Panta Bank's VIP Division
Am I... seeing things right now?
It didn't make sense. He opened the banking app. But the numbers displayed there hadn't changed a bit.
"...Crazy."
A curse slipped from Shin Jaewoo's lips. Hearing it, Kim Taeksu chimed in.
"Why the long face? Something happen?"
Something had happened, alright. Something enormous. But when Shin Jaewoo started to tell Kim Taeksu about it, he hesitated.
He's trustworthy, sure, but...
It was too unreal. Could he really share this with someone else? The fact that they were so close only made him hesitate more. What if telling him changed their relationship forever? Above all, Shin Jaewoo himself hadn't even grasped what was going on yet.
"Whew. Nah. Just... got rejected from one of the places I interviewed at."
"What? That's it? Come on, forget it and have another round. It's not like there's only one company out there, right?"
No one applied to just a single company when job hunting. Getting cut from one wasn't the end of the world.
Kim Taeksu took it at face value and tried to console him. Still, he was worried.
Of all the times for this guy to be down, it had to be a rejection notice.
Shin Jaewoo could see the concern in his eyes, and it made him feel a pang of guilt. But that didn't change his mind about keeping this latest bombshell to himself.
I'll tell him someday...
Once he'd sorted out his own situation, anyway. Shin Jaewoo stood up.
"...Can't drink like an unemployed bum forever. I'm heading out first."
"Hey, what? Already? No second round?"
"Nah. You're a groom-to-be—quit while you're ahead and go home before your bride gets mad."
"You worried about me right now?"
"Worried about her."
Shin Jaewoo got up as he said it. By the time a flustered Kim Taeksu followed suit, he'd already paid at the counter.
"Hey, man! I got this!"
"You've got wedding expenses piling up—what are you talking about? I saved a ton since mine got canceled."
It wasn't a lie. Renting the wedding dress, the photoshoot, the ceremony itself—all scrapped.
All that saved me a fortune.
Of course, Kim Taeksu looked even more flustered at the explanation, but Shin Jaewoo had no time to worry about that.
"Wasn't planning to hang out all night anyway."
"Still..."
"I said it's fine. Your bride's waiting. Get home quick—don't use me as an excuse to stay out late."
He waved him off and headed to the street. Just then, a taxi with "Empty Cab" glowing red on its sign approached from the opposite direction. He flagged it down, gave his address, and checked the banking app again.
It's real... the deposit went through.
Balance: 7,034,807,643,120 KRW
He'd checked it so many times now there was no room for doubt. The alcohol had worn off too. But honestly, he still couldn't believe it. And there was this nagging unease.
Where the hell did this massive sum come from all of a sudden?
There was one place that might know.
Grandfather's inheritance. Last year around this time.
Right... April Fool's Day last year.
Of all days, the call had come on April Fool's. And then radio silence for a full year. Naturally, he'd dismissed it as a prank and forgotten all about it.
But trillions of won deposited for real?
Impossible!
Yet the more he thought back, the more the current situation lined up. Still, Shin Jaewoo couldn't quite accept it. More precisely, the sudden windfall from outside his wildest expectations left him anxious.
Is this really... my money?
And could he call it legal? What if his account had been used for money laundering or something shady?
Maybe it was a huge mix-up or error that deposited this into his account. Or perhaps he hadn't sobered up fully yet—a drunken hallucination. Or maybe he was dreaming right now, passed out drunk. Considering all the possibilities, Shin Jaewoo decided to shelve it for now.
Just sleep it off.
Today, he'd close his eyes and crash.
I didn't drink as much as I thought, but I'm still buzzed. Better wait till I'm clear-headed. No rush.
Who knew? Maybe when he woke up, it'd all turn out to be a dream.
Should I be relieved the company vanished?
Shin Jaewoo hadn't gotten out of bed yet. Still lying there, he checked the bank notifications again.
Balance: 7,034,807,643,120 KRW
He still couldn't believe it. "No sense of reality" was putting it mildly. And one more thing.
Can I really spend this money freely?
There was one way to find out: contact the guy who'd texted about the inheritance. The same one he'd spoken to last year. With a swipe, Shin Jaewoo sat up.
"But actually asking him still feels off."
This guy had deposited 7 trillion won into his account. Even if it was his grandfather's legitimate inheritance, Shin Jaewoo wasn't convinced. He didn't know the man, and he had no memory of giving out his account details.
How'd he deposit it like this, then?
There must've been a way. He had more than one bank account, but the money had gone straight to his primary one—which was weirdly spot-on. Sighing at the thought, Shin Jaewoo trailed off.
7 trillion won.
A staggering fortune, and he couldn't even touch it yet.
"Not just 7 trillion—there's 34 billion more. Wow. I'm actually rich."
One thing was clear: after this, he had to do something. But contacting Lee Jinmyeong still felt daunting—right then, a new message arrived.
He flinched.
Shin Jaewoo's expression shifted as he read. What if this was some voice phishing scam? But no scam scenario quite fit the current madness.
Can't keep agonizing forever...
Contacting Lee Jinmyeong felt risky. But Panta Bank, his main bank, was trustworthy. Not every employee, maybe, but the institution itself was solid.
Better than some stranger...
Shin Jaewoo made the call. Both messages had ended similarly.
-Contact us anytime at this number...
Decision made, no more hesitation. He dialed. It wasn't like the guy was waiting, but the call connected almost immediately after a ring or two.
"Hello. This is Jeong Junyoung, head of Panta Bank."
"...This is Shin Jaewoo. Got your text."
"Ah, Mr. Shin Jaewoo. Yes, we've been awaiting your call. First... though it's late, please accept my condolences."
Shin Jaewoo flinched at the words. He hadn't attended a single funeral lately. If the guy was offering condolences, it had to be about the money's source.
The bank knows it's inheritance from a relative's death?
But he needed one more check—even in this conversation. Jeong Junyoung claimed to be from the bank's VIP Division, but that was just words so far.
"No one's ever held this much in a personal account with us before."
That tracked.
"That makes you an incredibly valuable client at the headquarters level now. We have premium services that could benefit you, so I thought it best to explain them."
"Is that... so?"
"Yes. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Shall we set a time and place that suits you? I'll reserve somewhere nice."
Nice place? Shin Jaewoo trusted no one right now.
"Any chance we could talk inside the bank?"
The surest way to verify if the guy was legit. He didn't want to chat over the phone—or anywhere else.
Somewhere secure like a bank...
He wanted confirmation before talking freely.
"Headquarters would be even better."
Not a branch, but HQ—a place he'd never set foot in. But the guy seemed to get his intent.
"Hahaha. Excellent thinking. Since we haven't met, an official setting builds trust. If you visit headquarters, I can explain everything clearly—and security is top-notch. So... when might you come by?"
"......Today."
The guy's hearty tone left no room for dragging this out.
Today.
He needed answers from the bank: was this money safe to spend, or poison?