Chapter 16 : Finally, a real cam broadcast! (This time it’s for real)

It’s hard to open my mouth.

I’m having a hard time speaking because of the awkwardness, the guilt, and the embarrassment.

“Um…”

<Yeah.>

So-eun’s calm voice, assuring me that she was listening, only made me feel more guilty.

But there was something I had to tell her.

“Could you lend me some money?”

Tomorrow, no, it’s already past midnight, so today.

I promised to buy a cam and turn on the stream today, but I don’t have any money.

The chairman gave me 200,000 won to buy a cam, but I won’t be able to receive that money until the settlement date, which is months away.

Until then, I’m completely broke.

I don’t have any money to buy a cam!

‘Should I try that ‘money duplication bug’ again?’

But that also takes time.

There’s no guarantee that it will sell as soon as I list it.

If I want to turn on the stream around 5 PM today, I need money right now.

But I’m so sleepy that I’m about to fall asleep, so if I don’t get the money in advance and go to sleep,…………….

“I have to buy a cam because of the promise, but I don’t have any money on me right now… I’ll definitely pay you back on the stream’s settlement day! I’ll even throw in a chicken!”

My face is burning.

It’s always scary to reveal my weakest points, and I’m terrified that the other person will reject me, that our relationship will become awkward, that they’ll be disappointed in me, so my hands are trembling.

<Hmm, how much?>

Is So-eun in a bad mood, or is she just indifferent? If she had spoken a little longer, I could have guessed from her voice. It was difficult to tell from just three syllables after the “hmm” sound.

Since I’m the one in need, my voice changed to sound pitiful.

My voice, begging for sympathy, sounds like I’m trying to be cute.

“Well, it’s not good to buy a really cheap one when I’m streaming, you know.

So I picked one in the 100,000 won range, and if I borrow 200,000 won, that should be enough.”

A (former) man borrowing money from a girl seven years younger.

I feel so humiliated that I could die. I shouldn’t have lived my life like this! But regret is always too late.

<Then I’ll give you 400,000 won, so buy a good mic too.>

She’s cooler than the South Pole Sejong Base! I don’t know much about the South Pole Sejong Base, but it must be cool because it’s in Antarctica! So-eun was even cooler than that!

“No, it’s not giving, it’s borrowing-“

<It’s fine! Think of it as a donation.

I was thinking of gifting you a mic anyway.

I was just worried that asking for your address would be crossing the line.

Since you seem to be quite uncomfortable with that sort of thing.>

Ugh. She already knows me too well, doesn’t she?

“How can there be a case where you ask for a donation before giving it…………”

<There are many. Much more than you think. You don’t watch much internet streaming, do you? That’s surprising.>

You’re telling me to give you money because I’m streaming for you? Isn’t that only possible for people with overflowing self-esteem? It’s impossible for me.

<Choose a good mic so that your pretty voice can be heard well! That’s my condition and your homework! Did you understand?>

“……Y, yes, ma’am.”

<Then send me your account number through KakaoTalk. I’ll deposit it right away.>

“Thank you….., thank you, So-eun-nim……..”

I really need to repay this favor later.

To do that, I have no choice but to earn that 5 million won, right?

Just earn it and pay it back, right?

<If you understand, then do well. From now on. Okay?>

“Yes, ma’am, yes, ma’am. So-eun-nim.”

So I managed to get the money for the cam.

Around 2 PM, the dreaded outside world.

Come to think of it, it’s my first time going further than the convenience store since becoming this body.

For reference, that convenience store is on the first floor of my building, within 30 meters outside the building.

How can a person live so confined? I don’t know, I just can, okay? I guess I was born to be a shut-in.

Since I’m not buying some cheap webcam from a supermarket, but rather proper streaming equipment, I planned to take the subway and go to a specialty store.

My outfit was shorts that covered my thighs and a sleeveless shirt.

It’s so hot that I can’t wear anything more than this.

And as I walked down the street, everyone I passed kept glancing at me.

Hey, if you’re going to look, look properly.

Why are you looking so creepily? Regardless of gender or age, the eyes of the people who kept glancing at me for no reason looked unpleasant.

No, not regardless of gender or age.

High school girls are okay.

Because they’re high school girls.

I smiled at a high school girl who made eye contact with me while glancing at me.

Then she also smiled back at me. Good, good. But why is she outside instead of at school at this hour? Is she a delinquent high school girl?

‘It’s only natural that I’d be interesting.’

Of course, I understand why people are glancing at me.

How can you not be curious when a foreigner with silver hair and red eyes is walking around in a place that’s not a tourist destination?

But I’m not that kind of person.

I’m a pure-blooded Korean who has never left Jeju Island.

I can’t speak any foreign language except for
otaku Japanese.

I protested only in my heart and got on the bus.

The air conditioning, which was a little cooler than the outside air, made me feel a little refreshed… No, it didn’t.

‘There’s sweat on my
,
.’

The area where my meet on the inside, and the area below where my skin folds.

There was an incredibly unpleasant sweat in two places.

‘
summer.’

I like spring.

I also like fall.

Winter is not bad. But I really hate summer, and it’s happening again.

‘Is this really a country with four seasons?’

But these days, Korea seems to have only two seasons: fake summer, real summer, fake winter, and real winter. The weather is really driving me crazy.

‘No one’s looking, right?’

It was so uncomfortable that I looked around, checking my surroundings, and then put my hand inside my clothes and wiped. I wish I had a tissue, but real men don’t carry bags. Right now, all I have is a wallet and a smartphone in my pocket.

‘Much better.’

After removing the Accumulated sweat, the discomfort was reduced a little.

My clothes were still a little damp, but there’s nothing I can do about that.

After getting off the bus, which had few people, and transferring to the subway, even more gazes than before fell on me like arrows.

Hey, that guy’s gaze is clearly fixed on my , isn’t it?

What are you looking at.

-Hey, you

-Have you never seen

on a person’s chest before? Did your mom die too early, so you don’t remember what a woman’s look like? Then
go to and pay to see them.

Don’t steal glances at other people’s.

I imagined saying that. I didn’t actually do it.

I’m strong on the internet, but I’m a wimp in real life.

Instead, I gave him a damp look, signaling that I was considering reporting him for harassment, and he must have understood, because he stopped staring.

People should live within their means.

The weak have their own way of surviving.

“Hello? Welcome? Dobro pozhalovat’?” (Russian: Welcome)

The clerk at the electronics store seemed a little flustered to see me, a person of unknown nationality.

I understand not knowing my nationality, but where did Russian come from?

Well, even I would be confused if someone with silver hair and red eyes suddenly appeared and wonder what country they’re from.

“Don’t worry. I’m Korean.”

“Oh! I see! You’re very pretty!”

Hey, shouldn’t you be asking me what I came here for? This guy seems quite flustered too.

“Um, I came to buy this webcam and this mic.”

I showed the clerk the product models I had looked up in advance on my smartphone and asked for guidance.

“Oh, you’re streaming. Can you tell me which platform and what your nickname is? I’ll definitely make sure to watch.”

Ruffian, streaming on Switch. But how can I say that with my own mouth!

If someone who saw my face in real life watched my stream, I might die of embarrassment.

“Ah, I won’t tell you.”

I whispered quietly, covering my bright red face with both hands, imagining this guy watching my stream.

Then I had a thought. Isn’t this a rather
attitude?

“I, I’m embarrassed.”

Why is he silent? The guy seemed to have decided to pretend that the conversation just now never happened and silently went to find the cam and mic I was looking for.

“Would you like to pay now?”

“I’ll use my debit card.”

I handed over my card and paid for the equipment.

And when I received the receipt, the price was strange.

“Is there some kind of event going on? Why is the price like this?”

It was 40% cheaper than the original price I saw.

If there was such a big sale, it would have been written somewhere in big letters, but I don’t see anything like that.

“You’re so pretty, so I gave you a discount.

Good luck with your stream.”

The guy said that while making an awkward fighting pose with both arms raised.

No, why this sudden huge act of kindness? Is it okay to give a discount of over 100,000 won so casually?

He must be a hidden owner, not an ordinary employee.

“Uh, thank you……”

My head is complicated.

Did I accidentally start life on very easy mode?

I don’t think that guy discounted it because he wanted something from me.

Just, just because I’m pretty and he liked it, he gave me this much of a discount? Is this guy a really good money maker?

“S, Switch Ruffian, but please don’t watch! Just know!”

I couldn’t offer any other form of gratitude for the discount of over 100,000 won, and I felt like I couldn’t just not tell him my streaming nickname, so I shouted that as I ran out.

I hope he didn’t hear me. How can a streamer’s name be Ruffian.

If he did hear me, he might watch the stream and think, “What is this mentally ill person?”

Thinking about that made me want to die. Should I jump onto the subway tracks?

Ah, there are screen doors.