Viewer Count 386

"Uh, the camera..." I answered a bit too quickly, like I'd rehearsed it. "I'm just gonna play games today."

The chat went quiet for a moment as soon as I finished speaking. And then—

The viewer count started climbing again. 21 → 24.

My breathing grew shallow. At this exact timing?

"Ah, I'm not quite ready yet..." I trailed off, and someone dropped a laughing emoticon.

I started to relax for a second at that—

A strange tightness gripped the inside of my chest. It felt weird. Not bad, but this ticklish sensation...

Again. The status window flashed briefly and vanished. No numbers this time. I forced a laugh, trying to play it off as a joke.

"Ah, I'm really nothing special. You'd be disappointed."

My voice trembled for some reason. Viewer count: 24 → 28.

I couldn't find words. My all-time high over two years was 35... The numbers jumping caught my eye. So fast, from just one sentence.

"......"

I shut my mouth. My peak was 35 viewers. That had been my limit for two years. But this... just from my voice. And all this attention pouring in simply because I didn't turn on the cam.

Lacking. That word stuck in my head. What was there to lack? I was just a shitty gamer streamer.

The chat wouldn't stop scrolling in front of me.

Newbie. Apparently, even as a two-year veteran, I didn't show it at all. Then, a new notification popped up. The tiny sound effect was nothing special, but it rang crystal clear.

Someone who'd planned to just game. Someone who'd only turned on the mic. Someone who'd been all alone.

But now, just because I was a woman, I had become someone people wanted to see more of.

The ends of my cheeks tickled.

"......Ha."

I took a deep breath. It was just turning on the cam. Nothing more.

Without a word, I clicked the mouse.

A 'ding' sound. A small green light flickered on beside the camera.

It felt like I was stripped bare in front of the screen. In the corner of the monitor, there I was— a woman's face. My face.

And—

Viewer count: 35 → 48 → 69.

My heart started pounding a beat late.

I tried to speak toward the camera but clamped my mouth shut.

"......"

I could feel the gazes focusing even without words.

A slight shift scratched an itchy spot, and my underwear band tugged. Even awkwardly adjusting my posture made me feel my skin shifting under my clothes. Overly sensitive senses. And the awareness that all of it was being seen.

What the hell.

Unconsciously, I straightened my back. Surprised at myself, I leaned back into the chair. As my back hit the chair, my image on screen sharpened. The hoodie shadows settled, my face line stabilized, and the chat started flowing again.

Angle. My hand groped the desk edge. Feeling the mouse pad end, I tried not to shift position unnecessarily.

Still... a long way to go. My furtive glances fixed back on the screen. My throat was dry, but I didn't reach for the cup. Every movement felt like it would be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠captured forever.

Viewer count spiked again. 69 → 74 → 81.

My breaths deepened, slowly, subtly.

"......Is the sound okay?"

The words slipped out unintended. My voice filled the room as I spoke.

I tilted my head just a tiny bit. Conscious of my blinking from the awkwardness, I tried to distance myself from my on-screen self.

But—

While that message hung on screen, I deliberately dropped my gaze a fraction. Pretending to look at the monitor, not the camera. Or checking the game screen. Still only 3 minutes in. 6 ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠minutes 33 seconds left. But it felt like an hour.

Who the hell set it to 10 minutes...

Even doing nothing, the viewer count on screen ticked up. 69 → 74 → 81.

"......Ngh."

A fake cough bubbled up from my throat unnecessarily. Silence made eyes linger more; speaking embarrassed me with my own voice.

People like this?

Now I sat stiff-backed, unable to grab my cup, eyes darting. My character idled blankly in game? Yet the chat was all praise. Sincere or just bored, who knew.

A glance up showed the damn system judging on its own. Meanwhile, chat kept rolling.

"Ah."

My focus slipped, and my character died stupidly again.

"No—"

My brows furrowed reflexively. As I shifted, crossing my legs on the chair for comfort. That was all, really...

But on screen, it looked like my white panties under the hoodie-only body got fully broadcast.

Chat reacted a beat late.

"Huh...?"

Seeing all the question marks, I checked the cam and yanked my legs down almost reflexively. The sound of them hitting the chair felt louder than expected, making my heart drop.

"Ah— no."

Words tumbled out first. I felt my voice pitch up.

"That just now, uh, forget it, please!"

My hands flailed briefly over my thighs before dropping to my knees. I fussed with my posture, avoiding the camera by looking down. My cheeks burned.

Did they see? Of course they did. The thought made my ears heat up too.

Chat lagged a beat, then flooded faster.

"Ah...."

Clip. That single word blanked my mind. Ending the stream wouldn't erase it.

I leaned back in the chair, covering my face with both hands. Heat lingered under my palms.

"...Nngh."

I endured a few seconds like that, face hidden. If I ignored chat, maybe it'd blow over like nothing happened.

But—

Bambabam!

An unfamiliar alert blared, and a small popup overlapped on one side of the screen.

"Eh?"

A video donation—something I'd never gotten in two years. My hands parted unconsciously, and I stared blankly as it auto-played.

"No... wait a sec."

Words wouldn't come.

"That one, right now—"

Bambabam! Bambabam!

They came in rapid fire.

Viewer-submitted videos piled up, unable to play immediately. As I stared dazedly, queued donations pushed into auto-play.

"No—"

My voice ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from earlier. The first thumbnail popped up—a cropped frame frozen right at the moment I yanked my legs down. Cruelly, it didn't stop.

Bambabam!

Chat cascaded like a waterfall.

The two-digit viewer count flipped before my eyes. 81 → 141 → 273 → 386.

"P-please stop playing it...."

Too many people watching.

"For real. Now—"

Despite my desperate plea, chat shook with laughter.

"It was a mistake, I swear...."

No matter what I said, the surging chat volume showed the room's vibe had shifted.

As the same clips looped and embarrassment faded a bit, I started reading each one. Never had this much attention— half amazement, half curiosity... But reading on, it was clearly a massive success beyond expectations, yet a bit of injustice welled up.

"...Just teasing."

I fiddled with my hand against the hoodie sleeve. Hmph, sub quest or whatever... Time's up anyway. I took a breath and gripped the mouse.

"That's it for today."

Tried to sound firm, but it trailed off.

"I'll prepare and continue next time."

No proper goodbye came to mind, so I tacked on something extra.

"...Without accidents."

With that, I hurriedly clicked the button.

Click.

For the first time, I—the one who always ended streams alone—said goodbye to a crowd.