Someone Cries and Someone Laughs in Public Horror Games (2) – "So Touching...!"
"So touching...!"
It's totally touching. I almost teared up.
Truth is, I'm used to rejection. Back in the day, I'd ask to collab, and they'd say no. Everyone's busy, yeah right—I know they're not. I asked knowing that. It made me resent them sometimes, and I felt pathetic.
Big corp streamers are all so nice for sure. Maru's super kind, and what can I say about Moteok? She even showed up when I was struggling. Incredible. Someday, I'll become that kind of person. So cool.
"Thank you! I'll be waiting!"
"Thank you, Maru! Let's clear it quick!"
I was genuinely grateful. Losing 500,000 won today hurt, but this covered it in one go.
"Aw, you're exaggerating too much."
Honestly, I've never seen her play a truly scary public horror game. It's all just pretending to be scared. Acting spooked. Faking jumpscares. That's her pro streamer thing. She's a pro, so she acts on purpose. You think I don't know? Obvious. Totally obvious. Hilarious. Really. You think I'd fall for it? I know it's all acting.
"Heeheeht."
Before Maru arrived, I got massive donations.
Himaru squeezed her eyes shut. Everyone has a weakness. Hers was pitch-black horror. She genuinely feared the dark. No matter how bright Seoul's nights, she never went out alone. She even left the living room light on and her bedroom door open to sleep. Why? Fear of the dark.
It'd been half a year since her last horror collab stream. Only if the roulette hit 0.00012% probability.
"Sena... do we really have to? I can just give you 500,000 won. We end it here today, right?"
She'd rather pay herself. She really didn't want to. She only joined because of the viewer count. Regretted it instantly.
"No way! Don't worry! I'm really not scared of horror."
Saying she wasn't scared was scary.
"Think it over again..." "No! Maru, if you're really scared, I can do it solo!" "Well..."
'Yeah, I'll head out.' Too embarrassing to say.
"Sigh, fine. Let's clear it super quick then."
Just rush through with eyes closed.
"Yep! Let's go!"
At Sena's bright reply, Himaru tilted her head. No way she wasn't scared of horror. Everyone shakes when facing it.
Himaru's worry: What if a ghost pops up later, she screams her head off, hides behind me saying it's scary? She acts tough, but when it hits... eek eek. Unease crept up.
"You can really be trusted, right? You won't tremble in fear later... right?" "Me? I'm not scared at all. Really. Let's go!"
Sena strode confidently.
Clack clack... clack...
"Who comes to a place like this in heels instead of sneakers?"
The sound grated. Who wears heels here? Clack clack. Heels on marble—eerie, unsettling. Scary. Scary.
Himaru's hands shook as she advanced. Sena bounded ahead. Blink, and the gap widened. Each time...
"Sena... too fast... slower..." "Oh, right."
Sena caught up. Too fearless—problematic.
"Got it. I'll go slow!"
She said, but turn away and she'd speed off again, forgetting. Call her back, she goes solo, repeat. Eerie BGM slowly twisted into a screeching creak.
"Seriously. Why, why."
Himaru felt insane. Her strength: Immersing perfectly in any situation. It backfired sometimes.
Too immersed, she forgets the stream. Like now. Didn't even turn hers on. If she did, stream wouldn't matter.
Now, passing BGM made her flinch, minor things jolted her shoulders.
"Sena? Sena?" "Yeah? What?" "Uh, when do we arrive?" "Dunno!? Hey, this phone's weird. Wanna check?" "No... do we have to?" "Just bored!"
Meanwhile, Sena's energy was steady. No—full of curiosity. Touches everything. Disappointed if nothing happens.
Three minutes of walking, then strange mechanical noise mixed in.
Hello... hello. I'm Emila... How'd you get here? Came to see me?
"Aaaah! Ugh, what the fuck? Use a turn signal next time. Trying to kill me."
Himaru yelled aloud at the sudden voice. Looking around, a doll giggled.
"Whoa, it talks! Can't kick it?"
Sena approached casually.
"Don't touch it. No interact key." "Uh, uh, don't go near. Careful. Too close. Please. Stop." "Not scary at all. Just a doll. Nothing. Come see." "Hidden jumpscare. Fills the screen suddenly. For real." "Huh? Nothing scary!" "You're the scariest right now. Wh-what are you doing?" "Me? Playing public horror!"
Ugh. What do I do with Maru? She keeeeeks at everything. My ears are gonna fall off. For real.
"Maru, you're fine. Don't worry. I checked—no problem!"
She seemed so mature and cool before... now just a kid needing care.
Can someone be this scared? Delaying the story. Solo, I'd have cleared and hit mission payout. Now I get why she donated 500k upfront.
"Really?" "Yes! Nothing there. I looked everywhere!" "But... not scared?" "Scared of what?" "No. Never mind."
That 'no' like she couldn't understand me. Same here. What's scary anyway? Nothing scary.
Dolls popping out? Just startling. Eerie BGM? Just spooky music. Objects jumping? Startling. Sudden blackout? Lantern died. What to fear? Landlord's lazy, didn't replace it. Not horror. Emptier viewers staring at monitor—that's horror.
"Let's go! Or we'll sleep in the mansion!" "Wait. Deep breaths. No rush? Could jumpscare anytime." "I've looped three times—nope!" "Phew... really?" "Yes! Totally."
Hmm... is that it? Gotta act scared to go big corp? I seriously don't get it. Where's the scary part? No clue.
Honestly, anyone could clear easy? Horror score: 0.1/5. Not scary at all. So bored, I roleplayed solo. Sena beating and reforming Emila... Maru just keeeeked, no footage. She dipped right after. Deep into acting, or exhausted.
"Fun for everyone, right?"
"What thanks? Zero scares, so I scripted it myself... Thank me..."
Bored, I punched the doll every encounter—thwack thwack. Thought about faking jumps at first, but doubted I'd outdo Maru. Viewers loved it, so I hammed it up. No clue about the plot.
More than that, I admired Maru. Her acting: 100... no, 1000 points. Screams culminating in tears. That's big corp streamer material. I'm worlds away. Should I go to acting school? God-tier acting.
At first, I thought she was really crying. But I caught on. Acting. Too funny. How old is Maru? Way older than me. A grown-up crying over a horror game? No way.
I may lack some smarts, but I know what I know. Not a total idiot. Just slow learner.
Acting's key to success. Lesson learned today. Save up, hit acting classes?
Self-eval today? Low score. Too lacking. Should've acted scared.
Why would Maru fake fear like a fool? Better for stream. I'm amateur. She's pro. She's right 100%. Common sense.
Next horror, copy Maru. Order lunch pre-stream, study chat for juicy moves while eating. Gotta earn.
'Keeeeeek. Fuck, scary. Don't pop out, asshole!' Minus swears. 'Keeeeek, scaryyy. So scaryyy. Hug me everyone!'
'No, really, come with me. This shitty game—when's it end? Ugh. Fucking Emila-whatever—where?!' Minus swears. 'No, really, come with. This scary game—when's it end? So scary, cuddle cuddle. Hug hug.'
'Sob... sob... Gotta cry over this... sob... What am I, a kid? Fuck, bullshit. Real.' Minus swears, my pity-play version.
What's juicy move? Theory known, hard in practice. But Maru's live demo taught me.
Learning beside helps. Tomorrow, seriously review footage, ponder acting. If doable, try. If not, quit.
My action speed? Super quick. Truly admired Maru. For real. No longer idolize parents. Now Maru. Worship daily from today. Me, Seon-ah. Found my worship target!! Respect and adore Maru. Heehee.