Chapter 4

If a commoner regresses, they become a golden spoon - Chapter 4 (4/405)

Until two years ago, I also had this VIP lounge access card. Before my father's business faltered, I, too, could get anything I wanted with just one phone call to my mother.

‘It’s a bit tough to see it again…’

While sipping the juice and eating cookies from the lounge café, I noticed young children shopping with their mothers on the weekend.

‘They probably walk around the luxury department without even looking at the price tags. I envy you guys.’

The air in the café was filled with a sense of luxury. The temperature was just right, the music was soft, the lighting was elegant, and the people looked relaxed.

“Seola, but….”

Nayeon, with a rather serious face, swallowed and spoke in a small voice.

‘What is it?’

Was there something so serious to talk about? I hardly remember this moment.

Was there any recent advice she gave me? I tried to hide my nervousness and nodded calmly, as if urging her to speak.

“Lately… have I done anything to disappoint you?”

Eh? That’s an unexpected question. I immediately shook my head. Even if there was something to be disappointed about, I wouldn’t remember it now.

“There’s no way. I’m not disappointed at all. Really.”

I just made it up. Nayeon’s face relaxed with relief. The number above her head was rising quickly.

「♥Affection: 160(↑58)/999」

…Ah, it was this low originally.

“Seola, I’ve been really worried because you haven’t been answering my calls lately, and when you do, it’s just short replies. I thought maybe I did something to disappoint you, so I even made a list before we met last night. Just in case. But just in case…”

Wait a moment.

「♥Affection: 170(↑10)/999」

“Even if it’s just a little, even a tiny bit, if there’s anything that’s causing a rift between us, please tell me. I… I’ll start with the list. Number 1.”

「♥Affection: 184(↑14)/999」

…Why is it rising so quickly?

“I complained to you for more than three days about not going to the same high school. I thought this was the most likely reason. …I admit, I did talk a bit too much.”

「♥Affection: 200(↑16)/999」

Stop it.

“But it was so frustrating… We matched our high school choices, but it didn’t work out.”

「♥Affection: 222(↑22)/999」

Stop it…

“But I wish you understood that my complaining was out of affection for you.”

“I understand.”

「♥Affection: 223(↑1)/999」

Seeing Nayeon, who had opened her notes and written a detailed list, I found it both ridiculous and cute, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Yeah, that’s how we were back then. Friends were everything, and we couldn’t live without each other.

‘When I was 25, the most important thing was my salary, not friends.’

It’s been a while since I’ve felt this pure.

Her affectionate eyes looked at me with a bit of pride. I don’t want to lose this pure heart again.

“Nayeon, this might take a while to explain.”

“Okay! It’s fine.”

I gripped the cup tightly.

Yeah. Just… let’s talk.

* * *

I almost cried a few times, but I managed to hold back and tell the story well.

The story of how my father’s business went bankrupt due to reckless expansion, how our house was about to be auctioned off, how I was feeling a bit down, and how I’m feeling better now.

‘This should be enough.’

Nayeon, holding my hand, bowed her head and was silent.

‘…Are you okay?’

I hope she doesn’t cry in this situation.

I don’t think I’ll feel very grateful for sympathy.

“…Seola.”

Nayeon’s voice, which was a tone lower, spoke with her head bowed.

“Yeah.”

“…Thank you for telling me.”

“…Yeah.”

Nayeon smiled and looked up. Her eyes were still affectionate. It was a simple and calm conclusion.

「♥Affection: 300(↑77)/999」

‘Did she think I was avoiding her because I didn’t like her?’

Ding-

「[Understanding of character increased.]

Understanding +5

Name: Lee Nayeon

▶Understanding: 85/999

▷Increased understanding of a character can randomly grant rewards.」

“But Nayeon, it might be hard to meet as often as before.”

“Seola, when we come to the lounge, we don’t even have to pay for the café—”

“It’s not about the price, it’s about the feeling. I feel like I’m taking advantage.”

Just one hour of shopping now makes me feel inferior, and I can’t guarantee I’ll be calm in the future. Besides, we’re not the same 17-year-olds anymore.

‘I’m actually 25…’

Seeing my much younger friend casually spend what would be a month’s salary for me was a bigger blow than I expected.

Getting up at nine, working until six or later, cleaning the break room mugs with cold water, working overtime and weekends, and tiptoeing around the moody director, who is the CEO’s relative, for a month, and still not being able to buy anything I want at the luxury department store… It’s hard to overcome in a short time.

“Hmm… I understand….”

Nayeon nodded calmly, and the affection number above her head flashed again.

“…But, even if we go to different schools, we’re still best friends, right?”

Forget it. She’s a bit nervous now.

* * *

Just as I was finishing the conversation with a smile, a familiar voice came from the side.

“Nayeon, it’s been a while.”

It was Haejin.

Her graceful steps were as beautiful as ever, even after a long time.

The 17-year-old Haejin, not the 25-year-old Haejin I saw on Instagram, looked sophisticated, even though she could have looked rustic or lacking.

Her expensive-looking black coat, neatly styled hair, and clean nails.

‘Yeah… She has a lot of subscribers for a reason.’

She was always strikingly beautiful.

She was a girl who naturally commanded respect without even realizing it.

“…Yunseol is here too.”

A status window appeared above Haejin’s head. I gave a casual wave, and her status window showed:

「♥Affection: -100/999」

My affection was so low it was digging into the ground.

‘It seems to be -100 by default. Why? We seemed to get along fine on the surface.’

The reason I felt even more inferior when I saw Haejin on social media at 25 was because, unlike me, who had mixed feelings of hatred and envy, Haejin probably had no feelings at all.

Having no feelings towards someone who has no feelings towards you, or even someone you might have a slight affection for, can be quite demoralizing.

We were middle school classmates.

I believe we had a pretty good relationship in 7th grade. I was introduced to her as Nayeon’s friend in the hallway, and we often greeted each other, so we had a decent relationship.

‘We even played outside a few times in middle school.’

And I quite liked Haejin even in high school.

If the status window had shown, I thought her affection would have been at least 60. But Haejin’s was -100? For no reason?

I felt a strange chill.

“Is Haejin back in Korea?”

“Yeah. We met almost as soon as I got here.”

“Really? How’s the jet lag?”

“No, it’s almost night. Nayeon, which school are you going to?”

While they were having a friendly conversation, I casually glanced at Haejin’s status window.

「<Status Window>

Name: Haejin

Age: 17

Height: 166cm

Weight: 45kg

Health: 70HP/999

Charisma: 130/999

Photography: 30/999

Photo Editing: 35/999

Communication: 78/999

Character Info: >>♡♥♡

▷You can see how the character feels about you.」

I felt that if I opened the character info, it would be quite hurtful.

‘Negative… That’s quite a shock.’

Wow. Why does she have A+ skills? And what’s the ‘Sturdy Iron Mask’ skill? Is it about being shameless?

Haejin didn’t seem to be shameless, and I couldn’t guess what the ‘Sturdy Iron Mask’ skill was from my memories.

While Yunseol was just nodding along with their conversation, someone entered the lounge, causing tension.

The eyes of the people sitting near the entrance naturally turned to one spot. It was none other than the strikingly handsome Baekhui.

Common InTuber’s Male Friend Jpg (Comments 455)

-If it were me, I’d stamp the marriage registration form while they sleep.

˪Haha, she must be crazy.

-My mind just created a whole story.

-It would be nice if they got married. One day, she replies to a comment on a vlog, and he asks, “How long do we have to stay friends?” …more

˪Delicious, give me more.

-It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a Dutch pay situation. It’s quite comforting to the eyes.

-It’s surprising to see Baekhui’s face here. We were in the same class in 10th grade, and no girl in the class didn’t like him. I liked him too. Good luck, Baekhui.

˪You and I were classmates, it seems. I was in the same class, and Baekhui was famous for being handsome. Good luck, Baekhui.

˪?? He went to an all-boys school, right? Same class? Haha.

InTuber Male Friend Face Reveal Reaction Jpg (Comments 198)

-Hmm, isn’t that normal? He looks similar to me.

˪Member, don’t cry, just speak.

-There are a lot of handsome guys these days. I have friends who are even better looking, but he’s pretty good. He’s the kind of guy girls find easy to approach.

˪Yeah, that’s true. Girls usually find it hard to approach guys who are too handsome.

-Why make a big deal out of 30 seconds? It’s almost just a passing glance.

-They must have featured him because he’s a star. And girls don’t usually reveal their feelings publicly if they don’t like someone. She must like him.

-It will probably be a sweet relationship. They should get married.

˪Capitalism born from InTubing.

Haejin, who briefly appeared in a vlog and then in a popular InTuber video, walked in as 17-year-old Baekhui, still with a youthful look and gentle eyes.

“What are you doing? Did you order?”

Baekhui looked younger than in his videos, with a gentle and affectionate voice but a slightly stiff demeanor.

“Baekhui~ It’s been a while.”

The outgoing Nayeon greeted him again.

“Are you two… acquaintances?”

“Yeah. We all went to the same elementary school. Haejin and Baekhui went to the same middle school until they went abroad. Seol, haven’t you seen him? We were in the same school in 7th grade.”

I’ve seen him a lot on InTubing. I just didn’t see him when he was 17.

When our eyes met, I felt a bit tense.

“Hi.”

His calm eyes turned to me.

“We went to the same middle school.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Thinking about how the boy I saw on a small phone screen was now in front of me, and much younger, made me feel like my brain circuits were short-circuiting.

Thud-

“Baekhui, let’s go. I’ll take it to go.”

Suddenly, Haejin turned halfway and urged Baekhui.

‘Her eyes seem a bit cold…’

The status window above Haejin’s head flashed again.

「[Skill: Sturdy Iron Mask (B)]」

Ah. You’re trying to hide your irritation. But it’s B-level, so you’re still young.

I might have fallen for it when I was younger, but now it’s obvious.

‘She must have come to the lounge with her mother after shopping…’

Seeing her trying to leave quickly, it seems she doesn’t want to talk. Nayeon, sensing her subtle displeasure, grabbed her.

“Come on, Haejin. It’s been a while, sit down.”

Nayeon’s genuine smile and Haejin’s forced smile were quite a sight.

Seeing the skill window above Nayeon’s head, I couldn’t help but smile and nod.

「[Skill: Always Bright and Clear! (B)]」

Thanks to Haejin’s expression management and Nayeon’s persuasion, Haejin and Baekhui sat down next to us.

“What’s your name?”

After placing the order, Baekhui spoke softly. His low voice was pleasant to hear.

“I’m Seo Yunseol.”

“Oh, I see… Seo Yunseol. I think I’ve heard that name before. I’m Baekhui.”

“Hey, you two look so awkward! I hope you get along….”

「[Skill: Always Bright and Clear! (B)]」

Thanks, Nayeon.

“Yeah. I want to get along better with Yunseol.”

“Doesn’t Yunseol’s opinion matter? Is it a mutual friendship?”

While watching Nayeon and Baekhui bicker, my eyes were drawn to the flashing sign above Baekhui’s head. I decided to take a quick look at his status window.

「<Status Window>

Name: Baekhui

Age: 17

Height: 183cm

Weight: 75kg

Health: 530HP/999

Charisma: 170/999

Photography: 390/999

Photo Editing: 385/999

Communication: 203/999

Character Info: >>♡♥♡

▷You can see how the character feels about you.」

‘He’s good at taking photos? And he has… two A+ skills?’

Maybe I should get closer to him and try to boost my photography stats later.

As I kept looking at Baekhui, he turned his head, and his eyes had a hint of a smile.

“Yunseol, what do you think about Baekhui’s one-sided desire to be friends?”

Nayeon, smiling like a chipmunk, and Baekhui, still smiling, had a skill window flashing above their heads.

「[Skill: I Don’t Know But (A+)]」

“Ah, I—”

Just as I was about to say it was fine, a high-pitched voice cut through the air.

It was Haejin, sitting across from me.

“What a shame. Baekhui lives near my house.”

Haejin’s neatly manicured, calm, and lovely nails tapped the table. Her eyes turned to me, looking genuinely disappointed.

“Yunseol, you can’t keep living in Apgujeong, right? It’s been a bit… tough for you lately…?”

Her white, slender hands gripped mine tightly. The scent of rose hand cream wafted over.

‘When did she hear about my family’s bankruptcy? She’s only been back for a short time.’

I thought of the aunts gossiping at the graduation ceremony. One of them must have told her. They love spreading rumors.

Haejin’s lips curled up in a sympathetic but insincere smile.

I wanted to crumple Haejin’s face, who was pretending to be kind and sympathetic, despite being only 17.

“Yeah. My family went bankrupt. Just like you said, I can’t live in Apgujeong anymore.”

“…What?”

“Does that make it harder for us to get along?”

Turning my gaze from the surprised Haejin to Baekhui, he remained silent for a moment before his lips curled up into a pleasant smile.

“No way.”

Then he held out his phone, asking for my number with a straight hand.

Ding-!

The affection above Baekhui’s head rose quickly.

「♥Affection: 102(↑30)/999」

As I entered my number into Baekhui’s phone, I glanced at Haejin across from me.

“……”

She was still smiling, but her eyes were cold.

I smiled brightly at her and pressed the call button on my phone.

When Baekhui’s number appeared on my phone screen, Haejin’s lips no longer curled up. The affection above her head was dropping even faster.

「♥Affection: -130(↓30)/999」

* * *

“Ugh….”

After a long time of shopping at the department store, my stamina was at its limit. As soon as I got home and lay on the bed, I checked my status window.

「Health: 30HP/999

Charisma: 73/999

Photography: 30/999

Photo Editing: 33/999

Communication: 87/999」

My health is drained again. Did I really come back to my 20s? I have a nagging suspicion. I recalled the status windows of the three people I saw earlier. Each person has at least one skill.

The most coveted skill, ‘I’ll take a life-changing shot for you,’ how do you get it?

Baekhui, with his photography stat of 390 and editing stat of 385, was much more skilled at both than I was.

‘Even without mission rewards, it’s clear that these can be improved.’

Skills seem to be something you can develop by focusing and practicing. It’s frustrating that they don’t appear as missions. But there’s a problem.

‘…Where do I use the mindset of a working adult?’

A sudden thought came to me. The mindset of a working adult means quitting!

I’ll quit on Monday morning. On a holiday evening, I’ll quit. When I can’t use my accumulated leave, I’ll definitely quit this time. When the company offers an unreasonable salary, I’ll definitely quit!

“The answer… is the lottery.”

Or stocks. I need a big win to quit. Fortunately, I still have information about future stocks in my head.

‘Including Beitscoin…’

Right. Being an influencer doesn’t mean you have to be pretty and successful.

I can be an investment influencer, specializing in stocks and Beitscoin. Nodding, I quickly turned my eyes to the gold in