Chapter 152

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 152

Chapter Title: Mounting Worries

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I'd love to just collapse into bed and call in sick myself.

It had been three days since Yoon Sua took to her bed with illness. Every night around this time, calls started coming in from people whose identities I couldn't even distinguish anymore—my mom or her mom.

-Is Sua doing any better today?

"Yes, she's completely recovered now. Her complexion is even brighter than before she got sick."

-Sua must have a really fragile constitution.

"That's true, but it's gotten a lot better than it used to be."

-Oh dear, then how bad was it before...

These weren't calls we exchanged often, so I wanted to respond sincerely. But honestly, even that gets old after a day or two. Now on the third day, I found myself answering on autopilot like some macro program.

If three days of this was wearing me down, how do call center workers survive dealing with hundreds of calls a day? I'd probably end up in a psych ward.

-I feel guilty thinking I might be the reason she's sick.

"It's nothing like that. You're worrying over nothing, really."

Totally, absolutely nothing.

Everyone else in the studio apartment knew exactly why Yoon Sua was bedridden—except Mom.

'Whoa, how rough did you have to get for her to nearly die? Go easy on her!'

'It was Sua's first time, wasn't it? Wasn't that a bit inconsiderate of you, Hyunwoo?'

And if you dug deeper, only Yoon Sua and I knew the full story.

'Ahh! Harder, hit me harder, Hyunwoo... Haht, haaah. Thank you. Thank you for hitting me. Thank you for the insults. I'm so happy. I... I feel alive right now!'

'So please, hit me. Give this pathetic bitch the punishment she deserves.'

'Today was... truly the happiest time of my life. Thank you so much, Hyunwoo. Mwah.'

Even now, just recalling that moment sent a faint, stinging electric tingle through the back of my skull. My brain still couldn't accept it as reality.

'Sua might have been smiling happily through the pain for three straight days.'

To be brutally honest, I hadn't enjoyed that intense play at all. If anything, it repulsed me more. Yoon Sua's situation was so pitiful that I'd gone along with it as best I could, but it just wasn't my thing.

'This is why sexual tastes and preferences cause conflicts between couples.'

I remembered sneering at a post online titled "Broke up with a masochistic freak who loved getting hit." Back ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠then, I'd mocked the guy as pathetic. The post included a mosaiced silhouette of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠woman—clearly a stunning beauty with an amazing figure.

Hearing he'd dumped her because their kinks didn't match, I'd called him insane. I'd bragged that I'd happily smack her around and pound her pussy forever.

But reality didn't match my fantasies.

I finally understood why criminals fear their own conscience and guilt more than anything. I felt like I was losing my mind.

-...Hey! Son!

"Ah, yes. Sorry, I zoned out for a second."

-Use the money I left when I visited to buy Sua some fruit. Peaches and melons are in season in June.

"Got it. I'll put her on the phone later when I have time, so don't worry too much. She's eating fruit regularly anyway. And you—don't get drunk and blab to Dad."

-Of course not! Do you think I'd do that?

You've done it occasionally. Hmm.

"......"

Sorry, Dad, but it wasn't about you hating the idea and keeping it secret. If Dad found out, he'd break my legs—and then get all clingy about it. No wonder my little sister kept her boyfriend a secret.

She had more dating experience than me and had gotten chewed out by Dad multiple times already.

There are generational gaps even with effort, like with Mom. Imagine when it doesn't budge at all. Sis said she'd nearly flipped the table at a restaurant—the first time she'd ever gone out to eat with Dad.

Just imagining it was horrifying.

"Gotta hang up now, Mom. Customer's coming."

-Okay. Tell her my son and cute daughters made my visit so fun.

You've said that five times already.

As the call finally ended, I rolled my eyes and pretended to pick at nonexistent eye boogers with my index finger.

"Man, I'm weirdly exhausted."

Ever since my physical stats boosted from quest rewards, night shifts at the convenience store barely tired me out.

It had to be mental fatigue.

Out of habit, I searched for insomnia and daytime drowsiness. The result startled me.

People exhausted despite sleeping, those needing ASMR to doze off, or the seriously ill seeking meds.

I was shocked at how many couldn't sleep in 2025.

"I really have no clue how the world works anymore."

Recession, recession.

Compared to the past, modern Korea had weekends off, three full meals a day, and solid leisure time. So why did the internet overflow with insomniacs?

"Ordinary folks like me will never get it."

I'd live in blissful ignorance, like always.

Tsk. As I smacked my lips, a system message popped up before my eyes.

Ah, right, you bastard.

No quests like "Have sex," but after everything, it tossed this epic one at me.

"......"

No pressure to rush completion this time, but that bizarre "aptitude 95+" condition.

I'd wondered what to do with it at first.

Staring at my current job now brought up a little message.

It meant finding a place with 95+ aptitude and getting Yoon Sua hired there.

'Does that even make sense, you fucker?'

I couldn't help cursing.

I got the intent. Holed up doing chores all day would drive anyone mad. People say moderate work keeps you healthy.

Finding a fitting job for Yoon Sua would be ideal. But where?

Grousing, I still scoured the net...

I quietly closed the browser. Endless conflicts, it seemed.

Topics like gender wars, politics, religion—unsolvable parallel lines. Best avoided. Same with boss-part-timer clashes. No idea if it was always like this, but in 2025, they were worse than family feuds.

'That said, our Store Manager's a decent guy.'

Sure, he had his pathetic sides, but he took care of what mattered. Luck of the draw, I guess. Not everything online is true.

"Hardworking folks don't even have time for the net. Or they avoid it on purpose."

Even so, no fitting job for Yoon Sua came to mind in this era.

Post-quest, I'd combed every part-time gig imaginable.

News clipping jobs, exam proctoring/grading, book cafes, convenience stores, hand modeling, lingerie modeling, etc.

Even health-friendly ones. None hit 90 aptitude, let alone 95—despite her lack of experience.

Three days of futile effort. No wonder I was pissed.

'Argh, you crazy bastard.'

Quests were never sane, but after seeming easier lately, this ultra-hard one smacked me upside the head.

'Can't even find 90+, and now get her hired at 95+?'

No exaggeration.

More realistic: Start my own shop or company and make her a spot.

"At least give me a glimmer of hope. This is just..."

But excluding this, everything else was fine? Nope.

Oh Hanam's issue—thought resolved—still gnawed at me and Oh Hana.

'Riki oppa's the only one for me! Riki oppaaaang!'

Since Mom left, Oh Hana's Riki obsession worsened. I half-expected her to ditch me for some otaku hideout.

I got stress relief, but her Riki worship stressed me out.

Han Aebom was no different.

Couldn't fathom her stubbornness.

She'd boasted this remake fixed her debut's flaws, guaranteeing a win. Yet it bombed in prelims.

'......'

No lie—eliminated first from ~700 entries, where 500 advanced. Overwhelming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠views: 0. One comment on zero views was wilder.

The unflappable Hanban Group chairwoman crumbled at one comment. Oh Hana's stifled laugh made me fear for her life that day.

'No time to worry about others. Fuck.'

Those issues aside, my own job hunt loomed.

"......"

Ten bodies wouldn't suffice. First time craving cloning jutsu this badly. Quest reward someday?

...Yeah right, fuck. Positive First Impression? Cloning my ass!

Ding-a-ling!

The door chime amid this mess reminded me of part-time duties. I jumped up reflexively, knocking over my chair in shock.

One cause of my stress stood before me.

"Ah, take your time browsing. Sit if you want, Hyunwoo. You look beat."

Ilha Group's VP, Oh Hanam, smiled at me. Why the hell was this guy here?