Chapter 9
“Are you crazy?”
“What do you mean?”
Was he fearless—or just socially clueless?
After causing that scene in front of the CEO, he was calmly asking back as if nothing had happened.
“Ha… listen, Seo Ji-hwan. Even if you lack social awareness, that person is the CEO of this hotel. How could you possibly—!”
“How could I what? I simply told the company’s CEO honestly about the workload I’m experiencing. And does it make sense to exclude a new employee from the bonus?”
To be fair, Kkot-nim had found that part a bit strange too.
The CEO had clearly looked… pleased when she excluded him.
“That’s just company policy, isn’t it? If the CEO says so, how can a new employee argue like that—!”
“Then what, should I not open my eyes wide? Should I open them like a rectangular prism?”
“…A rectangular prism?”
This lunatic…
Kkot-nim seriously wanted to sew his mouth shut.
But expecting social awareness from a gambling addict was probably asking too much.
A sound mind in a healthy body.
Once again, she concluded that the only way to fix him was to push him hard.
“Follow me!”
“I’m following!”
“What did you say?”
He was getting cheeky again today.
Fine. She’d show him hell again.
Kkot-nim stopped in front of a room scheduled for cleaning.
“There are rules when entering a guest room.”
She demonstrated how to ring the bell and how to say, “May I come in?” while opening the door with the master key.
“And see this D.N.D card on the door? It means—”
She suddenly hesitated.
“Uh… the D stands for… do… do…”
“Do Not Disturb. It means don’t interrupt.”
“I know that too!”
Oh, so now he’s showing off his English?
Grinding her teeth, Kkot-nim entered the room and began collecting towels and linens.
“We replace towels every time a guest checks out.”
Ji-hwan suddenly asked,
“Then how often are linens replaced overall?”
Why is he asking that?
Still, it was a valid question from a trainee.
“Good question. Bed sheets are replaced after about 200 uses, face towels after 120, and bath towels after 230.”
“Then inventory must be managed carefully.”
“Of course. The proper stock level is—”
She paused.
That was something the linen manager handled.
But before she could brush it off—
“It depends on the number of rooms, beds, and daily turnover rate.”
“…Huh?”
“Typically, stock is about 500% of total room capacity. If occupancy is 80%, you adjust accordingly.”
What…? How does he know that?
Sometimes he said nonsense—but other times, he clearly understood hotel operations.
“How do you know that?”
“I studied it in college. Business major—includes hotel management.”
“You… went to college?”
“Of course. I graduated from Y University’s business department.”
Yeah right. If you went to Y University, I went to Harvard’s room maid department.
“…Sure. Let’s say that’s true.”
“‘Let’s say’? Are you saying you don’t believe me?”
“Stop talking nonsense and bring the vacuum cleaner!”
A business major gambling addict?
Ridiculous.
Kkot-nim raised her voice and began teaching him how to clean the floor—with ruthless, military-style intensity.
“From inside to outside! Follow the carpet grain!”
“……”
“Face the exit! Watch the floor as you vacuum! The corner!”
“……”
“The cord is tangled! If you trip, will you bill me for it? Don’t you see the dust?!”
“Ahh! I’ve had enough!”
Already struggling with the heavy industrial vacuum, Ji-hwan snapped and threw the handle aside.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
Kkot-nim’s arm flexed.
Throwing a vacuum—the very soul of housekeeping?
She wanted to grab him by the collar—but restrained herself.
“Senior Eun Kkot-nim, let me ask you something.”
“…What now?”
For a moment, she realized she had flinched—and felt embarrassed.
But Ji-hwan had reached his limit.
“Why are you treating me like this? What exactly do you dislike about me?”
She couldn’t say she knew about his gambling addiction.
And saying “I don’t hate you” didn’t make sense either.
“A sound mind in a healthy body.”
“…What?”
He asked why she was pushing him so hard, and she gave that answer.
Of course, it only made him angrier.
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“You’ve lived an easy life, haven’t you? It means exactly what it says. I’m trying to replace your laziness, complacency, and rotten mindset that relies on luck—with proper work discipline.”
“Laziness… complacency… rotten mindset?”
Sure, he admitted he had been a bit lazy.
But rotten mindset? Him?
That crossed a line.
“And what does that quote even mean?”
“You know Coubertin? Father of the modern Olympics. It’s his quote. My life motto.”
“That’s incorrect. It’s originally from the Roman poet Juvenal’s Satire 10. Coubertin later adopted it. At least get your facts right.”
Her fists trembled.
So smart… and yet here you are, a gambling addict working housekeeping.
“Fine. Good for you. Now grab the vacuum. While I’m still being nice.”
She stuttered slightly.
That was the warning sign.
He should have stopped there.
But he didn’t.
“Why? I corrected you. And honestly, that motto doesn’t suit you.”
“…What?”
“Instead of ‘a sound mind in a healthy body,’ how about ‘a sound mind in strong legs’? Or just… strong legs.”
He smirked—and looked at her calves under her skirt.
That mouth of his had just signed its own death warrant.
“Did you do sports? Your calves look like temple pillars. Really solid. Wrestling? Judo? Cycling?”
“Ke… keep… going…”
Death had entered the room.
But Ji-hwan didn’t notice.
“Let’s revise your motto: ‘A sound mind in strong legs.’ No—just strong legs are enough.”
Talking about her body—
Especially her legs—
Was forbidden.
For a weightlifter, it was practically suicide.
“Hey, you!”
“…You?”
At that moment—
She picked up a glass vase from the table.
Crash—
She crushed it in one hand.
What the hell… is she a maid or a monster?
“What did you just say?”
“…I’m sorry. That was my mistake. Please spare me.”
