Chapter 1: A Strange System Appears
After getting discharged from the military.
Most guys end up thinking something like this.
"Now I can do anything."
It's not a lie.
Military life is just fucking shitty, no matter what.
Even if the food's decent.
Even if they raise the pay.
Even if the facilities get nicer.
Shitty is still shitty.
The soul-crushing training.
The abuse from those asshole seniors.
The epitome of irrationality and absurdity.
Guys who endure all that.
They come out with this insane confidence that they can handle anything.
Honestly, it felt like I could nail whatever I tried.
But then.
Once you're thrown back into society.
"Hey, Lee Jaehan! What's with the dishes? I told you to do them right away! Fuck, you're pissing me off. You wanna slack off?"
That confidence vanishes in a flash.
And you quickly find yourself all pathetic and shrunk down.
I thought the beatings from the military would make this shit tolerable.
But when it's every damn day, even the military abuse starts looking like nothing.
"Earlier, the keyboards didn't look cleaned either. I told you to do it right after customers leave!"
The jjapaghetti orders piled up suddenly, so the dishes backed up.
And the cleaning? Groups of friends came in all at once and bounced before I could finish.
I'm not a two-headed monster—how am I supposed to keep up?
But of course, the boss shows up right on cue to chew me out.
"Sigh. Didn't you join after discharge saying you'd work hard? And this is how you do it? Fuck, you're driving me nuts."
"……."
I didn't make excuses.
No point—they'd just latch onto something else like those military seniors.
Best to keep my mouth shut in these moments.
"You're 24, right? Can't even handle simple shit? Hey, you were a target in the army, weren't you? Your seniors must've been dying to beat your ass. Obvious without even asking. Or maybe……"
"Boss."
"Yeah? Oh, Sohyun."
Watch that face change.
"Could you check the warehouse inventory?"
"Of course. Let's go right now."
So polite to her, unlike with me.
'She bailed me out again, huh?'
Maybe I looked too pitiful getting reamed.
Yu Sohyun. 21 years old.
The ace part-timer at our PC bang.
Clean, innocent vibe.
Works hard, killer looks and figure—super popular with customers.
Her long, straight hair suits her perfectly.
'She's really kind.'
I've only been here two weeks, but she helps me out sometimes, tsundere-style.
Especially when the boss is yelling, like now.
'Fucking gross. For real.'
The boss seems way too interested in her.
But not like my kind of interest.
'Dude's got a girlfriend.'
She drops by sometimes.
No idea why he acts like this with Sohyun.
Probably dirty intentions.
Does his girl know her man's such a sleaze?
Even now, he's ogling Sohyun's lower half as he follows her.
'Disgusting. Seriously.'
I sneak peeks too, but not that blatantly.
'Doesn't even look like a total loser.'
Boss is around 27, I think.
Wild he owns a PC bang like this.
His thuggy friends who come hang out don't scream "success."
'Girlfriend seems loaded, though.'
Whatever. Not my business.
No need to care that much.
"Ah."
Not the time.
Better hurry with cleaning and dishes.
Before I get yelled at again.
****
"Goddamn money's the problem."
If I had cash, I wouldn't take this crap.
Right after discharge, I reenrolled in college.
Dream's to be a broadcast PD—no delaying school.
But family's dirt poor, so part-time it is.
Saved every penny from army pay, thought it'd last.
"Hope Dad's okay."
He hurt his leg, so I sent all my money.
Weird insurance meant no payout, and work comp's dragging.
Need basics to live—no choice.
When does this poverty cycle end?
"At this rate, I'll never even date."
I'm 24.
Solo my whole life.
All-boys middle, high school, college, army.
Never held a girl's hand.
Not ugly, either.
Tall too, at 187 cm. Sigh.
"No guts, that's why."
Fine with guys.
But women? I turn timid.
Even with coworker Sohyun, barely talked.
She doesn't start convos either, so no chats at all.
Finished cleaning, back to my spot.
Not break time.
Still gotta monitor.
Orders ping, so check and cook.
"Huh?"
At the counter, staring at monitors.
A weird alert popped up.
Like an internet ad, bottom-right corner.
Are you someone who conforms to common sense?
Or someone who exploits common sense?
"……."
Ads are pulling aggro hard these days.
Brushed it off, tried ignoring.
But more text below.
[Exploit it]
[Just live]
Middle-school edgelord vibes.
Click and probably more spam.
Sohyun back from bathroom, sits next to me.
Glances over, then her work.
'Should thank her.'
She's subtly helped every time boss rants.
Too chicken to say it, though.
Today, muster courage.
Buy a drink on my tab, set by her.
"……."
Scratched my head under her stare.
"Thanks for earlier."
"For what?"
"You saved me from the boss."
"It was really the inventory."
"……Right? Uh, then……."
"But you got it, so I'll drink it. Thanks, Oppa."
"Yeah."
"Appreciate it."
Her tone's flat, face unchanged.
But she cracks it open right away—made me happy.
"First time you started the talk."
"Was it?"
"Hit me up anytime if you need something."
"Sure."
"Ignore that boss. Don't let it get to you."
First time she's chatted this much.
"Got it."
Grinned without thinking.
Sohyun sips her drink, back to work.
Thump. Thump.
Solo life—talking to a girl like her gets my heart racing.
"……."
[Exploit it]
[Just live]
Why's that still on my monitor?
'Doesn't it usually vanish?'
Stubborn ad.
Ignored, opened another tab.
Still there.
"Virus?"
Mouse turned to a finger over it.
Like it's clickable.
"Fine, Exploit it."
Half joke, half annoyance.
Hovered and clicked without thinking.
Click.
Nothing happened.
"What the hell."
Text gone.
No ad popup.
Just a prank, huh.
"What's up?"
"Nothing."
Sohyun's voice startled me.
That's when it hit.
A white shimmer rippled in front of me.
Don't be startled. System activating.
"……!"
The shimmer coalesced into a transparent monitor.
No—a huge white window, full-body mirror size.
I gawked, dumbfounded.
Don't be startled? While staring at this?
But that text kept me from yelling.
'What the fuck is this?'
Black text etched onto the white screen.
■ Target: 1 person
■ Cycle: 168 hours
■ Scope: Protagonist's direct interactions
One "social common sense" changes every week.
The altered common sense only activates in situations where you intervene.
Your mission: Accurately deduce the "altered common sense."
■ Correct Answer Format
Sentence including "Condition" + "Result".
※ Answer declarations limited to once per day.
■ Rewards
Correct within time limit: Fitting reward granted.
■ Failure
Time expires: Penalty applied.
"……!!!"
What the hell are these messages?
Black text flashing on the white window right in my face.
First time seeing anything like this.
Blinked over and over, couldn't believe it.
'Weekly Common Sense Alteration System?'
Clutched my pounding heart.
Read it slowly again.
'So... guess the changed common sense? Within a week?'
Right guess: reward.
Wrong or late: penalty.
"What is th……."
"You okay?"
"Sohyun, you see anything floating in front of me?"
"Huh?"
"Never mind."
She can't see it.
Special system window just for me.
Then the black text blurred, reformed.
Current Phase: System Adaptation
⏰ Time Limit:48 hours
Deduce the altered common sense within the deadline.
Rewards & penalties follow standard rules.
■ Reward
Common Sense Storage Slot 1 unlocked
■ Penalty
Add 1 large pimple to face (1 week duration)
Something weird's happening to me.