Chapter 1: Strange App

'Why does this shit never end?'

No matter how much I finished, the work only seemed to multiply. I knew exactly why. My eyes flicked to the empty seat beside me.

[Employee | Do Seo-yun]

Her seat was vacant—who knew where she'd gone off to this time.

'Where the hell is she now?'

Officially, she was just an employee, but nobody dared touch her. She was the chairman's daughter. If even a department head tried to reprimand her, it'd be a different story, but—

'That bitch would never let that happen.'

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠kept my head fixed on the monitor, only shifting my gaze slightly to glance at another nameplate.

[Department Head | Kim Da-yeon]

Only three years older than me, a department head at the young age of 32. Talented, sure, but her looks were nothing to scoff at either. Half the single guys in the office probably fantasized about striking up a conversation with her.

'To me, she's just a promotion-obsessed psycho.'

She was desperate to climb the corporate ladder, so it was no surprise she never scolded Seo-yun. If anything, she probably wanted to stay on her good side. And that was exactly why things had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gotten this bad.

'The second I land another job, I'm out of here.'

"Dae-hoon."

"Yes."

'Shit. Did she notice?'

I quickly snapped my eyes back to the screen.

"Can you pause what you're doing and come here for a sec?"

"Yes."

'Why the hell is she calling me out of nowhere?'

I tried to keep my expression neutral as I stood and walked over. Da-yeon sat with her legs crossed, the sheer black stockings revealing the shape of her legs beneath.

"What can I—?"

"Handle this for me."

She slid a document toward me. The name Do Seo-yun was printed on the cover.

"Wasn't this Seo-yun's task?"

"It was. But there's a lot missing. Since you're her senior, you can wrap it up for her, right?"

"..."

I wanted to smack that shameless face of hers.

"Hm?"

"Understood."

'It's easier to just do it myself than argue.'

Nothing would change even if I protested.

"Take your time. It's not urgent."

"Understood."

I returned to my seat and stared at the monitor.

'Let's just get this over with.'

Just as I was about to place my hands on the keyboard—my pocket vibrated. I pulled out my phone and checked the notification.

[Web Notification]

[Hello. This is the HR team. The results of the document screening have been announced. Please click the link below or...]

'Did I even apply anywhere today?'

I got up and slipped out of the office, heading straight for the terrace. Surprisingly, no one was there. I sat on a bench and opened the link, entering my details before hitting Confirm.

'Please, please, please.'

The screen loaded instantly. Three bolded words jumped out at me.

Rejected.

All the tension drained from my body at once.

'Ah....'

I lifted my head and stared at the sky. The weather was unfairly bright and cheerful, mocking my mood.

'Should I just quit and focus on job hunting? No. No way.'

Things were tough enough as it was. I had to keep working while preparing for my next move.

'I really need a smoke right now. Damn it....'

At least this wasn't my first rejection, so the shock wasn't as bad. Instead of buying cigarettes, I opened my stock trading app.

[U.S. S&P 500 ETF / Buy Order Pending - $3]

[Scheduled for 10:30 PM Today]

Every time I craved a smoke, I invested the money I would've spent on cigarettes into stocks instead.

[U.S. S&P 500 ETF / ₩32,401,315 - 31.5%]

'This is the only thing keeping me going.'

Watching those numbers climb—slowly but steadily—was the only thing that gave me any satisfaction.

"What are you doing out here alone?"

"Ah—you scared me."

It was Kim Woo-hyun, my colleague and batchmate.

"Felt like smoking, so I bought some stocks instead."

"Fractional shares?"

"Yeah."

"You're still doing that? Impressive."

"It's satisfying to see it add up."

"How much have you saved?"

"Like I'd tell you."

"Damn."

"I'm heading back in."

"Sure."

I forced myself to pull it together and returned to the office.

The moment I opened the door, a faint peach scent wafted over. My eyes flicked to Seo-yun's seat. Unlike before, her golden hair was now visible.

When I got back to my desk, there was a coffee waiting for me that hadn't been there earlier.

'What's this?'

I glanced around before locking eyes with Seo-yun. She was a beauty in her own right, different from Da-yeon.

"Senior, this is for you."

Judging by the coffee cups on everyone's desks, it was clear she'd bought them for the whole team.

"Thanks, I'll enjoy it."

"Yes...!"

Refusing would've been the same as saying, Please cut me off from the team.

I took a sip through the straw.

'Maybe it's the caffeine boost, but I feel like I can survive this.'

I alternated between staring at my monitor and glancing at Seo-yun.

'If only she were better at her job. No matter how nicely I explain things, she just doesn't get it.'

If she were just a regular employee, I'd drill it into her until she understood, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but she was company royalty. Da-yeon would be glaring daggers at me, and besides, she'd be gone soon anyway.

'Which means I'm the one who has to suffer. Fuck me.'

I channeled my frustration into aggressively typing.

Before I knew it, hours had passed.

'And... done. What time is it?'

[8:02 PM]

'I'll review it tomorrow.'

I was already mentally drained. Reviewing it now would just produce the same half-baked result. I stretched my arms overhead.

Pop.

"Haaah."

The satisfying release of tension in my lower back drew out an involuntary groan.

"!"

I felt someone's gaze and turned. Seo-yun was staring at me with an awkward expression.

"Ah, you're still here?"

I'd been so focused I hadn't noticed anyone else around. I lowered my arms as naturally as possible.

"Yes... I had some work to finish."

"Don't overdo it. Wrap up and head home."

I saved my files and shut down my computer with practiced ease.

"I—I was about to leave too. It's getting late."

For some reason, she seemed to rush through shutting down her computer.

'Why the hurry?'

I grabbed my bag, and Seo-yun did the same.

'Awkward. Looks like we're leaving together. Well, it's just the elevator ride.'

We stepped inside, and the doors closed behind us.

'She really is pretty.'

If I'd seen her outside, I wouldn't have been able to look away. Her beauty was striking, her personality flawless, and she carried herself with effortless grace.

If people didn't know she was the chairman's daughter, two-thirds of the guys crushing on Da-yeon would probably switch their affections to Seo-yun.

"How are you finding company life?"

"The company? It's... nice. Everyone's been kind and helpful. I'm starting to get the hang of things."

"That's good."

I meant it. The sooner she got up to speed, the less of a burden she'd be.

An uncomfortable silence settled between us. I watched the floor numbers tick down—8, 7, 6—

"Oh, by the way, you can speak casually with me, Senior."

"...I tend to get too comfortable, so I'll stick to formalities for now."

"Ah... okay."

I deliberately drew a line. If I got too casual, I might slip up and say something I'd regret. And honestly, I doubted that day would ever come.

The elevator dinged as we reached the first floor.

"I'll head out first. Get home safe."

"Ah... yes. See you tomorrow, Senior."

I stepped out the moment the doors opened.

'It's pickup day today. Gotta stop by the convenience store.'

With a can of cola from the convenience store in hand, I climbed the stairs. My place was a rooftop unit, after all.

'Did she make something good?'

A mouthwatering aroma hit me, making my stomach growl. On my way up, I ran into someone coming down.

"Oh? Hello."

"You're just getting back?"

I had no choice but to be polite—it was my landlady. She looked too young to have a daughter in her early twenties. That smile of hers must've broken hearts back in the day.

"Yes, I had to work late."

"Ah, that's why you didn't answer earlier."

She held out a plate toward me. Several perfectly cooked kimchi pancakes were stacked on it.

"I made some extra. Try one."

"Oh, you didn't have to... Thank you. I'll enjoy it. I was just getting hungry."

"Just bring the plate back when you're done."

"Of course. I'll return it clean."

"Rest well."

"You too."

Humming to myself, I reached the rooftop. I set the kimchi ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pancakes and cola on the foldable table outside, then went in to drop off my bag.

'Ah, almost forgot the chopsticks.'

I nearly took an unnecessary trip back inside. Grabbing utensils, I returned to the rooftop.

"Huu."

I plopped onto a cheap plastic chair I'd swiped from the convenience store. The view stretched from the small villas nearby to the distant high-rises.

'The scenery's the best part. Even if it's sweltering in summer and freezing in winter.'

I loosened my tie and undid the top button of my dress shirt. The cool breeze slipping through felt heavenly.

Fizz.

I cracked open the cola and took a sip. The sharp carbonation made me grimace—just then.

"You're really here. Old man."

"Calling me 'old man' is really..."

I frowned as Ju Ha-rin climbed up to the rooftop. She was the spitting image of her mother—a beauty even in a black T-shirt and sweatpants.

"Aren't there 16th-year seniors at your school?"

"There are."

"What do you call them?"

"Senior."

"Then what should you call me, a 16th-year senior?"

"Old man."

She grinned, delivering the killing blow.

"...At least call me 'teacher.'"

I'd tutored her when she was a high school sophomore—after I'd returned from military service during my second year of college.

"Huh? You're into that...?"

"I meant from when I tutored you. What the hell are you talking about?"

I stared flatly. Caught off guard, she fumbled for words before finally managing,

"...You know, being into teacher-student dynamics..."

"So you're the one with the weird thoughts. What's wrong with your head?"

"I—I'm still better than you, old man!"

"Sure, sure, you little pervert."

I cut a large bite of kimchi pancake and popped it into my mouth. Despite sitting for a while, it was still crispy. The kimchi itself was perfectly fermented.

"Is it good?"

"Your mom's cooking is always great."

"Can't argue with that."

"Oh, right. Gotta do my pulls."

"That's the game thing, right?"

"Yeah."

I opened Star Chaser.

[Additional download files detected. Download now?]

[Downloading...]

The loading screen had been updated to feature Luna, the new character.

"Isn't she pretty?"

"If you like pretty things, go meet someone in real life."

"You don't get it. The story's so moving."

"Hmph."

The background music started, and my excitement grew. A mobile gacha game—my only hobby. Specifically, pulling for pretty, limited-time characters.

"And the community's hilarious."

"Funny games are still just games."

"You'd know if you tried it."

I quickly tapped through the daily login rewards and event bonuses before opening the gacha screen.

"Just come home already."

"Gold means you got something, right?"

She remembered from last time.

"Yeah."

"Total bust."

"Didn't expect anything from a 10-pull anyway."

"Really?"

"20-pull, let's go."

"Yep. Still nothing."

"That was way too stingy. She's gotta come now."

"...Idiot."

"The first 40 pulls are free."

In seconds, my 40-pull stash vanished.

"Idiot, idiot."

"Ugh..."

A slight dizziness hit me, but it was within expectations.

"It's fine. As long as I don't get off-banner."

"Let me try. I'm lucky."

"You?"

Her eyes widened.

"Yeah."

"Tch. Guess I'll have to carry you again."

She smirked—an exact replica of her mother's teasing smile—and cracked her knuckles.

'Don't come. No, wait, I want her to come.'

"Here goes."

The screen darkened. The dice were cast. The golden glow I'd hoped for was nowhere in sight—just the same purple I'd been seeing all along.

"Ah..."

"What happened to your luck? Not even a rate-up?"

"One more try."

"What 'one more'? This is the pity pull."

"Huh? Last time you said there was a chance to get nothing."

"Oh, you remember that? There's off-banner. 50% for the rate-up, 50% for standard."

"So, if I—"

"Yeah. No."

I tapped.

"Please, just not off-banner."

True to pity, a brilliant gold light flooded the screen.

"Luna. Please. Luna. Luna."

I mashed the screen with desperate hope. 51, 52, 53, 54, 55—the 5-star appeared.

"Please. Aaaah—!"

"It's a bust."

"No, no. The next one's gotta be her."

My hopes were crushed. A standard 5-star and a 4-star. That was it.

"I would've gotten her."

"Liar."

The odds of getting her now were even worse. Realizing that made my head burn.

"She can still come. Now."

"Nope."

10-pull, 20-pull, 30-pull, 40-pull, 50-pull—all the currency I'd saved through daily logins, event rewards, and guild raids vanished.

"Wow. This is bullshit."

'Let's see how many it takes.'

Now it was just stubbornness. The screen flooded with gold again. At this point, getting Luna was guaranteed. The only question was when.

51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59.

"Ha..."

A sigh escaped me. She came at hard pity—60 pulls. Seeing the horror stories online was one thing. Experiencing it myself was another.

"..."

"Ha-rin."

"Yeah?"

"I suddenly hate this world. What do I do?"

"Eat your kimchi pancake."

She shoved a piece into my mouth. It had gotten slightly soggy, but it was still delicious. Enough to ground me a little.

"Sigh..."

[Star Chaser | Delete this app?]

"Huh? You're deleting it?"

"Yeah. Need a break."

[App (Star Chaser) has been deleted.]

Actually deleting the game left me with a strange emptiness.

"Wanna drink to celebrate deleting the game?"

"You? You'll just get drunk and cause trouble again."

"No, this time I'll—"

"Ow?!"

She rubbed her forehead where I'd flicked her, pouting up at me. I ignored her and handed her the cleaned plate.

"Just a little?"

"It's late. Your mom will worry. Go home."

"Tch. Fine."

She gave up surprisingly easily.

"Tell your mom the pancakes were great."

"I'll tell her they were gross."

Before I could retort, she bolted—too fast to catch.

'She'll pass it on, I guess.'

I grabbed a can of beer from the fridge and straddled the chair. Fizz. The moment I cracked it open, carbonation bubbled up. I took a swig.

"Weird mood."

The alcohol's warmth mixed with the frustration of my gacha disaster, leaving me in a strange state.

'Any other games to play?'

I browsed the app store. New games launched every day, but one in particular caught my eye.

[Fetty]

[Discover people's hidden sexual preferences.]

[Downloads: 0 | Reviews: 0]

'Some kind of dating app?'

Almost hypnotized, I tapped Download.

[0%]

[12%]

I stared at my phone, then blinked in shock. The moment it hit 100%, the app vanished.

'Where'd it go?'

Not just from the store—it was nowhere on my phone. If it had downloaded, it should've been there.

'Am I already drunk?'

I was a lightweight—one beer could do me in. But tonight, the buzz hit faster than usual.

'Maybe I should just sleep.'

I didn't dwell on it. My eyelids were already heavy. I flopped onto the bed.

'Come to think of it, I should take off my socks...'

I blacked out.

[98%]

[99%]

[100%]

[SYSTEM | Synchronization with user complete.]

[SYSTEM | You can now see sexual preferences.]