If I Don’t Earn 1 Trillion Won, My Regression Ends - Chapter 3

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 3

This is a story from before my regression.

“My goodness~ I was worried about how she’d manage after divorcing back then, but I guess I shouldn’t have worried about others. She succeeded and even appears on TV like that!”

“Mom, do you know her?”

“Of course I do. Remember the old neighborhood we used to live in? The place we lived when you were very little – she was really famous there.”

Mom chattered away.

Madam Bang Suk-yeong, who grew up like a princess in a rural village as the youngest of six siblings, loved gossip very much, which naturally included neighborhood rumors.

“The story of a rich family’s princess eloping with a poor guy is only happy in dramas. In the end, she couldn’t stand it and divorced before the child even entered elementary school, then went back home.”

“But Mom, you’re a princess too.”

“Oh you~ Your mom is a fake princess from the countryside! But that person was a real princess, you know? Right after the divorce, she kept succeeding while her ex-husband cried every day! What a commotion it was in the neighborhood? They said she was heartless for not even letting the husband see the child’s face~.”

“Was it really that heartless? Once you divorce, you become strangers.”

“Mom didn’t think she was heartless either. Yun Yirae was rather loyal, actually.”

“Loyal?”

“Yeah. Later there was some cell phone commercial? They were recruiting kids nationwide, and a girl from the neighborhood met Chamsol’s mom there. She remembered that her son used to be close with that girl and immediately got her the spot! Even though the girl didn’t succeed hugely from it, she definitely made good money. The neighborhood ladies whispered about it. They said they should have stayed close with her.”

“As expected, the world is all about connections. Regional ties, school ties, blood ties aren’t enough – even childhood neighborhood connections?”

“Exactly~! We failed to recognize that there was a purebred dragon, not just a dragon from a humble stream, in that remote neighborhood~ Ah, what a waste.”

While Mom grumbled, she was speaking her acceptance speech for the Grand Prize at the Baeksang Arts Awards on the TV she was watching.

Film producer Yun Yirae.

Not the familiar Chamsol’s mom from the 90s, but one of the most successful people in 21st century South Korea.

“Singa. Want to see this? You said you like Sailor Moon. My uncle brought this from Japan-“

“Wow~ Really?”

I reacted halfheartedly while looking around.

This was my first time entering Choi Chamsol’s house.

A high-end Youngchang piano, leather sofas covered with lace doilies, dark wooden furniture. Elements symbolizing 90s wealth were arranged in a sophisticated manner.

Considering this neighborhood was the most backward city even among regional metropolitan areas, it truly had exceptional class.

They say to properly know someone, you should go see their house.

Just from seeing this, I could tell that Yun Madam was a person of extraordinary background. I heard the cheating husband was just a smooth-talking scumbag.

According to gossip queen Mom, the fierce divorce battle between the two was almost at its end.

The day when Yun Yirae and her son would leave this place wasn’t far off.

“Singa, is it boring? Why aren’t you watching…?”

“Chamsol Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“Is it true that you’re moving away, Oppa?”

Choi Chamsol’s chubby hand hesitated. He looked at me cautiously.

“Uh, where did you hear that?”

“Is it really true?”

“Well- Singa.”

“So it is true…”

I pretended to be deeply hurt and hung my head low.

We just had declarations of ‘friends must like each other’ and ‘Singa only has you as a friend,’ so if his conscience doesn’t prick him here, that Chamsol kid isn’t even human!

Sure enough, little Choi Chamsol jumped up in apparent panic.

“It’s just, Singa! I wasn’t trying not to tell you! I really don’t want to go, but, uh, I have no choice! Our parents- Singa. Are you crying?”

Choi Chamsol paced restlessly, grabbed my shoulder then flinched back as if burned, putting on quite a show in that short time.

Among the six and seven-year-old monkeys who try to kiss and slobber on you at every opportunity, this could be considered quite gentlemanly.

“Singa really only has Oppa as a friend… *sob*!”

“Singa!!”

As an underdeveloped child, deliberately using a baby voice was very effective.

Choi Chamsol was startled by my pitiful whimpering and his shoulders shook as if breathless.

Then he took a deep breath and said.

“I… then should I not go? A-actually, there might be a way not to go-“

What! What kind of nonsense is this?

This isn’t the answer I want!

Before this underdeveloped chick could say he’d stay with his trash dad and cause irreparable damage to Yun Madam, I quickly changed the subject pretending I heard nothing.

“O-Oppa! Where is Chamsol Oppa moving to?”

“Huh? Oh~ I heard it’s called Bundang…”

“Is it a nice place?”

“W-well?”

Of course it’s a nice place~!

Bundang at this point was a planned city that aimed to be the second Gangnam from its development, a complete new town with all infrastructure in place.

Moving in before the Shinbundang Line opened would not only be cheap, but would naturally allow me to guide my parents to secure nearby Pangyo Forest later.

There’s a reason they say “Bundang below heaven.”

I can’t expect to hit Gangnam from the first try.

Whether for long-term residence or investment, Bundang at this point was truly the one and only optimal choice!

Even if I have to live in a studio apartment, I must move there.

Staying in the provinces at this point would be too much of a waste of time.

“Can’t Singa come along too?”

I furrowed my eyebrows as pitifully as possible.

Thinking of the 1 trillion won and my brain-dead state, tears automatically welled up.

“Singa *sob*…! doesn’t want to be separated from Chamsol Oppa~ If Oppa leaves, Singa will be all alone, and being alone is so lonely…”

Choi Chamsol’s face went blank.

It’s embarrassing to say this myself, but except for my upturned eyes, I was quite pretty in a pure way. Meaning I could pretend to be a fragile, delicate girl anytime.

This didn’t change just because it was childhood.

Thanks to my natural facial advantage, Choi Chamsol quickly projected me onto his own bullied past when he was always alone.

The boy’s eyes grew dim.

Is this kid perhaps a capital F? I didn’t miss the opportunity and spread more poison with an even more pitiful baby voice.

“Singa wants to go too~ Okay? Talk to my mom and suggest we move together. Chamsol Oppa is smart, right?”

“Together?”

“Yeah! Oppa is the smartest person in our daycare, so you can do it!”

As Choi Chamsol fell into thought, I carefully slipped my finger into his hand. Choi Chamsol reflexively gripped my hand tightly and looked at me.

I shot him a good ‘I only trust you’ look.

When I looked at him with complete dependence, little Choi Chamsol’s hero complex activated and his eyes cleared. He nodded as if awakened.

“Right! Singa, just trust Oppa!”

Should I trust you?

No matter how immature and childish my mom and dad’s personalities are, if they move because they’re persuaded by a seven-year-old neighbor kid, they’d really be crazy people.

‘But it could be an effective [seasoning].’

Originally, our family moves to Bundang before I enter middle school. I just wanted to move that timing up as much as possible.

“What are you two talking about?”

Just then, Yun Madam approached carrying a plate of snacks.

I held Choi Chamsol’s hand with one hand and reached toward her with the other, smiling shyly.

“Auntie~. Can Singa call you Auntie?”

♧

Unlike his appearance that looked like weak white rice cake that would fall over with one hit, Choi Chamsol had a somewhat obsessive streak.

He particularly hated when his friends showed interest in other things and had quite a record of making daycare kids cry.

So she wasn’t an outcast from the beginning.

I had witnessed Choi Chamsol staring intently at friends he used to be close with from the shadows several times before we became friends.

He wouldn’t give up even when the teacher tried to stop him.

It was slightly creepy, but upon closer observation, it didn’t seem like it would escalate into something dangerous.

From my perspective having lived in 2026, it was like having mild autistic tendencies?

And types like Choi Chamsol generally have higher intelligence than their peers and immerse themselves very faithfully in things they’re interested in.

Things like repeating the same story all day long were possible for him.

This personality of Choi Chamsol’s froze his social relationships-

But at least it wasn’t bad for me.

I was Choi Chamsol’s friend, and Choi Chamsol’s current greatest interest that I had directly and indirectly guided was ‘my one and only friend Seosing-a’s move.’

“Huh? Dad. Isn’t that Mom over there?”

“You’re right. Honey!”

Dad’s steps quickened as he held me.

Mom, that is Madam Bang Suk-yeong, who had been peering toward the elevator from the apartment entrance, turned around in surprise.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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