The next morning, Lee Jihoon groggily opened his eyes, feeling the lingering weight of exhaustion. He blinked against the soft light filtering through his apartment window, his mind still foggy from sleep.
For a moment, he lay still, staring at the ceiling, trying to recall the strange floating screen from last night. Had that really happened? Or had he simply been so tired that his brain had conjured up a ridiculous fantasy?
With a slow exhale, he sat up and rubbed his face. He half-expected everything to be normal again. Maybe he had just been hallucinating.
Then, as soon as he blinked, the translucent screen reappeared, hovering in front of him like an undeniable reality.
[Kindness System Active]First Mission: Help someone in need.Reward: 10,000 KRW
Jihoon froze, his heart skipping a beat.
"…So it wasn't a dream."
He hesitantly reached out, but his fingers passed through the floating screen like it was made of light. There was no physical weight to it, yet it remained persistent, unwavering—as if it was waiting for him to take action.
Jihoon stared at the text, skepticism creeping in. Perform acts of kindness to earn rewards? It sounded absurd. Too good to be true.
His gaze fell to the mission reward: 10,000 KRW.
It wasn't a lot—barely enough for a cup of coffee and a snack—but if this was real… if he could earn money just by helping someone…
He shook his head. No. There had to be a catch.
Still, the curiosity gnawed at him. He had nothing to lose by testing it out, right?
Dressed in his usual office attire—crisp white dress shirt, navy slacks, and a loosened tie—Jihoon stepped out onto the busy streets of Seoul, joining the morning rush. The air was filled with the scent of fresh bread from a nearby bakery, the rhythmic chatter of commuters, and the distant honking of impatient taxi drivers.
His legs moved on autopilot toward the subway station, but his mind was distracted, replaying the system notification over and over again.
How was he supposed to complete this mission?
Would holding the door open for someone count? What if he helped a coworker with their workload? Did the system have rules for what qualified as a "kind" act?
He was still lost in thought when he reached the subway entrance and spotted something unusual—
An elderly woman stood at the top of the stairs, clutching two large shopping bags filled with groceries. She was small, frail, and visibly struggling under the weight of the bags. Her hands trembled slightly as she adjusted her grip, glancing at the long flight of stairs leading down to the subway platform.
Jihoon's feet slowed.
For a second, he hesitated.
He wasn't the only one who saw her—several people passed by without stopping, too absorbed in their own morning rush to care. A few spared her a glance, but no one offered to help.
Do I really want to do this?
A familiar ding echoed in his head.
[First Mission: Help someone in need.]
Jihoon exhaled sharply. Well… I did say I'd test it.
He stepped forward.
"Excuse me, halmeoni (grandmother), do you need help with your bags?" he asked gently.
The old woman looked up at him, startled by the sudden offer. Her dark eyes, lined with wrinkles of age, scanned his face cautiously before softening.
"Oh, young man, I don't want to trouble you," she said with a hesitant smile.
Jihoon shook his head. "It's no trouble at all," he assured her. "I'm heading down anyway. Let me carry these for you."
Before she could refuse, he carefully took the bags from her hands. The weight surprised him—they were much heavier than he had expected, likely filled with fresh produce.
The old woman let out a relieved sigh. "You're very kind, son. My knees aren't as strong as they used to be."
Jihoon simply nodded and began walking down the stairs beside her, making sure to keep his pace slow so she could follow comfortably.
At the bottom, he set the bags down and handed them back.
"There you go, halmeoni. Have a nice day."
The elderly woman's lips curled into a warm, grateful smile. "Bless you, son. You remind me of my grandson. He's studying abroad, so I don't get to see him often."
Jihoon smiled politely. "I'm sure he misses you too."
As he turned to leave, another soft ding echoed in his mind.
[Mission Complete!]
You have earned 10,000 KRW.
Jihoon's breath caught. It worked.
His heart pounded as he quickly pulled out his phone and checked his bank account. His balance had actually increased by 10,000 KRW.
Holy—
This was real.
He had just made money—real, tangible money—by simply helping someone.
As Jihoon boarded the subway, his mind raced with the implications.
A system that rewards kindness? It sounded like something out of a fantasy novel, yet here he was—living it.
The world he knew didn't work this way. In the corporate world, being selfish and competitive got you ahead, not kindness. Promotions went to those who worked the hardest, not those who took time to help others.
Yet, this system ignored that logic entirely.
It valued kindness.
Jihoon leaned against the subway pole, deep in thought.
"If this is real… how far does it go?"
Would the system continue rewarding him for small acts of kindness? Were there levels to it? Did certain acts grant higher rewards?
He didn't know. But one thing was certain—he was going to find out.
His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed a young woman standing near him, gripping the subway pole for support. Her face was pale, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She looked unsteady, as if she might collapse at any moment.
Jihoon hesitated for only a second before stepping forward.
"Excuse me," he said, gesturing toward his seat. "Do you want to sit down?"
The woman looked startled but nodded quickly. "Ah… thank you."
He helped her into the seat as she sighed in relief, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched her bag.
Another ding rang in his head.
[Small Act of Kindness Completed!]
Reward: 5,000 KRW
Jihoon inhaled sharply.
It really works…
He had just made 15,000 KRW before even reaching the office.
He tightened his grip on the subway pole, his mind spinning with possibilities.
This system… was going to change his life.
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