Things went smoother than expected at the kindergarten. The director took one look at Luna and smiled. "A relative? She has such a clean presence."
Kids swarmed her instantly—honest, chaotic, and unfiltered. "You smile like a cartoon!" they chirped.
Watching them, I felt a twinge of jealousy. Usually, these kids were a handful; I could yell until my voice went hoarse and they'd barely listen. But now, they were all gravitating around Luna. Sunlight wrapped around her, soft and seamless, as if she had always belonged there.
She was hired on the spot.
From then on, we went to work together every morning. In the afternoon, she would finish her half-day as an assistant and head home first. By the time I returned in the evening, I'd be greeted by a showroom-flat apartment and a hot meal on the table. Thinking about the fact that I was actually making a hundred dollars off this, I felt like I had scored the deal of a lifetime. The arrangement felt surreal—but I didn't question it.
On her third day, my parents arrived unannounced. I opened the door to laughter and the sizzle of hot oil. My mother was at the stove chopping vegetables, while Luna helped beside her. The two of them were smiling as if they had known each other for years.
"Who is this? What's going on?" My mother's eyes widened in shock the moment she saw me. She immediately pulled me aside and whispered, "We thought we'd walked into the wrong apartment!"
"She's live-in help I hired," I explained. My mother stared at me. "That must cost a fortune." I smirked, feeling a bit smug. "It doesn't cost a cent. In fact, she pays me a hundred dollars a month!" My mother's hand flew to her mouth, speechless.
By the time dinner was served, my parents were beyond impressed with Luna. My mother lowered her spoon and exhaled, "Oh, this is… very good." My father nodded in agreement.
After dinner, Luna massaged my mother's shoulders with hands that knew exactly where to press. My father turned to Luna. "Thoughtful girl. Your parents must be proud." "I'm an orphan," she said softly.
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. My parents exchanged a look filled with pure sympathy. My father refilled her tea before mine, and my mother patted the couch beside her, pulling Luna close. "Sit here, dear."
My phone rang—a former classmate inviting me out to catch up. My mother turned to me and suggested gently, "Take Luna with you. It's safer that way, and you girls will have each other's company."
I walked into the KTV with Luna. My classmates spotted her immediately. "Evelyn! Who's your friend?" "She's so sweet!"
A few guys leaned in, curious and smiling. Something tightened in my chest. "She's my housekeeper," I said flatly.
There was a beat of silence. "Ahh." Their enthusiasm vanished like a snuffed candle. Everyone's attention immediately shifted elsewhere. Conversations turned away; shoulders angled inward. Everyone had liked her a moment ago, and now, just as easily, they looked right through her.
I turned to Luna.
She was still smiling. The exact same curve, the exact same warmth—exactly as before. The shift in everyone else's attitude didn't seem to affect her at all. She just sat there, quietly staring at me.