Hannamja.
A word opposite to 'real man', referring to a petty or narrow-minded guy.
To be precise, it meant Kim Do-jun.
In other words, it was a term for me.
After quitting my job, even a guy like me became a sponsor for one internet broadcast. There wasn't any special reason—it just felt good watching her.
Her swaying hair.
An egg-shaped face.
Plump breasts and sexy outfits you couldn't tear your eyes from.
To me, who had zero experience with women, she smiled, flashing her white teeth.
There were only 20 viewers, but to me, Choa was my own little streamer.
In contrast, my face was covered in acne like a cratered moon.
My height didn't even reach average at 168cm.
If I at least had a decent personality, I might have something to say, but even my looks were subpar.
Even a guy like me.
Unlike the real world, in the internet broadcasting scene, I could get some respect.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Bukppudeupppu has entered the broadcast.]
"Oh? Bukppudeupppu oppa? It's been a while!"
The moment I entered the chat room, the 20 viewers who'd been watching greeted me warmly.
💬 Comments— Viewer1Oh! The chairman is here. Everyone, pledge your loyalty!— Viewer2Bukppudeupppu hyung, long time no see!— Viewer3Whoa, feels like it's been a month...
My nickname was Bukppudeupppu.
A terribly loser-like ID.
The broadcast I was watching was a Female Cam style, with the cam on and just chatting.
I'd never even held a girl's hand, let alone had a girlfriend, so I couldn't pull away from Choa's friendly approach. In the end, what started as a 10,000 won donation snowballed until I had to break my savings.
The total amount? A whopping 40 million won.
I'd emptied every penny I'd saved in 27 years of life.
All for Choa.
⚡ GIFT ALERT ⚡Bukppudeupppu oppa! Thank you for 10,000 Bubble Gifts! I love you!
(1 Bubble Gift = 100 won / Total: ~1.1 million won incl. fees)
"Kyaaaa! Bukppudeupppu oppa! Thank you for 10,000 Bubble Gifts! I love you!"
One Bubble Gift cost 100 won, 110 won including fees.
So 10,000 Bubble Gifts meant about 1.1 million won invested just now.
I smiled contentedly watching her, afraid my head might hit the ceiling from joy. Even if I became penniless, as long as she was happy, my entire fortune wasn't too much.
When I sent Bubble Gifts, she'd DM me things like 'I'm going to marry oppa' with all sorts of aegyo, making me think I was really dating Choa.
The problem came after a month.
Unless you're a chaebol, running out of money was inevitable.
The rumor that I'd become a dried-up wallet reached her ears in no time, and her reactions grew even colder. On top of that, a new Big Spender with way more money than me showed up.
⚡ GIFT ALERT ⚡New York oppa! Thank you for 30,000 Bubble Gifts!
"Kyaaaa! New York oppa! Thank you for 30,000 Bubble Gifts!"
Unlike the cold shoulder she gave me, she was practically offering her body.
"I love you, New York oppa!"
Daring to touch my woman...
Fuming, I dumped my remaining 1,000 Bubble Gifts.
This should get a bright smile, right?
But Choa just snorted and turned her head away.
In truth, we'd never met in person.
The problem was that she'd apparently met New York—or was it Washington?—for meals, movies, and such. The news spread like wildfire.
💬 Comments— Troll1Wow! Bukppudeupppu this retard is such a total sucker. Invested 40 mil and couldn't even get her number?— Troll2Fuck... what a disgrace to men. If I'd donated 40 mil, she'd have spread her legs and fucked like crazy;;— Troll3Is this for real? Invested 40 mil and no number? New York donated 5 mil and they went on a 2-night trip?— Troll4lololololol— Troll5Bukppudeupppu looks like shit and New York is probably hot. We all know girls are face-digging whores.
I want to kill myself.
They doxxed me somehow and the whole world piled on the hate.
"Fuck!"
Betrayal surged up inside me.
All this time, I'd supported a stream with barely 20 viewers, even paying major streamers—called majors—to promote it.
And all I got back was cold stares.
I crave booze.
Today, I wanted to grill some pork belly with soju.
I went to a nearby pork belly joint and drank until I was wasted. Stumbling along, barely keeping it together.
A lottery shop caught my eye.
"Welcome."
"10,000 won auto pick."
"Here you go."
Why scratch lottery tickets?
No real reason.
I only had 10,000 won left in my pocket.
I had no idea that would change my fate.
"Y-you won first prize!"
I was the only winner in this round.
Prize money: 15 billion won.
And that was after taxes and all deductions—straight 15 billion.
But my heart didn't race; it was eerily calm.
I was already utterly disillusioned with life.
"What's the point of making money... It all ends up in someone else's mouth anyway."
With that lame mindset, I set aside 5 billion for living expenses and dumped the remaining 10 billion into coins.
If the money was going to leave me anyway, might as well lose it all.
Well, if that's fate, so be it?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A year passed before I knew it.
"Wh-what? This?"
While trying to start fresh and sort my mind, the money I'd put in coins naturally faded from memory. How could I forget 10 billion? Beats me.
I just did.
I remembered because Korea's portal sites were blowing up with coin news.
That's when I recalled the coins I'd invested a year ago.
"F-fuck... this isn't a dream, right?"
A whopping 300x return.
In cash terms, 3 trillion won.
"My coins are worth 3 trillion?"
How much could a commoner save in a lifetime?
Even slaving away saving for 10 years, it's around 100 million.
But I hit the lottery jackpot and then coins too.
"Hahaha!"
15 billion and 3 trillion.
The units were so different that the numb feeling from before had long crumbled.
With this much money, couldn't I lord over anyone anywhere?
Brimming with joy, I rushed home and sat at my computer.
No, first—mirror check.
"Whoa... I look like total dogshit."
No upkeep, and my appearance was a disaster.
Dandruff piled on my shoulders like a castaway from an uninhabited island, and my clothes reeked.
Well, after being betrayed by people.
I'd holed up like a shut-in.
Even excluding the 10 billion in coins, I had 5 billion on hand.
"Is this smell coming from my body?"
Hmm, skin's a wreck too.
These days even guys groom...
Anyone might mistake me for a homeless guy by the subway.
'I've got money now, why live like this? Snap out of it, you idiot!'
Born introverted, that shitty betrayal feeling still lingered.
If she who deceived me saw me, she'd laugh, right?
From then on, I got myself a car anyone would envy.
Not some 400 million super car everyone knows.
"Heh heh heh..."
LaFerrari Aperta.
Market price: 11 billion.
980 horsepower and sleek design drew eyes instantly.
And that wasn't all.
On my wrist gleamed a Richard Mille watch worth 1 billion in the sunlight, and the clothes I wore easily topped 100 million.
'Do I look too much like a nouveau riche?'
Before, I'd tremble at spending 1 million on Bubble Gifts.
Now billions don't even register.
"Phew..."
The tiny old apartment was long gone.
Now I lived in a Hannam-dong mansion worth over 18 billion.
A small pond with koi swimming, a playground for future kids.
In the center, tables for social gatherings, surrounded by gently flowing fountains that caught the eye.
This chaebol-worthy mansion held artistic value despite its age. Luck got me this place.
The previous owner was the chairman of Hanmyeong Group, No. 3 in business—its value was priceless.
In one corner of the gymnasium-sized living room sat my computer.
Stuffed with top-tier parts, it ran any program smoothly, unlike before.
"When did her viewers grow this much?"
I peeked at Choa's stream after a year.
Last I checked, only 20 viewers—now over 2,000.
What the hell happened?
Then I realized: I'd paid majors to promote her before, and she must've collabed later.
Her stunning looks that turned heads and decent chat skills skyrocketed her popularity. She broadcasted with a face full of confidence.
'That fucking bitch...'
I learned later.
She'd romance scammed me.
It's true the victim is a moron.
But that's that, and this is this. Being the victim yourself feels utterly disgusting.
"Time for revenge."
Plain revenge would be no fun.
People might say leave well enough alone.
No way.
Seeing her broadcast with that infuriating smug face filled me with rage.
Watching her rival female streamer's broadcast, an idea flashed in my head!
Choa, now a major.
Time to knock her down.
With near-limitless money nearing 3 trillion.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Bukppudeupppu has entered Han Yu-jeong's broadcast.]
The ID Bukppudeupppu was already infamous.
As the black mark of internet broadcasting.
The chat was already buzzing.
First order: shut those petty bastards up.
Let's see.
Choa's stream rank: 55th.
Han Yu-jeong's: 80th.
Recently, they trashed each other hard on stream—obviously Choa started it.
She had sociopath vibes, couldn't stand others succeeding.
And I'd liked a girl like that for a while.
⚡ GIFT ALERT ⚡[Bukppudeupppu gifted 1,000,000 Bubble Gifts.]
(Total value: ~100 million won)
"!"
The chat fell silent for a moment.
1 million Bubble Gifts was 100 million won in cash.
Shocked screams slowly engulfed the broadcast.
Han Yu-jeong the streamer was famous as a magazine model.
Even entertainment agencies scouted her, so her looks and charm were top-tier.
That's why so many viewers tuned in.
"Um... th-thank you so much, B-Bukppudeupppu-nim. Wait, what's going on? Are there really a million Bubble Gifts visible?"
By now, news of me must've spread everywhere.
Does she know?
That revenge starts now.
'You bitch. Live the rest of your life regretting toying with me with your pathetic thoughts.'
Cursing up a storm, I bombarded Han Yu-jeong with Bubble Gifts.
I didn't think about the aftermath.
⚡ GIFT ALERT ⚡[Bukppudeupppu gifted 1,000,000 Bubble Gifts.]⚡ GIFT ALERT ⚡[Bukppudeupppu gifted 1,000,000 Bubble Gifts.]⚡ GIFT ALERT ⚡[Bukppudeupppu gifted 1,000,000 Bubble Gifts.]
"Kyaaaaack!"
Han Yu-jeong, primly seated in her chair, screamed her lungs out at the barrage of system alerts.
In one day, I splurged 400 million won.