Infinite Harem System: I Grow Stronger From Every Female Lead

The streets of Seoul were alive with their usual chaos. Horns blaring, people rushing to and fro, neon lights flickering in the distance.

Yet inside a shabby old apartment building tucked between two larger complexes, a silence hung heavy.

The landlord, a bent-backed man with a wrinkled face and weary eyes, sat across from two teenagers who looked far too young to be standing before him.

His brows were drawn tight in disbelief as he tapped the wooden counter with a thick finger.

"So, you're telling me you two want to live together?" His voice carried not only skepticism but a trace of scorn.

The two children stood side by side, hands clasped. Behind them sat a large, scuffed black box that contained what little they owned.

Mi-kyong raised her chin and nodded without hesitation. "Yes, sir. My husband and I would like to pay for rent."

The old man froze, his jaw slack. "Are you two insane? Husband? You're barely out of grade school."

Before Mi-kyong could speak again, Beom-seok stepped forward.

His hand slipped into his pocket, and he pulled out a crumpled wad of bills. Months of stolen chances and desperate little schemes.

The landlord's eyes flicked to the money, suspicion warring with greed. "What are you doing with that?"

Beom-seok lifted his chin. His voice cracked faintly but carried a strange pride. "Take it. Consider it extra pay."

Mi-kyong's lips parted in delight. "That was so cool, Bemmy."

The boy gave a small nod, his expression serious. "I know." His hand smoothed the wrinkles from his shirt as if straightening his pride.

The landlord's face darkened. His fist clenched, trembling with restrained anger.

"Get the hell out of my building!"

He surged forward, his hands rough as he shoved the two children.

Beom-seok stumbled, gripping Mi-kyong tightly as they were both hurled out the door. They landed hard against the cold pavement.

For a long moment, they sat there in silence.

The air was sharp with the faint tang of gasoline from the nearby road, the night buzzing with cicadas.

"Another failure," Mi-kyong whispered, hugging her knees against her chest.

Beom-seok's lips pressed into a thin line, and he gave a muted nod.

This wasn't the first rejection, nor would it be the last.

No one wanted children without guardians renting apartments, no matter how much money they waved around.

"What do we do now?" Her voice cracked, faint but heavy.

Beom-seok lingered in silence, staring at the dimly lit streets. Then, finally, he stood and extended a hand toward her.

"Mi…" His tone softened. "Let's go to your house."

Her head snapped up. Her face drained of color. "No. We can't… I don't…" Her hands twisted at the hem of her shirt.

He crouched beside her, laying a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Trust me."

Her lips trembled. She looked into his eyes, and whatever she saw there made her lower her gaze. "…Okay."

—

It took less than twenty minutes to reach Mi-kyong's neighborhood.

And when they stopped before her family house, Beom-seok froze.

No. It wasn't just a house.

It was a monument to wealth and detachment. A skyscraper towered above them, glass walls gleaming with city light.

The driveway was lined with luxury cars, polished so brightly that even the faint streetlamps shimmered off them.

Anyone passing by would know instantly that only the rich and powerful lived here.

Mi-kyong shifted uncomfortably, fiddling with her sleeves. Her voice was barely audible. "…Now what?"

Beom-seok tilted his head back, eyes following the endless rise of the tower.

He let out a quiet exhale. Then, with a strange kind of determination, he turned to her.

"Let's live on the roof."

Her brows shot up. "…What?"

He nodded, the answer sounding almost too simple. "Think about it. If the people here see you, they'll let you pass without question, right?"

She gave the smallest nod.

"Then instead of going inside, we live above it. On the roof. It's not like anyone uses it."

The logic was absurd, and yet it made perfect sense. A place out of reach, away from the eyes of adults, far from rules and rejection. A place that could be theirs alone.

Mi-kyong's lips parted as if to protest, but after a long pause, she nodded again. Hesitant, but willing.

Beom-seok took her hand and strode forward with boldness he did not truly feel.

The vast reception hall was gleaming with marble floors and golden accents, a fountain bubbling at its heart.

Men in tailored suits and women in elegant dresses passed them without even a glance.

To the world, two children walking hand in hand were invisible.

Beom-seok's chest tightened with envy.

Money. Power. Comfort.

He clenched his jaw as he tugged Mi-kyong toward the elevators.

And just as he had guessed, no one stopped them.

When the doors opened, the rooftop greeted them like another world.

It was vast, open, and bathed in the glow of the city lights. The wind swept across their skin, tugging at their hair.

The horizon stretched endlessly, the Han River glinting like silver beneath the night sky.

Mi-kyong's eyes widened at the view, wonder blooming on her face. Slowly, a smile curved her lips, soft and unguarded.

For the first time in months, she looked at peace.

They had found it. A sanctuary. A home.

She tugged lightly at Beom-seok's sleeve until he turned toward her.

Without warning, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his.

Beom-seok stiffened, caught off guard, then pulled back slightly. "Mi, don't startle me like that."

Her smile turned sly. "You're not taller than me anymore."

He let out a small huff, crossing his arms. "Give me time. I'll be the one teasing you soon enough."

She buried her face against his chest, her voice muffled but tender. "Welcome home, Bemmy."

For a moment, Beom-seok was silent.

His throat tightened, but he managed a small smile as his arm wrapped around her waist.

"…I'm home."

That night marked the beginning of something new.

Over the following week, they transformed the rooftop into their own hidden world.

A tent became their bedroom, a worn couch their living room.

They set up a barbecue stand they had scavenged, and Mi-kyong insisted on fairy lights she'd stolen from storage below.

At night, the rooftop glowed faintly, like a world apart from the city.

Beom-seok even bought a second-hand CCTV sensor that beeped when someone neared the rooftop door, a precaution for the day they might be discovered.

He fashioned a makeshift cart to haul their belongings up and down without drawing attention.

Day by day, the rooftop grew into a fragile version of a home.

They laughed, they teased, they ate together beneath the stars.

And for a fleeting time, two broken children found solace in each other's company.

Suspended between earth and sky, in a world that was only theirs.

But shadows were already drawing closer.

For though they did not yet know it, the day of the incident was fast approaching.

─── ✦ End of Chapter ✦ ───