Boredom Leads to Streaming
American life turned out to be easier than expected. Since the whole family spoke English, integrating into the local community came naturally. Father's business grew exponentially, earning him increasing respect, and with Mother Lee Sujeong's exceptional sociability added to the mix, they became the friendly neighbors everyone knew within less than two months of immigrating. People dropped by to enjoy Korean food, and the family visited others in turn. They were no longer foreigners—they belonged.
During those two months, Kim Jiwon had timed the move to align with the American school calendar, so he enrolled immediately and adapted…
"Kim Jiwon, are you interested in skipping a grade?"
"Yes. If it's possible, I'd like to."
"Kim~ We're playing basketball today. Wanna join?"
"Okay~"
He adapted far too well. Yes. Way too well.
The kids who had tried to pick fights to test the new guy got thoroughly beaten without mercy. Before long, they became his followers. After that, things stayed quiet—except for the fact that he advanced from ninth to tenth grade in just two months, and two months later another skip request arrived.
"So… how exactly did this happen, son?"
"…"
Lee Sujeong asked, half exasperated. She had told him to keep his abilities hidden, yet the school kept requesting grade skips. One time might be a fluke, but two requests in such a short span had prompted her to summon him for an explanation.
"Well? Talk to me. How did things end up like this?"
"No… I just…"
"Go on. Take your time."
She coaxed him gently. Kim Jiwon finally spoke.
"I was just playing basketball, and lately I've been matching up against twelfth-graders…"
"Mm."
Basketball was fine. Being good at sports was a good thing.
"Oh, and they said the college pro team wants a practice game with me. They asked me to join."
"…Huh?"
That was beyond simply being good.
"Also, I drew a few pictures for club activities, and they said they'd put them in an exhibition…"
"…"
Did student artwork normally make it into exhibitions?
"Uh… and I made a song, and some singer asked for it. Her name was… Arin? Something like that. Sounded like a coffee brand."
"…You mean Grande?"
"Yeah. She said she liked the song I wrote and wanted it. So I said okay."
"Ah… I see…"
Ariana Grande was a famous singer, right? Must have been someone with the same name.
"And… also…"
"There's more?"
Lee Sujeong was starting to feel uneasy about what might come next.
"In math class I solved a problem, and the teacher got really surprised. Something about the Curry Conjecture? Isn't that funny? What's a curry conjecture anyway? Hehe."
"…You mean the Poincaré Conjecture, don't you?"
"Oh! That's the one. You know it too, Mom? But why did the teacher make such a fuss over a problem everyone already knows?"
"……"
Because it was one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems… and it had already been solved. If he had solved it without any prior knowledge, of course the teacher would be shocked. Lee Sujeong swallowed her frustration in silence.
At this rate, even universities would be fighting over him.
—
They say words become seeds. In this case, is it thoughts that become seeds?
While Lee Sujeong was lost in her idle musings, the principal and the counselor sat across from her.
"Therefore, Kim Jiwon is eligible to apply for Early Action. Several universities have already reached out through our counselor."
"If you look here, you'll see the accommodations each university can provide…"
They laid out documents and benefits, speaking with enthusiasm.
"Furthermore, this particular university…"
…
Right… When my son comes home today, I'll just boil some macaroni for him. Yes.
******
Less than a year after immigrating to America, and at the tender age of sixteen, entering university was an extraordinary feat. Naturally, his story made the newspapers and news broadcasts. As his name spread, the number of people seeking him out only grew.
"This is Winner Music. We'd like to request a new song from your son!"
"The great artist Marcus has expressed interest in taking your son on as a student."
"Our university basketball team would like to recruit Mr. Jiwon as a player."
"We are…"
"We…"
…
"Aaaagh~~!!! Get lost, all of you~~!!"
…
"Son? Explain what's going on right now."
"Yes! Yes, ma'am!!"
At Lee Sujeong's irritated yet still rational tone, Kim Jiwon snapped to attention, body perfectly rigid.
…That posture was impressive even for a new recruit.
…
The root of the current situation lay in the portfolio submitted before university admission. While Kim Jiwon had shown talent in multiple fields, the school had carefully protected his identity regarding his artwork and music. However, all of that material had been included in his university portfolio. The universities that reviewed it naturally went into an uproar. The real problem was that an employee had sold the information to a reporter for money. Sensing a scoop, the reporter published the story immediately, exposing his identity. People who had been desperately searching for him suddenly descended all at once, creating this chaos.
"Haa… So? What are you going to do?"
Lee Sujeong asked, unable to keep frowning when her son was simply too outstanding. She felt more pride than annoyance, but she still needed a plan—and she had none.
"No choice, then… Son? Pack your bags."
"Huh? Uh… Mom?"
Kim Jiwon trembled, terrified she was about to kick him out—while still maintaining perfect attention stance.
"I'm not throwing you out. What do you take your mother for?"
"Ah… R-right? Heh… heh…"
Lee Sujeong shot him a sideways glance. His tension eased, replaced by an awkward smile.
"Who said you could relax? Stand properly again."
"Yes!!!"
He snapped back to attention with a crisp sound. The posture was still flawless.
"If there's no immediate solution, the only option is to avoid the problem…"
"I misheard!!"
"I wasn't talking to you, son."
"Yes!! I'll correct myself!"
With Kim Jiwon now standing at rigid attention, Lee Sujeong pulled out her phone.
"Yes, yes. That's why we're in a bit of trouble. Yes. Thank you if you can do that."
"Yes, yes. I'll see you shortly, then."
After finishing the call, she turned to him.
"They said they'll arrange a spot in the school dormitory. Go pack your things right now and head down."
"Yes! Understood!!"
He dashed off.
…
"Where on earth did he learn that… Sigh…"
Well… sometimes people perform miracles just to survive. That's all there is to it. Yes…
******
After being unceremoniously dumped in the dormitory by his mother, Kim Jiwon enjoyed a peaceful college life…
"Kyaa~ Jiwon! Over here, over here~!"
"Hey! Back off! I already called dibs on Jiwon!!"
"What did you just say, you bitch?"
"You crazy bitches, he's still a minor."
"What does that matter? As long as he tastes good."
Peaceful…
"Jiwon, remember that theory you mentioned last time? What if we change it like this?"
"Kim Jiwon, how far can the A.I. you're developing go?"
"Mr. Jiwon, about the robot posture control process you fixed last time…"
"Jiwon~ How about a blind date with some fresh new faces…"
Zap!!!!
"Blind date, my ass! Students are supposed to study. Yeah. I'm going to bury myself in the library!!"
He bolted.
After barely shaking off the swarm of people that gathered again once the "pest" (or savior?) had been dealt with, Kim Jiwon ran for his life.
I can't live like this!!
Crushed by the constant attention and unable to date properly (the most important issue—he had been a virgin for forty-something years across both lifetimes!!!!), he finally snapped. He stormed into the department head's office and dropped the bomb.
"I'm dropping out."
"!!!!!!!!"
…
******
…
The crisis that forced even the department head, faculty heads, and the board of directors into an emergency meeting grew increasingly heated because of conflicting interests and research outcomes. No easy conclusion was in sight.
"In other words, with just a little more help from Jiwon, a Nobel Prize is possible!"
"The student says he's struggling and wants to drop out!"
"That's because too many fields are approaching him at once, isn't it?"
"Yes, you're absolutely right. So how about your side makes a concession first, Professor?"
"Ahem, ahem, ahem…"
"See? Everyone keeps telling others to yield, but no one actually wants to."
"…"
The professors and staff all avoided the department head's gaze. After watching them for a moment, he made his decision.
"From now on, if you wish to work with Jiwon, submit a joint research application. Only the projects he selects will proceed first."
"!!!! Then what about the rest—"
"There's no other way. This is a necessary measure to protect the student. Please understand."
"To put it bluntly, what will you do if Jiwon drops out and returns to his home country?"
"Ugh…"
The professors could only groan, unable to respond.
"Assuming everyone understands, I'll end this meeting. Please submit your joint research applications by next week. Until then, Jiwon will be given time to rest."
The professors rose silently and left.
I wonder if this was the right call…
The department head remained, wondering if there had been a better solution.
—
Although the department head had stepped in to enforce temporary measures, the calm lasted only briefly. As their own research began to stall, professors who could no longer endure it started approaching Kim Jiwon again. The problem was that the more research projects he participated in produced results, the more people sought him out. Eventually, the school could no longer protect him.
"There were 172 unauthorized entry attempts on campus, and 36 individuals who disguised themselves as students to approach Jiwon."
"Haa…"
A heavy silence fell over the meeting room where everyone involved had gathered.
"………Let's move Jiwon somewhere safe."
"Department Head!"
The room erupted at his bombshell statement.
"We can't protect him like this. And is there any professor here who still believes Jiwon needs more teaching from us?"
"…"
The faculty answered with silence.
"Yes. In truth, we've learned from him. There's nothing left for us to teach him."
"Therefore, once the current research is completed, we'll send Jiwon back to his home country for safety."
"The school will cover all necessary expenses and provide full support so he can continue his research there. We'll also appoint him as a Doctor and dispatch him to Korea as a research doctor."
The professors listened quietly. None of them could argue, having previously troubled him out of their own research ambitions. The department head drove the point home.
"Through my connections, I've already reported the data on Jiwon to the President. All the measures I just mentioned have received presidential approval. Keep that in mind."
"…!!!"
Leaving the stunned professors behind, the department head descended from the podium and walked out.
This should satisfy Jiwon. He's a gem of our scientific community. We must support him so he can continue his research…
…
"I think I'll just stream for fun. What do you think?"
"What!!!"
Lee Sujeong carefully laid the department head down after he clutched the back of his neck and collapsed.
"Streaming all of a sudden? Wasn't research fun?"
"It was at first, but they kept asking for more and more, so I got a little tired…"
"Ah…"
"I wanted to take a break and catch my breath, but I can't just sit around doing nothing, right?"
"I suppose not."
"Starting a store or a business sounds like too much trouble, and the only thing that seemed doable was streaming."
"So you're going to stream?"
"Yes. It's not like I need the money. I just want to relax and have fun with people."
"If that's what you want, I won't stop you… but what about the department head? He's helped you so much…"
"I'm not planning to quit completely. I'll just say I'm taking a one-year sabbatical."
"Hoho. All right. That should work. So when are you leaving?"
…
"……..Hehe… Right now?"
"I knew it… Aigoo…"
"Hehehe~"
"Then leave the rest to Mom and go. You've prepared everything, right?"
"Yeah. I already arranged a place to live and a research lab in Korea. Streaming setup is ready too."
"Good. Then hurry up and go. If the department head wakes up, things will get complicated."
"Okay. Mom, I'm going. I love you."
"Mm. Mom loves you too, son."
…
"If you bring a girl home, make sure to use protection."
"Mom!!"
"What? Would you rather not? Want to see grandchildren sooner?"
While Lee Sujeong pondered the dilemma, Kim Jiwon fled.
"I'm leaving!!"
Bang.
"When did he grow up so much…"
Lee Sujeong sank into deep sentiment.
…Um, ma'am? The department head's mouth is twitching. Hello?
—
One day, a new broadcast quietly began on Ppajijik, one of the internet broadcasting platforms. The preview screen showed a handsome male avatar with long black hair in a half-up half-down style, smiling at the camera.
"Hello~! New streamer 'Rusty' here to greet you~!"