Chapter 66: Countless Requests for Handshakes

Lily was a fan of Kayak.

To be honest, she couldn’t confess that she had been a fan since being selected to the same team.

Back then, even managing her own stream was overwhelming, leaving her no time to watch others.

In simpler terms, unless they were big names—the celebrities who inspired her to start streaming, like Taker—Lily didn’t know much about other streamers.

She hadn’t even paid attention to Taker’s tournament until her viewers pressured her into applying as a joke, only for her to be selected as a player.

As a streamer with a shy disposition, Lily felt both thrilled and worried.

Could someone like her, who had never collaborated with other streamers, hold her own among strangers?

Her insecurities didn’t help.

She couldn’t shake off the notion that she’d been chosen as the team’s weakest link—an underdog selected as a punching bag or to fill a quota.

It was almost inevitable that her first day of team practice would be rough.

Despite spending every spare moment preparing, she ended up being the team’s weakest member.

The tournament drew a large audience, and with it came harsh criticisms.

The sharp comments in chat hurt, even from viewers she thought would support her.

She had braced herself for this, yet she still found herself tearing up.

And then Kayak—a streamer she had never met before—reached out with a lifeline.

Truly, genuinely, Kayak was as kind-hearted as their lovely voice suggested.

At first, Lily doubted their intentions.

When Kayak suggested she play support, she couldn’t help but feel they saw her as a mere tool.

But that was her own low self-esteem speaking.

Kayak genuinely cared about her.

It wasn’t just for show; even off-stream, Kayak remained the same—offering feedback, encouragement, and sometimes strict guidance, like a teacher mentoring a student.

By then, not becoming a fan would have been strange.

No, calling herself just a fan might be an understatement.

Kayak had given Lily something far more valuable than a tournament victory.

Even her regular streams, which had once been a source of constant anxiety, felt much less burdensome after the tournament.

This was why Lily had persistently asked Kayak to join their team dinner.

She wanted to express her gratitude face-to-face, even if it might make Kayak uncomfortable.

When Kayak finally agreed to attend, Lily was overjoyed.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but wonder what they would look like.

People tend to form an image of others in their minds.

While the other teammates were already publicly visible thanks to their use of face cams, Kayak was a complete mystery.

Lily imagined someone dependable like an older sister—quirky yet strict, kind yet firm.

Her mental image of Kayak became a complex amalgamation of traits.

Still, she tried to keep her expectations realistic, avoiding overly idealized notions of their appearance.

In her mind’s eye, Kayak had modest black hair, possibly long, and an impression that was gentle yet resolute.

This was the final sketch Lily’s imagination had produced just before their meeting—a surprisingly detailed montage for a mere guess.

“Uh, Kayak…?”

“Yes?”

The reality exceeded her imagination.

The real Kayak didn’t have black hair or a firm yet gentle impression.

No simple adjectives could describe them.

Ethereal—that was the word.

Lily had to resist the urge to pinch her cheeks to ensure she wasn’t dreaming.

Without realizing it, she spoke.

“Kayak? Really? Are you really the Kayak who taught me how to play Abyss?”

Even though she already knew the answer—she’d recognized the voice—she asked again.

Nod, nod.

Kayak simply gave a subtly curious look, as if wondering why this person was acting that way.

“Have a seat.”

With practiced ease, Kayak grasped Lily’s wrist, which was hanging limply in her confusion, and confidently led her to the center of the room, where all eyes were naturally drawn.

Caught off guard by the unexpected strength, Lily stammered, “Uh—uh,” as she was pulled along into the room.

“Oh, Hoon’s here? Hoon, come and help us pick a course. Everyone’s opinions are split. Let’s see—Kayak, what’s your preference?”

“I’ll go with Course A.”

“Course A? Looks like we’ve got a lot of votes for that. But who mentioned—”

“Wow! Camilla! Camilla’s here!”

“Oh my gosh…”

Wide, dilated pupils. Bewildered expressions.

Everyone’s reactions weren’t all that different from Lily’s.

Kayak, perhaps feeling awkward about the attention, lightly scratched their cheek and finally spoke.

“Sorry for being late. As for the wine… I’ll cover it.”

Initially intending to offer to pay for the first or second round, Kayak reconsidered after accounting for their financial situation, settling instead on just the wine.

Unbeknownst to them, even the wine at this upscale restaurant came with a hefty price tag.

But Kayak, thinking, How expensive can wine really be?, made the suggestion without a second thought.

Only then did the others snap out of their daze and turn to face Kayak properly.

The room grew lively once again, this time for an entirely different reason.

Kayak was already the centerpiece of the group.

After all, wasn’t the team named after Kayak?

The “Kayak Team” was a name born out of convenience, simply taking the team leader’s name, but it had stuck nonetheless.

As such, Kayak’s significance to the team was undeniable.

A team dinner without Kayak would be like red bean bread without the red bean—a joke LimeTak often made.

Even without their striking appearance, Kayak would naturally have drawn attention.

But with that appearance, it was no surprise that Kayak became the center of the room in an instant.

“Kayak, you’re so, so beautiful! Are your eyes colored contacts? Oh, they’re natural. How do you maintain your hair? It’s so silky! You must have bleached it multiple times to get that color—oh, natural too? Wow, I’m speechless. Can I touch it just once?”

“No.”

Despite not having had even a sip of wine, Haktu, who had moved closer to Kayak with a flushed face, backed away, looking sullen.

This time, it was Hangang’s turn.

“Then… are you mixed-race?”

“I’ll no comment on that.”

“No comment… Okay. But honestly, you look even prettier than Camilla. Now that I think about it, maybe Camilla was modeled after you.”

“You are Camilla. No wonder you play her so well. Masters always pay attention to the smallest details.”

“Hey, if I dye my hair purple like Cassia, will I get better at playing her?”

“Keep dreaming, sis. It’s a joke; don’t take it seriously.”

Hangang nodded in agreement, convinced. Meanwhile, LimeTak, who had been bantering with Haktu, muttered under his breath as he fended off her teasing.

“At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Abyss design team modeled Camilla after you. Were you, by any chance, affiliated with Abyss in the past…?”

LimeTak, raising a conspiracy theory, made Kayak smile awkwardly.

Hangang, who was showing Kayak the menu, nodded.

“You said you like meat, right? Okay, Course A it is… If it’s not enough, let me know, and I’ll order more.”

“But, bro, didn’t you just say you wanted Course B?”

“…Me? When did I say Course B? Honestly, I wanted Course A too. You need a hearty meal with meat. What’s seafood even for? Oh, and you don’t have to buy the wine. I was planning to cover the first round anyway. Huh? A late fee? Come on, you were barely 10 minutes late—what’s all this fuss for?”

“Hangang makes good money. Just from his V-tubing income, imagine how much it must be. Don’t worry about it.”

“That’s right, that’s right. He’s ‘Million-a-Month Hangang.’ You should take advantage of him at times like this.”

“I’m not making millions…”

The gathering unfolded in a cheerful and harmonious atmosphere.

Chun Hoon, who had arrived late, was dumbstruck upon seeing Kayak, which made everyone laugh.

Questions about Kayak poured in nonstop, yet the group still clinked their wine glasses together merrily.

Kayak wasn’t particularly talkative, but they remained at the center of every conversation.

They sipped wine while answering the barrage of questions, occasionally giving a subtle smile and even holding a finger to their lips for some inquiries, playfully keeping them a mystery.

Kayak was captivating—not just in appearance but in every little gesture and mannerism, exuding an inexplicable air of intrigue.

Some people there began to understand why Kayak avoided turning on their webcam.

With looks like that, if Kayak ever did turn on the camera, the entire Twitch platform would be in an uproar.

It would cause a storm far greater than the time they did a casual drinking stream.

And so, after a round of Kayak-focused questions subsided, a brief lull set in.

Those sitting next to or across from each other began chatting in small groups while Kayak, with a faintly tired expression, sipped on their wine.

Tap, tap.

A hesitant tap on her arm made Kayak turn her head.

“Excuse me, may I ask you something?”

“Forty-one.”

“Uh, I mean, how old are you?”

It wasn’t a particularly sensitive question, so Kayak answered easily.

Her current legal age as Moon Ah Yang—a full eight years younger than her original age as a man.

“Twenty-one.”

“W-what? Twenty-one…?”

Lily’s eyes widened, then she shrank back with a somewhat deflated look.

Under her breath, she murmured, “She’s younger than me…”

Kayak, observing Lily and then subtly scanning the others, quietly took another bite of her meat.

A gentle smile played on her lips.