Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Super Genius Mentally Unstable High School Dropout Middle Schooler (1)
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I don't think I'm actually that cute...
Huh?
?? lol
Now you realize?
Finally starting to self-reflect, huh?
Honestly, I kinda thought you were a bit cute ㅇㅇ...
For real.
Not bad at all.
wldks_08 << Just ridiculously cute...
People probably mean girls like this when they say someone’s truly cute and lovable.
Maybe I was just a frog in a well after all.
Can't deny wldks_08 is on another level.
Even chanju follows her, what can you do about peak cuteness.
Hmm.
Why the sudden mood swing?
Is it that time of the month?
This isn't like her at all.
My self-esteem
Is hitting rock
Bottom.
Whoa, kid, why so down?
Not on your period.
What is this?
Did someone snipe you for being too cute??
Why so wilted?
This ain't easy...
Even amid all that, a few sharp-eyed users had caught on to the truth, but most were too busy tilting their heads at my 180-degree personality shift.
The same person who'd been happily shitposting and enjoying WWE together with them was suddenly spewing posts dripping with melancholy, like they'd snapped back from a dream to harsh reality?
Whether they were confused or suspicious, it was impossible not to draw eyes.
Why's she suddenly acting like a full-on menhera queen?
This feels weirdly familiar somehow.
Fr, it's got that exact vibe from over there.
Maybe she really is a middle schooler.
Then all that long-winded self-praise was UFC? lol; Lying her ass off too.
With seeds of doubt planted among the channel users, I went radio silent for a day, feeling like I was coughing up blood.
Surprisingly, some users who noticed my prolonged absence started posting and mentioning my name here and there.
Feels kinda empty without Yi-rin-chan's hero, High School Dropout Middle Schooler. Upvote if you agree lol
Upvote.
She posts dozens a day, it'd be weirder if it didn't feel empty.
No wonder the feed felt slow.
Huge void (for real).
It shows more than you'd think lololol
TBH she always gave off a bit of that vibe.
More like she was trying too hard to prove she's not ㅇㅇ
These types turn out to be real sometimes when you dig.
That tracks.
Not a bad theory, but idk.
Nah, that's dude who benches 400kg easy.
I'd say guy too lol. Or a single lady getting anxious after 30+.
If she's about to lose it, praise her up preemptively till her self-esteem's full.
That simple thing too hard?
(Shrugging amphibian emoticon)
Fr what are Mintso and Full-time Farmer doing?
Dereliction of duty.
Hmm.
Mint Soboro Bread: First time seeing this behavior too, so...
Temu Mountain Sword God: So is this a concept or is she actually bleeding out?
Mint Soboro Bread: Who knows~
Still, thanks to my consistently active posting and my heroics in stopping channel freezes, more people were paying attention to me than I'd expected.
But I had to be careful.
If this went too far, excessive fondness could build up and lead to getting stalked with money or worse.
— Vulture is Cute: Whatcha doing...?
— High School Dropout Middle Schooler: Why
— Vulture is Cute: Just wondering what you're up to.
— Vulture is Cute: That Clam account isn't you, is it?
— High School Dropout Middle Schooler: It is, but no interest.
— Vulture is Cute: Oh...
Cha Se-ra, who knew my Clam star account was wldks_08, had messaged me, but explaining it all felt off, so I kept it short.
Then, unexpectedly, a message came from another direction.
— Mint Soboro Bread: Hey you.
I was intentionally ghosting, so naturally, no response.
But Mint Soboro Bread somehow knew I was lurking and started spamming to get a reply.
— Mint Soboro Bread: I know you're seeing this.
— Mint Soboro Bread: Come out.
— High School Dropout Middle Schooler: Why
— Mint Soboro Bread: Brushed it off for now, but what's with this??
— High School Dropout Middle Schooler: What
— Mint Soboro Bread: Suddenly forcing a menhera concept and dipping ㅇㅇ
My #1 fan, Mint Soboro Bread, had a sharp side from an unexpected angle.
I figured she might suspect but not be convinced, but apparently she understood my thought process deeper than I thought.
— High School Dropout Middle Schooler: wldks_08 << Too cute, threatening my position.
— Mint Soboro Bread: ?
— High School Dropout Middle Schooler: Head-on fight's disadvantageous.
— High School Dropout Middle Schooler: Thinking of switching patterns while at it.
— Mint Soboro Bread: Wow.
— Mint Soboro Bread: You're just out of it...
Because my Clam account was linked to chanju Shin Yi-rin, continuing like this would keep drawing channel users' attention.
So I needed a differentiated strategy, a unique character to secure my spot in the channel.
Yeah, in short, this was a survival struggle.
— Mint Soboro Bread: You really gotta do that? D:
— High School Dropout Middle Schooler: Yeah.
— Mint Soboro Bread: Ok for now.
— Mint Soboro Bread: Don't go so far you get blocked.
— Mint Soboro Bread: When not channing, Action & Fighter with me ㄱㄱ
— High School Dropout Middle Schooler: Got it.
After gaming a bit with Mint Soboro Bread and returning to the channel, mentions of me had indeed dropped off sharply.
Time for phase two: show the self-managing menhera side to draw users back in.
Bob or long hair, which do you think suits me better?
Long hair on guys is meh.
Girls gotta go long hair.
Long hair freaks die.
Bob freaks die die die die.
ㄷ;
Pics ㄱ
I'll judge.
Instead of seeming too depressed, I appealed as someone thoughtfully taking time to reflect, trying positive change.
Tossing in a hot-button topic to stick in minds and linger.
'Hmm.'
The channel users were probably keeping tabs on my antics, even if pretending not to.
This was the Archive haunt where skipping a day's binge-reading posts felt like thorns on your tongue.
Anyone not insanely busy likely witnessed my menhera method acting.
Guess I am kinda cute after all...
Not ridiculously cute level, but yeah.
Yes, plenty cute.
(Encouragement and cheers emotes)
ㄷ
High School Dropout Middle Schooler is one of a kind ㅇㅇ
Just do your own thing.
This up-and-down, back-and-forth constant mental flips was menhera technique #1, learned from the internet.
Thus, the channel users unknowingly sank deeper into the swamp I'd created, bit by bit.
"Heh."
Grinning in satisfaction, I decided to continue channel activities as usual while pondering the timing for the next plan.
The sun set, and the eagerly awaited next day arrived.
Shaaaa...
Shaaaaah...
"......"
A problem cropped up.
A completely unexpected one.
Slumped over the bathtub edge, chin propped, wearing a sulky expression, I kept murmuring thoughts to myself even after the rain clouds above my head cleared, without drying off.
'Feels so drained......'
When I woke up that morning, my body felt off from usual.
Like a waterlogged sponge sagging heavily, and an inexplicable creeping depression.
"Sigh."
Let me say this upfront: I don't get periods.
After becoming a girl's body, I'd studied up just in case, but for some reason, I flat-out lacked a menstrual cycle.
Shaaaaah...
"......"
As new rain clouds gathered despite just stopping, I sighed and turned on warm water to heat my chilled body.
'Hmm.'
Why was this happening?
There was no reason for my mood to tank, yet it kept fluctuating inexplicably.
Stuck in the tub, unable to do anything, I was indistinguishable from a genuine menhera girl at this point.
Can't game due to circumstances, can't go out. Anything else for a mood boost?
Sleep's the only option besides that.
Eat something tasty and rest up.
ㄷ
This guy's recent chanposting looks exactly like a menhera high schooler.
Current menhera High School Dropout Middle Schooler here.
ㅇㅋ;
Eat spicy and sweat it out.
Rose mala tang ㄱㄱ
Thinking even got too bothersome, so following user recs, I ordered rose mala tang via smartphone.
Click.
Seizing a break in the clouds, I threw on clothes and opened the front door, but either wrong spot or mistake—no food in the hallway.
"......"
Tension sinking lower.
Unpleasant depression like wearing soggy layered clothes.
"Sigh."
Today... really felt like a shitty day ahead.