The days blurred together after that.
Classes. Meetings. Calls.
UniTrade wasn't a student project anymore—it was a phenomenon.
News outlets were picking up the story of the scholarship program.
Companies were offering partnerships.
And my inbox overflowed with messages from people who suddenly wanted to "connect."
But somewhere between all that noise, I started to notice something else—
I wasn't smiling as much.
Min-jun was the first to say it.
"Bro, when's the last time you slept?"
"Yesterday."
"That's what you said yesterday."
He looked genuinely worried. "You're doing amazing stuff, Rin, but you can't keep burning yourself out like this."
[He's right,] Nova said. [Your focus has dropped by thirty percent. You're spreading yourself too thin.]
I rubbed my temples. "I can't slow down now. Every day we grow, someone new tries to copy us."
[And if you crash, they won't need to.]
I sighed. "Yeah, yeah."
Later that week, Soo-ah and I met at a quiet café off campus.
It was one of those hidden places that smelled like roasted beans and rain.
"You're late," she said softly, sipping her drink.
"Sorry. Meeting ran long."
She nodded, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "You've been… different lately."
"Different how?"
"Distracted. Always somewhere else. Even when you're here."
Her words stung more than I expected.
"I'm just under pressure," I said. "Things are moving faster than I planned."
"I get that," she said, closing her sketchbook. "But don't forget why you started all this. You used to talk about wanting to help people. Lately, it feels like you're just trying to keep control."
I looked down at my hands. "…Maybe both."
She sighed. "Just promise me you won't lose yourself in all of it."
I met her gaze and managed a small smile. "I'll try."
That night, as I walked home through the quiet streets, Nova spoke again.
[She's worried about you.]
"I know."
[She's right, you know. You built this to escape limits—but now it's becoming one.]
I didn't answer. I just watched the city lights shimmer in the puddles along the sidewalk.
Infinite money. Infinite freedom.
And yet… I felt trapped by my own success.
When I reached my dorm, my phone buzzed again.
A new headline flashed across the screen:
"UniTrade's Mysterious Founder Under Investigation for Fraud Allegations."
My blood ran cold.
"Nova—what is this?"
[Unverified article. But it's trending fast.]
"Who posted it?"
[A fake news outlet tied to shell companies. Someone's trying to turn public opinion.]
I sat on the edge of my bed, heart pounding.
Just when I thought things were stabilizing, the world found another way to twist the truth.
The next day, I didn't go to class.
Soo-ah called, but I couldn't answer.
Not yet.
Because for the first time, I wasn't sure I could fix everything.
[You'll figure it out, Rin,] Nova said softly.
"Yeah," I whispered, staring at the glowing skyline outside my window. "I just hope I'm not too late."