Iron Life (2)
I grabbed the empty rice bag and let out a scream.
But no matter how much I yelled, no rice was going to magically appear.
In the end, with trembling hands, I picked up my smartphone and opened the banking app.
Balance: 78,000 won
"Phew…."
Thank goodness. I'd been worried about an insufficient funds notice popping up today, but there was still a pretty decent chunk of cash left.
If I hadn't scarfed down that Choco Mong, I could've bought a mouse with my own money.
Embarrassing, but water under the bridge.
"Hold on…."
My brief joy at seeing the balance evaporated as harsh reality hit me again.
"This is it…."
This 78,000 won was my entire fortune.
"Hic…."
Terrifying. The mouse being free was a godsend—if I'd had to shell out that extra 1,000 won earlier, I'd be sucking my thumb right now with no rice and no cash.
Thanks, Choco Mong.
You're my lifesaver.
But that wasn't the only problem. Utilities? Phone bill? This money wouldn't even scratch the surface.
…Hmm.
"Guess it had to come to this."
I flopped straight onto the floor.
"Gotta go to work…."
For real. There were no more options left. I'd held out until the absolute bitter end….
"No wayyy! After a 6-game losing streak, heading off to work?! What kind of horrific reality is this?!"
Normally, after losing in-game, you treat yourself to something tasty and crack open a beer to recover your mental. But after six straight losses tanking my rank and shredding my psyche to dust, I had to go labor? Something's seriously wrong here. Geneva Convention violation. The fault of whoever failed to create a world where you don't have to work!
…Ugh. For real.
"I just wanna breathe and play Asgard forever…."
4 AM. I woke to the alarm.
"Ugh…."
As I dragged myself up, my body already ached all over. Work hadn't even started yet, but it was like my flesh knew the grueling day ahead and flat-out refused to cooperate.
"So cold…."
Shiver, shiver….
Stepping out from under the covers brought a bone-chilling draft. The room was freezing because I hadn't turned on the boiler once. For a beggar Iron streamer like me, the boiler might as well not exist.
"The boiler's just fancy decor, right? Yeah?"
I got dressed while shivering.
Top: the baggy gray hoodie from yesterday. Bottoms: some random training pants.
Even for someone like me who doesn't invest in the real world, this outfit screamed time to buy new clothes. I'd tried avoiding compromise with reality, but clothes at least had to fit your body.
Safety boots… no way they'll fit.
I eyed the safety boots by the door. Probably size 270. My current feet? Maybe 220 at best.
"Sigh."
No good. Those were unwearable.
Instead, I grabbed the smallest sneakers from the shoe rack and slipped them on. The soles were worn slick, but I'd just have to be careful.
After getting ready, I headed out. The crisp dawn air snapped me awake.
Will there be work today?
I had no real job. When money ran dry, I'd hit the day labor office for a few gigs. Even that wasn't frequent—just when I was backed into the absolute corner.
Wonder if Mr. Kim's there.
On the way to the Gaemi Inryeok Office, I pictured a familiar face.
Mr. Kim was the day laborer I'd teamed up with now and then. Division of labor: he'd plaster, I'd mix cement or haul bricks on the side.
I had some real strength back then. I'd hoist 40kg cement bags like nothing, and he'd praise me while brewing instant coffee.
"…Hm."
I glanced at my arm. Now it was slender and delicate. Forget 40kg cement—this thing might struggle with a 1kg pink dumbbell….
"Haa~ Hope I can earn a day's pay today."
Might end up twiddling thumbs.
Just as worry gnawed at me, the labor office sign came into view.
4:30 AM.
On the second floor of a rundown building sat the Gaemi Inryeok Office.
And inside, it was already packed with folks hunting for work. Ages varied, but they all bantered like brothers.
"Aigoo, my back…. That site yesterday? Materials cleanup was a total shitshow."
"Kim hyung, where we headed today? Not the apartment site again, right?"
Kim Jeongbae—the guy known as Mr. Kim here—sipped his instant coffee from a paper cup before speaking.
"Dunno. Gotta wait for the boss to call. Work's been scarce lately."
Twenty years in this grind. Kim savored the coffee with a fresh smile. The colder the dawn air, the sweeter the brew—and the more your body griped.
"Sigh. Hope something decent pops up."
Just as Kim smirked at that, the door swung open.
Someone stepped in.
*Bow.*
A blonde foreigner in a baggy hoodie and training pants.
Why's a kid like that here at dawn? Boss just got married—maybe his daughter?
Kim paused mid-sip, glancing sideways. Flowing blonde hair, glimpses of pale skin and blue eyes.
But a foreigner….
She looked straight out of a cartoon—unreal. More doll-like girl than beautiful. Her showing up amid all these grizzled uncles felt wildly out of place.
Kim stared blankly for five seconds.
Anyway, why's a delicate girl like that here….
Yet she didn't feel unfamiliar.
First time seeing this face, but someone flickered in his mind.
Huh…? Do I know her?
Memories jumbled like a glitch.
Oh, right! It's her! That eager kid!
Polite, hardworking, no slacking. Name was Yuaran, yeah?
Yeah, Yuaran's always looked like that.
Kim nodded, accepting it naturally. That's Yuaran—the polite, hardworking foreign girl. Good at labor too. Foreign laborer…? Wait, foreign…?
Kim tilted his head as Yuaran moved.
Under the stares of the office uncles, Yuaran walked to the water cooler.
She grabbed a paper cup from beside it.
*Plop.*
Then tore open two instant coffee packets at once, dumped them in, added just a splash of hot water—perfect ratio for that thick, intense flavor.
Finally, she folded the empty packets, stirred the cup vigorously, slurped the dregs, and chucked it in the trash.
"Whew."
Not a wasted motion. The room's eyes widened. It was pro day-laborer vibes. From a cute foreign girl, no less.
"Nice and toasty…."
The uncles gawked. That bittersweet, second-life aura pouring from such an adorable face.
The foreign girl even sipped her brew as she headed to the boss's desk.
"Boss, any spots open today?"
The boss, sorting papers, peered over his glasses and freaked.
He was new, having just taken over—no clue who she was.
"Uh… uh? Kid? Think you got the wrong place."
"Not a kid. Here for work."
"Hah, kid, this is dangerous stuff. Parents send you? Or… runaway?"
"I'm an adult. Check."
Yuaran pulled her wallet from her pocket and slapped her ID on the desk. Utter confidence—no room for doubt. The boss blinked, checking it in a daze.
"Wha—really an adult? But the photo and you… identical?"
He adjusted his glasses, flipping between ID and face. Meanwhile, the bearded uncles whispered.
"She's an adult?"
"Looks my daughter's age."
"They say kids develop fast these days… maybe malnourished…."
Opinions flew. Morning gossip gold—they were thrilled.
The boss, though, felt the weight of responsibility.
"O-okay, adult, got it. But miss—this is rough work. Ever done manual labor?"
"Yeah."
"Like what?"
Yuaran chugged her coffee, crumpled the cup, and answered.
"Worked with Mr. Kim Jeongbae before. Assisted plastering, hauled materials."
"Pffft!!!"
Kim sprayed his coffee everywhere.
"Wha—what? Plaster assist and materials?!"
Every eye drilled into him—like he was trash.
They're all looking at me like scum!
Flashback hit Kim.
A blonde girl grunting under a 40kg cement bag. Hauling a brick cart as big as herself up stairs, skinny limbs drenched in sweat….
Unbelievable memory. And there he was, laughing, smoking beside her. "Hey! Yaran! Strong stuff—carry more!"
"She's really good. Lifts two 40kg cement bags at once, so Mr. Jeongbae praised me. Said I work hard."
Unbelievable, but undeniable.
And as Yuaran spoke, the stares intensified….
"Damn, Kim… tough bastard. How could you make a girl like that…."
"N-no, it wasn't like that!"
"Hey, own it to the end!"
As Kim drew glares, the boss shot him a contemptuous look, then turned kindly to Yuaran.
"Miss… er, kid? No, Ms. Yuaran."
"Yes."
"Sorry, no work today. Or… ever, from this office."
"Huh? Why? I'm great at demo. Can even tote bricks…."
Yuaran's eyes welled up pleadingly. Rejection here meant doom for her livelihood.
"Um…."
The boss faltered under her desperate gaze. Sudden urge to help surged.
But time for tough love. Convenience store job would suit her better.
"Really sorry. Go grab a warm meal, rest up. Please."
"No, boss. I need money. Rice ran out at home."
"Rice… ran out?"
His eyes bulged. How's a kid surviving…? The Kim-haters jumped up, wallets out for Yuaran.
"Kid, take this. My secret stash—booze money anyway."
"Jeongbae's fault you suffered? Take it, eat something nice, go home."
"Me too."
"Take mine!"
Bills rained toward Yuaran. Stunned, she gaped at them.
"Wha—?!"