Fan Cafe Tour

A few days later.

"So, when works for you?"

The time had come to actually pin down a date for the collab. Put it off any longer and our schedules would tangle into a knot — worst case, the collab itself and the company dinner would end up jammed into the same day.

And if that happened... hmm. Just imagining it was horrifying.

"That day doesn't work for me..."

"Ah, I've got something scheduled two weeks out."

"Then how about three weeks from now?"

"I suppose that's the way of it?"

Good thing I'd left a generous three-week buffer in the first place. Marveling at my own foresight, I marked down another date.

"How's this day?"

"Mm... it's fine, but... how about this one instead?"

I looked at the date Minseo had picked. Ah, that one's no good.

"That day doesn't work for me."

"Huh? Why? Is something going on?"

I suppose she was curious, since up until now — dinner parties aside — I'd claimed to be available any day of the week.

"That day. It's one of those days where I bleed from down below."

Of all the days to pick, she'd landed right on top of my cycle. The one where I turn lethargic and sluggish on top of dealing with cramps. Whenever it rolls around, I do my best to steer clear of streaming.

An in-person collab that day? Absolutely not happening.

"I didn't need to know my own Yeonwoo's cycle too..."

"Yeonwoo, dear... let's work on our word choice..."

...Was it too direct? Hmm... no better phrasing comes to mind. This must be the limit of my vocabulary.

Anyway.

"Then we'll go with the date I picked?"

"Sounds good."

"Yes!"

A few days later.

"Hello, everyone."

"Nope. Today we're browsing the cafe."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Hmm. I clicked on the offender's nickname and popped open a one-on-one chat window.

"It seems someone here doesn't like me."

"Hello there. Would you care to introduce yourself?"

"Ah, that's profanity."

I slapped a five-minute chat ban on them and closed the window.

"Yes. Anyway, today we're browsing the cafe."

Everyone seemed pleased, so I was in a good mood too.

"You're happy, aren't you?"

"For the record, the stream ends the moment we finish the cafe."

"So no complaining — just savor this moment."

Hmm... I suppose I can tell them this much.

"Shall I explain the reason?"

"I have to go buy ingredients for a cooking segment."

"Ah, no food spoilers, sorry."

The viewers could know, sure — but if I said it now, they'd blab to Sua and Minseo in no time. Absolutely not allowed.

"I'll say only this much: you're allowed to look forward to it."

Well, it's not a bizarre dish. It's actually a pretty common one. But while Sua might be kept in the dark, I firmly believe Minseo will live up to my expectations, so it stays unsaid.

"Anyway, let's get to the cafe."

I entered the cafe and opened my own board.

"Oh..."

Having neglected the cafe for a while, I was greeted by a wall of popular posts.

"Well, I'd say about two hours should cover it."

...There goes my sleep schedule.

"Let's take a look, then."

The first popular post was —

"Ah."

I really had neglected this place for quite a while, hadn't I?

"It's a company dinner story."

"...Two hours is a pipe dream, isn't it."

I hadn't expected the backlog to be this deep. With that resigned thought, I hit play on the video.

...How worked up did she have to be to talk that fast?

...Hold on, we're talking about my face now? And a tsundere? Am I a tsundere? I'd like to think I'm at least somewhat capable of self-objectivity, and I really don't think that's it...

...So the viewers have decided my scary face is simply a given, and they don't even register it anymore? Not sure whether that's a misfortune or a mercy, I moved on to the next video.

Hmm... was it really that good? I remember it being merely decent...

Oh.

I paused the video for a moment.

"Well, I doubt ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it was that good... but if you want it, I'll do one when I get the chance."

After all, doesn't the person who cooks feel good depending on how the person eating reacts? In that spirit, I was genuinely quite pleased! ...Even if I was being flattered nonstop.

...Which part of what I just said looked like a tsundere, exactly?

"That's tsundere gaslighting."

If chat kept chanting "tsundere" like this, I'd soon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠start doubting whether I actually was one, so I said it as a warning.

So they're doing this on purpose to mess with me.

"Anyway, let's keep watching."

...That one stung.

"...I promised to hang out with her properly next time to make up for it, so we're fine."

Ah, didn't I mention this on stream before? And chat's going to spam "tsundere" all day today... Ugh.

Sighing inwardly, I added an explanation.

"I did tell her I'd try my best to do whatever she brings me, within reason."

"Shall we move on to the next post?"

The next post was —

"Another company dinner story...?"

Hmm.

Would I? That would be pretty beyond redemption, wouldn't it.

"I'll keep going for now."

This post was Sua's company dinner story.

Hm?

Oh, that story.

This time, the viewers were split.

"I really don't like being touched by other people."

...Was it really that long?

...Well, that part's technically accurate.

...Did I grumble? I'm pretty sure I just said I'd do it.

Hmm, the fan seizures have begun. I'd predicted this topic would trigger them, so I managed the chat window calmly, without so much as a flinch.

...This tsundere meme really is going to run for a long time.

Sigh.