The Uninvited Guest
The next morning, Park Jihun grabbed his phone the moment he opened his eyes. With half-lidded eyes, he opened the Ocean app—or rather, he checked his YouTube channel. It was because of the first video he had uploaded the previous night.
"...The view count is actually pretty decent."
It had performed better than he expected. The views had already surpassed 10,000, and his subscriber count had hit a thousand overnight. It seemed the people who watched last night’s live stream had followed him over. The comment section was also flooded with messages.
Jihun tapped on the video. The short, re-edited clip felt even more bizarre than the live broadcast. A brief scene of 29-Year-Old-Unemployed aggressively firing off questions flashed by, and then Jihun’s changed voice cut through like a blade. A car accident at age ten. A mother with knee pain. A job interview at 2:00 PM tomorrow, and a bus accident involving the number 905.
In the live stream, these scenes had passed by in a blur, but seeing them again in this edited format felt entirely different. It was far more chilling. The video didn't end there. It included short clips of 29-Year-Old-Unemployed donating Water Droplets and the story about his mother visiting the hospital for arthritis. At the end, there was a clip of him saying he had intentionally avoided that bus. Attached to that were newspaper articles and photos of the bus accident from that day. The image of the number 905 bus with its side ripped open was crystal clear.
It was only after watching the video to the end that he suddenly remembered something he had completely forgotten. 'Come to think of it, I wonder if that 29-Year-Old-Unemployed guy ever got his mother's stomach checked?'
He pushed the thought aside for a moment and checked the comment section.
There was a wide variety of reactions. Some were amazed, while others were suspicious, wondering if it was just clever editing. If you looked at the video in isolation, that was understandable. But since he had included the news articles, it didn't seem like complete nonsense to most.
As he scrolled down, a single English comment caught his eye.
Jihun narrowed his eyes. "I guess foreigners watch this too." That was all. It wasn't so much a sign of international fame as it was just a random comment that had drifted in from somewhere.
Jihun put his phone down. 'Well, this is a decent start.'
That evening, Park Jihun logged into Ocean at the scheduled time and started his broadcast.
The broadcast of PerpetualJobSeeker has begun.
As soon as the stream opened, the chat room filled up in an instant.
Jihun scanned the chat. The conversation was dominated by talk of his YouTube channel. "How was the YouTube video, everyone? Was it worth watching?"
After taking a sip of water, Jihun said dryly, "We're just getting started."
"Today, I'll be doing five paid readings and one free reading. I'll use the priority system to select them, and if there's no response within five minutes, I'm moving on."
The priority system was activated, and the slots filled up at lightning speed. Jihun checked the list and parted his lips. "One, two, three, four, five. Alright, let's start the readings."
When Jihun looked at someone, he didn't just look at one thing. He scanned their family, health, love life, finances, and human relationships all at once. If something caught his eye, he would delve deeper into that specific area. That was also when the occasional vision would flicker past.
The first and second applicants were similar. Every time Jihun hit the nail on the head, the chat from first-time viewers began to scroll rapidly.
After finishing the third applicant and the free reading, Jihun called the fourth. "Next, the fourth one. Kkukkunari."
The Discord connection sound rang out immediately. "Ah, hello."
Kkukkunari was a woman. Her voice was young—she sounded like a college student at the oldest. Jihun scanned her. Her stomach looked weak, but nothing dangerous. Her family was ordinary. There were no major financial leaks. Her love life was unremarkable. That was when it happened. A drinking party with club colleagues. The ride home in a taxi. Just before getting out of the car, a phone slipping out of a pocket.
Jihun opened his mouth. "You lost something."
Kkukkunari paused. "...Yes?"
"Your phone."
"Uh, how did you know that?"
"Because I can see it."
Her breathing over the Discord connection became ragged. "I really need to find it. I just bought it. Please."
Jihun cut her off coldly. "Give it up."
"What?"
"It's already on a boat."
Jihun added nonchalantly, "It's heading to China."
At that moment, the chat room exploded.
Kkukkunari couldn't speak for a long time. A trembling voice finally leaked out. "...Is that for real?"
"Yes."
"F*ck..."
A silence fell, as if she were suffocating. "...Thank you for telling me." With those words, the Discord connection cut off.
Jihun didn't change his expression as he said, "Alright, next."
That was when a donation alert rang out.
◈ Nathan: Everything worked out just like you said. I got the promotion. Thank you.
Jihun's gaze lingered on the donation message for a moment before moving on. He said briefly, "Last applicant. CampusLatte. Come in."
Soon, the Discord connection sound followed.
"Hello." A bright female voice popped out. She was different from the previous applicants. There was no trace of being timid. She sounded like someone who had grown up without a care in the world.
Jihun scanned her without a word. Her health was fine. Her family was harmonious. Her grades were in the top tier, and her career path after graduation was relatively clear. Early Childhood Education. The sound of children's laughter. A classroom littered with colored paper and crayons. A woman smiling brightly while holding small hands.
Jihun opened his mouth. "You're aiming to be a kindergarten teacher."
The other side of the Discord went quiet for a moment before laughter erupted. "Ah, yes! That's right. I'm in Early Childhood Education." CampusLatte continued in a surprised voice. "You really see everything. It's so amazing."
"Anything else you're curious about?"
After hesitating, CampusLatte carefully parted her lips. "I'm a bit worried about my career path. I chose Early Childhood Education because I've always liked kids, but I'm a little anxious about whether I should keep going down this road."
Jihun answered briefly. "Go for it. It suits you well."
"Really?" Even though he hadn't answered, CampusLatte let out a sigh of relief. "That's a relief... Honestly, I was a little scared."
Jihun closed his eyes. Soon, she became clear. She was always surrounded by people. She was the first to speak, she laughed easily, and she was sociable. Perhaps that was why she was always surrounded by others. That was when it happened. A black stain flickered through the bright aura, spreading like ink. The stain was seeping in from the outside.
Jihun narrowed his brows and asked, "Wait, is someone coming over today?"
CampusLatte answered immediately. "Ah, a senior from my club is coming over in a little bit. I left my laptop in the club room yesterday, and they're bringing it to me." She laughed as if it were nothing. "All my presentation materials for tomorrow are on there. I really need to get it today."
"What kind of senior is it?"
"They're a really kind senior. They have a great reputation in the club, too. Everyone likes them because they take good care of the juniors."
That was when it happened. Ding-dong. The sound of a doorbell rang through the Discord. CampusLatte was delighted. "Oh? I think the senior is here."
There was the sound of a chair sliding back. "I'll be going now. Thank you."
That was the moment. A grim vision flashed before Jihun's eyes. His gaze turned icy cold. "Wait. Stop."
CampusLatte's movement came to an abrupt halt. "Why are you doing that?"
"Is that senior... a trustworthy person?"
"Yes? Usually..."
Jihun cut her off coldly. "Don't open the door."