A Rainy Afternoon
The sky had turned a deep gray, thick clouds rolling in from the horizon. The distant rumble of thunder echoed softly as the first cold raindrops began to fall.
Lee Jihoon stepped out of his office building, sighing as he zipped up his navy-blue jacket, tugging the hood over his head.
The rain was unexpected, and as he scanned the sidewalk, he saw other office workers rushing to find shelter, some huddling under awnings, others scrambling to open umbrellas.
Jihoon had forgotten his umbrella.
"Great," he muttered under his breath.
His best option was to walk quickly to the nearest bus stop and hope that the rain didn't get worse before he got there.
As he made his way down the busy street, dodging puddles and half-running pedestrians, his phone buzzed softly in his pocket.
Ding!
A system notification appeared before his eyes.
[New Kindness Challenge]
Someone is struggling with their studies. Offer them help or encouragement.
Reward: 25,000 KRW
Jihoon raised an eyebrow.
Struggling with studies?
Most of his kindness challenges involved physical help or emotional support—but this was something different.
His gaze swept over the crowded sidewalk, wondering if he would be able to find the person the system was referring to.
Then, as he reached the covered bus stop bench, he noticed someone.
The Frustrated Student
Sitting at the far end of the bus stop bench was a teenage boy, hunched over a thick calculus textbook, furiously tapping his pencil against the open page.
Jihoon took a slow step forward, observing the scene.
The boy, whose student ID badge read "Kim Jaehyun", looked around 16 or 17 years old, dressed in a damp gray school uniform with a navy tie slightly loosened.
His shoulders were tense, his brows furrowed as he muttered to himself.
Jaehyun wrote something on his notebook, paused, frowned deeply, and shook his head before erasing everything.
Jihoon could practically feel the frustration radiating from him.
Ding!
[Kindness Opportunity Detected!]
Help Kim Jaehyun understand his studies.
Jihoon smirked slightly.
Well, that confirmed it.
Stepping In
Jihoon casually walked up to the bus stop, taking a seat on the opposite end of the bench, pretending to be focused on checking his phone.
Jaehyun was so deep in concentration and frustration that he didn't even glance up.
After a few moments, Jihoon leaned slightly toward him.
"Math?" Jihoon asked casually.
Jaehyun flinched at the sudden voice, blinking up at Jihoon in surprise.
"H-Huh?"
Jihoon smirked and nodded toward the open textbook. "You're struggling with calculus, right?"
Jaehyun hesitated for a second, then sighed heavily, rubbing his temple.
"…Yeah," he muttered.
Jihoon leaned forward slightly. "Want some help?"
Jaehyun hesitated again, clearly unsure whether he should accept a stranger's offer.
"I… I don't want to bother you," Jaehyun mumbled.
Jihoon shrugged. "I've got time."
Jaehyun stared at him for a moment before slowly sliding his notebook over.
"…It's derivatives," he admitted. "I don't get how to solve this problem."
Jihoon glanced down at the equation on the page.
A familiar differentiation question stared back at him.
Ah.
He remembered struggling with the same thing in school.
Jihoon smirked. "Alright, let's break it down."
The Lesson
For the next ten minutes, Jihoon explained the problem step by step.
He rewrote the equation, breaking it into simpler parts.He compared derivatives to real-life examples, making it easier to understand.He made sure Jaehyun followed each step before moving on.
At first, Jaehyun still looked uncertain.
But as Jihoon carefully walked him through the process, something clicked.
Jaehyun's eyes lit up slightly.
"…Wait," he said slowly, tapping his pencil. "So if I apply that rule here…"
He picked up his pencil and solved the last step by himself.
Then, he stared at the answer.
"…I got it?"
Jihoon smirked. "You tell me."
Jaehyun quickly checked his work, his expression shifting from doubt to shock.
His answer was correct.
His shoulders relaxed, and he let out a small laugh.
"I actually got it," he murmured. "Man… I thought I'd never understand this."
Ding!
[Kindness Opportunity Completed!]
Reward: 25,000 KRW
Jihoon leaned back. "Told you it wasn't that bad."
Jaehyun turned to him, grinning.
"Dude, you explain this way better than my teacher."
Jihoon chuckled. "Teachers have to move fast. I just had to focus on one problem."
Jaehyun nodded slowly.
"…Thanks, man. Seriously."
Jihoon smirked. "No problem. Just don't forget it tomorrow."
Jaehyun laughed. "I'll try."
A Small Conversation
As they waited for their buses, Jaehyun turned back to Jihoon.
"You're not a tutor, right?"
Jihoon shook his head. "Nope. Just a regular office worker."
Jaehyun looked surprised.
"Huh. You seem too patient for that."
Jihoon smirked. "I just like explaining things."
Jaehyun chuckled. "Man, I wish I had a tutor like you."
Jihoon shrugged. "You don't need one. Just break the problems down step by step. It's easier than you think."
Jaehyun nodded, actually considering the advice.
Then his bus arrived.
As he gathered his books, he turned back to Jihoon.
"Hey… thanks again. I was seriously about to give up before you helped."
Jihoon smirked. "Glad I stopped you then."
Jaehyun grinned. "Yeah. See you around, maybe."
With that, he stepped onto the bus.
Ding!
[Bonus Reward Unlocked!]
Encouraging someone to keep trying is a kindness that lasts beyond the moment.
+6,000 KRW
Jihoon watched the bus disappear down the street.
It had been such a small moment.
But he could tell—Jaehyun wouldn't forget it.
A Quiet Walk Home
By the time Jihoon got off his bus stop, the rain had slowed to a soft drizzle.
The air smelled fresh and clean, streetlights glowing faintly in the mist.
Jihoon walked at a relaxed pace, feeling content.
It was funny—helping people like this was starting to feel natural.
Not forced.
Not inconvenient.
Just… part of his life.
As he stepped into his apartment complex, his phone buzzed one last time.
Ding!
[Daily Kindness Reflection]
"A little patience can change someone's perspective. Encouragement can be the difference between giving up and pushing forward."
Jihoon smiled, closing the notification.
Yeah.
Sometimes, all people needed was someone to believe in them.
And if he could be that person—even just for a moment—
That was enough.
One small act at a time.
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