Doberman

Chapter 08

 

It gradually became blurred and hazy. Even knowing that, Owen couldn’t do anything about it. With a regretful expression, Owen released his hand from Sarin. Sarin’s neck was so stiff that she couldn’t move it properly to face the front again.

 

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

 

When she honestly expressed her feelings, he chuckled briefly.

 

“It’s about the dogs. The story of the mother and siblings of the dogs I raise.”

 

“Ah….”

 

If the dogs grew up together at a young age, it was only natural for them to become siblings. Raising pets was no different from vowing to live with them as family for a lifetime. As they aged, the clouding of their eyes and their loss of vision were reflected in his eyes.

 

“My earliest memory after I was born is being thrown into a cage where the dogs were confined.”

 

Startled, Sarin looked at Owen reflexively. His smiling face alone made it impossible to tell if what he said was telling the truth or just a joke. Satisfied with the widened pupils of Sarin, he didn’t say anything more. In the end, she decided to take it as a joke.

 

“You look like someone who has heard the sound of dogs barking.”

 

“Of course, if you hear such a story, you’d think it’s a joke like I do.”

 

“You’re quite good at English; did you learn it to come here?”

 

“You speak quite a bit of English; did you learn it to come here?”

 

“No, I didn’t. Just…”

 

In the rural mountains of Gangwon Province, their mom taught English intensively to both Irin and Sarin. She didn’t punish them for failing other subjects, but she would get frighteningly angry and even beat them if they didn’t do well in English.

 

For their mom, who had always suffered from violence from her stepfather and even got caught when she tried to run away to another town, studying English and going abroad seemed to be the only chance to escape from this miserable life.

 

Looking back now, it was indeed like that.

 

“You must never live like your mom.”

 

Living on this small plot of land, their mom would often say that as if it were a habit. It was impossible to afford to send them to all the private institutes given their difficult circumstances, and their mom knew that she and her sister were not particularly smart.

 

She didn’t need them to be good at everything when she couldn’t even support them properly, but she insisted they excel in at least English. She said they needed to do it well so they could eat and live anywhere.

 

Having lived her whole life in Gangwon Province, her dream was for her daughters to get out of there and see the world.

 

Her older sister, Irin, fulfilled their mom’s dream first. She studied hotel management and got a job at Eden City. Sarin, on the other hand, only managed to leave Korea after her mom and Irin passed away.

 

Eden City was the first foreign place Irin and Sarin visited.

 

“I learned it since I was a kid.”

 

Sarin said succinctly, skipping over the myriad of emotions.

 

The car soon entered the luxury street of Eden City. Located not far from the hotel, it gathered famous brands from around the world. Tourists in Eden City would visit the casino at night and explore this luxury street during the day.

 

The clean street, with neatly cleared snow, was paved with wide granite, and all the buildings had only two floors.

 

The shops are decorated according to the characteristics of each luxury brand and have the same number of floors to create a sense of unity. People strolled through the street, taking pictures, as vehicles were controlled from the entrance of the luxury street. Eden City, where no value-added tax applied to all luxury items, was also known as a shopping paradise.

 

She recognized the streets from the brochure she had read on the plane. While she hadn’t planned on coming here when heading to Eden City, she ended up here because of someone else’s decision.

 

“We’re here.”

 

When the driver opened the door, Owen, who got off first, spoke, pulling the gloves on his hands.

 

What business could he possibly have here?

 

The thought didn’t linger long. As she quickly followed him out, a chilly wind seeped into her coat. She felt a little hot when she was wrestling with the dogs, but now that she was out in the warmth and her body felt uncomfortable, she was more aware of the cold.

 

The man, who was already imposing, looked even more intimidating in his black cashmere coat. The only time she considered someone’s back threatening was when she watched UFC fighters in a match.

 

Unconsciously, a dry swallow passed down her throat. Her instinct to keep her distance made her steps falter involuntarily.

 

Among the sturdy men around, the one with a head taller than the others stood out. The man’s appearance was outstanding, as if he had just returned from an opera performance.

 

Dressed in a high-quality dark gray herringbone suit with a glossy light gray shirt beneath, the smooth neck under the sharp jawline seamlessly extended down to the perfectly tied necktie.

 

Just like the first time they met, his expressionless face and immaculate attire made it impossible to read any emotion, as if he were a perfect figure that even a needle wouldn’t penetrate.

 

Anyone who saw him, even if they didn’t know who he was, would immediately know. Sarin chuckled to herself at the thought that he’s a man with an imposing presence that only gets relieved when standing on top of someone’s head.

 

With that face, he was a man who wouldn’t bat an eye even if someone died right in front of him.

 

Yet the aura of the composed man exudes elegance, almost obscuring his innate nature. She caught a glimpse of his true nature. The blind emotion she felt from the face that was pressed close to her.

 

He was a man who would play with anything that piqued his curiosity, never hesitating or stirring to get his hands on it.

 

“Stop rolling your small head unnecessarily.”

 

Owen turned around and, with gloved hands, placed them on Sarin’s head. It was a pressure that silently urged her to follow without expressing any other thoughts. He could already see Sarin’s eyes instinctively calculating if she could call for help.

 

“Or scream or something.”

 

That would be a bit of a hassle.

 

His golden eyes flashed. In Eden City, this man’s authority was absolute. Owen’s hand, which slowly descended from Sarin’s head, enveloped her shoulder. Then he pulled her small body close to him.

 

On the frozen back of her hand, she felt the soft touch of cashmere. To avoid falling, she had to move her steps as Owen led the way.

 

“You’d better not get me in trouble, Sarin.”

 

“If I behave myself…”

 

She was about to ask if he would return her passport.

 

“I’ll let you do whatever you want.”

 

It was a strange thing to say. The phrase “I’ll let you do whatever you want.” resonated sweetly in her ears.

 

“…Even money?”

 

Owen’s steps, which had been wrapping her shoulders in a seemingly affectionate manner, soon came to a halt. It felt like his gaze pierced through her exposed skin, catching the curious eyes of onlookers.

 

With one hand, he effortlessly spun her body around and then firmly grasped both of her shoulders with his hands. He bends over like a menacing flying animal, and their eyes quickly meet.

 

Then he puts his eyes straight in front of her face and asks.

 

“Do you need money?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How much?”

 

“A lot. I need a lot.”

 

“If you were in such desperate need, why did you obediently stay quiet when that guy hassled you for your chips, like a moron?”

 

The gloved fingers scratched Sarin’s cheek. Before answering, she swallowed her breath. Even saliva didn’t come out of her parched mouth. Her voice broke.

 

Maybe it was the trembling that made it crack.

 

“…Because I can’t die.”

 

“Who decides that?”

 

“I can’t die yet.”

 

Not yet.

 

Owen stared intently at Sarin with that subtle nuance. Her English was fluent, but there were occasional awkward parts. Perhaps this was one of those moments.

 

“I hired a very expensive dog walker.”

 

He might not know how much she truly desired or why she spoke in such a manner. Sarin needed more money than someone’s paycheck would allow. Owen lifted her chin, which was looking down, unable to meet his gaze.

 

He had seen countless pairs of eyes sending desperate looks towards him. Most of them belonged to those addicted to gambling, standing at the edge of the cliff, or people facing imminent death. These eyes amused him and provided a sense of fun amidst his otherwise carefree daily life. Perhaps he doesn’t even know if he established Eden City for the sake of these amusing and entertaining eyes.

 

That desperation was the only thing that brought excitement into his otherwise mundane routine.

 

“Just do what you’re told properly. Stop having futile thoughts and behave quietly, looking pretty.”

 

The hand that was holding her chin moved down to her neck. Owen extended his tongue, gently gliding it over his lower lip as he gazed at Sarin.

 

There’s nothing that won’t happen in Eden City. Especially when it comes to money.

 

That’s the easiest part.

 

He claimed that what was most challenging for her was the simplest for him. Everyone came to Eden City for the same reason as Sarin—lured by the prospect of wealth. They hoped to seize a golden opportunity and devoted their lives to this place, knowing they could only leave when they died. The king who reigns at the top of it all offers a mouth-watering deal.

 

How long would she have to stay here?

 

And the moment she left, she wondered if he would be able to fulfill his word.

 

“You’ll have to pay me a lot of money.”

 

Her voice was still shaky.

 

As Owen looked at Sarin, he chuckled, sticking out his tongue.

 

This man was simply following his instincts. He had a knack for seeing a person’s weaknesses and turning them into the most beautiful dreams.

 

There was nothing he couldn’t accomplish.

 

Sarin didn’t believe those words. The man, like the dog wagging its tail, plunged her into the mud and arrogantly mocked her by standing over the dreams that sweetly wet her ears.

 

That’s the nature of a jerk.

 

It won’t work.

 

In her mind, Sarin spoke to someone back in Korea. But she knew she wouldn’t hear her, so it was more like a promise to herself.

 

‘This man is really not good.’

 

With such thoughts, she awkwardly smiled, following Owen.