Chapter 2

If a commoner regresses, they become a golden spoon - Chapter 2 (2/405)

When a person is too shocked, they can't even make a sound.

Staring blankly, I blinked a few times. But the window didn't disappear. What is this situation in front of me? Unbelievable things have been happening one after another since just now.

‘This is definitely… like a game.’

It feels so dreamlike now that this has appeared. I lightly pinched my cheek. It hurts?

It reminded me of the opening of a simulation game I used to play often when I was young.

“What’s with the color?”

The sparkling pink letters, while not bad to look at on the screen, are hard to read when they appear translucently right in front of my eyes.

「▶System

You must become an 【Influencer】.

Do you want to start?

I only muttered to myself, but suddenly the letters turned black. Strangely, the background also became more transparent, making the letters easier to read.

“Can you make the font size bigger?”

As soon as I finished speaking, the font suddenly got bigger.

「You must

become an

【Influencer】

Do you want

to start?」

“Readability….”

「You must

become an

【Influencer】

Do you want to start?」

If I say it lacks sophistication, it might change to Yangjae Chanel font. As I read the quickly changing letters, they slowly started to sink into my mind.

Yes. This is reality.

「▶▶▶Loading….」

「[Prologue Completed!]

▶You have a very good grasp of the current situation.

-As a reward, you receive 10,000 gold and +10 HP,

and a ‘Just Getting By’ wish stone!」

「□Current Inventory Items

If it’s a wish stone, it’s a wish stone, but what’s a ‘Just Getting By’ wish stone? Why is it so petty? Is there no cheat key for this start? Something like 999+ HP, 99999+ gold, and a wish stone that grants all those things.

「[Thief’s Mindset Completed!]」

“Are you kidding me?”

* * *

At this time, I thought I would live a glamorous life as an adult. A moderately well-off family, harmonious parents, and a smooth school life.

My dream future was to get into a decent four-year university in Seoul, try out club activities, have a boyfriend, travel abroad with my parents' support, and go on trips every quarter. I would boast about such a life on SNS, and people would leave comments praising and envying me.

‘Just like Hajein.’

Hajein’s twenty-fifth year was extraordinary. Designer bags in her walk-in closet, highly accomplished friends, and piles of gifts on her birthday. More importantly, she was a born celebrity.

In middle school, she was the pretty girl in a certain class; in high school, the pretty girl in a certain high school; in college, the pretty girl; and after graduation, just Jane. Two letters were enough. Not even Hajein.

-What must it feel like to be born into such a life? Han River view golden spoon, harmonious parents… (Likes 1,000)

-Sister, you have everything going for you (Likes 300)

-I love you… ㅠㅠ Thank you so much for giving me an IGTV, I’ve been building a friendship through Ustagram for a long time, and it’s so nice to see your face for so long. Really, keep it up for a long time~! (Likes 700)

˪What’s your Ustagram ID?

˪jane_agnes

-Can you tell me about the dress at 3:25? ㅠㅠ

-Sister, your face is the best… Show us a one-hour video of just your face… ㅠㅠ (Likes 23)

Luxury bag haul, accessories haul from my mother, and a room tour. With these three videos, Hajein quickly became an influencer invited to luxury brand events.

Even before I drowned, my Intube subscribers were increasing by thousands every day. She was getting more famous every day, and fame meant money, and money was the shortcut to more fame.

On her birthday, luxury brands sent her bouquets, her Intube agency made her a cake, fans sent gifts to the agency’s address or gift cards via SNS messages, and her parents bought her a new German car for her twenty-fifth birthday. She celebrated with a course meal at a fine dining restaurant, blew out the candles on a red cake with sugar rose petals, and made a wish.

For her, these were as natural as breathing.

Family outing after a long time ♥ Haje family trio chatting (just pretending)

This time, the best gift from my mom and the allowance from my dad~

Dad, I want to be your little girl forever! Thank you to everyone who congratulated me.

The cake from the agency is so touching 🙂 Best birthday ever this year

Likes 27,790

Comments 420

In contrast, I’m in my third year at GoodGoodSo, still a newbie (the last newbie I hired was quick to notice and left after three days). I work overtime like it’s a meal, but I don’t get overtime pay. When I sit down to negotiate my salary, my hard work for the whole year is summed up with “We know you’ve been working hard~” and a meager raise.

On my birthday, I only received a few Americano cake sets from my classmates, who only remembered because of the messenger birthday alert.

‘This is just a form of mutual aid, isn’t it…’

Yes, that’s right. I also gave them the same brand of Americano on their birthdays.

Staring blankly at Hajein’s endless Intube and Ustagram on my phone, I, too, used to be an influencer.

Three years before Hajein.

At first, I did it because everyone else was, then to make some extra money, and later because I wanted to live well. Ultimately, out of envy.

So I did it. A real “Get Ready With Me” for office workers, a rare spring daily look, and a mundane vlog.

The content included a sweater from an online shopping mall I’ve been wearing for years, cheap face masks I stock up on during drugstore sales, and tints from a road shop I bought in different colors for the videos.

And a 300,000 won haul for a spring daily look, saved up from a few extra hours of convenience store shifts.

300,000 won is a lot to me. The views were just over a thousand, and the comments were around twenty.

-At 4:58, the fit is a bit off ㅠㅠ It looks a bit cheap…

˪It’s 10,000 won, so what can you expect? The T-shirt is actually pretty good.

-At 6:10, the outfit looks great ㅎㅎ

-Check out my channel too~^^ I’ll be back.

After three years of posting videos, my subscribers barely reached 500. My Ustagram followers were only about 300.

But Hajein was different. Her Intube could gather the subscribers I had accumulated over three years in just one day.

The clothes passed down from her mother, vlogs from the VIP lounge of a luxury brand, and hauls of new tints and this season’s new bags from luxury brands.

She’s a rising influencer these days, a goddess… I’ve been following her since her luxury bag haul. Her mother used to wear million-dollar watches in her youth. She must be a golden spoon from generation to generation. If you add up everything she’s been given, it’s enough to buy an apartment in Seoul, how envious….

-Oh, I think I know who it is

˪Who?

˪I think I know too ㅋㅋㅋ ㅎㅈㅇ??

-You’re living your life, why are you feeling down over this

˪ㄴㅈㄴㄱㄷ) Just reading it makes me feel down; it could happen

-Next to the influencer, the most incomprehensible thing is feeling deprived ㅋㅋ

˪That watch brand? We have it at home too? I didn’t know it was so expensive? ㅎㅎ

˪Next resident of Hanam The Hill

˪Clapping above the head of Hanam The Hill residents

On weekends, while working the morning shift at a convenience store, I thought.

“Miss! A Dr. Hill.”

“Here….”

“Hey! Not that one.”

“Then this one….”

“Oh, you really don’t understand. I said Dr. Hill, Dr. Hill!”

‘F*ck, how am I supposed to understand that….’

Beep-

I stood there with swollen legs, scanning barcodes like a machine. Meanwhile, Hajein was drinking afternoon tea at a luxury café in Apgujeong. The price of her tea was more than my daily wage.

@jane_agnes

Youstagram

Followers 377,000

Intube

Subscribers 520,000

@seo_yoonseul

Youstagram

Followers 340

Intube

Subscribers 513

* * *

Lying on the bed, the unchosen status window followed me. It seems I need to press Yes or No to make it disappear.

“But, 3 million followers? My salary isn’t even 3 million….”

A hollow laugh escaped me at the absurd number. Indeed. Amidst this, it seems to be offering to combine my SNS followers.

It’s just combining Ustagram, Intube, and Acebook, right?

I recalled Hajein’s subscribers in my mind.

Even the great Hajein didn’t have 1 million.

Glaring at the innocent status window, the ‘3 million’ text started to sparkle, as if saying it’s possible.

Ah, I have no choice.

“Pressing No in this situation would be foolish.”

Our house will go to auction in two months.

There’s no other option. I lightly pressed the Yes button in the air.

Ding-

「▶▶▶Loading….」

「▶System

You have agreed to become an 【Influencer】.

You are given a selection option.

▷[Charm / Eloquence / Body / Photography & Editing]」

Scrolling down slightly, a brief description appeared below.

「▼Detailed Description▼

1) Charm: Your face won’t completely change or become noticeably different. You can add a subtle beauty that others won’t notice.

※ This option can change with the use of charm-boosting items.」

Of course, the most eye-catching option is.

‘Charm. Obviously.’

It would have been even better if it involved swapping faces with celebrities. Charm includes appearance as well.

It would be easier to gather people initially, and with the cosmetics market booming, it would help me become more famous.

Even though the market has declined with the widespread use of masks in recent years, people still praise beauty and trust and buy from influencers they feel close to.

‘If you look good at first glance, the probability of following you when you first meet is high….’

「2) Eloquence: You can speak more concisely, clearly, and sensibly.

It adds a bit of appeal and persuasiveness to your words.

※ This option is not applicable to second languages (English/Japanese/Chinese).」

In the long run, eloquence and body will be crucial for affiliate income and brand startups. Eloquence will be the most reliable hidden card during live broadcasts, and before I fell into the Han River, the trend was….

‘Fitness.’

Pilates and diet foods also sold like hotcakes. A new term, ‘helth,’ was even coined.

「3) Body: You gain less weight compared to the calories you consume. You can achieve maximum results with minimal exercise. This can vary depending on your diet.

※ If you choose this option and then binge eat, your weight gain speed will be (???) buffed.」

If I choose body, I might be able to launch a brand selling diet supplements, leggings, and various diet foods. It would make it easier to create my own product as an influencer.

「4) Photography & Editing: When you take a photo in the same composition, it will look 5% better than others. Additional buff effects are available when editing, depending on your skill level.

※ The skill levels for portrait and object/landscape photography are separate.

※ ‘Photography’ and ‘Editing’ stats cannot be increased simultaneously, so choose carefully.」

The last option.

‘Photography and editing….’

It seems like the worst card among the three, but considering the SNS ecosystem that has become a red ocean….

“Long-term, it might be the most convenient.”

For Intube and other content, a thumbnail is needed to get clicks. If my photos stand out more and make people curious, it could provide consistent minor help from the beginning to the end. Which one to choose.

I thought about it for a long time. What do I lack the most right now…

‘Wait, I should check my stats first,