Seoul, South Korea - February 2020
Kim Jiho, a 22-year-old former conscript, adjusted his backpack and stepped into the busy streets of Seoul. The cacophony of honking taxis and chatter of passersby filled the air as he made his way to a cozy coffee shop near his alma mater, Seoul National University (SNU). The faint aroma of roasted beans provided a small comfort amid the chaos of the bustling city.
Jiho's military service had ended two months ago, and life felt like an uphill battle since. Before his enlistment, his girlfriend, Park Sumin, had broken up with him. She cited "different goals" as the reason but moved on to someone from a wealthy chaebol family. Jiho's heart had hardened since then, but the bitterness lingered.
He had spent his military service devouring books on investments, cryptocurrencies, and self-improvement. One night during his service, he stumbled upon his newfound ability: once a week, he could see ten minutes into the future. It wasn't much, but Jiho believed it was enough to change his life. Paired with his growing knowledge of investments, particularly cryptocurrencies, he was determined to claw his way to success.
Today, Jiho planned to use his power. Sitting at the corner of the coffee shop, he opened his laptop and navigated to his trading platform. His small savings, amounting to 1,300,000 won, were carefully divided among a few speculative investments. He also worked part-time at a PC cafe, where his love for gaming League of Legends helped him get by. His hand hovered over the mouse as he mentally prepared himself to activate his skill.
"Let's see what tomorrow holds," Jiho murmured, shutting his eyes. A faint warmth surged through his chest, and the world blurred around him.
In his vision, a chart surged upward. A little-known cryptocurrency, KCoin, rose significantly. Jiho noted the exact time of the peak before the vision faded. When he opened his eyes, beads of sweat lined his forehead, but his lips curled into a confident smirk.
"Perfect," he muttered, placing a portion of his savings into KCoin. If his vision was correct, he would see a good return by tomorrow morning.
The bell above the café door jingled, snapping Jiho out of his thoughts. A girl with shoulder-length black hair entered, balancing a stack of textbooks. She looked around and caught his gaze. Recognizing her, Jiho straightened up.
"Jiho sunbae?" she said hesitantly, walking over.
"Lee Nari?" Jiho replied, recalling the junior from his economics club back at SNU. "It's been a while. What are you doing here?"
"I'm still studying, but I work part-time here too," she said, placing her books on the table. Her bright smile softened the sharp edges of Jiho's mood. "What about you? I heard you finished your service."
"Just trying to figure things out," Jiho said vaguely, glancing at his laptop screen. He wasn't ready to share his plans or abilities with anyone, not yet.
"You look stressed," Nari observed. "If you need help with anything, let me know. I owe you for tutoring me back then."
Jiho chuckled, a genuine laugh that surprised even himself. "Thanks, Nari. I'll keep that in mind."
As Nari walked away to attend to customers, Jiho stared at his laptop. For the first time in months, he felt something other than resentment or ambition—something lighter. Shaking his head, he pushed the thought aside.
Success was the only thing that mattered now, and he couldn't afford distractions.