Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Liu Seo-ha.
That's my name, and it's a name you've probably heard at least once in your life if you've been following the business world in this country.
At twenty-three years old, one of the heirs to one of South Korea's most powerful companies, Changsung, and the second daughter of the Ryu family, I've had it all since childhood.
Money, connections, good looks, and the natural ability to use them all with flair.
It may sound silly, but for someone who was born with everything, lack was the furthest thing from my mind.
It wasn't until one day that I began to see myself as an empty person.
At the same time, it was also the day I was saved.
“Why don't you take this vacation and go on a trip with your friends?”
One day, when I was just turning twenty-two.
I was running one of the subsidiaries I inherited from my father, and I took a rare vacation to see my mother for the first time.
As usual, my mother was worried about her daughter, but I shook my head at the idea of a vacation.
“Not really.... It's okay, I still have work to do, and I'm taking back my vacation.”
“Really? Your dad was worried that you needed some time off....”
“I'm not a kid.”
I tried to put on a strong front, like I didn't need the vacation, but it wasn't really a strong front, because in reality, it didn't do me much good.
Neither did he, because at that point, I had forgotten what else could fill me up outside of work.
I had graduated from high school in January and college early, so I didn't really have any friends. I wasn't very good at getting along with people in school to begin with, which is to be expected since I was all about grades and credits.
Traveling was also something I had no idea how to do. I took the time to go once, but I'd end up lying around in the hotel, pull out my laptop to work, and be back within two days thinking, “If I'm going to do this, I'd rather be at work.” I don't have any hobbies.
I don't really have any hobbies. Unlike my mother, who loves tea ceremony and ceramics, or my father, who loves golf and listening to music, I didn't find anything that interested me.
For me, a vacation is a punishment, like a detention.
The only thing that fills me up is the tenuous sense of satisfaction that comes from being at work, smelling the paper, touching the documents, and feeling like I've accomplished something.
“So you're going back to work tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I'm just taking today off to say hello here and there.”
“Anyway.... You can't work yourself to death at such a young age. You need to start thinking about how people will value you.”
She had a point, and I didn't have the courage to put it out there and say, “I've forgotten how to do that.
“Well, I'm in a good place right now, and since I said goodbye, I'll get up first.”
“Okay, go back, get some rest, and take it easy tomorrow.”
It's a promise I probably won't be able to keep, but I nod and leave the house.
“Mr. Park, please take me home.”
“Ah, yes, sir.”
I got into the black sedan, which wasn't exactly my favorite color, and was about to give the driver instructions as usual, when I noticed something strange about his behavior.
He was looking at his phone a moment ago. What was he doing? Was he watching the news? It didn't seem like it.
“Mr. Park, what were you looking at just now?”
“Oh, you mean this? It's called Tweeps, it's an internet show that I sometimes watch.”
“An internet broadcast?”
I shook my head at the word, which didn't quite fit the image of Mr. Park.
I was surprised to hear that he watches such things. I always thought he was watching newspapers or news.
I had heard about the internet broadcasting, so I was interested in it, and spontaneously asked a question.
“I don't think you're a journalist, so I don't expect you to watch women dancing naked.... What kind of shows do you watch?”
“I usually watch videos of normal chats. Since I'm often waiting in the car, I like to listen to it with my ears, like a radio.”
“I see.”
Is this what all internet broadcasts sound like? I don't think this is what Mr. Park would watch.
I scroll down slowly, but none of the titles catch my eye. They're all playing some kind of game, or the main screen shows a scantily clad woman.
Or there's a cartoonish figure taking up a huge chunk of the screen, and none of them are really my style.
As I scrutinized the streams one by one, I eventually came down to the ones with less than 10 viewers.
I thought that fewer viewers meant less interesting, so I thought about quitting the app, but then I saw a headline that caught my eye.
“We're here to help...?”
I clicked on it, and a giant notepad appeared on the screen, lit up with a bunch of letters.
There were tons of words scribbled on it, and when I read them closely, I realized that the broadcaster probably typed out the words he said.
- So please don't put other people's waste in your pockets, Mr. Storyteller, why are you ruining your life?
And then a very serious voice. It sounded like he was giving sincere advice to someone, just like the title of the program.
He certainly has a good voice. I have a feeling he could sing well.
- So, do you think that's enough advice?
Loser passing by] - Yes, thank you... I feel a little relieved.
A chat popped up alongside the broadcaster's words. It was probably the person who was receiving counseling earlier.
I don't know the details of the chat, but it seems to have helped him quite a bit.
What a great guy. It can't be easy to make someone feel like that, at least not someone like me.
- Oh, and welcome to lsh0306, who just walked in, sorry I'm late in introducing myself.
Unlike everyone else's nickname, yours hasn't changed since you first created it.
Calling it that, the mysterious man on the screen greeted me. The situation felt oddly welcoming to me.
The company's shady internal politics, some employees smiling at me in front of me and gossiping behind my back.
Unlike dealing with those people, I was able to say whatever was on my mind, without worrying about being disliked, without having to look good, and without having to put on a good face.
Even if I say something to this person right now, no one in the world will ever know that it's Liu Seoha's problem.
This is the only time I can really say what's on my mind.
The moment I realized that, I was tapping away at the keyboard.
lsh0306】- Can I talk to you about my problems?
- Oh, sure, if you'd like to hear my humble advice!
I couldn't help but smile at the man's tone, which was a bit frivolous, but warm and friendly.
I'm not really looking for advice. I just need someone to talk to who will listen to me and not tell anyone else.
[lsh0306] - I feel so empty inside, what can I do?
A word from my wandering mind.
Maybe I was asking myself, I thought.
HPDBC