Chapter 25: Followers Exploded! We're Fucked!!!!
Slap.
Cheol-gyu Lee rubbed his stinging cheek. He'd been slapped by a woman—no, by his cousin, his older sister Yeon-woo Lee. Yeon-woo herself, the one who'd delivered the slap, winced as her palm throbbed, clenching and unclenching her fist while speaking in a dry, bloodless tone.
"Are you insane?"
"Ah, no... th-that's not..."
"Are you threatening me right now?"
Her cousin's demand: give him money, and do it like last time. Yeon-woo's face flushed red with rage and humiliation. But unlike before, Cheol-gyu didn't back down easily. He touched his stinging cheek, anger boiling over as he shot back in a sharp tone.
"It's not a threat... h-honestly, sis, you have sex for money, right? With strangers you don't even know..."
"Hey, are you crazy?"
"What's wrong with what I said?"
"..."
This monkey bastard's dead set on this, Yeon-woo thought, her eyes filled with contempt as she spotted the tent in his pants, his dick rock-hard and aimed right at her.
"Hey. You really gonna do this? Huh?"
"Do what?"
"I told you last time, we're done with that shit."
"Did I say I'd tell anyone else?"
"Don't change the subject. That's exactly what this is."
"I-I don't even have to say it myself."
"What?"
"You have that academy promo Insta account, right? Lots of people recognized you, didn't they?"
"...!"
The blood drained from Yeon-woo's already flushed face. Her official job was instructor and promoter—and promo model—at Mabong Self-Study Re-taker Academy. The director, introduced by her uncle, had seen her face and immediately offered her the modeling gig. She'd already started working at the OP by then, but she'd accepted. It made her uneasy, but the pay for being the academy's official model was a huge sum for someone drowning in credit card debt—a chance to wipe it all out in one go. Plus, she'd naively thought no one would recognize her from some tiny cram school's promo shots.
Back then, with debts piling up, she'd accepted without a second thought. She never imagined it'd boomerang back like this.
"I-I just send Yong-ho that Insta link..."
"Hey! You! You're really gonna do this?!"
Just like Cheol-gyu said, that loudmouth Yong-ho Jo. If he slipped her face and identity to that guy... even without direct threats from Cheol-gyu, who knew what chaos could unfold through other channels.
Her heart sank. Gritting her teeth, Yeon-woo glared. This fucker...! This monkey-ass fucker!
Her eyes rolled back as she swung for his cheek again—but
Grip!
This time, he didn't take it lying down. Cheol-gyu seized her slender wrist. Truth be told, he'd been intimidated at first when bringing it up, but after the slap and the harsh words, resentment bubbled up. He was done with words or fights—he refused to back down anymore.
"...Hey. Let go."
"Don't slap me. You live off us freeloading..."
"W-what?!"
"It's true, right? Dad took pity on your poor family and said he'd let you in, so Mom and him separated."
"...Th-that was between Aunt and Uncle from before..."
"Sure, but it totally blew up once he said he'd take you guys in. Haven't seen Mom's face in months because of it."
As Yeon-woo said, Yong-gu Lee and Kyung-ae Jang had issues before, but things became irreparable the moment he decided to bring in his distant niece and nephew.
"So what? What's that got to do with anything?"
"...Wow, the shamelessness."
"You crazy bitch? Hey, why should I jerk you off just 'cause you're freeloading? Huh?"
"..."
Cheol-gyu had no comeback for that, but he wasn't ready to let his cousin go either. Sure, it was lust, but more than that, the resentment he'd built up made him want to screw her over. So he gripped her wrist tighter, staring her down.
Before, he'd always avert his eyes and whimper like a puppy if she got aggressive.
She's just a whore anyway.
It felt卑鄙, but it made her seem easier to handle. Once the unattainable pinnacle—beautiful, popular, 150k Insta followers, the sun to his firefly. Ugly, short at 163cm, failed exams forcing him into re-taker life with family help... a total loser compared to her vibrant, confident self.
But now? She was a whore.
Just a whore.
Cowardly, but it leveled the field. And as their standoff dragged on, her face paling, he felt a sleazy thrill. So they locked eyes, wrists gripped—until, uncharacteristically, she surrendered first.
"Hey... let go."
"Promise you won't slap me."
"...I won't, so let go. It hurts... it hurts!"
Cheol-gyu released her at her plea—outwardly calm, but inwardly cheering.
Sis begged me first.
Small, but monumental for someone who'd never won a social battle. And watching her rub her wrist, taller and usually brimming with confidence... Women are women after all, fuck.
Physical dominance surged his confidence to the max.
Like this... I can demand more? Totally possible?!
It was a simple demand, barely blackmail, but for a virgin fueled by porn, hentai, and smut stories, the fantasy unspooled endlessly. This way! I can do it!
"So..."
But as he opened his mouth—
Knock knock.
The spell shattered with a knock from outside.
"Hey, Cheol-gyu. What're you doing? We're late for academy."
While they'd bickered, Jin-woo Lee—always heading out together—had grown impatient and knocked. Cheol-gyu's panicked face crumpled as Yeon-woo bolted out. Jin-woo entered, baffled, like a baton pass.
Cheol-gyu, who'd just been gripping and threatening his sister, couldn't meet his cousin's eyes.
"Hey, what'd you talk about with sis?"
"...N-nothing much..."
"Huh? Hey... did sis slap you?"
"Wha?! N-no... it's n-nothing..."
"What the hell. You're acting super suspicious. Anyway, let's go, dude."
"...Y-yeah."
=====
"Yeon-woo T, something bothering you?"
"Ah, Director. It's nothing."
Yeon-woo arrived for afternoon classes, her mind a mess. Of course it wouldn't work out. She spaced out at her monitor like her soul had fled, catching the eye of the director—who the young instructors mocked behind his back as the ultimate sweetguy wannabe, Sweet Young Forty.
His main job was fantasizing A-to-Z ways to fuck her.
"No, you're pale as a ghost... you okay?"
"Ah... yeah, a bit..."
"Heh heh. Can't have our academy's face looking like that."
Feigning concern let him stroke her shoulder—a golden chance for the sweetguy director. He fondled it, slyly peeking down her blouse gap with eagle eyes. Top-down view of her massive tits, no suspicion!
Haa... look at those huge fucking tits. Bet they'd feel insane to fuck.
Inwardly lecherous, outwardly the world's kindest worrier.
"...Yeah, feeling a bit off."
"Early out, then?"
"No, no. I'll tough it out."
"Don't overdo it~"
Normally, Yeon-woo would've twisted his interest to her advantage, but today, at her mental limit, his clinginess grated. She wanted to shove him off. But he clung to her shoulder, milking the spot, and pivoted topics.
"Anyway... how about updating our promo pics? If Yeon-woo T helps out again..."
"Pardon? Ah..."
"I'll pay extra modeling fees, of course. We blew up overnight. Total chaos."
"...Ch-chaos?"
"Yeah. Follow requests exploded this morning. You see?"
"Ah..."
She checked promo sites and Insta during work, but not since yesterday afternoon.
"Look. Followers jumped by 10,000 overnight!"
"Gasp..."
The academy's promo Insta had mere hundreds—mostly re-takers and parents. After she became the model, it crept to 10k. But overnight? Doubled. 10k more, still climbing.
"Looks like some big guys-only forum... Soccer Manager Korea or whatever... went viral there."
"...I'll check."
Shaking off the director, she searched frantically. Sure enough.
Even...
Group intelligence dug up her personal Insta—face blurred, body only—and her hotel pool bikini pic became another hit post.
Once it hits top post? It spreads infinitely across communities. Her face, spreading forever.
"...N-no... please no..."
Normally, the attention would've thrilled her. But now? The last thing she wanted. Ever.