If I Don’t Earn 1 Trillion Won, My Regression Ends - Chapter 5

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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 5

“One thing?”

“Previously, the chairman mentioned the name ‘Seo Cheong-song’, who is four years younger than Seosing-a.”

“That’s right.”

“Then it’s worth checking.”

It was a gesture that was polite but exuded confidence.

Following the team leader’s pointing gesture, I opened the document folder to find a family register on the first page. Then photos came spilling out along with it.

A smile leaked out as soon as I confirmed it.

He couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“…She said she was thirty.”

That was a lie?

♧

1996. Summer’s heat waves and typhoons passed, and in autumn, H.O.T debuted.

And now in winter’s December, this current place.

Jeongja-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam City, Gyeonggi Province.

It was an affluent area among affluent areas that would later soar to 70 million won per pyeong.

As a first-generation new city, it was a traditional icon and national representative among new cities, boasting an unshakeable position that wouldn’t crumble even in 2026 when new cities were everywhere.

Right here today, four members of the Seo Family.

Successfully entered!

‘Clap clap clap, applause!’

Ah. Not a purchase, but naturally a jeonse lease.

Although I had PTSD as a jeonse fraud victim, I wasn’t a disbeliever in this system.

It was the 90s of trust and loyalty, and as a regressor, would I commit the reckless act of buying at this point?

The IMF crisis when real estate nationwide would pour out at dirt cheap prices was just next year!

I was so worried about what to do if my parents insisted on buying that I couldn’t sleep at night.

If that really happened, I was going to give up playing the innocent filial daughter and act like Nostradamus even if it meant broadcasting nationwide.

Fortunately, my young parents who lacked boldness cautiously and prudently entered with jeonse.

‘I moved it up 13 years without being broke.’

1 trillion won… isn’t this worth trying?

With growing confidence, the world looked even more beautiful.

I proudly looked around the new house.

‘Hehe! …Ugh, new house smell!’

…If I suggested baking out, they’d be shocked thinking their daughter was possessed by foreign spirits, right?

The house was truly a ‘new’ house.

The landlord never lived in it for even a day and immediately put it up for jeonse, so our family was the first to move in.

It was for investment but the interior was neatly done, so even from a regressor’s perspective from the 21st century, there was nothing particularly to fix.

No cherry-colored molding or patterned wallpaper typical of the 90s!

I gazed ecstatically at the bright cream-colored wallpaper without a single stripe.

Moreover, this apartment was not only newly built just 1-2 years ago, but was also the flagship apartment of this time period.

Such an apartment at this price?

If I hadn’t seen the stamped contract, I would have suspected Mother had been scammed somewhere.

‘How could we be this lucky?’

According to my original plan, I would have aimed for central area entry only after landing an advertisement deal with Yun Yirae!

I don’t know if it’s my parents’ good luck or mine. To think we’d successfully enter Jeongja-dong in one shot.

After looking around once among the moving men, I hurriedly walked toward Mother who was talking with the real estate agent.

The sight of the two whispering continuously in one corner had been very suspicious!

“Listen to what I’m saying. You were really lucky, okay? Never bring up anywhere how much you paid to get in here. There’ll definitely be gossip behind your back.”

‘…?’

…No, this is exactly that kind of talk?

My face hardened completely, and Mother looked just as uncomfortable as I did.

“Are you serious?”

“Look at the neighbors. Most people here came down from Gangnam. To think they paid just that much deposit for a house like this! Don’t even get me started.”

“If you scammed me, I’ll really cry.”

“What?”

“Just because we came up from the provinces! I’ll really cry! I’ll pitch a tent in front of your real estate agency and cry.”

“A woman with two kids making threats so ridiculously- Huh? Oh my! This child is your daughter! How pretty she is! Like a Western doll~ She could be Miss Korea later.”

“Of course she’s pretty since she takes after me! Hey~ don’t change the subject.”

“Alright, alright! I stake my name on it, there’s no problem! It’s clean! Originally I wouldn’t have even shown you this property, but that picky gentleman suddenly lowered the price for some reason and you got lucky.”

“Picky? He seemed nice though?”

“Huh? Oh~ that white-haired gentleman? Hoho, no! That gentleman isn’t the landlord but a steward! In modern terms, a butler? Anyway, he’s someone who takes care of household affairs, and the owner is separate.”

“Then what should I do? Shouldn’t I visit and pay my respects?”

“No need~ You don’t have to. Is he someone just anyone can meet?”

“What?”

“Oh my, I should get going. I’ve left the store empty too long. Well, organize well, and come find me if you have questions!”

“Always making excuses! Just wait and see! I’m really going!”

The real estate agent laughed and disappeared with quick steps.

Watching her retreating figure, Mother had a thoughtful expression. Was she finally going to think?

It was a mistake. Mother immediately turned to me and asked.

“What do you think, daughter? Doesn’t it seem a bit suspicious?”

You’re just realizing that now!

By then I was already anxious to the point of going crazy.

‘The actual owner didn’t come but a representative came to sign?!’

Weren’t we really scammed? No wonder our luck was too good!

“M-Mom! Quickly bring the contract. Quickly!”

“I don’t have it! Seo Shin-hyeon has it! Gasp, is there really a problem? What do we do?!”

What am I supposed to do if you ask me, lady! I’m (supposedly) six years old!

“Did you see the owner’s name? The owner’s name is written on the contract. The resident registration number was written there, right?”

“Y-yes! Of course I saw it. J-Je Ham-yeon! It was Je Ham-yeon! I couldn’t memorize the resident number but-“

“No, don’t memorize it! That’s enough!”

The Je surname.

‘It’s not a common surname.’

Let’s stay calm.

Jeonse fraud wasn’t common in the 90s.

I suppressed the thirty-year-old jeonse fraud victim Seosing-a’s ego that wanted to immediately interrogate about property registers, mortgages, resident registration, etc. I just trembled my lips and told her to find Dad.

“Seo Shin-hyeon! Where are you! Seo Shin-hyeon! Oh, there he is! Daughter, quickly go to Dad and check! Quickly!!!”

“…”

Was our mother like this even when I was genuinely six years old?

Or am I just bad at pretending to be six…?

I left the flustered Madam Bang Suk-yeong behind and trudged toward Dad.

And while earnestly imitating my six-year-old self and roundaboutly confirming things with Dad, making sure the moving men around us praised me with ‘that little girl is really smart!’ rather than ‘isn’t that kid possessed?’, I barely managed to finish…

It was already 4 PM.

‘I-I’m exhausted…’

My mental strength was too drained…!

Unlike my miserable state, Mother who had pushed all worries onto her daughter and husband looked bright.

She asked if I finished talking with Dad, then cheerfully handed me a plate.

“You’re back, my daughter~? Help Mommy a bit!”

“…Again?”

“Good girl! A daughter really is the best. This is moving rice cake. Mom will go to the side apartment, so you take this up to the apartment above us. Say ‘please take care of us~’ and give your greetings. Got it? Don’t forget to wear gloves. It’s cold outside.”

I looked around the messy kitchen that wasn’t fully organized yet, and reluctantly accepted.

Of course, I didn’t forget to glare at Seo Cheong-song, who was lying there comfortably sucking on a pacifier on my way out. Hurry up and grow up…

♧

“Ugh~ so cold…”

The winters of the 20th century were truly cold. It was because global warming wasn’t as serious yet.

As soon as I stepped outside the house, my cheeks quickly froze.

I hurried up the stairs while holding the rice cake plate.

With each step, my twin braided buns that my skilled mother had done up like Sailor Moon swayed back and forth.

The 90s could be called the last era when neighbors lived like family.

After the IMF crisis, dual-income households and individualism spread rapidly, making such exchanges a thing of the past, but this was still a time when house doors were left wide open.

Since neighbors’ children were cared for like family, visiting to greet new neighbors when moving was basic etiquette.

‘Apartment 1001…’

Even though we were the ones moving in today, this house also had its front door wide open.

After glancing to confirm the apartment number, I raised my voice.

“Knock knock! Is anyone home? Hello~”

Within a few seconds, multiple sets of footsteps could be heard all at once. Wait, hold on.

‘Multiple?’

“Oh! It’s a girl!”

“I haven’t seen her before? Whose little sister is she?”

“Did she come to the wrong place?”

“Hey! Jeong Hyeon-gyo! Who is she?”

It was a group of boys around seven or eight years old.

Their chattering voices buzzed like a swarm of bees. Curious eyes all turned toward me at once.

“Hmm? That’s right.”

Among the noisy group of boys gathered together, a voice with a refined tone stood out like a star. The boy who walked out calmly met my eye level.

“Hello. Who are you looking for?”

By then, I was completely frozen. Because.

‘I’m a loser who’s only strong in one-on-one situations…’

Even though they were just little kids, having more than ten pairs of eyes staring intently at me was seriously burdensome for an introvert!

I barely managed to squeeze out my voice.

“This. Rice cake…”

“Ah. From Apartment 901?”

The boy smiled gently.

He already had a neat impression, but his attitude was mature to the point of seeming somewhat strange.

What kind of kid is this calm?

“Actually, my mother told me to go help, so I was about to come down soon. Should we go down together? What’s your name? I’m Jeong Hyeon-gyo.”

“Ooh~ Jeong Hyeon-gyo~!”

“We want to go too! Hey, bun hair! Can we come too?”

“…”

Please don’t act so friendly…

Maybe it’s because I haven’t heard the dialect of boys from this region in about 6 years, but it’s so so… awkward! Was it always this cringey?

And that’s when it happened.

“[Apartment 901? You mean right downstairs?]”

…Suddenly English here?

Before I could even be confused, along with a playful voice came a gust of wind.

A boy who swooped in on the group put his arms around his friends’ shoulders and leaned his upper body toward me. His grinning face was mischievous.

“[Interesting, that’s my uncle’s place!]”

…Huh?

I felt my eyes widen. And for good reason, oh my goodness!

‘I know this person!!!!’

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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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