It is Easiest to be Obsessed by Everyone

It was Friday, meaning I had worked five days so far.

On Sunday, I had just sat around testing a totem, but even that day’s profits had been fully credited to me by the owner.

So, over six days, my earnings had amounted to…

“Chang-woo, your incentives so far are around 54 million won. Isn’t that insane? Even I didn’t expect it to be this effective.”

“You said you hired a former model before, right? The one who opened a café across the street?”

“Yeah, business was good back then too, but it wasn’t even close to this. Not by a long shot. I don’t know how to describe it.”

The owner clinked glasses with me, chuckling all the while.

“If that guy was a baron, you’re a crown prince. No, scratch that. You’re the next emperor, stepping in while the current emperor is too sick to rule.”

“That’s embarrassing.”

“And I’m, what, a peasant? It’s hilarious how faces can create an entire hierarchy!”

We were having a good time over drinks, joking about the day’s events at the café when suddenly, a woman’s voice interrupted us.

“Excuse me. I know this might be forward, but you’re totally my type. Could we exchange numbers?”

The owner’s eyes went wide as if they might pop out. 

It was understandable — she was stunning.

I, as Lee Chang-woo, however, had grown used to this kind of attention.

“Sorry, I have a girlfriend. But I appreciate the sentiment.”

“I don’t mind.”

“… Pardon?”

“I don’t mind if you have a girlfriend. Can’t we just meet a few times?”

“It’s, uh… a problem for me. I’m sorry.”

“If you change your mind, call me.”

The woman insisted on leaving a note on their table before walking back to her seat. 

She was with a friend, but even after sitting down, she kept glancing our way and winked at me.

The owner, clearly flustered, gulped hard before speaking.

“Wow, this is wild. Even after you said you had a girlfriend, she didn’t back off. And she’s gorgeous too.”

“It’s not as great as it seems.”

“It looks pretty great from where I’m sitting.”

“Come on, hyung.”

As the night went on, more women approached their table, each making some kind of excuse to chat or leave a number. 

At first, the owner laughed it off, but after the fifth visit, his expression became serious.

“I’m honestly feeling a deep sense of deprivation right now. My entire perception of women is shattering.”

“What was your perception of women before?”

“I thought women weren’t this forward. Watching them throw themselves at you like this is giving me flashbacks to my youth when I was desperate enough to hit on anyone, anywhere, just for a shot.”

Reflecting on my last ten days as the new Lee Chang-woo, I found myself nodding in agreement.

“You’re right, hyung. Women are incredibly proactive these days. They’re also glued to their phones, responding instantly to texts, so even starting a conversation feels intimidating.”

“Damn it.”

At that moment, yet another pair of women approached our table.

“Hey, would you like to join us? We’ll cover the tab if you do.”

“We’ve already spent over 500,000 won, though.”

“That’s fine!”

Both women were attractive, seemingly in their mid-twenties, with sophisticated outfits and makeup.

The owner suddenly downed a full glass of liquor in one go and slammed the empty glass on the table with a loud bang.

“Chang-woo, I’m begging you.”

“For what?”

“Let’s join them,” the owner said eagerly.

“Hyung, what about Yeon-joo noona?”

“Hey! Do you really think a day like this, where young, beautiful women offer to cover a table that’s already over 500,000 won just to join us, will ever happen again in my life? Even when I die and follow a grim reaper to the afterlife, I’ll need at least one fun story to tell!”

“Wow, this oppa is hilarious.”

“Did you see that? I just burst out laughing — his sense of humor is amazing.”

***

Gong Ji-chul knew why the women were laughing. 

It wasn’t because his jokes were funny — it was because just looking at Lee Chang-woo’s face made them smile.

The women also knew something else: they had to win over Gong Ji-chul to secure their spot at the table. 

Gong Ji-chul decided to play along with their intentions.

This wasn’t about betraying his girlfriend or seeking a fling. 

He simply wanted a story to brag about for the rest of his life.

After all, how often do gorgeous women — who probably never have to pay for their own drinks — offer to foot the bill for a table that’s already so expensive?

“Hey, Manager Kim! These ladies are paying for our table. Take their card quickly!”

One of the women eagerly handed over her card and immediately slid into the seat beside Lee Chang-woo.

Her friend let out a small sigh before sitting next to Gong Ji-chul, though her eyes stayed glued to Lee Chang-woo across the table.

“To be honest, I have a girlfriend,” Lee Chang-woo said, trying to sound serious.

The women’s expressions shifted to playful disbelief, as if to say, ‘And why would that matter to us?’

“Not only do I have a girlfriend, but I’m older, and I’ve got some self-respect. So don’t hesitate — one of you take this old grenade and just have a good time. Let’s drink and enjoy ourselves.”

“Oh my, this oppa has a hidden charm. I think I might start liking him.”

“Sure, but your eyes haven’t left my friend over there.”

“I just want to be able to say that once in my life, I had drinks bought for me by beautiful women like you. That’s it. So, let’s relax and enjoy. I’ll cover the rest from here.”

Gong Ji-chul quickly scraped the last of the sashimi onto his plate and ate it.

“Hey, Manager Kim, reset the table for us. Let’s start fresh.”

“What’s with you, Ji-chul? You’ve been crying about money lately, but business must’ve been good today?”

“Good? I made over a million won just today.”

For a brief moment, the women’s eyes widened in surprise, but their attention quickly drifted back to Lee Chang-woo’s face.

Lee Chang-woo, looking slightly uncomfortable, eventually resigned himself and tried to enjoy the drinks.

***

It was exhausting.

I firmly declined when the women suggested heading to a second round, and thankfully, the owner ended the night at the sushi restaurant on a high note.

The women had paid for the initial bill that is more than 50, but the owner ended up covering over 200,000 won worth of premium drinks afterward.

The women probably weren’t disappointed, though. 

They had enjoyed the evening and clearly gotten their money’s worth.

Thankfully, the owner never mentioned that they both worked at a café.

“Hyung, are you okay? You spent way too much money.”

“Didn’t I say I planned to eat and drink over a million won tonight?”

“Still, it ended up being over 200,000.”

“I had a good experience and a look around, so at this level, it’s a bargain.”

The owner just waved it off with a satisfied grin on his face.

“It was a great experience. If you think about it, getting to witness something like that for this price is a bargain.”

The owner laughed heartily, slapping me on the shoulder.

“This is amazing. I knew having a good-looking male employee would boost sales, but today, I finally understood exactly how it works.”

“How so?”

“With so many women practically throwing themselves at you for just existing, it’s no wonder sales are through the roof.”

The owner looked strangely serene, almost resigned.

“I’m not even jealous anymore — it’s too much to envy. Just once, I wish I could live a day in your shoes, Chang-woo.”

“Hyung, you’ve got a successful life. Why say that?”

“I thought so too. But watching you these past few days, I’ve realized that’s not true. A truly successful life is yours.”

Even though he was drunk, the owner’s self-deprecating tone was deep and sincere. 

I understood that feeling — standing before what feels like an insurmountable chasm and wondering if you’ll ever achieve what others seem to have effortlessly.

I tried my best to console him.

“Hyung, you’ve got an above-average face, and Yeon-joo noona is young and beautiful. Your kids are going to be gorgeous.”

“When you call my face ‘average,’ it feels like a mockery.”

“You’ve been running a café in Gangnam for years, so you must’ve built up significant assets. And last time I saw your car, wasn’t it a Mercedes-Benz S-Class? Plenty of guys would kill to trade places with you.”

“If someone offered me the choice between a trillion won and your face, I’d choose your face in a heartbeat.”

“That’s a bit much.”

“Okay then, would you trade your face for a trillion won and take mine instead? Or would you give up the money and stay as you are?”

Why even think about this? The answer was obvious.

“I’d stay as I am.”

“Damn it. See? Then what about ten trillion?”

“I’d still stay as I am.”

“A hundred trillion?”

“I’d still stay the same.”

“See? That just proves your earlier compliments were lies.”

“Hyung, I don’t need that much money. I’m happy with just enough to get by. Honestly, even if I earned just what I make at the café now for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t complain.”

The owner chuckled and led them to an izakaya. 

While I had hoped for a private room, the seating was in an open hall, which made it harder to relax.

I pulled out a cheap 5,000-won ring and slipped it onto my ring finger.

“What’s with the ring?”

“Just a cheap trinket I bought on the street. It helps fend off unwanted approaches.”

“You’re mocking me just by existing, aren’t you?”

“This is just how I normally am…”

“Your existence is a form of mockery. Today I’m getting a front-row seat to the life of a ridiculously good-looking guy. Alright, let’s see how far this goes.”

The owner seemed to be living vicariously through me. It reminded me of the times I’d imagined himself as a commanding professor, ruling over graduate students with a mere glance.

The owner laughed to himself, enjoying the stares their table attracted.

“You’re making between 600,000 and 800,000 won a day, right? At an independent café, no less.”

“Yeah. Why do you ask?”

“Do you know what that means?”

“That women are great customers?”

“It means if you were a celebrity, you’d be making tens of times that amount.”

“…”

“If you ever get scouted, let me know in advance so I can prepare myself.”

“Hyung, you don’t know me very well. I have no plans to become a celebrity.”

“Because of gaming?”

“Exactly. Even if someone offered me hundreds of billions a year to quit gaming, I’d turn it down.”

“Are you serious?”

“I’m perfectly happy with my current life — working at the café on weekdays, gaming at home on weekends, and still earning plenty. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

“You’re seriously addicted to this game. What kind of game is it, anyway?”

You die, come back to life, and spend every day wrestling with someone as gorgeous as Jung Hye-na. How could I trade that for the busy life of a celebrity earning a few hundred billion a year?

If the owner were in my shoes, I was confident he’d make the same choice.

Holiday Greetings!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope this season fills your days with joy, laughter, and plenty of relaxation.