Chapter: 03
Oh Chanran was a truly clueless guy.
So, anything usable had to be used.
That was the conclusion I came to after going through Oh Chanran’s memories.
‘Of course, the memories themselves are kind of a problem.’
His memories felt like watching a film full of holes. The important parts were there, but everything was scattered and incomplete.
‘Everything except the essentials has been cut out, so the accuracy is terrible.’
Digging through those unreliable memories, I first found the smartphone in my pocket. I’d been beaten hard enough to crack my skull, yet somehow this thing was perfectly fine.
‘That’s a relief.’
This tiny device held a wealth of information. Through it, I could learn almost everything about Oh Chanran.
<Good thing there’s a smartphone. Thanks to it, you can fill in the gaps in your memory.>
Well, good is good.
<But Chanran, what exactly are you doing right now?>
That was quick.
I looked into the mirror as I tied my tie. It was the only suit I could find after rummaging through the closet.
‘Well, a 15-year-old doesn’t usually wear something like this.’
But I needed clothes like these.
‘Because…’
I turned my gaze and looked around. Oh Chanran’s room came into view at a glance.
It was spacious. Not bad at all. Oh Chanran… why did you leave a place like this?
‘They say life gets harder once you leave home.’
Last night, I returned to Oh Chanran’s house. The villa, located in a fairly expensive area, welcomed me with a smooth mechanical sound as I entered the password.
‘And honestly, I was a bit shocked.’
Dust was everywhere. The place had been left exactly as it was when Oh Chanran and his parents left.
‘At least there wasn’t any food waste.’
If there had been, it wouldn’t have been dust welcoming a teenager returning home—but maggots.
I had no choice but to clean all night. Even if I could ignore the rooms of those who abandoned their kid, I couldn’t leave Oh Chanran’s room like that.
After several hours of cleaning, the house looked decent enough. But I must’ve exhausted all my stamina, because I passed out as soon as I lay down.
When I woke up in the morning, I washed up and changed clothes first.
Looking around again, I saw a clean room—the result of last night’s effort.
‘To make bread, you have to measure the flour first.’
It’s annoying, but beauty always comes with trials.
I smiled brightly.
Last night, while running the vacuum, I made a decision over and over again.
‘Use everything that can be used.’
I spoke seriously to the fairy.
“Come to think of it, isn’t it really strange, Fairy?”
<What is?>
“Oh Chanran’s parents. Does it make any sense for parents to suddenly abandon their child one day?”
Why did they both leave at the same time, as if they’d planned it? Was there some kind of situation?
‘There must be. Probably a very serious reason…’
I shook my head as I adjusted my clothes.
“Not my problem.”
I didn’t really care to know the long, detailed reasons.
“And besides, these kinds of situations always end the same way.”
<How do they usually end?>
“Money.”
I shrugged and tied my hair back. Just doing that made my handsome face stand out clearly. It was only temporary because I didn’t have time, but it looked much better.
“Marital fights are about money. Politics is about money. Even wars are about money in the end.”
So instead of worrying about the details, what I needed to secure right now was money.
“Parents? Honestly, I don’t need them. I’m not actually 15, am I? Then it’s obvious what I need—money. But as far as I know, Oh Chanran’s parents didn’t even send money after leaving.”
Worse than animals. At least animals would leave something behind.
“So I was wondering what to do about it…”
I shook the fully charged smartphone.
“There’s something good in here.”
<What do you mean?>
“A source of money.”
If there’s no father or mother, there’s always a grandfather.
“He’s the president of a subsidiary of a large corporation. I looked up the company—it’s about 30 minutes away by subway.”
That was all I needed to know.
Leaving the still dusty living room behind, I found a suitable pair of shoes, put them on, and stepped outside.
The sound of the door locking echoed behind me. I slipped the important smartphone into my pocket.
Did Oh Chanran know?
‘You shouldn’t leave home.’
There aren’t many teenagers who leave home because they want to—but even so, they shouldn’t.
Society is too harsh for a child to survive alone. At best, they’d be exploited for labor. At worst, forced organ donation. People who haven’t experienced it wouldn’t understand how terrible that is.
<Is that your experience?>
‘Yeah. Unfortunately, it is.’
Of course, I didn’t go as far as organ harvesting—I paid it back double later.
Still, there are things in life you don’t need to experience at all.
‘Just because you’re unhappy doesn’t mean you should become even more miserable. Life doesn’t just have zero—it has negatives too, you pitiful kid.’
I let out a long breath.
Even if I said all this, Oh Chanran wasn’t here to hear it anymore. The one inhabiting this body now—the one who would be a superstar in both past and future—was me.
I let out a small laugh and walked on.
The breeze felt nice.
It was a perfect day to cause some chaos.
Oh Chanran’s grandfather was the president of a major corporate subsidiary.
I wondered why he was still working at an age where most people would’ve retired, so I looked it up. The answer was simple.
‘A relative of the chairman.’
Whether small businesses or large corporations—family management really is the identity of Korean companies. No wonder stock prices fluctuate because of owner risks.
‘Well, not my problem either.’
Still, thanks to that bloodline, it was fortunate he still held his position.
‘Makes him easy to find—and easier to stir things up.’
The higher they are, the easier they are to hit when you throw something.
I entered the company building and told the lobby staff my name and status.
“I’m Oh Chanran. The president’s grandson.”
I smiled gently as I spoke. The employee just blinked.
I quietly waited for them to process it. It couldn’t be helped. This is how life is for handsome people.
‘Of course, this never happened in Oh Chanran’s life.’
But from now on, it would be as common as eating.
It took the employee about 30 seconds to snap out of it.
“Oh—uh, yes. Please wait a moment.”
While they hurriedly made a call and got confirmation, I waited calmly. I was worried I might be stopped at the entrance, but fortunately, they let me in.
“Take the elevator on the far right and get off at the 12th floor.”
I smiled brightly and gave a slight bow. The employee’s face turned red—quite the perfect finishing touch.
‘As expected, this face works.’
Fifteen-year-old Oh Chanran stood at the boundary between boy and man. His fresh, striking features made it hard to believe he had lived so quietly until now.
With a face like this, he should’ve gone viral on social media. Why had he remained unnoticed?
‘Humans are always thirsty for beauty.’
I got off on the 12th floor as instructed. Waiting there were secretaries dressed in black suits. The most experienced-looking one spoke.
“The president is waiting for you.”
“Thank you for the guidance.”
Again, I smiled politely and bowed slightly. The secretary hesitated for a moment upon seeing me.
I immediately noticed.
‘That’s not surprise at my looks.’
It was the expression of someone who had seen something strange. They probably knew the original Oh Chanran.
Not surprising.
‘Secretaries usually have good memories.’
Still, it was ironic—the first person to remember the original Oh Chanran was the president’s secretary.
‘Well, that’s in the past now.’
After all, I was about to meet the second person.
I entered through the door the secretary opened. The president’s office came into view.
‘The furniture looks expensive.’
Noticing the golf clubs placed to one side, I smiled.
‘Good thing he’s here at the office and not out golfing.’
The president was already seated on the main sofa, waiting for me.
I bowed, then straightened up, smiling brighter than the glass table in front of him.
“Hello, Grandfather!”
The secretary flinched.
I quickly walked over and sat down as close as possible. It seemed Oh Chanran rarely smiled—my cheeks trembled slightly.
‘Ah, didn’t expect that. I need to hit harder.’
This wasn’t quite the reaction I wanted.
But I knew one thing.
‘The first strike is all about momentum.’
I kept smiling without hesitation.
“I missed you. Have you been well?”
The president said nothing.
Instead of waiting for an answer, I leaned back comfortably into the sofa.
“I’ve had a hard time. My mother suddenly went to the U.S. And my father hasn’t been coming home!”
I glanced at the secretary. They quickly hid their shaken eyes and hurried out of the room. As the door closed, I crossed my legs.
“Do you happen to know why they’re acting like this?”
The face of Oh Chanran’s grandfather—who resembled him slightly—tightened, but he didn’t answer.
Silence was its own answer.
‘He knows the reason, but just didn’t care about Oh Chanran.’
Well, not my problem.
‘Actually, that makes things easier.’
After 20 years in the entertainment industry, I knew exactly how to deal with people like this.
“Grandfather.”
I winked playfully and whispered,
“I’m not really curious. Even if I knew, it’d just be bullshit plus bullshit—making complete bullshit.”
One side of his eye twitched.
“It’s like a toilet with the lid closed. If you open it, all you get is something disgusting.”
No need to confirm filth with both sight and smell.
I shrugged.
“They’ll live their lives however they want. But not me, Grandfather!”
I suddenly exaggerated my movement, then pretended to cry like a toddler.
“I don’t have any money! Neither of them gives me any! Even if they run off to have fun, shouldn’t they at least give me money? Isn’t that too much? Please scold Mom and Dad for me!”
I sniffled and glanced at him.
The old man didn’t move at all. He just stared at me.
‘Definitely not ordinary.’
Even after all that provocation, he didn’t budge.
But—
‘If I back down here, it’s over.’
Time for the next step.
‘If the first strike is momentum, the next is endurance.’
I gave him a smiling look with my eyes.
Maybe because I forced my stiff facial muscles to move—
The mole near my eye trembled.
‘Huh?’
At that moment, a heat began rising from within.
An uncontrollable impulse surged up.
I suddenly stood up and stepped in front of him.
Only then did he speak.
“What is it?”
“Take responsibility. Otherwise…”
“Otherwise?”
“Well, I’ll just do what I can.”
“What exactly can you do?”
Wow. Still not shaken? Impressive.
‘But what can you do… I’m no joke either.’
Once again, the mole near my eye trembled.
