It is an alluring Monday morning for Mikan Sakura as she readies herself for the day's work.

Getting a sip from her hot chocolate, she fixes her long auburn hair on a high ponytail. She retread her rumpled t-shirt and worn-out pants, constantly checking herself out in her almost broken full body mirror at the back of her door.

Her place consists only of four short walls connected to each other to form a house, or rather a room. Inside contains one old, squeaky single size bed, an antique little cabinet, just beside it is a small kitchen and in front of it is an open toilet and shower that obviously needs repair. Overall, her house is very undersized and lacks some facilities compared to an average one.

Nevertheless, she's content to live here. She wouldn't need a big house since she's all alone now.

Together with her in her humble home is a tall, flesh colored Canadian Eskimo dog. She found the dog wandering around the streets late at night so she took it home. She would just give the dog back to its owner as soon as there is a missing notice posted around.

"Come here…" She stretched out her hands, flickering her fingers to get the attention of the dog. As if the dog understood her, he goes to her loyally and licks Mikan's cheeks, earning a laugh from the lady.

"Okay, stop it now. You eat ok?" She set the dog food on the dish and gave it to him. The dog hurriedly digs in.

Her train of thoughts drifted away as she watched the eating dog.

Her grandfather passed away for about five years to this date, and later did she know that her parents, who passed away tragically when she was still a child, left a huge, well not really that huge - just big enough for a person who works five of the lowest jobs in the country since she did not finish college - debt to some businessmen. The office of law sent her a statement that she should pay her parents debt within two years which is exactly 5, 697, 030 Yen. Since she knew she could not get that much money within the allotted time, she went to the law office and promised in front of many witnesses that she would pay it as long as she can work but not in two years' time.

Those old businessmen were evil, well not really that, but much more than that. They were the persons that she would not want to get involved with. She remembered that time, when she failed to pay them for a month…

2 years ago…

It was an early night and Mikan was cleaning her house. Unexpectedly, her door bursts out open while she accidentally drops off the pail of water she was holding. About four men entered, closing the now –broken door.

One of them, the oldest bald, obese man speaks out, grabbing her hair painfully hard to the air.

"Are you trying to escape from us?" He asked in a threatening way.

"N-o, no… Mr. Tetsuya, I would never do that. Please, please let go." She responded pleadingly, shivering in fear. She then felt her hair detaching from her scalp.

"Ah, ok." He let her hair go and laughed evilly. She fell down to the wet, hard floor and cringed in pain.

"I suppose not paying for a month is not a way of escape right?" His eyes which were staring at her were dangerously terrifying. He gripped her shoulders hard, digging his dirty long nails on it which left a pen-length scar.

"No sir. I really am going to pay you… I… I just didn't have enough money last month…" His hold loosened a bit, his eyes doubting her words. "If…if I wanted to escape that much sir, I wouldn't be here now… I'll be probably at a place where you wouldn't find me…" Convinced with that, he completely loosened his grip with her falling to the ground for the second time. He then laughed evilly again.

"How true… very true! I like you! I like you! You are a very honest girl!" Then he laughed again while the other men smirked.

He kneeled close to her and twirled some locks of her hair with his fat fingers. It felt disgustingly dirty. She lay there not knowing what to do. Least that she expected his next actions. He slowly unhooked the first three buttons of her blouse with his greasy hands and kissed the upper area between her breasts.

"Hmmm…. Very enticing." He then kissed the middle area of her neck, leaving his slimy saliva. "That would be the last delayed pay for you got that?" For a few seconds, she can't seem to find the word to answer. "Y….yes s..ir," she finally answered.

The man rose from his feet and for the third time, laughed evilly. "I like talking to you… you are the most obedient kitty I've ever got."

There was silence for a minute as she lay there frozen on the spot. Her thoughts were awakened when she was pulled to a stand by the other men. The obese man leaned closer to her ear, so close that it was so gross. "If payment is overdue, I'm afraid I'll just have something in exchange for it, like maybe you…" He smiled at her lustfully and pushed her hard to the walls.

"Well then, goodbye Ms. Sakura, until next time." He opened the door with a bang and with his raunchy smile, he left together with the emotionless men.

With that, she broke down and sobbed endlessly and promised to herself to really work hard for that money.

She woke up from her trance when she saw the clock: 6:30 a.m.

'Better get to work.' She thought.

She turned to the now burping dog and caressed its head, "Behave while I'm at work…" The dog barks, as if knowing what she meant. She smiled in satisfaction.

She then proceeded to her first job as a cleaner at her friend's bakery.

"A sweet morning to you Mikan!" Greeted Anna as she saw her approaching the shop with her bicycle.

"A sweet morning to you too, Anna." She acknowledges back with a honey-sweet smile as she parks her ride.

They went into the brick themed shop and together, with a few more workers, put the chairs down to ready the place for upcoming customers.

"Is there someplace I need to clean first in particular Anna?" Asked Mikan as she finishes pulling down the last two chairs. Anna paused for a while to think.

"Uhm… I think the toilets need to be done first then the kitchen…"

"Okay. I'll do it right away Ma'am!" She moves her hands to her head to salute her like in the military. She then proceeded to work.

Three hours later, her job was finished at the bakeshop. She was about to go out but she was stopped by Anna.

"Mikan! You are not allowed to go unless you've eaten these." She was carrying a tray full with three different types of pastries and a tall glass of iced frappe. It was so inviting to look at. Her mouth watered at just the sight of it.

"No thanks, Anna." As much as she wanted her baking and food, especially pastries, she declined for the sake of shame.

"I do not accept your 'no thanks' there. Eat and I'll let you go. You don't want to be late on your next job right?" She said like she was lecturing a child then gave her a soft smile. Instantly, she threw her a thankful smile and began to dig in.

Anna Umenomiyais her childhood best friend and she knows Mikan well. Living very close to each other when they were still young, when Mikan'sgrandfather was still alive, she is a witness to her happiness and sorrows. Though Mikan wasn't talking about her life much since her parents died, Anna knows at least three fourths of her life story. She strives hard to let Mikan feel that she has a friend whom she can come to in need.

She was just 6 years old when her parents died, and much worse than that, they were killed in front of her. It was heavily raining that day at exactly 12 noon when two men in black with face fully covered, entered their once happy home. She and her parents were at the dining area eating their lunch happily when it happened. The men in black grab each of her parents and stabbed them countless times mercilessly in front of their child. Little Mikan just stood there, stock-stilled.

After that incident, she changed. Mikan who was talking endlessly all day, now talks only when needed. She was always on a daze, and her lovely eyes bore of sadness, regret and fear almost every time you look at them.

Anna knows someday she'll be happy because her friend deserves it. She will be the witness of her past, present and future, and never will she give up for a wonderful person like Mikan Sakura. She is her friend, and always will be. For now, she'll just have to wait and watch as her friend's story begins to unfold.

Mikan's second work before lunch time is to distribute brochures. Her third work is to take out garbage from a hospital. Fourth is a waitress at a pizza parlor. And finally, her fifth job is to arrange books at a bookstore. This sums up her day from Monday to Saturday of the week. Tiring right? But for her, it's better being beaten up to work than being harassed by some disgusting, old, bald man.

She just hopes that her suffering would end soon, so she can be free from all this sham and drudgery.

This is the life of an abandoned yet independent and hardworking woman; this is about a scornful-fated start of journey and how fate itself would make it a worthwhile fly…this is the life of Mikan Sakura.