Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: To My Precious Friend
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"Unnie, thank you for saving me."
"Yeah."
Lily, who had been gripping my outstretched hand with her small one, takes a step back.
Lily smiles brightly once more.
The gloomy look she had when we first met was gone, as if it had never been there.
This must be Lily's true self.
『Ah- Ah─♬』
Lily, blinking her clear eyes as she gazed at me, suddenly starts to sing.
A humming without any lyrics.
Lily's unique clear and refreshing tone.
The ticklish, bright voice of a child.
A gentle breeze from the forest carries Lily's voice, lulling me.
Countless emotions are conveyed through the wind.
Even without words, I feel it with my whole body.
Is it a lament for her crumbling friends? Sadness washes over me, yet an indescribable joy surges alongside it.
Like smiling through tears.
Lily's song feels like a song welcoming me.
That's how it seems.
『Ah──♬』
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ As Lily's song ends, the grass blades that had been dancing joyfully settle down.
"What song is that?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ No sooner had I asked than the message popped up.
"Lily, let's meet again later. Tell me then."
As I reach out to stroke Lily, who looks at me with eyes full of curiosity, the impatient world flips around rapidly.
"Hetairos."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Reward: Shop Unlocked] Lily's voice brushes past me as the world turns upside down.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Ding-a-ling- Ding-a-ling-
"·····."
Ding-a-ling-
"Hwahk!"
I bolt upright, and a white fluff ball rolls off my warm face.
"I'm hungry..."
"Hoo."
Click.
"Hello?"
- Ga-eul!
"Euna unnie."
- What're you doing? You just wake up? Let's hang out!
While fiddling with the fluffy belly of Baekseol, who's sprawled out like a starfish, I lift my phone, and Euna unnie's voice comes pouring out like a storm.
"Yeah. Let's hang."
- Waa, instant OK. But you good? No content today?
"Content? I don't usually have that stuff."
- Really? Wanna come over to my place then? Collab stream.
I'd always just streamed whatever, whenever.
I pondered Euna unnie's suggestion, but no particular schedule came to mind.
"Yeah. Text me the address. I'll get ready and head over."
- Hehe. Got it. See you soon.
After hanging up with Euna unnie, I glance between my legs to see Baekseol wriggling.
With his eyes half-closed and body twisting all over, this guy seems seriously weak in the mornings too.
"Did our fluffy one wake up?"
"No."
"Liar."
I rub my face against Baekseol's belly, and he squirms from the tickles.
"Baekseol, we're going to Euna unnie's today. You coming too, right?"
"Yeah."
"Okey-dokey. Let's get ready."
Maybe drained from my morning antics, Baekseol had melted into the corner of the bed like dough, so I scooped him up and headed to the bathroom.
"Gotta head out early, so no messing around today."
"Yay!"
As always, Baekseol fooling around on my head turns my hair into a shampoo disaster, so I rinse twice before the shower ends.
This rabbit loves water. Definitely an invasive species.
Pfft.
"Ack! You rascal. I said I'd dry you—don't shake here! You a dog or what?"
I snatch up Baekseol, who'd turned the bathroom entrance into a flood zone with his shake, and hug him.
"Excited for outing?"
"Yeah!"
I roughly towel off Baekseol's fur and lay another towel in front of the fan.
"Rub yourself here till dry. I'll smoke and be back."
"Yeah. Come back."
I watch Baekseol rubbing on the towel for a bit, then throw on some clothes and head to the yard.
Flick.
"Hoo—."
I light up and stare blankly at the sky. My senses, now far sharper than before, pick up several people.
One is Albert Lawrence, who delivered my gun and ammo. Seems he's still holding position.
What's odd is that despite sensing multiple presences with malice, Albert shows no reaction.
"Hmm."
I wiggle my fingers a few times, and a connection rings.
Ding-a-ling- Ding-a-ling-
Click.
The other side picks up quick, matching their personality.
"Grandpa."
- Kiddo, everything alright?
"Yes. How about you, Grandpa?"
- Doing fine, of course.
Hearing the exhale into the phone, he's still loving his smokes.
"Just checking in."
- Haha. Thanks for calling, dear.
We chat idly until my cigarette burns my fingers, then I stub it out.
"I'll call again soon."
- Do that. Call anytime you need something.
"Need something? Hm... Ah! Um, a big anti-materiel sniper rifle."
For some reason, Herman grandpa lets out a small groan after I finish.
- Another one?
"Need a belt-fed heavy machine gun and shotgun too."
- Hmm... Kiddo, starting a war or what?
"Monster bear showed up, and now I got a kid to protect. Load me up on grenade launchers and grenades too."
Herman grandpa seems to mull over my random response.
"Grandpa, love you!"
"Haha. Alright, I'll send plenty, like you said."
My words seal it, and kindly approval follows.
Is this normal grandpa-granddaughter talk? Whatever—good is good.
With Herman grandpa, arms smuggling's no issue. The shop doesn't even sell firearms, let alone cold weapons.
"Fluffy! Dry yet? Let's go."
I scoop up Baekseol, who comes bounding at my voice.
"All poofy now?"
"Yeah!"
"Baekseol, tuck into my clothes for a sec."
As I descend the rooftop stairs, I tuck Baekseol into my cardigan and pull out the metal mask I'd bought from that old shop long ago from my subspace, slipping it on.
Stepping out, I sense several people staring oddly from all around.
At night, I'd look like a terrifying Hahoe mask with pink hair poking out behind.
Grotesque incarnate.
Even approaching people like this, they desperately pretend not to see.
"Wahk!"
"Kyaa!"
Crack.
A woman startled by my voice drops her camera, which I crush underfoot.
"Oops, my bad."
"You crazy bitch."
"Found the right place. That's me."
"Han Ga-eul-ssi. I'll sue! I'm from Yoo Han Daily..."
"Who the hell are you, you punk? Shut your trap before getting Bongtal-danced."
Feeling eyes, I glare hard and whip my head around; the remaining reporters avert quickly.
Flick, flick.
Nice for smoking. Good mask pick.
"Hoo—. Anyone who doesn't wanna get beat by this Kim Bong-tal, stay out of sight."
"H-Han Ga-eul-ssi. Closing your eyes and saying 'guess who' doesn't make the world work that way."
"Today I had a good talk with good people, and now heading to meet good people with a good rabbit."
"What does that even..."
"Feeling the highest 'high.' Today, this Kim Bong-tal will let you live."
Insults follow as I pass the reporters.
I ignore and round the alley corner, spotting a big burly guy.
"Hi, Albert."
"...Yes, miss. But that mask?"
"Transforming."
"Ah."
"Anyway, Herman grandpa said he's sending some stuff. Probably contacting you—when the package arrives, leave it inside the rooftop, not the front door?"
"Understood."
I nod to Albert's odd look and turn away.
Tuck the mask away and fiddle with my phone right away.
[Han Ga-eul has started broadcasting] 💬 Comments — ⚔️Han Boss! Why upload so late, slut!! — ⚔️Han Boss Why ignore Twitter? Han Boss why ignore Twitter? Han Boss why ignore Twitter? "Did some exercise yesterday, got tired. Overslept—sorry."
— ⚔️ Thought something happened since the morning streamer suddenly didn't go live. "Uh... Nothing happened."
— ????? — Boss Alliance eyes spinning — ⚔️Fuck Boss Alliance caused trouble again!! "Argh, I didn't!"
Ghosts would be less spooky.
"Heading to Euna unnie's to collab today, so come there."
— ⚔️Kya today will be mad fun too — ⚔️GN Boss trusted you! "My babies. Not our room today, so no causing trouble?"
— ⚔️Ahahaha don't you trust us — ⚔️Lol newbies died Leaving the world's untrustworthy viewers behind, I head to the main road for a taxi.
[Han Ga-eul has ended broadcasting] ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ —Ding-dong.
"Coming!"
A large detached house greets me at Euna unnie's address.
"Ga-eul Ga-eul!"
"Unna Unna!"
"Ahaha. Thanks for coming over."
"Unnie, you live in a super nice place."
"Moved here recently with savings from the last few years. Come on in."
Euna unnie, TripleNet's yard-famous, competing inside and out, was indeed big-league.
Following her inside, I see an insane streaming setup.
A huge soundproof booth in the large room, top-tier gear gleaming everywhere.
Especially eye-catching: a massive cylinder in front of the computer.
"This the mic?"
"Yeah. Weird shape, right? Windcan's high-sensitivity mic."
"Whoa. How much?"
"Custom and all, over five mil."
"Gasp."
"Once you start dumping into audio gear, it adds up crazy. Sit first—greet the viewers. Screens and sound were off."
She's branching out now, but started as a music streamer.
While eyeing the mic, unnie comes over and activates stream and audio output together.
"Hi, Euna unnie's family and my babies. I'm Han Ga-eul, and this is my partner Baekseol."
— Wow welcome! — Waa Boss voice what is this — Rabbit so cute — Sis change mic already — Mic insane lololol — Collab with Ga-eul today gonna be fun — Boss Alliance change now!! "Babies, this ain't our room. Be nice if you don't wanna die."
"Puhahaha."
The chat plummets at invisible speed, like it's exploding.
Combined viewers react massively.
— Lolololol — See her every time but Boss so pretty lol — Kya even cursing pretty — Ga-eul beauty and voice on another level — Wow Ga-eul voice so pretty... Sensing the heated vibe from me bickering with viewers, unnie steps in to mediate.
"Hello, viewers. Thanks for joining Una's music stream. I'm host Yang Euna. Ga-eul's viewers joined us today—first time in ages seeing this many. Ga-eul viewers' firepower is insane."
—Clap clap clap
"Waa!"
— Yang Euna pretty!! — Kya this is hosting — Our Boss Alliance...(wistful) "As always, Part 1 music stream, Part 2 chill games or chit-chat. Right?"
— Got chicken — Yes!! — Lol chicken all dead Unlike me, she flows smoothly.
"And today's vocalist is Han! Ga! Eul!"
"Eh?"
"Guests gotta sing."
"Me?"
— Yup you — Lolololol — Boss Alliance why so airheaded today lol so cute — Lol Ga-eul cute Like when unnie came to my place, I'd planned to just chill casually, but she was running a whole different vibe.
"What song you wanna do?"
"Uh... Children's song?"
"Bzz! Heard that one already."
Cold sweat over nothing.
— Jingling! ⭐ Superchat — Red Parade 100,000 won donated Boss Alliance usual picks: kids songs, military marches — Dizzying — Apocalyptic song choice — Lololol chaotic — You really only sing that stuff? — Yup lol Unnie waits patiently for my pick.
"No need for backing track."
"For real? A cappella?"
"Yeah."
As someone once said, I stand and step back.
Then recall the emotions.
Sadness aside, fill with joy only.
Meeting. Happiness. Excitement.
『Ah- Ah──♪』
I sing for my new friends.
The wordless song someone sang for me.
『Ah- Ah-♪』
The song that welcomed me.
I pour in only the joy I felt.
A smile forms naturally.
So this meeting feels fun.
Just two in the room, but closing my eyes, tens of thousands sit in the crowd.
With sincerity. I sing to them.
So my happy heart reaches tens of thousands.
『Ah──♬』
Slowly opening my eyes, I see Euna unnie gaping blankly at me, and the chat silent despite tens of thousands watching.
"Unnie?"
"...Huh?"
"Song's done."
"Uh, yeah. What song was that?"
"This? Hetairos, she said?"
"Hetairos? What’s that mean?"
"To my precious friend."