Episode 2

So-hee’s eyes widened in fear. He bought her debt? What did that mean? Just yesterday, she had been dragged around the rooftop by her hair by Mr. Kim. She had only been able to pay the interest, never touching the principal, and was always treated like dirt because of it.

Mr. Kim, with his disgusting grin, would beat and molest her whenever she couldn’t come up with the money. He treated her as his plaything, always laughing with his greasy eyes, showing he wanted more than just money from her. So-hee had resigned herself to the fact that she would never escape his filthy grasp.

But now, Mr. Kim had sold her debt? To this man?

“Is this too complicated? Let me explain.”

As So-hee’s confusion grew, the man made a finger gun and pointed it at her face. Instinctively, she closed her eyes. His calloused finger lightly tapped her forehead, then withdrew. Despite his cold demeanor, his touch was surprisingly warm, enough to momentarily thaw her frozen fear.

“You’re the debtor.”

When she cautiously opened her eyes, his finger was now pointing at his own face.

“And I’m the creditor.”

Could this be true? Or was it a lie? Why would someone buy another’s debt, especially when it was clear from her living conditions that she could barely pay the interest? Why take on a debt that was hard to collect?

“You’re suspicious, aren’t you?”

The man chuckled softly and reached inside his coat. He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and unfolded it before her eyes. It was a debt transfer document, complete with red stamps and signatures.

Transferee: Gye Wonho
Transferor: Kim Jungsik

Kim Jungsik was the name of Mr. Kim who collected interest from her. So, this man’s name was Gye Wonho. Despite everything, So-hee thought it suited him well.

“If you still don’t believe me, I can bring Mr. Kim here. Though I doubt you’d be happy to see him.”

“No, no. I believe you.”

So-hee’s scalp still ached from where Mr. Kim had yanked her hair. The thought of seeing him again was so repulsive that she’d rather take a beating from this man instead.

“Well, I think that’s enough about me for now.”

She had many questions but couldn’t bring herself to ask. Instead, she focused intently on every word he said.

“I’ll be coming here every Thursday. Have the money ready.”

The multimillion-won debt transfer document disappeared back into his coat like it was just a piece of scrap paper.

“What time…?”

The man laughed as if he had heard something amusing.

“You expect me to come at a specific time?”

Realizing how it might have sounded, So-hee hurried to explain.

“No, it’s just… I’m sorry. I have a part-time job on Thursdays.”

She worked every day, but Thursdays were especially busy with morning and afternoon tutoring sessions. The man pretended to ponder exaggeratedly before handing her his phone.

“Give me your number. I’ll call before I come.”

After a moment of hesitation, So-hee entered her number into his phone. She was wondering how to save her name when he suddenly snatched the phone back.

“Don’t even think about running. I’ll collect what’s owed, even if I have to sell a corpse.”

He dragged the phone’s edge down her lower abdomen, stopping at a sensitive spot and pressing firmly.

So-hee flinched in surprise, but the pressure only increased.

“Hnng…”

She bit her lower lip and held her breath.

“You wouldn’t want to be violated here even after you’re dead, would you?”

* * *

The new year had arrived. The tomorrow So-hee had hoped wouldn’t come had, predictably, arrived every single day, turning her from twenty to twenty-one years old.

Today was the first Thursday the man had said he’d come to collect the money. But for some reason, even during her last tutoring session of the afternoon, there had been no contact from him.

He had promised to call before coming….

So-hee kept her phone close, checking it frequently, fearing she might miss his call. After her tutoring session, she would briefly stop by home for a nap before heading to her night job in a nightclub kitchen.

If he came to her house while she was at work, it would be difficult for So-hee to find time to deal with him. Every minute, every second was critical for her, as time was money.

“Teacher, I can’t solve this problem. It’s too hard.”

Da-young said, her lips close to So-hee’s left ear.

Though So-hee could hear fairly well if someone wasn’t too far away, Da-young always spoke close to her, worried that So-hee might not hear otherwise.

“Okay, let’s solve it together.”

“Why am I so dumb? I want to go to the same school as you and my brother, but I don’t think I can. I’m already in my third year of high school, and there’s not much time left….”

“Your grades have improved a lot compared to last year. If you keep working hard, you can get there. It’s only January. I started studying seriously when I entered the third year too.”

“Really? You did? I thought you were a model student from a young age!”

“No, I started late too.”

As So-hee comforted Da-young, who was feeling down over a difficult problem, she remembered herself as a student two years ago. She used to memorize English words even while walking and spent all day studying without even eating lunch.

So-hee’s relentless dedication to studying was ironically fueled by her father’s death. He used to beat her whenever he drank.

“Next time you’re born, don’t be a person. Be a dog in a rich family. Those dogs live better lives than you.”

Her father had said this the day before he died. He was a terminal liver cancer patient, with no money for treatment or hospitalization, and by the time they found out, it was already too late.

She hadn’t expected him to hang himself, though.

When So-hee found her father hanging from a clothes hanger, she felt more relieved than sad. It was a sense of liberation, a hope that she could take a step away from her misery.

After her father’s death, So-hee entered her desired university as the top student, securing tuition and a full scholarship. She hoped to lead a normal life, the kind ordinary people imagined. She believed misfortune was finally leaving her behind.

But misfortune was always a shadow trailing her. She was just too afraid to look back and see it.

Before the cherry blossoms bloomed after the school year started, misfortune appeared again.

With her father gone, her mother was next. Her mother, who used to run away often, ended up in prison. So-hee only found out when her mother’s debt was transferred to her, along with the loan shark, Mr. Kim.

“With your body, you could make a killing running a brothel.”

That was the first time So-hee met the loan shark, Kim Jungsik. The interest on the loan her mother took out years ago had long surpassed the principal.

So-hee needed money. She needed it to stop the loan sharks from harassing her at school. The first semester wasn’t eligible for leave, so she worked every job she could find to survive, which affected her grades.

The university, which had given her a scholarship hoping she would become a great asset, was disappointed. Her classmates and seniors gossiped about her being dragged around by loan sharks. Her life spiraled down into an abyss.

But getting into a prestigious university after her father’s death helped her find well-paying tutoring jobs. The problem was her hearing, which kept her tutoring fees lower than average.

However, Da-young’s tutoring job, arranged by her senior Seo Jihoon, paid reasonably well. This was a precious job for So-hee, who desperately needed the money.

“Teacher, take care!”

“Yes. Make sure you solve the problems we checked before the next session.”

After finishing the lesson and leaving Da-young’s room, So-hee checked her phone for any missed messages from the man.

“So-hee, are you leaving?”

Da-young’s older brother and So-hee’s senior from school, Seo Ji-hoon, had just stepped out of his room. Unlike So-hee, who had taken a leave of absence, he had recently finished his exams and was enjoying his vacation.

“Yes, Subae.”

Seo Ji-hoon adjusted his rimless glasses, openly staring at So-hee’s chest covered by her worn-out coat.

“I’m heading out too. If you have time, let’s grab a meal together.”

“I’m sorry, but I have another tutoring session right after this, so I don’t think I can.”

Although today’s session with Da-young was the last one, So-hee lied. Perhaps Seo Ji-hoon sensed that she wasn’t telling the truth.

“Is that so? Too bad, but maybe next time. It’s hard to find time to have a meal with our busy junior.”

“Sure.”

With a friendly smile, Seo Ji-hoon moved closer, standing behind her and massaging her shoulders. His subtle attempts to press his lower body against hers made So-hee clench her fists quietly, forcing herself to mask her discomfort.

“Are the loan sharks still bothering you?”