I'd received 3 million won from 5yOy and 3.5 million from ForValhalla.
What on earth was today?
Just then.
― 5yOy2yEy donated 4,000,000 won! ―
[Me first]
― ForValhalla donated 4,500,000 won! ―
[Listen here, kid — elders go first]
Record-breaking donation amounts were being set in real time.
― 4 million?????
― 4.5 million?????
― Is this real?
― A whale fight and the shrimp's getting fat!!!!
― Jinwoo's the shrimp?
― 5yOy2yEy donated 5,000,000 won! ―
[Old man, let's just yield to each other here]
I could only gape at the numbers.
Because in a single day, I'd earned over 20 million won!
......Payday was going to be something else.
But first, work to do.
"Ahem, both of you, please calm down."
― Jinwoo, what are you going to do?
― Both of them are insane
― The shrimp is getting fatter
― Lol, Jinwoo's going to burst
"ForValhalla waited longer, so I'll see him first."
― 5yOy2yEy donated 1,000,000 won! ―
[Really?]
― 5yOy2yEy donated 1,000,000 won! ―
[For real?]
I looked at those numbers and bit my lip.
Honestly, I was shaken — but what could I do?
Principles! I had to keep my pride.
"I'll see you right after Valhalla, 5y."
― Rich people are different
― 5y, hang tight
― Look at that nickname though
― So what does 5y O y mean?
"5y, just bear with me a moment. I'll get to you quickly."
― 5yOy2yEy donated 10,000 won! ―
[Hurry]
"Let's proceed. Valhalla, come into Daincode."
Click — and his voice came through.
"Hello."
Fifties, maybe.
A low, thick voice that radiated presence.
― That voice is insane
― Is he military?
― Man's man energy pouring right out of the voice
― The Valhalla nickname makes sense now
"Hello. That's quite a commanding voice — are you in the military by any chance?"
"No, I work on-site."
On-site?
I closed my eyes and saw a construction site. A tough-looking man in a hard hat was standing there.
Workers gathered around him, and their eyes held respect.
A site foreman?
When Valhalla gave an order, the workers moved in perfect unison.
As they moved, I caught them whispering to each other.
"The foreman is a real man among men."
"For real. That's what a true man looks like."
As expected — a man who'd earned the title.
"Alright, what's troubling you?"
"......It's a bit hard to say."
"Take your time. It's just the two of us."
― "The two of us" (330 people)
― Read the room
― Someone ban that guy
― We don't have a moderator though?
He was quiet for a moment, then seemed to make up his mind.
"I think something's off with me lately."
"How so?"
"I'll be watching the news and suddenly start tearing up......"
What kind of news makes you cry?
"When I watch dramas, I get choked up too."
"I see."
"And I can't sleep at night, or I feel drained for no reason."
"How long has this been going on?"
"About a month."
A month.......
I closed my eyes again, and this time a hospital consultation room appeared. The doctor was explaining something to him.
"Mr. Lee Taean, we suspect andropause. On your way out, please get an injection and I'll prescribe some medication — take it morning and evening. No drinking or smoking, and cut back on fried food and carbonated drinks."
So it was andropause.
I was about to call him by name, but I stopped myself and decided to use his nickname instead.
He'd been embarrassed just bringing it up — I should be considerate.
"Valhalla."
"Yes."
"It's andropause."
― Men get that too?
― Yeah, male andropause
― Right, it happens when testosterone drops
― A man's man with andropause
― Sorry, but you've been expelled from the Real Man's Club
― The Soft Man's Club welcomes you with open arms
"Men get andropause too...?"
"Yes. More people deal with it than you'd think."
"So it's not just me?"
"Not at all. Just visit a hospital and get a prescription."
But he seemed to be hemming and hawing.
"Is it hard to go to a hospital?"
"......I can't tell the people around me."
"Why not?"
"Because I've always been known as a real man."
― Lol, he just said he's known as a real man
― Sorry but you've been expelled from the Real Man's Club
― The Soft Man's Club welcomes Valhalla
― Stop making clubs like that
"Being open about it is manlier than hiding it."
"Is it?"
"Absolutely. And please do go to a hospital. A urologist or internist."
"Do I really have to......"
"Of course. Get your hormones checked. You need treatment too. If you leave it alone, it'll only get harder."
He was still wavering, so I needed to drive the point home.
"Valhalla."
"Yes."
"What does Valhalla mean?"
"In Norse mythology, it's where warriors go."
"The hall of warriors, they call it. So when warriors get injured in battle, do they hide it out of embarrassment?"
"......They wear it as a badge of honor."
"Exactly. No warrior refuses treatment for a wound. Because to fight the next battle, your body needs to be in one piece."
― A wounded warrior doesn't refuse treatment!!!
― Because there's another battle to fight!!!
― I've got similar symptoms, maybe I should see a doctor
― You're also expelled from the Real Man's Club
― The Soft Man's Club welcomes all of you
"I was being pretty short-sighted."
"Not at all. It's not too late if you go now."
"Understood. Thank you."
With that, Valhalla left the room.
[Viewers: 335]
Five more since last I checked.
"Next up is 5yOy2yEy. Come on in."
― 5yOy2yEy donated 10,000 won! ―
[Now you'll see me?]
"Yes. Come on in."
"Hello."
Early to mid-twenties, maybe.
The voice was young — completely different from Valhalla's deep, gravelly tone.
But what kind of problem warranted that kind of money?
"What's troubling you?"
"I think I've been spending money way too easily lately."
This was why he'd spent 14 million won?
......He really was spending it easily.
― If spending money too easily is the problem, I'll manage it for you
― I wish I had that kind of problem
― Bro, need a fun little brother?
― People call me the Majangdong Butcher at drinking parties
― Is that supposed to be fun?
― That's terrifying
"How long has this been going on?"
"Since I started making money."
"If you don't mind my asking, what do you do?"
"I'm a full-time trader."
A trader?
Stocks or crypto?
I closed my eyes expecting to see a luxury apartment, but instead I saw a run-down semi-basement.
'A scene from the past?'
Through the unit's only window, the view was nothing but a dirty alley. Inside, a small child was eating a convenience store rice ball alone.
Nibbling at it in tiny bites, making it last.
That was 5yOy2yEy's childhood.
When the scene returned to the present, a luxury apartment appeared — and the entryway was piled high with unopened designer shopping bags.
Ah, I understood.
"You had a very hard childhood."
"What?"
― He grew up poor?
― A self-made man?
― Impressive at that age
― Bro, need a fun older brother?
― Your face is kind of funny-looking though
― Where do you live?
"How did you......"
"The reason you spend money so easily is simple. You want to prove to yourself that you can buy things."
"......"
Not buying because he wanted them — buying to confirm that he could.
"......How did you know?"
"I can see everything."
This wasn't fortune-telling as a hobby.
― So it's not just reckless spending
― Why do I suddenly feel a pang?
― Got a little choked up there
― Is this an F-types-only zone?
― You cold-blooded T-ass bastard
― That's just a straight-up insult
"You don't need to prove anything anymore."
"......"
"You've already proven enough."
He'd spent enormous amounts of money trying to overcome his childhood trauma.
Upgrading his car.
Upgrading his home.
Buying designer goods.
Firing off donations.
But what goes up must come down.
When the crypto he'd invested in crashed, I saw his bank balance shrinking in real time.
The result?
He sells the designer goods.
Sells the car.
Sells the apartment.
And when even that isn't enough, he borrows from everyone he knows — but nothing improves, and he ends up on the street.
More miserable than his childhood.
The future that awaited if he couldn't fix his spending habits.
"5y."
"Yes."
"How long do you think you can keep making money?"
"I don't know. Probably forever?"
"Do you think trading will always go well?"
"......Some days are good, some aren't."
"Right."
― I once hit a 500% return
― Really? How much did you make?
― Net profit 500,000 won
― Was your principal 100,000 won?
"But so far things have gone well."
"5y."
"Yes."
"Do you know which is faster — the speed money comes in, or the speed it goes out?"
He was quiet, seemingly thinking.
"I'd guess the spending is faster?"
"......Right now the income is faster."
"For now."
"What do you mean?"
"Trading can stop working at any time. But spending habits don't change."
When spending big is ingrained during flush times, the habit persists when the money dries up.
Breaking it isn't easy.
"How many unopened shopping bags do you have right now?"
"I've never counted."
"Count them."
He left for a moment — about a minute passed.
"Twelve."
The chat erupted again.
― Twelve unopened designer bags?
― How much is that?
― He buys them and doesn't even open them?
― He just buys for the thrill of buying
"What would those all add up to?"
"Somewhere between 60 and 70 million won."
― 60 to 70 million won in unopened bags?
― Seriously?
― How much does this kid make at that age?
― I believe this is my long-lost younger brother!!!
"5y."
"Yes."
"Sell all twelve."
"......What?"
"You haven't opened them, so you can resell them."
"......But why?"
"That's 60 million won right there."
"I can make that much in a day."
"That's the problem."
What you can earn in a day, you can lose in a day.
He fell silent at my words. He knew it himself.
"I'll ask you honestly."
"Okay."
"Are you happy right now?"
Another silence, longer this time.
"......I don't know."
"Right."
Happy people answer that question immediately.
Yes, I'm happy.
"You buy designer goods, fire off donations, upgrade your car. So why don't you know?"
"......"
"Because no matter how much you prove you can buy things, the memories from childhood don't go away."
― Why is nobody typing?
― Because the mood is dark, dude
― We have some awareness too
― Really?
"Then what should I do?"
"Start by selling the unopened bags. And don't spend a single won of that money."
"......Why?"
"You've already proven you can buy things. Now prove you can hold on to them."
Because keeping money was harder than spending it.
A long silence, and then — without a word — he disconnected from Daincode.
― Why did the viewer count spike all of a sudden?
― I just got here, what is this stream?
― I came after seeing the clip
Just then.
― 5yOy2yEy donated 1,000 won! ―
[I'll try]
A 1,000-won donation.
A small amount, but it carried his sincerity.
― That 1,000-won donation hits the hardest
― Lol, why is that so moving?
― Is this an F-type gathering?
― You heartless T, get out
[Viewers: 1,342]
Huh? More again.
It had been 335 earlier and now it was 1,342 — so 1,007 more people?
......Wait, what did I just say?
I rubbed my eyes and checked again — I hadn't misread it.
1,342.
"Uh......?"
The chat was scrolling at an insane speed.
― Over a thousand people came in just now?
― Check the trending searches
― Jjiriri trending #1 just hit
― What does it say?
― Shaman Streamer Kim Jinwoo
"Wh-what? Trending number one?!"
I grabbed my phone, opened the search bar, and there it was — Jjiriri's number-one trending topic.
[Shaman Streamer Kim Jinwoo — Whale Donation War]
Whale Donation War?
I searched the title and found a clip had been uploaded — the donation battle between ForValhalla and 5yOy2yEy.
― I came after seeing the clip, didn't know the stream was still live
― Came from the trending page
― Is he really a shaman?
― For real though?
The chat was too fast to read.
......It felt like just yesterday I was working the convenience store.
Did I really make it?
"Hello, and welcome to all the newcomers. This is cosmic superstar Kim Jinwoo."
― Look at how full of himself he's gotten
― Don't be fooled, everyone — this guy was unemployed until recently
― What do you mean recently? He still is
― Excuse me! He's not unemployed! He's a full-time streamer!
"My main content is counseling. I'll consult on any topic, so feel free to sign up. Sessions are a very affordable 10,000 won, and I do one to two sessions per day for free."
― Me too please
― Same here
― How do I get one?
― How do I get in line?
[Viewers: 1,511]
The growing number put an involuntary smile on my face.
"For this next session, I'll pick at random."
― Pick me
― Please
― Choose me
― Jinwoo, we made eye contact
I scanned the viewer list — most of the faces were new.
Among them, I spotted a man standing in a hospital corridor. He was wearing a white coat, so — a doctor.
Mid-to-late thirties, maybe.
His expression was peculiar — more exhausted than anyone.
Looking closer, I noticed a folded piece of paper in his coat pocket.
'A resignation letter?'
A doctor walking around with a resignation letter in his pocket.
"RomanticDoctor, come into Daincode. Password is 1004."