Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Tough Guy Special. Starting Broadcast Revealing TS Identity
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"By any chance, do you have a concept in mind? Even for a plain broadcast, it's better to establish your character upfront."
She followed up with some additional explanation.
Some go for the pure and innocent image, others lead with a glamorous figure to push sex appeal, and so on.
She said the broadcast's vibe and direction get set based on that character.
Her question made me think for a moment.
As you know, I'm a guy.
Well, precisely, I was a guy.
I have no idea how long this freak phenomenon will last, but maybe there's a way to turn it to my advantage?
Men and women are lifeforms that can't understand each other.
But if I'm someone who's lived both a man's life and a woman's?
This horrific mutation will cause a massive ripple just by existing.
At my explanation, my sister looked shocked and asked back.
"You're gonna reveal your identity?"
"Precisely, just the gender part. I searched online, and they call this TS."
Me as an existence is already a fully formed character—why rack my brain coming up with something new?
Wouldn't it be better for both me and the viewers if I just showed myself as is?
"Tough guy special. Starting broadcast revealing I'm TS."
"You think people will buy that? If they don't just call it a lame gimmick and flame you, you'll be lucky."
"Then, like you said, rake in the settlement cash and quit."
"Ooh, bold."
Given my personality, there's no way I could pull off aegyo or dancing in front of people.
So I had to go a different route from the other girl cams.
What? Pure and innocent? Sexy girl cam? Screw all that.
From now on, tough guy is my broadcast concept.
The kind with the integrity to never shake my hips no matter how much you yap.
Roughly that vibe.
"Well, these days, ridiculous concepts are trending anyway."
Something must've clicked for her, because Ye-eun didn't argue further and jumped straight into explaining the streaming gear.
"This is the streaming monitor—check chat and donation messages here. Lights get hot if left on too long, so don't touch 'em and burn yourself. Cam settings are pre-tweaked from my setup, so just adjust the angle and you're good. And this is…"
We settled on Lemon TV as the platform.
My sister advised it'd be easier for me to adapt there since I don't know any games on Iris.
I made the account using my old Han Jeong-ho credentials.
'Lending me your identity for a bit, Han Jeong-ho.'
Ah, of course. Han Hyo-jeong.
After entering the ID and password to create the account, it prompted for a nickname.
Hyo-jeong and Han Hyo-jeong were both taken, so I just went with 'TS Hyo-jeong' on a whim.
A bit NS Yeonji vibes—kinda hip, right?
There were a bunch of other hassle steps like privacy settings and bank verification for payouts, but I got through them with Ye-eun's help.
"Pick your own title. Hit this streaming button to go live. I'll be out of frame."
With that, my sister dashed off to the far corner.
The preview cam confirmed it—no sign of her, not even a glimpse.
Perfect dead zone for the cam.
I turned back to the monitor.
From here on, I'd have to handle whatever came my way.
I steeled myself and leaned back in the chair.
Fiddling idly with the mouse, I soon rolled my eyes at the new hurdle.
"Hm. Title, huh. What to go with?"
For a streamer, the title is like the shop sign.
The flashier the name on a new eatery, the more it draws customers.
If a toast shop's just called 'Crispy Toast,' it's a third-rate ripoff.
But Testosterone Toast, Toast Ark, or ToastCo? You'd get curious enough to check it out.
That's human psychology.
Mulling it over, I finally put my hands on the keyboard.
[Turned TS Overnight. Taking Questions.]
I hit start on the broadcast.
Activating the cam brought up my face on screen per the presets.
It was so weird I started mugging around like a mirror game, when suddenly a line popped up on the dual monitor for chat.
"Oh?"
First viewer had arrived.
Acting like some country bumpkin fresh off the bus? Amateur move.
A pro doesn't sweat the small stuff—they carve their own path without batting an eye.
I'd already ripened into a seasoned broadcaster, greeting the viewer naturally.
"Welcome~"
Guess the first guy hated bean rice cakes.
"Donor, come on in."
Keeping up with the trends, I tossed another greeting.
Hates beans? Red bean it is. Hates red bean? Chestnut filling, shoved right in your yap.
No honey cakes? Too much sweet rots your teeth.
My stream's aiming for healthy wellness vibes.
"A room where you and I chat."
Likes it.
Pretty solid reaction boosted my confidence again.
Maybe I had a knack for streaming?
Millionaire streamer not out of reach?
I'd discovered a new truth.
I wasn't lacking variety skills—it was just that Korea was too small to contain me.
The frog was out of the well, storming the battlefield.
'But was that frog male or female?'
Brief gender quandary.
The proverb frog's obviously male, but maybe female? The thought flitted by.
Still, male would've been preferable…
Agh, fuck it. Who cares.
What mattered was I'd gained my first fan.
My first viewer, awakening my new potential.
My eyes naturally drifted to their nickname.
The four letters by the chat window.
It read:
I whipped my head to glare at my sister hiding in the corner.
She shook her phone at me.
"Get out."
Giggling echoed from the side.
"Not leaving? Fine, I'll boot you myself."
If they hopped in right at start, their identity was obvious—but I'd been slow on the uptake.
The grotesque mashup of 'Ye-eun' and 'Best'—two words that should never mix—left a nauseating aftertaste like kimchi pizza with sweet-and-sour sauce.
Just looking at it churned my stomach.
Modern Cthulhu right here.
To purge the creeping chaos, I swiftly maneuvered the mouse.
"Voyeur cut!"
Yelling that, I clicked the foul nickname.
But…
"What."
It shot up out of reach.
The little shit pulled an evasion maneuver.
Ah, pushed up by the flood.
Viewer count now showed 6.
"Oh… welcome everyone. New streamer TS Hyo-jeong, starting today. Please take care of me."
"Yup. Not a gimmick, for real. Questions via donation only, so fire away without holding back."
I'm a ruthless hook collector.
But since questions were donation-only, I didn't answer individually.
Staying silent, the chat speed slowed.
They'd realized I wasn't an easy mark.
In that brief quiet…
The long-awaited first donation launched.
'Hehe' donated 1,000 Won!
[By any chance, what's your three sizes?]
"Three sizes? Uh, haven't measured yet. I'll check later and let you know. Next question?"
No lie, I really didn't know.
No skill for bullshitting answers here.
But ghosting after pocketing 1k felt low-class.
So I shared the one thing I did know.
"Dunno three sizes. But bust is C-cup. Measured before."
In that instant, four more viewers piled in.
Now at 10 in the room.
Watching that, I pondered.
'So… what now?'
Did I fumble the first button?
No real donations after that.
Viewers yapped about TS among themselves—no questions.
No interest in the newbie.
This ain't good.
Was paywalling questions too much?
Saw some streamer do it once and copied.
Maybe retract now? As I mulled… the donation I'd craved hit.
'Ye-eun Best' donated 1,000 Won!
[Noona lol so pretty lol]
That one's still here.
Forgot to boot amid the viewer surge.
I moved the mouse to exile her permanently from my world—then another donation pinged.
'Ye-eun Best' donated 1,000 Won!
[No kick pls]
Donation dodge maneuver.
Veteran streamer moves.
Everyone knows—even a three-year-old streamer—that booting a donating viewer tanks your rep on debut. Others don't know it's my sis.
If they think 'donate here = get purged,' disaster.
Plus, donations resumed thanks to her.
'Algard' donated 1,000 Won!
[Damn visuals hit hard. Plastic surgery??]
"Plastic surgery? Didn't… probably?"
Does this count as surgery?
Socrates-level philosophy trailed off my words, cueing the 'freeloader' gripes.
'Sunny Today' donated 1,000 Won!
[Hyo-jeong-ssi, how old?]
"Twenty-four. Discharged last month, FYI."
The dam broke, and I bantered with viewers.
'Ye-eun Best' donated 1,000 Won!
[Noona, say my nick pls]
That loach kept popping up, muddying the stream.
"Ye… Ye-eun Bes… Bes…"
'Ye-eun Best' donated 1,000 Won!
[Not a Choi tho.]
"Uh, Ye-eun. Thanks for the 1k."
I'm no slave to capitalism.
If I'd do whatever donations say, would I off myself for a 'die' dono?
Exposing that resolve…
Viewers cheered.
Yeah yeah, you've been thirsting for a girl cam like this.
Like an oasis in the desert after ages of thirst.
A flower on a cliff, unbreakable creed…
'Ye-eun Best' donated 10,000 Won!
[Now say it. Who's the best?]
"Say what? Obviously our Ye-eun's the best!!!"
…What's the point.
Too much cash to refuse.
Doubled minimum wage in five minutes flat.
Sure, most from sis's wallet, but that sweet funding high was unforgettable.
Sex jokes, fuck.
These kids don't know filtering.
Purebred tough guys with zero chill.
But why?
Maybe resonating with their fearless souls? Same bullshit spewed from my mouth.
"By that logic, guys got two too, no?"
One bite and they love it.
Virgin special: girl agrees, cue second verse, third, full delusion.
Virgin special: nerd talk only they get.
Now humanities vs sciences flamewar.
I spectated blankly.
Kids, no more questions?
Ask quick, pad my wallet.
As if my wish reached…
New donation chimed.
'Schrödinger's Lower Body' donated 1,000 Won!
[Hyung-nim, were you really a guy?]
"Schrödinger's Lower Body hyung-nim, were you really a guy… Yeah, guy. Was a guy."
Fuck.
Ever had a girl ask for your number?
Entered women's clothing store?
Grabbed by female staff at the chest?
Hunted while with your sister?
Black history flashbacks like panorama.
Memory assault glazed my eyes to the horizon; sparse viewers cackled in delight.
Just psychopaths thriving on others' pain here.
Look at those questions.
Especially that massive spam barrage—couldn't even read the priors.
Questions donation-only, so real curiosity means they donate themselves.
'FaithHopeLoveTheGreatestIsLove' donated 1,000 Won!
[Heeeng eyes slayer kill me]
"Eyes my ass. Call me hyung-nim like Schrödinger whatever."
"Kids, new ban word. No 'noona' in my room from now. Address me as hyung-nim prefixed."
'NecklineLover' donated 1,000 Won!
[Hyung-nim grab back of head show nape pls]
"Uh… like this?"
I tilted my head for cam, lifted my hair.
Quick chat peek—good reactions.
One chat grabbed my eye.
"Fuck."
Dropped my hand quick.
Viewers hit 20, past 15.
Good for debut?
Dunno.
Sidelong glance at sis—she thumbs-upped.
Nonverbal 'you're killing it.'
Yeah. 300k Nutuber approved.
I snuck a thumbs-up behind my back in reply.