An Unplanned Detour
Lee Jihoon hadn't planned to stop by the park.
He was on his way home after running a few errands, including grabbing a fresh bag of Hodu's favorite treats (which, knowing the cat, would be ignored for no reason at first).
But as he walked past the park entrance, something made him slow down.
The evening sun cast a golden glow over the trees, the air cool but pleasant.
People strolled along the paved paths, kids ran across the grass, and a few elderly folks sat chatting on benches.
Jihoon checked the time.
He had nowhere to be.
Might as well take the scenic route home.
A Distressed Stranger
As Jihoon walked through the park, enjoying the quiet, he heard a frustrated sigh.
Nearby, a young woman stood near a bench, rummaging through her bag with growing panic.
She checked her pockets, her bag again, then glanced around, clearly distressed.
Jihoon wasn't the type to get involved in other people's business.
But—
Ding!
A notification flashed before his eyes.
[New Kindness Challenge]
Someone has lost something important. Help them find it.
Reward: 30,000 KRW
Jihoon sighed.
Of course.
A Simple Offer
Jihoon casually approached the woman.
"Lose something?"
She looked up, startled.
"Uh… yeah. My phone," she admitted. "I swear I had it with me just a second ago…"
Jihoon glanced around.
"Did you check the bench?"
She sighed. "Yeah, it's not there."
Jihoon looked at the grass surrounding the bench.
"What color is the case?"
"Blue, with a little fox sticker on the back."
Jihoon nodded, scanning the area.
Lost phones weren't uncommon—people put them down, got distracted, and forgot.
Still, it was better to find it fast before someone else did.
The Search Begins
Jihoon glanced under the bench first—nothing.
Then, he took a few steps back, checking the ground.
After a minute of searching, something caught his eye near the path's edge.
A glint of blue.
Jihoon walked over and bent down.
There it was. A blue phone case with a fox sticker.
"Found it."
The woman whipped around.
"What? Really?"
Jihoon held up the phone. "This it?"
Her eyes widened in relief.
"Yes! Oh my god, yes!"
She practically snatched it from his hands, sighing deeply.
"I thought I'd have to retrace my whole day to find it."
Jihoon smirked. "Well, now you don't."
Ding!
[Kindness Opportunity Completed!]
Reward: 30,000 KRW
A Grateful Gesture
The woman checked the phone quickly, letting out another sigh of relief.
"Battery's still good. Thank god."
Jihoon shrugged. "Glad it didn't get stepped on."
She laughed softly, tucking it safely into her pocket this time.
"Seriously, thank you. I was already preparing for the worst."
Jihoon smirked. "Just try not to lose it again."
"I'll try," she chuckled. "Oh, I should introduce myself. I'm Kang Nari."
"Lee Jihoon," he said.
Nari grinned. "Well, Jihoon-ssi, since you saved me from a disaster, let me buy you a coffee or something."
Jihoon raised an eyebrow.
"You don't have to do that."
Nari smirked. "I know. But I want to."
Jihoon sighed. Why did people keep insisting on repaying him?
Then again, rejecting kindness wasn't exactly… kind.
And he had just learned that lesson.
"…Alright," he said. "One coffee."
Nari grinned victoriously.
"Great. There's a place nearby."
Ding!
[Bonus Kindness Opportunity Unlocked!]
Accepting gratitude strengthens connections.
+10,000 KRW
Jihoon sighed.
The system really was pushing him to be social these days.
An Unexpected Conversation
A few minutes later, they sat at a small outdoor café near the park.
Jihoon sipped his coffee, watching as Nari scrolled through her phone.
"You sure you don't have an attachment issue with that thing?" he teased.
She laughed. "I swear, I don't. But my whole life is in here—work, schedules, contacts… losing it would've been a nightmare."
Jihoon nodded. "What do you do?"
"I work in marketing for a startup. Mostly online promotions and campaigns."
Jihoon smirked. "So your job depends on that phone."
"Basically."
As they talked, the conversation flowed easily.
Jihoon found out that Nari had moved to the city recently and was still getting used to things.
"That's probably why I lose things so much," she admitted sheepishly. "Still adjusting."
Jihoon chuckled. "You'll figure it out."
She smiled, looking out at the passing people.
"…This was nice," she said. "Meeting a kind stranger in a big city."
Jihoon raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound dramatic."
She grinned. "It kinda is. I mean, most people wouldn't have stopped to help."
Jihoon shrugged. "I guess I have a habit of stepping in."
"Then the world needs more people like you."
Jihoon scoffed. "Trust me, one of me is enough."
Nari laughed.
And just like that, a simple act of kindness turned into an unexpected, easy conversation.
A Quiet Reflection
Later that evening, Jihoon walked back into his apartment, setting down his bags.
Hodu immediately trotted over, sniffing at the grocery bag.
Jihoon smirked. "Yeah, yeah. I didn't forget you."
As he unpacked, his phone buzzed.
Ding!
[Daily Kindness Reflection]
"The smallest acts of kindness often create the biggest impact. A few minutes of your time can change someone's entire day."
Jihoon leaned against the counter, staring at the soft glow of his phone screen.
Yeah.
That sounded about right.
One small act at a time.
End of Chapter 34
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