Chapter 11| When The Rooster crows

Ginny stirred restlessly in her sleep, her mind struggling to latch onto the remnants of a dream she couldn't remember. The sound that interrupted her peaceful slumber gnawed at her senses like a persistent whisper in the dark. She rolled in bed, clutching her pillow tighter, willing the noise to cease. But it didn't. In fact, it grew louder.

She slammed her hands down on the sheets in frustration, her eyes snapping open. "What the… ARGHHHHH!" Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest as her gaze landed on the source of the ruckus—an actual rooster, strutting around the edge of her bed, eyeing her like an old adversary.

Ginny recoiled, stumbling backward in her blanket cocoon. The rooster pecked at the floor, its beady eyes following her every move, and she could feel her sanity hanging by a thread.

By the door, standing in complete nonchalance, was Seung Woo, his arms crossed and his expression as impassive as ever.

"Are you crazy?!" Ginny's voice cracked, a mix of panic and fury as she rubbed her throat, dry as sandpaper. She was utterly parched, but the rooster was her first priority right now.

"Get that filthy animal from me!" she yelled, waving her arms wildly as the rooster followed her like a dog, never giving her a moment of peace.

Seung Woo, unfazed, gazed down at his shoes, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You didn't seem punctual, so I decided to offer my assistance."

Ginny's eyes narrowed. 'I am going to strangle him when I get the chance,' she thought, but then her gaze flickered out the window. The sky was still dark, the faintest hint of dawn just beginning to touch the horizon.

"You wicked man," she muttered under her breath, her voice dripping with venom.

Seung Woo didn't flinch, his response cold and cutting. "Like I said, when the rooster crows, now get to work."

Ginny's temper boiled over, her chest tightening with frustration, but she forced herself to calm down. 'I'm going to get him back for this,' she promised herself silently, although she knew this wasn't going to be easy.

"Prepare my bath," Seung Woo commanded, his eyes already on something else, dismissing her completely as he turned and strode from the room.

Ginny collapsed to the floor, face-first into the cool stone, and groaned. 'I can't believe I have to deal with him.' As if her life wasn't already a never-ending nightmare, she was now being forced to cater to this arrogant, insufferable man. But then, at the sharp crow of the rooster, her body jolted upright. There was no more time for sulking. She had work to do.

She hurried out of her room, trying to ignore the nagging feeling that this wasn't just some twisted morning routine—this was a test. She caught a glimpse of Seung Woo in the distance, jogging lightly through the morning mist, his form effortlessly graceful even in the light of early dawn.

'I'm going to kill him,' she thought, but she immediately set to work. She trekked for what felt like an eternity, three miles to the palace well, her arms already aching from the weight of the first bucket. But there was no time to rest. She hauled the water back and forth, each trip more exhausting than the last. One bucket after another, her muscles burned as she dragged them back to his chambers.

Her fifth trip was the worst yet. As she walked back, the sky was just beginning to lighten, but her frustration was at its peak. She glanced over to see Seung Woo training with his sword, the sharp sound of steel slicing the air. His movements were fluid, controlled—almost hypnotic.

Ginny cursed him under her breath in a mix of languages, her temper flaring once again. 'I swear I'm going to knock that sword out of his hand and shove it where the sun doesn't shine,' she thought. As she prepared to kick the air in pure annoyance, her eyes locked with his for a split second.

Her legs froze mid-kick, and her posture straightened automatically, but Seung Woo returned to his practice without so much as a second glance, dismissing her entirely.

She continued her trek back to the well, but by the time the rooster crowed again, she could barely keep her eyes open. 'Unbelievable,' she thought bitterly, spitting on the ground in frustration.

The bath was finally full. Ginny, aching and exhausted, made her way back to the palace. She spotted Seung Woo, still training, but now he was closer to his quarters. The urge to march up to him and throw the water in his face was almost overwhelming, but she controlled herself. Barely.

She reached his chambers just as he stepped inside, sweat glistening on his skin, his hair damp and sticking to his forehead. The sight of him—his body, still glistening with moisture—caught her completely off guard. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him, wide-eyed and momentarily speechless.

"Holy mother of hot men," she whispered to herself before slapping her own cheek, as if the action could pull her back to her senses. 'Focus, Ginny. Focus.'

She shook her head, trying to steady her heart. 'I will not be swayed,' she told herself under her breath.

Seung Woo turned slowly, locking eyes with her, his gaze so sharp it felt like he was seeing through her. Ginny stiffened, her body betraying her as her pulse quickened. 'Get it together,' she thought, but she immediately looked away, her face heating up.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, his tone curious but also somewhat... amused?

She glared at him, trying to regain some semblance of control over herself. "What are you looking at?" she shot back, raising her chin defiantly.

Seung Woo raised an eyebrow and followed her gaze down to his torso. Ginny's face went crimson, her stomach doing a strange flip as she quickly averted her eyes.

Before she could come up with a coherent excuse, he strode into the room, leaving her standing in the doorway.

"Take off my clothes," he commanded, his voice brooking no argument.

Ginny's feet moved before she even realized it, her body betraying her once again. She stopped herself just as her hands reached his collar, her mind racing. 'What the hell, Ginny?' she slapped her own cheek, mortified.

"I can't do that," she admitted, her voice shaking just a little more than she wanted it to.

Seung Woo's gaze darkened, but there was a dangerous glint in his eye. "Oh, you will." His tone was as cool as ever, but something in his words sent a shiver down her spine.