Chapter 1: Chosen

“Mom! What are you cooking right now?”

Shin Ye-Rin tilted her head over her mother’s shoulder, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she peeked into the steaming pot. The rich, spicy aroma filled the entire apartment, the heat tickling her nose and making her stomach growl.

“It’s Kimchi-Jjigae with tofu,” her mother replied without turning back. “Your brother’s favorite.”

Anyone could tell just by the scent that this stew was going to be insanely spicy. Extra gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) and gochujang (chili paste) swirled in the bubbling broth, ensuring that it was borderline volcanic.

Ye-Rin gulped. She’s really going all out this time.

She hesitated before asking, “Is my brother still asleep?”

“I don’t know? You should check on him yourself. I’m busy right now, so don’t disturb me too much.”

Ugh, Hyung… this is your fault. You good-for-nothing, douchebag scumbag.

I’m Shin Ye-Rin, a 19-year-old university student majoring in AI & Data Science at UNIST. We live in a 25th-floor apartment in Buk-gu, Ulsan—a place with a breathtaking view of Gangdong Beach.

Honestly, we live pretty well. Maybe I was being modest earlier—our lifestyle isn’t just moderate; it’s actually leisurely.

I knocked on my brother’s door.

Knock!! Knock!! Thump!! Thump!!

“Hyung! Wake up! AAAAH… Wake up before Mother gets angrier and adds even more chili sauce to the stew!”

No response.

Ugh… I told him not to stream so late at night.

I sighed and turned back toward my room.Wait… where did I put my keys again?*

I rummaged through my desk drawers. “Ah-ha! Here it is.”

As I walked back toward his room, a strong gust of wind hit my face, sending my hair into disarray.

“Huh?” I frowned. Did I forget to close my window before leaving for uni today?

Glancing around, I was relieved to see that none of my important notes were scattered. The first thing you see when you enter my room is a large window with steel grills, offering a breathtakingview of Gangdong Beach. The scenery is truly mesmerizing during sunrise and sunset.

I unlocked my brother’s door.

Ewww… what the hell is that smell?

As soon as I stepped inside my brother’s room, the stench of beer assaulted my senses.

I glanced at his bed. Empty.

A horrible thought crossed my mind.

No way… not again!

I rushed toward the bathroom.

Sure enough—there he was.

26-year-old brother, Shin Ye-jun, was slumped inside the bathtub, empty beer cans scattered around the floor like fallen soldiers after a great battle.

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"Ah… Not this again. Mom totally saw this coming, huh? No wonder she made that stew."

Without hesitation, I turned the geyser to max temperature, opened the bathtub tap, and shut the door behind me.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1…

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! HOT! HOT! HOT! H-HOT!!!”

My brother shot up like a cat thrown into boiling water, his reddened skin proof of the sudden temperature shock.

I crossed my arms and smirked. “Good morning,.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” he roared, glaring at me. “How could you do that to me this early in the morning?!”

I glanced at the clock. “First of all, it’s not morning—it’s 2:00 PM. And second of all, you owe me a fancy dinner at La Terrasse tonight.”

His face paled. “…Don’t tell me.”

“Yes.” I grinned. “Mom made your favorite Kimchi-Jjigae—extra spicy. When I left her, she was adding even more sauce while mumbling something.”

“…Shit.”

“Yep. You better clean your room if you don’t want green chili as a side dish.”

“You’re annoying me! GET OUT!”

I giggled and skipped out of the room. “I wonder what I should wear today?".

Behind me, I heard my brother let out a long, exhausted sigh.

As I passed by the kitchen, I noticed Mother still busy with the stew.

She looked up as I entered.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

I hesitated for a moment before replying. “Just… wondering how things will go today.”

Mother had been a judge in the District Courts, but after an unfortunate car accident, her career had come to a sudden end. She had sustained Grade 6 injuries and received lump sum compensation, which allowed her to retire earlier than expected.

She now worked from home, writing articles online and staying involved in smaller community legal work, but she always missed the courtroom. I often wondered if she was secretly disappointed by the way her life had changed.

But as much as she may have missed her career, I could never tell. Mother always had this way of acting strong.

30 Minutes Late. Shin Ye-Jun POV.

I found myself kneeling.

On all fours.

Begging.

“Please forgive me, Mother!”

In front of me was not a bowl of Kimchi-Jjigae.

It was a bowl of lava.

A crime against humanity.

The horrid stench of extra gochujang burned my nostrils. The bubbling red broth radiated hellish heat. Just looking at it made my eyes water.

I turned my pleading gaze to my mother. “I… I can’t eat all of that.”

She stared at me with her usual calm expression. “I seem to recall you saying the same thing last time.”

I gulped.

Shit.

A long moment of silence stretched between us.

Then—

“Fine,” she said with a smile. “I won’t be angry with you anymore.”

My shoulders sagged with relief. “Thank y—”

That’s when I saw her eyes.

Cold.

“Ye-Rin,” she called.

“Yes, Mother?” My little sister beamed at her.

“Bring me the bowl.”

Ye-Rin skipped toward the kitchen, returned with a full bowl of green chilies, and handed it to Mother with a shit-eating grin.

“…Mother?”

She smiled sweetly. “Finish this before I count to 20. Otherwise, you’ll have to eat the Kimchi-Jjigae I specially made for you.”

“…You’re kidding.”

She started counting.

"20… 19… 18…”

I grabbed the bowl in sheer panic and shoved the chilies into my mouth. Tears flooded my eyes instantly. But before I could take a bite, Mother grabbed the bowl and handed it to Ye-Rin.

“Wh-Why Mom? I didn’t do anything wrong!” Ye-Rin protested, flustered.

Mother raised an eyebrow. “Who entered my room without my permission?”

Ye-Rin stammered, clearly not prepared for this. “Mo-Mom, it was a surprise for you...”

But it was too late. I’d already finished my bowl just in time to hear Ye-Rin’s protests fade into silence.

That was the worst mistake of my life.

Later That Night – The Birthday Dinner

After barely surviving lunch, we got ready for dinner at La Terrasse.

Mother stepped out of her room in an elegant black dress with delicate embroidery. Ye-Rin wore a beautiful navy-blue evening dress, her hair styled in soft curls.

I smiled. “You both look great.”

Ye-Rin flipped her hair dramatically. “I know. My choices in dresses never fails.”

We arrived at the restaurant, where I handed Mother her birthday gift—a Mercedes-Benz 600.

Her jaw dropped.

“You didn’t rob a bank… did you?”

“Mom. Seriously?”

She squinted at me suspiciously. “Considering your past, I wouldn’t put it past you.”

I sighed. “No, I didn’t rob a bank. I made the money through crypto and stock investments.”

She didn’t seem convinced.

“Mother,” Ye-Rin interjected, “if he actually robbed a bank, do you think he’d be dumb enough to buy a car that everyone would notice?”

Mother thought for a second.Then nodded. “Fair point.”

After some convincing, she finally smiled and hugged me. “I’m proud of you, Ye-Jun. You have grown so much in so little time ”

As we enjoyed our dinner, the conversation shifted to Ye-Rin’s ex.

“Still angry about him?” I asked.

She gritted her teeth. “Don’t even mention his name. That scumbag cheated on me.”

Mother clicked her tongue. “I told you from the start that he was a rat.”

“I know.” Ye-Rin groaned. “I should’ve listened to you.”

Mother sighed, stirring her drink. “Unfortunately, I learned the hard way too.”

She was talking about our father, Shin Ji-Hoon.

That bastard was caught red-handed cheating on her. I was twelve when it happened. Ye-Rin was five—too young to remember.

But honestly? That was a good thing.

After dinner, we laughed, enjoyed our night, and for once—everything felt perfect.

Then. As we sat back, chatting more casually, I pulled out my phone and noticed a notification from Twitch.

My account had just hit a huge milestone—one of the biggest streamers in Korea.

A massive, platinum-level achievement that had made my name known across multiple platforms. I had been building my following across Twitch, YouTube, and AfreecaTV for a while, but this was the confirmation.

Over 5 million subscribers on Twitch. My YouTube channel had just crossed 10 million.

I was now officially considered one of Korea's top streamers.

“Well, Ye-Rin,” I said with a grin, looking at my sister, “looks like I’m kind of a big deal now.”

Her eyes widened in surprise, then she gave me a playful grin. “Took you long enough, Brother.”

I laughed. “I was working on it. You know how hard it is to juggle streaming, studying, and still trying to be a functional adult?”

She shrugged. “I’m just glad you didn’t rob a bank to pay for that Benz.”

I chuckled. “Nah. Streaming is more than enough now.”

We safely reached home but Then.

A message popped up in front of my eyes.

~You have been chosen as a Player.~