184. There's No One Who Hates Money
184. There's No One Who Hates Money
***
After watching one full scrim video posted on RinTube, time flew by as we talked about how I had played back then or how the opposing players had looked.
Before I knew it, the clock was approaching 7 p.m., and I made up my mind.
"So, the second scrim video that went up is for all of you to enjoy... Ah, and everyone, you have to subscribe to RinTube, okay?"
Today's stream would end here.
Maybe because I had done so much outdoor activity with Eunha yesterday, I had tried not to let it show, but some fatigue lingered.
It had already been past midnight by the time I got home, and after taking a body that normally never went outside and spending the day out, it felt like fatigue had piled up from that alone.
Maybe it was because I had skipped exercise for a few days, but the stamina that had seemed to improve felt like it had reverted to its original frail level.
That made sense, since I could feel my energy dropping as time went on.
Ding-a-ling!!
『CoffeeLatte donated 100,000 won!!』
《Take it easy while you stream, Rin. You seem tired》
"CoffeeLatte, thank you so much for the big donation. You think I look tired... was it that obvious?"
As I said that, I slowly brought up the RinTube channel on the stream screen.
If even a donation was telling me I looked tired, there was no need to hesitate any longer.
"Ah, viewers, I'm sorry, but I think I need to end today's stream here."
Even if I kept streaming for a long time in this tired state, the viewers probably wouldn't enjoy it any more.
[Wait, already?]
[Let's at least finish the second scrim video]
[Rin's voice did sound kinda tired]
[Still, ending after only 3 hours is bad;]
[Gotta manage your condition]
[Why won't you fix your bad habit of ending streams -_-]
[Rinbye]
[Girl, stream just a little longer... I really have nothing to watch]
[Today's stream was packed though, what a shame]
[Rinbye]
[Can't you just chill and go a bit longer?]
"I did a collab stream over the weekend, so cut me some slack. I'll do a more fun stream tomorrow. Everyone, have a good evening."
Soothing the disappointed viewers, I pressed the end stream button.
The moment the stream ended, Serin let the tension drain from her whole body, laced her fingers together, stretched, and sank into her chair.
As she leaned her body against the soft yarn chair like a limp doll, the tension finally seemed to ease.
"Now that the stream's off... it really is comfortable."
Once the stream ended, it definitely felt like something had relaxed.
Actually, since I didn't turn on Another World, I was streaming without a cam, so even if I had been lounging around the whole time, the viewers wouldn't have known.
Still, I tried not to let myself loosen up that much on my own.
As the saying goes, the mind follows the body.
If I streamed in a slouched posture, I was sure I'd end up making a slip of the tongue without realizing it.
And since I was clearly receiving viewers' money through donations while streaming, it didn't feel right to stream so half-heartedly.
By now, streaming had become familiar, but on the other hand, the awareness of it as "work" had fully taken root in me.
Though it was work I could enjoy while doing it, so I didn't dislike it.
"Pfft..."
Serin let out a small laugh and picked up her smartphone.
She switched the settings back from silent and finally checked the messages she hadn't been able to see during the stream.
Park Soyul.
[Hayoon, do you know RinTube is showing up on Rin's stream?]
Kim Hayoon.
[I'm watching it together with you right now. Honestly, watching the viewer reactions in real time feels like it's putting strain on my heart. What do I do, Soyul?]
Park Soyul.
[What do you mean, what do you do? Just enjoy it! Looking at the stream, the chat reactions are all positive, aren't they?]
Kim Hayoon.
[Ahhh, watching the stream seriously feels like my heart is going to explode, waaahhh!]
The messages from the two editors, who had been having a lively conversation in the RinTube group chat, were all still there.
Just reading their conversation gave off a kind of fresh, youthful energy.
"Those two really are adorable."
Maybe it was because I could feel how sincere they were about their work from their big reactions, but their messages just looked cute.
While checking the other messages, Seoyun's message caught my eye.
Seoyun.
(Grades.jpg)
[Sis, my grades came out!]
She had apparently screenshotted her grades and sent them. In the first image, grades were visible next to several course names, and the moment I saw them, an involuntary exclamation escaped me.
"Whoa, what?"
Principles of Accounting: A+
Informational Thinking: A
Thinking and Logic: A+
Civil Law: A+
...
Out of seven courses, there wasn't a single letter below an A.
Every grade was at least an A.
'With grades like this, isn't she basically guaranteed top of her major?'
Seoyun.
[Oh right. This is around the time you'd be streaming, isn't it. When you check your messages later, you have to react, okay?]
Seoyun.
[A baby bunny with its ears folded, full of anticipation icon!]
"Seoyun really would be good at anything she does."
She had a sharp, capable personality and handled her own responsibilities well, so I figured she'd do fine with her studies on her own. But seeing her grades, it was truly beyond what I'd imagined.
I thought for a moment about what to send to satisfy Seoyun, then just sent her money outright.
Me.
[Icon of an otter holding a bundle of bills and scattering them]
【—Receive 2,000,000 won.】
From long experience, there wasn't a single person who disliked money.
Me.
[A baby bunny setting off a fanfare icon]
I figured this much would satisfy Seoyun.
BaTalk!
Seoyun.
[Sis. Forget the money—just give me a sincere compliment!]
"At times like this, she really is an ordinary little sister..."
At Seoyun's message, which sounded like she was being clingy, I just called her outright.
Since she said a sincere compliment, I figured saying it directly would reach her better.
@#$%.
The distinctive ringtone played for a moment before the call connected.
—Hello? Sis!?
When I heard Seoyun's excited voice, a laugh slipped out before I knew it.
"Seoyun. Your grades came out really well."
—Of course~ Whose little sister do you think I am? I did good, right!?
"Yeah. You did good. Seoyun, is there anything you want? If there's something you want, I'll do it for you."
—Something I want? Not really... Ah, just compliment me for once. I want to hear some praise from you, Sis.
"Are you sure just a compliment is enough?"
I asked again with an air that she could ask for anything.
—Yeah. A compliment is enough. And money, I have some saved up too, so I'm not short. Why do you send me millions of won every time you send money?
When Seoyun answered that she was really fine with just that, her personality came to mind anew.
Even though she said she had money to spare, Seoyun rarely asked for anything material.
She generally seemed like the type to handle things on her own.
"Money, well. It's better than being short on it, so that's why."
—Seriously, sometimes when I look at you, Sis, it feels like you have no sense of reality. When I watch your streams, donations do pour in that much, so is that why?
"Well, there are donations, but honestly, I have quite a bit of money saved up from before."
It was a bit awkward to come right out and say I had 2.7 billion won, but I did have financial breathing room.
—Really? Hmm... Still, I want you to praise me. Hurry up and compliment your little sister who brought home grades like this!
She was openly asking to be praised, so I thought about what to say to satisfy Seoyun.
"Seoyun, well... you're good at studying, you live on your own without causing any worry, and you're so pretty and cute... I really wonder whose little sister you are."
As I spoke, I wondered if this even counted as a compliment, but Seoyun really was good at everything. Other than clichéd lines, I couldn't think of anything to praise her for.
—Sis, you're complimenting me sincerely, right...? It sounds so half-hearted?
"Seoyun, every single thing I just said was sincere."
—Tch, whatever. That's just how you always talk, Sis. Just keep in touch more often from now on. You know you're the only person in the world who has such an amazing little sister, right?
At her voice, playfully acting cute, I lightly ran a hand through my hair.
Her fixation on staying in contact made me wonder if I had been too slow to respond to Seoyun's messages.
"Got it. Seoyun, I'll really contact you every day from now on. I was just busy."
—As a popular streamer, you must have a lot on your plate too.
"Seoyun. Hearing you say that makes me feel kind of weird."
Streamer wasn't exactly a profession to be ashamed of.
But as Seoyun kept making me aware that I was a streamer, an inexplicable embarrassment rose up.
—What's wrong with being a streamer~ Oh right, Sis! Among my friends, there's one named Chaerin who plays Another World, and she's a fan of yours too?
"Your friend is my fan?"
—Yeah. She's your fan. A total hardcore fan, even. Before you even told me you were a streamer, she used to always say she was a fan of Rin. It's really something, you know, finding out that you're actually Rin?
At those words, Serin chewed on her lip.
She just felt strange right now.
When I paused for a moment, Seoyun's voice came through.
—Ah, and I didn't tell her you're Rin. I really held back the urge to brag that you're my sister, you know?
"That's a relief. That... Seoyun, I'd prefer if you didn't go out of your way to tell people I'm Rin in the future either. I think it'd be a little overwhelming."
At Seoyun's words that her friend watched me too, the videos preserved on RinTube suddenly flashed through my mind.
"..."
Heat suddenly seemed to rise all the way to my ears.
I wondered if she had seen those videos too, and embarrassment welled up.
—Yeah, okay. You've never really liked being known, Sis. So I didn't say anything on purpose. But is that also why you don't do cam streams?
"Roughly, yeah...? If I did cam streams, there'd be too much to worry about."
And I strongly felt that showing myself through Another World was enough, so there was no need to do cam streams.
—Really? I don't know much about streaming, but you know, even though I don't know anything about Another World, watching your stream was kind of fascinating. It's like seeing a different side of you, you know?
"Well. It's a stream, so... Seoyun. Did you watch today's stream too?"
—Yeah. I did!
At that overly energetic answer, I hesitated for a moment, then absently fiddled with my hair.
"...I see."
The determination to be more careful not to create any more embarrassing history grew stronger.
—Ah, I'd like to talk with you longer, but I have dinner plans, so I think I need to hang up.
"Enjoy your evening. And if you ever want something, even later, just send it to me by message? I'll get you a gift."
—Okay. Thanks, Sis! I'll hang up now?
"Yeah."
Click.
After the long call with Seoyun ended, I was hungry.
I hadn't eaten a single meal all day.
My hand moved to the delivery app out of habit, then a thought suddenly struck me.
"Sua said to contact her after the stream ended too..."
It seemed better to finish contacting Sua first and then order dinner. So I went into Sua's chat room.
"...?"
For a moment, Serin couldn't understand Sua's message.
Yoon Sua.
[A baby lion holding a bundle of bills and scattering them around icon]
【—Receive 10,000,000 won.】