Goal
“So, like… this is the story from before I started streaming. The tale of the grateful folks who made it possible for me to become a streamer, I guess?”
Clack—rattle—the sound of me, still clumsy with broadcasting, fiddling with the mic position echoed out.
“Ah… sorry about that. I'm still not used to this stand mic…. If you buy me one, I'll gratefully accept it. Anyway, bear with the inconvenience for now. The day I decided to become a streamer was when I was hustling parcel loading and unloading. And just so you know, absolutely no sorting scanning—I don't do that loser shit.”
I stood by the rail, scanner in hand, legs crossed. My legs ached a bit from standing so long, but not a drop of sweat. Far from it—the pre-dawn chill seeped into my thin hoodie, making me downright cold.
Irezumi, who'd been handing over packages from the opposite rail, kept glancing my way before finally speaking up.
“Hey, Jua.”
“Yeah?”
“So… how'd a girl like you end up in a rough spot like this?”
At Irezumi's question, Park Gun, the high schooler, and even Anchovy perked up their ears. They'd each taken a step toward me, so it wasn't my imagination.
“...Just here to earn some living expenses.”
Irezumi tilted his head, clearly puzzled by my answer.
“With your looks, Jua, don't you get VIP treatment anywhere? Fitting model, billiards hall, cafe, PC bang—those gigs pay top hourly and are easy on the body.”
“Right, sis! Honestly, with your face, you could get street-cast or audition for idol stuff. Why suffer here breathing dust?”
“Yeah, I thought some celeb came to stream at first when I saw you.”
The high schooler and Park Gun, fresh off loading a truck, jumped into the convo.
Face, face, looks, looks. Sure, I'd marveled at myself in the mirror that morning. But hearing it straight from these guys felt… weird.
I had no real excuse for why parcels specifically. My body's toughness meant my brain didn't have to work overtime, so I never really racked it for money schemes. Hauling heavy aggregate on night shifts in construction guaranteed better work-life balance and pay than peers in office jobs.
Cafe, PC bang, fitting model—those jobs only popped into my head because they mentioned them.
“...I just wanted to try logistics.”
I thought that sounded natural enough, a smooth dodge. But Irezumi, Park Gun, Anchovy, and the high schooler all froze in sync, like they'd been hit by the same zap.
Only the conveyor belt's hum filled the air.
“Ah… haha… hahaha.”
Irezumi broke the silence first, forcing a laugh and nodding.
“Jua, you're really something else. Are all beauties from another dimension or what?”
“Yeah, sis. Super unique. Nobody thinks 'I wanna try this kinda job.'”
“Haha, really?”
Those words stung a little. Back in my Lee Jinsu days, ditching construction burnout for parcel gigs was routine.
“You're seriously one of a kind. But quit the heavy labor now. Sure, we like working with you… but you'll wreck your body, get scars, and end up with a shitty personality.”
“Huh? You guys are all so nice—how would my personality get shitty?”
Park Gun blushed and nudged an empty pallet with his foot. Guess he hadn't met real assholes yet.
“Sis! Why not try internet broadcasting? Like a streamer. Cam girl would be perfect, but… kinda awkward to recommend.”
Streamer. That word clicked something in my brain.
YouTube thumbnails I'd seen countless times since my Jinsu days flashed up:
Yeah. It was the era of mega-streamers. Pretty face? Flip on the cam and do anything. Games, chats, dances, cooking. Looks made it all work.
And me. Objectively gorgeous, no doubt.
Playing it cool, I echoed back casually. “...A streamer?”
“Yeah! My buddy manages a hottie cam girl—says it hits him hard seeing their cash.”
Irezumi peeled off his work gloves, getting heated.
“With your level, Jua, any stream you start gets called 'big corp' right away.”
“Right, sis! Idol-level… no, prettier than idols, and honestly, your voice is straight-up cheating. Earlier when you greeted us, my ears melted… uh, nothing.”
The high schooler turned beet red, stumbling over words. My cheeks felt a bit warm too.
These rough dudes surrounding me: idol-like, actress vibes, too pretty, voice is killer. Pure praise.
I couldn't just bask in it like 'Ahem, yeah, that's me.' No mentality for that.
Even quiet Anchovy chimed in. “Even no-cam voice-only streamers rake it in.”
“Oh yeah, gamers are insane. Some bronze hottie cam pulls more dons than pros.”
The high schooler was the brightest, highest-pitched, chattiest I'd seen him.
“You guys know? Battlelands Kill Bet boards now get funded for millions per round.”
“Whoa, f—ahem.”
Irezumi coughed mid-swear, glancing at me, then continued.
“So they split millions four ways?”
“That's what I heard. If I reincarnate, I'm coming back girl and streaming for sure.”
“Dude, anyone can do that? Imagine with that face as a girl.”
“Pfft, then go virtual.”
“Fair point.”
Started as advice for me, turned into their own chat fest.
Stuff like “If I TS, I'm going pro streamer,” “TS and not streaming? Total loser” made me flinch. But none clocked my actual TS.
Listening, one thought dominated: this is it.
Not because of their “TS no-stream loser” jab.
This was the perfect breakthrough. Money beyond living expenses—future security, retirement fund. This frail body couldn't ace construction, not even clean-up duty. No more site lurking. Logistics same—look at today, work nearly done and my clothes spotless.
Service jobs? Still adjusting to being Jua myself. Plus, pretty girls in service deal with stalkers, cocky posers, sleazy 40-something creeps—YouTube's full of it.
But no-cam? No-cam, indie broadcast, game streaming? Sit in my room, mic on, play fave games, spit labor-honed trash talk? No need for girly coquetry, flirty hearts, creepy stares, or chat-induced shame.
And word was, non-strippers with chill vibes lasted longest. Military-vet high school girl concepts existed. Vtubers even role-played mute.
Then… ex-construction, foul-mouthed, boomer-friendly me? Prime talent there.
Playing for pay—my old dream.
“Whoa….”
Sorting my thoughts, a sigh slipped out.
Cursed the creator bastard in my head dozens of times. Canceled today.
“Jua? What's up?”
Irezumi snapped me back.
“Oh, nothing. But… does no-cam really pay that well? Just voice?”
We four nodded in unison at my serious question.
“Cam's fastest, but no-cam Jua would blow up quick.”
“I'll don every day if you stream, sis!”
These guys… seemed dead serious.
“Thanks. I'll think about it.”
Mind made up already.
I grinned. “Sniff…”
“...”
“Holy…”
“...Why are you all like that?”
“N-nothing.”
“Uh, trucks incoming. Back to work.”
The dudes flushed and scattered.
...Because of me?
I didn't strip, flirt, or pout. Nice but kinda dim friends.
Trucks rolled in, belts whirred. Logistics flowed unchanged.
My setup too—still just light stuff. Anything heavy, one of the four snatched it.
“Jua sis! Drink water and rest.”
“Jua, legs hurt? Sit on that empty pallet a bit?”
I wrapped my daily wage shift in this hellish princess treatment.
“Everyone, good work!”
6 AM. Dawn at the logistics hub. Kim Team Leader divvied up cash envelopes.
No sweat stench all day—just fresh scent. Calves a tad sore.
130,000 won in the envelope hit real: I earned this.
And—
“Whoa… girl held out to the end?”
“Impressive? So scrawny though.”
“Tougher than she looks? Most guys bail on parcels.”
“C'mon, we'll treat ya to pork belly to celebrate.”
“...For real?”