First Repayment
First Repayment
"It's possible. No, we absolutely must do it."
***
The next morning.
I took the leftover lunchbox from the freezer and put it in the microwave.
While the lunchbox was spinning, I immediately turned on the cam and started the stream.
[hi]
[what, so early in the morning?]
"Hello.
I thought I'd try a morning stream as a test.
For now, let's just eat together."
[what are you eating?]
Ding.
With the sound of the microwave, I sat in the chair holding the steaming lunchbox.
"I told you yesterday, right?
I said I'd eat the leftovers tomorrow."
[convenience store lunchbox from the morning? smells cheap ㅠㅠ]
[ㅠㅠ gifted 100 Balloons!]
[ㅠㅠ: Please, for god's sake, eat a proper breakfast.]
"Thank you.
But what's wrong with a lunchbox?
As long as I can eat it, it's fine."
I put a piece of the soggy, pre-cut pork cutlet in my mouth.
...It tastes bad.
"It's... tasty."
[look at that sour expression lollll]
[the streamer still can't lie ㅠㅠ]
[fighting]
***
"Ung!"
I stretched to loosen my stiff shoulders.
As my clothes clung to my body, the chat scrolled up rapidly.
[uhuhu]
[Jjoinamed gifted 1,000 Balloons!]
[Jjoinamed: Turn it on more often, that stretch.]
"Thank you, Jjoinamed-nim.
...I'll consider it positively.
For now, the morning stream ends here, I'll be back in the evening."
[Keep it on!]
[Just sit in front of the cam, that's all I ask]
"Please understand.
See you later then. Bye bye."
[bb]
As soon as I turned off the stream, I collapsed onto the desk.
The breasts resting on the desk felt newly heavy.
"...Haah, I'm tired."
Just then, the phone I had placed face down buzzed briefly.
"Huh?"
[Lee Yul: Workout done!]
Lee Yul had sent a photo as usual.
This time, she was on a treadmill.
She was smiling brightly, drenched in sweat.
"Heheh, this kid."
***
The next evening.
I finished a communication stream wearing a body-hugging dress.
It was called communication, but it was essentially a donation-collection stream.
"...900,000 won? Sigh."
Today's income was low because Jjoinamed didn't show up.
"Relying on donations from just a few people makes the income too unstable."
I twirled my hair around my finger.
If I want to make streaming a stable source of income, shouldn't I go to the mainstream?
But.
"Can I really establish myself in the mainstream?"
Me, who has already debuted on Gom TV's sleazy ASMR streams?
"...It'll be tough."
[Lee Yul: What are you doing now, Yunha-ssi?]
[Lee Yul: You are eating well, right?]
I turned my head and looked at the convenience store lunchbox container stuffed in the trash can.
"I'm eating well."
A lie.
I threw myself onto the bed.
Creak.
"Ah... I need to buy a new bed too."
Will there be any money left to live on after paying this month's repayment?
Suddenly, I remembered the lunchbox Lee Yul used to hand me every morning in front of the dungeon, smiling.
***
The next day.
[Bamui Jewang gifted 5,000 Balloons!]
[Bamui Jewang: My wife is back hehe]
[Bamui Jewang: The first wife is still the best]
"Bamui Jewang-nim, thank you for returning!"
During the two weeks I was forced to go on hiatus after turning into a man,
a big spender who had left for another female streamer's room had returned.
[Keunson Gom: Ah, he's back again]
[Keunson Gom gifted 3,000 Balloons!]
[Keunson Gom: I'm the chairman of Wolha's room. Got it?]
Keunson Gom's clinginess was rising to dangerous levels.
[Bamui Jewang: You went to Arin's room too lol]
Bamui Jewang, who was better than Keunson Gom but had participated in the after-party drinking stream with him last time.
[Jjoinamed gifted 2,000 Balloons!]
[Jjoinamed: fr lol]
And Jjoinamed, whose tendencies I still didn't know well.
These three started a power struggle.
"Now, now, don't fight each other~
Let's do something else."
[Brothers, donate quickly and make her shake those milkers]
Ding!
[Bamui Jewang gifted 1,000 Balloons!]
[Bamui Jewang: Do the zero-two dance for me]
"Yes, just a moment."
I winked at the camera and got up from the chair.
***
As soon as the stream ended, a DM flew in from Keunson Gom.
[Keunson Gom: Wolha-ya, let's meet sometime this week. I said let's have a meal last time]
"Haah..."
[Wolha: You know my situation, right? It's still a bit difficult for me.]
[Keunson Gom: -_- I might lose interest. Don't play hard to get too much.]
The tightrope walk was becoming increasingly burdensome.
***
The next night.
After finishing the stream, I checked my phone and saw a missed call.
[Lee Yul: Can't you answer the phoneㅠ]
[Lee Yul: I wanted to hear your voice at least...]
Unconsciously, my hand gripping the phone tightened.
I can't answer the phone like this.
[Kang Yunha: I was busy, couldn't answer. Sorry]
Imitating the speech pattern from when I was a man
was becoming natural now.
That felt a bit bitter.
***
Two days before the repayment deadline.
[Lee Yul: I'm working out hard.]
[Lee Yul: By the way, are you eating breakfast properly?]
[Lee Yul: I absentmindedly made two portions this morning hehe]
[Lee Yul: But when does your work end, Yunha-ssi...?]
I stared at Lee Yul's message on the screen for a long time.
I typed a reply, then deleted it, repeating the process.
Finally.
[Kang Yunha: You're doing well. Wait for me just a little longer]
I sent only that short message and flipped my phone over.
***
One day before the repayment deadline.
I ended the stream early.
Suddenly, I remembered what Lee Suyeon had said during the last company dinner.
"Come to think of it, she said she'd turn my life upside down, right?"
I created a new account and searched for Lee Suyeon's stream.
[Suyeon - Night Communication Room♥]
"Oh my, is that so?"
[lol]
[so annoying]
Suyeon was skillfully engaging in banter with viewers as usual.
Exactly the same way I used to watch her from behind the monitor when I was a man.
Then, one chat caught my eye.
[by the way, haven't seen Suyeon's guy lately]
[fr, he used to come every day but disappeared at some point]
[Suyeon dumped him and went to another room lol]
Instantly, Suyeon's expression stiffened.
But she immediately pretended nothing was wrong and smiled.
"Suyeon's oppa? I don't really know."
Suyeon added, placing a finger on her chin.
"Doesn't seem like he's in another room either..."
"Heeh."
So she's looking for me.
After sucking my money dry, now you're looking for me.
"Serves you right."
But Lee Suyeon was indeed experienced.
[you looked for him lol]
"I was just worried, so I looked."
[Leader Su-yeon: What about me?]
"Leader oppa is always number one in my heart~"
She immediately lightened the mood and continued collecting donations.
"There's so much to learn from that unnie."
Without saying a word, I watched her stream all night long.
***
---
[Streamer Gallery]
Title: Wolha's growth is no joke
She's gathered three big spendersㄷㄷ
ㅇㅇ: Bamui Jewang is back lol
ㅇㅇ: He's a famous simp
ㅇㅇ: No one has her pace...
ㅇㅇ: But Keunson Gom and Bamui Jewang are one thing, who is Jjoinamed?
ㅇㅇ: dunno?
ㅇㅇ: First time seeing that nickname
Title: Suyeon's tension is down lately
Something happen?
ㅇㅇ: They say it's because donations aren't coming in well~
ㅇㅇ: But she has Leader Su-yeon, right?
ㅇㅇ: The new gullible whale she caught disappeared
ㅇㅇ: Ah, Suyeon's guy?
ㅇㅇ: ㅇㅇ suddenly vanished lol
ㅇㅇ: When they subtly brought it up, she got really flustered lol
---
***
D-Day.
I opened the banking app on my phone.
The result of adding my week's earnings to the original 6.8 million won.
Current Balance: 10,420,000 won
"...Done."
***
I dressed neatly and headed to the Management Bureau building.
Last time I came as a man, I looked like a caveman...
As I entered the lobby, I could feel the gazes of people around me.
Even though the same person entered the same building, people's reactions were worlds apart.
I deliberately ignored the stares, took the elevator, and headed to the Compensation Processing Department.
When I opened the door and entered, a familiar woman in a suit was sitting there.
A sharp suit, an updo, and a cold expression. Kim Ha-yeon was there.
"Hello."
The fingers that had been spinning a pen stopped.
"I've come to pay the repayment."
She, who had been checking documents, slowly raised her head.
"You've come as a woman this time."
Her voice was calm.
"Yes. I still can't control it."
"...I see."
Kim Ha-yeon didn't ask further and tapped on the keyboard.
"Payment of 10,160,000 won confirmed."
A receipt printed out.
"Remaining balance: 294,660,000 won. The next payment deadline is in 30 days."
"Sigh."
A sigh escaped me unintentionally.
I have to do this 29 more times.
"Kang Yunha-ssi."
Handing over the receipt, Kim Ha-yeon spoke.
"Are you still hunting on the First Layer?"
"Yes."
"Just for your information, the 2nd Floor yields much better income than the First Layer."
"...How much?"
"Even just the Cores from regular monsters are on average 5 times more."
Five times.
"And boss Cores are 10 times or more."
Ten times.
"Of course, equipment and a party are essential, but..."
The pen spinning between her fingers stopped.
She looked straight at me.
"I personally think that Kang Yunha-ssi would be fully capable."
After saying that briefly, she immediately lowered her head again.
"Do you have any other inquiries?"
"...No. Thank you."
"Yes, the exit is over there."
Getting up from my seat and heading for the door, I glanced back.
Kim Ha-yeon was already staring at the monitor with a cold face.
This person... why does she keep pushing me into the dungeon?
***
---
[Dungeon Gallery]
Title: Haven't seen the caveman lately
Haven't seen Pingchang either.
ㅇㅇ: Did the party break up?
ㅇㅇ: Maybe they went down to the 2nd Floor?
ㅇㅇ: With that deadweight? lol If he goes to the 2nd Floor like that, it's straight to the coffin
ㅇㅇ: If the party broke up, I'd like to scout Pingchang
ㅇㅇ: fr his Trait was unusually good, right?
ㅇㅇ: But if Pingchang's Trait is that good, why did he run away during the boss fight?
ㅇㅇ: Come to think of it, those three guys were pressuring him then
ㅇㅇ: Could it be that Pingchang was actually the one being exploited?
ㅇㅇ: Hmm... Should we look into it?
---
***
As I left the Management Bureau building, a cool breeze blew.
My cold brain started turning.
Let's organize.
I can't be sure exactly when I'll turn back into a man,
but since it took 2 weeks to become a woman, assuming it's similar for becoming a man, the remaining time is roughly.
4 days.
As I walked, I organized my thoughts in my head.
During the remaining 4 days, make money through personal streaming and Haneul Company.
First goal: next month's repayment and equipment costs for the dungeon's 2nd Floor.
It seems impossible, but you have to aim high...
I stopped walking in front of a traffic light.
Three days from now, if I become a man again as I predicted.
Somehow get equipped and go down to the 2nd Floor with Lee Yul.
The signal changed to green.
If the 2nd Floor income is as good as Kim Ha-yeon says, then maybe I can escape
this suffocating, hand-to-mouth cycle of relying only on streaming income.
I started walking again.
Spending millions on equipment is painful right now,
but I have to go. Above all.
It's just a hypothesis without any certainty, but.
To control this damn Trait, I need to go deep into the dungeon quickly. I can't live like this, collapsing every night and comforting myself alone.
I turned my head towards the direction of the Gate.
Alternating between man and woman, filling in each other's shortcomings.
Make money as a woman, slay monsters as a man.
That way, escape from this hellish cycle.
...This is my way to survive.
Just then, my pocket vibrated.
[Lee Yul: Yunha-ssi, can we meet for a moment?]
[Lee Yul: I have something to give you!]
[Lee Yul: (photo)]
The photo showed Lee Yul smiling in front of a Hunter equipment store,
holding two large paper bags.
...?
No way!
My heart raced.
Did Lee Yul buy my equipment?
A clue for the most vague part of my plan had come to me on its own.
But.
This is pity.
Getting free meals every day when I was a man was already a nuisance.
If I accept that expensive equipment too, I'm practically a beggar.
My hand gripping the phone tightened.
...But I need equipment to go to the 2nd Floor.
To be blunt, with my current streaming income, just making next month's repayment is already tough.
I stared at my phone screen for a long time.
Then, I raised my head.
I'll accept it.
But this is the last time I accept something like this for free.
I shoved my phone into my pocket and looked up at the sky.
I can just hunt on the 2nd Floor and pay back the equipment cost, right?
...I can do it, right?
***
At the same time.
Management Bureau, Compensation Processing Department.
Kim Ha-yeon, processing the next petitioner's documents, paused for a moment.
She quietly looked down at the copy of Kang Yunha's receipt she had just printed,
placed to one side of her desk.
"...If it's this person."
The pen between her fingers spun around once more.