Chapter 1

Part-time Worker Raising a Half-Elf - Chapter 1 (1/245)

01

Society is truly an inconvenient and unreasonable place. Everyone must have thought this at least once in their lives.

The starting line is set differently from the moment of birth. Despite the fact that prestigious universities are the only ones recognized, even if you manage to enter a prestigious university, the employment rate is absurdly low. On top of that, the outdated Confucian culture is rampant throughout society.

Yes, the biggest problem with this country's society is probably the Confucian culture. At least, that's what the young man currently manning the convenience store register thought.

"Hey, you f**king a**hole, why can't this be refunded?!"

The irate voice of an elderly man, nearly 60 years old. His words were not just pedantic but outright ignorant, showing a typical attitude of a disrespectful old man who doesn't respect others at all.

"Are you saying that because the staff gave you the wrong cigarettes yesterday?! Then you should give a refund, you f**king a**hole!"

The elderly man's abusive language continued. He kept pushing his unreasonable demands at the young man, who didn't respond at all.

"Sir, even if you say that, we need to see the receipt at the very least..."

"Receipt? I don't have something like that! You f**king a**hole, if a customer asks for something, you should do it, right? That's why you can't even get a proper education and end up working part-time, isn't it?!"

There's almost nothing the young man can do against such a stubborn and disrespectful old man. If he were to show any rudeness to a customer, the consequences would be obvious, given that he's just a part-time worker.

This is what modern society is like. People say that the abolition of slavery and class systems, and the establishment of individual freedom and democracy, have changed things, but ultimately, whether in the past or now, being powerless means being helpless.

"...Damn, this is really f**ked up."

The young man, who was already exhausted from dealing with a customer demanding a refund for cigarettes he never bought, sighed inwardly.

The young man's name is Lee Han-sung. He is a fresh adult in his early twenties, having just turned twenty this year.

"Should I just curse him out and quit this part-time job?"

The younger you are, the more temperamental you tend to be. Lee Han-sung was no exception; he had a rather rough mouth and a not-so-great personality.

However, he suppressed his temper and maintained a forced smile while dealing with the disrespectful old man because he didn't want to lose his hard-earned part-time job.

In this era of employment difficulties, it's not easy to find even a part-time job. For Lee Han-sung, who had a high school diploma and nothing else to offer, quitting his current job would mean financial ruin.

"Let's just endure it. I need to pay the rent, and I can't end up on the streets."

Thus, Lee Han-sung bit his tongue, suppressed his anger, and tried to calm down.

"Anyway, what kind of education did you receive? I'd like to see your parents' faces."

Cursing someone's parents is always the most severe form of insult, regardless of the country. Even Jesus wouldn't tolerate such insults. Therefore, it's only natural and right for a person to be angry at such insults.

However, Lee Han-sung was different.

"Yes, you're right. My parents never taught me manners... I'm sorry."

Contrary to what the unreasonable customer expected, Lee Han-sung didn't show any anger. Instead, he seemed almost pleased to hear the insults about his parents.

'Wow, it feels so good to hear someone say what I wanted to say.'

If anyone heard this, they might call him a disrespectful son, but Lee Han-sung didn't care as he looked at the surprised customer.

"What, what kind of crazy guy is this..."

For the unnamed unreasonable customer, this was probably the first time he had seen someone react positively to insults about their parents. Lee Han-sung guessed this and turned his head reflexively toward the approaching footsteps.

"Is there a problem, sir?"

A very kind and gentle voice. If you closed your eyes and listened, it could be called the best ASMR. Lee Han-sung already knew that there was only one person in the world with such a voice.

Blonde hair and fair skin, which are rare in Korea. Green eyes, whether from colored contacts or naturally, stood out. She was so beautiful that it was believable that men passing by would ask for her number.

Her name is Hwa-yeon. She is a part-time worker at the same convenience store as Lee Han-sung. Despite her name, she is apparently a foreign exchange student, but her Korean is so fluent that it's hard to believe she's a foreigner.

"Who are you? Are you the manager here?"

"I'm not the manager, but I'm a part-time worker who works better than the manager. Can I ask what happened?"

"What happened? That f**king a**hole over there has been saying that this can't be refunded since just now!"

The old man held out an empty cigarette pack and complained to Hwa-yeon.

Asking for a refund after smoking all the cigarettes is the mentality of a thief. Lee Han-sung couldn't understand the old man's logic and forced a smile to hide his expression.

"Sorry, but if we give you a refund, we'll get fired. Please just let it go this one time."

Unlike Lee Han-sung, who was struggling to maintain his smile, Hwa-yeon gently persuaded the old man with a bright smile.

"...If you beg like that, I'll let it go this one time."

Despite his age, the old man seemed weak when it came to pretty women. His aggressive attitude had noticeably softened.

Convinced by Hwa-yeon, the old man grumbled and quietly left the convenience store. Hwa-yeon sighed softly and then asked Lee Han-sung.

"Mr. Han-sung, are you okay?"

"Ah, yes, thank you for your help, Ms. Hwa-yeon."

"Don't mention it. Since I'm here, you can go home now."

"Okay, then I'll leave first."

Looking at the clock, it was already 9 PM. Realizing it was time to switch shifts, Lee Han-sung thanked Hwa-yeon, went to the storage room to change out of his uniform, and quickly left the convenience store with his bag.

'The night air is so damn cold.'

The autumn night air is not something to be taken lightly. Lee Han-sung, wearing thin clothes, felt the cold even more intensely due to the wind and cursed it inwardly as he hurried home.

A 20-minute walk, or a 5-7 minute bus ride, but Lee Han-sung passed by the bus stop. The reason was simple.

To save money.

Living on a minimum wage, paying rent, and covering other expenses required the frugality of a desert lizard. Having learned this through two years of living alone, Lee Han-sung thought that a warm and full dinner was better than a 5-minute comfort and continued walking.

'I need to order some delivery when I get home. I really crave chicken.'

Feeling his stomach rumble from skipping lunch, Lee Han-sung muttered to himself and quickened his pace.

After walking for a while, Lee Han-sung stopped in front of a run-down villa.

Overgrown vines and patches of mold covered the building, which always leaked during light rain and required constant worry about collapsing during the rainy season. Despite its poor condition, it was the cheapest place to rent in the area, making it a lifeline for Lee Han-sung, who had to live independently right after high school.

Reaching the front door, Lee Han-sung unlocked it and entered. The dark, empty house greeted him, and he turned on the lights and casually placed his bag on the dining table.

"Let's see, should I order some chicken?"

Taking out his phone and opening the app, Lee Han-sung began to browse through the list of chicken places. For him, food was just a means of survival, and he preferred the cheapest options.

"?"

A message that always pops up at the most inconvenient times appeared on the screen. Lee Han-sung tried to postpone it by pressing the "Update Later" button, but the message window only had an "OK" button.

"...Now even the machine is f**king with me."

Unable to order delivery due to his hunger, Lee Han-sung reluctantly pressed the "OK" button. The phone immediately turned off and began a lengthy update process.

"This damn phone... It always updates when I need it the most."

Nothing seemed to go right today. Cursing, Lee Han-sung plugged in the charger and threw the phone aside.

Lying silently on the floor, he looked up at the ceiling.

The fluorescent light flickered unstably. Looking around the room, where nothing worked properly, Lee Han-sung sighed.

When will I be able to leave this place? With this thought, he quietly closed his eyes.

Suddenly, a sound similar to a phone alarm rang in his ears. Wondering if the update was already complete, Lee Han-sung quickly got up to check his phone.

"Did I hear wrong?"

However, the phone was still slowly and steadily installing the update. Realizing the sound didn't come from the phone, Lee Han-sung tilted his head in confusion and tried to lie back down.

"Damn, that scared me."

Suddenly, an unknown message appeared in front of his eyes, and Lee Han-sung took a step back faster than a fleeing cockroach.