The Price of a Knock
Secretary Choi froze in place. Through the laptop screen, Park Jihun’s gaze was cold and piercing. The chat window scrolled by at a frantic pace.
But Secretary Choi barely registered any of it. With a dazed expression, he turned to the Chairman. The Chairman said nothing. He simply sat on the sofa, staring ahead. His gaze and expression hadn't changed much, which made the silence all the more suffocating. Secretary Choi muted his microphone and asked, "What should I do, Chairman?"
That was when Park Jihun spoke up. "Ask what you want to ask."
Secretary Choi’s lips trembled at the command. He was struggling with what to do when Park Jihun added, "If you have no questions, I’m hanging up."
Secretary Choi reflexively blurted out, "W-wait..."
But Park Jihun didn't wait. Beep— The connection severed, leaving the study in silence. Secretary Choi stared blankly at the disconnected Discord window before finally turning around. "I apologize." He bowed, his back rigid. It was his fault. He should have improvised, but he had been so shocked that he’d squandered the opportunity.
Then, the Chairman spoke. "It’s fine."
Secretary Choi cautiously looked up. The Chairman, still not taking his eyes off the laptop screen, added, "Go home for the day."
"...Yes, Chairman."
Once Secretary Choi left and the door clicked shut, the Chairman muttered under his breath, "It seems this isn't a job for someone else."
The broadcast was still ongoing. The chat was moving incessantly, and donation alerts popped up occasionally. Park Jihun was reading the next person's fortune as if nothing had happened.
"Interesting," the Chairman murmured, narrowing his eyes. Park Jihun had set his own rules and was operating entirely within them. Yet, people weren't leaving. If anything, they were flocking to him.
Suddenly, the words of Haewol Beopsa came to mind.
At the time, Haewol Beopsa had looked absolutely terrified. He had only watched a snippet of the broadcast his third son was obsessed with, yet that was enough. The man who usually rambled on about gods and karma had done nothing but repeat that he should never pry further.
The Chairman watched Park Jihun on the screen in silence. Now, he wanted to confirm it for himself. But a proxy wouldn't work. He had clearly confirmed that just moments ago. That left only one way.
"I’ll have to apply myself."
There was only one problem. The application system was first-come, first-served. The Chairman stared at the screen for a long time without a word.
"...But how do I do this?"
After a moment of contemplation, the Chairman picked up his phone. When he accessed Ocean and pulled up the registration page, fields for ID, nickname, and identity verification appeared one after another. He frowned. He rarely had to go through such procedures himself. He instinctively reached to dial Secretary Choi’s number, but stopped himself. The Chairman let out a short sigh and turned his gaze back to the screen.
***
The next day, Park Jihun stood on the subway, holding the handrail and looking out the window. His mother’s desk and bookshelf were scheduled to arrive today. He knew she would try to assemble them alone and end up with a backache for no reason. He was heading to Incheon to help her assemble them and see her face.
He hadn't walked more than a few minutes from the station before he entered the new apartment complex. The neatly maintained walking paths, the residents moving about, and the snow piled up softly—the very air felt different from their old home. Park Jihun passed through the lobby and got into the elevator. As the floors climbed, the corners of his mouth curled up naturally.
Ding.
He stepped out and rang the doorbell. A voice came from inside immediately. "Son, you're here?"
"Yeah."
Park Jihun took off his shoes and stepped inside. Sunlight flooded the living room. The floor was warm, and there were no more drafts. The damp smell and the water stains on the wallpaper from before were nowhere to be found. Leaning against one wall were two unopened delivery boxes. They were the desk and the bookshelf. His mother glanced out the window before saying, "It’s really nice here."
"Do you like it?"
"Yes. I haven't woken up once during the night."
Park Jihun smiled awkwardly at that. Then, his gaze drifted to the dining table. Several sheets of paper were spread out. It was an information pamphlet for a correspondence high school. It was a printout detailing the admission process, and next to it were notes his mother had scribbled down. Park Jihun picked them up. "You looked into this?"
His mother blushed. "I just... I just looked into it once."
"'Just'? You organized it so thoroughly."
His mother tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You told me to look into it last time."
"I did."
Park Jihun looked down at the pamphlet again. It seemed his mother was truly determined. That made him feel even better. "That’s great."
"What is?"
"That you’re actually going to give it a try."
His mother hesitated for a moment before laughing softly. "But I'm a bit scared."
"Why?"
"It’s a bit much to say I’m going to school at this age."
"Don't think like that. You’re doing it because you want to."
His mother let out a sigh-filled laugh. "Alright. I’ll try." She then turned to look at Jihun. "How about you, son? Is there anything you want to do?"
Jihun paused at that. "I..."
The answer didn't come easily. His mother watched him for a moment, then gave a small, knowing smile. "I'm not rushing you, so think about it slowly, son."
***
On the way home after finishing the assembly, Park Jihun looked out the window of the subway. The darkening landscape rushed by. His mother’s question kept echoing in his mind.
In the past, the answer would have been simple: get a job at a good company, settle down, and live an ordinary life like everyone else. That was everything. But not anymore. In the past, he was always the one waiting to be chosen. He was the one bowing before interviewers, walking on eggshells for fear of being rejected, and forcing himself to fit into standards set by others. But now, it was different. People came to him first. They begged him for readings, stood in line, and sent donations. Someone had saved their life because of his words, and someone else had avoided a disaster. There were times he still couldn't believe that his words could change someone else's life.
'...Let’s keep going like this.'
Not the person waiting for results after submitting resumes, but the one choosing by his own standards, moving by his own methods. As his thoughts reached that point, his chest felt strangely warm. After arriving home and turning on his computer, Park Jihun checked the time. There was still a little while before the broadcast started. He mindlessly opened YouTube and saw a message from his editor, Lee Minhyeok.
Park Jihun went straight to his inbox. "Huh?"
Advertising inquiries. Sponsorship proposals. Contact regarding appearances. Even emails from people claiming to be managers at entertainment agencies were pouring in. Park Jihun slowly leaned back in his chair. This was no longer a matter of just earning a decent living and gaining a bit of fame. As his thoughts settled, he felt strangely at ease. 'Let’s keep climbing.'
To a place where he would never have to walk on eggshells for anyone ever again. With his resolve solidified, Park Jihun closed his inbox. It was time to start the broadcast.
***
When the clock struck the hour, Park Jihun started the broadcast. As if they had been waiting, the chat window exploded with activity.
Park Jihun scanned the chat. "I’m planning to keep the roulette at twice a week for now. So, today we’ll open with the priority system. I’ll take applications now."
Park Jihun immediately opened the priority system. Five spots filled in an instant. Park Jihun called out the nickname of the first applicant. "Yoo Saebom, please come in."
A moment later, a connection sound signaled someone entering. "Hello." It was a woman's voice, sounding slightly sharp.
"Yes. Go ahead."
"Uh... am I supposed to ask what I’m curious about?"
"Yes. What are you curious about?"
Yoo Saebom said with a sigh-filled voice, "Nothing has been going right for me lately."
"..."
"It feels like everything has been going wrong ever since I moved here. I’m wondering if I should keep living here. I’m thinking if it’s better to just move out, even if I have to take a loss..."
It was the moment Park Jihun was about to furrow his brow. Thud. A dull sound echoed through the Discord call. THUD! A sound even louder than before. Yoo Saebom let out an annoyed breath. "Ha, it’s starting again."
"Is that the upstairs neighbor?"
"Yes. They do that every time at this hour."
Thud, thud! A sound of something being dragged followed for a long time. The chat reacted immediately.
Yoo Saebom swallowed a curse and muttered, "It’s like this every day. They stomp around until late at night, and that’s why I wake up at least once in the middle of the night."
She let out a deep sigh. "The management office? I’ve told them. They’re quiet for a moment, then they go right back to being crazy."
Thud! A sound like something being dropped echoed through the Discord. Yoo Saebom said through gritted teeth, "I can’t take it anymore. I’m just going to go up there and have a word with them."
"..."
"Why should I not be able to rest comfortably in my own home because of that person?"
The chat boiled over again at that.
That was the moment. Park Jihun’s gaze fixed on empty air. A man was slamming his head against the wall as if he were trying to bash it in. Saliva dripped from his mouth, and his eyes were unfocused. Then, a sharp object was raised, glinting. A short scream followed immediately after. The vision vanished as if it had been cut off.
Park Jihun cut her off with a blunt, informal tone. "Don't go up there."
Yoo Saebom hesitated. "...What? Why?"
Park Jihun didn't hesitate for a second. "If you knock on that door today, you aren't coming back down."