Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: A Performance Just for You
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Ultimately, the gacha was a total disaster.
I could barely accept smashing through the ceiling to pull Astisia, but when I hit the ceiling on another pickup character at the same time, I seriously thought I was losing my mind.
The chat reactions from back then still flickered before my eyes, making my head throb on its own.
Damn those rotten bastards—someone else's misfortune really is their happiness.
— Elephant Hoou 【Sponsored 50,000 won】
> Just giving you the mission money out of pity
"Aigoo, thank you for the mission money…!"
That said, not every viewer was a total scumbag. Most of the ones who'd posted the gacha missions acknowledged it as a success and donated the corresponding amount.
It felt like I'd gotten punched out of nowhere only to receive compensation, but whatever—at least I'd recovered a bit of the cash I'd poured out like water today.
Thanks to the Chairman covering almost all of it, this much was easy enough to shrug off with a smile.
What's flowing from my eyes right now isn't tears—it's sweat. Yeah, sure it is.
"Alright, that's it for today's stream. See you tomorrow. As I mentioned a while back, I'll be pushing all the way to the ending of World Ring, so please show it some love."
After wrapping up the ad segment, a bit of just chatting, and the song portion, I announced the end of the broadcast and previewed tomorrow's plans.
💬 Chat — Octopus Sashimi Tomorrow's pain reserved lololol — tws2425 If it looks like you're gonna break the Death King 67-try record, super cheer lololol—count me in first — Alpaca Hunter Feels like we won't see the ending fr lol World Ring was brutally difficult to begin with, but the viewers who'd already watched me suffer through previous playthroughs were cackling like they could already picture tomorrow's carnage.
Just you wait, you punks. Whether you're the trash or I am, the results will tell.
"Well, we'll see tomorrow. Anyway, have a good night, everyone. Sweet dreams."
— Cosmo Absolute Guardian Koba — Hundred Flowers Uproar Koba — National Hit No.1 Cosmo Kobakoba No webcam, so they couldn't see anyway, but I waved to the viewers and ended the stream.
Phew, maybe because it was my first ad stream and I was nervous, all my muscles felt knotted up.
"Kuuueeuk…!"
With a series of cracks, I rolled my shoulders and neck, then stretched my arms and legs in some bizarre seizure-like pose. I bet most guys do this.
Ugh, now I feel alive.
"Hmm…"
I figured it was best to hit the hay early, so I lay down on the bed—but I wasn't really sleepy. Or more precisely, it felt like something was missing if I just went to sleep like this.
Clunk.
That's when I thought maybe I'd boil up some ramen first. I opened the door to head to the kitchen.
"Huh?"
The phone on my desk lit up, and a gentle melody filled the room.
Who'd call at this late hour? I picked it up and saw a familiar name—none other than Seoha noona.
"Yeah, noona. Were you watching the stream?"
The timing was spot-on, so I assumed she'd watched the live broadcast all the way through. As I answered, a voice full of apology came from the other end.
- Sorry for calling so late. Were you just about to sleep?
"Nah. I was getting hungry and was gonna boil some ramen."
Hmm, hearing an older person say, "Were you just about to sleep?" felt a bit awkward. It was overly polite— she could loosen up a little.
"Anyway, what's up?"
I wondered if it was about that new platform she'd mentioned yesterday, so I listened closely.
She wouldn't call this late instead of texting unless it was something important.
- Oh, ah, no. It's not really... a specific errand…
"……?"
I halted my steps toward the kitchen, sat on the bed, and waited for her to start talking. But I could sense hesitation in her voice.
Not about the platform?
- Sorry. The truth is, I always fall asleep listening to Cosmo's voice, but I couldn't tonight… So I called out of longing.
"…Pardon?"
I tilted my head in confusion by myself, and her utterly unexpected response made me blurt out a dumbfounded noise.
She'd beaten around the bush, but I wasn't idiot enough not to get the meaning.
Uh, so… she called because she wanted to hear my voice?
Didn't peg her for a closet flirting master. Any other guy would've 100% misunderstood that line.
For me, it was just fan lip service, nothing more.
- I didn't get your number for something like this… Sorry, I'm being a bother.
"No, no need to apologize. You haven't done anything wrong…"
As I fumbled for a response to her awkward reply, Seoha noona must've thought I'd been offended, because she apologized again.
I knew she couldn't see me, but I still waved it off, jumped up from my seat, and paced the room to reassure her.
I was just surprised, not annoyed at all.
"By the way, was today's stream fun? It was my first ad, so I was worried it'd feel awkward."
To lighten the awkward mood and get some feedback, I asked for her impressions.
No sooner had I done so than her voice came back sounding distinctly excited.
- Of course! Cosmo's streams have never been boring, not even for a single day…!
"Now you're making me embarrassed for even asking."
I'm not particularly witty, and I'm not churning out diverse content like those big corporate streamers, so hearing this felt less like praise and more like I was bowing in gratitude.
To that, she shot back with "I'm serious!" in by far the loudest voice I'd heard from her yet.
Crabs prefer crabs, huh? This must be what fan loyalty feels like. I was deeply touched.
What a lucky bastard I am.
- Oh, right, Cosmo. You mentioned earlier that you like black-haired older characters, right?
As the mood relaxed again and the conversation flowed, Seoha noona followed up with a question that carried a hint of shyness.
"Yeah, that's right. They have this mature charm that's appealing."
Less "older sister" and more "milf!" territory, but the meaning aligned enough for me to nod along.
In response, I faintly heard her mumbling in a voice like she was burrowing into the ground.
- I see… Heh, hehe…
"……?"
I couldn't make it out clearly, but it sounded like she was laughing.
Did noona have a thing for that type too? She didn't seem all that versed in subculture stuff, though.
"Anyway, I was really thankful for yesterday, noona. I'd love to repay you somehow…"
With Seoha noona falling silent for a while, I took the lead by recalling yesterday and offering my belated thanks.
Tweet's service termination notice had left me down all day, but her proposal had eased my worries enough to let me sleep peacefully.
So, like when we'd wandered AGP together not long ago, I subtly asked if there was anything she wanted.
- Repay… me?
"Yeah, anything at all?"
Her voice sounded noticeably brighter.
That's when I remembered she was the one who'd asked for my number as "repayment" not long ago—and I briefly feared she might demand something outrageous.
But I trusted that the Seoha noona I knew would ask for something modest, so I gave the green light. What came back was a voice brimming with caution.
- Th-then… Could you maybe sing for me?
"Sing?"
- Yes… As a lullaby…
Now that was unexpected.
I sang every day on stream, so it wasn't hard, but that's exactly why I hadn't predicted this. People usually ask for something fresh they don't get normally.
"Sure, I can do that. Any song in mind?"
- It's nighttime, so something calm… I'll leave the song choice to you, Cosmo.
"Hmm, then…"
I pondered for a moment, and a tune that fit the moment perfectly came to mind. I quietly grabbed the guitar from nearby.
Putting on backing tracks would pick up too much noise, so accompanying myself on guitar would be better.
Ding.
- Ah…!
No sooner had the intro started than a soft gasp escaped from her end. She must know this song.
Well, it is pretty famous.
"A solo performance just for you…"
I'd sung for crowds on stream without a second thought, but singing for one person alone made my chest tingle in a strange way.
Still, if I messed up midway, she might not fall asleep, so I gritted my teeth and powered through to the end.
- Snooore… snooore…
By the climax of the third song, soft sleeping breaths started coming from the other end.
"Good night, noona."
I said my goodnights to the now-sleeping noona and hung up.
Maybe a little regrettable that I couldn't weave in a "sweet dreams" lullaby.