Who Are You?

+ 9 +

"DAD, I found it!" I heard Seolhyun yell from downstairs.

I saw Soyeon release a breath relief. I didn't know whether I should feel relieved as well or devastated that Siwon was taking the very last thing from Father away from me. I couldn't let that happen. Siwon rushed to open the front door.

Soyeon hurried over to me, helping me up. I shook her hands off of me. She never protected me before and now she's suddenly attempting to do so?

Seolhyun sprinted up the stairs, carrying the heaps of money contained in a black plastic bag. The bag also contains my last hope of escape, the only way I could pay off college tuition.

The head of the debt collectors, shockingly young, probably in his early twenties, grabbed onto Siwon's collar, hissing, "You better have the money for me today, fucking pathetic asshole. Aren't you embarrassed to have people chasing your ass to pay them back the money you borrowed?"

Siwon held up his hands, trying to calm down the man. "I have it, I have it. Let me go first. Please," Siwon begged.

The debt collector, with sleek black hair and wears all black that seemed so familiar, pushed him away and Siwon stumbled back a few steps. Realizing this is the last chance to keep Father's hard earned money, I lunged at Seolhyun, snatching the bag from her hands. Siwon glared at me with so much and anger he grabbed me by the neck and threw me towards the debt collector.

"Here, have her as well. This should pay off all the debts right?" Siwon said.

I widened my eyes in disbelief but the surprise quickly dissipated. What can the wretched man not do? He was already about to rape me.

"Siwon! No! What are you thinking!" Soyeon shouted. "She's my daughter! You can't do this!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Siwon demanded, sending a punch across his wife's face. Seolhyun screamed in fear and terror.

The debt collector gripped my good arm and scrutinized my body up and down and scrunched up his nose. I tried to pull my tank top closer to me. "We don't—"

"That's all we have and that's all you'll be getting," Siwon snapped. The man narrowed his eyes at Siwon and he winced.

"This better be the last time I'll be seeing you," the man threatened. He glanced at me before shoving me to one of his acquaintances.

"What are you doing!" I screamed. "Let me go!"

The man leaned in, a smirk on his face. "You are the exchange object so you get no say in anything."

I glared at him with hatred and rage. I started struggling, trying to escape my captor's hold. The man grabbed my chin, his nails digging into my skin, and demanded, "Stop! I don't like hitting woman but don't make yourself the first one."

"What are you going to do to me?" I asked meekly.

"We'll see about that. Depends on how you behave," he cooed.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and stopped struggling. The man laughed and so did his followers.

"This is a docile one," he joked.

I glared at him. "As long as you don't touch me in a wrong way, I...I'll do as you ask."

The man gave me a wry smile. "I told you before, girlie, you've got no say in this."

"Then kill me. Even if you won't, I will do so myself. Won't you lose more this way?" I said placidly.

The man stopped smiling and narrowed his eyes at me. "Give me the money first," he said, eyeing the black bag I was gripping tightly in my hand. His eyes had a hint of curiosity as he saw the cast and the bruises on my skin.