The world of humans, once peaceful, had long been plagued by interdimensional threats. Since 2010, chaos erupted as powerful beings—"gods" and "demons"—began invading through mysterious portals they created. Fortunately, the two species were natural enemies. Amidst their clashes, humanity managed to survive.
As time passed, some humans began to evolve, gaining supernatural abilities due to the "mana" leaking from the dimensional gates. These people were known as "Awakened," and thanks to their immense powers, they were able to neutralize the dangerous gates and end the era of chaos.
Ten years later, in 2020, Earth had entered a new era of peace. While dimensional rifts still caused the occasional disturbance, daily life for the average person had more or less returned to normal.
That included our young streamer, Owen Marlowe, who seemed entirely unfazed by the state of the world. At 25 years old, Owen had sharp features, short, tousled black hair, and a lean frame with just enough muscle from the occasional workout. He stood at 180 centimeters tall.
[Character Illustration: Owen]
He was currently in his home office, immersed in a livestream of a popular open-world adventure game. The glow from his monitors lit up his face as he chatted excitedly with viewers, a cheerful grin on his lips.
"Alright, everyone! This boss is easy-peasy! Watch how a top-tier gamer handles it!" he said confidently, his fingers dancing across the keyboard like a performance. The room buzzed with the sounds of keystrokes, mouse clicks, and booming game effects.
Just as the stream was in full swing, a soft knock on the door interrupted the moment. Owen glanced over and saw the door slightly ajar—and peeking through was Julian Cross, one of his closest friends.
Julian, a 22-year-old university student, had a slim build and soft blond hair that fell over his forehead. His square-rimmed glasses gave him the look of a lovable nerd who always had his nose in a book.
[Character Illustration: Julian]
"Sorry to interrupt, Owen..." Julian's voice was unusually serious. His normally bright eyes were filled with concern. "But... it looks like Damien has something urgent and serious to talk about."
The words "urgent" and "serious" immediately set off alarms in Owen's mind. Damien, his older friend and the owner of the house, wasn't the kind of person to make a fuss unless something really important had happened. And when Damien said something was "serious," it usually wasn't good news.
Did something happen? Owen frowned slightly, sighed, and nodded to Julian to say he understood. He quickly ended his game and apologized to his audience for the abrupt end of the stream. Then, slowly rising from his gaming chair, he made his way upstairs to Damien's study, anxiety gnawing at his chest.
As he climbed the stairs, he could hear the muffled sound of a tense conversation coming from Damien's office. The door was slightly open.
Inside stood Damien Ward, a man in his early forties, slightly overweight with a round belly peeking out from beneath his crumpled luxury suit. His short brown hair was disheveled from repeatedly running his hands through it. He stood clutching his head in the middle of a room cluttered with papers. Beside him was his wife, Clara Ward.
[Character Illustration: Damien]
Clara, also in her forties, remained stunningly beautiful despite the years. Her gentle face, long black hair, and deep, warm eyes exuded calm and strength. She had a curvy figure—especially her notably large chest—which often led people to describe her as a MILF. She was softly consoling her husband.
[Character Illustration: Clara]
"He said this project would succeed! Look at what's happened! Ten million dollars in debt?! This is insane!" Damien roared, voice shaking with despair and self-loathing.
"Calm down, darling," Clara said gently, placing a soothing hand on his shoulder. "I know you put everything into this project. But yelling won't solve anything. We'll get through this together. You still have me—and friends who care about you, Damien."
Her words seemed to take some effect. Damien took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. The tension in his face softened slightly, though pain still lingered in his eyes. "Thank you… but this debt—it's too much. Where are we supposed to get ten million dollars?"
"I'll help you find a way," Clara replied firmly. "I won't let you carry this burden alone…"
Damien nodded, grateful that Clara hadn't abandoned him, even as he felt like a complete failure. "Alright… thank you for staying by my side. First, we'll need to mortgage this house just to buy us some time."
"That sounds like a good start," Clara gave him a small smile. "See? When you calm down, there's always a way forward—even if it's only temporary. I'll find a job too."
Damien let out a heavy sigh, his breath tinged with weariness and sorrow. "Sigh… Now that the company's bankrupt, I'll have to look for a new job as well. But in today's market… it's a nightmare for someone my age."
Just then, Julian noticed Owen had arrived and opened the door to let him in. Owen's face was filled with concern, having picked up enough of the conversation to guess what was going on.
"Ten million in debt? Damien, are you serious?!" Owen's voice was incredulous. He approached his friend, stunned by the weight of the situation.
Seeing Owen made Damien's guilt surge. He lowered his gaze, unable to look Owen in the eye. "I'm sorry, Owen…" he muttered, his voice thick with shame.
"My company went bankrupt because of the mana stone energy project. It completely failed. Rival researchers found toxic compounds in the stones—hazardous to humans. They sued us, and… that was the end…"
He finally looked at Owen, guilt carved into every line on his face. "I'm sorry I ever asked you to sign that contract…"
Owen's heart sank.
That contract.
The one where Damien asked him to co-sign as a guarantor for 10% of the project in exchange for 10% of the profits—if it succeeded. But if it failed…
Ten percent of ten million dollars.
One million dollars.
"Dammit, Damien! How could you?!" Owen shouted, a mix of shock and anger. "You said it would work! You promised we'd get rich from it! I'm just a small-time streamer barely scraping by—I can't come up with a million dollars!"
Damien didn't defend himself. He just kept his head bowed. "I know, Owen… I never wanted this to happen. You don't have to repay the debt—I'll find a way. I'll take full responsibility…"
Owen was surprised by his friend's sincerity. Despite being buried under his own debt, Damien still wanted to shield him. The anger in Owen's chest slowly faded. He shook his head and said softly, "No… I signed it. It was my decision. I'll take responsibility for my own mistake. I'll find extra work and help pay off the debt too…"
Clara, who had been quietly observing, gave a warm smile. She was touched that Owen didn't back away from the responsibility.
"See, Damien?" she said gently, "We have good friends. We'll get through this—together."
Damien looked between Clara and Owen, his once hopeless eyes now flickering with a faint light. He squeezed Clara's hand and gave Owen a look filled with remorse—and gratitude.
A few days later…
Owen began earnestly searching for a side job near home in this strange world where technology and interdimensional threats coexisted. He browsed the government employment portal and walked around local businesses.
Eventually, he landed a part-time gig at a nearby café—a simple job that didn't require much training. The owner, Jessica, was a striking redhead in her 30s, with a bold, easygoing personality. When serving customers at the front, she wore the standard uniform. But in the back—out of public view—she often took off her outer shirt, leaving only a tight white tank top that clung to her ample chest.
[Character Illustration: Jessica]
She didn't seem to mind when Owen's gaze accidentally lingered a bit too long. He guessed she was just one of those carefree, no-nonsense types.
Owen, being introverted and someone who avoided nosing into others' business, never asked why she liked to strip down in a perfectly air-conditioned shop. He just focused on doing his job, which mostly involved physical labor: lifting supply boxes, organizing stock, and cleaning every dusty corner of the café.
One month passed in the blink of an eye. For Owen, it felt like he had turned into a working zombie. He spent 8 hours a day at the café and 6 more hours streaming at night—14 hours of work every single day.
For a normal, non-Awakened human like him, it was absolutely exhausting.
At the end of the first month, Owen earned $2,400 from the café and another $3,000 from streaming. After subtracting expenses—$500 for rent and internet paid to Damien, and $600 to Julian for video editing—he was left with only $4,300.
That was before food and personal spending. His total savings? $20,000. Still a galaxy away from the $1 million he owed.
Then came the monthly house meeting. The atmosphere was warm, but a subtle tension hung in the air.
Clara was the first to speak, her voice as gentle as ever—clearly trying to ease the mood.
"So~ how is everyone doing? Found any good jobs yet? Making a decent paycheck?"
She smiled sweetly.
"I know everyone's working hard. Especially Owen, pulling double shifts—streaming at night and working during the day. And Julian's been doing editing work and even picked up some freelance gigs online too!"
Julian, sitting quietly in the corner, turned beet red at the compliment.
"Uhh… It's nothing, really. I know I'm not responsible for the debt, but… I can at least help with the water bill."
Clara beamed at him.
"That's more than enough, Julian. You're still an intern in university. We're lucky to have you in this house."
Owen nodded in agreement and turned toward Damien, who had been silent the whole time. Then he looked back at Clara.
"What about you, Clara? I heard you got a job at a flower shop kind of far from here?"
Clara smiled proudly.
"That's right. Grandma Alice was kind enough to hire me. She said my charm brought in double the customers, so she even gave me a raise. I'm making $3,000 now!"
Hearing that everyone had found work, Damien couldn't help but feel even more discouraged. He lowered his head slightly.
"That's great, honey… I wish I could say the same. But with my history, no one's willing to hire me. I've tried… but I think I've been blacklisted by every company in town. Honestly… I feel like a failure."
Clara immediately reached over and squeezed his hand gently.
"Don't say that, dear. You're not a failure. Look at all you've done for me—how you let me live in comfort as just a housewife. Everyone has ups and downs. We'll get through this, okay?"
The room fell silent for a while until Julian finally broke the tension.
"What about you, Owen? How much did you make this month?"
Owen sighed and answered wearily.
"After expenses, I'm left with about $4,300. Still a long way from repaying anything meaningful. I just hope I gain more followers next month…"
Clara's eyes lit up.
"Oh~ That's more than any of us! You're the hardest worker in this house, Owen. Thanks to you, we've all had a little room to breathe."
Damien, still gloomy, murmured,
"But if we don't meet the first debt payment deadline… we'll be homeless."
Clara shot him a sharp look.
"Don't say that, Damien! You're just making everyone more stressed!"
"…Got it," Damien muttered. "Sorry, I was just being realistic. Let's all get some rest."
Clara nodded,
"Yes, let's rest and start fresh tomorrow. Hopefully, better days are ahead."
In Owen's room, the glow of his computer had faded. His whole body ached from a long, grueling day. He was just about to collapse onto his bed when—
Knock knock.
The door opened, and Clara stepped inside.
"Owen, can we talk for a bit?" she asked, her voice softer than usual.
Owen sat up immediately, curious and a bit concerned. Clara looked very different from her usual bright self.
"Of course, Clara. What's on your mind?"
She let out a deep sigh and sat beside him on the bed, close enough that her soft fragrance filled the air between them.
"I know this is hard. Really hard," she said quietly. "But I have to keep everyone hopeful. The truth is… what we're making now won't be enough. Not even close. So… I've been thinking about another way."
Her eyes grew serious as she looked up at him.
"Besides the Awakened who make money by closing portals, there's… another method. Something that could bring in big money, fast. Have you heard of a website called OnlyStar? It's where creators post exclusive content for paying subscribers. I was thinking… maybe I could try it."
Owen blinked, shocked.
"Wait… Clara… You do know what kind of content is usually on that site, right?"
Clara blushed slightly but nodded.
"I know! But not everyone posts that kind of stuff. Some just upload sexy photos—nothing too explicit. I'm not planning to go that far. Just… tasteful pictures, okay?"
She paused, then added with a bit more energy,
"A friend of mine just started last month and she's already earning almost $20,000 a month!"
Owen's jaw dropped.
"You're serious? That's more than my savings for the next few years!"
Clara nodded, clearly pleased with his reaction.
"Right? I know it sounds embarrassing, but I'd like your help. You're a pro streamer—just a few hours a day helping me take photos and manage the account. That's all I need. You know I'm terrible with tech. I wouldn't even know where to start without you… and we'll split everything fifty-fifty. Sound fair?"
Owen paused, deep in thought. The debt hung heavy over him. His income was a drop in the ocean compared to what they owed. Helping Clara wouldn't cost him much—just time—and it might actually work.
"…Alright, Clara. I'll help you."
Clara's face lit up as she threw her arms around him in a sudden hug.
"Thank you, Owen! Let's set up the account right now—!"
Caught off guard, Owen froze. Her soft, curvy figure pressed against his arm, and her sweet scent filled his nose.
Even as his face turned red, Owen pulled himself together. He took a deep breath, picked up his phone, and began downloading the OnlyStar app.
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