.

"You're so cute, Doday!" I said, trying to compliment her. But her mood suddenly shifted.

"What did you just say?" Doday's expression changed, and she raised an eyebrow.

I looked at Lady Linda, confused about the sudden change in Doday's demeanor. What had I said wrong?

"W-what's wrong with being cute, Doday?" I asked, seeking an explanation.

"It's just wrong and unrighteous. I'm not just cute, I'm beautiful!" Doday replied, sounding a bit angry.

"Oh, um, yes! You're beautiful like a goddess, perhaps?" I tried to appease her, and she responded by latching onto my arm.

"Oh my gosh, you're right! I am a goddess, aren't I? You're so honest! Oh my gosh!" Doday exclaimed in her unique way. She was definitely an interesting character.

"Okay, okay, girls! Back to work!" Miss Linda intervened, bringing our attention back to our duties. We quickly went to our assigned areas. I was in charge of the garden, so I hurriedly made my way there.

As I entered the garden, I was greeted by a breathtaking sight. There were various flowers like daisies, rosemary, roses, orchids, and more. It was a paradise of colors and scents, reminding me of my mother's love for flowers. I felt a pang of longing for my family.

I busied myself by picking fresh leaves from the plants and trees. The work was not too demanding, and I enjoyed being surrounded by nature.

"Lyka! It's time to eat lunch!" I heard Miss Linda's voice calling from the mansion. I responded with a shout of acknowledgement and quickly made my way inside.

"Lyka, please help me prepare the food," Miss Linda instructed me.

I smiled and replied, "Yes, Miss."

"By the way, Lyka, you look familiar. When you were standing in front of the gate earlier, you reminded me of someone I know," Miss Linda said, trying to explain herself.

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I remind you of someone? Who is this person you're talking about, Miss?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, forget about that, Lyka! Haha! Let's just focus on our work," she said, changing the subject and setting the table with utensils. It was strange. My face seemed familiar to her, and she mentioned someone from her past.

Who could it be? I let out a sigh, deciding to put that thought aside and concentrate on my tasks.

As I looked at the table, I noticed that there were only five plates. Miss Linda had mentioned that Madam wanted the maids to eat with her. So, I assumed the five plates were for Madam, Lady Linda, Joday, Doday, and myself. But what about Kiro? I had no idea about Kiro's connection to Madam. Was he her husband or son? And why were there only five plates?

"Joday, does Madam live alone in this mansion?" I asked, leaning towards Joday who was standing next to me.

"Are you dumb or something? Do you think we are ghosts?" she replied sarcastically, or maybe it was meant as a joke.

"No, that's not what I meant. I was asking if she's the only one living here, without any relatives," I clarified.

Joday rolled her eyes at me. "Huh! Can you stop bothering me? I'm here to work... And to answer your question, it's something for me to know and for you to find out," she smirked.

Sighing again, I realized that Joday and I probably wouldn't get along very well.