In a rapidly developing city, a stunningly beautiful girl was currently living in a rented apartment tucked between narrow inner alleys.
_"Damn it, I'm late!"_ she shouted as she grabbed her bag and rushed out of the rented apartment at full speed.
Well, I'm *Mai Frost*, a 24-year-old girl who just graduated from a prestigious university with a degree in jewelry design. My father died when I was ten years old, and my mother suffers from a spinal injury caused by a car accident. She's currently receiving treatment in a hospital.
...My world is made up of nonstop work in every job imaginable, just to make enough money to cover my mother's medical bills and survive. I've sent my résumé to many places—but surprise, *no responses*.
In this world, *connections are everything*. If you don't have them, you'll remain at the bottom of society forever.
And now, I work as a *delivery girl for a bubble tea shop*.
---
Without realizing, I arrived at the parking lot and spotted my old electric bike.
I walked up to it and said, _"You ready for another day of chaos, Mary?"_
_"Look, I told you she's weird! She's talking to her bike!"_
A little boy was pointing at me and yelling loudly.
_"She's sooo dumb! Haha!"_ laughed another kid, clutching his belly.
My face flushed from embarrassment, so I snapped at them,
_"Get lost, you little gremlins!"_
But even as I shouted, a small smile tugged at my lips.
I watched them leave, but not before they made silly faces just to annoy me.
I hopped on my bike and took off toward work...
Oh right—did I mention what I do? I'm a delivery girl for a bubble tea shop.
(Yes, again. Just to make sure it sticks.)
---
I arrived quickly and got busy with work until 7:00 p.m. That evening, I was racing through a dim street at full speed, delivering the final *six cups of bubble tea*.
Suddenly, from a dark alleyway, a man dashed into the street. I slammed the brakes hard.
Thankfully, I didn't hit him.
Startled, I yelled:
_"Are you blind?! You just walk out like that? Do you have a death wish?"_
But then... I fell silent.
There was *a knife sticking out of his shoulder*.
My eyes widened. My heart slammed inside my chest.
A blade. I saw the gleam of metal jutting from his shoulder, crimson spreading quickly through his pale shirt.
My breath caught. The bubble tea, the delivery, the shouting— *all vanished from my mind* in an instant.
My terrified eyes darted from the weapon to his face, then to the alley he came from.
A shiver raced down my spine.
This wasn't just panic from nearly hitting someone.
This was something... primal.
I gripped the handlebars of my old electric bike until my knuckles turned white.
A tremor snuck into my fingers.
The street, which had felt "empty" just moments ago, was now heavy with silence.
*The kind of silence that comes right before someone screams.*
I stared into the alley, expecting a shadow to leap out.
Nothing. Just... darkness.
I looked back at the man. Pain carved into his expression.
And something else— *a desperate urgency*.
_"A… a knife?"_ I whispered, barely audible beneath the pounding in my ears.
I stared at the horrific sight, then quickly met his eyes.
_"Oh my god… are you… are you okay?"_
The question sounded incredibly stupid the moment it left my lips.
Of course he wasn't okay!
A wave of nausea washed over me, but it was quickly replaced by something stranger— *a twisted mix of fear… and the burning urge to help.*
My mind spiraled in every direction— _Hospital? Police? What should I do?_
My eyes darted around for any sign of life, any passerby, anyone to help.
But the street remained completely empty.
*It was just me and him.*
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