Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Stars and Whale
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Next to the basketball hoop stood a chain-link fenced box stuffed full of basketballs.
💬 Comments — Anonymous [Let's go, Boss!!] — Anonymous [If Boss dunks, won't the hoop shatter? lololol] "You bastards. I'm wearing a skirt."
— Anonymous [Lmao] — Anonymous [Ah lmaoooo she noticed] "Wanna see?"
— Anonymous [Ooooooo] [Ooooo!!!] "I'm wearing shorts underneath."
— Anonymous [Ah...] — Anonymous [Ah] "Psych!"
— Anonymous [Ooo] [Ooooo] "You guys are so damn honest."
— Anonymous [lolololololol] — Anonymous [You're the bastards] [That's right] I set up the phone stand on the ground and pulled out one basketball from the chain-link enclosure.
"This thing's tougher than I thought?"
— Anonymous [Yeah super tough] — Anonymous [Get hit by that and you're done] A basketball I'd briefly touched back in school as a kid. Its surface was covered in little bumps to prevent slipping during hand play.
"But I've never played basketball before."
— Anonymous [Not even once in school?] — Anonymous [Just chuck it] "Just chuck it? Hmm, you know I'm terrible at throwing stuff. I'll give it a shot anyway."
Gripping the basketball and eyeing the hoop, it looked way higher than expected.
— Anonymous [Boss looks so tiny under the hoop lol] — Anonymous [Ga-eul is so freaking cute lol] — Anonymous [Hold it with both hands and throw] "Both hands? Like this?"
—Hup!
— Anonymous [No that's not it] [No no no no] —Bang!!
The hoop looked so far and high that I put too much force into it, and the ball rocketed off like a cannonball, slamming into the backboard.
— Anonymous [lolololololololol] — Anonymous [This ain't a cruise ship, it's a battleship] [Scary, battleship with naval guns] "Argh, screw it. You said throw with both hands."
— Anonymous [Left hand just guides lol] — Anonymous [Spin on the ball, hit the backboard and drop it in] [Ga-eul, eyes on the hoop] What was with all these basketball pros backseat driving? Probably most viewers were dudes obsessed with ball games.
— Anonymous [Ga-eul Cannon downgraded to light artillery!!] — Anonymous [Light artillery~ Light artillery~] "Light artillery my ass, you uncivilized grunts. Wanna taste some 155mm HE shells?"
— Anonymous [Crazy lolololol] — Anonymous [Shit retreat! Boss too strong] [Artillery PTSD incoming] "Haa— No sign of remorse anywhere."
— Anonymous [?? We repented] [Surrendering here?] [Aaaah retreat! The barrage starts!] My viewers were always rowdy. Annoying at times, but they made every stream a blast, chasing away any awkward silence. True friends.
"I wish upon the stars. Come forth, flames of hell. Blaze, purgatory fire..."
— Anonymous [Can't take it stop Boss!] [lolololol] I waved my hand dramatically through the air, intoning gravely.
"7th Circle Archmagic: White Phosphorus Smoke Bomb." ⟨ White Phosphorus Smoke Bomb ⟩
— Anonymous [Crazy 7th circle is insane lolololololol] [Cha-ching!] — Ariel-tang Donated 10,000 won [Kit-sama!!! Using forbidden black magic!!!] — Anonymous [Ariel accepts that lol] [We civilians gonna violate Geneva Conventions?] "Since when did long-eared nobles join the Geneva Conventions?"
— Anonymous [Huh makes sense] [Idk] "Idk? Then take a beating."
— Anonymous [Idk?] The skit wrapped up, but all the chaos left me drained.
"Ah, you guys wore me out."
— Anonymous [lolol recharge go] [Rechargeable Boss lol] [Quick charge and play] Back home streaming, I'd step out for a smoke to recharge when energy dipped. Guess they thought burning tobacco fixed everything.
"Kinda craving one."
— Anonymous [Time for a cig lol] [Everyone hit the bathroom and smoke one] "Don't steal my lines."
— Anonymous [Mwe ment pwonouwnce~] The more we streamed together, the creepier it got how they nailed even my weird quirks.
"Where's the smoking area anyway?"
— Anonymous [Smoke over there?] [Yeah smoke rising] Looking around, I spotted Isabelle fiddling with her phone in the distance, and turning further, saw people smoking at another table.
"Go join 'em there?"
— Anonymous [Yeah] [I couldn't but Boss can] [Fr lol] After a moment's thought, I headed toward the smoky table.
"Place this big and weirdly empty, huh?"
— Anonymous [Kinda yeah] [Party not started, everyone's in rooms?] "Maybe."
Chatting with viewers as I walked, the smoky table soon drew near.
"Hello... Huh?"
"Heh heh, nice to see you again."
"Yeah."
At a table with a clear ocean view, puffing away, sat the white-bearded old gentleman I'd shared a smoke with at the hotel.
"In the East, they say if hems brush twice, it's fate. Looks like ours runs deep."
"Fate my ass."
As I greeted the white-haired gent, a gruff voice cut in from across the table.
"That grumpy old codger's Arthur Wellington."
His tone was sharp, but with his graying hair, round glasses, and soft features, he seemed mild.
"Arthur. Call me that."
"Nice to meet you, Arthur. I'm Han Ga-eul. Call me Ga-eul."
"You too."
As I shook Arthur's hand, the kindly smiling white-haired old man caught my eye.
"That smug grinning bastard over there's Herman Melville. Money whale."
"Herman here. Feel free, Miss Ga-eul."
They bantered like old pals introducing each other.
— Anonymous [Dunno Arthur but Herman prolly Moby Dick's white whale?] — Anonymous [Nah why would Herman be here] As introductions flew, chat scrolled by. Arthur was new, but Herman Melville? I'd heard that name.
"Herman?"
"Yes? What's up, Miss Ga-eul."
"Uh... Blue Whale by any chance?"
"Spot on."
Arthur answered.
"That's the money-devouring whale, Blue Whale Herman Melvin."
"Gasp."
— Anonymous [Gasp] [Gasp] [???] [Gasp] Herman Melvin, the investment conglomerate kingpin topping global asset rankings. A figure from news and books, right in front of me.
"Art, why do you keep stealing my intro?"
"Damn it, don't call me Art!"
— Anonymous [Boss show us too] [Real Blue Whale?] [We like Boss best but show for a sec] One side bickered over nicknames and age, the other demanded a peek.
"You... little... shits."
— Anonymous [O_O why sudden ASMR?] [Like it more] "Ten... turds. Get... caught... whispering... and we're... screwed."
— Anonymous [Aha] [Save our Ga-eul] [Life ruined lol] Whispering into the phone, I felt sudden stares and turned to find Herman and Arthur eyeing me.
"Come to say hi, Miss Ga-eul?"
"Saw the smoke, figured I'd join for a cig."
"Uhahaha. Someone drawn by smokes instead of cash. Fresh, eh Herman?"
"Heh heh. Trade smokes again?"
"Sure!"
I offered a cigarette from my pack; a thicker cigar rolled into my hand than last time.
—Pop!
The lighter lid rang clear as ever.
"Whew— Heavier yet smoother. Perfect for afternoon."
"Heh, befitting my smoke buddy. True connoisseur."
"Connoisseur? Just another chain-smoker."
Arthur wouldn't quit poking.
— Anonymous [Oh shit Boss's been smoke bros with Blue Whale?] [Y'all translate don't hog] "This is my partner, Snowy."
I peeled Snowy off my head where it'd slipped and introduced her.
Snowy perked her ears on my palm, locking eyes with them for a while before extending a paw.
"Ahem, nice to meet ya, bunny. Arthur here."
Arthur's face, usually sharp-tongued, flushed oddly.
"Art likes cute stuff more than he'd admit."
"Shut it! Don't call me Art!"
He fumed, but eyes glued to Snowy.
"What's wrong with liking cute? Arthur, show me your hand?"
"Hm, right. Judging feelings by age or gender is foolish."
"Exactly. Hand out, Arthur."
Arthur hesitated, then slowly opened his palm on the table.
"All the way."
"...Like this?"
I spread his hand fully and placed Snowy atop.
"Snowy, this is Arthur. Be friends."
Snowy raised a tiny foreleg toward him at my words.
"Ahem, as I said, Arthur. Nice to meet ya."
Watching him freeze solid over palm-sized Snowy, he reminded me of someone.
While Arthur was smitten, I smoked and recounted my trek here to Herman.
"So I just grabbed the gold bar and yanked!"
"Uhahaha, impressive strength. So this phone's live?"
"Yep. Only filming me though, you're safe."
— Anonymous [Why!!!!!!] [Show us too!!!] [Real Blue Whale???] "I'm fine with it."
"Same."
Arthur must've kept an ear out while playing with Snowy.
"Hmm, no. Lemme think it over."
"Whatever suits you, Miss Ga-eul."
Our chat meandered to Arthur.
"Arthur's an astronomer."
"Astronomer? Stargazing?"
— Gyeolga-gago-eul-eoseo-ogo Donated 1,000 won [Arthur Wellington (Astrophysicist) - Nobel for cosmic acceleration expansion & gravitational waves] — Anonymous [Crazy real?] [Not gut expansion what expands?] [Aha totally get it (don't)] "Huh?"
Glancing at the sponsor message, then Arthur—grinning while playing with Snowy.
"...Right?"
— Anonymous [O_O all true] [Dunno but Boss always right] "Hm, Art. My turn to greet?"
"Damn it, Arthur! Wait, not that—look at Snowy, what IQ does that take?"
"Switch your job to zoologist."
A quick phone peek, and they were bickering again.
"Haa, idk anymore."
— Anonymous [Me too idk] [Idk] "Screw it, that damn idk. Die idk?"
— Anonymous [Id¿k] [lol Ga-eul idk is cute] Gripping the phone stand, bickering with chat, while Herman and Arthur did the same beside me—then a familiar voice.
"God, enough already."
"Belle, I'm fine."
"Argh, just!"
One of the two approaching loudly was my pal Isabelle.
A staggering drunk man, trailed by Isabelle trying to rein him in.
"Isabelle, what's up?"
"Huh? Ga-eul!"
She flailed excitedly, spotting me now.
— Anonymous [Belle welcome] Then my stomach fluttered faintly—barely enough to unbalance a child.
"Aaaah!!"
The wasted guy lost balance, tumbling toward the unexpectedly low barrier.
"Isabelle!"
Startled, she grabbed him on reflex—and they both plummeted, flailing.
I sprang from the table, kicking off the ground.
Time slowed naturally; I stomped harder, accelerating.
—Thud!
I barely snagged Isabelle's arm as she failed to steady herself, yanking her up.
"Ugh..."
"Isabelle! You okay?"
"Uh! Y-yeah!"
Panicking wordlessly, she gestured at the fallen man.
Below the barrier, he'd surfaced in the sea, splashing. Lucky feet-first entry, no major injury.
"Isabelle, you're good. He's fine too."
— Anonymous [Whoa close call glad no one's hurt] — Anonymous [Crazy Ga-eul's speed wtf] — Anonymous [That guy's exit was artistic af]