"Debts?" Hana watched him, tilting her head. "Brother, really?" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with both joy and surprise.
"Yeah," Noa nodded, grinning.
Thanks to the system, it was about time he started paying off his debts.
In total, he owed about $40,000. Half of that was from his student loan, and the other half came from his parents' debts. Though both had grown because he couldn't pay on time.
[Account balance: $10,166.37]
The five figures in his bank account weren't enough, however.
Noa still needed more—far more than what he currently had. Still, he wanted to be done with it, even if it meant starting with a small amount.
The constant messages he kept receiving from the bank affected him mentally.
He also wanted to have a better credit score, so he had to start somewhere.
Thanks to the donation from last night's stream, he had enough to order a fancy meal, but it wasn't like streaming would print money for him.
The viewer had to spend $7 for one sub.
But because of the way his system operated, Noa was only getting money from donations. And they were rare.
At least the system quests were on his side. 'I wonder if I can exchange SP for money,' he thought, fully aware of how dumb a move that would be.
No notifications showed up to answer his question, slightly disappointing Noa.
Even so, he didn't lower his head.
Neither did Hana, her face showing all kinds of emotions. "How long will that take?" she asked as Noa squeezed her cheeks.
"A few hours, maybe," he said, pushing himself up from the couch. "You can come along if you want. But you can stay if you are feeling lazy, because it might be boring for you."
Hana shook her head. "I am coming with you," she declared.
Before Noa could answer, the doorbell rang. The deliveryman was already here.
The apartment was instantly filled with a strong smell of an enormous burger and a large portion of fries.
Noa set up the table, chuckling. "So… this is your definition of fancy food, huh?"
Hana didn't back down.
"It's been a while since we last had the burger, okay? I wanted to see if they tasted as amazing as I remembered," she said, frowning.
Then she hopped over the table, unwrapping her share with the hunger of someone who hadn't eaten for days.
But Noa knew it wasn't the case, considering how much she had eaten the evening before.
They ate in silence.
Hana was making satisfied noises, her feet swinging happily under the table. After finishing the burger, she leaned back. "Man, this hit the spot," she said softly, patting her stomach.
Noa nodded.
He, too, enjoyed the meal. "Worth every penny."
Hana snorted, lowering her eyes. "It's better than your soup, that's for sure."
"This brat!" Noa murmured, running after her.
The siblings played around for a bit, and when Noa finally caught her, he gave her a full minute of tickles.
After that, Noa got dressed, ready to leave the house.
Hana didn't spend too much time either. She just put on the clothes Noa had bought her the previous night.
Even with a long white dress and a pink handbag, she looked like a little kid. Every step she took was short, as if afraid not to lose Noa.
He, however, had pulled over a jacket and checked the nearest branch.
It was right down the street, not far from their apartment. But the paperwork and the endless lines might take too long. "Don't trip," he warned as Hana jumped on the pavement, holding his hand.
"I won't," she declared confidently and stuck out her tongue.
Strangely, the city didn't feel suffocating.
Yes, the street was busy and loud with barking dogs and a lot of people.
But for the second day in a row, Noa didn't want to run away from his problems. Even now, he was walking straight towards them.
By the time they arrived, the sun had already climbed higher.
It cast pretty lights on the bank's window, reminding Noa how much he hated this place. Yet, he didn't feel pressure this time around.
Inside, the air smelled of paper and polished floor. People were lined up, waiting for their turns.
He stepped into the line.
Hana stood next to him, looking around the room as if trying to remember every detail.
The sounds of printers and loud chattering from the woman ahead made him impatient. Just as his turn came and the receptionist called, "Next," something flashed in front of him.
It was a new system notification.
[New quest available]
[Pay the full amount in your account toward your existing debt. Leave no cent behind.]
Seeing this, Noa's steps halted.
He blinked a couple of times, unsure what to do.
The system issued a new mission, asking him to use everything he had. 'You have to be kidding me.'
Noa's initial plan was to leave at least two or three thousand in case he needed it for something. Who knew what might happen in the future?
It wasn't even guaranteed that the system would reward him with more money.
So he didn't want to risk anything.
At that moment, Hana poked at his leg. "Brother, it's your turn."
Noa looked at her, forcing a grin. Then he stepped forward, approaching the counter.
The woman didn't look up at him, quickly typing something on her keyboard. "How can I help you?" she asked flatly.
Noa gulped.
He was arguing with himself. 'If I drop 10K here, I might go broke again.'
That was a reasonable deduction. But after experiencing what the system could do and seeing how much it helped him, Noa didn't want to doubt its capabilities.
It wasn't like he completely trusted it either.
But still, one thing was clear: The system was on his side, and he would be a fool not to use it to the best of his ability.
With that thought in mind, every hint of hesitation evaporated instantly.
"I am here to pay off my debts. I want to transfer exactly $10,166.37. Is that alright?"