Stepping on Roses

Sumi Kitamura faces an overwhelming burden far beyond her years. Her reckless older brother, Eisuke, continually brings abandoned children into their home, expecting Sumi to care for them despite their dire poverty. With barely enough resources to sustain themselves, the mounting pressure of feeding and sheltering a growing household pushes her to the brink of despair. Just as her financial situation reaches a breaking point, a wealthy man named Soichiro Ashida steps into her life with an extraordinary offer. He proposes a marriage of convenience, promising to provide the funds she desperately requires in exchange for her hand. For Sumi, this arrangement represents the only lifeline capable of saving her makeshift family from ruin. However, accepting Soichiro’s proposal introduces daunting new challenges. Thrust into an unfamiliar world of privilege, Sumi must convincingly masquerade as a refined woman to satisfy the expectations of elite society. As she navigates this deceptive arrangement, she is forced to confront a difficult question: is sacrificing her authenticity and personal freedom truly worth the price of survival?