Taehu drew in a deep breath, and cool, refreshing air filled his chest.
Even the streets on the outskirts of the Hunter Market, where the exhaust fumes would normally have made him frown, felt unusually pleasant today.
He stopped in front of a crosswalk and glanced down at the phone in his hand.
Ninety-five million won had just been deposited into his account.
The amount, neatly added to the money he already had, was displayed on the screen.
Even after setting aside enough to cover the taxes and budgeting generously for several months of living expenses, he still had plenty left over.
'At this point, I can live without worrying about money at all for quite a while.'
It was a degree of financial freedom his past self could never have imagined.
Back then, the meager salary of a C-rank appraiser would disappear into credit card bills and utilities almost as soon as it entered his account. He would stare at the hundred-odd thousand won left in his balance and calculate whether it would be enough to cover lunch the following month.
That harsh life now felt almost unreal.
Taehu shoved his phone into his pocket and started walking.
He did not need to shed blood while struggling through dungeons. He did not need to risk his life fighting dangerous monsters. With nothing more than the knowledge and discernment to see an item's true value, he could command sums of money this enormous.
A deep smile spread across Taehu's lips.
The more capital he had, the more choices opened up before him, and peace of mind came along with them. The reassuring weight of the numbers in his bank account made his steps feel as light as feathers.
'It's the weekend. Maybe I should go home.'
There was no question who he wanted to share this newfound abundance with first.
Changing direction, he headed for his parents' house.
It was a warm, sunny weekend afternoon.
The moment Taehu stepped into the front yard of his parents' house, he stopped.
An old gray sedan stood in the middle of the yard.
The car was well over ten years old. Its driver's door was open, and his father, Hwang Seongjin, sat behind the wheel with a troubled expression.
SCREEECH—RATTLE, RATTLE, RATTLE!
A horrible metallic noise erupted from beneath the hood.
Then, with a weak sputter, the engine died.
"Oh, come on. What's gotten into you today?"
Seongjin scratched his head and climbed out of the car.
Watching him, Taehu strode into the yard.
"Dad. Is the car acting up again?"
Startled by his son's voice, Seongjin quickly turned around.
"Oh, Taehu. You're here? What brings you by without calling first?"
"I had something to take care of nearby, so I thought I'd stop in. But what's wrong with the car this time? Didn't you say it broke down on the road before too?"
"Ah, it's been a little temperamental these past few days, and today it's especially bad. It's fine. I'll take it to the repair shop and have them give it a proper once-over. Then it'll be good for another few years."
Seongjin forced an awkward smile and gave the hood a couple of firm pats.
But he could not quite hide the regret in his touch.
Taehu silently studied the old car.
The paint had faded in several places, and the doors were covered in small scratches.
It was little more than an aging hunk of sheet metal that could barely start anymore.
A sharp ache pricked at Taehu's chest.
He knew better than anyone why his father insisted on keeping this car.
He wanted to save on living expenses and avoid burdening the family, so despite its frequent breakdowns, he had stubbornly kept driving it and suppressed any thought of buying a new one.
Taehu remembered the way his father would occasionally glance with quiet envy at sleek new cars passing by on the street.
Feigning indifference, Taehu shrugged and pulled his phone from his pocket.
"That works out well. I've actually been looking for a car to commute in lately."
"You? Why do you need a car? It's not even that far from the appraisal center to the station."
"I get tired when I finish work late at night. If I'm buying one anyway, I might as well get something roomy that you'd be comfortable riding in too."
At Taehu's casual remark, Seongjin's eyes widened.
"What are you talking about? Cars aren't cheap. I know how much you make. What do you mean, you're buying a car?"
Instead of answering, Taehu tapped his phone a few times and abruptly held the screen out in front of Seongjin.
Displayed on it was a new black executive sedan with a sleek yet dignified design.
"What do you think of this one? You've seen it on the road a few times, right? I heard the ride is really comfortable, and the interior is huge."
Seongjin's gaze locked onto the image on the screen.
It was the very model he had secretly admired for some time.
"Well, sure, it's nice. But this one must be pretty expensive……."
"I heard they're offering a lot of discounts these days."
Without hesitation, Taehu pressed the reservation button.
BEEP.
A cheerful notification sounded, and the deposit payment was processed in an instant.
"W-Wait. Hey! What did you just press?"
"I paid the deposit."
Seongjin grabbed Taehu's arm in horror.
"Are you crazy? Why would you suddenly buy this? Cancel it right now!"
"The payment already went through. If I cancel now, I'll lose the entire deposit. Do you really want me to cancel it?"
Taehu widened his eyes and answered shamelessly.
Seongjin clutched the back of his neck.
"Y-You little brat! You don't even have that kind of money! What were you thinking?"
"Come on, I told you not to worry. I've got it all planned out. I'm going inside. I should ask Mom to feed me."
Taehu waved and quickly slipped through the front door.
Seongjin remained standing alone in the yard, staring back and forth between the open front door and his old car before letting out a deep sigh.
A few days later.
The deep rumble of a diesel engine disturbed the languid afternoon from the entrance of the neighborhood.
A massive vehicle delivery truck slowly entered the front yard.
Proudly displayed on its bed was a gleaming new black executive sedan without so much as a speck of dust on it.
"Is this the residence of Mr. Hwang Taehu?"
At the delivery driver's shout, the front door rattled open.
Taehu came out first, followed by Seongjin and Kim Misuk, both wearing bewildered expressions.
"Yes, that's right. You can unload it over here."
Following Taehu's directions, the sedan was carefully lowered into one side of the yard.
Its luxurious paint reflected the surroundings like a mirror beneath the sunlight.
The large, solid radiator grille gave the car such a commanding presence that it seemed to change the very atmosphere of the yard.
"My goodness……."
Misuk could only stare at the car in stunned silence.
Seongjin's eyes were wide as he looked back and forth between the sedan and his son.
"Y-You actually bought it? You weren't joking that day?"
"I told you I'd lose the deposit. Do you like it?"
Taehu smiled calmly.
Seongjin's face went pale.
"Hey! Whether I like it isn't the point! How did you afford something this expensive? You didn't take out some ridiculous loan, did you? Even with installments, there's no way you can afford this!"
Misuk grabbed Seongjin's arm and joined in worriedly.
"He's right, son. Can't you return this right away? How are you supposed to pay for something like this on your salary? We can just repair our old car. Why waste money like this?"
Faced with his parents' barrage of concern, Taehu smiled gently.
"Don't worry. I didn't take out a loan. There aren't any installments either. I paid for the whole thing in full."
"I-In full? Where did you get that kind of money?"
"You know I'm pretty good at appraising things. Recently, I correctly appraised a valuable item at the Hunter Market and helped arrange a major transaction. I received a substantial commission."
Taehu did not elaborate any further.
Instead, he took a smart key in a smooth leather case from his pocket.
Then he pulled over Seongjin's rough hand and firmly placed the key in his palm.
"I earned this money legitimately through my own work, so don't worry about anything. Just enjoy the car. You like the smell of a new car, don't you, Dad?"
His son's voice was firm and reassuring.
Seongjin blankly felt the solid weight of the smart key in his hand before slowly turning toward the new car.
As though entranced, he approached it and carefully pulled the driver's door handle.
CLICK.
The door opened with a deep, smooth sound.
The pleasant scent of new leather drifted from the light-colored seats and brushed his nose.
Before he realized it, Seongjin had lowered himself into the driver's seat.
The smooth steering wheel beneath his palm felt almost impossibly soft.
"Well, I'll be……."
An incredulous laugh escaped him.
Then the corners of his mouth began to twitch upward.
No matter how hard he tried, he could not hide the smile spreading across his face.
"This is really my car?"
The way he ran his hand over the steering wheel made him look like a child who had just been given a new toy.
Watching him from behind, Misuk finally relaxed as well.
At first, she had been beside herself with worry that her son had done something reckless.
But when she saw the calm confidence on Taehu's face, her anxiety eased.
"Our son really has grown up. When did you get old enough to start buying your father cars?"
"I'll get you something you need next time too, Mom."
"No, that's enough. I'm perfectly happy just sitting in the passenger seat of this one. I should tell your father we're going for a drive tonight."
Misuk smiled warmly as she walked toward the car where her husband was sitting.
Standing in the yard and watching his parents, Taehu smiled faintly as well.
The Hunter market was cold and ruthlessly calculating.
Yet the rewards he had fought to obtain there through his own ability were bringing a brilliant, heartwarming change to his family's once-ordinary, worn-down life.
Taehu let out a satisfied breath and slipped both hands into his pants pockets.
He felt more fulfilled than he ever had after discovering even the rarest item.