Chapter 6: A Moment of Compassion

The crisp air of the city brushed against Jinu's skin as he stepped out of the luxurious building, the high-stakes poker game still fresh in his mind. His new wealth, confidence, and sharp suit felt like a completely different reality. For a moment, he felt like he was floating above the world—untouchable.

But as he walked down the street, the sounds of the bustling city started to fade, replaced by the quiet, empty feeling in his chest. Wealth was one thing—he'd gotten what he wanted. But was that enough? The thought gnawed at him as he passed the high-end stores, the luxury cars, the wealthy people walking with their shiny smiles.

Jinu's eyes wandered down to the sidewalk, where a figure caught his attention—a woman huddled near a wall with a child sitting beside her. They were both covered in layers of ragged clothes, their faces smudged with dirt, eyes empty and hopeless.

The woman was rocking back and forth, her hands clutching a worn-out blanket. The child, no older than five, clung to her side, his small frame shaking from the cold. They were disheveled, their faces a stark contrast to the luxury Jinu had just left behind. He couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in his chest, something he hadn't felt in a long time. His stomach twisted, and for a moment, he almost felt the urge to cry.

"This... this doesn't feel right," Jinu muttered to himself, his mind flashing back to memories of his own childhood. "I remember when Mom used to take care of me, feed me, make sure I had everything I needed. How did it get to this for them?"

The thought lingered, but his attention returned to the woman and child. For the first time in a long while, he saw his own mother's face in the woman sitting on the ground. The same tired eyes, the same look of exhaustion, the same desperate, unspoken plea for help.

He walked closer, his footsteps quiet but deliberate. As he approached, the woman noticed him. Her eyes flickered up briefly, a small spark of recognition in her gaze before it faded, replaced by the same sense of resignation.

"Hello," Jinu said gently, his voice soft. He knelt down in front of the child, offering a small smile. The child looked up, his eyes wide, filled with confusion and fear. He instinctively clutched his mother's arm and leaned into her, his face pale and scared.

"It's okay," Jinu reassured him, his voice calm. He reached into his pocket, feeling the weight of the suitcase full of cash resting at his side.

"I'm sorry for bothering you," he said, looking up at the woman. "But I'd like to help."

The woman looked at him for a long time, her eyes skeptical and wary. But when Jinu reached into the suitcase and pulled out a thick stack of cash, her eyes widened in disbelief. She opened her mouth to protest, but Jinu was already holding out the money.

"This is all yours," he said gently, pressing the cash into her hands. It was millions of dollars, more than enough to completely change their lives. The woman's hands trembled as she accepted the money, shock washing over her face.

"No, no, we can't take all of this," the woman stammered, her voice shaky. "This is too much. We don't need all of it... just a little... maybe one hundred..."

Jinu shook his head, smiling softly but with determination in his eyes. "No, it's all yours. Please, take it."

She hesitated, tears starting to well up in her eyes. The woman's voice broke as she spoke.

"This is... too much. I can't..."

Jinu didn't back down. He leaned in closer, his voice firm but compassionate.

"It's okay," he said, "Take it. Don't worry."

Finally, she nodded, tears falling freely down her cheeks. "Thank you... thank you so much..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

But then, just as he was about to leave, something caught Jinu's eye—a small, ragged teddy bear lying on the ground near the child. The boy looked up at Jinu with wide, hungry eyes, still afraid, still uncertain. But Jinu couldn't let the moment pass without doing more.

He paused for a second, his mind racing as he remembered something from earlier—a small, impulsive thought. Without saying a word, Jinu stopped time.

Time Stop: A Quick Detour

With the world frozen in place, Jinu moved quickly, his steps light and calculated. He dashed to a nearby store, the doors sliding open effortlessly as he entered. The time inside the store was frozen as well, the workers behind the counter motionless, their hands in mid-air as they stood frozen in time.

Jinu walked straight to the toy section, picking up a soft teddy bear from the shelf. He smiled to himself, a feeling of warmth spreading through his chest.

He paused for a moment, glancing at the cashier's desk. A thousand dollars lay on the counter, unattended, with no one to claim it.

He grabbed the money, quickly placing it on the desk before rushing back out of the store.

Time resumed, and Jinu returned to the woman and child. His suit was a little disheveled, his hair slightly out of place, but he was still smiling. He handed the teddy bear to the boy.

"Here you go," Jinu said, his voice softer now. "I thought you might like this."

The child's face lit up. He hesitated for a second before reaching out and taking the teddy bear, his fear melting away as he hugged it tightly. The woman looked at Jinu, still in disbelief.

"You... You really didn't have to..." she said, tears streaming down her face. But Jinu was already smiling, his eyes bright.

"It's okay," he said, his voice calm. "Just take care of each other. And don't worry about the money. It's yours now."

The woman embraced the child, holding him tightly, as though the weight of the world had been lifted from their shoulders. "Thank you... Thank you so much..."

Jinu nodded, standing up and preparing to leave. He turned to leave, but the Time Tyrant System spoke to him in his mind:

"That was nice of you."

"It's okay," Jinu replied, a soft smile on his face. "I just did what felt right."

A Final Act of Kindness

As Jinu walked away, he made a quick decision. He wanted to ensure the woman and her child were protected. Pulling out his phone, he quickly dialed the number for security services.

After a brief conversation, he arranged for 24-hour protection for them. Jinu hung up, feeling a sense of satisfaction knowing they would be safe.

He then made his way back to the street, thinking about what to do next. A reward for the Uber driver seemed like the right thing to do.

The Final Ride

Jinu ordered another Uber, this time with the same middle-aged driver. When the car pulled up, the driver looked at him in surprise.

"Oh, it's you!" the driver said, a chuckle escaping his lips as he took in Jinu's new appearance, his suit now neatly adjusted. "You must've won, huh? Looking sharp!"

Jinu smiled slyly. "Maybe I did."

He got into the car, and the driver started the engine, chatting casually. When they arrived at Jinu's destination, Jinu handed him an envelope filled with $100,000 in cash.

The driver's eyes widened in shock.

"This is too much," the driver said, his voice trembling. "I can't accept this... this is... unbelievable."

"It's for you," Jinu said calmly. "You've been a good driver."

Before the driver could protest, Jinu added, "Check your phone."

The driver glanced at his phone, where an alert popped up. His jaw dropped as he saw an additional $1 million deposited into his account.

"This... this is... I can finally send my kids to college... Thank you, thank you so much..." The driver's voice cracked, and tears streamed down his face as he gripped the steering wheel, overwhelmed with emotion.

Jinu simply smiled. "It's okay. Just take care of them."