Chapter 215 - A Day of Bad Luck
Danielle tilted her head slightly, gazing at the familiar sight. The line packed with fellow college students snaked through the building in every direction before spilling out the exit. She shaded her eyes from the bright sunlight and checked her card balance: just 6,410 won left. 'I can scrape by until tomorrow.' Today, too, she dashed over early to stand in line for the 1,000-won student meal. If the side dishes were decent, she'd wait 20 or 30 minutes under the blazing sun—it was pure torture every day. 'At this rate, it's no different from my cafeteria leech days.' The only change was that cafeteria food had become student meals. Time wasn't equally given to everyone.
Her classmates were probably cooling off in the department lounge or club room with air conditioning, playing instruments together, then sitting cross-legged on the floor to eat their delivered lunch when it arrived. She never found out what they ultimately chose between pork feet or sushi—the final narrow options. The endless line finally came into view, and just as she was about to buy her meal ticket, a group message pinged in the Bark chat.
First-year reserve PDs, assemble! NoName's at Jaha Pond! Come now!!!
"Yeah, I can skip one meal." She believed that seeing NoName's adorable real-life self would make her stomach understand.
[Payment canceled.]
* * *
"Niel, could you grab a serving of takoyaki from the cart up by the main gate?"
"Me?"
"We can't show up to NoName empty-handed. You're the one with the best first impression among us. You can bring her to Bark Studio, right? Pretty please!"
"Okay..."
Danielle couldn't refuse her senior's request to lure NoName all the way to Bark Studio.
"That's 5,000 won."
"5,000? For just six pieces?"
"Yup."
The street vendor's rip-off price wiped out five meals' worth of her fortune.
"Want some too, unnie?"
"Nah! I'm not big on cheese! Eat up, NoName!"
This was an investment. Danielle steeled her resolve with that thought. If NoName played like she had at the pond—unbelievably masterful—the VTube views would rack up nicely. Producing one more video featuring the view-count cheat key that was NoName meant a fatter settlement payout. She'd missed the end because NoName had dashed off to play maestro midway, but it had to be prime content. But she overlooked that unexpected luck was always followed by misfortune.
"You can't settle up right away?"
"We do it once every two months. Last one was end of June, so probably late August next. Why?"
"Oh, no reason..."
She'd joined the corporate club to make money. Rumors said Bark was a goldmine; she'd beaten fierce competition to become a reserve PD. It wasn't the huge sum the rumors promised, but it was decent for her. Hearing she'd have to wait a month and a half for settlement left her dazed.
'Tutoring payday's still a bit off...' Could she last three more days? The takoyaki that had gone into NoName's mouth seemed to taunt her.
* * *
Danielle deeply felt that humans were slaves to their hormones. Three days of fasting had turned mere hunger into irritability at everything. Even thoughtless comments from classmates she'd usually endured grated on her nerves.
"Seriya, I didn't get the scholarship! Waaah. I'd planned a trip abroad with the money as pocket change... Everyone else goes, but not me—what's the point?"
"Congrats on full tuition coverage. Isn't it 'cause your income bracket's high?"
"No way, our family's 9th percentile! Makes sense? Mom's a housewife, Dad's a regular civil servant. We don't even own a proper house in Seoul, and we're 9th percentile!"
"Aren't you commuting from Seoul?"
"It's a lease... But they count it as assets anyway."
"The criteria's kinda weird."
"Right? My friend's dad runs a big business, but they got 3rd percentile—full scholarship plus 500,000-won stipend like pocket money. So jealous... What savings do you even get from low income?"
"What about you, Niel? Overseas trip plans for summer break?"
Her classmates asked Danielle, who was resting in the lounge. While they fretted over trips, she was deciding whether to skip lunch. Thinking Korea University, a cheap national school, would have fewer rich kids was pure prejudice. It had the highest proportion of top 10% earners nationwide—60% of students.
Danielle swallowed her boiling rage and left the lounge. "Too busy. No time for trips."
She'd lost two friends. Not right now, but inevitably—they'd drift apart, becoming strangers someday. She knew it better than anyone.
"Niel seems off today... Is she sick?"
A friendship where you only received without giving back couldn't last.
* * *
"Sorry, I really can't make it today—I've got something urgent."
"Again...? Can't you just come, snap a pic, and go?"
"Yeah... My schedule's packed."
"Got it. We'll stick around till 5, so drop by before then?"
"I'll try."
She lied—a fib that would unravel in hours—and skipped group study. Classes ending 30 minutes early, replaced by group sessions, suited her perfectly. She could snag minimum credits while heading to tutoring, saving time. Group meals or cafe costs were no joke anyway. Better to skip than sit hungrily, eyeing everyone awkwardly. She'd pretended to join to avoid burdening groupmates, but a snag hit her plan.
Hey Niel, hate to say this now, but remember the scooter I lent you for tutoring? I kinda need it back soon.
A senior four years older, close through club ties, who'd noticed her isolation and lent his scooter knowing her tough family situation. But he'd confessed to her, and she'd turned him down. The fallout: scooter confiscated—the worst outcome.
She knew she'd exploited his feelings somewhat. But without it, a normal life was impossible. Public transit meant leaving 30 minutes early—no group study possible. She slumped in the back bus seat, leaning against the window. Misfortune, once started, crashed like endless waves.
"Hello?"
[Hi, teacher! Hyun-seung swam today and isn't feeling great, so can we reschedule for tomorrow?]
Again, again, again! Danielle gripped her phone tightly. Words she'd never say slipped out.
"Then we'll deduct one session..."
[What? Teacher, that's not right! I'm not asking for free extras—just postpone!]
"No prior notice, and telling me 30 minutes before tutoring puts me in a tough spot."
[Didn't peg you for so money-grubbing. Provide proper service and earn your pay! And are you even teaching Hyun-seung right? Hired you from Korea U Music 'cause...]
Group study gone, tutoring canceled. 'At least payday's sooner...' She'd get tomorrow what was due in two weeks. Danielle resolved to blow her remaining 1,410 won on a triangle kimbap.
"Welcome! CU!"
* * *
Summer days stretched long. Fearing her precarious emotions might explode, she'd fled from Woo Da-yeon and NoName to a quiet park. The final dagger to her worn heart came from her mother.
Out of money. Send 500,000 won, Danielle.
Under a lush maple tree, she trudged to a shaded bench and collapsed onto it. The damp summer wood's texture seeped through her thin white tee. Her long hair draped down, tips brushing the dirty ground. Suppressing surging emotions, she called her mother.
"I have no money."
Curses poured out predictably—how much she'd sacrificed, how Korea U Music grad couldn't even do this, might as well cut family ties. The tirade stopped only when Dad snatched the phone.
[Doing okay?]
"It's hard. I'm dying here."
[What can we do if our pretty girl's struggling? Want some pocket money from Dad?]
"You don't have any. Don't say pathetic stuff like that."
[Yeah... Sorry...]
"That's why Dad keeps... cough cough!"]
[Huh? Why Dad?]
"Nothing. Just shut it, please."
She didn't finish. Venting stress from others onto Dad felt unfair. She understood the misery of providing nothing as family head. Understood—but only that. She resented her mother for leading her here, her father for zero help in life.
She hung up, stood tall, stretched—joints cracking throughout. Sky-high billboards broadcast news with captions: billions in bribes, trillions in stock manipulation. Even underage prodigies lured from Switzerland with tens of billions each. Unreal sums for now. She'd settle for 2 million from a lotto third prize. All misfortune today—maybe one stroke of luck? But her wallet couldn't even buy a lotto ticket.
"So hungry..." Her stomach clung to her back.
As Danielle sighed in deep resignation and turned toward the dorm,
"Hungry?"
The voice came from ahead, slightly below. NoName appeared with a rustling black plastic bag, looking up at her.
"Packed some spicy braised chicken for one. Want it?"
NoName held out the bag. Danielle blinked her big eyes in flustered shock.
"No wonder my luck's been rotten today..."
"...?"
NoName tilted her head with a bright smile.
"Nothing. Thanks... really..."
Danielle couldn't hold back the tears she'd bottled up—they burst forth. The sturdy walls of her heart crumbled before pure kindness.