Chapter 3

If a poor person reincarnates, they become a rich person - Chapter 3 (3/405)

"Would you like to choose [Photography & Editing]?"

I chose the photo. I had to get it in no matter what.

Ding-

"▶▶▶Loading…"

"Your [Photography] stat has increased.

▶ +10

▶ +10

"<Status Window>

Name: Seo Yoonseul

Age: 17

Height: 162cm

Weight: 51kg

Health: 60HP/999

Charisma: 100/999

Photography: 30(↑10)/999

Photo Editing: 33(↑10)/999

Oratory: 87/999

Current Gold: 460,000"

"▶System

Congratulations!

You have taken the first step towards becoming an [Influencer].

Starting tomorrow, [Missions] will begin.

※ If you reject major missions more than three times, all abilities will decrease, and an unexpected ending will occur."

'What does this unexpected ending mean?'

Even when I scrolled down, there was no additional text. What caught my attention was the gold indicator at the bottom of the status window.

There's no way I could have this much money now. Maybe if I had saved the 150,000 won I received as pocket money during the Chuseok holiday.

Wait, I saw the words 'Starting gold of 300,000 is given' among the starting options earlier.

"Could it be…."

Can I use it in reality?

When I quickly clicked on the gold in the status window, a small window with the current amount appeared.

Ding-

"▶Gold

Gold that can be used in reality.

Say the amount you want and press and hold for three seconds to withdraw.

※ Withdrawal history will remain in the status window."

460,000 won. The money I can use now! If I succeed in missions, I might be able to gain more gold along with other stat increases.

The thought made my heart beat faster.

I had been working part-time every day, rain or shine, without a break since the moment my house went to auction two months later.

'And we eventually moved.'

After my house went to auction in the first semester of my first year of high school, we barely managed to get a basement apartment with the help of relatives. A year later, after my father passed away, our situation worsened rapidly, and we moved to a distant relative's house in a provincial city.

My mother went out early in the morning and did dishes at a restaurant from morning to night. She suffered from muscle pain every night, cutting band-aids to save even one of them.

I, too, rushed to my part-time job every day in my school uniform, afraid of being late.

"Seo Yoonseul. Aren't you studying these days? How much have your grades dropped since you transferred?"

I didn't even hear the scolding from my homeroom teacher. I couldn't focus on studying when I didn't even have time to sleep.

At that time, the thoughts that came to me as naturally as breathing were whether to eat a 200 won more expensive kimbap, whether to walk for thirty minutes because 700 won for bus fare was too expensive, whether to walk despite being tired, and why my part-time job pay hadn't come in yet.

New lip tints, clothes I wanted but couldn't buy, academy homework, and pocket money that wasn't given.

I felt like I was drifting alone among those happy and trivial worries. I felt like a stranger everywhere.

Ding-

"▶System

[Mission: General]

▶One step towards a million followers

Post your first post on SNS to find the current trend!

Reward

○Increase in Charisma stat

※ If you successfully complete the SNS posting mission (10) times,

Reward ☞ You can receive your 'First Gift.'

Do you accept?

While I was lost in thought, the status window appeared. This time, it's the first reward, so no gold is given. But if the first gift is a sponsorship….

'If it's a high-end product, I can resell it.'

But what's the current trend…?

"I'll think about it tomorrow."

I fell into a deep sleep, as if being sucked into the mattress.

* * *

The current popular SNS is definitely Acebook; Ustagram hasn't become popular yet. I remember that 1020s mainly used Acebook, and 4050s used KakaoStory.

'Let's check my friends' SNS after a long time…'

There were 'New' indicators on the updates from my middle school friends, whom I hadn't seen for years. Feeling a bit nostalgic, I was about to like them, but then I scrolled down again, wondering if they would send a separate message when they saw my likes.

I don't know why, but back then, I thought it was so great to have red lips.

Everyone used to wear similar shades of tint and hang out together. Since the concept of personal color didn't exist, I used to clumsily apply makeup with cosmetics that didn't match my tone.

"Ah, I'm so embarrassed."

The photos that were newly uploaded were like a trip to the past for me. Of course, I would be the same now. But somehow, it was reassuring.

I didn't feel isolated or left behind… That feeling, which used to seem so distant, was now vivid again.

I felt the weight of the somewhat bulky smartphone in my hand. It was one of the latest models at the time.

I received a reply to the text message I sent last night after turning on my phone.

I felt a sense of relief. The text from my father, whom I thought I would never receive again, ended with his usual words of love.

'Really, I've come back…'

To the time before my father passed away.

* * *

The current trend.

Even if I say 'now,' it's all something I've already experienced.

Recalling my memories was easy. The problem was how to draw attention from my surroundings.

'Let me think…'

A certain influencer said that content aimed at children has the highest advertising fees. However, the younger the age group, the fewer enjoyable contents there are.

Travel, luxury hauls, glamorous vlogs. These are stories for adults. Foreign travel vlogs, makeup, office worker vlogs, or stories after quitting a job….

'Such content won't attract the interest of teenagers now.'

No, even if I tried, it wouldn't work. It would draw too much attention, and my personal information would be exposed.

Do you know Ustagram ㅅㅇㅅ? (27 comments)

- Is your family well-off? Is this kid showing off money? It seems a bit much… lol Is it just me?

- I also think so; it feels like they didn't get enough love growing up.

-222 I can tell right away. They just want attention with money lol

-(Photo) This one made me laugh the most lol

-LOL

-It seems they don't realize that doing this makes them look even more lacking.

-I know her indirectly… Her family isn't well-off, but I don't know if I should say it. I'll just keep my mouth shut~~

-Secret comment

-Tell me too ㅠㅠ

-Really? It's a bit shocking if it's true.

-First comment, I agree lol Kids who grew up with love don't seem to care about material things and come across naturally. She tries to show off everything, which makes her look so lacking… ㅠ I don't really care if other kids or older sisters are envious. I clench my teeth and say I'm loved ㅠ

Now, there's no trend of luxury and rich kid marketing. That trend will start exactly three years from now and continue thereafter.

After a luxury brand became popular among 1020s, it has steadily remained a coveted target.

'What I can show now…'

Right, I can only ride the wave of the current small and simple trends. In a few years, such content will be dismissed as the sentiment of the poor and the yellow floor mat.

Still, it's fortunate. At this age, being simple is actually charming.

Ding-

I thought it was the status window, but a message suddenly appeared on my phone. It was from Na-yeon.

My best friend, Seo Yoonseul, who was 17 and in the same class with me throughout middle school.

'Or, were we…'

After moving to a basement apartment in a hurry and being busy finding part-time jobs I hadn't tried, I ignored Na-yeon's messages unilaterally.

I avoided her by saying I was busy and overwhelmed. In fact, it was because I was so embarrassed that my situation was so different from Na-yeon's.

While Na-yeon was growing up without a care under her parents' protection, I had become a person from a different world, worrying about 200 won for a single triangle kimbap.

'Of course, I couldn't meet her because of my weekend part-time jobs.'

Back then, I had nothing, and my pride was so fragile that I couldn't give it back. It was all I had.

While working part-time at a barbecue restaurant, my sneakers, which had been stepped on here and there, had turned almost gray.

* * *

"Seo~ It's been a while!"

Now it really feels real. I've really come back to the past.

Even when the status window appeared, I was half-doubting it, but seeing Na-yeon's smiling face running towards me, I felt that I was really back at 17. It made my heart tingle.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"Just because. I like it."

"What?~"

Na-yeon's hand, grabbing mine to hurry, was a welcome sight. Then, a small sign flashed above Na-yeon's head.

'Status window?'

"<Status Window>

Name: Lee Na-yeon

Age: 17

Height: 157cm

Weight: 42kg

Health: 80HP/999

Charisma: 75/999

Photography: 15/999

Photo Editing: 8/999

Oratory: 43/999

When I called the status window in my mind, Na-yeon's status window appeared.

'Even personality is a skill.'

Then, my skill, (Un)Sorry, the mindset of an office worker, seems to be more of a personality trait….

'It's frustrating not to know for sure.'

A K-user who always looks for a guide before playing a game. Even in a healing game, the mindset of paying off debts through labor doesn't change.

Even in a game where you pick flowers and give gifts to animal friends to get to know each other, Koreans sell mulberries to pay off debts and then pick honey to pay off debts again.

- Lucky- www Finally, a bear has moved to our village ╰(❛∀❛ )╮ I can't believe it. Thank you so much, Animal Village God!!! I can't get tired of looking at it www

-Today, I invited a friend and played all day... Is it okay to keep the loan like this? (laugh) But the time with Tsunyango is unbearable.. ^ↀᴥↀ^

-Can't the initial loan be set to zero?ヽ(#`Д´)ﾉ I came to enjoy healing in the game, but paying off debts in the game is just impossible.

-Finally leveled up (＾∀＾) It's fun and exciting♪ I ended up playing with my mother too. Instead of rolling around, pay a little more attention to your actual child (laugh)

Such things don't happen.

-How to make an ugly hippo move out as quickly as possible (please recommend)

-Paying off the loan by playing the game for 10 hours a day... Paying off real debts and game debts

-Success with cabbage coins. Finally, one step closer to paying off the loan

-(Please recommend) Unexpected honey tip when breaking the honeycomb

-Spent three hours fishing. It felt like real fishing

This is, because I'm Korean.

Anyway, I need to find out what my skill is, how to level it up, whether I received a protagonist buff or if I have two additional skills because I'm older.

'But are skills only obtained through mission rewards, or can they be improved through practice even without mission rewards?'

I'll check later. The unhelpful status window leaves me with many questions. Isn't there usually a tutorial in the early stages? Tsk.

Looking to the side in annoyance, I saw a small, flashing object next to Na-yeon's status window.

"Character Information: >>♡♥♡

▷You can open to see how the character thinks of you."

'Character information…'

I have a feeling it's better not to open it. No matter how they think of me, I think of Na-yeon as a good friend.

And checking everyone I meet would be tiring… No, it would hurt a little. When I scrolled down next to the character information, there was

"♥Affinity: 102/999"

100 is 100, but what's this '2'…? It seems Na-yeon liked me more than I thought.

I feel a wave of emotion.

Right. I'm glad I didn't open the character information.

* * *

Na-yeon, who urged me to buy a new school bag, led me to a luxury store.

'Right… I forgot about her spending habits for a moment.'

After an hour of going from one store to another, Na-yeon, who said this was really the last one, suggested we look at one more place.

"Seo. I'm really, really struggling with this decision."

"……."

"I said I'll use this wallet for a year if I buy it."

'You said you came to buy a bag…'

Bags, shoes, a new school uniform with a new bracelet, and now, finally, a wallet. The 25-year-old Seo Yoonseul in my mind keeps tapping the salary calculator.

Spending an amount that exceeds a regular salary in one day. There was a time when I was used to such moments. My mouth feels bitter.

'Now, I buy a body wash only if there's a discount coupon.'

"Seo, what do you think? Beige or white? I'm really struggling with this."

Na-yeon, who was talking energetically while casually looking at the wallets the clerk carefully placed in front of her, frowned for a moment, pretending to think, and then shouted lightly.

"I can't decide. I'll just call my mom!"

The call was completed in less than a minute.

"Mom, can I buy both? I'm really struggling, and both are perfect for me. I'll really study hard. Yes, I love you."

No, this isn't right. I feel a wave of inferiority. A 17-year-old rich kid spends in a day what a 25-year-old office worker trembles at.

"Seo, let's go to the lounge."

The VIP lounge cafe, where only the top-tier VIPs, indicated by the gold card, can enter, shone brightly.

Na-yeon, who casually spent several months' salary of an office worker, smiled while waving the cafe entry card.

"…Okay."

Swallowing the inferiority that rose to my throat, I smiled back.

Let's go. To the VIP lounge.