Chapter 5 : The Expression She Never Shows Me (2)

The [Rental Papa] App.

It installed itself the moment I pressed the “Accept Papakatsu Trial” button.

Like some kind of backdoor lurking on the site, maybe.

If I let my guard down, my bank account might get completely emptied.

‘Not that I have much to steal anyway.’

I tapped the app icon while wallowing in self-deprecation.

Since it’s a trial version, many features are locked.

Some of them seem downright impossible with modern science.

Must be some kind of black joke from the developer.

Bzzz.

The screen flickered with static, and a character appeared in the app.

[Thank you for using this app. This AI PapaBot will fully support Joo Yeonho in his papakatsu life!]

A large mustache and eyes made of age spots.

The character looked just like Mr. Pringles and gave a polite bow.

Unlike the suspicious-looking website, this seemed surprisingly legit.

Nowadays, AI can do more than just plagiarize novels with a single click.

I was briefly impressed—until the AI PapaBot made an announcement.

[Congratulations! You’ve been matched with your first daughter.]

It was a notification saying I had already been matched with a “daughter.”

It hadn’t even been ten minutes since I installed the app… and someone had already picked me.

Now that the girl who selected me had appeared, I felt a bit unsettled.

I’m not too familiar with the system of [Rental Papa], but if it’s about choosing one out of several papas, there must have been better candidates than gloomy old me.

I wonder what kind of girl she is.

[Applicant: Cho Sewon (18)]

Eighteen… so she must be a high school junior.

No photos or personal details were available.

That was all the information I had for now.

[Location: Friday, July 3rd, 5 PM, Exit 3 of K Station]

K Station was conveniently close to my home.

Just two or three subway stops away.

A busy downtown area filled with restaurants and shops.

Makes sense for a papakatsu date, considering meal logistics.

So far, it all seemed pretty reasonable.

[Preferred father role: A man who lost his wife ten years ago and raised his daughter alone.]

I’d worried there’d be some trap choice hidden in the role examples.

At least I wasn’t asked to hyperventilate and use Force Grip or something equally insane.

Still, what kind of philosophy lies behind the request for a “man who lost his wife ten years ago and raised his daughter alone”?

Is this going to be some tearjerking melodrama where the tragedy kicks off with a dead family?

I’ve been living alone these past few years.

Even if they ask me to act like that kind of dad… there’s no way I’ll be good at it.

[No worries! AI PapaBot will give Joo Yeonho full support! Now, let me guide you through the details.]

PapaBot cheerfully offers its support.

I don’t know whether I should be impressed or annoyed by how this AI acts like it understands my feelings.

Apparently, it didn’t pick up on my current unease, as it continued on nonchalantly.

[The basic session lasts 4 hours. The base fee is 200,000 won! Since this is a trial, [Rental Papa] will cover the cost.]

It may sound mercenary, but money is a serious matter.

I held my breath and did the math.

200,000 won for 4 hours—50,000 won an hour.

Even as an hourly wage, that’s better than what I earned at that black company.

Maybe this isn’t such a bad deal after all.

[If your daughter selects additional options during the papakatsu, you may earn extra income. The available options vary depending on the number of meetings.]

“Options,” huh.

I checked, and for this meeting, there was a 30,000-won add-on available.

It wasn’t anything inappropriate.

The option was so simple it was almost disappointing.

No one would pay money for something this minor, surely.

“Well, it’s just a trial version. Even if it doesn’t go well, I’ll chalk it up as life experience.”

I had been overthinking everything too much.

This was no different from the free sample corner at a discount store.

If either the daughter or I were completely put off after the first meeting, that would be the end of it.

From my school years to marriage and work life.

Looking back on my youth, every time I tasted something sweet, bitterness followed right after.

Most of those endings were a dull gray.

Even if this dream part-time job crashes and burns, it would just add another sepia-toned memory to my archive of embarrassing moments.

Only two days remained until my first papa-katsu.

Even if I wanted to prepare well, there wasn’t much time left.

With a sigh, I opened my closet.

“This is all I’ve got to wear.”

A faded gray off-the-rack suit I’d bought to celebrate my first job.

A worn-out tie, hastily stitched together because I didn’t want to throw it away.

It had been three months since I got laid off and now I was face-to-face with this outfit again.

It looked like an outdated office outfit from a previous life.

Still, it didn’t seem like there was any special dress code unless it was part of an unlocked extra option.

So, it should be fine.

The outfit that was once my armor for the battlefield called “the office” had now become a prop for a bit part in a father roleplay.

***

Weekends have a way of lightening the heart.

Just as Friday’s homeroom ended and school was nearly out, the usually dull classroom buzzed with excitement.

People talking about weekend movies or trying bold new things.

The air was filled with the cheerful echoes of laughter and chatter.

“It’s over~~!! Huaaam—”

Sewon covered her mouth and yawned discreetly.

She was embarrassed, worried that it might reveal she hadn’t slept well.

A group of girls from her class approached her.

“Sewon~ Want to go to karaoke with us?”

“Sorry, I’ve got plans today.”

“Is it family time or something?”

“Ah, yeah, something like that.”

Sewon replied with an awkward smile.

Of course, she wasn’t going to spend time with her perpetually busy mother.

Still, it wasn’t exactly a lie to say it was “something like that.”

Because today was the day she would meet her dad.

The app had installed itself the moment she submitted her application.

Soon after, a notification popped up—an AI had found the “optimal dad” match for her.

To think the perfect dad could be found so quickly!

A man who lost his wife ten years ago.

And who raised his daughter all on his own—a setting straight out of a daytime drama.

Was it really possible someone would fit that role so perfectly?

AI is incredible… though Sewon, who could be impulsive at times, still had her doubts.

What kind of man would be playing her “dad” today?

How distant—or close—would he act toward her?

What if it was all a scam?

What if some bulky female gangsters were waiting with baseball bats to shove her into a van?

Okay, that last one was a bit much.

Still, she was ready to run if anything went wrong.

The AI PapaBot said it would notify her of her “dad” once she arrived at the meeting location.

Sewon decided that if the man looked dangerous or untrustworthy, she would leave immediately.

She was old enough to make that kind of judgment.

‘There’s not much time left… until 5 p.m., right?’

Sewon slung her school bag over her shoulder.

She had purposely arranged to meet near a busy area around the school.

She didn’t even bother to change into casual clothes.

She was still in the sleeveless summer uniform of Solbit Girls’ High School.

She was about to head to Exit 3 of K Station, the meeting spot, with hurried steps.

Just then, between the sliding doors of Classroom 2 of Year 2.

A boy was glancing at her.

His messy hair revealed a glimpse of his pale, anxious eyes.

Even the look of interest he gave her lacked confidence.

It was the very same younger student who had sent her a confession letter two days ago.

First-year student Ye Seungbin.

That was what had motivated her to apply for PapaKatsu.

Not knowing how to respond, Sewon had politely declined his confession.

That love letter… she still hadn’t thrown it away, awkwardly keeping it in her skirt pocket.

Since then, perhaps from disappointment, he hadn’t shown himself around her.

Wondering if he had something to say, Sewon tilted her head and looked in his direction.

“—UGHAAAAAH!!!”

Seungbin let out a ghostly scream as if his perfect disguise had been discovered.

Flailing his short arms and legs, the boy quickly ran away.

“What the… that kid.”

The whole thing happened so fast, Sewon was left dumbfounded.

Even her best friend Byeol, who had to stay after school for club activities on Fridays, frowned and spoke in a cold tone with her bright blue eyes.

So what was that all about?

That kid.

After the brief incident, Sewon made her way toward K Station.

As a transfer station with two subway lines, located near an academy district and a decent shopping area.

A wide variety of people were steadily gathering at K Station to use it as a meeting point.

Most were solo women getting ready to light up their Friday night.

The kind who would stake out at a pick-up pub, hoping to catch a romantic guy today.

There were some men, too, but most of them were with two or three female friends.

There wasn’t a single man who looked like he was waiting alone for a girl young enough to be his daughter.

Was [Rental Papa] just a scam after all?

[Please don’t be so quick to call it a scam just because you’re feeling skeptical, Sewon.]

Ding.

The [Rental Papa] app chimed.

Sewon glanced down at the screen.

As if reading her thoughts, the AI PapaBot voiced its complaint and then delivered big news:

[A matched papa is within 10 meters ahead. →]

Sewon’s olive-colored eyes followed the arrow.

Thump.

It felt like something sank inside her stomach,A sharp, tingling sensation washed over her.