Title: The Price of Debt
I sat shivering on a park bench, nowhere near my tiny apartment. The air was cool, but the panic radiating off me was hot.
I didn't fail just one errand; I failed my family.
The debt was a monster, and my mistake at StarRise had just given it teeth. I was staring at the threatening text I'd received moments after fleeing the agency:
Security report filed. Damage to property and personnel schedules filed. Expect contact from our legal team regarding damages unless a resolution is met immediately.
The damage wasn't just a fine; it was a lawsuit. A lawsuit meant a criminal record, which meant my student visa would be revoked. I wouldn't just be poor; I'd be deported, sent home in shame, leaving my family in a deeper financial hole than before.
I buried my face in my hands. Just disappear, Peter Bella. It would be easier.
Then my phone rang. It was my brother. His voice was frantic.
"hey sis, listen to me. Mom is sick. Not just a cold. She fainted at the school. They took her to the small clinic, but they said she needs better tests. Dad is trying to find the money for the transport and the real doctor, but—"
The air left my lungs. The C minus, the cold stare of Kang Bok Soo, the threat of the lawsuit—none of it mattered anymore. My mother was ill. I had to get money. Now. Not next week, not tomorrow. Today.
My father's loan wasn't just for my tuition; it was now life insurance.
I pulled up the last known number from the errand contact. I typed a single, desperate message: I need to speak to the person in charge of the StarRise report. Now. I will do anything to fix this.
The reply was immediate.
Go to the VIP café across from the agency. Wait for the Assistant Manager, Ms. Kim. And bring a pen. You'll be signing a contract.
The knot in my stomach tightened. A contract. This wasn't going to be about an apology. This was going to cost more than money.
I walked the few blocks back to the StarRise building. The VIP café felt like a velvet trap—all soft lights and expensive music. I spotted Ms. Kim right away; she looked exactly like a manager at a major agency: sharp suit, sharper expression.
She didn't waste time. She slid a thick, single-page document across the table.
"Mr. Kang Bok Soo is preparing for a massive global campaign. Your little stunt cost him valuable time and endangered a prop worth more than your education," Ms. Kim said, her voice dry and dismissive. "He could ruin you, Peter Bella. He could have you out of the country by the weekend."
I swallowed, my throat suddenly tight. "What do I have to do? I can't pay the fine, but I can work. I'll clean, I'll run errands—"
Ms. Kim raised an eyebrow, a slight, cruel smile playing on her lips. "Mr. Kang doesn't need a cleaner. He needs loyalty and discretion."
She tapped the contract. "Your debt—the legal fees, the disruption fines, the cost of the damaged prop—will be waived only if you agree to this temporary contract. You will be his personal, round-the-clock assistant for the next six months."
My head swam. An assistant? To him?
"This is not a regular job," Ms. Kim warned, leaning in. "You will be invisible when he needs privacy, and present when he demands service. No complaints. No sick days. Total secrecy. And miss Peter Bella?"
She slid a photo across the table—a stunning, professional portrait of Kang Bok Soo.
"You will meet all his needs. And you will hate every second of it."
I looked at the contract, then at the face of the man who had looked at me like dirt. The price of my mistake was six months of servitude to my worst enemy. But if I said no, I couldn't save my mother.
My hand trembled as I picked up the pen. I had no choice.