Dilemma
"One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand... hundred thousand, million... Oh, five million won?! Crazy?!"
She started reading the donation message aloud in a trembling voice. "Store manager oppa!! Huh? Store manager?" A brief silence fell, then a scream that nearly tore the speakers erupted.
"Waaaaaah! Crazy! Store manager?? Store manager oppa?!?!"
Her avatar, perfectly mirroring her real-life energy, bounced around like it was about to leap out of the screen, throwing a total fit. She definitely figured out it's me, the store manager oppa. Even in all that excitement, holding back my real name on stream and sticking to 'store manager oppa'... Our Sol's a pro broadcaster, huh?
Her enormous breasts heaved uncontrollably on screen.
"Uh!!!! Uh!!!!! Wh-what?!?!?!?!"
The little fool couldn't even speak properly, just babbling like an idiot. I leaned back against the bed headboard, chuckling softly.
Directing sex streams from the shadows. There, our VVIP bros drop hundreds, thousands—hell, if they're in the mood, tens of millions—without batting an eye. Thinking about it, I'd been mindlessly raking in that insane cash every night. That's why familiarity is so scary. I've wondered how the rich can blow that much on expensive shit without a second thought. Doesn't it hurt? Now that I've got money, I get it. You go numb. The value of five million won in my head a few months ago versus now? Worlds apart.
To put it precisely... it's like poor folks and the rich have different exchange rates wired into their brains.
Coming into this bright little stream and tossing just five million gets me treated like an absolute whale. Feels kinda weird.
Anyway, that kid's got better streaming chops than I thought. No dead air even for a second, killer energy. And that straightforward personality shining through without any fake bullshit—it's got this subtle pull.
I pulled a cigarette from the pack on the bedside table and lit up. Exhaling a long plume of smoke into the air, I ran the numbers in my head.
29 years old. But 148cm with a perfect loli build. Not my personal taste at all, but among us pervy VVIP types, truckloads of guys go nuts for legal lolis like her. And the gap—broadcasting in virtual space with a massive-tits milf avatar loaded with her desires, but IRL she's a total kid. Fuck, that's prime gap moe.
If I pull her into the dark side streams, she'd be a super cash cow, scooping up donations like crazy.
But.
I watched Lee Sol bouncing on my phone screen and let out a small sigh. Do I really need to drag her into this filthy mud pit?
I thought about the women under me now.
Yang Ji-hye. She was a good little sis to me too. But she's always loved SM play and sex like crazy. Back in the day, she'd slyly flirt, trying to get laid. We reconnected at the perfect time, right when I got this app power. So no real guilt with her. She's loving the depravity and the cash.
Lee Ji-hee. What can I say? Arrogant bitch who didn't know her place. I gave her a proper schooling, turned her into my personal whore and money machine. Pure profit.
Jeong Su-jeong. Sujeong's different. She got dragged in when I lost control to this power. Now she's fully tamed, can't live without me—my perfect partner. But deep down, there's lingering guilt for corrupting her with my lust. That's why I'm extra sweet and caring outside the streams.
Cha Su-ah. Well... lucky find. Embezzler and trash personality. If anything, she's rediscovering her pure talent thanks to me. She owes me.
...But Lee Sol. She's not some slutty type, hasn't done shit to piss me off. Back when I was a broke loser, she followed me around calling me store manager hyung, oppa—pure and rough around the edges. She'd buy me birthday shit even when I had nothing, but on hers, she'd insist on cheap stuff 'cause she's a value queen. Good kid. Only good memories with her. Is it right to force her down the corruption path just to make more cash?
"Ah. Head hurts."
I stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray with a wry laugh. The clash between dark director Han Siwoo's ruthless business savvy and human Han Siwoo's conscience. Guess I'm greedy for the money after all.
I don't wanna turn into a monster. But... damn, Sol's such a waste not to use.
I left her stream on like white noise, lost in thought for a while. What was it I really wanted to do with all this money anyway?
What I want. Make my movies, shoot the photos and videos I crave, write the stories burning inside me, create what I envision. And someday... build my own massive entertainment empire.
That takes money. And I've got this insane money-making scam power.
Still gives me a headache. What to do with her... No need to decide now. I'll just meet up with the kid after ages and grab a bite.
I killed the stream and texted her.
I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought, when my phone buzzed.
Lee Sol.
I read it and grinned without thinking. This kid's got more pro mindset than I thought? With 80 viewers in her little stream and five mil dropping, most would've lost it, ended early, and bolted to me. But she's sticking to her mission and viewer promise till dinner. Commendable. Solid roots—responsible and good-hearted.
I set the phone down, and that's when careful footsteps approached outside the second-floor bedroom.
Knock knock.
"Writer, it's Cha Su-ah. May I come in?"
I got up, opened the door. There she was, clutching her tablet.
"Hey, Su-ah. How's the work going?"
"Yes. First scan of the first-floor main hall's done. Team's switching for lunch now, so I came up to report."
Her expression was calm.
"Good work. What's the lunch plan?"
"Staff went to the nearby gukbap joint. I'm just gonna get a sandwich delivered and tweak some drawings."
"Sandwich?"
I glanced at the clock. 1 PM. My stomach was rumbling too.
"Su-ah. Ditch the sandwich—wanna eat with me? I was gonna eat alone anyway, feels lonely."
"Pardon? Oh, no, it's fine. I couldn't possibly..."
"Possibly what... haha. I'm not gonna bite. Or are you a sandwich fanatic?"
"N-no..."
She looked flustered. Ah... she doesn't know my personality well yet. Even in casual stuff like this, she sees me as the dark director! "Don't stress. Fridge is stocked anyway. I'll whip something up quick."
I headed to the second-floor kitchen without waiting. Cha Su-ah hesitated but followed, cautiously taking a seat at the island counter.
Fridge check: pollock roe, garlic, pasta noodles from before. My old kitchen grind days were etched in muscle memory. Garlic on the board—smashed with the knife flat, chopped rough. Roe slit open, roe scooped clean. Sprinkled sake to cut salt, boost umami—like pumping out hundreds of plates in a pro kitchen.
Olive oil in the pan, fry garlic for aroma, add boiled noodles and pasta water, shake to emulsify. Finished with roe on residual heat. Ten minutes flat.
"Whoa, nice! Under ten. Dig in, Su-ah."
I set down two steaming plates of pollock roe oil pasta.
Cha Su-ah's eyes widened, flicking between the pasta and me.
"Y-you made this yourself? This fast?"
"Told you before. My food service resume's stacked. For a starving artist scraping by, it's decent, fun, rewarding work."
She twirled some pasta cautiously, took a bite—and her shoulders twitched.
"How is it?"
"Wow... way better than most restaurants? No fishy smell, seasoning perfect."
Her surprised gaze mixed emotions. The devil gripping her weakness mercilessly. The artist dead serious about his craft. And now this apron-clad, domestic guy cooking like a pro.
Unfathomable man. But his vibe since yesterday... not bad.
Her tension eased. She devoured the plate, fork flying.
"Looks like it turned out good. Glad."
"It's really delicious, writer."
I took a bite too. Phew. Skills still sharp.
"So, how's it shaping up? Think it'll match my concept with your design?"
She covered her mouth. "Yes... thanks to your generous budget, it's heading the right way."
"Phew. Can't wait to see your and the design team's masterpiece."
"Thank you. Me too."
We chatted lightly over the meal. Probably pieced together me and Sujeong's dynamic. Wild beast selling sex vids, normal couple otherwise.
After, I hit the coffee machine in the corner.
"Six staff? Seven with you."
"Oh, no need for coffee..."
"Koreans can't live without iced americanos, you know."
I pulled shots into seven ice-filled tumblers. Tray down to first floor—the team, fresh from lunch, buzzed.
"Whoa, writer! Thanks for the coffee!"
"Thank you!"
They grinned, took cups. Cha Su-ah bowed thanks, then switched to lead designer mode, directing the crew.
I left the lively first floor, back upstairs, booted the desktop.
Whirr—high-spec workstation hummed alive. Sipped coffee, habit kicked in: SNS, trend sites. Commercial photo lighting trends, portfolios, color vibes. Pre-app, I'd obsess daily, wondering if I'd quit photography for cash.
Sensual shots on monitor: So many pros out there.
Time flew; dusk outside.
Bzzz bzzz. Phone on desk: Lee Sol.
I picked up—and a lion's roar blasted my eardrum.
"Hey!! Han Siwoo!!!"
"Agh, my ears, idiot. Stream over?"
"Stream ain't the issue! What's with the five mil, you psycho?! You were broke as fuck!! Finally flipping to illegal toto betting?! Or voice phishing collector?!"
Her voice crackled in panic. Knowing my beggar days too well, my sudden cash splash hit as worry and fear over joy.
"Not scamming, chill. Made bank."
"Bullshit! Meet now! Spill everything!"
"Yeah, was gonna buy dinner anyway. What you want? Oppa treating to prime marbled hanwoo."
"Fuck hanwoo! Stop blowing cash, psycho. Makes me nauseous worrying. Know that nogari joint by Ahyun-dong underpass? Meet there!"
Click. Hung up on me.
Classic. Value-queen Sol. Thanks for worrying.
Pocketed phone, threw on a light windbreaker. Good to go. Down to first floor—staff gone, Cha Su-ah alone sorting drawings.
"Whoa, Su-ah, why you still here solo? Go home."
"Uh... still stuff to check..."
"You'll wreck yourself. You've got other work too."
"Other... work..."
Her face flushed. Ah. Bad topic. But can't have her burning out and getting sick. She's our next superstar whore for the VVIP cash rain.
"Anyway! Take care of yourself! Gotta nail our dark biz too."
"Yes..."
"Heading out for a bit. Wrap up and go home!"
"Yes, safe trip, writer."
Out the studio with her send-off. Cool evening air. Ahyun-dong underpass nogari house. Been a while.
Lee Ji-hee Service Cut
