12 Hours After

Translator: Khan

Editor: RED

“A blind date is set up for you.”

At my mom’s words, I touched my forehead. ‘She said it was a good story, but it’s that again.’

“I don’t need it.”

“No, listen to the conditions. She graduated from Ewha Womans University and ES… convenience store? She is working at a big company. She has a good educational background, and her work is in the same class as you.”

Workplace. I almost quit today…

“In addition, I heard that she’s living in a nice house. Of course, money is not everything in the world. But I’ve been living my life…”

‘Money. I’ll have more money, too. But before that, I don’t want to see more of this kind of blind date. It’s because it feels so dry that persons meet each other on conditions only and get married in pairs. I want to have a more natural love. I heard I can’t get married with this thought. But I don’t think it’ll be bad if I don’t get married. If not, I will enjoy myself on my salary.

‘Ah, and I don’t need a salary anymore.

‘It’s better. I must have a lot of money. I don’t have to be tied up with anyone now. If I have a girl who I want to live with, I will meet her naturally and marry her.’

“The woman I care about…”

Someone tried to come up in my mind. But at that time, the idea vanished like a mirage when my mom called my name.

“Sang Hoon, are you listening?”

“I’m listening to you.”

“So, meet her once. I am sorry to say no to your aunt who is introducing her to you. Meet her on Friday, and come home Saturday morning, eh?”

I was unable to refuse any more now that my mom had said that. As I had something to say over the weekend, I thought I should listen to my mom this much. “OK, I’ll do it.”

“Yes, don’t feel too much pressure and meet her. If you’re happy on meetng her, you can meet more, or if you don’t like her, never mind.”

“Nay…”

“Yes, her phone number is…”

I got the phone number of a strange woman and saved it. The following repertoire was similar: texting, making an appointment, looking at her face, eating pasta, and talking. I texted the very number. ‘Hello. Nice to meet you.’

I put my cell phone in my pocket without waiting for her reply.

‘If I text a woman like this, I will get a reply about an hour later. Women usually think they look cheap if they reply too quickly.

‘If she does not text me, I don’t have to meet her. I’m glad I have a cause. This is it.’

I walked down the street thinking that way. I had an idea when I walked down the street. I liked Gangnam as well. The building was big and nice, and the women were pretty. There were some of the hottest brands on the boulevard, while restaurants were located inside the alleys.

‘People with a lot of money don’t live in Gangnam for no reason. Gangnam is definitely the place where the times and cultures lead. In that sense, it’s meaningful to live here. I mean, if I live here, I can naturally see the most advanced trends and make use of them. I think I’m going to have to move here. Now my assets are over $1,500,000. It would be better to spend it or increase it in this Gangnam area.

‘So, shall I move here first? It’s a little too much to buy a car right away. I have money, but it could cost a few tens of thousand dollars, or hundreds of thousand dollars.’

Thinking of it, it was a little too much to buy a car now. It would cost at least tens of thousand dollars, or hundreds of thousand dollars. If I had tens of million dollars, it would be much easier to buy a car. However, it would be much more profitable to buy a few more shares with the money. On the other hand, a house was different.

‘If I live on the monthly rent, I don’t need big money for living expenses. Even if I live in a studio worth more than $1,000 a month, I’ll earn dozens of times that a month anyway. The monthly rent is not very high.’

Instead of going home right away, I started looking around Gangnam Station more, focusing on the place where expensive studios were concentrated. The blind date’s reply text came around after I looked around a few studios and went home.

‘Nice to meet you. Han Sang Hoon.’

There used to be a lot of chatter before blind dates, but not these days. I finished texting a Friday evening appointment in a nutshell.

———————

Thursday morning. I sat down in the chair, humming.

“Hmm, hmm, hmm.”

Naturally, I picked up my cell phone and turned on the MTS. I didn’t have any shares, but it was to see my account balance. $1,556,832.

‘Ch… it’s exciting. It’s always new. Money is the best.’

I had become addicted to seeing my account balance like this lately. I couldn’t help it. I imagined endorphins coming out every time.

‘Is this how people who smoke feel?’

‘I don’t smoke, but I think it’s about the same. I know how much it contains, but I keep seeing it, and if I don’t see it, it’s bad, so I look at it again. It’s okay, isn’t it? It doesn’t hurt my health like a cigarette. There is no hangover left like alcohol. If it’s addiction without side effects, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to get a little bit.’

I watched the list of numbers so hard. But then suddenly, I had an idea.

‘Ah, actually, I can apply for Gold Class now, right.’

$1,000,000 was needed to subscribe to the Gold Class. So, it was possible to apply for the Gold Class, since I had over $1,500,000. But to be more precise, the application was possible.

‘If I put $1,000,000 in, then there are only half a million dollars left.’

‘I don’t want to cut back on my seed money right now. Two times as much as $1,500,000 is $3,000,000, but two times as much as $500,000 is just $1,000,000.’

‘At least I have to collect $2,000,000. Let’s do one more trade and then ask for an upgrade.’

I waited for 8:55, thinking about it.

[S. 12 Hours After]

It came.

‘What’s going to happen today?’

I clicked on it thinking that way. But the mail was a little strange today…

‘What?’

[Silver Class Member Mail, Subscription Period left: 30 days.]

The top part of the subscription list was the same with such categories as Politics and Society. What had changed was the lower part.

[You can apply for a Gold Class Membership. Open the guide.]

[Today’s exclusive event!]

[Check it out now! Click Open!]

Two more lines were added under the usual “Gold Class Guide,” the raucous phrase of providing an event. Some of the words even glistened in color.

‘What’s this? It looks cheap.’

But when I started this 12 Hours After, the flyer I had picked up looked poor and cheap. A decent person would never bend his back to pick it up.

‘Is this the concept? Well…’

I clicked to open it, thinking about it. Then, more complicated and noisy advertisements appeared.

[Just for one day!]

[$Gold Class$ 50% off for the first purchase of subscription!]

[Gold Class Membership Service with $500,000!]

[Apply now.]

‘What is this? They’re offering me a discount on my subscription fee. That’s half the price, too.’

After looking at the contents, I didn’t care much about the cheap-looking format. Half the price attracted me. It was just $500,000.

‘Do I have to do it?’

However, $500,000 was also a big sum, one-third of what I had now.

‘But when I know what the benefits of Gold Class are, I can apply for it.’

That was what I thought, and I scrolled down. Then, this email was like reading my thoughts. There were a few more lines on the bottom.

[Gold Class Specials Guide]

[Provides every category news title every day!]

[Two skill points paid immediately!]

[Do you have any complaints about the subscription?]

[24-hour real-time Customer Service is opened!]

[You don’t have to go to the bank! Automatic withdrawal service of the monthly fee!]

[You can apply for Platinum Class!]

I read each line from the top. First, all category news titles were shown.

‘They’re saying they will show all the categories. I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to see now.’

But more noticeable than that was the second line.

‘They’re giving me a skill point.’

Skill points were like some element in the game. Well, I didn’t know anything about this.

‘What skill is it?’

But there was no explanation for that. The words “Privilege Guide” was written, but there was no specific explanation of what was actually there.

‘Are these guys making fun of me?’

That was what I was thinking, and one word just below came into my eyes. Customer Service.

‘Was there Customer Service?’ If there was, I’d like to ask them right now, ‘Where can I use the skill point?’

But I couldn’t find it here.

‘Are they saying that a customer worth $10,000 a month is not a customer?’

I wanted to swear, but I held back. To be honest, 12 Hours After was no different than a lifesaver to me. I was a little sorry I thought that, as I made $1,500,000 on two payments of $10,000.

‘Well… that’s what I’m saying.’

This Customer Service was definitely more attractive than the skill point that I didn’t know was right now. There were so many things I wanted to ask them.

‘Silver, next Gold. What else is there?’

‘Why the hell isn’t the Lotto number coming out.’

‘What’s going on with this news selection?’

No, there was a more fundamental question before then.

‘What are you guys doing here? No, are you human beings? Aren’t you going to be aliens?’

The two lines below it were just so. I didn’t mind the automatic withdrawal. Cell phone charges were the same, and Platinum Class seemed to be on top of it. I tried to scroll up. But then, I saw another line written in very small letters at the bottom.

[This event is a special discount that is only available for the first month of payment, and a list price of $1,000,000 will be charged from next month.]

I gathered my hands for a moment, biting my lower lip.

‘I’ll have to pay $1,000,000 next month, and if I am not so lucky, I can lose all my money.’

‘But I’ve been doing well for the past month. I can do well this month, too. And half-price… $500,000! Wouldn’t it be a job to do?’

I felt my hand on my chin and watched the screen for a moment. But I did not think long.

‘Yes, I increased my money several times with the information of $10,000, and if there would is information at $1,000,000, it would not be hard to increase $1,000,000 to $10,000,000.’

I decided to apply for a Gold Class. The phrase “Apply immediately” flashed in the email. I clicked it. A new page popped up.