Faces Can Turn That Red
So a person’s face really can turn that red.
Streamer Karayang.
Her username was CheonhyehyangLover.
She had found her way into my stream through the training simulation broadcast, and right now she was sitting in a café, nervously sipping her coffee.
“I never thought she’d actually suggest meeting today…”
It had happened right after yesterday’s stream ended.
She sent me a single message.
[Would you be interested in doing a collab?]
I’d sent it so out of the blue that I hadn’t expected a reply at all, yet the answer came back within minutes.
[Sure. If you’re free tomorrow, want to meet?]
That single line had her legs shaking even now.
“I wasn’t this nervous even during my first broadcast…”
She was so tense she had started biting her nails.
There was a very specific reason for the nerves.
“Ah, I’m so nervous…”
It was because she was my fan.
She had always been pretty confident in her own physical reflexes, but the moment she saw my gameplay, she felt a gap so wide that even jealousy didn’t come.
She hadn’t been able to take her eyes off my play for the entire stream, and just like that, she became a fan.
From that day on, she started watching every single one of my broadcasts.
It wasn’t just the physical skill.
My beautiful appearance had been more than enough to capture her heart in an instant.
“I wonder if she actually looks like that in real life…?”
After imagining it for a moment, Karayang shook her head vigorously.
“Nah, no way.”
There was no way someone that pretty existed in reality.
No matter how you looked at it, there had to have been some correction applied during the customization stage.
‘Even famous celebrities get edited before they appear on screen. No one skips it.’
Everyone who used the capsule applied at least some level of correction.
Even Karayang herself—
‘I just made myself a tiny bit taller, fixed my skin a little, and… maybe made my chest slightly bigger? That’s basically nothing in this age of heavy editing.’
Honestly, she thought she didn’t look all that different from her real self.
‘Besides, even if Yeonu-nim looks completely different from her stream avatar, it wouldn’t matter.’
Of course, part of becoming a fan had been because of her looks, but the real reason was that absurd level of physical skill.
It would be a little disappointing, sure, but even if a completely ordinary woman showed up instead of the person from the stream, she wouldn’t have minded.
While checking the time and waiting for me, she noticed everyone in the café turning to look in one direction.
‘Huh…?’
Sensing something was off, Karayang followed their gazes.
“Gasp..!!”
She froze, breath caught in her throat.
Long, silky black hair that flowed like the finest silk.
Translucent skin that seemed to glow.
And lips as red as a camellia.
It was as if the Yeonu she had only seen on stream had stepped straight out of the screen.
While she stood there staring blankly, I spotted her, smiled softly, and walked over.
“You must be Karayang-nim. I’m Kim Yeonu.”
“Y-Yes!?”
I looked at her curiously.
***
My answer to yesterday’s collab proposal had been yes.
There wasn’t any deep reason behind it.
I just didn’t see any need to refuse.
After checking, her channel seemed to have decent numbers and she had been streaming steadily for a while.
It looked like it would be beneficial both for the broadcast and personally.
Once I made a decision, I liked to settle things quickly, so I immediately replied with “Want to meet tomorrow?”
She seemed to hesitate for a bit, but in the end she had been the one to suggest it first.
Eventually, I got a “Sounds good” in return.
After setting the meeting place, I just threw on my usual clothes and headed out.
‘Why won’t she even make eye contact?’
Every time our eyes met, she blushed and turned her head away.
“Hmm…”
Was it really that bad?
I already knew my appearance was abnormally pretty.
But it had been the same in my previous world.
The only real difference was that my hair was a bit longer now.
Thanks to that, I hadn’t felt much discomfort about it.
‘Back then, people didn’t react this strongly, though.’
I didn’t understand it, but if things stayed like this we wouldn’t even be able to talk properly.
“You said your name was Semin, right?”
“Y-Yes..!!”
“You don’t have to be so nervous.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Here, take a sip of your coffee first and relax.”
She paused at my words.
But soon she picked up the coffee in front of her and downed it in one shot.
I hadn’t meant for her to drink it like that.
While I stood there flustered—
“Kuh…”
Thud.
She slammed the cup down like it was a beer mug, wiped her mouth with her sleeve, and looked straight at me.
“Now let’s talk..!”
She met my eyes with confidence.
But then—
Slide…
Her gaze drifted away again.
‘This is going to take a while…’
Proper conversation was going to require some time.
“So you want to do Wilds Hunter’s multiplayer mode with me?”
Lee Semin nodded quickly.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“And the reason is… because of Reality Mode?”
This time she turned her head, looking embarrassed.
Once I heard the reason, I understood why she was reacting that way.
The story went like this.
She happened to catch my first stream, became a fan on the spot, and when she heard I had started playing Wilds Hunter, she picked Reality Mode—the same mode she had already planned to try—full of confidence.
And then she got completely wrecked…
“Ahaha… I thought I’d be fine since I’m pretty confident in my reflexes, but it was harder than I expected. Of course, I’m nowhere near Yeonu-nim’s level.”
She scratched her head awkwardly.
“You can just call me Yeonu.”
“Oh, really?”
Her face lit up so brightly that I briefly considered taking it back, but I decided to let it slide.
Somehow I felt like she would make a pitiful face if I did.
‘Huh..? That part’s actually kind of interesting, though..?’
Take it back?
While I was entertaining that mean thought, Lee Semin cautiously asked, probably because of the serious look on my face.
“Are you really okay with the collab? Now that I think about it, I feel like I asked too suddenly.”
“No, it’s fine. It actually sounds fun.”
“Phew, thank goodness.”
She let out a sigh of relief.
“When should we schedule the stream?”
“I don’t have a fixed streaming time yet, so I’ll match yours, Semin.”
“Ah, got it.”
She pulled out her phone and stared at it intently, clearly checking her schedule.
While I watched her sipping her coffee and tapping away with her finger, she suddenly gripped her phone and looked at me carefully.
It seemed like she had something she wanted to say.
“Got something on your mind?”
“Um…”
She hesitated, then squeezed her eyes shut as if making up her mind.
“If it’s okay, could you maybe give me your number?!”
She thrust her phone toward me and froze.
Not sure how to react, I just stared at her in silence.
Then—
“I-It’s not for any weird reason! I just thought it would be easier to contact you this way. Of course we can talk through Pajijik too, but!! If it’s okay with you!!”
She was speaking so frantically that her words started to tangle.
‘She said she’s twenty-five this year, right?’
Feeling like I was looking at a younger sibling, a laugh slipped out before I could stop it.
“Ah, why are you laughing…”
Looking at her now even redder face, I took the phone from her hand.
“I’ll give you my number. You’re right, this will be easier.”
After entering my number and handing the phone back with a smile—
Poof!
Her face turned even redder than before.
‘So a person’s face really can turn that red.’
First time I’d seen it.
By the time I got home, it was already late at night.
‘Feels weird not turning the stream on at this hour.’
I hadn’t been streaming for long, but I usually went live in the evenings, so the absence felt noticeable.
Of course, I had already posted a notice about taking the day off.
But—
“Are you… not streaming today…?”
Lee Semin’s cautious question came to mind.
She said she was a fan, so she must have really wanted to watch.
‘Should I just stream anyway? It’s not like I have anything else to do.’
When I checked the notice I had posted, there were already plenty of comments.
‘More people were waiting for the stream than I thought.’
After a moment of hesitation, I decided to go live.
Well, if I just sat around I’d only get restless anyway.
After straightening my clothes a bit, I climbed into the capsule and started the stream.
Viewers poured in almost immediately after I went live.
“I had some errands to run and just got back. It felt boring once I got home.”
“Think whatever you want.”
After exchanging some light banter with the viewers, I booted up Wilds Hunter.
“Let’s pick up from where we left off yesterday.”
“I’m going to take it easy today, though.”
I had planned to keep the stream light, but—
“So you’re the one Dante acknowledged?”
I never expected that old cliché from last time to come flying back at me in a full 360.