Yujin hadn't realized how long it had been until her grandmother called.
Her voice, always warm and gentle, carried a faint tremor. "Yujin-ah, you've been so busy lately. Are you eating well?"
Guilt immediately settled in Yujin's chest. She used to visit every weekend like clockwork. But lately, between her part-time shifts, the system's endless missions, and her own tangle of confusion and exhaustion, time had blurred. Weeks had slipped past without her even noticing.
"I'll come by today," she said, sitting up straighter. "I promise."
Her grandmother let out a relieved hum. "Good, good. I'll make your favorite soup and something special for you for graduation."
"Something special? Whats it grandma hahah." Yujin now very curious
There was a pause on the line before her grandmother added, quieter now, "its a surprise. By the way I saw all the pictures you sent from your graduation. You looked so beautiful, Yujin-ah. I'm sorry I couldn't be there."
Yujin's heart tightened. "Halmeoni, don't say sorry. You were sick you already told me."
"I know, but I still should've called," her grandmother sighed. "I meant to. I wanted to. But my joints were acting up that day, and I fell asleep after taking my medicine. When I woke up, the whole day had passed."
"It's okay," Yujin said softly. "We talked the day before. That's enough for me."
But she could still hear the regret in her grandmother's voice, like she was still holding onto that one missed call.
"How's life after school?" her grandmother asked, trying to sound cheerful again. "You haven't told me much lately."
Yujin hesitated, then sighed. "Still working at the convenience store. I haven't found anything else yet… nothing full-time. I keep sending out applications, but nothing."
Her grandmother tsked gently. "Then you definitely need to come visit me. I want to hear everything in person. Bring your laundry, I'll do it. And don't bring anything, you hear me? I'll cook enough to feed that your appetite."
Yujin smiled, warmth blooming in her chest despite the lump in her throat. "Okay. I'll be there soon."
"Good girl," her grandmother said, her voice soft again. "Don't work too hard, alright? You're still young."
But Yujin could hear it clearly now the unspoken worry, tucked behind every word. And it only made her want to visit faster.
PART 2
By the time Yujin arrived at the small, cozy apartment, the comforting scent of simmering broth filled the air. It smelled like home earthy roots, garlic, and the warmth of slow-boiled care. The heater hummed softly in the background, casting a steady warmth through the living room. That was the first thing that felt off.
Her grandmother rarely used the heater, not even in winter. "It eats money," she'd always say, wrapped in three layers of sweaters.
Something else wasn't right, either.
The table was full..full in a way Yujin hadn't seen in years. Freshly washed vegetables, neatly plated side dishes, real cuts of meat sizzling on a hot plate. Even a pack of imported tea sat unopened beside a new ceramic mug. There was a plastic bag from a local pharmacy on the counter, with brand-new medicine boxes still tucked inside.
"Halmeoni?" Yujin called out, setting down her bag. Her voice came out quieter than she meant. "I'm here."
Her grandmother shuffled out of the kitchen, apron dusted in flour and hands still damp. She greeted her with a bright smile and opened her arms for a hug.
"You look too thin," she said, pressing Yujin's cheeks with her warm palms. "Sit, eat. I made all your favorites."
Yujin sat, but the strange comfort of it all made her feel uneasy. Her eyes moved from the meat to the tea to the medicine bag. None of this fit the frugal world she'd grown up in.
"Halmeoni… how did you get all this?"
Before her grandmother could answer, There was a beat of silence just long enough to confirm her suspicion before a low, familiar voice spoke from the kitchen doorway.
"What, can't I do something nice?"
Yujin stiffened.
Her stomach dropped as she turned toward the voice, already knowing who it belonged to.
Her uncle, Lee Sanghoon, stepped out casually, drying his hands with a dish towel. He wore his usual grin, the one that didn't quite reach his eyes. He looked healthier than the last time she saw him more put-together, like someone trying very hard to appear generous.
"Surprised to see me?" he said, glancing at the food like it was some kind of trophy.
Yujin's jaw tightened.
He rarely visited .
Sanghoon was her grandmother's younger brother, a man who had once dreamed of being rich but had settled for chasing luck instead. He was a gambler sometimes lucky, but mostly not.
Today, though, he looked different. There was an energy to him, a confidence. He'd won.
"Bought her medicine, brought food. Aren't you happy?" He dropped into a chair across from her, grinning as he cracked open a can of beer.
Yujin stared at him, then at her grandmother.
"Where did the money come from?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
Sanghoon scoffed. "Why does it matter? Everything's here, isn't it?"
Her fingers curled around her chopsticks.
"Did you use halmeoni's money again?"
Her grandmother sighed. "Yujin-ah, it's fine. He replaced it."
PART 3
Yujin forced herself to eat, though every bite landed in her stomach like stone. The food was delicious her favorite soup, warm and rich but the air was thick with unspoken words. Across the table, her uncle was beaming, practically glowing with pride, as if this small moment of generosity could erase years of reckless behavior.
"I'm telling you," he said, tapping his temple with a greasy finger. "I figured out a system. A real one. This time, I won't lose."
Yujin's chopsticks paused mid-air.
"That's what you said last time," she said quietly.
The grin on his face wavered just for a moment. Then the bravado came back, harder than before, like armor. "You still don't get it, do you?" he said, shaking his head. "You think the world rewards hard work? That you'll get ahead by being good and polite and playing it safe?"
He leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Life isn't fair like that. You have to take risks. You have to bet big to win big. That's just how it works."
Yujin's jaw clenched. The words sounded less like wisdom and more like justification. Like a man trying to convince himself he hadn't wasted another chance.
Beside her, her grandmother reached out, gently patting her hand with thin, weathered fingers. "He means well," she said, her voice soft, almost apologetic. In her attempt to shift the conversation she was forced to bring up yujin gift early.
PART 4
Standing in the cramped front yard at the downstairs of her grandmother's apartment, she blinked at the brand-new bright -red scooter parked in front of her.
was a sleek, city-styled electric scooter compact but with just enough edge to stand out. The body shimmered in a rich, wine-red hue, somewhere between candy apple and crimson, catching the sunlight like it had something to prove. Curved edges gave it a soft, modern silhouette, while the matte-black seat added a subtle contrast of cool.
Its silver handlebar trims and minimalist digital display made it feel like a cross between a tech gadget and a fashion statement. The wheels were slim but sturdy, and the quiet hum of the lithium-ion battery gave it a smooth, futuristic feel.
"It's yours," Grandma said, her wrinkled hands resting on the handlebars. "You're always running around. Now you won't have to walk everywhere."
Yujin hesitated. "...Grandma, this is too much."
Her uncle, sprawled out on a plastic chair nearby, let out a dry laugh. "You say that, but I bet you're already picturing yourself zooming through the city, huh?"
She tried to suppress a grin. He wasn't wrong. A scooter meant freedom. No more crammed buses. she caught a flicker of something in her uncle's eyes resentment?
Her instincts kicked in. "Wait. You didn't try to trade this for poker money first, did you?"
Her uncle clutched his chest dramatically. "I am offended! Is that the kind of man you think I am?"
"Yes."
Grandma sighed, giving her brother a tired look. "He did mention selling it, but I told him he'd have to fight me first."
Her uncle shrugged. "What can I say? The dealer had a hot streak last night."
PART 5
Gripping the handles, Yujin's heart pounded. Owning a scooter was one thing. Riding it? Another story.
"Alright," she muttered. "How hard can this be?"
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED. VEHICLE MODE ENGAGED.]
She nearly fell off.
"What the ?!"
[Would you like a riding tutorial?]
The system's chipper prompt blinked across her vision like it hadn't just betrayed her with its confusing 'potential' nonsense.
Yujin groaned, gripping the handlebars tighter. "I think I can figure it out," she muttered, mostly to herself.
"I can't trust this crazy system," she muttered under her breath.
[Warning: 63% probability of crashing in the first 10 minutes.]
Yujin stared at the blinking message, jaw tightening.
Was that supposed to be a joke? Or just another way for the system to remind her that she couldn't even do something as simple as riding a scooter ?
She looked down at the controls, fingers hovering awkwardly over the throttle. Her reflection caught faintly in the rearview mirror messy hair, undereye shadows.
"Of course," she muttered. "Even the scooter's ready to betray me."she signed.
The electric scooter gave a soft vibration underneath her, as if mocking her hesitation.
Yujin exhaled sharply, a mix between a laugh and a sigh.
But she could already feel the wobble in her balance, the jitter in her knees. Pride had gotten her into worse situations. Maybe it was time to be practical, even if just for once.
"...Fine," she muttered through clenched teeth. "Give me the tutorial."
A chime sounded.
[Acknowledged. Beginning Basic Mobility Protocol. Please remain still while guidance syncs.]
Yujin rolled her eyes but didn't interrupt. Maybe just maybe No, never, she cut herself off. Basic mobility, my ass, she thought bitterly. What was it going to do anyway teach her how to breathe next?
Immediately, a step-by-step guide appeared in her vision balance control, acceleration tips, emergency stops. It was like playing a VR game, except the road had no reset button.
After a few wobbly starts (and nearly crashing into a parked bicycle), Yujin finally got the hang of it.
She grinned as the wind whipped past her face. "This. Is. Awesome."
She couldn't believe it actually worked like really worked. Was this… the power of the subconscious or something? She smirked to herself, the first real smile in days.