"Oppa, oppa, wait!"
Chasing after him, Lee Joo-bin's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Oppa, those guys… they won't cause trouble, right?"
"What trouble? It won't involve you," Lee Jin-woo said casually.
"No, I mean, should we call the police? I can be a witness."
Lee Jin-woo paused, pointing at himself. "You think the cops would believe me?"
"Uh…" Lee Joo-bin looked away guiltily, muttering, "But oppa's a good person!"
"If you're fine, go home. This area's not safe for a kid like you."
He took a sip of coffee and kept walking.
The reward had been processed. Time to collect rent!
Two high-end Itaewon properties were now legally his.
Eight years ago, he'd used saved-up allowance and pocket money to invest, doubling his capital in the stock market.
Then, he bought a five-story mansion (two underground, three above) for 1 billion won.
He also purchased a 603-square-meter standalone house with two underground levels for 570 million, as an investment.
Both sat vacant for years, but their value skyrocketed.
Last year, he rented them out. The card holding the rent was tucked deep in his wallet.
It contained last year's earnings, with all transactions fully traceable.
No one could find a flaw.
Lee Jin-woo even "recalled" where he'd hidden the paperwork eight years ago and vividly remembered signing with the original owners.
Absolutely wild. He was starting to grasp the system's power.
"Oppa, how am I a kid?"
Lee Joo-bin clung to him, puffing out her chest to prove a point.
Lee Jin-woo had to admit he'd underestimated her.
Pretty impressive—probably a C.
"How long are you gonna follow me?" He stopped, exasperated, as she trailed him.
They were nearing Itaewon, close to his properties.
Beaming, Lee Joo-bin said, "Oppa, are you shopping in Itaewon? Can I come?"
She hopped, linking her arm with his, resting her head on his shoulder. "With a pretty girl like me, everyone will be jealous of you."
"No… fine." His refusal was cut short by a new system task.
It wasn't a lack of spine—the system's rewards were just too good.
Beating up two punks got him two Itaewon mansions, now worth about 8 billion won.
In a blink, he was 2 billion shy of being a 10-billion-won tycoon.
This was just one reward. The new task: Moonlit Romance, Beauty by Your Side.
As a Big Brother, how can you lack a flower's charm? A beauty's company highlights your aura.
Reward based on the number and intensity of others' envy.
He loved this user-friendly system.
"Let's go!" Lee Joo-bin smiled brightly, eager for the adventure.
But a nearly three-meter-tall, double-gated mansion door threw her plans into chaos.
Beep-beep.
"Hello?"
"Hello, I'm Lee Jin-woo."
"Oh, please wait, I'm coming out."
The woman's flustered voice, laced with slight panting, made Lee Joo-bin's expression shift.
It sounded like she was in the middle of something… private.
So, why was oppa here?
Her mind spiraled with questions and odd storylines.
The side door opened, revealing a woman in skimpy clothes, a hat, and a mask.
"Here's the check. I thought you weren't coming today."
Spotting Lee Joo-bin, her eyes lit up, then dimmed, settling into envy.
Lee Joo-bin, sensing familiarity through the woman's brow, vaguely guessed her identity.
"Here's the receipt. Please keep it." Lee Jin-woo signed the document she provided.
He silently praised the system's attention to detail—even the receipt was prepared by this "tool person."
Wonder what the excuse is this time.
As if sensing Lee Joo-bin's curiosity, the woman spoke up. "You're a rookie at S.M., right? Figured out who I am?"
Lee Joo-bin hesitated, then bowed. "Hello, sunbae."
Nodding slightly, Hwang Jung-eum said enviously, "You're luckier than I was. Cherish it, don't regret it."
Lee Joo-bin was confused, but the woman said no more, greeting Lee Jin-woo before returning inside.
Noticing her parting glance, Lee Joo-bin looked at Lee Jin-woo, a knowing expression dawning.
"Let's go." Lee Jin-woo turned to leave.
"Oppa, that was Hwang Jung-eum sunbae, right? Right?!"
She pestered him, desperate to confirm her guess.
Beep-beep.
A car horn sounded behind them. Lee Jin-woo turned to see a Hyundai Equus.
The road was wide enough—why the honk?
The back window rolled down, revealing a familiar face behind sunglasses, erasing his annoyance.
"Fujeong-noona." His tone carried resignation.
Running into her here was a headache.
Lee Boo-jin removed her sunglasses, smiling. "Jin-woo, long time no see."
Lee Joo-bin's jaw dropped as she watched them chat.
What am I seeing? Samsung's First Princess, Lee Boo-jin! Oh my god!
Someone tell me this isn't real. That's Samsung's Lee family!
"Need a ride?" Lee Boo-jin glanced at Lee Joo-bin, chuckling. "New girlfriend?"
"No, just a kid I met."
Lee Boo-jin nodded, not pressing further, but eyed his neck tattoo. "What's this? You really not going home?"
"Does that home welcome me?" Lee Jin-woo's tone was flat, like he was talking about strangers.
The so-called conflict was just a cliché: a rebellious kid chasing dreams, refusing the burden of being a chaebol heir, feeling misunderstood and disrespected.
He'd ditched his identity for freedom.
Without him, the original Lee Jin-woo might've returned home in a few years, smoothed by reality, to claim the throne.
But he wasn't that guy anymore.
And he wasn't ready to face "family" with the courage or preparation needed.
This was a chaebol family. If they sniffed out an imposter?
The throne? He wouldn't even get to coast as a nobody.
Seeing his stubbornness, Lee Boo-jin felt pity, mixed with intense envy and jealousy.
She'd gambled everything for a shot at "it."
He, meanwhile, casually tossed aside the crown he was born with.
Hah, life's so unfair.
"Really don't need a ride?" Suppressing her surging emotions, Lee Boo-jin maintained an elegant, polite smile.
She wanted to splash coffee on that handsome face.
Damn him, driving her crazy.
Lee Jin-woo shook his head. "Got stuff to do nearby."
"Alright, let's grab coffee sometime."
"Sure."
After the pleasantries, he watched her car leave.
"Oh my god, oppa, that was Lee Boo-jin, right? Samsung's First Princess!"
Seeing her near-hysterical excitement, Lee Jin-woo nodded calmly.
Her reaction wasn't surprising.
Any Korean seeing her in person would act like this—or worse.
"Wow! I forgot to take a picture! Why didn't I?" Lee Joo-bin smacked her head, sulking.
"Privately, she's just like you—an ordinary woman."
Lee Jin-woo spoke matter-of-factly about the Samsung princess being "ordinary."
To Lee Joo-bin, it was like a turtle reciting scripture—she didn't register a word.
(End of Chapter)