After unloading the wrecked Cayenne into the storage unit, Eun-woo secured the heavy rolling door. He then pedaled his bicycle toward the nearest large shopping complex.
His first priority was to buy a phone. Navigating the modern world—a place of QR code payments and instant communication—with only cash was becoming a genuine hassle. As for the phone confiscated by his mother, he knew better than to hope for its return before the Suneung.
Inside the sleek Apple Store, Eun-woo politely held up a hand to stop the enthusiastic sales associate's spiel. He pointed directly at the latest iPhone model on display.
"No need for the demo, thank you. That one. I'll take two. In white."
He pulled out his bank card and handed it over before the associate could react.
The young woman blinked, momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected this handsome teenager to be so decisive, buying two of the most expensive models outright. The second one must be for his girlfriend, she thought with an inward sigh. Another good-looking guy already taken…
A few minutes later, Eun-woo walked out with two pristine white bags, his transaction smooth and efficient.
He rounded the corner and entered a SK Telecom service center located in the mall's lower concourse.
The store was quiet. Apart from a balding, middle-aged man in a cheap suit arguing about his bill at one counter, the place was empty.
Seeing no line, Eun-woo walked straight to an available agent, a woman in her late twenties.
"Hello, I'd like to activate two new lines, please."
The agent looked up from her computer. Her expression, which had been strained from dealing with the difficult customer, instantly brightened into a professional smile at the sight of the tall, good-looking young man.
"Of course! Please, your ID card first. You can use that kiosk over there to browse and select your numbers. Any available number you see, you can choose."
Eun-woo gave her a polite smile, handed over his ID card, and moved to the self-service kiosk.
The balding man at the neighboring counter, noticing the agent's sudden shift in demeanor toward what he saw as just a kid, felt a surge of petty irritation. Hmph. Good looks? What good are they? In this society, it's money that talks. What can a pretty boy like that do besides be arm candy?
Annoyed and seeking to reassert his own perceived importance, he sauntered over to the kiosk, intending to "put the student in his place" and show the agent what a real customer with real money looked like.
Seeing the man approach, Eun-woo offered a neutral, courteous nod before turning his attention back to the screen. People liked to watch, it was human nature.
He had no idea he'd become an unwitting target simply for existing.
His eyes scanned the digital catalog. A banner ad immediately caught his attention:
'Premium Numbers Available! 010-xxxx-0000! More Exclusive Numbers Inside!'
"Hmm, that's a clean number," Eun-woo murmured to himself. "Simple, memorable."
He knew such "golden numbers" weren't truly free; they came with hefty monthly premiums or large upfront fees. But now that he had the means, securing a better number wasn't a big deal—just a slightly higher fixed cost.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a derisive snort came from his right.
"Tsk. 'Clean'? You have some nerve. Kid, a number like that isn't for students. Do you know what a number like that means? It means won. Cold, hard cash." The balding man held up a thick finger. "Let me educate you. For a number like that banner's teasing you with? Not one million won. Ten million. Minimum."
He didn't wait for a response, warming to his theme. "Don't believe me? Even my number—it ends with four repeating digits—cost me over two million won to secure."
Eun-woo glanced sideways at the smug, self-satisfied face. A single thought echoed in his mind: Why is it that wherever I go, some insecure jerk feels the need to use me as a stepping stone for his ego? Did I ask for your opinion?
He decided to ignore the man entirely. Clicking into the "Premium/VIP Numbers" section, a list appeared: numbers ending in triple and quadruple repeats, sequential digits, and other desirable patterns.
Seeing this, the balding man shook his head with theatrical pity and wandered back to his seat opposite the agent, muttering just loud enough to be heard, "Aigoo… Young people today. No sense of reality. No money, but all the delusions…"
Eun-woo's eyes quickly settled on two numbers near the top of the list. A slow smile spread across his face.
"Well, look at you two," he whispered.
His fingers tapped the screen, pulling up the details for each number.
010-xxxx-1111: Required: 20,000,000 won deposit. Minimum monthly plan: 199,000 won for 60 months.
010-xxxx-9999: Required: 18,000,000 won deposit. Minimum monthly plan: 188,000 won for 60 months.
Eun-woo let out a soft whistle. Twenty million won just for a phone number? The telecom companies had no shame.
But looking at those clean, powerful sequences—'1111' and '9999'—he felt a pull. They were statements. And with the system, this was a drop in the bucket. He made his decision.
He looked up at the agent. "I've selected the numbers. What's next?"
The agent, who was scanning his ID, looked up and smiled. "There should be a 'Confirm Selection' button under each one on your screen. Once you click it, I'll get the notification here."
Following her instructions, Eun-woo clicked confirm for both numbers.
At the counter, the balding man raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Oh? Done already? Let me guess, you picked something with a couple of eights? Or was the 'premium' section too rich for your blood?"
Even the agent frowned at his needling. What business was it of his?
Eun-woo walked back to the counter. He met the man's disdainful gaze and replied, his tone utterly flat, "Heh. I don't have the unique… taste to pay millions for a number full of fours. Tell me, does your car have a matching set, too?"
The barb, disguised as curiosity, hit its mark. The man's chest puffed out, missing the insult entirely. "Ah, you noticed! That's right. The black Grandeur parked right out front with the triple fours on the plate? That's mine."
[To be continued…]