INM 1 Part 6

After serving me breakfast, Brian also left the room to go to work.

Finally regaining my usual routine, I made myself a fresh cup of coffee and began the day’s tasks. At first, I couldn’t focus on the work in front of me, but gradually, through familiar routines, I began to reclaim my world.

A spacious room. Bright curtains. Simple, clean, yet unique interior. The desk is organized, of course, and even the bookshelf in the back, which customers don’t usually see, is neatly arranged.

Yes, this is my world.

As I examined the texture and quality of the leather samples that had arrived, I nodded in satisfaction.

A perfectly harmonious space and the work of an interior designer. These two essential elements make my life complete. No matter how bad things get, they always lift me up… I don’t even think about whether I like this job anymore, but I don’t mind spending hours sanding or sewing if necessary. And when everything fits perfectly into the room as I imagined it, I still jump for joy.

Just as I was appreciating my work, I was called by the receptionist on the first floor. Still in a good mood, I answered, only to be hit with a bombshell the next moment.

“Hey, Luke! You have a visitor.”

“A visitor?” Wyatt, the concierge known for his cheerful demeanor, said, making my head spin. “I didn’t have any appointments today…”

As I panicked and scattered my notebook and equipment, Wyatt, known for his excellent work ethic but poor memory for names, continued. 

“You know, the lady with the medium-length hair who visits you often.” 

“Jane!”

As I called out her name, I understood the situation. 

Jane Elder, the elegant lady who had entrusted me with the interior design of her room and often came to me for advice on furniture arrangements or to fix her half-finished home improvement projects. She was the one who supported my independence and helped me rent this room at a reasonable price.

She had a bad habit that bothered all her acquaintances.

She never made appointments for her visits.

Despite this fatal flaw, she never lacked for friends, for her strengths and good nature far outweighed her weaknesses.

After agreeing to her visit and ending the call with the receptionist, I hurriedly put the kettle on. Then I opened the refrigerator and took out a pound cake with rum-soaked fruit that I happened to have left over, which she liked.

Jane always seemed to show up when I had free time, almost like a psychic. And she always seemed to show up when I had that pound cake in the fridge. If she wasn’t a psychic, she must have planted a bug or something in this office. No, even a bug and security cameras couldn’t explain her perfect timing.

I quickly tidied up the papers on my desk and opened the front door to wait for her. 

Soon, led by the lively chatter… of course, it was her own voice, Jane appeared, beaming at me. Her dazzling blonde hair and the ever-present smile on her lips. Despite frequent jetting off to islands and seaside resorts, her fair skin was glowing, and when I was invited to her sixtieth birthday party, I was utterly amazed at her actual age. 

Jane approached with her usual leisurely stride, arms outstretched. 

“Oh, darling! It’s been a while!” 

“Hey, Jane. I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been up to this time.” 

“Oh, you naughty, naughty boy!” Jane laughed heartily and hugged me, then whispered in my ear. 

“Can’t we take down that wall after all? I found a sofa that fits perfectly in this room.” 

“No, we can’t. There’s an important column supporting the ceiling inside. Do you want to experience “The Engineer’s Thumb” in real life? If you don’t want to kiss the ceiling, behave yourself.” 

Jane gently clicked her tongue at my words, then let me go with a smile as if nothing had happened and turned around. 

At the end of her gaze, a woman who had been quietly watching our interaction smiled weakly at me. 

“Hello.”

Noticing my gaze, the woman spoke to me in a raspy voice. She seemed like a crescent moon, almost dwarfed by Jane’s overwhelming brightness. 

“Hello, welcome to my office! Are you with Jane?” 

“She’s your client, darling. I’m just the escort.” 

“Okay, okay, why didn’t you tell me that before?” 

After saying something pointless, I turned back to the woman. 

“Nice to meet you, I’m Lucas. I’m an interior designer and this is my office.” 

She looked at my outstretched hand for a moment with a slightly stiff expression.

At the last possible moment, before Jane and I found it suspicious, she shook my hand. Her challenging look made me tilt my head inwardly in curiosity. 

More than the meaning of that look, I was intrigued by how her demeanor changed in an instant. At first glance, I estimated her age to be in her early fifties, but with that expression, she suddenly seemed much younger. The dark circles under her eyes, the tired skin, and the eyes that reflected her inner turmoil… these gave her an older appearance despite her neat and clean clothes. She might even be a little younger. 

“My name is Maria. It is a pleasure to meet you.” 

“Welcome, Mary! Please come in. Just to be sure, Jane didn’t drag you here against your will, did she? It’s important to talk about these things.”

Maria’s smile deepened slightly at my words, and Jane raised her eyebrows gracefully. 

“It’s good that you’re becoming more direct, darling. Maria asked me to introduce you.” 

“Really? I don’t advertise, so it’s rare that someone comes to me on their own.” 

As I led them into the office, Maria smiled a little awkwardly. 

“I heard about you from Jane a while ago. I didn’t think about hiring you then.” 

“I told her you were good, but I wouldn’t recommend you.” 

“Jane.”

Jane smiled cheerfully at my sullen expression, as if to say, “You know why. Maria continued. 

“It is just that recently something very painful happened and I remembered your name. When I go back to this house, I can’t help but remember the painful things. I thought maybe it would be better to change everything.” 

“I tried to stop her, you know.” 

“You don’t have to stop her so many times!” 

“But she seemed determined, so I brought her. You know, like shock therapy. It might refresh her mood.” 

“Jane!” 

I raised my voice in protest against my regular client who said something outrageous to the new client.

She elegantly brushed off my protest with a hearty laugh and sat down on the sofa with practiced ease. 

Even though I’m gay, I think all women have a certain charm. When the two of them sat on the sofa, the atmosphere in the office became much softer and warmer. It was like putting flowers in a barren room.

“So, Maria. Are we here today to discuss the interior design of your house?”

As I placed macadamia nut flavored tea in front of them, along with milk, coconut sugar, and cake, Maria tilted her head slightly in a vague way. Trying to determine if her body language was positive or negative, I watched her closely as she spoke softly.

“Yes, I suppose it is.”

Her answer was vague. 

While Maria seemed to be pondering, Jane, eyeing the offered cake with satisfaction, took a deliberately slow sip from her Odessa Platinum cup. No use. It seemed I couldn’t count on her support. I gave up on Jane’s interpretation and spoke up. 

“Um, are you looking for advice on coordinating your whole house, or just one room? Or maybe you want to know what interior design is all about?” 

“Ah, yes. I’d like to hear about that.” 

Maria finally nodded with a relieved look on her face. 

“I don’t want to change the interior right away. It’s just that I’ve never had the design of a room reviewed before, so I’m curious to see what it’s like. I hope it’s not rude to take up your time.” 

“Not at all.”

I laughed and agreed. 

“So basically, you like your current home, but you’d like some advice on changing the interior if there’s anything worth considering?” 

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m not really planning on changing it by force.”

“All right, Maria. Don’t worry, I won’t show up at your house with a drill against your will. Can you tell me the layout of your house first?” 

I took out the prepared paper and began to draw the layout as Maria hesitantly explained it. 

It was a common layout, nothing out of the ordinary. Probably a suburban house.

I asked her to mark the furniture arrangement on the floor plan and then asked if she had any photos that would give me an idea of the house.

“I took some this morning. I hope they help you visualize it-it’s a house that was built about five years ago.”

Maria handed me her smartphone, and as I looked at the photos of her house, I nodded in understanding. 

“I understand why you don’t want to change the interior. You’ve given it a lot of thought.” 

Maria smiled slightly at my words. 

It was a very Her-like house. At first glance, it seemed simple, but the furniture was carefully crafted and the room layout was well thought out. However, it felt a bit more dignified and purposeful than her impression. 

Thinking this far, I stopped. I looked again at the layout and furniture arrangement of Maria’s house.

Noticing my contemplative state, Jane, who had elegantly finished her cake, spoke up.

“Oh, darling, when you get lost in thought, you look like a teenager.” 

“Jane, I am a mature adult man, no matter how you look at it.” 

Jane brushed off my protest with a graceful laugh and continued. 

“If something is bothering you, just say it. It is not like you to hesitate to speak.” 

With her elegant and soft tone, yet accustomed to urging people on, I quickly conceded defeat. I had a resigned certainty that I would never win against her. 

“I have a more personal question, Maria.” 

Prompted by Jane, I boldly asked the shadowy woman before me. 

“What kind of person is the man of this house… your husband?”