The Hikikomori, Park Seoyun
Ha... It's finally over.
I sent the files to the deputy manager and closed my laptop. Without hesitation, I flung my aching body onto the bed.
“Ughhh...” A groan that sounded like it belonged to some middle-aged uncle slipped out of me involuntarily. After unloading inside Seong Yua ten times yesterday, there wasn’t a single spot on my body that didn’t scream in protest.
I stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought.
How should I cook this one…
Seong Yua’s conquest was complete. I had been debating whether to touch Jo Minji next when this incredibly appetizing target appeared before me.
Park Seoyun.
Jo Minji… I’ll save her for later.
I had watched Jo Minji for years like a flower blooming on a cliff’s edge. That was exactly why I didn’t want to handle her carelessly. I wanted to cook her properly only after I had accumulated far more mastery with the app, along with better items and skills.
For now, Park Seoyun comes first.
This was always the most agonizing time, and simultaneously the most enjoyable. The moment where I decided what concept I would modify the target with. I wouldn’t mind spending hours or even days on this.
“Mmm…”
Whenever I was this conflicted, it would be nice if the gacha gave me something useful—something that could also spark inspiration.
I don’t have many points left to roll with anyway.
There were too many good skills I wanted to level up, so points weren’t accumulating lately. With a touch of regret, I entered the shop to roll for a skill box at least once.
But then—
“…Huh?”
The shop had changed.
All of them were items that had previously come out of random boxes.
So once you pull something from a random box, it gets registered in the shop.
In truth, I rarely bothered with item gacha compared to skill gacha. Too many junk items appeared, and even the special ones weren’t particularly useful. They were the definition of a white elephant.
But this changes everything.
If a truly excellent item appeared, I could purchase it infinitely from the shop.
From now on, I’ll make it a rule to roll for item boxes regularly, even if it’s just a little.
As I scrolled through the shop listings, I noticed something strange.
Where did Awakening go?
The one-use item that temporarily maxed out a chosen skill to Master Level for six hours. The very item I had used on Sex Master during Gong Jiyun’s first time. That incredible item was nowhere to be found in the shop.
Not every item pulled from a box gets registered.
It seemed only some items were added. That made sense. Awakening was simply too broken.
Purchase 1 Random Skill Box?
Purchase 2 Random Item Boxes?
Yes.
I ended up buying the item boxes even though they weren’t in the original plan.
Remaining Points: 0 points
My bank balance would probably make me cry if I looked at it. But what could I do? The gacha was just too sweet.
I opened the skill box first.
Eloquence Lv.1 (Passive)
Applies a minor correction buff to all forms of communication.
“Tsk…”
A dud. It was greedy to hope for a jackpot from a single pull, but the disappointment still stung.
Isn’t there a skill that improves luck or something… Wait. No, that’s not it.
Hold on.
Park Seoyun noona… they said she has a mental illness.
Social anxiety. She had already gone through several doctors and counselors.
…Perfect.
An idea began to form.
+++
I ate cold buckwheat noodles with the team for lunch.
“Time for the after-meal smoke.”
“I’m in.”
Park Youngmin and I always enjoyed a cigarette after eating. But Jo Minji hated cigarette smoke.
“I’ll just finish up some overtime work.”
Even though Jo Minji usually stuck to me like glue, she always made herself scarce whenever I smoked. She walked back toward the office with familiar steps. Her small, prim backside swayed with each stride.
I wanted to keep admiring that ass, but with Park Youngmin right beside me, I only gave it a quick glance before looking away.
We went up to the roof and lit our cigarettes. It was already October, so the rooftop felt a little chilly.
“Hey. You mentioned you studied some counseling back in college, right?”
Park Youngmin brought it up abruptly.
Here it comes.
The bait I had planted through modifications over the past few days was finally being taken.
I had injected several concepts into him:
Surface Concept — Kim Junyoung studied psychological therapy as a hobby during college.
Subconscious Concept — Kim Junyoung is a skilled counselor.
Subconscious Concept — Kim Junyoung is someone who makes others feel comfortable just by being around him.
Surface Concept — Noona would be able to open up if it’s to Kim Junyoung.
“Yeah, why?”
When I peeked into Park Youngmin’s mind, his worry for his sister was far deeper than I had expected. Thanks to that, the modifications I planted blended into his psyche perfectly. On top of that, the improved eloquence granted by my new Eloquence skill played a huge role in making him believe I was a competent counselor.
“No, it’s just… the way you’ve been talking lately feels genuinely different.”
Because of the modifications, Park Youngmin had been bringing up his sister—the source of his worries—more and more often lately. I had simply played along, gently steering the conversation to produce this exact reaction.
“Could you… maybe counsel my sister once?”
And here was the result.
“If you’re asking, I won’t say no. But why me? There are plenty of competent psychiatrists out there. I don’t even have a license.”
“We’ve already tried several doctors and professional counselors. They weren’t helpful at all. No real effect. But… I don’t know. I just feel like you’d be better than them.”
Reading another person’s inner thoughts was incredibly fascinating. Inside Park Youngmin’s mind, I saw considerable distrust and dissatisfaction toward psychiatrists and professional counselors. I gently reinforced those feelings. Ever since, he had been venting his complaints about them every single day.
I just can’t trust those psychiatrists and counselors. Whenever I overhear their sessions, they only spout empty, meaningless advice.
Noona said none of it worked. She couldn’t feel any change at all.
The whole system is flawed from the start. When they charge by the hour, of course they’ll drag things out instead of focusing on actual treatment. Damn quacks.
I added more seasoning with additional concepts.
Subconscious Concept — Kim Junyoung is a trustworthy person.
Surface Concept — If it’s Kim Junyoung, he will sincerely cure Noona.
“Alright. I don’t know if it’ll work, but I’ll do my best. Let’s start by meeting and talking.”
“Thank you so much!”
Park Youngmin’s face brightened dramatically. He grabbed both my hands and shook them up and down.
“I’ve been so lost for so long, but now I finally see a path forward!”
The reaction was more intense than I expected.
Yeah, this is the first time I’ve put this much effort into a guy. He needs to react at least this strongly for me to feel satisfied.
“Ugh, get off me. That’s gross.”
“Heh heh. Bastard, stop pretending! Don’t worry about the money. I’ll talk to my parents and make sure you’re properly compensated. We won’t treat you like some unlicensed quack doctor.”
“Forget it. Counseling isn’t something you do for money. Just buy me some soup tonight.”
“You really know how to sound reliable. I’ll buy the soup… and I’ll still pay you, you idiot! Anyway… thank you.”
“Do whatever you want. Is this Saturday okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll tell Noona. Not that she has any schedule—she’s a shut-in with nothing but free time.”
Your sister will be paying the price with her body.
+++
Ding-dong—
I pressed the doorbell. Without even asking who it was through the intercom, the door opened immediately.
“You’re here?”
“Welcome.”
Park Youngmin greeted me. His eyes were filled with expectation and trust.
“Come in. Mom and Dad are waiting inside.”
I stepped into the house. At one side of the dining table sat Park Youngmin’s mother, father, and his older sister, Park Seoyun.
Today, Park Seoyun was dressed normally. Sweatpants and a hoodie. Both were clearly Park Youngmin’s clothes—they were too big on her.
What a shame.
It would have been perfect if she had been wearing the same outfit as last time.
I greeted the family.
“Hello. How have you both been?”
“It’s been a while. Come, sit down.”
I had met Park Youngmin’s parents two or three times before—not as often as Jo Minji’s family, but enough. The aunt and uncle knew how close I was with their son.
“Hello.”
I greeted Park Seoyun.
“……Yes.”
She avoided my eyes and answered in a tiny voice.
At least she didn’t completely ignore me. That’s something.
Park Youngmin and I sat down across from the three of them.
“So you’re the one who studied counseling?”
+++
I had already finished modifying the family members, just like I had with Park Youngmin. They would trust me, and that trust would only grow stronger over time. All while remaining completely unaware of what I would do to their daughter and sister.
“Then I’ll be counting on you.”
“Please take good care of her.”
“Yes. Leave it to me.”
Every Saturday, I would come here to talk with Park Seoyun. I had also left room for additional weekday sessions if I deemed them necessary. I firmly refused any payment. In their minds, every single one of these actions would be compared to other counselors, making them trust me even more.
In the end, we settled on Park Youngmin buying me a meal once a week.
“Shall we go in?”
“…”
Unlike the family, whose minds had been reshaped, Park Seoyun was still in her raw, untouched state as a severe social anxiety patient. Throughout the entire conversation, she never once made eye contact with me. She simply fidgeted with her fingers under the table. Whenever conversation arose, she only gave the bare minimum answers when I asked her questions.
She really doesn’t want to be alone in a room with me.
Park Seoyun’s shoulders trembled faintly as she walked ahead of me. But the discussion with the entire family was already over, and she was timid by nature. She couldn’t bring herself to show any open reluctance toward me.
Still… she’s sweating an incredible amount.
Her hair was plastered to her cheeks and neck. The collar of her gray hoodie was already soaked through, turned dark with moisture.
Surely that can’t all be cold sweat?
It was far too much sweat to be from simple nervousness.
…Is she hot?
Creak—
We entered Park Seoyun’s room. Just the two of us.
It’s really dark in here.
She seemed to live with only the glow of her computer monitor for light. The screen had an enormous number of internet tabs and windows open. Two stacked cup ramen containers sat in front of the monitor. A mug half-full of milk was also visible. The blanket on the bed was a crumpled mess.
Still… it’s not as bad as I feared.
Her parents probably cleaned up after her from time to time. A few books were scattered on the floor. They were all self-improvement books.
She did say she feels anxious about her own situation.
That fact would prove very useful during the modification process.
“Shall we begin?”
“…Yes.”
I sat Park Seoyun in the computer chair and perched on the edge of the bed. The blanket still held a trace of warmth. She must have been sleeping right until I arrived.
“Since I’m your younger brother’s friend and you’re two years older than me, feel free to speak casually. I’ll do the same.”
“Yes…”
She clearly wasn’t comfortable at all.
“It’s been… nine years since you graduated high school.”
“…Yes.”
“When was your last paid activity?”
“Two years ago… part-time at a convenience store.”
Conscious of the family outside, we talked about meaningless things for a while. During that time, Park Seoyun continued answering only in the shortest possible sentences. After about ten minutes had passed and I decided it was enough—
I opened the app.
Begin Modification Mode?
Target: Park Seoyun
Yes.
Editing the inner world of target Park Seoyun.
The scenery around me transformed.
[Please enter a keyword for search.]
[ Family ]
This was the first modification. I would refrain from any changes that might cause resistance and focus on laying the groundwork.
I’ll start by touching the spheres that already exist.
Surface Concept — Feels guilty that her family continues to support her.
Surface Concept — Does not want to burden her family.
They were enormous. At least fifteen meters across. I reinforced them.
The spheres swelled even larger, reaching twenty meters.
“Keyword search. Um… social anxiety?”
I wondered if it would even register. Fortunately, the mind map began to spin. My body arrived in front of the target sphere.
No, I was mistaken. The target sphere was still far away. It only looked close because it was so absurdly massive.
After a moment—
“…Holy shit.”
The sphere that appeared before my eyes was.
“What the hell is this?”
It was larger and darker than any sphere I had ever seen before.
[People are scary.]