Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: I Really Didn't See That Coming
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I really didn't see that coming.
Kids! XX has something to say~!
If you'd spent your school days like a lone wolf who couldn't (or wouldn't) join the pack, you'd have heard that line at least once.
As soon as those words spread, everyone's eyes locked onto a certain someone.
Should we read that as a warm gesture, trying to embrace a friend who struggles to fit in with the group?
As if.
Usually, it's about dragging the class's designated punching bag into the spotlight and laughing your ass off at them.
If you try saying, "Guys, this isn't morally right—let's stop,"
they just mock you right back, twisting your words into something whiny with doubled consonants and vowels.
Anyway, the current situation triggered a flashback to those days.
Tens of thousands of viewers, the boss lady, and even Chan-ho.
A sudden silence fell, everyone's attention glued to my lips.
It was the kind of setup that could easily trigger PTSD...
But this time was worlds apart from back then.
At least these folks weren't out to mock me—they were waiting with pure, eager anticipation.
"So, um..."
When all that expectation was hanging in the air.
How does a third-rate nobody handle it?
They balk under the pressure or force out some lame joke that kills the vibe.
A second-rater?
They whip out above-average wit and heat up the room effortlessly.
Even that's enough to call it a solid hit.
So, what about a first-rater?
"Now that you've set the stage, it's a bit intimidating."
- Oh, really? Tsk... Sorry for pushing you.
"Yeah."
I snuck a peek at Chan-ho's stream chat.
Sure enough, it was flooded with disappointment.
- Come on, everyone! She's not a streamer! You can't expect instant wit from a normie!
Wrapping me in the "normie" defense. That's exactly what I was waiting for.
A first-rater predicts what the opponent might say and preps the follow-up.
And if you can lower the audience's expectations along the way, the payoff hits even harder.
"Then why doesn't streamer Chan-ho show us how it's done?"
- ...Huh? Me?
"I'm just a normie. A pro streamer like you must be different, right?"
- Uh... My main thing is skill streams, so I'm not confident in this stuff...
"What? No way, you scream natural-born streamer to me."
- Huh? Me, that good??
"Yeah. Inviting a total stranger normie on stream and casually telling her to perform for ten thousand viewers? Way too smooth."
- Hey, hold on—!!
"Just now, I felt it in my bones how you're basically a mega-corp. A weak-willed normie might not even manage to say no under that pressure..."
- Hey hey hey!!! If you spin it like that, this is straight-up UFC!!!!
- Got it!! I get it, so stop!! Please clarify it's a joke!!
"If a big-time streamer like Im Chan-ho asks... It was... a joke.... Yeah......"
- Don't trail off like that?! I'm begging you!! Please!!
His panicked voice was enough to make me nod.
Looked like I'd successfully served up the hearty main course to match the customer's request.
But while sitting back down is up to the guest, how much dessert you get is the chef's call.
Open wide. Time for seconds.
"Shall we wrap up the jokes? Don't want anyone actually getting the wrong idea."
- Whew! Yeah, it was a joke, right...? I was sweating bullets thinking there might be some truth mixed in...!
"Guess I've got a bit of a silver tongue?"
- I admit it, I do. You talk real good...
"Thanks. I'm a girl, and you're a guy, so of course I'd be better at talking."
- Uh... That sounds kinda risky...? There's no difference between men and women there, right??
"Huh? Girls have two mouths, so of course we talk better."
- Huh? Why do girls have two mouths...? What kinda psycho is this?!
- Hey!! Yoo Seo-haaa!! The stream's gonna explode!!!
The one with nothing to lose is always the scariest.
And these people, loaded with everything, want me to perform?
Normally, you'd put a leash on your mouth and filter out lung-busting lines.
But Chan-ho was the one who unleashed it.
I just followed orders.
"Alright! That's all I've got prepared. Great WWE match, everyone."
- What do you mean 'great'?!
- That's why I said don't make requests like that!!
- You think I knew your friend was this crazy?!
- Aaaah!! Everyone!! Don't report us!! The stream will really explode!!
"Anyway, everyone had fun, right? That's what matters."
Thankfully, the stream didn't actually explode.
Using metaphors instead of direct descriptions must've helped.
Even I wouldn't actually try to nuke a broadcast like that.
The side content we'd detoured into returned to the original purpose of the collab: teaching the boss lady.
But had the viewers' dopamine thresholds spiked too high?
A lot of them started complaining about the straightforward lesson being boring.
Whenever that happened, I'd...
- Why bring up the finals game 2 now!!!
"Because watching that shows exactly how the early ghoul spends led to the loss. Perfect example, no?"
- The problem is that the loser was me!!
"Hmm... I didn't say you lost. I was cheering you on live."
- Gaaah!!
"Sigh. Who'd have thought you'd lose on an Undead map..."
- Sets 1 and 2 were both Humanity maps!!
"There's no such thing as a Humanity map."
I landed a few average jabs on Chan-ho to clear the stale air.
Everyone loved it.
And so time flowed on to 10 PM.
The usual time for the boss lady to call it quits.
Meaning the collab was over.
- Master! Great work today!
- Yeah. You too, Nari. Be pickier about your friends...
"What."
My shameless retort blanketed the boss lady's chat in laughter.
Everyone was bummed, but it was really time to go.
The boss lady had to open shop tomorrow.
- Seo-ha, great work too! Heading out first then~!
- Yeah, go ahead. Can't end till you do.
- Got it! See you all tomorrow!
*Ding!*
The boss lady left the messenger, and her stream ended.
The phone screen with her stream went black.
Work's finally done...
A slight slump hit as the tension drained.
Once you realize the job's over, the self-reflection kicks in—like always.
Especially today...
Even with Chan-ho's permission,
I hadn't expected it to go this far.
One slip, and we could've blown up the stream, earning a multi-day ban warning.
I knew how fatal even a few days off was for a streamer—a heavy guilt weighed on my chest.
I might not have been able to face the boss lady again.
- What? Seo-ha, you not going?
"Oh... Chan-ho. Great collab today. You not heading out?"
- Me? Yeah, collab's over.
"Ah. Okay."
- What? You got all meek the second Nari left?
Not quite because the boss lady left—more like work mode ended.
Introverts pour everything into faking social skills at work,
so the crash afterward is brutal.
Anyway, time to apologize for my brainfart today.
Everyone's sensitive about their livelihood...
"Were you... super offended today...?"
- What is this...? Setting up to hit me when I'm off-guard...?
"No. No reason now that we're off-stream. I'm serious."
- Huh? Wait, you're misunderstanding...
"I'm really sorry.... Even after getting your okay this morning, I feel like I crossed lines with those jokes."
- ...Pfft. Go on.
"Uh... Okay. Anyway, all those jokes weren't serious, and if they hurt your feelings, I'm apologizing now."
- Pffft!! Puhahaha!!
"Chan-ho?"
What? I was genuinely reflecting here...
And he's laughing like the situation's unbearable?
I couldn't figure out why.
"Ahem. You're laughing, so you're not mad, right?"
- Seo-ha.
"Yes?"
- Only Nari ends at 10 PM. I don't. My streams go till dawn.
"...???"
- You, *cough*, what you just said? My viewers heard it all.
My heart dropped.
I frantically tapped to open Im Chan-ho's stream.
Fast and precise, like five fingers flying.
But against my hopes, it was true—he was still live, barely holding back laughter.
"Ah, no!! You said you were going!"
- Meant I was moving to the next content.
"Wait...! Why tell me now!!"
- Puhaha!!! Finally caught a chance to clap back!!
I'd assumed from the vibe that the collab ending meant his stream ended too.
Or more precisely, after days streaming only with the boss lady,
<Boss lady ends = Work over>
got burned into my brain.
Leading to this disaster.
Cold sweat as I smashed Chan-ho bastard's stream button.
And the chat...
Had turned my face beet red.