Chapter 54: Turn Off the Stream.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 54: Turn Off the Stream.
The phrase "I can't believe my eyes."
I thought that was just something you'd see in a comic book.
Holding Oppa's phone, I was seized by the feeling that I was seeing things.
A brightly shining golden badge.
That wasn't something you could get in just a day or two.
It was proof that he'd been watching and subscribed since the very beginning...
When I saw it was even the most expensive 12-month sub badge, I asked Oppa for the truth in a trembling voice.
"Th-Then, Oppa, you really..."
Does this even make sense?
"You've been one of my subscribers all this time...?"
Oppa ran a hand through his hair, took a deep breath, and then snatched the phone from my hand.
"Does a 12-month subscription look like a fucking joke to you?"
Oppa zoomed in on the badge picture and tilted his head slightly.
A defiant posture.
A sarcastic tone.
And to top it all off.
"Luka-tan?"
My other name.
When the name that only existed in the virtual world crossed over into reality, I felt like I couldn't breathe.
Lowering his arm, Oppa put the phone back in his pocket and pulled me into his arms.
"...So."
I could feel the texture of the sweater under his coat against my face.
The pleasant scent of fabric softener tickled my nose.
"You weren't the only one with a crush."
Oppa awkwardly stroked my back.
I felt my eyes well up for a completely different reason.
His clumsy touch was just so warm.
As if craving more of that warmth, I wrapped my arms around his waist.
"So, stop cry—"
"Don't say that."
To someone as sensitive as me, what Oppa was about to say was like poison.
When someone tells you not to cry, it just makes you want to cry more.
I figured showing my ugly crying face at the DVD bang was more than enough.
"I wasn't finished talking."
"I know what you were going to say, so don't."
Just for a little while.
Just for a moment, I wanted to bask in this sweet, cotton-candy-like feeling.
To think the most unrealistic possibility was the reality.
If I'd known, I would have said something sooner...
Hanbit unnie.
You're a goddess.
But that thought was fleeting.
"...Oppa."
"Yeah?"
"...So you've been watching my streams since last November?"
As my overwhelming emotions subsided, a new wave of anxiety washed over me.
"Ah. Yeah."
When I pulled away slightly, I saw Oppa's tense face.
But if it was November...
Wait a minute.
That must have been right after I started streaming...
I started in October, so if he subscribed in November, that means...
"Then, back when I was doing the princess concept, did you maybe..."
"Ah. I still think that was a bit of a stretch, even now."
What a fine day to die.
The thought suddenly crossed my mind.
I'd gone and done it in the heat of the moment, but...
Did things turn out okay...?
After confirming when I started watching her streams, Doah left, saying she'd contact me later, and practically fled back home.
I'd expected we might talk about what to do next, or about officially dating, but that didn't happen.
Still.
I was relieved that, in the end, her expression didn't seem too bad.
If she had cried even harder and berated me for being a Pink Army, I'm sure I would have felt like crying right along with her.
I opened the fridge, got some ice, and chugged down a glass of water so cold it made my head ache.
"Hoo..."
It was kind of funny to think that in a few hours, Doah would be turning on her stream.
She must be a complete mess right now.
If she were an independent streamer without an agency, she would have definitely taken a break, but I figured that would be difficult because of her contract with YM.
Business is business, after all.
Lying on my bed, I opened my phone.
I opened the streaming app and went to Luka's profile, where the pink-haired avatar was winking at me.
How did we end up like this?
To think that Luka, who I thought was the farthest yet closest person to me, had been crying because of me just a little while ago.
Closing my eyes, all I could do was wait for Doah to contact me.
[Ah. Ah. Can you hear me, everyone?]
8 PM.
Doah's voice, having started her stream right on time, came through the speakers.
[Luhai! Luhai!]
[LH!]
[Luka-tan, what took you so long!]
[You've been late a lot lately...]
The waiting screen disappeared, and the familiar avatar appeared.
[I'm not late! I started right at 8!]
[Ahem. I haven't been late once since the Closer project, you know?]
[What do you mean, 'now that I'm getting paid'? You guys, I was rarely late even before my debut!]
At the sight of Luka puffing out her cheeks, the chat was flooded with comments calling her cute instead of malicious accusations.
[My exams? Hmm~ To be honest, I kinda bombed them.]
[Ah. Right. I'm an idol, so I shouldn't use expressions like that.]
[Luka-tan did her best, but the results were a little disappointing, I suppose.]
That otaku-optimized speech pattern might have made some people gag, but we in the Pink Army just found it adorable.
[Well, I think I did average on my major courses, but I gave up on my electives.]
[If I studied hard for my electives too, I'd probably have to take a break from streaming. Do you really want that?]
Luka grinned playfully.
[See? If I don't stream, you'll all just spam the forums with the snow-covered Pink Army emote.]
The Pink Army emotes, which are only available to subscribers.
They were apparently made by an illustrator who's a fan of Luka, and they're incredibly useful.
My personal favorite is the PArmyBonk emote.
There was nothing better for when the mood suddenly turned awkward or a viewer said something weird.
[Ah, I can't wait for winter break.]
It's November now, so it's less than two months away.
The semester usually ends around mid-December.
At the latest, it's always before Christmas.
Doah must have been thinking the same thing, as she voiced her thoughts.
[Will I stream five days a week during the break? Hmm... I can't promise, but I'll probably stream more, don't you think?]
[What do I do on my days off? I need to rest and have fun, too. I can't just stream all the time.]
[You all should go out, meet your friends, and have fun too.]
Before she could even finish her sentence, the chat was flooded with PArmyBonk emotes.
[This is my nightlife, this is my club!]
[??? Why are you bonking me?]
[My friends are right here?]
[??????]
[Alright! I get it! I'll stream! Stop bonking me!]
Seeing the Pink Army's immediate retaliation, Luka shook her head as if she were dizzy.
Normally, I would have joined them, clamoring for her to stream seven days a week.
But today, I found myself watching the stream passively.
She was carrying on with the stream, making casual small talk, when it happened.
-LukaCoinsToTheMoon-nim has donated 1,000 won.
[Can you do an aegyo reaction?]
[LukaCoinsToTheMoon-nim! Thanks for the 1,000 won~ Aegyo? The price is pretty steep in this channel. Think you can handle it?]
Back when her channel was smaller, you could get a heaping serving of aegyo for just 5,000 won.
But now, it's hard to get any even for 10,000 won.
It was a shame, but it was an understandable system.
If she set the price too low, she could end up spending the entire stream just doing aegyo.
And besides, things like that are a treat because they're rare. If she did it all the time, it would lose its appeal.
-LukaCoinsToTheMoon-nim has donated 50,000 won.
[Possible?]
[Totally possible! Alright, let me take a look at the video. You want me to do it exactly like this, right?]
Luka had already done pretty much everything, so I thought it wouldn't be a big deal for her, but this one looked seriously difficult.
Speaking in the third person was a given.
She had to end her sentences with 'kkyu' and 'ing,' and the content itself was dizzying.
[Sssseup... This is tough...]
Hesitation flickered across Luka's face.
-LukaCoinsToTheMoon-nim has donated 50,000 won.
[Go go]
[I-If LukaCoinsToTheMoon-kun insists... th-then I have no choice.]
Her cheeks flushed, fueled by capitalism.
The viewers were grinning from ear to ear as Luka warmed up.
Like any other member of the Pink Army, I smiled in satisfaction and licked my lips in anticipation.
[But this is my first time seeing this, so let me watch it a few more times before I try, okay?]
Even for a VTuber who uses a character instead of their real face, that looked pretty challenging.
If I were a streamer, could I have done that?
I'd probably struggle and fail.
Or maybe not. I'd probably do it for 100,000 won.
[Brrrrrrrrrr.]
Ah, this is going to make a great clip.
If she does this well, it could become a legendary clip.
It would be legendary if she did it cutely, and even if she messed up, it would still be adorable.
Saying she needed to warm up her mouth, Luka ran through some scales and trilled her lips, then announced she was going to get a glass of water before starting and got up from her chair.
-Bzzzzzzzt-
My phone vibrated.
The message from Doah was just four characters long.
[Turn off the stream.]
...That's fucking creepy.