148. A Person Who Tries to Tear Others Down
148. A Person Who Tries to Tear Others Down
***
As soon as she sent the message asking if he could talk.
@#$%.
Serin answered the incoming call, her lips twitching.
"Hello?"
—Ah, yes. Hello! I go by Big Cat. Is this Rin?
Big Cat's voice over the phone sounded quite unfamiliar compared to the Big Cat videos she'd seen on NewTube.
It was just an ordinary voice, the kind you could hear anywhere, only with a slightly higher energy level.
"Yes. That's right."
—Ah, the reason I called is nothing special. You reached out asking if a call was possible, so I figured I'd answer and just call you like this.
"Yes. I saw that you sent a collaboration offer by email. I just wanted to have a quick conversation, so I sent that. So you're available to talk right now, right?"
—Yes, yes. I'm available. Anyway, your voice really is lovely! I keep thinking that people who succeed really do have a reason for it.
Serin and Big Cat's call continued smoothly for about five minutes.
That was only natural, since they were exchanging stock questions and answers, all so perfectly by the book that Serin couldn't form any judgment of what kind of person Big Cat was from the call alone.
Just as she was getting the sense that he was putting on an act and starting to think about ending the call, a small change crossed Serin's expression.
Because Big Cat suddenly brought up a completely unexpected topic.
......
—Ah, now that I think of it, I understand you have two editors working on RinTube, right? I actually watched that personal stream where you did the editor-selection content.
At the question he now asked without any hesitation, Serin answered with a slightly sour note.
"Yes. That's right. Two people... You know quite a lot about me, more than I expected?"
—Well, the thing is... I'd actually thought about doing editor-selection content myself, but I gave up because I thought it wouldn't be entertaining. But I never imagined there'd be someone who could make it that fun to watch. While I was following it, I honestly found myself admiring all over again how naturally gifted you are at running a stream, Rin.
"That content did well because there were so many outstanding people who applied for the editor position."
As she answered, Serin was unconsciously frowning ever so slightly.
The strongest impression she'd gotten while talking with Big Cat for even a short while was that he was "too much."
His reactions to every little thing were uniformly excessive. It looked like he was trying to flatter me and get on my good side by any means.
That point bothered Serin quite a bit.
I knew Big Cat was a million-subscriber NewTuber, so did he really need to build me up this much? The sense that he was desperate to make a good impression on me was so strong it was uncomfortable.
And contrary to Serin's feelings, Big Cat continued speaking excitedly on the other end of the line.
—And actually, one of your RinTube editors happens to be someone I have a connection with. Ah, Rin, you know Park Soyul, right?
At Big Cat openly mentioning Soyul's real name, Serin briefly wondered if she had ever mentioned her name.
She was certain she had never said her full real name on stream.
Even during the editor-selection content, after the viewers had voted and chosen both editors, she remembered saying either just the surname or just the given name as a way of congratulating them.
In the end, Serin opened her mouth to ask if he knew Soyul.
"Yes. I take it you know Soyul, Big Cat?"
—Well, of course I'd know her. We worked together. Soyul was one of the former editors for my BigCatTube. Judging by your answer, I guess Soyul hasn't told you yet that she worked with me?
"No. Well... I only found out today myself. What a coincidence. Someone who used to be your editor is now my editor..."
It suddenly came back to her: Soyul's background included experience as an editor for a million-subscriber NewTuber.
I thought it was quite a coincidence, but at the same time, I also felt I'd been too indifferent toward Soyul until now.
It was information she could easily have learned if she'd wanted to. But until now, she'd never even thought to ask who Soyul had previously worked for as a NewTuber.
My own life was so busy right now that I hadn't had the spare energy to pay attention to anyone else.
She'd chosen Soyul as an editor through viewer voting based purely on her editing skills. The million-subscriber editor experience hadn't really mattered much to her.
—Right. I was amazed there could be such a coincidence too. And on top of that, I was watching RinTube's recent videos, and you're doing insanely well. It made me think all over again that Soyul's editing skills really are solid. You're satisfied with Soyul too, right, Rin?
"Yes. I'm satisfied. Soyul is versatile, after all."
Listening to someone else talk about her own editor, saying this and that, made Serin feel very strange.
—I really do remember the video quality being excellent back when Soyul edited BigCatTube. She's good at everything, really. It's just that obsession with money. If it weren't for that, she'd be a really great person.
He was speaking as if he deliberately wanted to talk about Soyul. Serin asked calmly.
"Her personality?"
—Yes, her personality. Rin, um... after Soyul became your editor, did she ever mention anything about bonuses or anything like that? Knowing the Soyul I know, I'm sure she did.
He asked outright, as if it were obvious she would have demanded it, and Serin could feel a slimy emotion in Big Cat's voice.
She could naturally sense the intent to tear someone down.
But in contrast, Serin answered in a flat voice.
"Well. There was a request like that."
Soyul's playful message asking if she could look forward to a bonus.
I'd readily replied that I could give her one.
In fact, Soyul now managed even my business email and helped me with all sorts of things. She'd become someone so close to me that I couldn't do without her.
Contrary to Serin's thoughts, Big Cat began speaking in a tone that said, "There it is!"
—Ha, seriously... You know the saying that a person's nature never changes? I guess it's really true.
"A person's nature never changes... I take it you have something to say about Soyul? I'm a little curious myself."
Unlike Serin's expression, which was now completely cold and hard, her voice remained as even as before.
A tone that subtly egged him on, as if to say, go on, say more if you have something to say.
And Serin's voice actually worked on Big Cat.
—I don't usually say this kind of thing, but since you're curious, Rin, I'll tell you. In your case, you're just starting out on NewTube, right? So for an editor to casually tell a NewTuber to give her a bonus and put that pressure on you, honestly. To me, that says something about the kind of person she is. No, honestly speaking, I've truly never met anyone like Soyul. Maybe it's because she's young? Or because she hasn't had much experience in the working world.
As Big Cat spoke in a soft voice, tearing Soyul down as if he understood exactly what Serin was going through,
Serin smiled very coldly and answered in a voice that contrasted with it.
"Right. If an editor asks for a bonus... I can see how that might feel burdensome depending on the person. Honestly, I was a little taken aback at first too. I guess Soyul wasn't great in your eyes, Big Cat?"
She subtly sided with Big Cat's words and egged him on as if telling him to say more.
—Ha. Seriously, don't even get me started now that I think about it. What kind of person goes on and on about money, money, money every single day like that... And on top of that, whenever a video got even slightly good views, she'd come asking when I was going to give her a bonus. No, seriously, she had the nerve to talk as if the NewTube channel was doing well because the editor did everything.
"Oh. Soyul really did that?"
When Serin deliberately raised her energy and responded as if surprised,
Big Cat began pouring out his story at length, as if he'd found someone who understood.
—Yes. She really said that. You should be careful too, Rin. Instead of being too soft with her early on, you should refuse her sometimes, set some boundaries. Ah, did you tell that person, Park Soyul, that you'd give her a bonus?
Now he wasn't even saying "Soyul" but "that person."
"...Yes, well. She was so persistent that I just said I'd give her a bonus."
Serin smiled coldly and answered calmly.
By now, she was continuing the call with the mindset of watching to see just how far Big Cat would go in tearing Soyul down.
'So this is the kind of person he is.'
And now she felt like she had a rough outline of what kind of person Big Cat was.
Because someone who spoke so passionately to badmouth a person he'd once worked with—she didn't need to think deeply to guess what kind of person that was.
Someone who tore others down to advance his own interests.
Even if Soyul really had been as hung up on money as Big Cat claimed, honestly, I didn't care.
The Soyul I saw now was extremely devoted and considerate of others.
After watching how passionately she threw herself into her work, Serin felt that even paying her twice the originally contracted amount wouldn't be a waste at all.
—Hoo. Seriously, NewTubers and streamers work day after day on content, putting in effort every single day to grow their channels, and some mere editor goes around asserting herself that passionately? Even now, it's just absurd when I think about it. Ah, Rin! Did I say too many harsh things for you to hear...?
"No. I'm actually grateful that you've been so honest with me, Big Cat. I've only just chosen my editors and started working with them, after all. It takes time to get to know what kind of people they are, doesn't it? I feel like you've saved me a lot of that time."
She genuinely felt thankful that he had revealed his true nature so openly.
Slide.
She lifted her coffee cup, and a thought suddenly occurred to her.
Everyone she'd met so far had been such good people.
She'd secretly found it a little strange that every single person she met seemed decent.
She felt relieved that someone like this had finally shown up.
She'd been wondering all this time why she never met anyone like this.