My country is divided into groups — simply put, the rich and the poor. I live among the poor.
I, Mikaela — but just call me Mika — was doing my part-time job in a shoe shop. I worked there as an employee who helps customers try on shoes, cleans and repairs them in exchange for a little money. But this isn't the only job I do. I'm also a waiter in a big restaurant, a management worker in a big hotel, and... well, more jobs that I'll tell you about later.
I do so many jobs because of my ill sister. I have to pay for her medical treatment, and also... because of my so-called family — my demon family — who snatch away my money. That's why I sometimes have to hide it.
My father hates me. He beats me too. Simply because I'm not his real son. I was born from a foreign man — someone my mother had slept with just a few days before her marriage. She's no longer alive now, but she left behind one beautiful thing — my younger sister. But now, even she is suffering from a life-threatening disease.
Thinking about all this, I was sitting at the repair counter where I cleaned shoes. Many customers were in line. That's when someone suddenly placed their foot, still wearing shoes, on my little table and told me to clean them quickly.
. . .
(A few minutes earlier)
Our "top" — a man who was always following his own destiny — was heading toward an urgent meeting in his car when suddenly the car stopped. His name was Yuichiro Weltson.
Knock-knock
(Car window opening)
"What is it?"
"Sir, I think we have to stop the car here," the driver said, forcing a smile.
"And why is that?"
"Sir, this car isn't working properly... and there's no petrol in it either. I thought of taking it to a garage or petrol station nearby."
Sigh
"What a troublesome thing. Now I'll be late for my meeting — and there's not even a decent car I could buy around this area."
Yes, Yuichiro was in a place where only poor people lived. So of course, there was nothing here that matched his standards.
Getting out of the car, Yuichiro stood on the roadside with his manager beside him. The driver ran around asking people nearby about garages or petrol stations.
After a while, the driver came running toward them. "Sir! Some people told me there's a petrol station nearby."
"Hmmm... so we have to push the car there, right?" Yuichiro asked.
"Yes, sir!"
"Alright then. Both of you do your best."
"WHAT?!" both the driver and the manager exclaimed.
"What did you think? That I would help you?" Hmph "Keep dreaming. Now go do your job. I'll give you extra money."
"Wahhh! Yes, sir!" Both of them happily marched off to do the task while Yuichiro walked on the footpath. He wasn't paying attention to where he was stepping and — splat — stepped into poop.
"What the hell is this disgusting thing doing on the footpath? Tsk. Now I have to change my shoes. Hey! Come here."
"What is it, sir?" the manager asked, stepping forward.
"Do we have extra shoes?"
"Hmm... I think we do, but I'm not sure. Wait a second."
The driver quickly opened the back of the car and rummaged around, searching through the mess. Finally, he found a pair of black boots — dusty and worn out from sitting unused for so long.
"Sir, I found the boots... but they're covered in dust."
"Hmm. Let me just wear them for now. I can't stand the ones I have on."
Wearing the dusty boots, they walked a little more and reached the petrol station. Yuichiro spotted a small shoe shop and entered it.
There, he saw a blonde boy polishing shoes. He went straight to him.
(Mika's POV)
Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly felt someone slam their shoe right on the table. (For reference, I was sitting on the ground in front of a small table, and the customer area was slightly raised.)
I looked up and said with a fake smile,
"Sir, I'll clean your shoes — but could you please stand in the line? Other customers came before you."
"Huh? Why would I stand in a line with these commoners?"
"But sir... the other customers will be angry too."
"I don't care. I wasn't even planning to come to this tiny place, but I had to because of something urgent. Driver, call the owner and tell him this."
'What an attitude,' I thought. 'He acts like he's some top-level CEO of a world-famous company. Hmph. Must be new in business or just another spoiled rich guy.'
Suddenly, the owner came in and told me to clean his shoes first — quickly — or I might lose my job.
So I forced another fake smile. "Mister, could you first remove your shoes? Then I'll clean them."
"Hey, I don't have time for that! Hurry up and clean them. Or I'll tell the owner to fire this useless guy like you!" he said with a stern voice.
I was so angry. I didn't know why, but I glared at him a little and started cleaning the shoes. I didn't argue — because if I lost this job, what would I do?
And that's how our first meeting happened.
I called it bad luck. But what I didn't know was that this bad luck would show up everywhere I went — at every place I worked. It kept happening, until I finally started thinking of him as an annoying enemy.
And of course, this so-called bad luck wouldn't go away so easily. Fate had other plans — ones that would bring us to the edge of something even worse:
Living together.
With a new family I never asked for.
When my stepmother gave me away — in place of my sister — for money.
To be continued...