The Best MC Netori

Sung-Min stood frozen behind his apartment door, heart pounding like a jackhammer. Through the peephole, Tae-Ho loomed like a storm cloud—six feet of muscle, buzzed hair, and a scowl that could peel paint. His meaty fist slammed against the door again, rattling the frame.

"Open up, you little shit!" Tae-Ho barked. "I know you're in there!"

Sung-Min's mind raced. Shit, shit, shit. Had Ji-Yeon slipped up? Had Tae-Ho found his socks—those damn socks—and put two and two together? He glanced around his cramped studio, half-hoping for an escape hatch. No such luck. Just a window five stories up and a pile of dirty laundry that wouldn't hide a hamster, let alone him.

The system pinged, its blue screen popping up beside him like an uninvited guest.

[Situation detected: Hostile boyfriend confrontation. Threat level: Moderate. Suggested approach: De-escalate with charm or bluff your way out. Stats active: Charm 22, Stealth 2.]

"Moderate?!" Sung-Min hissed under his breath. "That guy looks like he could snap me like a twig!"

[He's all bark, minimal bite—unless you push him. Play it smart, protagonist.]

"Easy for you to say," he muttered, wiping sweaty palms on his shorts. Another bang shook the door, and Sung-Min knew he couldn't stall forever. He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and cracked the door open—just enough to peek out, keeping the chain lock in place.

"Tae-Ho, man, what's up?" he said, forcing a grin. Charm 22, don't fail me now. "You're gonna wake the whole building."

Tae-Ho's eyes narrowed, veins bulging in his neck. "Don't play dumb with me, 3D. I wanna know why Ji-Yeon's acting weird, and why she's got some guy's socks in our apartment."

Sung-Min's stomach lurched, but he kept his face smooth. "Socks? Dude, I don't know what you're talking about. I've been here all day, cramming for midterms."

"Bullshit," Tae-Ho snapped, jabbing a finger through the gap. "She's been texting someone, giggling like an idiot, and now she's got your shitty socks? I'm not stupid."

The system flickered. [Lie detected by target. Bluff success: 40%. Suggest redirecting.]

Sung-Min leaned into the doorframe, casual as he could manage. "Look, I've got socks all over this place—lost a pair last week in the laundry room. Maybe they got mixed up. Ji-Yeon's your girl, man. Why would I mess with that?"

Tae-Ho faltered, just for a second, his scowl softening into confusion. "Laundry room?"

"Yeah," Sung-Min said, seizing the crack in the armor. "You know how it is—half the machines are busted, stuff goes missing. I'm out a shirt too. Ask her, she probably grabbed them by mistake."

[Bluff success: 70%. He's buying it. Keep pushing.]

Tae-Ho grunted, crossing his arms. "She didn't say anything about laundry."

"Maybe she forgot," Sung-Min said, shrugging. "She's got better things to do than track my socks, right? You're the one she's with."

That hit the mark. Tae-Ho's ego puffed up, his chest swelling like a gorilla staking its turf. "Damn right she is. You better not be sniffing around, 3D. I see you near her, I'll break your face."

"Noted," Sung-Min said, raising his hands. "We good?"

Tae-Ho glared for a long moment, then stepped back. "Yeah. For now." He turned and stomped off, his footsteps echoing down the hall. Sung-Min shut the door, sliding the deadbolt home, and slumped against it with a shaky laugh.

"Holy crap," he said, wiping his brow. "That was too close."

[Confrontation resolved! Bonus: +3 Deception for quick thinking. Current stats: Charm 22, Stamina 13, Stealth 2, Deception 3. Well played.]

"Quick thinking, my ass," Sung-Min muttered, staggering to the couch. "I nearly pissed myself." But he couldn't deny the rush—outsmarting a guy twice his size felt almost as good as the netori itself. Almost.

His phone buzzed on the coffee table. Ji-Yeon again.

Ji-Yeon: "Tae-Ho just grilled me about ur socks. Told him I found them in the hall. He's still moody. U ok?"

Sung-Min typed back: "Yeah, he came by. Handled it. Laundry excuse worked. U owe me big time."

Ji-Yeon: "Oh, I'll pay u back, 3D. Tomorrow night still on?"

"Count on it," he mumbled, grinning as he sent: "Hell yes. Bring that 'wow' energy."

She replied with a winking emoji, and Sung-Min tossed the phone aside, adrenaline fading into a smug glow. Tae-Ho was off his back—for now—and Ji-Yeon was still in play. But his mind drifted to Eun-Ha, the yoga goddess with a fiancé waiting in the wings. Hard difficulty. He'd need more than charm to crack that one.

The afternoon slipped by in a haze of instant ramen and half-hearted studying. By 6 p.m., he was restless, pacing his tiny apartment like a caged tiger. The system had been quiet since the Tae-Ho dodge, but he could feel it lurking, ready to drop the next bombshell. He grabbed his jacket—time to scope out Lotus Studio again, maybe catch Eun-Ha outside class. Recon couldn't hurt.

The streets were alive with evening bustle: salarymen loosening ties, students laughing in packs, the smell of street food wafting from carts. Sung-Min reached the studio just as the last class let out, a stream of sweaty yogis spilling onto the sidewalk. He lingered across the street, leaning against a lamppost, eyes scanning for that auburn ponytail.

There she was. Eun-Ha stepped out, locking the studio door behind her, a gym bag slung over one shoulder. She wore a loose sweater over her yoga gear, but it didn't hide her grace—every move was fluid, like she was gliding. Sung-Min's pulse quickened. Then a sleek black car pulled up, and a man climbed out—tall, broad-shouldered, in a tailored suit that screamed money. Kang Joon-Hyuk, no doubt.

The fiancé leaned down to kiss Eun-Ha's cheek, possessive hand on her waist, and she smiled up at him—soft, genuine. Sung-Min's smirk faded. That wasn't just a rich asshole. That was a guy who had her, lock and key.

[Target observation: Choi Eun-Ha. Relationship strength: High. Joon-Hyuk's presence is a factor. Adjust strategy accordingly.]

"No kidding," Sung-Min muttered, watching as the couple drove off, taillights fading into traffic. He shoved his hands in his pockets, mind churning. Loyalty like that wouldn't crack easy. He'd need an angle—something to wedge between them.

Back home, he crashed on the couch, pulling up Eun-Ha's profile on the system screen. Likes: yoga (duh), green tea, classical music. Dislikes: arrogance, dishonesty. "Great," he said, rubbing his face. "I'm a walking red flag for her." But there had to be a way in. That spark during class—she'd noticed him, even if just as a student. Step one was getting closer, building trust. Step two… well, he'd figure that out when he got there.

His phone buzzed again. Soo-Jin this time.

Soo-Jin: "Min-Soo's driving me nuts. Wants to 'talk' tomorrow. Ur coffee's still on, but I might need more than that to survive him."

Sung-Min grinned, typing: "Coffee and a rescue mission. I'm your guy."

Soo-Jin: "My hero. See u at 8."

He set the phone down, a laugh bubbling up. Ji-Yeon tomorrow night, Soo-Jin tomorrow morning, and Eun-Ha on the horizon. His life was a circus, and he was the ringmaster—barely. But Tae-Ho's visit gnawed at him. One slip, and the whole act could come crashing down.

The system pinged, unprompted.

[Reminder: Mission progress with Eun-Ha at 5%. Next class is Thursday. Additional intel: Joon-Hyuk's out of town this weekend. Opportunity window approaching.]

Sung-Min's grin returned, sharp and wicked. "Out of town, huh? Perfect." He could work with that. A weekend without the fiancé hovering might just be the break he needed. Thursday's class would be his chance to turn up the heat—subtle, but enough to plant seeds.

He stretched out, staring at the ceiling. Two girls in his pocket, a third in his sights, and a meathead off his trail. The netori life was a tightrope, but damn if he wasn't loving the view. Still, as he drifted off, Tae-Ho's growl echoed in his head: "I'll break your face."

Yeah. He'd need to watch his back. This game was getting dangerous—and he wouldn't have it any other way.