"Yeah. And you behave yourself while I'm gone."
"What am I going to do? Besides, who do you think I am?"
"You're my little brother. And I'm just worried, especially after that business with Han Seung-min. If someone comes looking for us, don't open the door."
"If you're so worried, why don't you take me with you?"
"I can't. The rules say you have to claim the prize alone."
Park Jin-ho waved a final time as he set off for his destination: the main branch of Daehan Bank, where he would collect his lottery winnings.
Holding out until Monday had been tough.
Ever since they'd discovered their win on Saturday, he and his brother had celebrated modestly. They had grilled pork belly on a small brazier outside and, for the first time in their lives, eaten at a proper restaurant.
They couldn't afford Hanwoo beef, Park Jin-ho recalled, but it had still been worth every won.
That one indulgence, however, had hit their finances hard. They were down to the wire, with just enough money left for his bus fare today.
Still, he thought with a flicker of optimism, they'd managed to get by on ramen until Monday.
He could only receive the prize money on a weekday, when the bank was open. As long as he had the fare to get there, their problems were about to be solved. All he had to do was walk into the bank, and millions of won would be deposited into his account.
"Next stop: Daehan Central Branch, Seodaemun Station Intersection," the automated voice of the bus announced.
Park Jin-ho stepped off the bus and walked down the bustling street. Soon, a tall building loomed ahead—the main branch of Daehan Bank.
Normally, his heart would be pounding before entering such a place, but…
Maybe it's because this is the umpteenth time I've collected a first-prize win, Park Jin-ho thought, but I don't feel a shred of nervousness.
The bank was crowded with customers, but none of them, he was certain, were here for the same reason he was.
Park Jin-ho approached the lobby information desk in the new building and said, just as he had before, "I'm here to claim my first-place lottery prize."
"Ah, I see. Congratulations, sir," the bank employee replied with a polite smile.
She wasn't surprised. A first-prize winner was a weekly occurrence, after all.
Still, the employee couldn't help but give Park Jin-ho a second glance.
He looks awfully young to have won first prize, she thought.
Although there were winners in their twenties, Park Jin-ho looked so young he could have passed for a high school student. She needed to confirm this wasn't some kind of prank or mistake.
"If it's not too much trouble, could you tell me where you purchased the ticket?" the employee asked.
"I bought it at the GS24 Yeonhui branch," Park Jin-ho replied.
"What? Ah…" the employee exclaimed, a small gasp escaping her lips.
She suddenly recalled the conversation she'd had with her superior just before starting her shift.
"This time, there were one hundred and seven first-prize winners."
"What? A hundred and seven? Isn't that a lot?"
"Yes, compared to the usual ten, it's a new record. But you know what's even more amazing? One hundred of them came from the exact same location."
"Excuse me? A single spot? Did one person buy them all?"
"That's right. Someone played a hundred tickets with the same numbers and won first place."
"Wow… that's incredible. Winning one is enough to make you sick with envy, let alone a hundred…"
"I checked the payout—it's enormous. Anyway, just giving you a heads-up. If someone who bought their ticket at the GS24 Yeonhui branch shows up, be sure to call me immediately. This person is a top-tier VVIP."
Her boss's words flashed through her mind.
"Um, I'm sorry, but could you please wait just a moment?"
After excusing herself, the employee rose and quickly returned with another man in a sharp suit.
"Thank you for waiting. I'm Lee Dong-wook, the branch manager of Daehan Bank."
Park Jin-ho shook the manager's offered hand, his expression calm.
"You've won first place. Congratulations, sir." Lee Dong-wook's smile was wide and genuine. "We shouldn't conduct this business out here. Allow me to escort you personally."
Park Jin-ho rode the elevator with the branch manager to the third floor.
All the while, the manager glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
Look at him. The kid doesn't seem nervous at all.
Not only had he won first place, but he, the branch manager, had personally come down to greet him. It would have been natural for anyone to be flustered, but Park Jin-ho remained completely composed.
In fact, he seemed even more relaxed now than he had at the front desk. The bank manager found his composure deeply impressive.
"This way, please." Lee Dong-wook led Park Jin-ho to the dedicated lottery department.
Park Jin-ho paid no mind to the other winners waiting to collect their smaller prizes as he passed. He had no time to waste, not after hitting the jackpot on one hundred tickets.
"Oh, Mr. Bank Manager, is that you?" a staff member greeted them, her eyes flicking curiously toward Park Jin-ho. Is he the manager's son? she wondered.
Before she could ask, the manager introduced him.
"This is our VVIP customer, here to claim his prize. Please assist him with anything he requires," Lee Dong-wook said warmly.
VVIP? The realization struck her. The winner of a hundred games at the GS24 Yeonhui branch?
Her professional demeanor kicking in, the employee stepped forward and bowed slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Please, have a seat on this comfortable sofa."
"Are you thirsty? May I get you something to drink? Coffee, juice, or green tea?" she asked, her smile bright.
"No, thank you," Park Jin-ho replied. "I'd just like to claim my prize and get home as quickly as possible."
"I see. Then may I see your winning lotto tickets first?" she asked.
Park Jin-ho took a sheaf of twenty lotto tickets from his pocket and handed them over. As the employee checked the numbers, she couldn't hide her astonishment. She saw that all one hundred games, spread across the twenty slips, bore the same numbers—and they were undoubtedly the winning ones.
Can you see the future? she wondered, a pang of envy striking her. Who plays the same numbers a hundred times and actually wins?
"Verification completed. Congratulations, all one hundred games are first-place winners," the employee announced, her voice filled with professional awe.
"Great," Park Jin-ho said, a slight smile finally touching his lips. "And how much is the total?"
"The total prize pool was 205 billion won," the employee said, her mouth suddenly dry. "There were one hundred and seven first-place tickets this week… and you, sir, hold one hundred of them." She had to swallow hard before continuing.
"Your share of the winnings comes to approximately 192 billion won!"
After taxes, Park Jin-ho calculated, that would still be about 150 billion won deposited into his bank account.