The Star Beyond Reach
Being a black consumer wasn't particularly difficult. That's what connections are for, after all. Since the airport where Hwang Jin-woo worked belonged to the Korean Empire's imperial family, he asked the princess to give all the workers a little extra bonus. He asked Lane and Lucas to buy out the department store chain run by the Arthur family and hand out gift certificates. Finally, he asked the saint to increase donations for scholarships and had Instructor Charles Teddybear select Hwang Jin-woo as a scholarship student.
"As expected, building relationships was the right answer."
It might seem like he'd done something grand, but for the people involved, it was literally effortless. The princess only needed to say a single word to the airport staff about how hard the loaders were working lately. A one-million-won gift certificate from the department store was pocket change to Lane and Lucas. The saint had already been planning to increase donations to the academy anyway, so there was no issue there. As for the scholarship, Hwang Jin-woo had already been on the candidate list thanks to his efforts and potential; all they did was confirm it.
The entire process was completed with just a few phone calls from the fortune-telling shop. No one questioned his requests, perhaps because they felt they owed him a favor. After all, none of it was a big ask—just simple things.
In a way, he'd held a person's fortune in the palm of his hand without ever stepping outside this cramped space.
"I think I understand a little of what that cultist bastard was thinking."
Was this the feeling that bastard had when he destroyed his family all those years ago? A kind of omnipotence. The sense of superiority that came from deciding someone's entire life with just a few words.
But to him, it only brought a scoff.
"You piece of shit. I'm nothing like you."
That bastard's actions only brought misfortune to others, but he was different. He had to be different. Keeping that in mind, he absentmindedly shuffled the cards when the door to the shop opened. Unlike yesterday, it was cautious and ordinary.
"Um, fortune teller."
"Welcome, customer."
Now there was only a student here to have his fortune told, not the black consumer Hwang Jin-woo. But there was someone even more important.
"…………."
"………."
Following behind Hwang Jin-woo were Sasaki Kaede… and a large character whose name he didn't know. Today, he absolutely had to convince Sasaki Kaede.
'Even if it's just for the character event.'
To properly connect with 'Sasaki Ito,' a romanceable character from the otome game Romance Academy. It was time to open his mouth.
*
"You mean the fortunes of the others."
"……Y-yeah."
"It won't be difficult. Please, both of you, have a seat up front."
After happily devouring chicken for the first time in weeks, Hwang Jin-woo entered the shop more cautiously than yesterday and pushed Sasaki Kaede and Kaite forward.
"J-Jin-woo."
"……Jin-woo."
"Don't worry. Let's just get our fortunes read first."
He'd thought it over all day during class, but no matter how he looked at it, the source of today's luck had to be Namgung Min's fortune-telling. Otherwise, his life, which had been a complete mess for twenty years, wouldn't have suddenly turned around today. Even if he generously chalked up the bonus and gift certificates to coincidence, the sudden increase in donations leading to more scholarship spots couldn't possibly be simple chance.
'I looked into it, and the church's donations and donation dates are fixed. The fact that they suddenly increased donations on a non-donation day is clearly……!'
Luck. Financial luck. His hidden financial fortune must have been revealed. Even if that fortune teller had somehow moved the church to increase donations, the result was that Hwang Jin-woo had been selected as a scholarship student. Since the fortune teller couldn't have interfered with the selection process itself, this was definitely luck……!
'He's really good at this!'
The way he'd figured out his situation at their first meeting, and how his financial luck had exploded right after the fortune was told—it really seemed like Namgung Min's readings were close to prophecy, just like the rumors said. So of course he wanted his two friends to get their fortunes read too.
"Jin-woo, are you sure this is okay?"
"Hm?"
"I mean…… we came here to act like thugs, right? But just getting our fortunes read like it's nothing……"
"It's fine, it's fine. Kaite, you don't need to worry either!"
"……Yeah."
Uneasy about his sudden change in attitude, Sasaki Kaede and Kaite Blackwood whispered to Hwang Jin-woo, but he had no concerns at all. After all, he was an incredibly skilled fortune teller! Of course getting their fortunes read would be a huge benefit for Kaede and Kaite too!
"Well then…… Sasaki Kaede, shall we begin with you?"
"Huh? O-oh, sure! But how do you know my name……"
"I'm acquainted with your family member, Sasaki Ito."
"Ah…… with my brother……"
She tried to emphasize her blonde hair and heavy makeup to look more like a delinquent, but at the mention of her brother Sasaki Ito, her head lowered. Sasaki Ito had been the last family member to try and stop her when she ran away from home. Even now, as fellow Swordsmen attending the academy, Sasaki Kaede felt both pride and guilt toward him—so much so that she avoided him.
"Hmm……… Sasaki. So you left home."
"………Yeah."
He must have heard it from her brother. Just as Kaede was about to let out a quiet sigh at the thought of her brother still worrying about her—
"And at fifteen years old…… That must have been difficult."
"Huh…… Huh?"
How did he know she'd run away at fifteen? The fact that she'd left home could be learned from her brother. But Sasaki Ito wasn't the type to mention the exact age his sister had run away. As family, she could be certain of that.
"How?"
"I read it in the cards. Sasaki Kaede…… I can see it. Your past, and your future."
The fortune teller closed his eyes and shuffled the cards. Even with his eyes closed, there wasn't a single moment of hesitation or mistake in his hands. With fluid, eye-catching movements, he shuffled the cards flamboyantly before finally drawing two and laying them on the table. He never once opened his eyes.
"Would you like to flip them over?"
"Uh, yeah."
Flip.
The revealed card was Major Arcana 17, The Star. Only then did the fortune teller open his eyes. He stared at The Star card for a moment, frozen, before returning to his usual gentle smile.
"This represents Sasaki's past."
"My…… past?"
The Star? No matter how she thought about it, her past didn't seem connected to The Star card at all. Looking at the fortune teller with questioning eyes, he spoke with a slightly awkward smile.
"The Star is Sasaki Ito. You were never able to reach that star, were you?"
"………!!"
"No matter how hard you try to reach it, a person cannot grasp a star high in the sky. Usually, The Star symbolizes hope or wishes…… but for you, it represents someone chasing after such a star."
Swish. The fortune teller naturally set The Star card aside and drew another from the deck.
"……The Emperor."
"It symbolizes authority, domination, and perfection. Unable to follow the star that is Sasaki Ito, you must have felt immense pressure."
Yes, Sasaki Kaede had been under tremendous pressure. Born as siblings in a declining swordsmanship family. Miraculously, both had been born with the Swordsman class, and the entire family had placed their expectations on them. But compared to her brother, who was a genius in every way, the younger sister fell hopelessly short. The family criticized and pressured her. Just be like your brother. Your brother won this award. Your brother could do this even as a child…… Objectively, she was also a considerable genius, but the family was never satisfied. In the end, she left home. She even pushed away her brother, who had tried until the very end to stop her.
"…………."
"Shall we see what the next card is?"
"……The future."
"That's right. It's your future, Sasaki."
Inside this small card lay her future. Realizing this, Kaede suddenly stopped her outstretched hand. She was too afraid that the card might represent an ominous future. So……
"Sasaki. Are you afraid?"
"…………."
"Afraid that your future might be decided by just one card? Afraid that what's inside might not be a good outcome?"
"………Yes."
Forgetting that she was supposed to be acting like a delinquent. Not even realizing she'd unconsciously used formal speech, Kaede looked at the fortune teller with desperate eyes. Was she asking him not to flip the card? Or to flip it for her?
"The future can change."
"……Yes?"
"I tell this to everyone who asks me to read their fortune. The cards do not show a definitive future."
"…………."
"They merely…… offer the best advice."
Flip.
"………The Star."
"Go find the star."
"Th-that's……"
"That is the first step toward the best possible future."
Sasaki Kaede couldn't say a word. The fortune she'd heard from the fortune teller had struck her conscience directly. Even if not with the family, reconciling with her brother was the right thing to do. She'd always thought that. But simply thinking about it and actually taking action were two completely different matters. That's why she'd been so anxious—only to be pushed forward from a completely unexpected direction.
"…………."
"Well then, next is Kaite."
"………Uh, yeah."
Gulp. Kaite Blackwood, who had been glancing sideways at the silent, head-bowed Sasaki Kaede, unconsciously swallowed.
'I have secrets too……!'
On the surface, he stood with arms crossed, looking stern with his massive frame, but inside he was the very picture of timidness and trembling—a classic case of outward strength, inner weakness. If his Blackwood family secrets were exposed here like Sasaki Kaede's……!
'What the hell am I supposed to do!?'
He'd already witnessed the fortune teller's miraculous abilities. He'd heard all the rumors too. More than anything, though he hadn't been able to say it out loud because of his timid nature, Kaite Blackwood had the experience of following Namgung Min and destroying a wall during the entrance ceremony maze. He already believed without doubt in the fortune teller's abilities. That made him sweat even more.
'The Blackwood family's secrets must absolutely remain hidden!'
But storming out wouldn't be proper, and it wasn't something his timid self could do anyway. If he stayed still, at least half of it might pass, so no matter what was said, he just had to not react……!
"You won't face any major problems going forward."
"…………Pardon?"
"As long as you don't attempt anything too reckless, things will go smoothly. Don't worry."
Huh…… What about the Blackwood family secrets? His past? The hidden family matters? Was that it?
"Is that…… all?"
"Yes."
"……………Ah."
Even when he asked just in case, the answer was firm. Looking strangely dejected, Kaite lowered his head just like Sasaki Kaede. And standing behind the two friends with their heads bowed, listening to the fortunes, Hwang Jin-woo looked at the fortune teller with determined eyes.
"……Fortune teller."
"I know. You were asked to cause trouble as a thug, weren't you?"
"Ah, you…… knew?"
"Of course. I knew from the moment you all walked in."
Fortune-telling really was amazing. Hwang Jin-woo, newly impressed by the fortune teller, quietly bowed his head.
"I'm sorry, Namgung Min."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I…… tried to threaten and spread bad rumors about you, even though you did nothing wrong. I didn't actually spread the rumors, but the fact that I considered it is enough to warrant an apology."
"………."
"And…… after seeing you seriously read my friends' fortunes, I changed my mind. I was about to do something trashy just for money."
Even as he said this, Hwang Jin-woo shuddered with self-loathing. If he hadn't received the bonus today, if he hadn't received the gift certificates, if he hadn't been selected as a scholarship student—would he still have apologized like this? If his situation hadn't improved because of it, wouldn't he have gone through with the thug work, telling himself he had no choice? In the end, his choice had been swayed by the reality of money until the very end, which made him feel even more sorry toward Namgung Min.
"I want to…… give you a consultation fee."
"A consultation fee, you say."
"Five million won. That's the amount I received for doing this trashy job."
He hadn't received the other five million, so this was all of it. Even though it was a large sum that would let him not worry about rent for two months, Hwang Jin-woo's heart felt at ease. Rather than earning money by deceiving his own conscience, it was better to live a little poorer. If worse came to worst, he could just work more part-time jobs or side gigs.
"Please take it."
"…………."
The bankbook containing the five million won he'd received for this job, which he'd been carrying carefully in his arms. Hwang Jin-woo held it out with a smile. A smile filled with relief.
But Namgung Min gave a somewhat bitter smile.
"Do you know what a consultation fee is? It has to be an equivalent exchange."
"……Hm?"
"My fortune-telling isn't worth five million won. What I want is something else."
"Something…… else?"
"It's not a difficult request."
"You have friends, don't you?"