Chapter 134
Chapter 134
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Christmas Eve
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Christmas.
Roughly speaking, it's the birthday of the protagonist from the world's best-selling book.
During World War I, the British and German troops facing off against each other called a truce solely for Christmas and enjoyed some exchanges—making it a deeply meaningful day worldwide.
And Korea's no exception.
It's what people call a red-letter day: no school for students, no work for office workers.
Plus, with it being such a special day, everyone's hearts are all aflutter, and it's famously known as a hot night for couples.
No kidding—it's even said that's why there are so many September babies.
So...
[Miro, if you don't stream on Christmas, you're dead meat]
That'd be straight-up hell.
- Fr lmao
-Don't you dare not stream
-Checking
Seeing posts like this pop up in the community is totally par for the course.
[What's this Heavenly Realm year-end live thing??]
(Heavenly Realm Fan Cafe notice)
Is something huge coming?
-Live what? Renting out a venue?
ㄴ Nah, they have a virtual live separate from that
ㄴ What's that?
ㄴ (link) Japanese VTubers do it
ㄴ Wtf lmao
-Getting kinda hyped
ㄴ Hyped my ass, you're such an otaku
ㄴ Lmao the dude watching VTubers
-Is this why? That bullshit lesson making her skip stream?
ㄴ Fr
[Teaser for Miro's new original song]
(link)
This shit slaps so hard lmao
-Miro dropping a song?
ㄴ Yeah quality's insane lmao
-Quality seemed meh from the teaser
ㄴ Gotta hear the full thing
-Miro's voice is killer
[Heavenly Realm, isn't this discrimination?]
Fucking Miro gets to drop an original song 'cause she's popular
Why'd heaven have to spawn Anna and then Miro
-Original songs ain't supported
ㄴ ? They ain't?
ㄴ Yeah, gotta prep the track and MV solo afaik
ㄴ Wait, Miro did it all herself?
ㄴ Fr?
ㄴ Holy shit lmao suddenly she's impressive
-How much time between Anna and Miro's debut? Anna should've hustled more
ㄴ Fr lmao
[Official) Heavenly Realm GOAT]
(Miro profile pic)
Even if she's always whining, if she only cares about viewers then upvote lmao
-Fr
-Updooting hard
-Miro's a grower for sure
-Anna's always "throat hurts" skipping streams tho
ㄴ She sings tho lmao
ㄴ Fact) Anna's stream time matches Miro's
ㄴ Bullshit
ㄴ (link) Someone tallied Heavenly Realm hours here
ㄴ Wtf it's true lmao
[??: Unnie, instead of covers, just drop an original song?]
(Anna shocked meme)
You fucking genius?
(Heavenly Realm official log)
Dae Hwang Mil
-Holy shit voice support enabled lmao
-What's Mil?
ㄴ Miro short
ㄴ Sounds retarded
ㄴ ㅜ
-Quality's fire this time
[Miro original song, but who made it?]
Teaser melody's no joke, sounds insanely good
-Just from that you know?
ㄴ Yeah even a casual listen gives vibes
-One of the Heavenly Realm song guys?
ㄴ Why would he do a solo track lmao
ㄴ Fr, even weirder if it's a group commission
[Miro really not streaming on Christmas?]
No confirmation till the end, fucking tease
-That's Miro for ya
ㄴ Yeah she knows
ㄴ But then she actually skips too, that's Miro
ㄴ Holy shit she knows
-"Yeah, booked a 1N2D hotel stay with bf~"
ㄴ That's not Anna lmao
ㄴ Anna's streaming Christmas you fuck
[Heavenly Realm Christmas schedule summary]
(Heavenly Realm Christmas schedule)
Everyone but Miro streaming both Christmas and Eve
-Holy shit no Miro
ㄴ Fact) Miro never has a set schedule anyway
-Honestly everyone skip but Miro stream
ㄴ Fr lmao
ㄴ Roa too tho
ㄴ Roa not streaming Christmas would cause a riot
ㄴ Fr..
ㄴ What kinda girl is Roa anyway?
ㄴ Just watch..
***
Today was Christmas Eve.
Carols echoed through the streets packed with people, and cold air seeped through the gaps in my clothes.
"...Cold."
Was that why the couple right in front of me was stuck together like glue?
Feeling oddly annoyed, I checked my phone.
It should be around here...
I looked at my phone screen and the nearby signs.
Kids these days—can't they make it easier to find?
After scanning around, I finally spotted the building and went inside.
They actually scored a reservation during this peak holiday season.
The place was a bit out of the way. I went up to the second floor, and there was the door.
Opening it let a rush of warm air hit me, melting the chill from the cold wind on my frozen face.
Hmm, heating passes.
"Hey! Come on in!"
"Wow~ It's been forever!"
Inside were Kim Suhyun's high school girl friends gathered.
Hyejeong was there too, of course.
I knew the others at least by face.
"Suhyun still looks so pretty."
"When was the last time?"
"She looks even prettier than back then~"
The reason I no-showed on Christmas Eve—despite viewers throwing fits for me to stream—was because my high school girl classmates got together for a girls' Christmas Eve party, and Hyejeong said I might as well come.
"Nice to see you all."
"What's with the speech?"
"Whoa, that sounded like a department senior just now."
Department senior...
Did I sound too old?
"Anyway, come on in! Sit here."
"Oh right. I got some stuff on the way."
"What? Booze? We got tons already."
"Don't worry, it's snacks."
I'd stopped by the convenience store and grabbed whatever looked good.
Honestly, I'd barely finish half alone, but these girls would polish it off.
"You bought a ton?"
"Put it on the table!"
"When's the chicken coming?"
"Dunno, order's backed up."
And just like that, we kicked off a rowdy Christmas party.
Nothing fancy, really.
Just us girls chilling, pounding drinks, swapping old stories or catching up on now.
Though the intensity ramps up once we're buzzed.
"So then Jaeyoon!"
"That guy's trash!"
"Don't trash my bf!"
"What the hell, you psycho."
Totally standard level.
"Suhyun, no boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend? Nope."
"We've never seen you with one."
"Never dated, so yeah."
"Huh? For real? Total solo?"
"Yeah."
I nodded, and all but Hyejeong stared in shock.
Fair enough—even I'd be floored if a super handsome friend said he'd never had a girlfriend.
"You ignored guys in high school too—gonna stay single forever?"
"Suhyun, you gotta date around."
"Yeah, gotta meet lots of guys?"
My stream viewers would lose their minds hearing my classmates say shit like that. Couldn't help but laugh.
"What're you laughing at?"
"We sound like we're kidding, right?"
"Oh god, you'll get played by some asshole like this?"
"Yeah, hook up with a Jaeyoon type."
"Hey! What's wrong with Jaeyoon!"
Boyfriend...
Back when I was a guy, couldn't imagine making one—didn't wanna either.
Couldn't say that, so I bullshitted.
"I could get one anytime, so I'm just taking it easy."
"She's insane."
"Can I punch her?"
"Here comes the fist!"
"Whoa, don't touch the face—that's national treasure damage."
"God, she's gotten so shameless! Drink this while you're at it!"
"Again? I'm gonna overdo it tonight."
Anyway, we kept making excuses and downed the glasses fast.
Renting this room with booze stacked up makes it impossible to hold back.
By the time the room rental was almost up, everyone was sloshed, faces flushed.
Me too, probably.
Or not? Head's spinning, face hot, but hard to tell.
"Alright! Let's clean up!"
"Yeah! On to round two!"
Even buzzed, they had their wits—starting to tidy the table. I half-assed it too, then slipped out to the attached balcony.
Slide-
Stepping out cooled my flushed face, clearing my head a bit.
"Hoo..."
Fresh air helped.
Winter already—sky dark as hell.
"Haa."
Breath out, and white clouds puffed out.
What's the science again? Saw it in school, forgot.
Balcony view: down below, people hustling in the dark cold.
Even this out-of-way spot has crowds... wonder about the main street.
Gotta say, unwinding like this—no work bullshit—is nice.
Come to think, only other booze was with Tenshi-san in Korea.
Am I a workaholic now?
"What're you doing out here?"
Then Hyejeong opened the balcony door behind me.
"It's cold, why'd you come out."
"You just bailed on cleanup, huh?"
"Hey, I cleaned plenty before coming out."
I'd tossed a few things—don't frame me. This is legit break time.
"Anyway. Looks like party's wrapping—heading home?"
"...How'd you know?"
Woman's intuition or what?
Scary sharp.
"Guessed right? We're hitting karaoke for round two—come on, you sing great."
I shook my head at that.
"Messi doesn't join pickup soccer."
"What?"
I'd go if I could...
But Christmas Eve—gotta show face on stream, right?
Maho's live now anyway, so grab something on the way home.
"So, how's it feel reuniting with the girls after so long?"
"Feel? Eh, no big thoughts."
Kinda drained my energy, but not bad overall.
Old stories were fun enough.
"You know how tired I was?"
"Tired? Why?"
"Girls were whining nonstop to see Suhyun just once."
"Sorry I'm too hot."
High school Kim Suhyun always went straight home after—dunno why they fawned.
"As if. So, how's work lately?"
"Work?"
"That streaming thing."
"Streaming? Yeah, fun. I like it."
Dead serious.
Everyone likes attention to some degree, right?
Flip on stream, thousands come to see me, chat for interaction—how's that not fun?
Sometimes burdensome or tiring, but overall enjoyable.
That's why I'm grinding songs and all.
"Cool. You know what?"
"What?"
"You've gotten way brighter since starting that stream or whatever."
"Me?"
"Yeah, sometimes you seem like a whole different person."
"Hm."
...Spot on.
Sorry, but I'm not girl Kim Suhyun—I'm guy Kim Su...
"Still, sometimes you're the same, so people don't change much, huh."
"Same as before?"
"Yeah, right now with all these people, you look drained."
"Aha."
"You were always like that? Wanna go home after too long out."
True—that's girl Kim Suhyun's personality.
Compared to her, guy me was relatively social.
Now? No clue.
Am I really guy Kim Suhyun?
Back then? Shortly after this happened.
Thought of myself as gray paint.
Black and white mixed, ambiguous vibe.
Looking back, yeah, that fits.
Not bad though.
Life's like—black and white are cool, but gray's more versatile.
See? This building's gray too.
"Brr cold, how long you staying out? Let's go in."
"Yeah, help tidy then bounce."
"I'll head in first?"
"Together."
Hyejeong opened the balcony door, and I followed.
But.
Plop.
Something hit my face.
What? I looked up at the wide-open winter night sky.
Cloudy—heavy cover, no moonlight. Sky like a black, unlit monitor background.
Then, on that black backdrop, white specks appeared one by one, drifting down gently.
"Huh."
One white speck, tossed by wind, slowly descended, touched my cheek—brief cold, then melted into a droplet.
"Snowing?"
Hyejeong, seeing me, came back out and looked up.
"Yeah, it's snowing."
Christmas snow—got a special name, right?
"Man, white Christmas this year—Eve's almost here."
Right, white Christmas.
Memory jogged.
"Romantic."
"Right? Rare sight."
"Yeah..."
Snow falling softly from the sky, couples strolling outside.
Carols from the distant main street drifting here, lingering in my ears.
"Feels nice."
This vibe.
Somehow, I liked it.
And so, Christmas Eve deepened into night.