102. Uhakwang (2)

"Guess they went for quantity since I said no expensive gifts."

"But even for quantity, these aren't cheap."

Mindful of my words about high-end stuff, there were no luxury brands, but the clothes easily topped 300,000 won each, and there were piles of gadgets in the million-won range.

"Whoa! The new game console!! I've been dying for this!"

At that age where they wanted everything, the members' eyes started glazing over.

Game consoles, phones, watches, perfumes, clothes, cosmetics, wallets, bags—you name it.

Not just one of each, either. They'd picked out various colors and designs, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like they wanted to know our tastes.

Which made it seem less like this was just for me.

"Hey? There's a letter here!"

"Where where? Hyung! Read it."

"Ooh—finally gonna meet the car owner?"

And from the gift pile, a single letter emerged.

Under the members' urging, I pulled it out and read.

"Whoa~ total big shot."

"Must be the same person who gave the car. Right, hyung?"

"Probably."

Listing everything we'd brought from the company today, the total value easily cleared several million won.

"Hyung, you taking it?"

"Dunno. Not sure what to do."

They'd heard I wouldn't accept anything too pricey, so they'd sent a ton of stuff right on the edge of that line.

Refusing this would make it hard to accept gifts from other fans.

I wasn't the only one suffering; the other members were collateral damage, turning down high-end gifts because ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of me.

Since rejecting gifts wasn't just my problem, I couldn't act rashly.

Plus, looking at their faces, turning this down too seemed like a bad idea.

"Guess we have to take it. It's already here, and we've opened them all."

"Ooooh!!"

"I'll take this, this, this one, this, and this. The rest—you guys grab what you want. The letter says it's fine to share, as you saw. Oh! And no bragging on SNS. Got it?"

"Got it!"

"Haesol hyung's sneaky like Manager noona. So naggy."

"Oh yeah? No leftovers for you then, Eungyu."

"Eek! That's cheating!! Should I get on my knees over there, hyung?"

I smacked Nam Eungyu's shoulder as he flipped attitudes fast and headed inside.

I unfolded the letter again to double-check.

'Hmph. Thinks I'll buy this naive act?'

Pure support with no strings? Let's think about it.

A guy telling a girl to accept expensive gifts as 'pure intentions.'

'Bullshit.'

Even a single wildflower has intent. Let alone dropping cash?

No matter how much money is just numbers to them, the situation doesn't change.

They clearly wanted something from me.

Just not showing their hand yet.

I knew all that, but accepted the second gift because rejecting it carried risks.

Someone casually buying and gifting luxury cars had serious cash flow.

'Can't afford to piss them off carelessly. Better play along for now.'

I'm human too—latest gadgets, quality clothes, watches, bags, wallets for free? Not bad.

And with my wallet, I could've bought them anyway.

I'd set a line: if I could afford it, fine as a gift.

So I stuck to that.

But since I couldn't predict how this fan's interest might twist, I'd keep an eye out.

"...Should I use it?"

Jua said most people build skills through effort, but with a cheat key right here, no reason not to use it.

But I'd been known as talentless in acting. Suddenly improving would raise eyebrows.

Especially Jua, way more serious about acting than me. She'd carved out time to teach my sorry ass.

If I surpassed her overnight?

'Even I'd find that annoying.'

Member dynamics needed care. They were young, hot-headed, easily shaken, easily hurt—like kids.

'Dilemma. Total dilemma.'

After agonizing, I opened the status window.

My pouch had [Coins Held: 430(8,920)].

With 4,000 owed to Poni, my actual was 430(4,920).

Bittersweet, but gift card coins could pay the debt.

Mission coins or sex coins—same to Poni, just restricted for me.

'What's the point of grinding missions when they vanish as fast as I earn?'

Embarrassing, that cocky past me vowing to save 110,000 coins.

Trickling away, missions depleted—easy workout ones gone.

Good thing they refreshed, or disaster.

'Try 30 spins with 430 coins?'

30 should nudge my low acting stats decently, if not dramatically.

Long time no see, I called Poni.

"Poni!!!! Poni!!!!"

"Why keep calling? This is the first time in ages I've summoned you."

"Anyone'd think I'd done something awful to you."

"Here to pay my debt, and that's how you greet me?"

"You nickel-and-dime interest monthly, but thrilled when I pay principal."

"If 4,000's big, why are shop items priced like that?"

Items started at 1,000 coins minimum—insanely pricey.

I got the value, but even Poni flinched at 1,000. Who buys this stuff?

"Same old 'impregnate more women' spiel?"

...Scary threat. And the carrot too—they'd been itching to say this.

My cheats could vanish if her bosses soured.

"Enough nagging. About coin gacha for stats—can you bundle spins?"

"30 coins for 30 acting boosts is tedious."

Modern games let you pull 10 at once. This? One coin, one spin.

Not long per spin, but bulk would be nice. What if I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wanted 100?

"Huge deal to me. And I'm paying your loan. Don't want it?"

Yelling all she wants, just bubbles—no scare factor.

But her boss? Gotta tread light.

They'd yoinked me from Earth on a shady contract.

Managing apocalypses? Way above humans.

'Poni's a pushover, but real power shows, I'm toast.'

Poni feared her boss openly.

Friendly now, but who knows.

"Customer service? Exists?"

"Status window's a black box."

Thought I'd poked every corner, but more secrets.

"You guys handle the status window?"

"Just curious. No biggie."

Poni eyed me suspiciously but dropped it. No proof, nothing she could do.

"Buzz off already."

Business done—no more dealing with that pesky mosquito.

Poni grumbled then poofed away.

Without the 4,000 repayment, she'd have nagged longer.

I waited post-departure, busied myself an hour, then reopened the status window.

Caution for a reason.

'Status management by a separate agency from Poni's crew. Who knew.'

That bubble sparked it: nagging suspicions, no proof, shady errors.

Probably Poni's boss rigging my window.

'Gotta expose the manipulation. Justice.'

Powerless, outing it loses more than gains.

Poni's soft, but not her bosses.

'Caught Poni's fee scam quick. Swing at her alone? Dead.'

Not scared of Poni—her superiors.

Won't speak up, but won't take it lying down.

Opportunity spotted in today's chat.

'Don't care if faceless bosses get disciplined. I want real odds, not rigged, for stat ups.'

That alone? Win.

No way to prove before.

Now? Customer service changes everything.

I fired up the center, holographic keyboard popping up. Voice too.

Curious what Status Window crew would do. Already excited.