22-6

EP.6 1. (Pre-Livestock Female University Student Lee Sol-ah) - Shopping for Pre-Livestock Attire (6)

A day had passed since the meeting.

I didn't do anything. Time slipped away while I still had my rights.

My father's recommended fiancé seemed kind. Although he wasn't the handsome man I had hoped for, he appeared kind, just as my father said.

But was he truly kind? That question lingered in my mind.

Usually, children resemble their parents. I resemble my father, but there are exceptions.

My brother, my father's son, doesn't resemble either of them. He's just a troublemaker.

My fiancé might be the same. He could have hidden his true nature under pressure from his father during the meeting.

What if he had a terrible personality? What if it emerged after marriage?

I couldn't die; I had to live.

I was anxious, extremely anxious. This was about my future, and my fiancé's hidden personality could dictate my life.

"I have to check."

I picked up my phone. I knew his number from the previous day.

I checked the messenger, but there was no message from him.

"We were supposed to get to know each other, but he hasn't contacted me..."

I felt a bit hurt and my pride was wounded.

I inherited my mother's beauty and figure. I even won a beauty contest at school. I was confident I could attract any man I wanted.

But he didn't even contact me. How did he see me?

We had agreed to spend a month getting to know each other, but it was his idea...

I opened the messenger and started typing.

"Hello, I'm Sol-ah. Would you like to have tea with me?"

...Was this too forward?

We're not equals. Right now, we are, but after a month, when we marry, he'll be my owner.

It might not be good to show a desire for equality.

"Hello, Jun-seok..."

I couldn't write more.

It's not right for a woman to take the initiative. Where would a woman ask her owner to meet?

...What should I do?

"I want you to buy me dinner."

This is what I should write.

But how?

Thud! I accidentally sent the message without any greeting.

"Ah...oh no! Cancel! Cancel sending!"

I frantically searched for the cancel button, but it was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, he read the message.

"No...!"

My mind went blank. What should I do?

He might think I'm being presumptuous, given that I'll be his property.

I messed up. Completely messed up.

I ruined my image from the start!!

[Hello, Sol-ah. I should have contacted you first. Are you free tomorrow evening? I'd like to treat you to a nice dinner.]

...How could he respond so kindly?

My frozen heart melted instantly. It was an unexpected response.

Now that we've had the meeting and set a wedding date, I'm practically his property.

A livestock without rights, like a pet dog or cat. That's what I am.

And yet, he sent such a polite message, even after my initial forward one?

A part of me felt relieved.

[Thank you, future husband. I'll see you then.]

Sending the second message was much easier.

I woke up early, showered, and carefully did my makeup.

Today was the day I would see my fiancé.

It was a chance to confirm his character and appeal to him.

If he has a bad personality, there's no need for this effort, but if he's kind, things could be different.

I styled my hair carefully, making it flow gently to catch his attention.

I applied makeup, aiming for a natural look, less intense than at the meeting.

And then, clothes. I had my old women's clothes and the meeting attire.

I couldn't wear women's clothes anymore. It would be presumptuous to wear something I wouldn't be able to wear again.

The meeting attire was out of the question too; it was a full-fledged livestock outfit. Wearing it in public without an owner would lead to reports of a loose livestock.

"I need to buy pre-livestock attire."

I wore my old women's clothes. This would be the last time I shopped in them.

I felt a bit melancholic, but the hope that my fiancé might have a good personality lifted my mood slightly.

When I left the house, my father was out. Only my mother was there.

"Where are you going, miss?"

My mother asked with a gentle smile. I had always treated her poorly, but after seeing how my father and his colleague treated her and their wives at the meeting, I had changed my mind.

I wanted to treat my mother with respect, as if she had rights.

"I'm going to the department store."

My mother looked surprised.

"Oh, miss, why are you using honorifics with a livestock? You shouldn't..."

"I've realized now that it's wrong to treat you like a livestock just because you don't have rights."

"That's the law. Treating livestock like humans is illegal..."

"The law doesn't matter. And..."

I hugged my mother.

"I'm going to be a livestock like you soon. It's not illegal anymore."

"You still have rights, miss. Please don't do this..."

"Mom, I'm sorry for treating you poorly. Forgive me."

"Miss..."

"Please hug me, Mom."

"...Yes, miss..."

Tears streamed down my mother's face, and she hugged me back.

Her warm tears flowed onto my neck.

I hugged her too, letting my tears fall onto her back.

We arrived at the department store at 2 PM. I had planned to leave earlier, but I spent time reminiscing with my mother and fixing my eye makeup.

My appointment with my fiancé was at 6 PM. It seemed like plenty of time, but considering I needed to choose what to wear, it wasn't that much.

I took the escalator to the pre-livestock attire section. Unlike before, I felt no resistance. Perhaps it was because I had accepted that I had to wear these clothes.

"Welcome."

The staff member checking my identity was different from before. The man who had looked at me strangely and faced my father's anger wasn't there. Maybe it was just a different shift.

Click. The staff member greeted me without emotion and let me in.

The department store wasn't crowded on a weekday, which was a relief.

The previous time I visited the livestock attire store, there were more men choosing clothes for women who were already livestock, not pre-livestock like me. Walking alone there made me stand out and amplified my anxiety.

"Pre-livestock attire is this way."

Fortunately, the pre-livestock section was separated from the livestock section by a frosted glass wall. I hadn't noticed it before, but it was a relief.

The pre-livestock store was for women who were going to become livestock. The clothes were designed to help them get used to revealing outfits before becoming livestock. That's what I needed now.

"Do you have this brand?"

I usually wore a certain brand. If they had it in the pre-livestock section, that would be great...and they did!

"Welcome...oh?"

The staff member was unfamiliar. Unlike other stores, this one had a female staff member, someone I knew.

Female staff members are common in sections for people with rights, like the women's clothing department. Many elite women who couldn't adapt to the bureaucratic world end up working in department stores after retirement.

"How did you end up here, miss?"

The female staff member asked with wide eyes. I blushed, feeling embarrassed.

I had always acted like someone with rights, but now I was about to lose them and become a livestock. I was shopping for pre-livestock attire.

Should I lie? No, it would be pointless. The truth would come out soon.

I might return to this store with my husband after marriage. If I lied, he would mock me when he saw me as a livestock.

It was better to be honest.

"I didn't get into the National Capital University. I'm trying to get used to it now."

The staff member looked concerned but didn't look down on me.

"It's impressive that you're here alone. Most women in your situation wouldn't dare come here by themselves."

"Really?"

"It's hard to accept your future. I think I would feel the same way."

I was able to accept my situation quickly because I had good parents. But others might not be the same.

When Oh Ji-hye didn't get into university, I understood what she meant.

"Miss, I'll introduce you to some modest clothes so you won't feel embarrassed."

The staff member was kind. She still called me "miss" even though I was destined to become a livestock. She considered my feelings.

"Thank you. Please help me."

I tried on the clothes she recommended.

The staff member handed me the clothes.

"These might be less comfortable than what you're used to, but they won't be too bothersome. They're just a bit shorter than your usual clothes."

"Thank you."

"And this..."

She offered me a pair of shoes. They weren't the low-heeled shoes I was used to. These were high heels with heels over 10 cm.

"These will make your legs look more beautiful."

Shoes aren't sold here, but she brought them from another store for me.

"Thank you. I'll try them on."

"Please try them on comfortably. Let me know if there's anything uncomfortable."

I entered the fitting room and changed into a skirt. It was a short leather skirt that would expose my underwear if I looked down slightly. It was much more revealing than my usual clothes.

"This is relatively modest compared to other clothes."

I removed my blouse and put on a top that exposed my belly and cleavage. It was embarrassing, but at least it didn't have any protruding parts like other clothes.

"How do I wear these?"

The shoes were higher than anything I'd worn before.

"If my fiancé likes them, I'll wear them."

I put on the shoes. They fit perfectly.

Maybe it was because my mother was a ballet prodigy? The high heels made my heels feel lifted, but I didn't lose my balance.

I looked in the mirror. I was dressed in perfect pre-livestock attire. It was somewhat modest but definitely sexy.

This outfit could capture the attention of multiple men at once.

I bent my knees slightly, and my underwear was exposed.

I felt embarrassed again, but if my fiancé was pleased, it was worth it.

No problem. I could show off this look.