Then I'll Give You an F-Type Answer
"Hi there."
"Yep. I made a big decision and came outside today. Being cooped up in my room all the time, my skin started craving vitamin D."
"That's right, it's Gangnam. A beauty always shines brighter among dazzling lights. I can feel every pair of eyes walking past me locked onto my face, like iron filings drawn to a magnet."
"Isn't that obvious? When a national-treasure-tier beauty is strolling down the street, looking away would be rude. I'm currently providing the public with a welfare service called eye-cleansing. Watch with a grateful heart, everyone."
"Today I'll do a little shopping and eat something delicious. I'll show you just how extravagantly and elegantly I live on the money you donated. Experience the taste of capitalism, secondhand."
"Yep. If that bothers you, you should've been born pretty and started streaming too. If you don't have the talent, contributing capital is the least you can do as a member of society. Oh, there's a cute clothing store over there. Let's go in."
I walked into the building as if I owned the place.
"How about this one? I think it'll bring out my decadent beauty even more."
"Why would I look at the price tag? If I like it, I buy it. The moment you check the price, shopping becomes labor. I didn't come here to work — I came here to play."
Being a girl really does make picking out clothes more fun. Back when I was a guy, I just threw on whatever.
Or maybe it was just because I'd become a pretty girl.
"Can I try this on?"
"Ah, yes, miss. You can try it on over there."
A moment later I stepped out through the curtain in a black off-shoulder dress.
The chat absolutely exploded.
"Mm, I'm almost afraid to look in the mirror. I'm so perfect I might go blind. You all be careful too — staring at me too close to the monitor can cause vision loss."
After paying, I headed back out onto the street. Even the way I carried my shopping bags looked like a fashion spread.
"There's a famous steakhouse over there. I'll head that way. A beauty needs her protein to maintain muscle elasticity, you know."
I arrived at the restaurant, took a seat, and ordered without even glancing at the menu.
"I'll take the most expensive course. And a glass of wine to go with it."
I could afford to treat myself this much. The stream had been doing so well lately that my bank account was looking pretty comfortable.
"What do day and night matter to a beauty? The moment I drink, wherever I am becomes a party. And this isn't alcohol — it's a grape extract. Think of it as a health drink."
When the steak arrived, I began cutting it with elegant precision.
"It's delicious. The meat is tap-dancing on my tongue. Expensive things really do earn their price. You all should work hard and buy yourselves something like this too."
"No."
"There really are. But I think about this sometimes. Isn't it fascinating that all these people are moving with their own purposes? Some for love, some for survival, some just to enjoy being looked at — and together they fill this street."
"I'm not pretending to be philosophical. I'm stating facts. You're getting vicarious satisfaction from watching my stream right now, but what are you actually chasing in your own lives? You might want to ask yourselves whether you're just filling your own emptiness by staring at a hollow version of yourselves on a screen."
"The world is wide and there's plenty to do. But most people lock that wide world inside a tiny smartphone screen. I just smashed that screen and walked out. You should try stepping outside once in a while too, instead of just admiring my looks. Of course, the odds of running into a beauty like me are slim."
"It's not bragging. It's advice based on facts. Oh, a terrace seat just opened up at that café. Let's sit for a bit. Looking out over Gangnam Boulevard, people look so small. Watching them scurry like ants between those giant forests of buildings, you start to wonder what all that scrambling is even for."
"Depression? Please. I'm taking a contemplative stance as someone who holds the reins of her own life. Successful people enjoy looking down from high places and reflecting. While you all work like ants, I find my pleasure in observing those ants."
"It's not annoying, it's honest. I don't do fake communication. Ah, the coffee's here. This bitter cup makes the sweetness of my life stand out even more. You have to know bitterness to truly taste sweetness. If you endure your current bitter suffering, someday you'll have enough leftover to donate to me."
"Of course. In a capitalist society, the most direct way to help someone else is through consumption and donations. I provide you with entertainment, and you pay for it. A perfectly fair and clean transaction, isn't it?"
"I feel sorry for those of you who don't understand."
"I don't know what you're so upset about. I sell you my time, and you pay the admission fee for that time. What business in this world is more transparent than that?"
"Stop slandering me. Anyway, walking around Gangnam Station, a thought occurred to me. How many of the people gathered here are actually standing here because they want to? Everyone looks out of breath from running along the tracks society laid out for them."
"I make new tracks. This very moment, where you watch me and enjoy yourselves — you're already inside an orbit I designed. That's what it means to live on your own terms. Not playing on someone else's board, but building the board yourself."
"Wrong. But I'll be generous and give you a reward anyway. The reward is the sight of me drinking coffee. Now, open your eyes wide."
I lifted the cup lightly and took a sip. The bitterness struck my tongue, but I kept my expression perfectly serene.
"Not getting hired means your value isn't attractive in the market. That might sound cold, but that's reality. Companies aren't charities. If you were a company, would you hire someone like yourself? If not, think about what you need to fill in. Instead of crying, it'd be more efficient to add even one more line to your resume."
"Comfort is something the weak exchange among themselves. The strong look for solutions. I want you all to become strong. That way you'll watch my stream even longer."
"Mm, alright. Then I'll give you an F-style answer this time."
"Ah. Yes. But... is that all? Just words...?"
"Heh. It was nothing. Come find me whenever you have worries."
I climbed into a taxi and offered my viewers a final goodbye.
"Tomorrow we'll meet again in my room. A glamorous outing is more valuable when it's occasional. Sleep well, everyone. Good night."
Asel's broadcast has ended.