BTAD 01

Chapter 01

Seohah stepped into a shabby convenience store that sold sanitary supplies to entertainment bars.

“Give me a pack of cigarettes, please.”

Her thin, trembling voice was swallowed up by a crowd of men reeking of alcohol.

Sinister eyes dripping with filth slowly licked all over her body.

The greasy laughter of men tossing dirty remarks back and forth among themselves made her stomach turn.

“Hey now, if you just give oppa a quick kiss on the cheek, I’ll listen to whatever you have to say.”

It was always like this.

As Seohah clenched her small hands, the hem of her worn-out, moth-eaten t-shirt with its stretched-out collar grew damp with sweat.

That movement only made her exceptionally pale skin stand out all the more.

“The usual one, please. If I don’t hurry back, the boss will be furious. I’ll get beaten again.”

At that, another man nearby slammed down a deck of poker cards and flew into a rage.

“Hey, even if a nobody like you gets beaten, what’s the worst that can happen—you die? That’s why these uncles are gonna play with you to their heart’s content before you head off to the other world.”

Right when a rough, violent hand shot out without warning to grab the front of Seohah’s shirt—

“Hah………………!”

Her breath caught in her throat, refusing to be exhaled or swallowed.

Seohah instinctively reached out her hand.

Something damp brushed against the back of her hand.

As a warm, soft heat instantly wrapped around her palm, she slowly blinked her eyelids.

Once, twice, three times. This was reality.

Her dream had been so vivid that even her breathing was completely messed up and erratic.

“Were you stressed out because of the event coming up later………………?”

It was a memory buried deep within her heart, covered and re-covered with heavy slabs of concrete.

The kind of memory where, if she hadn’t managed to escape it, she wouldn’t even need to imagine what kind of life she’d be living right now.

Not a cherished memory, but an ugly, repulsive one.

Well, her current life wasn’t all that different, but at least here, there were things she could do according to her own will.

Letting out a deep sigh, Seohah whispered quietly to herself.

“It’s okay. It’s just a dream. A very dirty, sickening dream.”

Perhaps sensing her turbulent emotions, a pitiful whining sound echoed through the spacious room.

Seohah didn’t cry along.

The days of crying over such things had long since passed.

“Thank you for crying in my place.”

Until dawn broke, Seohah continuously stroked the warm, soft fur brushing against her skin.

She clung to it as desperately and urgently as someone who would instantly plunge straight into the mud if she let go of even this faint body heat.

She needed to calm down quickly so she could carry out her plans properly later on.

Useless emotions were nothing more than a luxury for her present self.

Just like someone’s favorite saying.

The dry hand caressing Seohah’s shoulders was unusually affectionate today.

“There now, let’s put in your eye drops before we head out so you don’t forget.”

As Seohah naturally tilted her head back, her adoptive mother, Cha Miyeon, dropped eye drops onto her clear, unblurry-looking pupils.

“How is your condition these days?”

When Seohah pulled the corners of her lips upward, a dimple that looked like a tiny star embedded in her left cheek revealed itself.

“You know how it is.”

Seohah knew better than anyone what kind of expression Cha Miyeon would be making at that positive-sounding answer.

Clearly enough that she didn’t even have to strain her eyes to see it……………

She’d be smiling. Even more brightly than usual.

“Good. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you get better somehow. Just trust this mother of yours. I love you.”

Seohah only smiled like a fool and didn’t answer.

“Anyway, why is our Seohah looking so pretty today?

What are we going to do if all the young kids out there fall for you? Though your real groom is someone else entirely.”

Cha Miyeon said excitedly, thrilled all by herself.

“Are you ready to stand in front of people? Are you nervous?”

“Not really.”

“As expected, you’re bold just like me.”

Her vision would be blurry anyway, so what did it matter?

When things like this happened, it was actually easier not to see.

In this world, not everything about every situation was completely bad.

When Seohah stood up from her seat, Dodam, her companion dog and guide dog, stepped close to her side.

“What did you say that person’s name was?”

At Seohah’s question, Cha Miyeon tilted her head for a moment before answering.

“The older brother’s name is Han Juntae. But we got word from their side that the younger brother has to attend instead due to unavoidable circumstances. Whoever it is, as long as they match each other’s status, it should be fine, right?”

Seohah barely managed to swallow a burst of laughter at her adoptive mother’s half-hearted answer.

Unaware of this, Cha Miyeon continued speaking.

“Still, whoever suits your fancy more comes first. If anything, it’s better because there’s less of an age gap.”

Even if a dozen-year age gap shrank a little, it wouldn’t change much, but Seohah didn’t talk back.

“What was the younger brother’s name again… I just can’t remember. This is how I am these days.”

“I’ll ask.”

“Yes, that would be natural and good.”

Anyway, this was a gathering where the children’s opinions weren’t needed at all.

It was an event prepared simply as a natural way to tie together Yoon Junghwan’s adoptive daughter—who was eyeing the next presidential power—and Han Dongpyo’s son, the founder and chairman of H Bio.

Loud applause could be heard from outside.

“Looks like it’s time for the main characters to step up.”

Cha Miyeon said gracefully, linking her arm through Seohah’s.

However, Seohah took her steps relying solely on Dodam’s guidance.

Honestly, she was nervous.

She only hoped that the man whose name and face she didn’t even know would take pity on Yoon Seohah, who was choosing death just to survive.

‘It’s a contract marriage that neither of us wants anyway. My proposal will look tempting to him.’

Seohah steadied her mind. She had escaped once; there was no reason she couldn’t do it a second time.

Clear Gaze, Warm World

The Light Fund (Youth Night)

People passing by the large banner set up inside the antique gate of the detached house tossed out remarks one after another.

“Throwing a charity event for the visually impaired just to show off her adopted daughter—our assemblyman really is a magnanimous man.”

“He built up a solid public image with her as his daughter. Thanks to that, he won the last by-election.”

“They say she isn’t completely blind, though.”

“Whether she can’t see now or can’t see later, a defective cripple is still a cripple.”

Openly sarcastic tones went back and forth.

They were all scions from families that supposedly held some weight somewhere, but their ongoing conversation was utterly vulgar.

“Hey, but they say she’s a natural beauty called a unicorn these days.

Even though she’s an adopted kid, doesn’t she give off a vibe similar to Cha Miyeon? She’s got a bit of an actress aura.”

“That’s why I’m here. Do I look like the kind of guy to waste time at a useless event just because the old folks pushed me into it?”

One of the men, glancing around his surroundings, chuckled and whispered.

“She’s not even a real daughter, and her eyes are screwed up—to be honest, it’s way too easy. Should I give it a proper shot, hook up with her, and dump her?”

“Finally, the ‘pump-and-dump king’ of this district has arrived. Hey, wanna make a bet with me? Star candies are banned, though.”

Just as the cheerful mood among them was peaking—

Clink. The clear sound of champagne glasses colliding startled the group of young men in the middle of their conversation.

“Excuse me.”

Even after seeing the man who had bumped glasses with one of them without permission, everyone simply backed away without saying a word.

Though they had all just heard someone mutter, “Shit, a mad dog,” they pretended not to notice and offered polite greetings.

“Hm, long time no see. I hear your business is doing well.”

“Thanks to you.”

Perhaps intimidated by the opponent standing at least two head-lengths taller than them, they all clamped their clamshell mouths shut, unlike just a moment before.

Looking down at them collectively, Junhyuk swallowed his champagne in one gulp and pushed the chest of the man in front of him with his index finger.

It was the same bastard who had been casually talking about pumping and dumping just moments ago.

“I’d like to join that game, too. If you lose, how about coughing up both your eyeballs?”

It was a casual tone, but the content was anything else.

Knowing Junhyuk’s track record, everyone’s faces turned pale.

“………………Ah man, Han Junhyuk, it’s been a while, why are you making such a bloody joke?”

“Hey, hey, he was just playing around with words.”

Like crawfish siding with their own kind, they were busy defending each other.

The man, whose lips twitched awkwardly, quickly excused himself, saying it looked like another acquaintance had arrived.

After that, the group dissolved in an instant. The sound of applause could be heard from the front, signaling the start of the event.

“We will now hear welcoming remarks from Assemblyman Yoon Junghwan, the host of this event.”

At the host’s words, Junhyuk annoyedly swept back his hair and picked up a new glass of champagne.

“He should take better care of his own fish-eyes instead of running his mouth……………….”

He shouldn’t have stepped foot here in the first place to avoid seeing such a mess; everything about this was annoying.

No matter how he thought about it, the real ‘mad dogs’ weren’t him, but them. The only difference was whether they foamed at the mouth outwardly or not.

Just then, his cell phone vibrated inside his pocket, and pulling it out, he answered.

“This is Han Junhyuk.”

Even amid the noise, the caller’s voice pierced ruthlessly into his ear.

Fierce creases naturally formed between his brows.