Chapter 103

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 103

Chapter Title: The Manager's Confession

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Now, a message that's become all too familiar—one I couldn't live without—floated before my eyes.

It's free, so I won't complain shamelessly, but the Low-Level Lullaby Skill... seriously, what am I supposed to use this for?

More importantly, my Vitality is now at +5.

At first, when it was just +1, I didn't feel much of a difference, but now it's definitely noticeable—it's gone up quite a bit.

It always seemed too generous with the freebies it gave me, but the odds weren't exactly friendly. Still, there was nothing to lose, so I accepted right away.

At this point, isn't it basically just an aphrodisiac?

I couldn't help thinking that if there was ever a woman I wanted to sleep with, I could just mix some of my semen into her coffee and it'd be done. What a useful skill.

"So, did you have fun on your date?"

Oh Hana, having finished her little grumbling, made herself a mixed coffee and asked.

"Of course I did."

"What did you do?"

It might've been the first proper date of my life, so I excitedly told her everything we'd done. We watched a movie, had a delicious lunch at the department store, went to a café and happened to run into a friend... As I proudly recounted yesterday's events, Oh Hana shrugged.

"Well, sounds like you had a perfectly fine time."

Even looking back, it was a perfectly standard date itinerary. And standard isn't a bad thing.

There was that unexpected hiccup in the middle, but it really ended at just a hiccup... My guess is that my friend's girlfriend, Lee Seonhwa, kept poking at me because Han Aebom was sitting next to me.

With time passed, it became even clearer. It felt like Lee Seonhwa was trying to tear us down just to make herself feel superior somehow.

'Why bother? Why?'

...I could think that. But right now, I kind of understood her feelings.

The human heart is such a sneaky thing.

When someone next to you is doing great, looking blissfully happy, it makes you want to feel that happy too. And when you can't, uncomfortable emotions start bubbling up from inside.

Come to think of it, that's exactly like SNS. If I had to name it, snake heart?

Maybe life is just the difference between suppressing that nasty snake heart deep down or letting it out.

And every time I had thoughts like that, one person worried me the most.

"Must've been so much fun. The sticker photos turned out really pretty too. Amazing."

"Sua unnie! Next ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time, let's go take some together! Life's best five shots!"

"Yeah. Let's do that for sure."

It was Yoon Sua.

I knew she was a truly kind and good person, but was she really okay with it all?

Watching Yoon Sua gently stroke and gaze at the sticker photo of Han Aebom and me, smiling faintly, I quietly clicked my tongue.

A quest related to her should be popping up around now...

I prayed just in case, but disappointingly, no new message appeared before my eyes.

As news about comprehensive income tax flowed, May—Family Month—drew near.

It was time for Children's Day and Parents' Day merchandise to arrive at the convenience store.

For Children's Day, giant chocolates stuffed with toys sold well, while for Parents' Day, flower bouquets perfect for slipping in cash or cakes shaped like money were popular.

"I already placed the order. It'll arrive at dawn—display them nicely. Pretty! Make 'em pretty!"

"Got it. Leave it to me."

"You little punk, your face is just glowing these days. Overflowing with life."

The store manager eyed me sharply. Wasn't that the real snake heart I'd mentioned earlier?

"You bastard, what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠good stuff have you been eating to have such great complexion? Some tonic? Spill it quick. I'll switch my wife over to that too."

"Tonic? Nah, just some exercise and eating my three meals properly."

"Bullshit. You punk."

Normally he'd tease me a bit and head out, but today he fiddled with a plum drink and lingered at the counter.

"Got something to say?"

"Well, Hyunwoo..."

"If you do, maybe just go. What if a customer comes?"

"Shut up and listen."

The store manager let out a deep sigh and handed me the plum drink sticky with his hand grime. Was this for me to drink? Or put back on display?

I smacked my lips, seriously pondering, when the manager spoke.

"The economy must be really bad these days. Korea's been steadily tanking for decades now. News says it's the worst every year, but people manage somehow, right?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

Some economist said Korea's golden age is over, no real growth potential left—just decline ahead.

A lot of Koreans denied it, hurling abuse, but reality was heading that way. Ironically, the wealth gap widened even more.

'Knowing that doesn't mean I can change it. I'm too busy surviving myself.'

Please, just don't let the company I get hired at go under.

"But now, even scraping by like that isn't easy, huh."

What? I just prayed, and it's collapsing already? My job?

"What happened all of a sudden? Can't even cover loan interest, so you're dumping the whole store?"

"Idiot, not me. I'm managing to keep food on the table. Even sending my daughters to academies."

If it wasn't that serious, why the grim face for someone else's story?

"Family issue?"

"No."

I gave him a 'you joking?' look, and he sighed again.

"A friend's story. A friend—not even one I'm that close with."

"..."

"Feels weird, really weird. Tsk."

"How'd his story come up?"

"A while back, this guy shows up begging to borrow 5 million won. Came on foot, himself."

No way he lent it, right? Never seen a borrower pay back.

My dad had been burned like that plenty back in the day—I'd seen it multiple times.

Without those loans, he'd really have two new apartments in Busan by now. Damn it.

"You didn't lend it, right?"

I asked, remembering Dad.

"I did. 5 million..."

"What?!"

I nearly cursed out loud but held it in.

Lent it? For real?

"Hey, don't glare like that. I'm torn up about it too."

"What'd your wife say?"

"Nothing."

That was unexpected. Given how she nagged him usually, I'd have thought she'd beat him and kick him out.

"She even said I did good. Makes me feel worse."

"..."

"Tsk. Damn guy. Used to be this hotshot with his own business. Shit, at our once-a-year meetups, he'd roll up in some fancy foreign car, you know? Get a few drinks in him and brag all day! 'Just went overseas here,' 'met some big shot,' 'played golf with so-and-so.' Made me sick."

I could feel the genuine ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠anger.

Just listening painted a picture of an obnoxious prick. If it were me, I might've smacked him upside the head.

"Just skip the reunion then."

"That's MZ kids like you."

"Whoa! Don't say it like that, Manager. You'll get canceled."

"Quiet, punk! Drink your drink."

So it was for me.

I cracked open the plum drink can with a click, and the manager continued with a pained expression.

"Even lying in bed, his face would pop up and I'd get pissed. Honestly, even without the bragging, I wasn't fond of him. One guy's slaving away at a company getting chewed out, the other's off on overseas trips."

Ah, the snake heart from before.

"But him bragging on top of being successful? Made him unbearable. Probably drove a few friends to quit their jobs."

I figured the manager was one of them.

"Stuck as a wage slave forever, you'd never live like him, so we quit to try. Regret's all that's left once you're out."

Mid-sentence, the manager tilted his head.

"Wait, how'd we get here?"

"You brought it up. I was just listening quietly."

"Ugh! Getting old, can't even talk straight. Anyway, I'd think plenty of times, 'Serves him right if he crashes.'"

"Did you say it?"

I probably wouldn't have. Too trashy?

"Couldn't. Punk, that's why I'm telling you now."

"..."

"Felt really, truly weird. Kid's actually crashed, shows up desperate like a different person, begging for 5 million... Felt strange."

Rare sight these days among the young, but what the manager described...

Dad dealt with it constantly. I'd seen it a few times.

"Got him drunk somehow, squeezed out cash, handed it over. Slept him off at home and sent him out. He's probably still hitting up everyone he knows."

I asked incredulously.

"Manager, you planning to get that money back?"

"Of course! Punk, you think I'd lend without expecting repayment? If he bounces back with a foreign car, I'll get multiples!"

Says that, but he'll probably never collect. Everyone does.

"Sorry. Dumping this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on you right before your shift. Uh, take a carton of smokes."

"A whole carton?"

I widened my eyes in surprise, and he chuckled, stuffing four canned beers into a bag like always.

"Yeah, punk. Gotta give you this much for listening to my nonsense. Feels lighter now that you heard it."

He patted my head a few times.

"Working hard is good, but don't overdo it. Happiness? It ain't much."

After the grumbling manager clocked out with his mix of complaints and well-wishes, I quietly fiddled with the half-empty plum drink, mulling his words.

Then suddenly, customers started flooding in.

A lot of them.

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