Chapter: 03
Heat once again wrapped around my entire body.
I let out a long breath. If I didn’t vent this out, starting today, I wouldn’t be Chanran—I’d just be some dull nobody.
‘What can I even do?’
I moved the items from the long glass table onto the sofa. Then I climbed up onto the table and sat down.
“Let’s start with something like this. Well, they say seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times, right?”
I stretched out both legs. Then I tensed my stomach—and began flailing my legs wildly.
“Give me money! I said give me money! Give Chanran money!”
I rubbed my whole body against the glass table.
“If you raised your kid like trash, then the parents should take responsibility! Chanran wants money! Money! Money!”
How long had I been thrashing around like that?
The previously expressionless grandfather finally spoke.
“Stop it.”
Even throwing a tantrum is labor—I was sweating. I brushed my hair back and stood up.
“Ah, that was exhausting. So, what do you think? I tried acting like a proper kid throwing a tantrum.”
“You look insane.”
Wow, that’s harsh. Saying that to your own grandson?
But you’ve got the wrong target.
“The insane ones are my mother and father. Well, I guess they don’t realize each other is insane. Crazy people usually don’t know they’re crazy.”
I straightened my shoulders and smiled.
“I’ve had it pretty rough, right? So please, give me money.”
My grandfather frowned again. I stepped down from the glass table and sat on the sofa.
“At your age and in your position, money is the easiest thing for you, isn’t it? If I just get money, I’ll shut up.”
“After all that talking?”
“What talking? I just threw a quiet little tantrum.”
I let out a long breath.
“If you don’t give it to me, I’ll really go crazy.”
I winked playfully.
“Who knows? I might tie on a red headband and protest in front of the company.”
“What?”
This time, he looked genuinely shocked.
I waved one arm and continued.
“‘Your grandson is starving! Chairman grandpa, give him money! Why won’t you give it when you have it?! Take responsibility!’ Something like that. It’d get pretty noisy.”
If someone posted it on social media, the whole world would know instantly.
“Forget the embarrassment—your stock price would probably fluctuate, right? Even if it’s dismissed as a happening, the higher-ups won’t like it. It’s a family disgrace.”
So, hand over the money.
My grandfather’s lips twitched. I placed my hands under my chin like a flower pose.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
“You’re shameless.”
I smiled brightly and negotiated again.
“Where else are you going to find a kid as easy to talk to as me? Give me a house, a card, and a car. If you give me everything, I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”
He fell silent. I waited leisurely, still smiling.
Time passed.
In the end, he was the one who broke the silence.
“The house you’re currently living in—I’ll put it in your name. The car, you’ll get when you’re an adult. Take this card.”
He tossed me a card from his wallet.
“Five million won per month.”
Not bad.
But I shook my head.
“I’ll take it—and one more.”
No way I’m settling for just five. Come on, Grandpa. A million a month isn’t even a big deal for you.
His face twisted, but he handed over another card.
A chuckle slipped out of me.
‘Wow… this is pretty funny.’
At that moment, the quiet damn fairy spoke.
<What’s so funny? There’s nothing amusing about this situation.>
‘How is this not funny? This is the most fun I’ve had since becoming Oh Chanran.’
<Chanran… is this kind of chaos your preference? How pitiful.>
‘Fairy, the most fun thing in the world is winning in the middle of chaos. Think about it—what does it mean that he has so many cards in his wallet? It means there are plenty of people he gives them to.’
Who could those people be?
Something smelled off, but I ignored it. You don’t open a filthy toilet lid.
Still, one thing was surprising.
‘Oh Chanran… not bad.’
I revised my evaluation of Oh Chanran, who I thought only ate and took dumps.
‘Living a normal life in a family like this—going to school, doing homework… he wasn’t as weak as I thought.’
Well, that was about it.
Anyway, I got almost everything I wanted. I spoke to my grandfather.
“Thank you, Grandpa. I’ll keep my mouth shut from now on. Oh, right!”
I smiled brightly.
“I need a guardian.”
I smiled again.
“I’m still in school. I’m at an age where I need a guardian. Unless you plan to meet my homeroom teacher every time, please assign someone.”
“I’ll attach a secretary to you.”
Simple.
As expected, he handled it efficiently.
Suspicious man—but now wasn’t the time to dig deeper.
“Thank you.”
I carefully pocketed the two cards. As I prepared to leave, my grandfather suddenly asked:
“You’ve completely lost your mind. You couldn’t even speak in front of me before.”
“If both your parents disappear overnight, wouldn’t anyone change, Grandpa?”
I straightened my shoulders.
“At first, I wanted to deny it. But this is reality. To overcome anything, the first step is acceptance, right? Though… it was painfully hard.”
It was true. The real Oh Chanran couldn’t endure it and was beaten to death.
“Goodbye. Just in case—please act as if I don’t exist from now on, Grandpa. Of course, I’ll do the same.”
Just try causing trouble later claiming I’m your grandson.
I got up and walked out. I could feel his gaze behind me, but I didn’t turn back.
As soon as I closed the office door, the secretary from earlier rushed over.
“Young master, do you have a moment?”
“Young master? Just call me by my name. I’ve got plenty of time.”
“This way, please.”
He led me to the break room. Coffee machines and tea bags lined the space. There was a small table, and he even pulled out a chair for me.
I told him it was fine and sat down.
He spoke carefully.
“Young master, I will be taking care of parts of your daily life for the time being.”
Ah, I see.
“Please take care of me. And speak casually. You’re my guardian now.”
I smiled brightly.
“I don’t want to be a bother, but I’m only a middle schooler. We’ll probably see each other often. And as you can see…”
I poked my cheek.
“My face is like this. I used to hide it, but now I’ll live openly, so staying quiet isn’t really possible anymore. Things might get noisy sometimes. I appreciate your help.”
His eyes trembled slightly. I could see the sympathy in them.
Looks like he had overheard enough to understand the situation.
‘He’s a good person.’
He genuinely seemed to feel sorry for Oh Chanran.
Well, that’s only natural.
I was a child who had just been abandoned.
The secretary gently lowered my finger from my cheek.
“You don’t look well. You should eat properly.”
Is that so?
I smirked.
“It’s a bit tough, but I’m fine. Even if it hurts, when people are hungry, they eat. When they’re sleepy, they sleep. Eventually, you get used to everything.”
Maybe that made it sadder—his eyes kept trembling.
At least he seemed like a decent person.
“Please give me your phone. I’ll save my number.”
I handed it over without resistance. He saved his number.
“Call me anytime.”
“Thanks—even just saying that helps.”
I could tell he was trying to reassure me, so I kept smiling.
“First, please take care of the house. I got a card. Use it to pay the house staff. I need someone for cleaning and cooking.”
He quickly took notes.
I smiled softly.
“And one last thing. Ask for a raise.”
He adjusted his glasses in surprise.
“Pardon?”
“You’ve been given a troublesome task. You deserve a raise. If Grandpa refuses, tell me—I’ll pay you myself. Though it might be in goods instead of cash.”
Hopefully the card allows cash advances.
As I stood up, he hurriedly stood as well.
“I’ll be going now.”
“I’ll escort you, young master.”
“It’s fine. And don’t call me that. I’m practically an orphan.”
Young master, my foot.
“Just call me Chanran. Alright, I’m really going.”
I left the break room. Again, I felt eyes on my back—but didn’t turn around.
I kept walking until I was fully outside the building. The moment I felt the wind, satisfaction filled me.
I felt great.
‘I got everything.’
A house in Seoul, a million a month, and no taxes to pay.
It was luck that most people starting out in society could never dream of.
‘I really am lucky.’
<Is that what you call lucky?>
‘Of course. How many middle schoolers have a family they can leech off like this?’
Normal unhappy families just have violence and poverty—nothing to take.
<But your family abandoned you?>
‘Fairy, there are way worse things in this world. I got money—that’s enough. Besides, it’s already in the past.’
I looked down the tree-lined street and straightened my shoulders.
‘Now, time to move forward.’
My goal had always been the same.
‘I need to get my status back.’
To do that, I had to become a superstar again.
‘No matter how I think about it, I’m built to be a star.’
I wanted everyone in the world to know me. To be surrounded by people wherever I went—even if it was a bathhouse.
‘People call me an attention seeker.’
But that’s because they don’t understand me.
‘I’m not just an attention seeker—I’m completely insane about attention.’
If you’re going to be obsessed, you might as well do it properly.
‘There’s really no one like me in this world.’
I smiled brightly and patted my own shoulder, feeling proud.
So—
‘Let’s think.’
How could I become a superstar in one shot?
Fast. Easy.
‘Let’s see… he’s fifteen, right?’
Young.
At that age, only child roles were realistic. And that market was heavily influenced by parents.
Plus, most good-looking teens were already in idol agencies, so casting offers would likely go there.
‘Still, if I push through, it’s not impossible.’
There are so many dramas in Korea each year—surely there’s at least one role for me.
‘First, I need to prepare.’
One thing I learned after reaching the top: opportunity only comes to those who are prepared.
I thought practically.
‘If I’m a minor without a guardian, I need a company.’
I needed a decent agency—and a manager.
