Chapter 186

We explained in detail to the parents why we needed to collect the money. We couldn’t just demand money without giving a reason, after all.

We weren’t here to extort money; we were here to reclaim what was rightfully ours.

Upon hearing my explanation, the parent let out a brief chuckle.

It was a reaction of disbelief.

“…So, you’re saying I scammed Do Mi-rae? And now you’re demanding I pay the original value of that sculpture?”

It seemed they weren’t stupid, as they understood my point immediately. The woman, though still frightened, stood her ground.

“Ha… Do Mi-rae is making such a big deal over something like this, hiring people and causing a scene…”

【Qkrnfl892】—Such a big deal? Do they have no conscience?

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】—Look at the way they talk. Are they insane? Let’s beat them up, damn it.

【Yoho】—What kind of person is this? Should we ban them from stepping on Korean soil?

“Alright. I’ll give you the money, so please don’t ruin the atmosphere of our restaurant and leave quickly.”

The woman said as she took out her wallet.

It was unexpected.

I thought they’d be more shameless.

I didn’t expect them to agree to pay so easily.

Maybe they have a little conscience after all.

But even so, I wasn’t planning to let it go easily.

“So, how much do I need to pay?”

The woman asked.

I calmly replied.

“100 million.”

“What?! Are you kidding me?”

The woman, who was about to take out a few 50,000-won bills, was startled and stopped.

They clearly didn’t expect the amount to be 100 million.

【Qkrnfl892】—100 million is a bit…

【Balloon Gum Collector】—Wow, Se-hoon’s a gangster.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】—LOL, 100 million, damn.

【Jujijoa】—?? Did these guys not hear what Se-hoon was talking about with the loan sharks earlier?

【Maehwa Tree】—Probably goldfish brains.

Of course, I didn’t actually expect to get 100 million.

No matter how high-quality the sculpture is, it’s not worth 100 million.

And I doubt they even have the ability to pay that much.

“If you can’t pay 100 million, then return the sculpture you bought.”

My manager, Ra Yu-hee, who was standing next to me with a fierce expression, spoke up.

The reason I mentioned 100 million.

It was just a strategy to get the sculpture back.

I planned to reclaim all the sculptures Do Mi-rae had worked so hard to create.

It’s unpleasant to think that those scumbags have Do Mi-rae’s sculptures in their hands.

And there’s another reason.

In the future.

If Do Mi-rae’s reputation as a sculptor rises, the value of those sculptures will also increase.

Then the parents who own them will naturally profit.

I couldn’t just let that happen.

By the way, the loan sharks who visited other parents probably demanded over 100 million too.

We had agreed on it beforehand.

To prioritize reclaiming the sculptures.

Of course, we weren’t just going to reclaim the sculptures without getting any money.

We had a way to get everything.

“100 million isn’t some dog’s name… Ha… I don’t need that stupid sculpture, so just take it.”

As the woman said that, the loan shark subordinates quickly reclaimed the sculpture on the counter.

Seeing this, the woman clicked her tongue and said.

“I’ve returned it, so please leave quickly.”

“Leave? We haven’t gotten the money yet.”

The crazy loan shark Yoon Seong-ah tapped on the calculator and replied.

The woman furrowed her brows and started arguing with Yoon Seong-ah, asking what she meant.

“What money are you talking about? I returned the sculpture.”

“Look at how shameless this woman is? You’ve been using the sculpture for a while, so it’s only natural to pay a rental fee for the time you used it. Did you think you could just get away with it? No conscience.”

Yoon Seong-ah sneered and mocked her.

With a very despicable expression, as expected of a loan shark.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】—I really want to beat up that loan shark Yoon Seong-ah.

【Min Ji】—Yeah, her expression is so annoying.

【Balloon Gum Collector】—Wow, even as an ally, she’s irritating.

As Yoon Seong-ah said.

Since they declared they had no intention of buying the sculpture, we planned to charge a rental fee for the time they had it.

If you borrowed and used it, you have to pay for it.

You can’t just use it for free and walk away.

“What kind of people are you…?”

The woman trembled with disbelief.

Meanwhile, she was counting how much money she had in her wallet.

Fortunately, she was quick to assess the situation.

It seemed she realized we weren’t the type to have a normal conversation with.

“Ha… How much is the rental fee?”

“20,000 won.”

Yoon Seong-ah made a V-sign with her fingers and smirked.

Her actions were somehow irritating.

【Qkrnfl892】—LOL, they brought the right person.

【Se-hoon Defense Team】—For real, they’re really good at pissing people off.

The woman, biting her lip, took out two 50,000-won bills and muttered.

“It’s been about six months…”

“Not six months, it’s been a year. I heard everything, so don’t try to lie.”

A loan shark subordinate corrected the rental period.

The woman, glancing at us, took out three more 50,000-won bills and asked.

“Ah, I got confused for a moment. It’s been about a year… So 240,000 won should cover it, right?”

“What are you talking about?”

I asked back.

It seemed the woman was seriously mistaken.

The 20,000 won we mentioned.

That wasn’t the monthly rental fee, but the daily rental fee.

“Are you going to keep talking nonsense? Where did 240,000 won come from? The daily rental fee is 20,000 won.”

I said that and turned my gaze to Yoon Seong-ah, asking.

“Did you tap the calculator?”

“Yes. It’s 10 million won.”

【Se-hoon Defense Team】—??? The calculation seems off.

【Yoho】—Isn’t it 7.3 million won?

【Min Ji】—Seems like they don’t know how to use a calculator.

The calculation wasn’t wrong.

Yoon Seong-ah, who received the sculpture from the loan shark subordinate, pointed to a small scratch and added.

“365 days of rental fee is 7.3 million won. Plus, the sculpture is damaged, so the repair fee is 2.7 million won. That makes a total of 10 million won.”

Hearing Yoon Seong-ah’s words, the woman dropped her wallet.

“10 million won?! That’s ridiculous…!”

I had no intention of backing down.

*

*

*

They said they couldn’t pay the rental fee.

The price was too outrageous.

They demanded we leave immediately.

They threatened to report us for business obstruction.

The woman, who had been spouting all sorts of things, suddenly fell silent.

When Manager Ra Yu-hee handed her an envelope, the woman’s face turned pale as she checked its contents.

“H-how did you get this…?”

“You should think carefully about whether to pay the rental fee or not. If you make one wrong move, those photos will be sent directly to your husband.”

Before extorting money.

We make sure they can’t ask for help or dare to report us to the police by holding their weaknesses.

This is the basics of being a loan shark.

“…Are you threatening me right now?”

“What else would you call this?”

The envelope Ra Yu-hee handed over.

Inside were photos.

Photos of this parent having an affair with another man.

By the way, they were photoshopped by Meng Yao.

She worked hard to make and send them while in disguise.

Even though they were photoshopped, it would still be a big blow to the woman.

Because she really did have a history of cheating.

The man in the photoshopped image was also the face of her actual affair partner.

In other words, it wasn’t a completely fabricated photo but a photoshopped image that closely resembled a past event.

【Balloon Gum Collector】—Meng Yao did a great job.

【Maid】—Wow, supply-type drifting!

【Meng Yao】—ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌ )

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】—Don’t copy drifting, damn it.

【Meng Yao】—I’m a drifting apprentice, so it’s okay.

This woman has a husband.

A husband with three wives.

In this world, while there is a marriage system where you can only marry one person, polygamy and polyandry are also allowed.

Though polyandry is practically impossible unless you’re a chaebol like Yoho.

Anyway.

Women who choose polygamy must only look at one man, and men who choose polyandry must only look at one woman.

That’s the social norm.

This woman chose polygamy.

It’s no problem for her husband to have multiple wives, but it’s not allowed for the wives to see other men.

Polyandry is the opposite.

These were things I learned while briefly looking into the marriage system recently.

‘If I get caught cheating, I’ll be divorced immediately.’

You can see multiple women, so why can’t I?

Such nonsense doesn’t work.

Even if you complain, you’ll just be treated as a weirdo.

Because you chose polygamy yourself.

And it’s a relationship based on mutual agreement.

Cheating on your spouse and secretly seeing someone else without mutual agreement is something that will never be forgiven.

If you wanted to see multiple men, you should’ve chosen polyandry.

Or gotten permission from your husband.

【Handsome Licker】—The more I think about it, the angrier I get. Cheaters, die! Spit, spit!

【Big Girl】—But they’re good at it. Seeing two men.

【Maehwa Tree】—It’s not that they’re good, they’re just trash. Why are they seeing other men when they chose polygamy?

【Se-hoon Defense Team】—They don’t have the ability to choose polyandry but want to see multiple men. LOL, what a joke.

【Min Ji】—Sigh. If that’s the case, they shouldn’t have gotten married in the first place.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】—I’ll only love Gyesekkihoon. Sex~

【Yoho】—Who said you could?

【Semen Thief】—What marriage system will Se-hoon oppa choose?

【Cat-eared Woman】—Probably not polyandry.

【Qkrnfl892】—LOL, what does Se-hoon have to lose?

【Jujijoa】—Se-hoon probably won’t choose polygamy or polyandry. He’ll probably only marry me.

【Yoho】—What are you talking about?

【Balloon Gum Collector】—Wow, now that woman’s 10 million won is about to fly away.

【Maid】—How many colas can you buy with 10 million won…?

【Qkrnfl892】—But why was the repair fee set at 2.7 million won? Is there a standard?

【Cheerful Hyeon Ji】—Probably just their whim.

【Meng Yao】—Probably just to round it up to 10 million.

As the woman’s face darkened while she was thinking.

Ding-dong!

Even though several customers visited the store.

“We’re closed today. Please come back later.”

“Ah, okay… Sorry…”

The loan sharks kindly sent them away.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】—LOL, why are they apologizing as they leave?

【Se-hoon Defense Team】—Their faces are scary, so the apology just comes out instinctively.

【Maid】—Wow, survival instinct.

As time passed and we sent away nearly ten groups of customers.

The woman finally made a decision.

“…You said 10 million won, right? Can I pay in installments?”

Not wanting to be divorced by her husband, she decided to pay the rental fee.

Yoon Seong-ah smiled and replied to the woman’s question.

“Interest-free for up to six months.”

“Then please let me pay in six installments… And, you must not send those photos…”

“Don’t worry. No matter how much of a scumbag I am, I always keep my promises.”

【Balloon Gum Collector】—Wow, getting money is so easy~

【Maehwa Tree】—The blackmail worked well.

【Handsome Licker】—Submitting affair photos is a cheat code. Lick, lick.

【Jujijoa】—I thought it would go as far as torture, but it’s a bit anticlimactic.

【Qkrnfl892】—LOL, that person will probably send the photos to the husband after getting all the money.

【Big Girl】—They won’t. They’re the type to keep their word once they say it.

【Meng Yao】—LOL, then I’ll send them after six months.

The woman, holding back tears, trembled as she completed the transfer.

‘Easy.’

After confirming the deposit.

We threatened the woman to deposit the remaining amount punctually at the beginning of each month and left the restaurant.

***

Back at the office, the loan sharks gathered.

Every single team successfully reclaimed the sculptures and even collected the rental fees.

As expected of professionals, their work was clean.

The money reclaimed from the parents, including the installments, amounted to nearly 200 million won.

For now, the 50 million won we received will be used to pay off the Mania Mother and Daughter’s debt.

Manager Ra Yu-hee said she’d only take the principal.

But I said I’d give 50 million won, including job placement and living expenses for the Mania Mother and Daughter, plus interest.

The rest of the money will be used as the loan sharks’ service fees.

Including the installments.

So, not a single penny went back to the Mania Mother and Daughter.

“No complaints about my decision, right?”

“No. Just getting the sculptures back and paying off the debt is more than enough to be grateful for.”

“Right. If Se-hoon hadn’t helped, we wouldn’t have gotten the money anyway! Anyway, thank you so much!”

Do Mi-rae and Do Mi-so bowed their heads in gratitude.

I smiled warmly at the sight and called Do Mi-so.

“And Mi-so.”

“Yeah?”

The Mania Mother and Daughter will be under our care for a while.

I had already mentioned that earlier.

Both mother and daughter readily agreed.

But there’s still something I haven’t mentioned.

About the school Mi-so will attend.

Commuting from our house to her original school isn’t a problem.

She can just ride Min Neong to school.

But, because of what happened today, it’s almost impossible for her to continue at her current school.

There might be subtle bullying from the students.

Even if they don’t directly bully her out of fear of retaliation, they might ostracize her or treat her like a ghost.

Anyway, for those reasons, I was thinking of transferring Mi-so to a school near where I live.

If she agrees.

“If it’s okay with you, would you like to transfer to a school near where I live instead of your current one? If you’re attached to your current school or have close friends there, it’s okay to refuse.”

“…Huh? Are you saying you’ll transfer me to a new school?”

At my suggestion, Do Mi-so’s face suddenly lit up with a smile.

It didn’t seem like she would refuse.

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