Chapter 3: The Empty Woman

Ryu Seoha.

That’s my name, and perhaps, if someone is deeply interested in the business world of this country, it might be a name they’ve heard at least once.

At twenty-three years old, I’m one of the successors of ‘Changseong,’ one of Korea’s leading companies, and the second daughter of the Ryu family. Ever since I was young, I’ve never lacked anything.

Money, connections, looks, and even the innate ability to use all those things gracefully.

It might sound arrogant, but the word “lack” was the farthest thing from my life.

The day I started feeling empty inside was also the day I received salvation.

“Why don’t you go on a trip with your friends since you finally got a break?”

One day, just after I had turned twenty-two.

I was managing one of the subsidiaries my father had handed over to me, and I got a rare break. I decided to visit my mother after a long time.

As usual, my mother, always worried about her daughter, gently suggested a vacation plan, but I casually shook my head.

“It’s fine… I still have work to do. I plan to give up the vacation.”

“Really? Your father is worried sick, saying you should rest a bit…”

“I’m not a child anymore.”

I pretended that I didn’t need a vacation, but it wasn’t really pretending. Honestly, vacations were of little use to me.

At that point, I had forgotten what could fill me up aside from work.

I skipped grades in high school, graduated early from college, and had no friends. I wasn’t exactly pleasant at school either. All I focused on were my grades and GPA, so it was only natural.

I had no idea how to go on a trip. I tried once, but I ended up just lying in a hotel, eventually pulling out my laptop to work. After thinking, ‘I might as well have stayed at the office,’ I returned after less than two days.

I don’t even have any real hobbies. Unlike my mother, who enjoys tea ceremonies and pottery, or my father, who loves golf and music, I hadn’t found anything that interested me.

To me, a vacation was nothing more than punishment akin to being confined.

The only thing that filled me was the faint satisfaction of handling papers in the office, inhaling the scent of fresh documents, and feeling that sense of accomplishment when things were properly completed.

“So, are you planning to go back to work tomorrow?”

“Yes, I took today off just to visit and say hello.”

“Well… It’s not good to wear yourself out with work from such a young age. You should also think about taking care of yourself.”

My mother’s words made perfect sense, but I didn’t dare to admit to her that “I’ve forgotten how to do that.”

“I’m enjoying work right now. Anyway, since I’ve said hello, I’ll get going.”

“Okay, go home and rest well, and take it easy from tomorrow on.”

It was a promise I probably wouldn’t keep, but I nodded and left the main house.

“Driver Park, take me home.”

“Yes, Director.”

I got into the black sedan, which wasn’t exactly my taste, and gave the driver instructions as usual. But something seemed off with Driver Park’s behavior.

He had been staring at his phone just moments ago. What was that about? Was he reading the news? It didn’t seem like that.

“Driver Park, what were you looking at just now?”

“Oh, this? It’s called Twip. It’s an internet broadcast that I watch from time to time.”

“An internet broadcast?”

The words didn’t quite match Driver Park’s image, and I couldn’t help but tilt my head in confusion.

Driver Park watches those things too? That’s surprising. I always thought he’d be the type to read newspapers or watch the news.

Since I had heard a bit about internet broadcasts before, my curiosity got the better of me, and I asked him more.

“Somehow, I don’t see you watching girls dancing naked… What kind of broadcasts do you usually watch?”

“I mostly watch casual chat shows. I spend a lot of time waiting in the car, so it’s nice to listen to them like the radio.”

“I see.”

If you think of it as a radio substitute, it doesn’t seem so bad. Plus, one of the advantages of internet broadcasts is that you can pick and choose the content you want to watch.

For example, if you like animals, you can watch someone who broadcasts frequently about them.

Since my curiosity had now been satisfied, I stopped asking Driver Park any more questions.

“Director, we’ve arrived.”

“…Already?”

As I absentmindedly watched the darkening sky pass by in the silent car, I was startled by Driver Park’s sudden voice.

It didn’t even feel like three minutes had passed, yet we had already covered a thirty-minute distance. I looked around in surprise.

Sure enough, I recognized the familiar parking lot of my apartment complex.

I completely zoned out, didn’t I?

Realizing this, I quickly gathered myself and stood up.

“Good job. Take your vacation starting tomorrow, as planned, and have a good rest. See you later.”

“Thank you, Director.”

I greeted Driver Park, who opened the car door for me and took the elevator up to my home.

Creak.

As soon as I opened the door, a strange chill greeted me, just like always.

I don’t usually mind being alone, but the cold, lifeless air of the empty house isn’t exactly pleasant.

Maybe I should get a cat, just like someone once said. But I’m not too fond of animals…

“Haa…”

With a heavy sigh, I collapsed onto my large queen-sized bed without bothering to wash up. I fumbled for my phone in my handbag.

8:20 PM. Pretty late. Well, I did end up having dinner at my mother’s insistence, so it makes sense. Originally, I had planned to come home early and review some work, but that idea’s shot now.

Normally, I would’ve gone straight to the shower to get ready for bed, but for some reason, I didn’t feel like moving. Maybe I just wanted to linger a little longer.

At moments like this, I strongly feel the need for someone to talk to, at least.

That thought led me to unconsciously recall the conversation I had with Driver Park earlier.

Specifically, the mention of internet broadcasts.

“…He did say it was called Twip, right?”

From what I know, one of the appealing things about these internet broadcasts is that you can watch them anywhere, and I believe they even have mobile apps.

Just out of curiosity, I searched for the platform Driver Park mentioned in the app store, and sure enough, an app popped up. Should I sign up here?

After entering my email and completing the registration, several broadcasts appeared on the main banner.

In the upper right corner, small numbers indicated the current viewer count, and there were quite a lot of viewers. The top-ranked broadcasts had anywhere from a few thousand to over twenty thousand viewers.

I figured the top-ranking broadcast would be the most entertaining, so I clicked on it.

– You’ve got to be kidding me! How is that not dead? This f***ing game!

But as soon as I entered, a string of expletives blared through the speakers, almost making my ears bleed. I immediately hit the back button.

Is this what all internet broadcasts are like? Somehow, I can’t imagine Driver Park watching this type of content.

I scrolled slowly down the list, but none of the broadcast titles caught my interest. Most of them involved gaming, or a woman wearing revealing clothes as the main focus.

Or there were cases where an oversized cartoon character filled the screen. In any case, none of them were to my taste.

As I browsed through the broadcasts one by one, I eventually scrolled down to those with fewer than ten viewers.

I wondered if fewer viewers meant the content was less interesting, and I was about to close the app when a title caught my eye.

“Offering advice…?”

The oddly intriguing title made me click on the broadcast without realizing it, and a large screen appeared with nothing but a single notepad.

There were countless words typed on it, and as I read through the text, it seemed the broadcaster was typing out their own words verbatim.

–

So don’t let others dump their trash into your life. Why live with such a disadvantage?

Then came a rather serious voice, slightly intense, as if sincerely offering advice to someone, just as the broadcast title suggested.

–

The voice is nice. It sounds like they’d be good at singing.

So, is that enough for the advice session?

【PassingLoser】 – Yes, thank you… ㅠㅠ I feel a bit relieved.

Alongside the broadcaster’s words, a chat message appeared. It seemed to be from the person who had just received advice.

I didn’t know the details of the conversation, but it seemed to have helped that person quite a lot.

Impressive. It’s not easy to make a stranger feel that way. At least for someone like me, it would be impossible.

– Ah, welcome, Ish0306! Sorry for the late greeting.

Unlike other usernames, my plain, unchanging nickname from when I first registered was called out warmly. The unidentified man on the screen greeted me, and for some reason, it felt comforting.

Compared to the dark, murky office politics at the company, and the few employees who smile at me to my face while gossiping behind my back, this felt different.

Here, I didn’t have to worry about making a good impression or displeasing anyone. I could just speak my mind without any pretense.

Whatever I said here, no one would know that it was ‘Ryu Seoha’s’ concerns I was expressing.

At least in this space, I could finally say what was truly on my mind without holding back.

As that thought crossed my mind, I found myself typing without even realizing it.

【lsh0306】 – Can I also ask for advice?

– Oh, of course! If you’d like to hear my humble advice, feel free to ask anything!

The host’s playful yet warm comment made me smile without realizing it.

I didn’t necessarily want advice. I just needed someone to listen to my story and not tell anyone else.

【lsh0306】 – I feel so empty inside. What should I do?

A question my wandering heart blurted out, perhaps directed at myself.

To be continued.