Arc 1: His Tough Love

"Dad! Mom!!. Don't you see this daughter of yours kneeling!" Tae Rin yelled in despair trying to get her parents' attention.

Pedestrians had started to gather now, evaluating the spectacle.

'Ahh, it's really the Yang family, master and mistress, they are just as angelic looking as the web describes, the media really didn't exaggetate this time. Now that I've seen them in real life I can finally die with no regrets.'

'I know right, such beautiful silver hair. Kyaaa!, quickly, take a photo!'

'Isn't that Tae Rin the girl whose disheveled photos are all over the Media?'

'Wow, it's really that slut. What commotion is she trying to bring up now.'

'Her again? Quickly bring out your phone, everyone needs to see this, live!'

'This ought to be good'

'OMG claiming to be the young miss of the Yang family, such wishful thinking!'

'Yeah if it was that easy, I'd probably be the young master by now, tch.'

"She even dyed her hair silver!"

'To be honest I pity her a little.'

'Shut up she deserves whatever is coming to her'

The unsolicited comments were endless.

Madam Yang looked down irritably, at the girl kneeling on the sidewalk. The more she stared at the pitiful Tae Rin the more provoked she became. 

Securing herself at the back of her husband, making sure Tae Rin's dirty hands didn't soil her dress.

She replied disdainfully.

"To think that such a lowly street rat, would dream of becoming the young miss of the Yang family with mere words. Have we become so foolish that we would listen to your baseless words?"

"T- take a DNA test then. I p - promise this mouth of mine doesn't spout lies!. Please believe me mother!" Tae Rin stuttered trying to reason with the domineering couple in front of her.

"Father, please…"

SMACK!!!

A heavy hand went across Tae Rin's face without warning, putting an abrupt stop in her words.

"Don't slander us! I have no such shameless daughter!!!" The old master of the Yang family thundered, his voice full of malice.

Tae Rin stared brazen, her throat held something between a yell and a sob. Weren't these the same people that were super nice to her just a few weeks ago?

"Don't ever be within our line of sight again, even by mistake or we would make you prefer death to living." He added, not giving her time to fully process what had just happened.

"Let's go." Madam Yang quickly said, not sparing Tae Rin another look. If she stayed much longer looking at this filth, she could get a stomach concussion.

The semi old pair quickly got into the black SUV shielding their faces from the camera, and drove off instantaneously.

"Even my own parents hate me so much. Ha, what else have I got to do in this world?" Tae Rin soliloquised digging her hands into her unkempt, dry hair.

Just then her eyes suddenly lit up with hope. That's right, she still had her boyfriend, Min Seok, he could help her, after all, he was the Young master of the most powerful family in Korea. How could she forget?. Finally she could give her dead father a benefiting burial per his wishes.

Tae Rin hurriedly took out her phone with multiple cracks on the screen and opened WeChat. Such luck, Min Seok was online.

"Min Seok, it's been a while since you've called on me. Is it because of the misunderstanding on social media? I promise they are all lies.[sad emoji, sad emoji]"

"I'm in a very bad situation and not in my right mind currently. Maybe I should just end it all since I'm not needed in this world anymore, but I have to persevere to take care of you as you are now my closest relation."

"Let's meet Min Seok, I need you right now."

Tae Rin sent the last message with a smile on her face. Soon after she got a reply, in very brief and unconcerned words. He had replied.

"I'm Busy."

Tae Rin read those words continuously, as she tried to hold back tears "Ha, ha ha ha ha ha ha" she screamed into the atmosphere.

'Oh no, the bitch has finally gone crazy.'

A pedestrian said surprised at her sudden fits of laughter.

'The Yang family's rejection made her mad!'

'Let's leave before she does something to harm us.'

He is busy? She had just told him she was thinking of committing sucide and he replied with 'busy'? Too busy to be there for her at this dire time? Too busy to save a life?.

She couldn't understand what was going on any longer. Has he ever cared for her even? Tae Rin thought, finally realising how cruel her 'boyfriend' was.

Looking back, placing things together, piece by piece, she had always been at Min Seok's beck and call. Taking care of him while he was sick, going extra miles to make him improve academically, always having lunch packed up for him to eat each day unfailingly.

Is there anything good or bad she hasn't done for his sake? It began to dawn on her that maybe, just maybe, all the affections were one sided all along.

How stupid she was not to see the obvious signs? Telling her not to publicise their relationship...only calling on her when he needed tutorship, ignoring her remarks and questions most of the time, even not seeming to care when she became ill.

Back then she had always come up with excuses regarding his cold behavior. Maybe he was just stressed, afterall responsibilities placed on his shoulders as the young master of the Chang household was no child's play...maybe he wasn't the type to show affection in public… he was just protecting me, if people knew I was his girlfriend I might be kidnapped and used to get ransome from him, that wouldn't be good….maybe….the list was endless.

It had been her illusion all along. Wasn't it too good an occurrence for such a poor, rash woman like herself to be in a relationship with the most eligible bachelor in all of Korea. She had been engulfed in her own delusion, this time she had really asked for too much.

Slowly, Tae Rin picked herself off the floor, her eyes seemed to have no life in them. Moving forward, ignoring the harsh comments of onlookers she headed for the dump she called home. Today….was really eventful.

Getting into the very small apartment, the creaking door was missing it's lower hinge hence it was quite troublesome to close it properly. Grabbing the only furniture in the suffocating room, she positioned it to support the shut door.

"Dad, I'm home" Tae Rin spoke into the air.

She approached the male figure lying in the dark. It looked peaceful and inhumanly pale. Strong pungent smell filled the atmosphere, but Tae Rin didn't seem to mind, it was hard to tell if she could perceive it or not.

"Oh I forgot, you can't hear me now." She added a tinge of sadness in her voice.

"I'm sorry dad, this unfilial daughter of yours couldn't do something as simple as getting you a benefiting burial. I'm so useless" She said, releasing all the tears she had pent up while coming home.

It seemed like the world had chosen this day to gang up against her. It didn't need her existence anymore, trying it's best to push her to her limits. That was what it wanted, it craved to see her give up on herself, giving her life a meaningless and pathetic end.

Well it could try harder because she, Tae Rin would not give up on herself. She would strive and someday get out of this mess.

"I promise you Dad, this daughter of yours, Tae Rin , won't give up so easily"

She vowed, lying down next to the body on the cold wooden floor, her eyelids slowly coming together after a long time.