Chapter 2.1 – Island of Pleasure 

Seo Moonkyeong first met Seojun shortly after she was promoted to First Soloist, a year after joining the Olga Ballet Company.  

Olga was famous for not holding open auditions and rarely accepting foreign dancers who hadn’t performed in their home countries. However, after the Olga Director accidentally came across a video of her performance, Do Hyeran eagerly sent Moonkyeong to Russia.  

Flying to Moscow alone, Moonkyeong was forced to endure the ballet she despised more than death under even harsher conditions. Yet, what made things worse was the intense jealousy and disdain from the other company members.  

It was only natural. A small, fragile-looking Asian girl had monopolized the director’s affection, landing a major role just four months after joining.  

One early morning, while taking a photo before heading to the practice room, Moonkyeong sent it to Hyeran. She was spreading jam on toast when her phone rang.  

What now? What could she possibly be dissatisfied with this time? 

Though her forehead creased slightly, Moonkyeong answered in a cheerful voice.  

“Yes, Mother.”  

– Isn’t that the outfit you wore last Wednesday? Didn’t I tell you to pay attention to what you wear, even if you’re just going to the practice room? Change into something a bit more elegant.  

“Yes, I’ll do that.”  

Placing her phone on a high shelf, she resumed spreading jam. Just then, a message from Hyeran arrived.  

「Don’t forget to attend the Sankt meeting tomorrow at 9 p.m. Try to strike up a conversation with Jeesung Group’s Lee Heejin today. It doesn’t matter what you say, just start building a relationship.」  

Sankt was an elite social gathering where the wealthy and powerful exchanged information and built connections.  

Lee Heejin was notorious in these circles for her debauchery and promiscuity. In fact, many of the chaebol heirs involved in Sankt were the same.  

Though it was wrapped in a veneer of sophistication, it was essentially a den of addicts indulging in pleasure and rebellion.  

No matter how recklessly they acted, their parents’ wealth and influence ensured there were no consequences.  

Before Moonkyeong could even take a bite of her toast, she threw it to the ground.  

“Haah… Haah…”  

Her breathing became shallow. What could she possibly do on her own?  

In a way, she envied them. She envied their lives, where they could live recklessly and still have everything taken care of for them.  

Her head grew hot, and her heart pounded as if it would burst. Over a year had passed since she left for Russia, yet nothing about her life had changed from her days in Korea.  

Hyeran called her more than ten times a day, and her only friend from the orphanage constantly monitored her.  

“Do they think I wouldn’t notice?”  

Simply because she was chosen by Hyeran, Moonkyeong was destined to carry the burden of her friend’s share for life.  

She could no longer endure the behavior of those two, who used their sponsorship as leverage to hold a knife to her throat, always threatening to strike.  

The only reason Moonkyeong kept Bora close, pretending not to notice, was because she understood—foolishly so. She understood the pain and misfortune of her friend, who wasn’t chosen by Hyeran.  

Taking a deep breath, Moonkyeong’s gaze fell on the twisted piece of bread she had thrown earlier.  

Once again, she realized that no matter how hard she tried, nothing ever changed.  

She cleaned up the bread and crumbs without leaving a trace, as if nothing had happened.  —

The next day, Moonkyeong woke up an hour earlier than usual. After changing into an outfit to send a photo to Hyeran, she stepped out in a gray tracksuit.  

Spring had arrived in Moscow.  

The once-barren branches were now lush with green, and the wide streets were awash in greenery.  

Yet, the air here remained cold and oppressive. The unpredictable weather soon brought rain.  

Walking briskly, Moonkyeong entered her favorite café.  

Every Wednesday morning, she had coffee alone—it was her personal rule.  

Though the café was open 24/7, this was the only time she could visit.  

The three-story café only had its first floor open during the early hours, and her favorite spot was the innermost seat in the main hall.  

Occasionally, café staff who recognized her would strike up a conversation, but Moonkyeong would pretend not to notice, putting on her earphones and focusing on her phone.  

She didn’t want to be disturbed.  

She didn’t want anyone to intrude on this small moment of peace she had while drinking coffee.  

She didn’t want to be consumed by the life Hyeran had handed her.  

One good thing. One bad thing. That’s how she had to live.  

Soon, she would enter the hellish practice room and spend the entire day on pointe until sunset.  

Now was the time to take something good.  

Moonkyeong opened a movie she had purchased a month ago. Watching a film, reading its script, and then rewatching it was her only allowed pleasure.  

With each viewing, she noticed countless details she had missed the first time.  

From the actors’ nuanced performances to the director’s use of background and even minor props—it often gave her chills.  

The reason she loved this film so much was its final scene.  

The unhappy protagonist, consumed by twisted desires, leaps from a 100-story penthouse, uttering their final line:  

「I think I can finally breathe now.」  

She decided never to question again how pitiful it was to measure her happiness against others’ lives.  

Realizing she didn’t have much time left, Moonkyeong finished her coffee.  

After sending the photo she had taken earlier to Hyeran, she set her phone down.  

Just then, her gaze locked with someone else’s.  

A man with the same dark black hair as hers.  

He looked somewhat familiar.  

She tried to recall where she had seen him before, but no clear memory came to mind.  

‘Who is he?’  

The man’s eyes were calm yet fiercely intense.  

For some reason, she felt as though he had been watching her all along.  

Feeling uneasy, Moonkyeong averted her gaze.  

Yet, his eyes remained fixed on her.  

Unable to bear the heat of his gaze, which she could feel even without looking, she stood up abruptly.  

She turned off the movie she was watching, packed her earphones into her bag, and walked toward the café’s front door.  

The rain had intensified since an hour ago, but she didn’t have time to hesitate.  

Pulling her hood over her face, Moonkyeong ran to the practice room.  

Even as she passed by, she could feel the man’s piercing gaze through the café’s glass wall.  

It was deeply unpleasant.  

That evening, after spending the entire day in the ballet practice room, Moonkyeong attended the meeting as scheduled.  

The red dress Hyeran had chosen for her fit her perfectly.  

Approaching Lee Heejin, who was chatting cheerfully with a new man, she struck up a conversation.  

What she received in return were sharp looks, insults, and mockery.  

Yet, Moonkyeong didn’t flinch.  

Leaving the noisy club, she walked alone down a dark street and sent a message to Hyeran.  

<Mom, Lee Heejin asked to have lunch together next Wednesday.>

It seemed she hadn’t seen the message yet, likely because she was busy. Seo Moonkyeong began to think about what kind of lie she would have to tell her mother, who would soon call back in excitement.  

Standing on a cold, windy street, she looked at her reflection in the hotel’s display window.  

It seemed she had forgotten to grab her coat when leaving the club. The cold wind crept through the dress that left her shoulders and back exposed, causing her to shiver.  

“Idiot.”  

She stared at her faint reflection again. The boring social gatherings, the ballet she wanted to quit immediately, this wretched life.  

She wanted to end it all.  

“Seo Moonkyeong, get a grip.”  

Speaking to herself, she clenched her fists tightly.  

Why die? Isn’t this the life you wanted? Was it a mistake?  

Did you forget already?  

You can wear different clothes every day, and you don’t have to worry about making a living. You have an elegant mother and a National Assembly Member father. You have the Olga Director’s favor.  

What more could you want?  

At that moment, her eyes lit up. 

One good thing, one bad thing.  

So, what should I do today?  

While she was lost in confusion about what she truly wanted, someone stood before her.  

The man took off his jacket and offered it to her.  

“Would you like to wear this?”  

His words were kind, but his gaze wasn’t warm.  

The coldness in his eyes and the slight furrow of his brows reminded her of the man she had seen yesterday at the café.  

She should have declined and walked away. It would have been the right thing to do. Especially since meeting the same person twice by coincidence was a sign of danger.  

Hyeran had drilled it into her since she was young: 

Men’s kindness always leads to the bedroom.  

So, always protect yourself. Always behave properly. Moonkyeong, you are destined to marry into the Leehan Group.  

Mom will make sure of it. So don’t forget. I’ll make your first night perfect.  

She pushed away the disgust she felt at those words and let the malice she had kept inside rise to the surface.  

Corruption and sin. Becoming the dirtiest woman in the world.  

What kind of expression would Hyeran make if she found out that the daughter she thought was pure and clean was actually living a promiscuous life?  

The twisted desire shook Moonkyeong to her core.  

She took the jacket he offered and draped it over her shoulders.  

Thirsty for a forbidden life, she slowly lifted the corners of her mouth.  

Her unfiltered words were directed squarely at him.  

“Do you want to sleep with me?”