Planned First Meeting (2)
Planned First Meeting (Part 2)
Once during Ye-rim's broadcast, and once during my first broadcast.
Having already blown up two consecutive broadcasts, am I not an excellent bomb maker?
If it had been a long broadcast, maybe, but it was barely an hour.
Assassins in movies wait anywhere from a week to a year to carry out their hits, but considering it only took me an hour, wouldn't it be more my calling to take requests to assassinate competitors rather than being a streamer myself?
"Oppa, don't worry too much! It's just a viewbot suspicion, not a confirmed case, right? The truth will definitely come out soon and your account suspension will be lifted! Hang in there!"
Ye-rim consoles me, saying "Hang in there," as I stare blankly at the computer screen displaying the message that my Paprika TV account is still suspended.
But you know what, Ye-rim?
You said the exact same thing to me three days ago...
That's right, it's already been three days!
While Ye-rim got a 3-day broadcast suspension, my offense was more serious - viewbot suspicion - so instead of a broadcast suspension, I received an account suspension, and thanks to that, I haven't been able to settle the enormous amount of water balloon donations I received that day.
"You call this soon when it's already been three days with complete radio silence?! I'm going to starve to deaaath~!!"
No joke, I literally only have 30,000 won left in my bank account!
Where did all the 900,000 won I had disappear to, leaving only 30,000 won?
'Who would have thought the maintenance fee and smartphone bill due date was yesterday!'
I was absolutely certain it would be at the end of the month, but when I woke up yesterday and checked my phone, there was a message saying 'Gonna drain your account lol' as 250,000 won for maintenance fees and 689,000 won for smartphone charges were deducted.
Ah, why is the smartphone bill 689,000 won instead of 89,000 won?
Well, it turns out that damn goddess-nim didn't just give me the smartphone - she dumped me here with both the service charges and the device cost unpaid.
Thanks to that, after my broadcast blew up in just an hour on the first day, to console my sorrow, I ordered flounder sashimi and soju delivery that cost three times my daily food budget of 30,000 won (despite being practically broke), ate like crazy, discovered the magic of my bank account being empty the next day, and have been on a forced diet by canceling breakfast.
"Wait, weren't you skipping breakfast to diet...?"
"No! I can't eat because I have no money! Even though I'm a man, I'm already skin and bones, so I've been trying to eat three meals a day to bulk up even a little!"
This changed body is good in many ways, but I'm so weak that I was helpless against even a "pure fool" girl.
So since moving here, I've been trying to eat three full meals regularly to bulk up, but I need to have money to buy food!
"Oppa is already big though, you want to get even bigger there?"
"?"
"Ah, no, that came out wrong heehee..."
Ye-rim, you~?
'Alright, next week you're gonna get scolded by that big guy!'
I decided to postpone my revenge until the sex counter next week, as the important thing right now was the current situation.
"If you're short on money, should I lend you some? Or I could just give it to you."
I frown and glare at Ye-rim as she takes out her wallet as if it's nothing.
Does this girl think I'm some beggar? A man may have no money, but he has his pride!
"So how much can I get as a loan, Ye-rim-nim?"
But I was too hungry.
Well, pride doesn't feed you...
Just as I, a 33-year-old man, was about to pathetically borrow money from my 26-year-old younger girlfriend!
Ddi-rong~!
"Huh? A text message!"
The notification sound finally hits my ears - a text message from the long-awaited Paprika TV has arrived.
With eyes sparkling for some reason at the lifeline that would pull me out of this swamp of poverty, I reject Ye-rim's hand that was about to stuff a 50,000 won bill through my shirt and quickly check the message.
[Due to suspicion of viewbot usage on your account, we unfortunately require you to visit Paprika TV headquarters for identity verification procedures.
Please contact us in advance when visiting.]
"I have to visit headquarters and complete identity verification procedures to get it unlocked?"
Since when does viewbot suspicion require visiting headquarters?
Shouldn't they just verify it themselves and unlock it?
I get a somewhat uneasy feeling, but if I want to rescue the high-value water balloon donations I received yesterday, I have to go - what else can I do?
Ignoring the wicked muttering behind me saying 'Tch! I really wanted to try stuffing money through your clothes!', I call the phone number that came with the text to raise my manly pride as quickly as possible.
Ddu-ru-ru-ru...
"Hello~?"
Whoa, startled.
The other person's voice is so sweet and gentle that I thought I dialed the wrong number and reached some strange place.
I expected the call to go to Paprika's customer service, but the excited, sweet-toned voice that sounds like they were waiting for my call makes me flustered.
"Is this Paprika TV customer service? Sorry if I dialed wrong!"
If it were customer service, I'd normally hear that characteristic 'Oh my~ customer~' fresh and lively voice or a businesslike, stiff voice, but the voice coming through the smartphone was somehow different from any customer service representative I knew.
"Huhut~ It's not customer service, but I am the person who sent the text from the official Paprika TV account."
Not a customer service employee but someone using the official Paprika TV account?
'Is this for real or just bullshit?'
Anyone hearing this would think she's the CEO of Paprika TV...
"You seem flustered. I'm Selena Kim, the CEO of Paprika TV."
...She really is the CEO?!
Ye-rim, who was sneakily eavesdropping on the conversation next to me, also makes a surprised action, going 'Hieek! CEO Selena Kim?!'
What, is this CEO person famous?
"Ah. Sorry, I was so flustered I didn't even greet you properly. I'm Kang Cheol, the new streamer who just received the text about viewbot suspicion!"
Since she's the CEO of Paprika TV where I'll be active, I should treat her respectfully like a new recruit, right?
Characteristic of important people - they always like new recruits who speak loudly and bow their heads.
You might say it's the same as with uncles and aunties?
Ah, whatever, anyway yeah~
"Oh my~ You were like that during your broadcast too, but you're really different from other men~ Makes me want to have you more..."
I think she said something else in a small voice just now, but she spoke too softly so I didn't catch it.
Probably something about viewing me favorably or whatever~
Anyway, she watched my broadcast? Then she should know I didn't use viewbots...
"Hahahat~ I am quite bold, I suppose! ...But you said you watched my broadcast?"
"Oh my, a slip of the tongue... or rather, I checked Kang Cheol-nim's broadcast video to verify the viewbot matter~ Seems you're not a completely stupid man after all..."
Ugh, is my smartphone broken? I haven't been able to hear the CEO woman's last words clearly for a while now.
I'm already irritated from having my smartphone device cost taken yesterday, and now it might be broken.
"Then since you've checked the broadcast video, will you restore my account?"
Then I won't need to bother going to headquarters and can start broadcasting today!
"Oh dear... Regarding that part, as stated in the text we sent, Kang Cheol-nim needs to come to headquarters to verify that the account suspected of viewbot usage and Kang Cheol-nim yourself are the same person, so unfortunately it can't be done over the phone."
Hiiing I don't even have enough for taxi fare to headquarters...
Am I going to have to get money stuffed on me by Ye-rim like a stripper again.
"Instead, how about this? Since Kang Cheol-nim has such a promising future, shall I personally drive to your residence and pick you up? Would that be alright?"
Ddi-yong? The CEO herself is going to personally come pick me up?
'I smell something fishy!'
What kind of CEO would drive personally to pick someone up when they have countless employees!
Maybe if I were a major streamer bringing enormous revenue to Paprika TV.
But the CEO herself is coming out to pick up me, a hakko among hakkos with just one hour of broadcast time?
'Does this woman think I'm a fool? I have Ye-rim, a capable younger girlfri...'
"If it's too burdensome, I can give you transportation expenses and you can take a taxi. ...I just happened to have a 5 million won per meal Michelin three-star meal voucher, so I was going to treat you to dinner too, but what a shame..."
"What's your license plate number and car model? Should I go out and wait right now?!"
Sorry, Ye-rim!
Your boyfriend needs to cheat on you a bit with this amazingly capable CEO-nim.
Again, I was just too hungry...
-----------
Ddi-ro-ring~
The woman, Selena Kim, looks down at her smartphone screen that has turned black after the call ends.
"What a fascinating man~?"
A short call of about 10 minutes.
But for her, who found the world unbearably boring, it was time more valuable than gold, silver, or jewels.
"I expected he would be different from other men, but to this extent..."
First of all, men are basically arrogant.
In a world where the gender ratio has dropped to 30:1, they're stupid creatures who feel it's natural for women to crave their love and feel being treated specially as everyday life.
But how was Kang Cheol just now?
Even before her social position was mentioned, he showed manners saying sorry and being polite, and even when she revealed her CEO position and subtly tempted him, he showed a guarded attitude.
"Of course he completely fell for the 5 million won meal treat, but that's also cute~"
He is poor.
When she finds a man to play with, she enjoys digging up their personal details, collecting their weaknesses and hidden secrets, and using them to torment the person, and Kang Cheol was a penniless orphan with 2 billion won in debt.
"With that much debt and being so poor, why was he uncomfortable with water balloon donations?"
While that was one of his attractive points, it was also puzzling to her.
The men she knew were arrogant and stupid but ultimately just toys who would spread their legs anytime before money and social status, so what was so different about this man that made him act that way?
"I'm curious what you're like in person, not on broadcast..."
Curious, want to have him, and...
"How you cry in bed too!"