Chapter 5: Blind Dates Start Tomorrow

“It’s just a divorce.

How complicated could it possibly be?”

“Don’t tell me you haven’t thought this through at all?”

“So you’re saying Vibes will prepare legal representation?”

“Yes.

That’s, that’s what I’m saying!

But that ‘preparation’ isn’t something we can do with nothing.

You need to show me all your cards—evidence, whatever you have.”

“I heard that if both parties agree, filing for divorce mediation is much faster than an uncontested divorce, and you don’t even have to see each other’s faces…”

“Then for heaven’s sake, you need to open your mouth if you want anything done!”

Director Im urged him, clearly frustrated, but Jin-yeop leisurely pulled the zipper of his jacket all the way up and rose from his seat.

Seeing Jin-yeop prepare to leave as if his business here was done, Director Im’s face twisted with annoyance.

“At least meet the lawyer before you go, you bastard!

If I’m offering to help, you need to cooperate, don’t you!

I’m telling you, you can’t do anything if you don’t have anything!

We need to do some media play, like those bastards are doing!”

Have you truly lost your mind?!

Director Im burst with rage, but Jin-yeop just stuck his hands in his pockets, stood there slanted, and looked down at him.

“Just let him be.

He’s digging his own grave.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

“First, I’m going shopping.”

“What?”

“You asked why I came here dressed like this.

I left home without packing anything.”

“No, that’s…

I meant, with everyone in the world watching, you came without even the decency to hide your face.”

“Why should I hide my face?

Did I commit a crime?”

“There’s no greater crime in Korea than being a home-wrecker, Jin-yeop.”

Maybe he should have just terminated the contract and told him to get lost.

Director Im couldn’t focus, plagued by a relentless headache.

“Never mind the media play.

But there is something you can help me with.”

“Fine, at least tell me that before you go.

I’ll call the lawyer and General Manager Lee right now…”

“Please, block the news about me preparing for remarriage.”

At the word ‘remarriage,’ Director Im stared at Jin-yeop with his mouth agape.

In an instant, murderous intent flashed in his eyes, but Jin-yeop, unfazed, just smiled brightly.

“I’m going on blind dates starting tomorrow.”

***

Had he ever swiped his card so recklessly in his life?

Jin-yeop pointed vaguely at items like a person retrieving belongings he’d left behind and handed over his card.

As if to experience ‘relieving stress through shopping’—something he’d never known because he had little interest in spending money.

Inside the bustling department store, Jin-yeop’s appearance caused a subtle commotion.

There was no one who didn’t recognize his face, which had dominated not only the internet but all broadcasts since the crack of dawn.

The blatantly following stares might have been burdensome, but Jin-yeop strode through the department store nonchalantly.

Moreover, he entered a luxury brand store and used it entirely as his personal dressing room.

Dressed head to toe in luxury goods, he handed over his card without even looking at the prices.

The clothes Director Im had pointed out were thrown into the trash can on the spot.

As Jin-yeop exited the store with the price tags removed, all the store employees bowed to him.

What Jin-yeop was wearing alone was worth a mid-sized car.

Furthermore, he had bought dozens of outfits without question, so even the employees couldn’t accurately tally how much he had swiped on his card.

Upon hearing that the trending figure had come to the department store and was making huge purchases at every store, the customer service team came out and even offered assistance he hadn’t asked for.

After leaving dozens of shopping bags with them, he naturally moved to another store.

A high-end watch brand where prices in the thousands were trivial.

Brand Tifone.

It was a brand so famous that even Jin-yeop, ignorant of luxury goods, knew it; he had even bought a watch here as a gift when he married Jung-hoon.

It was a historic brand that had showcased expensive timepieces even before the appearance of ‘Dungeons,’ and from about ten years ago, they further expanded their position by processing dungeon by-products and selling watches as ‘items.’

Of course, that made Tifone an even more untouchable brand.

The employee who recognized Jin-yeop as he entered the store flinched unconsciously for a moment but soon greeted him with a professional sales smile.

Standing before the display case with a blank expression, Jin-yeop glanced inside briefly, then spoke with a slight smile.

“I’d like to look at some watches.”

“Yes, sir.

Is there a specific model you’re looking for?”

“I’d like to see some items.”

“One moment, sir.”

Jin-yeop stared at the name tag of the employee who bowed slightly.

The engraved name was Kim So-yeon, an employee who hadn’t been there when he came to buy Jung-hoon’s watch.

After excusing herself, So-yeon quickly disappeared into the back area of the store.

There were other employees stationed throughout the store, but they paid no special attention to Jin-yeop as he waited.

It seemed the structure was that the first employee to greet a customer became their dedicated salesperson, and the amount the customer spent counted toward their sales target.

Perhaps that was why, when Jung-hoon said he was going to buy his watch, he had specifically named a particular employee at this store.

Especially since the model he wanted back then was a very expensive one among the non-item, regular watches.

Jin-yeop recalled that day and smiled faintly.

The truth was, Jin-yeop wasn’t very interested in Tifone watches.

From the start, accessories that weren’t items were just cumbersome when raiding dungeons.

Tifone knew this well.

As the global economy reorganized around dungeons, they jumped into the dungeon by-product processing business to maintain sales targeting the newly wealthy Awakeners.

The by-products from dungeons were incredibly diverse.

When certain by-products were imbued with special abilities, they were processed into items and introduced to the market, targeting not only Awakeners but also ordinary wealthy individuals as their customer base.

That wasn’t all.

Particularly, when a high-ranking boss within a dungeon was defeated, perfectly formed objects would sometimes drop, their origin unknown; these were called ‘Artifacts.’

Artifacts were imbued with special abilities, and sometimes they were in a state where they didn’t function entirely.

In such cases, companies like Tifone, engaged in dungeon by-product processing, would participate in public bids for Artifacts and undertake their restoration.

In the early days after dungeons appeared, wearable items, excluding Artifacts that functioned perfectly from the start, were quite rare.

Humans have always been strong in the face of threats and disasters.

They are beings who always find answers, aren’t they?

These artificially created items appealed not only to Awakeners but also to wealthy people who didn’t want to die caught in a sudden Dungeon Break.

Of course, for Jin-yeop, an A-class Esper, wearing an Artifact was far more efficient than items processed from by-products.

In many ways, it was more advantageous to seek them out personally.

However, dungeon raiding was impossible for him right now.

His husband and partner Guide, Jung-hoon, was avoiding dungeon raids and had even announced a lawsuit against him.

Jin-yeop tapped the top of the glass case with his fingertip as he waited for So-yeon, who was taking a long time to return.

He showed no sign of discomfort despite the long wait.

Rather, the longer she delayed, the more Jin-yeop’s eyes gleamed with interest.

It was because everything was flowing according to plan.

There was a reason he had come all this way to buy useless, expensive items.

It wasn’t as if there were no options if he contacted Director Im right now and said he wanted to raid a dungeon immediately.

Even with a low match rate, it was possible if he took several Guides in with him.

But that was inefficient, and more importantly, it was an action that wouldn’t greatly help the plan he was devising.

‘For now, it’s better to maintain a life without a Guide.’

It was because he predicted that parading around with several Guides to raid dungeons wouldn’t look particularly good.

Well, frankly, that sort of thing didn’t matter much anyway.

If he were afraid of scandal, wouldn’t swiping his card at a department store while facing a divorce lawsuit be an even better way to get criticized?

If he had considered such things, he wouldn’t have called Gaae and arranged for remarriage counseling.

But that was necessary.

A new Guide with a high match rate, dungeons he absolutely had to participate in raiding, and suitable items.

Jin-yeop needed these three things.

How long did he wait?

When So-yeon finally returned to her original spot, her face was stiff.

But as soon as she met Jin-yeop’s gaze, she quickly forced a smile.

“Looks like there’s a problem.”

When Jin-yeop asked as if he already knew, So-yeon hesitated for a moment before answering in a small voice.

“Well, it seems there are no items in stock suitable for you, sir.”

“No suitable items?”

“We don’t have any items in the store suitable for an A-class Esper to wear.

The majority are only suitable for simple protection purposes…”

“…..”

“I’m sorry, sir.

We have plenty of non-item products available.

If you’d like, I can show them to you right away.”

So-yeon responded cautiously, watching Jin-yeop’s expression.

Jin-yeop turned his head, pondered for a moment, then spoke with a picture-perfect smile.

“Did someone tell you to say that?”

“Pardon?”

“How much do I need to cover?”

“…..”

“Your sales target, I mean.”

“…..”

“Of course, I’ll cover not only my quota but also your…

So-yeon-ssi’s sales target.”

Looking at Jin-yeop with his gentle smile, So-yeon unconsciously swallowed hard.

As a flicker of hesitation crossed her face, Jin-yeop quickly continued.

“I’ve purchased wedding watches from this store before.

Back then, they showed me quite a few items.

There’s no way you’d have none now.”

“…..”

“No need to beat around the bush.

If you have conditions, I’ll meet them, that’s all.

Unless you’re reluctant to sell to me because of my image.”