First Impression (1)
Nakgopsae arrives, and we dig in. It's better than I expected, but not really my taste. Still, since the two of them are enjoying it so much, I pretend to love it too.
"Ah, that was delicious."
I'm not full at all, but I pat my belly like I am.
"So, what should we do now?"
"Take a break? We're stuffed."
"No way!"
We can't get lazy. I always side with the people who work hard at everything. Sure, famous entrepreneurs say it's all luck, but dig deeper and they're grinding 24/7. Luck has limits. Effort doesn't. That's what I believe. If I didn't, what would all my hard work mean? Right?
"We gotta put in the effort. Let's stream! All of us. Let's stream!"
I grab Maru's and Moteok's hands and pull them up. Moteok stands easily, but Maru...
"Ughhhh..."
She flops back onto the sofa, making weird noises. Once people get a prejudice, it's so hard to shake it off. I glance back and forth between Moteok's personality pocket and Maru's personality pocket. Is there no helping it? Is this the difference pockets make?
"Sena, what exactly are you looking at?"
Moteok asks, so I answer sincerely.
"Your pockets. The diligent pockets... difference... no helping it? Prejudices are forming."
"What the—"
Before I can finish, Maru bolts upright.
"You can't judge people by their chests. Chests can be fake. Don't get fooled by that stuff."
"Uh... okay..."
I have a lot to say, but I hold it in. Instead, I change the subject.
"Then let's do a collab stream!"
I'm curious. How do Maru and Moteok actually stream? Super curious. Pros' ways... I really wanna see. When else would I get this chance? I'm excited. So excited.
"Collab?"
"We can't?"
"I'm good with it."
I look at Moteok. She's corporate. Corporate means tied to the company—once the contract ends, she can't even use the name or avatar. I'm indie, so I can do whatever.
"You got permission?"
"Of course...! Heehee."
I grin at Moteok's personality pocket.
Maru grudgingly sets up the stream. She hooks a mic to her home PC. No Virtual Motion—just a black screen will do. She doesn't even test the audio quality. It's all just to match Sena's enthusiasm a bit. Planning a quick hour before ending.
She tries to log in with Sena's ID so donations go to her, but Sena refuses. Sena insists on Maru's ID for the bigger audience. In the end, Maru gives in and goes live on her own account.
She's never done a surprise stream on an off day, so the reaction's explosive.
"Is it on? (Live?)"
Some catch on quick, others don't. "Yeah, it's live. Seems like it?"
"Oh! Uh, uh. How's the mic?"
"They say it's a bit loud? I'll turn it down. Lower it please, Maru. Please lower it."
"Lowered it~"
"It's lowered. Is it?"
Sena speaks in an excited voice. She scrolls the chat eagerly. The more she looks, the more shocked she gets. Her stream has few subs, so most chatters lack sub badges. Unless randos flood in, it's rare to see non-subs. Here? Opposite. 80% no badges. Spotting subs is harder.
This is what big corp feels like. Tons of randos...
Seeing it firsthand, Sena loses her greed. To her, randos equal bad viewers. Scratching chats? Usually new nicks or week-old followers. After seeing so much, her ambition fades. People end when they get complacent. She's right on the edge. Not quitting yet, but facing rando reality shifts her thoughts. Life's fine now... Does she have the grit to endure? The grit to claim the throne?
Sena always wrestles with it.
"Hey everyone. No face today. But it's a collab. Members: Moteok and Sena. Oh, Raming's sick, couldn't make it. Honestly wasn't gonna stream, but Sena kept pushing, so short stream and out. Off day today, y'know."
"I was off too..."
"Anyway, keeping it short. No plan yet. Sena, what should we do?"
"Me...? I...?"
Sena panics. She wanted pros' professionalism, not them slacking on her ideas.
"Obviously. You wanted to go live."
Moteok looks at Sena, who goes wide-eyed.
"No... with those huge... that personality pocket... when you get evil, you're the sharpest..."
"Whaaat? No!!!"
Realizing her slip, Sena stammers wildly.
"I... I don't... I got nothing prepared. Uh. Okay, First Impression Time!! I'll go first! What's the difference between Maru and Moteok?! Viewer quiz!"
"Hey. Forbidden, I said."
Maru shuts it down quick.
"Eek... Yes'm!"
Sena's head is full of chests. Nothing else comes up. Summarize the day in one word? Chest. She's a chest-only bird now. Without a reset, no fixing her. Only prevention works—block it beforehand.
"So, first impressions? Oh! Moteok, you okay? You're corporate. I'm indie, Sena's indie."
"~I'm fine. Wanna try? Me first?"
"Sure."
Moteok smirks.
"First, Sena. You're pretty. Seriously pretty. Total confidence in your face. Shocked me. No makeup. Black clothes, casual... but pretty. Bigger shock: you're tall. Really tall. That was the real shock. Thought you'd be tiny? Like that cute little ghost girl meme, y'know? You know it?"
Moteok glances at Maru and Sena. Maru nods; Sena tilts her head.
"Expected that vibe. Nope. More like classic beauty. High nose bridge, great skin, y'know. You see it right away."
Sena's eyes widen in shock.
"Me?"
"Yup~ For real."
"Heehee."
Most shocking thing ever said to her. But it feels good. Sena chews on it, then giggles. Her thoughts spiral.
What is classic beauty...? She ponders herself.
"But that's so cute. Gap moe kills me."
"Too much Red Pill?"
"Huh? Maybe? Too much? Got it, toning down. Next, Maru unnie. Cute. Hilarious how opposite you two are. Maru unnie's total babyface. Voice sounds prim and proper, but nope... straight ghost girl meme. For real."
"Puhahaha. Nah, heard that a lot."
"Really?"
"Yeah... dozens of times."
"Ahaha. For real? Not just me?"
Maru sighs; Moteok bursts out laughing.
"Uh... whoa!"
Sena snaps from her thought loop thanks to the laugh.
"Sena, what's up?"
"N-nothing!"
"Okay, your turn! First impression."
First impression. First impression. First impression... Sena's first impression is... first impression... That's it. Now Good and Evil fight. Good's an angel 'cause Good. Evil's a devil 'cause clueless. Angel vs. devil over mouth control. Angel whispers first.
Be honest. Lying's bad. What'd Mom say? Lying's wrong. Right? Betray Mom?
Devil pops up, smacks her head.
Idiot. Maru said no. Your idol Maru said no—gonna do it? Mom said listen to seniors. Betray Mom now?
Both invoke Mom—Sena's stuck. She clutches her head, bows it. Maru watches.
"Wh-why?"
"Uh... thinking. Thinking."
"Nope."
"N-not at all?"
"Never."
Devil wins; price is steep. Nothing comes to mind. Sena stares hard at faces, digging deep for impressions.
"So... I... respect Maru a ton."
"Kkh... suddenly?"
"Yeah... super respect."
"And?"
"That's it. Moteok... happy."
"Huh?"
"Happy to meet you."
For Sena, sans taboos, that's her first impression. Devil's victory harsh—bans 99.99%. Angel win? She'd ramble all day. Cruel dream.