Chapter 11: “The Cafeteria Miracle”
---
Monday – 6:58 a.m. – Dae-Hyun's Room
Dae-Hyun was deep in thought, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of his glowing phone.
> [Current Balance: ₩682,220,000]
[New Suggestion: "Support Your Old High School"]
[Proposed Action: Provide anonymous gourmet lunches to all students – Duration: 30 days]
[Estimated Cost: ₩18,000,000]
He scrolled through old photos.
A school uniform.
A cracked tray of cold rice and gray bean paste.
The infamous "cabbage soup incident."
He winced.
"No kid deserves to suffer like I did during Mystery Lunch Monday."
He tapped YES.
> [Action Confirmed. Delivery System Activated.]
[Label: From: A Friend Who Remembers the Taste of Sad Tofu]
---
11:34 a.m. – Dae-Hyun's Old High School
Students shuffled into the cafeteria expecting their usual: overcooked rice, lifeless greens, and boiled regret.
Instead, they found:
Bento boxes stacked neatly in rows, each box sealed with gold trim.
Inside: Bulgogi beef, soft boiled eggs with soy glaze, fresh fruit, and tiny dessert cups of Belgian pudding.
Beside each box, a card:
> "Eat well today. You deserve more than just survival." – A Friend"
At first, everyone thought it was a prank.
Until the smell hit.
And then the screams of joy echoed through the cafeteria like a K-pop concert during a comeback stage.
"IT'S… REAL MEAT."
"IS THIS… AN EGG WITH A YOLK?!"
"I HAVE TASTED HEAVEN, AND IT'S WAGYU-FLAVORED!"
---
That Afternoon – Social Media Erupts
📱 @KimchiQueen:
> "My cousin goes to Daejin High and said someone gave them literal Michelin-star lunchboxes today. Who is this 'Friend'?!"
📱 @SadTofuSurvivor:
> "I CRIED eating lunch today. Cried. I haven't tasted flavor since middle school. #CafeteriaMiracle"
📱 @FoodGodSeoul:
> "I demand the Ministry of Education turn all cafeterias over to this anonymous donor."
---
3:14 p.m. – Dae-Hyun's Room
> [Viral Tag Alert: #CafeteriaMiracle – Rank #5 Trending]
[New Inquiry: Local News Channel Requesting Interview With "The Friend"]
Dae-Hyun threw a pillow over his face.
"I JUST WANTED TO FIX SAD LUNCHES, NOT START A FOOD MOVEMENT!"
> [Auto-Reputation Booster Activated: A separate anonymous identity has been created for interviews.]
"What now?!"
> [Public Identity: Former lunchbox deliveryman named 'Mister Shin' who believes every child deserves salt and seasoning.]
He blinked.
"…That's kind of sweet."
> [AI-generated photo created. Mister Shin has a mustache, gentle smile, and cries during cooking shows.]
---
Later – That Night – Rooftop Meeting
Min-Ji sat beside him again, sipping banana milk with a straw.
"So now you're saving cafeteria children too?"
He groaned.
"I didn't think they'd call it a miracle. I just didn't want them to suffer soggy kimchi pancakes."
She grinned.
"You're going to accidentally become a cultural icon."
"I'm trying very hard to be poor-looking."
"You're doing great," she said, poking his cheek. "Especially with the hoodie and the ramen stains."
He sighed dramatically.
"Do you think Mister Shin cries in the shower?"
"Definitely. And while slicing onions."
They laughed together under the dim rooftop lights.
---
The Next Day – Daejin High School
The students arrived to find even more lunchboxes.
But now… there were cameras.
A local news team.
Reporters.
One confused man in a cheap suit pretending to be Mister Shin.
The actor stood in front of the camera with watery eyes and a trembling voice.
"I… I just remember being hungry once… and… and all I had was a single fish cake…"
He pulled out a handkerchief.
The students cried.
Teachers cried.
Even the janitor bowed toward him like he was royalty.
---
Back at Dae-Hyun's Room
He watched it all unfold live.
"…This is completely out of hand."
> [Current Balance: ₩677,880,000]
[Passive income remains stable.]
The system chirped.
> [Suggestion: Set up a scholarship fund next?]
He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling.
"…Maybe tomorrow."
---
End of Chapter 11