The streets of Seoul were still waking up as Lee Jihoon walked toward the subway station.
The early morning air was crisp, carrying the faint aroma of coffee from a nearby café. A light breeze rustled the leaves of the roadside trees, and the world felt a little quieter than usual.
For years, Jihoon had taken this walk without a second thought—his mind preoccupied with work, deadlines, or just the desire to go back to sleep.
But now?
Now, he noticed things.
A flower shop owner carefully watering her plants, arranging bouquets in the window.
An elderly man feeding pigeons on a wooden bench, tossing them small pieces of bread.
A young woman standing nearby, nervously checking her phone, probably before a big interview.
Had these people always been here?
Had he just never noticed them before?
Jihoon paused at the crosswalk, feeling a strange sense of realization.
Before the system, he had spent most of his life only focusing on himself.
But now, for the first time, he was beginning to understand—the world was full of people with their own struggles, their own worries, their own moments of joy and pain.
As he approached the subway stairs, a ding echoed in his mind.
[Kindness Opportunity Detected.]
A simple greeting can brighten someone's day.
Jihoon raised an eyebrow. That counts?
With a small smirk, he turned toward the elderly man feeding the pigeons.
"Good morning, harabeoji," he said warmly.
The old man, startled, looked up from his seat. His face was lined with wrinkles, but his eyes twinkled with surprise.
"Oh?" The man chuckled. "Good morning, young man."
Jihoon gestured at the pigeons. "They seem happy today."
The old man let out a hearty laugh. "They always are when they get free breakfast."
Jihoon smiled, nodding before heading down the subway steps.
Ding.
[Small Act of Kindness Completed!]
Reward: 3,000 KRW
That was way too easy.
But as Jihoon stepped onto the subway, he found himself thinking—how many moments like this had he missed before?
The subway car was crowded as usual—office workers, students, and commuters packed together, each lost in their own world.
Jihoon found a spot near the door, holding onto the metal rail, when he noticed a teenager sitting nearby.
The boy was hunched over, staring at his phone screen with an intense focus, his fingers tapping rapidly.
Jihoon glanced at the screen—an online forum about the CSAT (Korean college entrance exam).
The kid looked… stressed.
Jihoon knew that look. He had been that kid once.
Taking a sip of his coffee, Jihoon nudged the teenager lightly.
"Studying for an exam?"
The boy flinched, looking up in surprise. "Uh… yeah. The CSAT is coming up."
Jihoon nodded knowingly. "Tough test."
The kid let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah. I've been studying for months, but… I don't know. It feels like it's never enough."
Jihoon leaned against the pole, thinking back to his own exam days—the sleepless nights, the pressure, the fear of failure.
He smiled slightly. "Here's a tip. The night before the exam—don't study."
The boy blinked. "Huh?"
Jihoon smirked. "You heard me. Don't study. Sleep early. Give your brain time to process everything you've learned."
The kid hesitated. "But… what if I forget something?"
Jihoon shook his head. "You won't. You've already studied for months. Trust yourself."
The teenager stared at him for a moment before slowly nodding.
"…I'll try that."
Ding.
[Small Act of Kindness Completed!]
Reward: 5,000 KRW
Jihoon grinned.
Encouraging students? Easy money.
But more than that—he knew how much a few words could mean when you were drowning in stress.
And if he could ease someone's burden, why wouldn't he?
By lunchtime, Jihoon found himself sitting across from Kevin Park in the company cafeteria.
Kevin had his arms crossed, eyeing Jihoon suspiciously.
"You're still doing this kindness thing, huh?"
Jihoon smirked. "Jealous?"
Kevin scoffed. "Of what? Giving up my subway seat and buying strangers coffee?"
Jihoon shrugged. "You'd be surprised how much it changes things."
Kevin stabbed at his food with his chopsticks. "Yeah, yeah. You keep saying that."
Just then, a cafeteria worker approached their table.
It was the elderly cashier Jihoon had helped a few days ago.
"Ah, young man! You're here again today!" she greeted with a bright smile.
Jihoon nodded. "Of course. The food's good."
The woman chuckled. "I wanted to thank you again for your kindness the other day. It meant a lot to me."
Jihoon shook his head. "It was nothing, really."
The woman smiled warmly. "It wasn't nothing to me."
Then, she placed a small bowl of extra side dishes on his tray.
"My treat," she said with a wink before walking away.
Kevin stared.
"…Dude. Did you just get VIP treatment?"
Jihoon smirked. "Guess kindness has its perks."
Kevin sighed, shaking his head. "Unbelievable."
Jihoon just smiled.
Kindness had a way of coming back.
After work, Jihoon was walking home when his phone buzzed.
He glanced down.
Unknown Number.
He frowned, unlocking his phone.
Hello, is this Lee Jihoon?
This is Yoo Seoyun.
Jihoon froze.
Wait. Yoo Seoyun? As in… THE Yoo Seoyun?
The actress? The one he had left an encouraging comment for on social media?
His heart pounded as he read the next message.
I just wanted to say thank you.
I saw your comment the other day. It really helped me.
Jihoon stared at his phone.
He had almost forgotten about that comment. It was just a simple message, a small act of support.
And yet—it had reached her.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Then, finally, he typed back.
I'm glad. Just know that a lot of people support you.
A few seconds later, another reply.
Thank you. Really. If you ever need a favor, let me know.
Jihoon blinked.
A favor? From a celebrity?
He didn't know whether to laugh or be shocked.
Instead, he just smiled.
Because today, he had learned something important.
Kindness had a ripple effect.
A simple act, a small gesture—it could spread in ways he never imagined.
And maybe… just maybe…
He was only getting started.
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