“Wow!”
While fixing the air conditioner in my room, I also gave it a thorough clean-up. The interior renovation wasn’t a big deal since it was already done before, but I upgraded all the electronics to the latest models. They were already pretty new, but now I’ve got an even newer TV, computer, and air conditioner. Even though I only changed the electronics, the room felt like it was sparkling. It didn’t even feel like my room anymore.
“Hana, if anything’s inconvenient, just tell me, okay? I’ll take care of it right away.”
“Okay!”
Right now, there wasn’t anything particularly inconvenient, so I nodded and replied to Haru. If something comes up later, I’ll let her know, but for now, everything’s fine. I figured I could handle the small stuff on my own, so there was no need to call her.
I felt a bit guilty calling Haru for minor things. Unless it was something big, I planned to handle it myself.
“Is this how you use it?”
The problem with the latest electronics was this. They were so advanced that they were packed with functions I couldn’t even understand. Back in the day, all you needed to know was how to turn things on or off, but now, with all this cutting-edge technology, there were so many features that felt like alien language. Older folks probably wouldn’t even be able to use them. I’m young, so I could somewhat understand the manuals, but if an elderly person bought these, I’d bet my entire fortune they wouldn’t be able to handle them. If they struggle with kiosks, these multifunctional electronics would be a nightmare.
Haru was holding the remote with a hesitant look. She wasn’t great with machines, but it wasn’t her fault. It was the manufacturers’ fault for cramming in all these useless features. Electronics should just be about turning them on and off—that’s all we need!
“Ah, got it!”
After fumbling around, Haru finally turned on the TV. It took a lot of effort just to power it on. But once the screen lit up, I couldn’t help but think, “You get what you pay for.” The picture quality was way better than before.
“Wow, Haru. The TV is this clear?”
Even though it was a big TV, the image quality was amazing. The resolution was so high that even on a screen as big as a dining table, the images were crystal clear. Expensive TVs really are the best.
“This is a 20-million-won TV, so that’s probably why. I wanted to buy an even more expensive one, but this was the only one available right now. I’ll upgrade it to a better one later, Hana.”
Haru said it so casually. A 20-million-won TV? It’s not like it’s a car—why is it so expensive? Sure, cars can cost hundreds of millions, but those are out of reach for most people. For a regular mid-sized car, I couldn’t understand why a TV would cost this much.
Of course, I didn’t say much because I liked the high-quality picture. I was becoming a slave to capitalism. Compared to what I earn, this is just a drop in the bucket. I don’t know exactly how much I make per day, but it’s probably not enough to pick up a few hundred thousand won bills off the ground like Bill Gates. Maybe just living my daily life is more expensive?
But if I saw money on the ground, I’d definitely pick it up. I just keep forgetting how much I actually earn. Maybe it’s because I’m young or haven’t had many chances to spend money yet, so it doesn’t feel real. Once I become an adult and start spending, maybe I’ll finally feel how much I’m earning.
Back in elementary school, I didn’t have much use for money. Even when I lived as a man before I died, I wasn’t the type to spend a lot. I never learned the habits of the rich, like decking themselves out in luxury brands, so I just wore simple clothes. I’ve never worn outfits that cost millions per piece.
If I ever go to a department store, I’ll probably end up wearing those expensive clothes. After all, expensive clothes just look better.
—
The effectiveness of Tangle has already been proven. But since we needed to show results for baldness, we had no choice but to test it. Unlike complicated pharmaceutical procedures, this was just a fruit, so it could be sold right away. All we needed was a simple approval process from the Food and Drug Administration.
Since the fruit was small, Tangle felt like candy or…
They sold it fully packed in glass bottles. And there was no need for much advertising. The secrecy was over, and vivid reviews from bald people were posted online.
– Insane. This is a godly medicine. From today, I’ll bow three times daily in the direction of Starlight Wellbeing.
– This is real. The real deal has arrived. Even baldness, which was said to be incurable, has been conquered. It’s said to be a plant discovered at the Gate, and from now on, Starlight Wellbeing and I are one. Any post insulting Starlight Wellbeing will be considered an insult to me, and I’ll attack.
– Ah… It didn’t work for me. Still unlucky here… But there’s still hope, so I’ll wait.
– Test results show it cures baldness in about half of the cases. Where else can you find that? Until now, even 1% of bald people couldn’t be saved, but Starlight Wellbeing has taken a great step forward.
– The price is a steal. 5,000 won a day, 150,000 won a month to overcome baldness? I’m buying it right now. It’s three times more expensive than Propecia, but it’s a reasonable amount to pay.
– If you stop taking Tangle, the baldness comes back, so I’ll never stop. I’ll eat Tangle forever.
Countless reviews were flooding the internet. Most showed a satisfaction rate of 99%. Of course, half of the bald people didn’t see results, but after seeing Starlight Wellbeing’s announcement about future improvements, they couldn’t help but feel hopeful.
If it could free them from this relentless baldness, they’d pay any price. Baldness was like a divine punishment, socially equivalent to a death sentence. No matter how good-looking someone was, baldness made them look wrinkled.
Bald people who saw the reviews online rushed to pharmacies. But the pharmacists were baffled.
“Why don’t you sell Tangle here? Don’t you want to make money?”
“Sir… Tangle isn’t a medicine. It’s a fruit.”
They came to the pharmacy thinking Tangle was a medicine, but it was classified as a fruit. It wasn’t sold in pharmacies but in local supermarkets.
The bald crowd quickly shifted to supermarkets. The stores were shocked to see so many bald people, who had been hiding in society or disguised with wigs. They had never seen so many bald people walking around…
Of course, it made sense. According to government surveys, there are 10 million bald people in South Korea. Since baldness mostly affects men, it was unavoidable.
Of course, the exact number might be lower, but it’s still in the millions.
“Do you have Tangle?”
“Give me Tangle! Take my money, quick!”
“I’ll pay any amount, just give me Tangle!”
Despite preparing ample stock, the sudden rush caused Tangle to sell out. Starlight Wellbeing knew this and started distributing Tangle nationwide as soon as it was harvested. Since it’s a highly productive plant, they expected stability soon.
The number of bald people was fixed, but Tangle’s production was increasing exponentially. With such high production, expanding farmland could even lead to international exports. After all, there are even more bald people overseas.
However, rumors about Tangle’s other effects started spreading online, creating another trend.
[Eating Tangle seems to make hair grow faster.]
[I ate Tangle for baldness, and my hair is growing faster.]
With millions of bald people eating Tangle, the spread was rapid.
[This would be great for growing hair, right?]
Tangle wasn’t just for bald people anymore; it became popular among those trying to grow their hair too.
