The First Paycheck and the Fanboy Idol
In front of the DCN building in Sangam-dong.
I stretched lightly under the autumn sun.
“Ugh, finally done.”
I thought it would take a long time, but the contract went through like a breeze. Thanks to the station staff accommodating my conditions as much as possible, all I had to do was stamp the paper and walk out.
However, Mr. Choi, who was floating beside me, had a very uneasy expression on his face.
“With what?”
Mr. Choi offered his advice with a worried face. As a head of household who had navigated the real world, he probably thought his young, naive boss had just been taken for a ride.
But who am I?
I am the first servant of Oranis, who looks down upon the entire universe.
“It’s fine.”
“Mr. Choi, the contract doesn’t decide who’s the boss and who’s the subordinate.”
I tapped the contract in my pocket as I said that.
“Ability does. Don’t you know my ability? Can’t have an employee doubting their boss, can we?”
Seeing my confident demeanor, Mr. Choi chuckled and nodded.
“Now that you know, let’s hurry to the bank. You know what day it is, right?”
“It’s payday.”
Thinking about the donations that would be hitting my account made me feel like I had boosters attached to my feet.
‘Is it about 200 million won?’
I headed to the nearest bank with that excitement, but...
As soon as I sat at the counter, I hit a snag.
“Customer, I apologize, but this account has been inactive for a long time, so it’s set as a limited account. You can only withdraw up to 3 million won per day.”
The bank teller told me it was impossible to withdraw the money.
“What? Then how do I get the rest of the money?”
“I’m sorry, sir. It’s the regulations... You need to submit a certificate of employment or proof of income to lift the limit.”
Proof of income?
As an unemployed guy, there’s no way I’d have something like that.
As I sat there blankly with a devastated look, Mr. Choi, who had been watching from the side, suddenly chimed in.
“Ah, right. I have the contract. You’re the best, Mr. Choi. I really picked a good employee, didn’t I?”
I nodded and pulled the contract from my pocket. But when I looked up, the bank teller’s expression was strange.
“...Customer?”
I must have looked like a total lunatic, talking to thin air.
But the water was already spilled. I acted like nothing was wrong and handed over the contract.
“Will this do? It’s a contract with DCN.”
“Ah, yes... I’ll check it.”
I guess this is why people need jobs.
“Yes. With this, the limit has been lifted.”
Once she verified the contract, the strange look vanished, and the limit was lifted.
“Then, please give me the full amount in cash.”
What even is the FIU?
“...Taxes? They take it here too?”
As if the platform fees weren’t painful enough, now taxes?
I changed my route according to Mr. Choi’s advice.
“Then just give me 50 million won. In 50,000 won bills.”
“Yes, I understand. But, customer.”
When she heard the amount, the teller’s eyes narrowed.
“Did you perhaps receive a call impersonating the prosecution or the Financial Supervisory Service? Like a threat that a family member was kidnapped...”
She scanned my ears for an earpiece and checked behind me to see if anyone was there.
A man talking to himself like a madman, asking for a large sum of cash. It was suspicious no matter how you looked at it.
“No, it’s for my parents’ 70th birthday party.”
“Ah... a 70th birthday party?”
With a solid contract as proof of income and a clear reason for use, the teller’s gaze softened a bit.
But even Oranis’s servant had to follow procedure.
“I understand. However, when withdrawing large amounts of cash over 10 million won, regulations require you to fill out a financial fraud prevention questionnaire.”
The paper she handed me was filled with questions like, ‘Have you received a call impersonating the prosecution or police?’, ‘Are you being threatened by someone?’
‘Getting money is a pain in the ass.’
I grumbled inwardly, quickly checked ‘No’ on the boxes, and signed.
“Here you go.”
“Confirmed. Please wait a moment.”
Clack-clack-clack! Clack-clack-clack!
Ten stacks of 50,000 won bills.
“Do you not have an envelope?”
“I have one.”
“...If you did receive a call impersonating the prosecution or the FSS, you must contact the police. You really must, okay?”
“Have a good day.”
I tossed the stacks of cash into a sturdy paper shopping bag I’d prepared, and left the bank, swinging the heavy bag in one hand.
The bag in my hand was heavy, but a corner of my heart felt unsettled.
It was because of Mr. Choi, who was floating beside me, following me.
‘Was I too harsh?’
Mr. Choi, the MVP who stuck by Park Jong-soo’s side for three days and nights, tormenting him without letting him sleep.
He’s called an employee, but it’s essentially unpaid labor exploitation.
“Mr. Choi.”
“You’ve worked hard too, is there anything you want? Should I set up a grand ancestral rite table for you? Or, I don’t know, should I send some money to your house?”
If he wanted, I was willing to hand over a stack of cash from this bag to Mr. Choi.
But to my surprise.
“Hey, don’t decline. A person should have some decency. It makes me feel uncomfortable.”
Mr. Choi smiled and shook his head. Thinking he might be reading my mood, I offered again, but he looked around and whispered quietly in my ear.
“A villa? Not the house you were living in?”
Mr. Choi held up two fingers with a haughty expression.
“Huh?”
“......”
Then, he glanced at the shopping bag in my hand and delivered the finishing blow.
I swallowed a sense of betrayal and bitterness and clutched the shopping bag full of money to my chest.
“Mr. Choi, you’ve worked hard all this time. I’ll look after Minjun well.”
“Shut it. Just carry the luggage.”
“An employee trying to get the better of his boss.”
After that, I headed to a mobile phone store. Since I was spending money, I might as well spend it freely.
“Give me four of the best phones you have here.”
“Excuse me? Four?”
“Yes. One of each color.”
They were gifts for my family. It’s the golden rule to give gifts to your family with your first paycheck.
***
As soon as I got home, I called my parents to the dining table.
“What is all this?”
Mom’s eyes went wide as she looked at the shopping bag I handed her. It was no wonder, since there were four boxes of the latest smartphones inside.
“Jinwoo, where did you get the money for... You didn’t do anything strange, did you?”
Dad was the same. Since their unemployed son had suddenly brought home gifts worth millions of won, worry came first.
Instead of answering, I dumped the shopping bag full of 50,000 won stacks onto the table.
Clatter!
“Ji, Jinwoo!”
“I got my broadcast appearance fee and donations settled. I’m making money now.”
“Broadcast?”
“Yes. I’m doing a broadcast with Jina, and I got some donations.”
Before my parents could ask more, I handed them the PD’s business card and a copy of the contract.
“The reaction was good, so I’m going on TV this time.”
“Oh my... Our son is going on TV?”
“I was lucky. And this.”
I pushed the stacks of money on the table toward them.
“Use this to put out the urgent fires first. And buy yourselves something delicious too.”
“Jinwoo...”
“I was originally going to buy a car, but I think it’s better if we go buy one together later. And I don’t know what you need right now, so I’ve saved the rest of the money in my account. Let’s move to a bigger house later.”
At those words, Mom’s eyes welled up, and Dad kept his head down, speechless.
It seemed they were even more moved by the fact that their son, who had returned after 10 years, was thinking of the family’s situation, money aside.
“I’m sorry. You’ve had a hard time because of your useless parents.”
“What are you talking about? I’ve got a long way to go to pay back the 10 years of being an unfilial son. Oh, and I think I’ll have to be away from home for a while because of the filming. It seems like it’s a group camp filming.”
“A camp? Do they feed you well? Is the sleeping arrangement comfortable?”
“It’s a broadcasting station. I’m sure they’ll take care of it. Don’t worry.”
My parents held my hands tightly and didn’t let go for a long time.
‘Glad I made money.’
So this is why people earn money.
“I’ll head in now. Don’t save the money, please use it where you need it.”
After finishing the conversation with my parents, I took the remaining phone boxes and headed quietly to Jina’s room.
“You didn’t even come out when your brother came home?”
“What? When did you get here?”
“This is yours.”
Jina, who had taken her earphones out, screamed when she saw the phone box I tossed at her.
“Holy! Crazy! Did you get paid today?”
“Something like that.”
“But why a Galaxy?”
“?”
“Just kidding. I’ll use it well, brother.”
I left Jina rolling on the bed and took out a suitable bag. Since I had to go to the camp tomorrow morning, I had to pack.
What I took out of the closet were the grey sweatpants I always wore, black sweatpants, and some pajama pants for sleeping.
‘I should buy some clothes later too.’
As I was stuffing my things into the bag, Jina, who had been rolling on the bed, lifted her head.
“What? Where are you going?”
“I have to go to the broadcasting station early tomorrow morning. It’s a camp for a while, so I’m packing.”
“Broadcasting station? What kind of broadcast is it? Are you going to a haunted house like last time?”
“No, this time it’s a studio shoot. I’m going because Junhyuk recommended it, but...”
I said nonchalantly while zipping up the bag.
“What was the title again? War of the Gods?”
That moment.
Jina’s fingers, which had been busy setting up her new phone, stopped.
“...Huh?”
“Why?”
“What did you just say? War of the Gods?”
“You know it too?”
“Of course I know it! The trailer views alone are in the millions! But you’re going there?”
“Is it that big of a deal?”
“You’re crazy, seriously. Wow, my brother succeeded.”
Jina’s eyes sparkled as she jumped up from the bed and came right up to me.
“Brother, then there... does Siwoo appear too?”
“Siwoo?”
I felt like I’d heard the name before.
I vaguely remembered the PD saying there was an idol among the panelists when I signed the contract during the day.
“I think so?”
“Kyaaaaaa!”
Jina hit my back hard after hearing my words.
“Crazy! Crazy! You’re meeting Siwoo-oppa? Is this for real?”
“Am I not your brother? And who is that anyway.”
“Who is he, you ask! Does it make sense that you don’t know Siwoo-oppa?”
Was my younger sister always this articulate?
“Korea’s top idol! Center of the boy group Eclipse! Face genius!”
Jina couldn’t control her excitement and jumped around.
The sister who had been moved by the latest phone just a moment ago was nowhere to be found, and in front of me was a crazed fan-girl running wild.
“Hey, calm down. You’re going to blow my eardrums out.”
“Brother, listen to me carefully. Siwoo-oppa likes strawberry milk. Absolutely no white milk, it has to be the one with strawberry juice.”
“?”
“And he has a peach allergy, so he struggles even if he just smells peaches nearby, so be very careful. You have to keep the waiting room temperature at 24 degrees at all times. He gets cold easily.”
Jina poured out information like she was rapping.
“Hey, hey. Take a breath and talk.”
“And he’s very shy, so you shouldn’t just approach him aggressively. But you shouldn’t ignore him too much either, just a light greeting if you make eye contact! Oh, and the most important thing!”
“What kind of nonsense is that now?”
“An autograph! No, a selfie! No, a video call just once! Please! It’s my lifelong wish! I’ve been getting strength by watching him whenever I’m having a hard time.”
I couldn’t help but nod at Jina’s insistence.
Anyway, since he was the idol my sister relied on when she was having the hardest time, I became a little interested.
Still, I didn’t have high expectations.
There was no way a top star in Korea would be interested in a broadcaster like me.
That’s what I thought.
Until I ran into him in the broadcasting station hallway a few days later.
“Gallery Master! I’m the Ghost Gallery regular A!”
Korea’s top idol bowed at a 90-degree angle.
“...Are you a pervert too? No, you said you were an idol. Is it okay for you to be out here? Don’t you have an idol image to maintain?”
When I asked, he scanned his surroundings, lowered his sunglasses slightly, and smiled.
“I lied to my company and said I was overcoming my fear of ghosts to come out. I came to pick you up as soon as I heard you were appearing.”
Seeing him salute with a bright smile, one person suddenly crossed my mind.
The multi-billionaire unemployed guy, the ‘Gallery Admin’, who poured tens of millions of won to watch my broadcast and readily accepted the dangerous ledger.
And the top idol, Siwoo, who even deceived his agency to come running.
What kind of crazy people were hiding in the corners of that tiny community?
“Yeah, um. Should we take a picture first?”
“It’s an honor! Ah, my face is much smaller than others, should I stand in front?”
“......”
It seemed my broadcast’s viewership was much more diverse—no, filled with more crazy people—than I thought.