Politics
Politics
Two days later, Haneul Company waiting room.
I checked my outfit in the full-length mirror.
Today's broadcast outfit was a white halter-neck mini dress.
I matched it with bare legs and beige heels.
For my hair, I set it with waves and let it hang long over my left shoulder,
so that my smooth shoulders and silver hair would contrast.
Ah.
The eyeliner on my right eye was drawn a bit strangely.
I tried to learn professional techniques by getting it done at a shop, and this is the result?
Is there an eyeliner pen?
...Found it.
At that moment, a text arrived.
[Lee Yul: I'm keeping your equipment safe! I'll hand it over to you next time we go to the dungeon together!]
...I appreciate it, but.
[Kang Yunha: Got it. Thanks]
I placed my phone face down and closed one eye.
I picked up the eyeliner.
I'll definitely repay this debt in the dungeon.
"Wolha~"
Just then, a deliberately high-pitched voice came from behind.
Ha-Yan approached holding two paper cups.
The person who intentionally messed up my makeup to ruin my debut.
And now that person was smiling in front of me.
"You like Americano, right? I made some."
"Uh, thank you?"
I absentmindedly accepted the coffee.
"You've been killing it lately.
I watched all your personal broadcast highlights yesterday."
Ha-Yan moved right next to me.
"Can you share some reactions with me during the broadcast later?"
She whispered softly so only I could hear.
"Since Suyeon is sitting next to me, the camera doesn't catch me at all, so..."
Is she trying to get on my good side?
Her expression was forced bright, but her eyes looked desperate.
In this world, if you don't have buzz, you're as good as dead.
"Okay, unnie."
"Really? Thanks, Wolha."
Ha-Yan smiled brightly and returned to her seat.
Then.
In the center of the waiting room, I saw Suyeon's hand pause momentarily as she applied lipstick at her seat.
Did she see the whole scene through the mirror?
But then, as if nothing happened, she finished applying her lipstick.
...If it's Lee Suyeon, she probably saw it.
***
"You look pretty today too, Wolha."
Suyeon, who had finished her makeup, approached and patted my shoulder.
A strong perfume scent came from her wavy brown hair.
"Lately your solo streams have been going well too, I'm so proud.
Let's have a fun broadcast today like last time?"
She spoke affectionately, but her eyes weren't smiling at all.
What is she planning to do this time.
"Yes, please take care of me, unnie."
I followed Lee Suyeon's lead and only smiled with my mouth.
***
"Alright! The hottest women of Gom TV have gathered!
Haneul Company, starting now!"
With Park Haneul's smooth opening, the studio lights all turned on simultaneously.
The screen lit up showing the female streamers' faces and rankings.
1st place: Suyeon.
2nd place: Wolha.
3rd place: Arin.
With just one broadcast last time, I had reclaimed 2nd place.
"We ask for your passionate support again today, gentlemen!"
The camera began panning across the female streamers one by one.
Suyeon winked as soon as the camera caught her, and I smiled lightly and bowed my head.
And 3rd place Arin─
"..."
She looked stony-faced.
Her outfit and hair were set glamorously, but her expression management was completely off.
Keunson Gom abandoned her again and came to me, so it's understandable she'd be upset.
But someone tried to take advantage of that opening.
"Arin."
Lee Suyeon did.
"What's wrong with your face? Is something wrong?"
She looked at Arin with a concerned face while holding her microphone.
"...It's nothing."
Arin turned her head away from Suyeon's gaze.
But Suyeon didn't back down.
"It doesn't seem like nothing..."
A worried voice.
Perfect acting, like an actress.
"I wonder why Arin looks so gloomy."
Then, a female streamer sitting opposite Suyeon spoke up.
"Maybe... is it because of Keunson Gom oppa?"
Instantly, silence fell over the studio.
"Ah..."
Suyeon immediately let out a sigh and glanced subtly in my direction.
The camera also moved following Suyeon's gaze.
What?
The camera alternately zoomed in on Arin's stiff face and my flustered face.
Arin's eyes wavered momentarily.
She tried to frown but quickly changed her expression.
"...Honestly, it's a bit hard."
She bit her lip and squeezed out her voice as if she was wronged.
"I really tried my best."
Her voice gradually trembled and the corners of her eyes turned red.
"Arin, are you crying?"
Suyeon covered her mouth and raised her voice.
"Crying, what..."
Arin wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Ah, sorry. I'm bringing down the mood."
What is she doing, continuing even though she knows.
A single tear rolled down Arin's face.
[Is Arin really crying?]
[She did seem in a bad mood since Keunson Gom went back to Wolha's room]
[Honestly, isn't it a fact that the atmosphere went to shit after Wolha joined?]
[That bitch has no sense of propriety tsk tsk]
The chat atmosphere started flowing strangely.
"Let's not start with a gloomy atmosphere!
The gentlemen might go play somewhere else!
Let's lift the mood again!"
Park Haneul tried to shift the atmosphere, but it was already too late.
[Arin is really pitiful]
[Honestly, does this girl with no roots come to make money and steal other female streamers' top donors?]
[Isn't she just going back to Pazijik once she makes money anyway?]
[Why are you saying such things?]
[Other girls don't do that? lol]
A few were shielding me, but the majority were already criticizing me.
And as if waiting for that timing, the betrayer appeared.
[Keunson Gom gifted 20,000 Balloons!]
[Keunson Gom: Arin, don't cry. Oppa came back]
Having hit a wall with me and had his pride hurt, Keunson Gom betrayed me again.
On the ranking board, Arin's rank shot up one spot and my name was pushed down one.
That 2 million won, originally should have been mine.
Seeing myself being pushed down the ranking board in real time made my stomach churn.
[You're cool, sir!!]
[Arin fighting!]
[The icon of betrayal Keunson Gom lol]
Other viewers started jumping on the bandwagon.
Small balloon gifts poured into Arin one after another.
"Wolha, are you okay?"
Suyeon threw out a word pretending to be concerned.
"Arin is just upset, so understand...?"
This one word drove in the final nail.
It made it look like I was intentionally tormenting Arin.
[Great Suyeon]
[The dignity of 1st place wow]
[Look at her expression, shouldn't she feel a bit sorry?]
The camera kept filming my face.
What should I do here?
I couldn't open my mouth.
Would saying sorry change this atmosphere?
...No way it would.
I saw Suyeon's lips subtly curving up when the camera wasn't on her.
So this is how you want to play?
I bowed my head and deliberately made my shoulders tremble.
An eye for an eye.
A tear for a tear.
Slowly, I raised my head.
A single tear fell.
"I..."
The camera captured my face with tears welling up.
"This is my first joint broadcast, so I didn't know well..."
I made my voice slightly crack.
"I, I really like Arin unnie... It's not like I did it on purpose..."
The studio fell silent for a moment.
"I also... sob."
Took one breath in.
"I was just trying to live hard somehow too..."
I tightly gripped the hem of my dress with both hands.
A tear fell below my chin.
"Everyone keeps saying things to me, so I, I..."
The chat paused briefly before exploding again.
[Ah fuck this bitch cries so prettily]
[Wait, Keunson Gom went to Wolha and fawned over her, why blame Wolha!]
[Seeing her cry tears my heart too ㅠㅠ]
[She has a ton of debt so she was working hard, why are you like that...]
[Debt?]
[I heard her potion costs were huge after she got hurt, there's a clip of her on Pazijik wearing patient clothes and debt-biming out]
[Oppas will pay off your debt!]
The number next to my face updated like crazy.
[Bamui Jewang gifted 30,000 Balloons!]
[Bamui Jewang: That's a bit too muchㅡㅡ]
Passing Arin again.
[Jjoinamed gifted 30,000 Balloons!]
[Jjoinamed: Stop bullying Wolha. You like making the kid cry?]
Finally surpassing even Suyeon, I rose to 1st place.
60,000 balloons means a net income of 1.92 million won.
1.92 million won for one fake tear.
This is pretty good, huh?
...I shouldn't be doing this.
Suyeon's expression twisted.
Arin was staring blankly at the ranking board with her mouth open.
[60,000 wow wow]
[A 6 million won tear lol]
[Keunson Gom shoot one more for Arin!]
[Arin and Suyeon's expressions lol lol]
[Suyeon tried to frame another one and failed huh]
"Wolha-ssi, are you okay?"
Park Haneul belatedly approached and handed me a handkerchief.
Bastard.
Just a moment ago he was only watching, and as soon as the atmosphere shifted, he immediately changed his stance.
"Yes... I'm okay."
Wiping the corners of my eyes, I smiled toward the camera.
"I'm always grateful to those who believe in me.
I'll work harder."
[ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[Why am I so moved]
[Everyone knows this has all been WWE, right?]
[I bet my dick that tear wasn't acting]
Don't need that.
***
Break time.
At the bathroom sink, I looked in the mirror and wiped away the tear stains from earlier.
Carefully, so my makeup wouldn't smudge.
Made 2.5 million won.
It's not even one-third of my monthly repayment amount.
But as today's income alone, it's not bad.
Plus, there's still part 2 left, so I can earn more.
Then, the bathroom door opened and Suyeon entered.
With the sound of high heels, Suyeon stood at the sink next to me.
"Not bad."
Suyeon smiled.
It was the same face I saw in the bathroom when we went for the company dinner before.
"It's nothing."
I retorted while drying my hands with a paper towel.
"Countering with tears to flip the atmosphere...
Did you study a lot?"
"I had a good teacher."
"Teacher?"
"Want to guess?"
I folded the towel and threw it in the trash.
Suyeon took out lipstick from her pouch.
This time, my fingertips weren't trembling.
"No."
Suyeon spoke while applying lipstick to her lips.
"There's still a lot of broadcast time left, Wolha."
I met Suyeon's eyes in the mirror.
I turned my body.
"I'll look forward to it, unnie."
When I opened the bathroom door and came out, the cold air in the hallway hit my face.
Part 2 will probably come at me even harder.
As I walked, I checked my phone.
[Lee Yul: I registered for an academy today!]
[Lee Yul: They said to go deeper, I need to learn common skills and stuff too]
[Lee Yul: Just trust me, Yunha-ssi!]
Attached was a photo of Lee Yul smiling brightly in front of a large building.
...Lately, you're the only source of vitality in my life.
I put my phone back in my pocket and headed to the waiting room.
***
---
[Streamer Gallery]
Title: Haneul Company's best broadcast ever came out
Arin and Wolha crying and making a scene lol
ㅇㅇ: Suyeon set this up, right?
ㅇㅇ: Not sure if Arin was really crying or acting
ㅇㅇ: Do you think Arin could pull off that kind of acting? 100% real tears
ㅇㅇ: lol lol
ㅇㅇ: But Wolha seemed more pitiful than Arin...
ㅇㅇ: fr Arin seemed like she was forcing it lol
ㅇㅇ: Wolha's face has narrative
ㅇㅇ: Even if she took a shit with that face, it'd look pretty
ㅇㅇ: But is the debt for real?
ㅇㅇ: Looking at her old broadcasts on Pazijik, it doesn't seem like a lie
ㅇㅇ: Wolha, oppa will pay it all off for you
ㅇㅇ: Next donation~
---