Dear Chapter 16

Alternative Chapter

Song for this chapter// Dear by Mad Soul Child

“I’m all alone

And yet I’m so far away

To the point I’m irrevocable”

A different take on how SoMi’s future could have been like…

Jung SoMi~

“Pick it up, .”

My knees fell to the floor as my hands patted against the dusty carpet, picking up the bills of cash that the man had strewn all over the floor. I heard the sound of his belt buckle clang as he got dressed. My painted fingernails dug into my palms while I collected my payment, wrinkling up the bills in my hands. The man’s sweaty and tattooed hand gripped my face harshly as he smirked at me. The burning anger that used to emit from my gaze was now smoke as I lifelessly stared back at him. With a final stinging slap to my face, he left the bordello room. Conveniently, the red lighting camouflaged the red imprint on my face as only a scoff left my bruised lips.

The lights flickered on in my bathroom. My own reflection was distorted from the old mirror. The guise of glamor that was expected of us call girls revolted me. In the end, it was simply my body they wanted. I removed my heavy makeup, revealing the true shell of a person I was. My eyes shifted away from my reflection, for I couldn’t bear to see it. I ran my fingers through my knotted and curled hair before filling up the tub with hot water. My arms ached when I reached toward my back to zip down my restricting dress.

I lowered myself into the hot water, not even bothering to clean the grimy corners of the bathtub. I brought my knees to my chest and I rested my head in the hollow of my arms. I sat there in the silence while the water soothed my aching limbs. My ripped lips grazed against the back of my hand and my face was still hurting from the recent assault. Taking one deep breath, I submerged myself into the water. I forced myself to hold my breath as my hands found their way to my neck, gripping tighter and tighter until my throat began to burn.

Twelve years have passed since that night. Ahjussi. I was one step too late and I was forever haunted by his suicide. The image of his fallen figure and the pool of blood tormented me all these years. Why did he have to kill himself? Why did he save me? Why did he go through all the trouble to kill my captors and then take his own life? It was all my fault. If I didn’t get kidnapped, then he wouldn’t have… Overwhelming my desires to die, my body reacted by forcing myself out of the water and my chest heaved as I gasped for air. The severe coughing pained my lungs and all I could do was close my eyes in lassitude.

With my wet hair dripping onto the cold wooden floor, I crouched down to open the doors of my fridge. My stomach was empty. The interior lights filled my sight with brightness in the