The Sound of My Breath

Why didn't I answer Sohwa's last question, the one that sounded like she knew me too well?

I closed the DM window, and two days passed. No contact from Sohwa. I didn't reach out first either. That's normal. A two-day gap between editor and client is nothing.

Still, I refreshed the gallery tab more often than usual.

On the morning of the third day, an email arrived.

Attachment: Horror game full broadcast, 2 hours 47 minutes. 38GB.

I downloaded the file while rereading the email. Please take good care of it. Nothing else after that. No mention of my unanswered DM, no probing.

It nagged at me unnecessarily. I ignored the feeling and opened Premiere Pro.

I watched the full footage straight through. 2 hours 47 minutes. Sohwa's horror game playthrough. A new release this time: abandoned hospital escape concept.

First 30 minutes were exploration. Sohwa wandered dark hallways, barely speaking. Occasional low mutters.

"This one's locked."

"Something's here, maybe."

"Ah, the key."

The chat was the opposite.

This contrast is Sohwa's core. Viewers terrified, streamer unfazed. Usually it's reversed. Streamer freaks out, viewers laugh—that's the horror game formula. Sohwa flips it.

To make it work in editing, push her calmness to the extreme.

I set the timeline and started.

First, 1:12 mark. Jumpscare—ghost behind her. Sohwa clicks the mouse once, turns the character.

"Uh."

That's it. Uh. No scream, no reaction. Just uh.

Chat went wild.

This is the clip's main hook. But can't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠use it raw. Right before the scare, her breathing quickens subtly for 0.7 seconds. Unconscious tension.

Keep that 0.7 seconds. Strip all BGM. Drop game SFX to 70%. Leave only her breath. For 0.7 seconds, viewers hear just Sohwa breathing.

Then jumpscare. Her uh. Drop in upbeat piano BGM, timed to her word.

Horror flips to comedy. Tension releases in one syllable, laughter explodes.

That's Sohwa's potential. I looped that segment thirty-seven times, nailing cut timing. Shifted BGM entry by 0.05-second increments for max laughs.

3 a.m. Done. One 15-minute clip. Sixteen hours work.

Emaled Sohwa.

Reply two hours later. 5 a.m. Was she up too?

"Han-cut-nim."

DM, not email.

"Yes."

"I watched the video."

"Any changes needed, let me know."

"Changes?"

"Yes. First delivery, tone might not match. Speak freely."

"Nothing to change."

"Still, just in case—"

"Han-cut-nim."

"Yes."

"The 1:12 mark."

The jumpscare. My main hook.

"Yes, that part."

"Where I say uh."

"Yes."

"You left just my breathing there."

"……."

"About 0.7 seconds. Originally had BGM and game sounds, but you stripped them."

Sohwa noticed. Viewers feel it subconsciously. Only editors or those hyper-aware of their own breath catch it consciously. She's the latter. Knows her breathing shifts when tense.

"There was a spot where your breathing changed. Judged it best to highlight."

"How'd you know my breathing changed?"

"Waveform shows it."

True. Zoomed audio waveform reveals tightening breath intervals. Most editors skip it for extra cuts.

"Waveform."

"Yes."

"Han-cut-nim, you looked at my breath's waveform."

"That's editing."

"……."

"Sohwa-ssi?"

"Han-cut-nim."

"Yes."

"Why'd you edit like you know me so well?"

I stopped typing.

Not knowing her well. Just watched a lot. Full footage, loops, waveform zooms, breath analysis. That's editing. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Not knowing. Just watched a lot."

"What's the difference?"

"Watching a lot is work. Knowing well is personal."

"……."

"I did work."

"Then one question."

"Yes."

"Do you think I was really scared in that scene?"

I paused.

Not editing territory. Personal question about Sohwa. Not for an editor.

But I knew the answer. Saw it in full footage. She was scared. That uh wasn't calm—it was shock silencing her. The sound of terror without scream.

That's why I kept the breath. Upbeat BGM to flip it comedic. Hide her fear from viewers. Uphold her concept while crafting content. Editor's job.

"Think you were scared."

Why answer? Shouldn't have.

"……Right."

Her reply slow.

"I was scared. For real."

"……."

"But couldn't scream. That's how I am. When scared, voice just... doesn't come."

"I know."

Said it again. I know. Not editor words.

"……Han-cut-nim."

"Yes."

"How much of me have you watched?"

"As much as work needs."

"That 'as much as needed' seems more than average editors."

"I'm thorough by nature."

"Not just thorough."

Time to cut it off. Can't go further.

"Next week's the same way. Send raw, I'll start."

"……Yes."

"Good work."

"Han-cut-nim."

"Yes."

"You'll listen to my breathing next time too, right?"

I stared at the DM.

Should've been "edit my breathing." She blurs editing and attention.

"Within contract term."

"Contract term."

"Yes."

"Haven't set how long yet."

"Base three months."

"After three months?"

"Review results, decide extension."

"And you?"

"Pardon?"

"Do you want to extend?"

Not a client's question. Asking editor's intent first—that's—

"Review results first."

"I've already decided."

I closed the DM.

Opened gallery tab.

I posted as anon: This ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠edit overdone? Breath good but BGM switch too abrupt.

5 seconds.

Heart skipped.

Han-cut himself? Joke. Galleries always drop these. Stings every time.

Lmao if I were Han-cut I'd be here doing this?

Replied, closed tab.

Monitor glow lit the room. 5:30 a.m. Sohwa's last DM lingered in notifications.

I've already decided.

Long-pressed to mark read. No reply.

Doesn't matter how many editors. Receive file, deliver, done.

But one thing. Before waveform, I caught that 0.7 seconds. Zoom confirmed. Ear caught it first. Her breath shift.

Not work. But what is it? Better not know.

New DM. Sohwa.

"Han-cut-nim, trying something new next stream."

"What kind?"

"Something you'll like."

I stared blankly.

VTuber planning editor-friendly content. Not a client. That's—

"Send plan. Need to match edit direction."

"Yes. But Han-cut-nim."

"Yes."

"If I guess what you like, does it bother you?"

What does she want?

"No reason to. Good for editing, good for me."

"Then fine."

Typing indicator. Vanished. Reappeared. Vanished. Long pause. Message.

"Han-cut-nim, followers over 3,000."

"Congrats."

"Thanks to you."

"Good edit, good content."

"……You always say that."

"Truth."

"Then one promise."

"What?"

"When I hit 10k followers, grant one request."

"Request?"

"Won't say now. At 10k."

Hand on keyboard. Decline. Can't accept unknown.

But.

"If editing-related."

"……If not?"

"Decide then."

"Yes."

Her reply instant. Too instant. Like waiting for it.

"I'll wait, Han-cut-nim."

Closed DM, leaned back.

1,200 to 3,000. Ten days. At this rate, 10k in a month or two. Then she asks something non-editing.

Stop overthinking. Receive, deliver, done.

Refreshed gallery.

Saw "Han-cut woman theory," snorted.

Old bait. Delicate edit style.

Posted anon: Really no one knows Han-cut's face? Agency must've seen.

Bait dropped. Gallery erupts.

10 seconds.

Good. Dox bait buried as "same old."

Defense tactic. Before real leaks heat up, toss light bait. Frame "Han-cut dox = clown play." Worked three years.

Shut monitor. 6 a.m. Sohwa's next raw in two days. That "something you'll like" stream.

Editor-friendly content. Does that exist?

Sleep wouldn't come.