First Impressions (3)
Her expression was strange. She had this look on her face that I couldn't quite put into words. Moteok must have noticed too... she headed into the bathroom. Looks like things aren't great between them. I do have some sense of the atmosphere. It happens. You can't be friends with everyone. No matter what I do, there'll always be people who hate me. No need to win them over or try to get their attention. I get that much.
I stopped overthinking it and flopped down on the sofa. Once I was lying there, I pulled out my phone. Then I opened my YouTube channel. As expected. So diligent. The video was already up. It had been a while since I last clicked on one of my own uploads. Back in the day, I'd watch them out of curiosity, but now? Not even one. Why? Hearing my own voice is kinda tough. There's a barrier to entry. And every time I say something weird, I go, Why the hell did I say that?! It's embarrassing, so I can't watch.
"Huh...? What the...?"
No, I thought I was seeing things at first. My YouTube views had skyrocketed to an insane number.
"No way, for real?"
It was like my meridians had cleared. That's the perfect way to put it. My channel's upward curve was ridiculously steep. I couldn't believe it myself... Now the views were in the ten-thousands. This doesn't make sense. Just a few months ago, it was zero views, and now? Ten-thousands. I'd hit a number I never even dreamed of, and I was over the moon.
"Euhuhu."
I was so happy I rolled around on the sofa while staring at YouTube. The comments had a ton of praise, but also a bunch of hate. Who does this noob think she is, interrupting so-and-so... Can't be helped. I have to talk too... I'm not hogging the audio or anything... Sometimes I just speak up—can't you get that? Ridiculous. Should I delete the hate comments? I agonized over it but decided not to. They watched the video, so I'll let it slide this time. Next time, for calling me out on speaking without thinking... that's a fact, so no comeback there. I'll correct them in the hate comments. Facts are facts.
"Whatcha watching?"
Maru had snuck up and was lying next to me.
"Me? Check this out—I've already hit ten thousand views. Isn't that huge?"
"Whoa...! Totally huge!"
"I'm growing. Feels like I'll grow even more. Right?"
I looked at Maru. She was smirking, her lips twitching up.
"You'll definitely make it~"
"Yeah. I will make it."
I clenched my fist. I can do this!! But I'm not gonna go crazy trying to grab every opportunity or work myself to death. I'll stick to my current pace. Pushing too hard could make me crash. Maintaining this rhythm is the best. Instead... I gotta brainstorm some funner content.
"Oh! Right, what should I do for content?"
"Content? Got anything planned?"
"Nope!"
"Hahhahaha. Gotta find something. Every day, every day. Try a completion game or whatever."
"No way on completion games. The backlash is brutal, and I don't even enjoy playing them."
It's so much better talking face-to-face like this. I could see Maru's expressions clearly. Before, without seeing her face, it was hard to read her, but now I had visual cues.
"Fair enough... That's the fate of completion streamers. But if you've got nothing else, you gotta do it. No choice, right?"
"Hmm... Would you do it, Maru?"
"Me? I don't do completions much."
"Why not?"
"Not fun? I skip 'em unless it's a big title. I don't have to stream, so I just do what I want."
"Whoa... Amazing."
I'm so jealous. That's big corp life. Impossible for me. Even streaming games I like is tough... and whether it'll be fun is another issue. I can stream them. Games I love? Totally doable. But then the side effects hit.
First: The chat dies. Chat that was popping off one per second during chit-chat? Drops to one per minute. And that one per minute? It's just the die-hard Zang Partisans carrying it. Everyone else goes for a walk. Silver lining: They come back like ghosts right when the game ends.
Second: I'm bad at games. That says it all. But I'm good at pure grind games. Mindless repetition? Nailed it. But a quiz element? No way I clear it. Heavy controls required? Forget it. Impossible to overcome. Those two reasons kill any game I wanna play.
"So what do you do? What do you stream?"
"Me? Just whatever. Never really thought about it?"
"You don't plan content?"
"I do... kinda half-assed? I just grab stuff from cafes that looks fun and go."
"No... No... Amazing."
Jealous. So jealous. I'm always racking my brain for content. Maru doesn't even think about it. Come to think of it, she was like that before. When I'd ask about content, she'd brush it off like no big deal. It was real... So cool.
"Psh~ Not amazing. Just living day by day~"
"Seriously amazing. But then chat doesn't pop off. My chat dies on those games."
"Ahahhahaha. Mine too. Completion viewers are shy. They don't chat. I just ignore it and play. Think of it as YouTube fodder. If you sweat every little thing, you won't last. Gotta let go of something. Can't have it all."
"...So you don't care about chat?"
"During chit-chat, it explodes... Funny moments, explodes again... Games, nada... But fun games? It pops off good. Right?"
No way, how'd she know? It's like she was in my stream.
"Whoa! Yeah! How'd you know?"
"My stream's the same. Universal truth. Everyone's like that."
"Huh?"
"You don't watch other streams, do you, Sena?"
"N... Nope! Never!"
"Watch 'em. All the same."
"For real? Liar! Total lie!"
I couldn't believe it. No way. Maru was totally pranking me. She'd watched my stream and was hyping me up on purpose. Anything else didn't add up.
"For real~ Perfect timing. Hey, Moteok. Chit-chat? Chat explodes... Funny bit? Explodes... Games? Dead... Fun game? Pops off, right?"
"What're you talking about?"
"When does chat peak?"
"Uh... When it's fun?"
"During games?"
"Everyone's afk."
No. Way. Total shock. Everyone's like that? I had no idea. Mind blown. Thanks to this shock therapy? My perspective cleared. So I can just do my thing? Should I try? If big corps and mids are like this... Why not me?
But.
"Advice-spamming bastards, bird-brained psychos... Scratching noobs... They multiply during games."
"Stop there. Anyway, chat dies. Just say it."
"Huh? Yeah. It does."
"..."
I'm not that dumb. It was a white lie for me?
"Maru...?"
I shot up and stared at her. Maru wouldn't meet my eyes.
Come on, seriously!! I totally believed you!
"...Maru?"
"What? What's with you two?"
"Maru?"
"..."
"Maru?"
I shoved my face right up to hers. This isn't right. It was a lie. I thought you meant it for real.
"Aigoo... Sleepy. So sleepy."
"Maru?"
Maru closed her eyes. Tease me then run? Not cool. I shook her awake. Gotta hear the explanation first.
"Explain. Explain."
"My bad. No, I dunno. Nighty-night."
"I was serious."
"Meant do what you want. Ignore others... Be bold. That's what I was saying."
"Then why lie? Why?"
Even if it's my idol Maru... Lies are bad. In a huff, I chomped her shoulder.
"Ow! Hurts! Ah, sorry. Sorry."
"Mmmph. (For real?)"
"Aaaah! Won't say it again. Promise."
Actions speak louder than words, huh. Punishment is the best teacher. I relaxed my jaw and slowly lifted my head.
"For real?"
"Totally. Didn't expect the bite though. Ow..."
So satisfying. Gonna have sweet dreams tonight. Euhuhu. Sena saves her almost-evil idol Maru from the dark path. Sena's great adventure begins now. Euhuhuhu. Perfectly happy dreams.
"I'm off to bed. Sweet dreams, everyone."
I slid off the sofa and lay on the floor. Pulled the blanket over and shut my eyes. Then the lights went out, and I heard Maru and Moteok.
"Night, everyone."
"Sweet dreams~"
I grinned and drifted off.
Woke up at 10. Felt refreshed for once. I was up first. The two were still out. I rubbed my eyes and observed Maru and Moteok.
"Hmm..."
Dead asleep. I quietly got up, washed my face, changed into my clothes... and got ready to head out.
But.
"Hey... Wake me up too."
"Whoa. Maru, sleep more."
"Nah... Gotta go. Together."
Was I too loud? Maru was up.
"You tired?"
"Eh... Slept enough. Lunch on the way."
"Wake Moteok too?"
"No, no. Moteok's wiped. Sleepy. So we sneak out quiet. Shhhhh."
"Ah! Shh!"
I pressed my finger to my lips and whispered. As expected of my idol Maru. Consideration level: god-tier. Pure female power GOAT. So cool. So pretty.
And so Maru and I headed out for lunch.
"Lunch on me. Anything you want?"
"I like everything! Heehee."
Score! Lunch is free. Zang love it!
