Part 1 Graduation Day
Graduation was supposed to be the start of something great.
A moment of pride. A stepping stone into the future.
But for Ahn Yujin, it felt like standing on a cliff, staring at an endless drop below.
She adjusted her cap, the stiff fabric pressing against her forehead as she waited in line behind hundreds of graduates dressed in the same oversized gowns. The sun bore down on them, heat simmering off the concrete, but no one dared to remove their attire. Not until they had their turn on stage, shaking hands with a professor, receiving a diploma holder that held nothing but air the real certificates would be mailed later, probably months from now.
"Yujin! Look over here!"
A familiar voice cut through the noise.
Her best friend, Seo Mina, stood off to the side, waving excitedly with her phone raised. "Let's take a picture!"
Yujin forcing a smile.
Click.
The camera shutter snapped, capturing a moment that was supposed to be happy.
Supposed to be.
As the ceremony dragged on, Yujin's mind wandered.
Her classmates buzzed with excitement, chatting about new jobs, internships, and study-abroad plans.
She had none of those things.
The reality was that her inbox was filled with polite rejection emails, and her part-time job at the convenience store was barely covering rent.
The future?
A massive question mark.
Part 2 The Illusion of Success
By the time the ceremony ended, the sun had begun its descent, casting golden hues across the university courtyard.
Mina grabbed her arm, practically bouncing with excitement. "Let's go celebrate! We're graduates now!"
Yujin hesitated. What was there to celebrate?
Still, she let Mina drag her along, their small group of friends heading to a nearby restaurant.
The table filled quickly with food and drinks, laughter and chatter blending into the background.
Yujin picked at her plate, pushing her rice around with her chopsticks as she listened.
"She already signed with a company two months ago."
"Really? That's amazing!"
"Yeah, her salary is insane. I heard she even got a signing bonus."
Another friend. Another success story.
Yujin took a sip of her drink. Why did she feel so out of place?
"Yujin," Mina nudged her, pulling her out of her thoughts. "What about you? Any job offers yet?"
A brief pause. A fake smile.
"Oh, you know... still deciding."
Mina frowned. "You've been job hunting, right?"
"Yes," Yujin lied. "Something will work out."
She said it as if she believed it.
Part 3 Reality Hits Hard
The celebration stretched late into the evening, but Yujin left early.
The streets were quieter now, the neon lights of nearby shops flickering against the darkening sky.
She pulled her phone from her bag, scrolling through her emails.
"Dear Miss Ahn, we regret to inform you…"
She exhaled sharply, shoving the phone back in.
Her apartment was exactly as she had left it small, cramped, and barely holding itself together.
She set her bag down and collapsed onto her bed.
A loud knock came from the door.
She already knew who it was.
With a sigh, she forced herself up, opening it just enough to see the familiar scowl of Mr. Park, her landlord.
"Rent's due," he said, crossing his arms.
She had been hoping to delay it a few more days. "I just graduated today. Can I get a little time?"
Mr. Park scoffed. "Will you pay with your diploma?"
Yujin clenched her jaw. Of course not.
Reluctantly, she reached into her wallet, pulling out what little she had left.
The landlord counted the bills before nodding in approval. "Next month, don't be late."
The door shut.
Yujin exhaled, running a hand through her hair.
So this was adulthood.
Days passed. Then a week.
Yujin sat at her small desk, her laptop open to job listings.
Apply. Wait. Rejection.
Apply. Wait. Rejection.
The cycle repeated.
Her savings dwindled.
The job market didn't care that she had a degree, good grades, or big dreams.
All it cared about was experience, and she had none.
"Ugh," she groaned, flopping onto her bed. Was she going to be stuck in a convenience store forever?
Part 4 A Night of Bad Decisions
Mina's voice on the phone was far too energetic.
"Yujin, let's go out."
"I'm not in the mood."
"Exactly why you need to come! You're stuck in your room all day. One night won't kill you."
Yujin hesitated. One night.
Maybe she did need a break.
"Fine," she relented.
The club was exactly what Yujin had imagined too loud, too bright, and full of people who looked like they knew exactly how to have a good time. The bass vibrated through her bones as strobe lights flashed, casting brief, chaotic shadows over the crowd. The scent of expensive cologne mixed with the cloying sweetness of fruity cocktails, and the air was thick with energy and tension, as if everyone was dancing away the weight of their lives.
Yujin held her drink tightly, feeling the cold rim of the glass bite into her fingers as she surveyed the scene. She felt like an outsider in her own skin. The place was alive with confidence, and all she could think about was how sh is e was way out of her element.
"Mina, why am I here?" she muttered, her voice almost lost in the roar of the music.
Mina, on the other hand, was glowing with excitement. She bounced on the balls of her feet, practically vibrating with energy. "Because you need to have fun, Yujin! It's been too long! You've been holed up in your apartment, wallowing in rejection emails. It's time to forget all that crap for one night."
Yujin let out a sigh, feeling a twinge of guilt for abandoning her responsibilities, but she couldn't help it. Mina was right. Maybe one night wouldn't kill her.
Mina grinned and pulled something out of her pocket a small, sleek package, which she waved in front of Yujin's face like it was some kind of treasure. "Guess what? I got us Dream Bliss! You know, that herbal thing everyone's talking about? It's supposed to make you feel like you're in a dream, like floating."
Yujin frowned, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that the drug that got banned in Japan?"
Mina just shrugged, her grin widening. "Legal here, babe. Besides, people swear by it. They say it's the best way to get that floating feeling without having to deal with the aftermath of something stronger."
Yujin hesitated, her fingers gripping her drink tighter as she processed the offer. She wasn't usually one for taking risks like this, but then her mind wandered. The constant stream of rejection emails. Her landlord's condescending stare when she couldn't pay on time. The mounting pressure of having nothing to show for her degree. It felt like everything was closing in on her, and suddenly, a small, irrational part of her thought: Maybe this is the escape I need.
With a deep breath, she grabbed the small package from Mina and tore it open. She didn't even ask what was inside. She just wanted to feel something different, something that wasn't failure. She popped the contents into her mouth and immediately felt the bitter taste slide down her throat.
Mina watched her, an excited gleam in her eye. "Told you! You won't regret it."
As the effects began to set in, Yujin felt lighter. The noise around her blurred slightly, the lights began to shimmer more vividly, and she started to feel like she was floating. The heaviness of the past few weeks seemed to lift, just a little. The crowd's energy was infectious. She was no longer a spectator; she was part of something bigger, something alive.
Moments later, a guy tall, with a sharp jawline and an easy smile approached her at the bar. He was holding a drink in his hand and gave Yujin a friendly nod.
"Hey," he said, his voice almost lost in the music. "You look like you're new here. Can I get you another drink?"
Yujin blinked, feeling a rush of confidence she hadn't had all night. It wasn't the Dream Bliss it was the fact that someone had noticed her. Someone was talking to her. She smiled, suddenly feeling like she belonged.
"Sure," she said, leaning in just a little closer. "I'll take whatever you're having."
The guy grinned and waved for the bartender's attention. Mina, who had been watching the whole interaction with interest, raised an eyebrow. She had been right all along Yujin just needed a little push.
Mina leaned over to Yujin and whispered, "Told you this was a good idea. Look at you, getting free drinks already."
Yujin smiled, feeling a little more alive. The guy handed her a fresh cocktail, his eyes lingering on her for a second longer than necessary. As he turned to walk away, Mina shot Yujin an I told you so look, her grin widening.
"See?" Mina said, almost as if she were congratulating her on making the right choice. "This is what happens when you let go for a minute. You got this."
Yujin didn't know if it was the Dream Bliss, the alcohol, or just the sheer thrill of being in this world of flashing lights and careless fun, but for once, she didn't feel like the girl who had been rejected from every job she applied to. She didn't feel like the girl with a full résumé and an empty bank account. She felt seen. She felt like she mattered, even if just for tonight.
As they danced, Yujin let herself forget everything for a little while. The weight of the world could wait. Tonight, she had a drink in her hand, a free one at that, and the feeling that maybe just maybe she was doing something right for once.
Part 5 The System Appears
At first, nothing happened.
Then…
The world blurred.
A soft ding echoed in her ears.
[Welcome, Ahn Yujin! You have been chosen as a participant in the "Billionaire Marriage System."]
Her vision cleared.
A glowing pink screen floated in front of her.
Yujin blinked. Was she hallucinating?
[Your first mission: Marry a billionaire within one year. Accept or decline?]
She frowned, waving a hand to push the screen away.
It followed.
Her heart skipped. Oh no.
This wasn't a hallucination.
She hit "Decline."
[Error. Participation is mandatory.]
"...Excuse me?"
[New mission activated: Within 24 hours, you must meet a billionaire's son. Failure will result in penalty.]
A sharp pain shot through her ankle. She yelped, stumbling forward.
[First penalty: Temporary physical discomfort.]
"Oh, this system is psychotic."
She turned to Mina.
"Mina, I think that drug you gave me is trying to ruin my life."
Mina, completely unaware, kept dancing.
Yujin groaned.
She was so, so screwed.