Ecdysiast || PJM 🔞

Chapter 5: Her Day and Night

Lee Jiwon's POV

"Thanks for the ride, Jimin," I thanked him. When I was about to enter the apartment, my younger brother arrived and immediately pushed Jimin away from me, suddenly hugging me as if protecting me from danger as he glared at Jimin. "Who are you?" He asked in an arrogant manner, causing me to laugh because he's being super protective.

"Calm down, Dawon, he's my friend. He just drove me home from university," I told him.

"I don't trust this guy. He looks like a fuㅡ"

"Yah, Dawon! Go inside now, okay?" He rolled his eyes on me. "Fine," he sighed. As if threatening Jimin, Dawon pointed his two fingers on his then onto Jimin's, telling him that he will be watching the older boy's actions before he went inside our apartment.

"Woah, you're brother is scary," Jimin joked, causing both of us to chuckle.

"Let him be. He is just following one of our mother's command before she left us."

"May I ask where your father is?"

"He left us when I was thirteen." I shrugged, unwanting to recall the bitter memory of my past.

"Oh, that's why you don't talk much about your parents." I shrugged again. Whenever I remember my mom, I just want to cry because I miss her so bad and about my father, I still hate him for leaving us because of a stripper he just met.

A stripper.

It's funny because that's what I am during the night. The kind of work that I despise the most became my source of income. But it is I have no choice since it gives me a lot of money which is enough for me and my brother to live. People will call me names if they find out but I couldn't careless because of my reasons. I'll let them judge me because I know to myself that I have a reason for doing this kind of job. My intention is good, but the image of being an ecdysiast will never be pleasant for anyone.

"I think you should go. You'll meet up with your friends, right?"

"Oh, yeah. See you tomorrow?" He said. I nodded and smiled at him. "See you." I watched Jimin walk away until he vanished from my sight.

I hate goodbyes and I prefer see you's instead because it reminds me of the day my father left us behind. I begged him to stay. At my young age I asked him to stay for the sake of our family but he didn't listen. He pushed me and told me goodbye using a very cold tone. His eyes were very cold as he was looking at me as if I was a nobody, as if that I was not his daughter.

Under the dark, cold, and dreary night, I watched his car zoom away from me as my heart slowly crushed into pieces. After that day, everything got worse and worst. We left our old house, transferred here in the apartment where me and my brother lives and Mom had to work so much for us to live.

My father never cared for me and my brother at least. He never gave money at least for our education and to support our financial needs when in fact, it is still his responsibility as our father. He completely removed us from his life and as years went by, my heart is surrounded of hatred towards him. I hate him for leaving us. I hate him because he didn't even care at least for his children.

My mother died because of cancer. We couldn't afford the medication. After her death, I started to search for a job. Every job I tried to enter was already full until I bumped into the manager of the strip club I am working at. She noticed me, trained me until I fit the qualifications of being a stripper that horny bastards admire. The club's manager even helps me and my brother so I really thank her for everything.

As I enter the house, I shouted, "Dawon, do your assignments while I cook dinner, okay?"

"Okay, noona!" He shouted from his room.