Debt-Chasing Iron Streamer (2): Got No Parents?
That remark set off the damn viewers into a frenzy.
"Hoo."
I let out a long sigh.
"I thought after that huge donation last time, we were on good terms..."
Was it all my imagination? I felt pathetic for ever thinking well of Dandan Mukjik, even for a second.
Wasn't it supposed to go 'manly duel with real swords, then become buddies' after that?
I never expected such a slimy backstab. I hovered my mouse over Dandan Mukjik's ID and hit ban.
"You're out of my sight for today."
-Dandan Mukjik has been forcibly removed.
Of course, if he reflects on it, he can come back tomorrow. He donated 50,000 won last time, so Dandan Mukjik's still a precious customer of mine.
Not liking my handling of it, the viewers immediately rose up in arms.
But what can you punks do if you don't like it?
"...If you're jealous, go be a streamer yourself."
I giggled softly to myself.
"Hehe..."
Yeah, you punks have to play by my rules.
Once the stream ended, hunger hit me like a truck.
Starving. Maybe grab something at the convenience store.
I threw on some clothes and stepped outside. It was already dark out. I'd been streaming non-stop since morning, and now it was night... I really felt how long the broadcast had dragged on.
Guess I really streamed all damn day.
My current situation? Debt slave. Broke as fuck. So inevitably, to make money, stream time had to stretch out.
Gotta grow the donor pool quick.
Thinking that, I pushed open the convenience store door and spotted the familiar part-timer's face. I gave a casual nod and headed to the onigiri section.
"Hmm..."
But staring at the onigiri, my appetite vanished. How many meals had it been already?
Craving something sweet...
Choco Mong. Yeah, that's the answer. I grabbed a Choco Mong and went to the counter.
"Ring me up."
"Sure, 1400 won."
After paying, I plopped down at some random chair inside, stabbed in the straw, and slurped away.
-Slurrrrp.
Fuck. Sugar rush hitting, finally feel alive. Head clearing, happiness spiking—this feeling.
The biggest change since this damn body? Craving sweets non-stop.
Back in the day, I'd have scoffed at some dude drinking chocolate milk. Now? No Choco Mong and my hands shake. Straight-up addiction.
-Slurrrrp.
Goddamn. So good my head's spinning. Hate seeing it disappear.
-Sluuuurp.
"Ha."
The Choco Mong finally hit bottom. You weak little shit. Done in by three full-power sucks.
-Grrrooowl.
Then my stomach grumbled weirdly. Like protesting my dumbass choice.
"...Hungry."
Weird. I just ate food. Why's my stomach still screaming?
"...Fuuuuck."
Finally realized my screw-up. Skipped real food for milk... Feels like blowing cash at a casino.
Too extravagant! A beggar like me chasing Choco Mong!
Regret crashed in like waves.
Worrying how to fill my gut now, I crumpled the empty pack and looked around. My eyes landed on the fresh foods display.
...Close to discard time? Saw them pull stuff around here before.
What I'm after? Discards.
Can't spend a dime.
Sure, I've got a few thousand-won bills. But that's not my money. Simhae Cheongsobu scraped it together, barely, to tide me over till the stream blows up.
Can't waste that goodwill...
Simhae Cheongsobu might be scraping by on a single cup ramen right now. Hell, maybe splitting one into three meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner. Can't be chowing down on lunchboxes while she's suffering.
"..."
I glared at the counter. Hawk-eyed, stalking prey. After about three minutes, the part-timer started pulling expired stuff.
Now's the time!
I approached as he loaded sandwiches and lunchboxes into a basket.
"Hey."
"Y-yeah? Oh, sure."
Startled by the sudden call from behind, he stuttered.
"That."
I pointed at the basket. He lifted it up.
"This?"
"Figured you were tossing it."
"Ah... yeah. Past expiration..."
"Heh."
I swallowed hard and muttered.
"Looks tasty." I know the drill.
"..."
"..."
Awkward silence.
After a beat, he caught on and asked tentatively.
"Uh... want it?"
I nodded like crazy.
"Yeah. You're tossing it anyway. Saves you food waste hassle—I'll handle it."
I get fed, store skips disposal work.
Win-win!
Moments later, I took the discards home. Nice guy even bagged 'em up.
"Ohhh."
Guess familiarity pays off. Dumping the haul on my desk: one Hyeji lunchbox, two tuna onigiri, one sweet-and-sour chicken.
"Good."
Tonight's dinner, late-night snack, even tomorrow's breakfast—massive haul.
Next morning.
"Stream go."
First words upon waking.
I bolted up, nuked the sweet-and-sour chicken in the microwave, and fired up the broadcast.
-Broadcast has started.
"Heh heh hum."
With the stream on, I waited by the microwave for the chicken. Morning aroma making my mouth water. Perfect timing—onigiri burnout hitting, special treat.
-Ding.
Grabbed the chicken to my PC. Meanwhile, viewers were nearing 80. So many other NEETs grinding early mornings besides me.
"Hey everyone."
I shoved chicken in my mouth mid-greeting.
Viewers greeted back normally. Meanwhile, I kept cramming chicken.
-Chomp chomp. Nom. Chew chew.
Viewers already pissed, but I doggedly kept eating. Why? Other streams do mukbang all day. Chicken's no issue.
"Say I eat plump and hearty while you're at it."
United in roasting me, huh.
...No helping it. Got an influx of demons from A-gal.
I sighed deeply, launched the Asgard client, and hit ranked. Position: ADC, naturally.
"Today's content: Happy Asgard."
Main content lives up to hype—hot reactions. The same punks gnawing at my manners seconds ago switched gears fast.
About 10 minutes later, queue popped.
-Matching accepted.
Pick/ban opened, ally nicknames appeared. One looked familiar...
What the?
...Hm.
"Sniper!?"
Eh. Getting sniped? Am I a legit big streamer now?
....
"Over the line..."
No, that's too much.
A guy can get excited over a little delusion! Why smash it with facts like cowards!?