episode_0025

These days, the island had no young people, and the continuous population decline was a major problem. Amidst this, if a young woman who could give birth to children joined their community, everyone would undoubtedly welcome her with open arms. Although there were no young men, there were many unmarried middle-aged men. They were more than ready to sow their seeds. The only reason they hadn’t was simply due to a lack of women. But a woman who could bear children was coming? It was obvious that everyone would rush to embrace her and make her carry their child, competing with each other. During weekdays when they were out at sea, childcare would not be a problem if it became the pastime for the elderly and retired. Even if they weren’t blood relatives, relationships within small communities were often said to be stronger and more affectionate than family.

The man demanded an upfront payment of 50 million won, as previously stated, plus 5 million won every month, in exchange for handing over the woman. This was a significant amount of money that couldn’t be ignored. Even excluding the upfront payment, 5 million won per month for a year immediately amounted to 60 million won. This was almost equivalent to the annual salary of a deputy general manager at a mid-sized company. However, from the entire island’s perspective, it wasn’t a huge burden. If she were sold, she would become communal property, and as long as dozens of people lived there, they would pool their money together, significantly lowering the burden. Furthermore, the fishing work that most of them were engaged in also generated decent income, so they had financial flexibility. In other words, the conditions the man mentioned were not a difficult or overly demanding restriction for the islanders. If he could just sell her off like that, the man would gain a lifelong annuity, so he was desperate to sell the mentally incapacitated woman at a high price.

However, the younger brother stammered, seeming troubled by the high price quoted.

“First, I need to go ask around. I’ll try my best to match your terms, Hyung-nim.”

“This is really cheap at 60 million won a year. If you can use her every day, it’s 365 days of free access, isn’t it? These days, if you go to the city and want to hold a pretty, young woman, you have to pay 200,000 to 300,000 won, and that’s only for 30 to 40 minutes. But with her, you can have her all day long, do whatever you want with her.”

“I know. I understand what you’re saying, Hyung-nim…”

The younger brother, who had been mumbling, then subtly spoke up.

“But… can I use her once too? She’s a product for sale, so as a salesman, I should inspect the product, shouldn’t I?”

“This bastard, he’s been eyeing her with a weird look from earlier, and it turns out that’s all that’s in his head.”

“Hehe, honestly, she’s incredibly pretty, isn’t she? She looks much better than any woman I’ve bought so far. Those girls had obvious plastic surgery, but she seems like a natural beauty.”

“Alright, alright, do what you want. Go into that room and do it.”

Once permission was granted, the man called the younger brother took her into a small room. From inside, continuous gasping and panting could be heard. It seemed one time wasn’t enough, as it happened multiple times. Who knew how many hours had passed. Only when the man watching TV in the living room yawned and began to prepare for bed did the younger brother come out.

“Was it good? You were going at it like a dog in heat.”

“She’s really an amazing woman. She’s young, pretty, and has big breasts. Honestly, putting aside her being a simpleton, it’s enough to make me want to live with her.”

“Then buy her from me for that much money.”

“You know that kind of large sum is impossible for me.”

-1-

The next day, Mira got into a car and headed for a provincial island. The man called the younger brother was driving, and the man with the scar sat in the back seat with Mira.

The woman was happy, holding a doll and thinking she was going on a trip.

“Wow, wow. It’s a family trip! Yoon Youngah, what should we name our baby?”

“Ugh, she’s really noisy. Can’t you make this woman shut up?”

As the man with the scar scowled and spoke, the younger brother, who was driving, checked his expression in the rearview mirror and spoke up.

“Hyung-nim, isn’t she too pitiful? Just talk to her a little.”

“You crazy bastard. Since you’re crazy, why don’t you talk to this crazy bitch yourself?”

“Even if that’s not the case… She’s been asking about the baby’s name since earlier. How about just giving her a random answer?”

“Baby’s name? Hmm… how about Changnam? The children of a prostitute mother. Hey. From now on, that doll’s name is Changnam.”

“Changnam?”

The woman tilted her head. At first, they thought she didn’t like it, but then she exclaimed happily.

“Changnam. Our Changnam.”

Seeing her reaction, the men burst out laughing. It was truly an absurd sight.

“This damn bitch is really funny. She’ll be popular on the island. Seems like she’ll do anything for anyone.”

“I know. They’ll like her for her innocence.”

Upon arriving at the provincial port, the men handed Mira over to those who had come to meet her. The man with the scar smiled contentedly, seeing the 50 million won in cash, thick inside the bag he received. Before getting into the car, he called out to Mira, who was standing blankly.

“Hey, I hope you eat well and live well from now on. Thanks to you, I’m going to live in luxury.”

“Where are you going?”

“Where am I going? I’m going home.”

“I want to go too!”

Mira tried to run towards the men, but the sailors grabbed her arm and didn’t let her go. In the end, Mira could only watch as the car carrying the men disappeared into the distance.

“Don’t abandon me, Yoon Youngah! Don’t abandon me…”

Even if she pleaded heartbreakingly, there was no way she could be heard from such a distance. The sailors, who had been eyeing the dispirited Mira since earlier, began to subtly touch her body.

Mira hung limply without much reaction, her doll dangling from one arm.

-1-

After traveling three or four hours by boat, they arrived at the island region. The village men were already out at the port, having heard that a new woman was arriving.

“So, that beautiful woman from the picture is really coming?”

“That’s right. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen such a young and pretty bride.”

Soon after, a boat entered and docked at the port. A woman disembarked from the small, shabby fishing boat. The eyes of the people, whose gazes were fixed there, widened.

Behind her, the sea sparkled endlessly, reflecting the sunlight, stood a beautiful woman.

A beauty with long hair fluttering in the cool breeze and fair, clean skin.

Clutching a doll to her chest as if it were precious, she looked around the island with interest.

“Is that really her, that girl?”

“She’s incredibly pretty. Like a TV celebrity.”

Soon, the village chief came and took her.

“Miss, have you had a long journey? Hope you’re not too tired. From now on, you’re our village’s woman, so don’t have any silly thoughts.”

The village chief let out a lecherous laugh and led her to his house. The other men could only watch their retreating figures, smacking their lips.

As the highest authority in the village, how could they object when the chief wanted to be the first to “sample” her? Moreover, the chief had paid the most money when buying the woman.

Meanwhile, Yunyoung, who was watching all of this from the underworld, felt like he was losing his mind. More than anything, the sense of betrayal he felt towards his trusted friend was immense.

The subsequent events were even more tragic.

Yunyoung had anticipated that Mira’s fate, given how things had unfolded, would be nothing but terrible misfortune, but he decided to watch until the end.

Fleeing because he couldn’t bear it was not something he, as her boyfriend, should do.

He believed that even if his precious girlfriend’s end was frightening and terrible, he had an obligation to witness it.

-1-

Tasting the skin and breath of a young woman after a long time, the village chief was excitedly breathing roughly.

“Now, let’s take off your clothes, shall we? Are you tired?”

As Mira began to obediently follow his words, the chief’s eyes were bloodshot and red, and his nose flared.

Having witnessed a beauty more stunning and youthful than any woman in the village, he was more excited than ever, as if he had returned to his twenties.

After the chief had his turn, he spoke towards the outside.

“Now it’s your turn. Come on in.”

As if they had been waiting, the men who had been waiting outside stormed in.

The islanders, realizing Mira’s mind was not sound, treated her like an animal, less than human, and indiscriminately violated her body.

They didn’t give her proper clothes but made her wear revealing, prostitute-like outfits, treating Mira as nothing more than a living sex slave to satisfy their desires.

Hitting her with clubs if she didn’t listen was common, and starving or abusing her was an everyday occurrence. During such days, Mira became pregnant. The father of the child was unknown, as she had to deal with multiple men every day.

-1-

Several months later, Mira, her belly swollen, wandered along the beach on a rainy day. Amidst the darkness where the pouring rain obscured her sight, she seemed to hear a poignant voice calling her from beyond.

“Are you there…?”

When she turned her head, there was Yunyoung, whom she had longed to see, smiling and beckoning. Mira ran towards him without hesitation.

Splash.

The next day, a woman lay on the island’s beach as a cold corpse. It seemed she had been washed ashore by the waves.