26. GS24 Yeonhui Branch
Convenience store owner Min Do-hoon scanned internet articles with trembling eyes.
[Last month's 4-time consecutive 1st place winner wins 1st place again!]
[Bought only 100,000 won worth with the same number. Prize money alone is 12 billion won.]
[68.5 billion won from 5 consecutive 1st place wins. Instant rags-to-riches story.]
[Secret to 5 consecutive 1st place wins? When asked, says numbers were revealed in a dream...]
'Revealed in a dream?'
Looking at the comments in frustration, it was ridiculous.
└Wow, so jealous. If only I could get the numbers just once...
└As if the lottery god would reveal numbers you can't even get from women...
└Damn it.
└You must be extremely lucky. In that sense, could you give me just 100 million...
└The comment above is stupid for asking without even writing an account number. By the way, my account is Nonghyup Bank 291-2894-9311-110.
└Winner, if you see this post, please give me just a little too. Kiup Bank 281-293099-39-001.
└Crazy bastards. Look at them begging so pitifully. Nonghyup 291-2919-3999-912 Park Bong-cheol.
└I can't be left out either. Woohyup Bank...
└Are there only beggars here?
└You're all thoughtless. Would the winner come here with nothing better to do than read comments? They're probably on a cruise trip spending money lavishly.
└In this situation?
└What's the use of having money? When lives from ages 15 to 29 are mortgaged.
└It doesn't matter if you're over 30?
└Could they be using an ability as a player? Like foreseeing the future...
└If they had such an ability, it would be really overpowered. They could probably guess dozens more lottery numbers in the future.
└Above commenter, that won't happen. Didn't you see the breaking news just posted? They're discontinuing lottery sales after this round for fairness reasons.
└What... Really?
"Sigh."
While people in the comments were surprised, it was information that only made Min Do-hoon sigh.
He had just received a call from the franchise.
They said to refund customers who bought tickets yesterday and today according to procedure, as lottery sales have been suspended.
This was why he scanned the articles with trembling feelings.
He wanted to confirm with his own eyes.
Sure enough.
[Breaking news! Complete suspension of lottery sales as of Tuesday, February 1st.]
-The government has decided to suspend sales of various lotteries including Lotto from today.
The reason given is that lottery sales are inappropriate in a situation where the global economy is shaken and mourning continues due to 900 million deaths worldwide.
However, this is just a superficial reason, and in reality it's understood to be due to backlash from ordinary people raising fairness issues with the emergence of players.
Players exert special abilities with powers called runes, but the problem is that these abilities cause great confusion in society.
For example, there's speculation that the winner who monopolized nearly 70 billion won in prize money over the past month is a player in their 20s.
This fairness controversy has been an ongoing issue since this winner started consecutively winning 1st place.
For reference, all citizens aged 15 to 29 are players.
There are about 870 million worldwide, and about 4 million in our country.
Sunday and Monday purchasers can get an immediate refund by bringing their lottery tickets to the place of purchase.
The article about suspending lottery sales was on the main page of portal sites.
It was natural for Min Do-hoon's expression to frown.
"Haa... What should I do. Looks like sales will be cut in half."
GS24 Yeonhui Branch was a convenience store that also sold lottery tickets.
Business was especially good since there were no other lottery vendors nearby.
'Moreover, we recently got great promotional effects as the place where the 100-game winner visited.'
But now, ironically, they can't sell lottery tickets because of that winner.
"Sigh... It's already tough dealing with labor costs and whatnot..."
Especially, Min Do-hoon has a daughter who's just graduating high school.
She was his only treasure who supported him when he was struggling with debt after divorcing his wife due to business failure.
'I need to earn several times more than now to send our Juri to college...'
To think lottery sales would be stopped just when money is tight.
"Huuuu..."
Just as he was sighing deeply.
Ding- The door opened and his precious daughter entered.
"Oh, Juri, you're here?"
"Dad, why are you sighing so much?"
"Huu... Well, it's... No, it's nothing."
"It's not nothing. It's written all over your face that you're having a hard time. Come on, tell me."
At Min Juri's persuasion, Min Do-hoon reluctantly poured out his complaints.
He felt sorry towards his daughter, but he felt he would go crazy from frustration if he didn't vent like this.
"Lottery sales have been suspended?"
"Yeah... There are so many expenses, how are we going to live like this... Sigh..."
Concern clouded Min Juri's face at her father's sigh.
She knows well from helping at the convenience store during vacations.
How big a portion lottery sales take up in the store's revenue.
Min Juri forced a bright smile.
"Don't worry, Dad. Now that I'm graduating, I can help not just during vacations but all the time from now on. Then we can save on labor costs at least..."
"Don't say that. I already feel bad for making you work."
"Did you make me? I'm helping because I want to."
"Still, it's not right. We promised before, didn't we? That you'd stop convenience store work after graduating?"
"Then I'll get a part-time job elsewhere and contribute to living expenses..."
"Tsk. A student should go to school, not work part-time. I'll send you to college no matter what, so don't worry about this side."
"But living expenses..."
"Ahem. I'll take care of the money, so you just focus on studying, okay? You have good grades, are you not going to college? Becoming a doctor was your dream."
"Dad... That was my dream long ago. I gave up on that dream."
"What?"
"Besides, what's the point of school in this situation. We don't even know if we'll survive the next round..."
"Ah."
Min Do-hoon felt like he was struck on the back of his head for a moment.
Being so focused on making money, he had forgotten the reality his daughter was facing.
"Ah... That's right. Money isn't important right now... Dad's been so out of it these days. I'm sorry, Juri. That I can't be of help..."
"What do you have to be sorry for, Dad? It's an unavoidable situation like a natural disaster."
"Still..."
"I'm really okay. I survived Round 1 and 2, didn't I? I'll be able to endure the next round too. I even got a job this time."
"Job?"
Instead of answering, Min Juri raised her hand.
A bright aura appeared and seeped into Min Do-hoon's head.
"Wh-what is this?"
"It's a skill called Bless that I got when I obtained the Buffer job. It raises overall stats, and has an effect of instilling vitality in ordinary people."
"Hoho, what an amazing ability. I really feel vitality throughout my body."
Min Do-hoon said that while rotating his shoulders.
His shoulders that always felt stiff were fine now.
"To think my daughter became such a talented person. I'm amazed anew."
"I'll cast the skill on you often. So cheer up, Dad."
"Okay, thank you. Dad will cheer up too."
Though he said that, Min Do-hoon's face wouldn't brighten.
'Ah, damn god! My daughter might die at any time, what does that damn lottery matter!'
Min Do-hoon shook his head and blamed himself.
Now he was more worried about his daughter's life and death than the store's sales.
"Dad, what's wrong?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
"Let's switch shifts now. I'll take over from here."
"No, it's fine."
"It's not fine. You've been watching the store all night."
"I can stay a bit longer. Thanks to your buff, I feel like I can go for 3 more hours."
"Still, go home and rest. Come on, hurry."
As Min Juri was pushing her dad out.
The convenience store door opened and a customer entered.
"Welcome..."
Min Juri, who was reflexively greeting, suddenly had eyes like a surprised rabbit.
Min Do-hoon was surprised too.
"Oh? That customer is..."
"What? Dad? Do you know this customer?"
"That person is the one. The 1st place winner who marked 100 games with the same number at our store."
It's rare for someone to buy 100,000 won worth manually.
He remembered clearly since he even checked ID because the person looked young.
The customer, Ryumin, looked towards the father and daughter and walked over.
Meanwhile, Min Juri stared intently, but Ryumin pretended not to notice.
"Hello, owner. Do you remember me? I bought 100,000 won worth of lottery tickets here a month ago."
"..."
Min Do-hoon just stared at the other person instead of answering.
Seeing him up close, it was clearly that customer from back then.
'Why did he come here? Did he come to say thanks or something?'
Sometimes customers who win 2nd or 3rd place come to say thanks, calling the store a lucky spot.
But this customer's case was different.
'He marked manually, so there's no need to thank me.'
Min Do-hoon, who was staring as if trying to grasp his intentions, answered with a sour expression.
He couldn't look favorably on the cause of his sales decline.
"Yes... I remember. But what brings you here?"
"First, I want to apologize."
As Ryumin suddenly bowed his head, Min Do-hoon looked at him with surprised eyes.
"Wh-what is this, all of a sudden?"
"I saw the articles. They say lottery sales were suspended because I won 1st place consecutively. I apologize for unintentionally causing harm to your store."
"Ah..."
After being momentarily flustered by the polite apology.
"It's okay, it's okay. How is that the customer's fault? It's not like I'll starve to death because I can't sell lottery tickets."
Min Do-hoon coolly brushed it off.
The resentment in his heart disappeared like it was washed away by the unexpected apology.
"And if you think about it, it's not even the customer's fault, right? The numbers were revealed in a dream, what could you do? I would have gone all-in on the lottery too."
"Still, I don't feel good that you suffered harm because of me. In that sense..."
Ryumin held out a white envelope he had prepared.
"I'd like to compensate you, even if it's small."
"Wh-what is this?"
"It's 10 million won."
"What?"
Surprised, Min Do-hoon hurriedly waved his hands.
"Th-there's no need for this. Take it back..."
"Still, I'd like you to accept it. In any case, it's true that I caused you harm. Then I'll be going."
Leaving just those words, Ryumin went out of the store.
"H-hey! Wait! Customer!"
Min Do-hoon was flustered as he left without time to stop him.
"Geez, how could I accept such a large sum with a clear conscience..."
"Dad, then I'll run after him now and return it!"
"Oh? Y-yes, do that!"
Min Juri grabbed the envelope and went out of the store.
Fortunately, the customer hadn't gone far.
"Excuse me, wait a moment!"
Ryumin turned around at the voice from behind.
Min Juri ran up and panted.
"Ryumin! You're Ryumin, right?"
"Who?"
"Don't you know me? Min Juri! We're in the same class."
"Oh...? Really?"
At his reaction as if he just found out, Min Juri had a disappointed expression.
"You didn't even know we were in the same class all this time?"
"Sorry. I'm not good at remembering other people's faces."
It was a lie.
Ryumin already knew that Min Juri was in the same class, and that she was the convenience store owner's daughter.
'And that she's a Buffer, a unique class.'
He didn't know at first.
That the convenience store where he bought lottery tickets was run by Min Juri's father.
'I only found out after the 20th regression.'
And that was information he learned by chance while becoming close with Min Juri in the other world, not in reality.
'To think we became close in the other world, not even in the same class.'
Even Ryumin was quite surprised when he later found out they were in the same class.
Thinking what a coincidence it was.
'I need to make Min Juri my ally and take her to Round 20.'
Buffer was such a helpful job.
"Should we go somewhere and talk for a bit?"
Ryumin grinned at Min Juri's suggestion.
"Let's do that."
The planned approach disguised as coincidence had worked.