Chapter 74: Stars And Whales

Next to the basketball hoop, there was a box surrounded by wire mesh filled with basketballs.

[Let’s go, captain!!]

[Won’t the hoop break if the captain dunks it? LOL]

“You little shits. I’m wearing a skirt.”

[Damn]

[Oh lol you noticed this]

“You want to see?”

[Ohhhhhhh]

[Ohhhhh!!!!]

“I’m wearing underwear.”

[Ah…]

[Ah]

“I’m lying.”

[Ohh]

[Ohhhh]

“You guys are so f*cking honest.”

[LOL lol]

[You little shits]

[Geeseungcheong]

He set up a rack on the floor and took out a basketball from inside the wire mesh.

“This is a lot harder than I thought?”

[Yeah, it’s really hard]

[If you hit it, it goes into the goal]

A basketball that I briefly touched at school when I was little.

The outer surface had rough protrusions.

It seemed to be made like this so that it wouldn’t slip because it was a game you played with your hands.

“But I’ve never played basketball before.”

[Haven’t you ever tried it at school?]

[Throws roughly]

“Roughly? Umm, you know I’m terrible at throwing things. I’ll just throw it anyway.”

When he held the basketball and looked at the goal, it was much higher than he thought.

[Why does it look so small when it’s under the homeroom leader’s goal?]

[Gaeul is so damn cute===]

[The homeroom leader holds it with both hands and throws it]

“Both hands? Like this?”

-Sobbing!

[No, that’s not it]

[Nonononono]-Bam!!

The basketball goal looked so far away and high that he must have used too much force, so the basketball flew like a cannonball and hit the ground.

[Is this a ship and not a cruise ship?]

[Tsk tsk A cruise ship with a cannon]

“Eighth, throw with both hands.”

[You should just use your left hand]

[It’s about putting spin on the ball and dropping it against the backboard]

[Gaeul, keep your eyes on the goal]

It seemed like only basketball players were there, so the training was no joke.

Perhaps it was because the majority of viewers are men who go crazy over ball games.

[Autumn Hampo, shortened to Gampo!!]

[It’s Gampo~ It’s Gampo~]

“You’re saying the same thing as Gampo, you uncivilized brats. Want to taste a 155mm high explosive shell?”

[9999 =]

[f*ck, retreat! The host is too strong]

[Ah, the artillery came out and I’m getting PTSD]

“Haa-There’s no one who’s reflecting.”

[?? They reflected]

[I told you it was surrender?]

[Eww, retreat, the nonsense begins]

Our viewers are always noisy.

There are times when I get crazy, but I always enjoyed the broadcast.

My precious friends who make the shitty silence disappear.

“I make a wish. Come, flames of hell. Burn, flames of purgatory…”

[I can’t hold it in any longer, stop it, you hostage!]

He waves his hands in the air and lets out a solemn voice.

“7th Circle Great Magic White Phosphorus Smoke Bomb.”

[Much, 7th Circle is really strong]

[Clang!]

[Ariel-ttang donated 10,000 won]

[Kissama!!! Using forbidden black magic!!!]

[Ariel Shack is accepting that¬¬¬¬]

[Are we going to break the Geneva Convention just because we’re civilians?]

“Since when did the long nobles join the Geneva Convention?”

[It’s true when you hear it]

[I don’t know?]

“I don’t know? Then I should be beaten.”

After the short skit ended, I felt exhausted from all the chaos I had caused.

“Ah, I’m tired because of you guys.”

[==== Recharge]

[Rechargeable room leader ===]

[Let’s charge quickly and play]

Even when I was broadcasting from home, when I got tired, I would come back and smoke a cigarette in between to raise my energy.

It seems like they think everything will be okay if they just light a cigarette.

“It’s really appealing.”

[It’s time to smoke aa =]

[Everyone goes to the bathroom and comes back with a cigarette]

“Don’t steal my lines.”

[Munte pujjeumreu-]

As the time we spent together broadcasting increased, I started to feel strange because of the viewers who would guess even the weirdest parts.

“But where is the smoking area?”

[Isn’t they smoking over there?]

[Yeah, smoke is rising]

When I looked around, I saw Isabelle fiddling with her phone from afar.

When I looked around a little more, I saw people smoking at another table.

“You want me to go over there and smoke with you?”

[Yeah, yeah]

[I can’t do it, but the room leader can]

[Really ==]

After thinking for a bit, I walked towards the table where smoke was rising.

“For this big place, isn’t it strange that there aren’t that many people?”

[That’s true]

[It seems like everyone is in their rooms because it’s before the party starts?]

“Is that so?”

As we continued walking while chatting with the viewers, we soon came close to a table where smoke was rising.

“Hello… huh?”

“Hehe, this is the second time we’ve met.”

“Yes.”

The person sitting at the table with a clear view of the ocean and smoking was the old gentleman with a white beard and white hair who we had smoked with at the hotel.

“In the East, there’s a saying that if two people’s lapels touch, it’s fate. I guess our relationship is deep.”

“You’re talking about fate.”

As we were exchanging greetings with the old gentleman with white hair, a curt remark was heard from the person sitting across from us.

“That eccentric old man is Arthur Wellington.”

Unlike his strong tone, he had gray hair that had turned white and he had a gentle expression wearing round glasses.

“It’s Arthur. You can call me whatever you want.”

“Please, Arthur. My name is Han Ga-eul. Please call me Ga-eul.”

“Please.”

As Arthur shook hands, he saw an old man with white hair who was smiling pleasantly.

“The guy over there who is smiling unpleasantly is Herman Melville. He is a money whale.”

“My name is Herman. You can call me Herman, Autumn.”

Judging from the way they introduced each other, they seemed like close friends.

[Arthur doesn’t know, but isn’t Herman a white whale?]

[No nonsense, why is Herman here?]

While the introductions were going on, the viewers’ chats were visible.

Arthur was hearing about it for the first time, but he had definitely heard of Herman Melville.

“Herman?”

“Huh? Why are you saying that, Autumn.”

“Uh… maybe a blue whale?”

“Yes.”

The answer came from Arthur.

“That guy is the money whale, the blue whale Herman Melvin.”

“Gasp.”

[Gasp]

[Gasp]

[???]

[Gasp]

Herman Melvin, the money whale who leads an investment holding company in the United States and is proudly ranked first in the world’s wealth rankings.

A person he had only seen on the news and in books was right in front of him.

“Art, why do you keep stealing my introductions?”

“Damn it. I told you not to call me Art!”

[Room leader, show us too]

[Is it really Blue Whale?]

[We like the room leader but still show us for a bit]

On one side, they’re fighting over their age and using a nickname, while on the other side, they’re making a fuss to show us.

“Hey you-hey.”

Why are you suddenly doing ASMR?

[I actually like it]

“Ten–sae- deul–ah-..

If–you–s–dang–ha–you are ruined for you are ruined.”

[Aha]

[We have to save Ga-eul]

[Life is doomed ===]

As I was whispering into my phone, I suddenly felt gazes at me and turned my head to see Herman and Arthur staring at me.

“Did Ga-eul come to say hello?”

“I saw smoke, so I came to have a cigarette together.”

“Hahaha. There are people who come to see cigarettes instead of money. Isn’t that refreshing?”

“Herman?”

“Heh heh heh. Would you like to trade one cigarette for another?”

“Oh! Sure.”

I took a cigarette out of the pack and held it out, and a cigar with a larger grain than the last time rolled into my hand.

Pung! The sound of the lighter cap still resonated clearly.

“Whew. It’s heavier yet softer than last time, perfect for the afternoon.”

“Hehe, as expected of my smoking buddy. You’re a smoker.”

“What smoker? One more sucker.”

Arthur kept poking around.

[Oh, sh*t, you were friends with Bang Jang-ryeon Blue Whale?]

[You rascals, don’t just listen to us and interpret for me.]

“This is my partner, Baek Seal.”

He took Baek Seol off the back of his head, as if she had slipped, and introduced her to the two.

She made eye contact with the two of them for a long time, her ears perking on her palm, before Baek Seol reached out first.

“Ahem, nice to meet you, rabbit. I’m Arthur.”

Arthur’s face, which had been spewing caustic words, looked strangely flushed.

“Art, that guy likes cute things that don’t suit him.”

“Shut up! I told you not to call me Art!”

Even as he was angry, his eyes were fixed on Baek Seol.

“What’s wrong with liking cute things? Arthur, would you like to open your hand?”

“Hmm, right. It’s stupid to judge the feeling of liking by age or gender.”

“Of course. Arthur, open your hand quickly.”

Arthur, who had been hesitating, slowly began to spread his palms on the table.

“You should spread them out wide.”

“….Like this?”

I spread out my palms that were slowly spreading out and placed Snow White on them.

“Snow White, this is Arthur. Be friendly.”

Snow White, who heard what I said, raised her short front legs toward Arthur.

“Ahem, as I said before, it’s Arthur. Please take care of me.”

Seeing her whole body stiffen because of the small Snow White on her palm, I thought she looked just like someone else.

While Arthur was captivated by Snow White, I smoked a cigarette and told Herman about the various events that had happened on the way here.

“That’s why I picked up the gold bar with a bang!”

“Uh-huh, that must be incredibly tiring. Wow, that’s amazing. Is that phone on air then?”

“Yes, that’s right. But I’m the only one filming so it’s okay. You two won’t be in the show.”

[Oh, why!!!!!!]

[Show us too!!!]

[Is it really Blue Whale? Is it real? Is it real?]

“I don’t mind.”

“I’m okay too.”

Arthur, who had been playing with Snow White, must have kept his ears open.

“Hmm, no. I’ll think about it a little more and get back to you.”

“Do whatever you want, Autumn.”

As he was quietly talking to Herman like that, the conversation changed to Arthur.

“Arthur is an astronomer.”

“An astronomer? You look at stars and stuff?”

[Jangle!]

[Gyul-ga-go-ga-eul-eo-go-nim donates 1,000 won]

[Arthur Wellington (astrophysicist) – Nobel Prize winner for the accelerated expansion of the universe and observation of gravitational waves]

[Is this real?]

[It’s not his stomach distending, what’s expanding?]

[Aha, I get it perfectly (don’t understand)]

“Huh?”

I glanced at Arthur while reading the donation message that popped up on my phone and saw him laughing while joking with Snow White.

“–Right–Ah?”

“It’s all correct.”

[I don’t know what it is, but the host’s words are always right]

“Hmm, hey Art. Isn’t it my turn to say hello now?”

“Damn it, Arthur! No, that’s not important. Look at Snow White, how high an IQ do you have to be?”

“I guess I should change your occupation to zoologist.”

I glanced at my phone for a moment, but he was still mumbling in the meantime.

“Ha, I don’t know either.”

[Me too?]

[I don’t know]

“Shipple, that damn Il-loo. I’ll lose Il-loo?”

[I don’t know]

[¬¬¬ It’s cute when Ga-eul does II-loo]

While holding onto the cell phone stand, arguing with the viewers, and Herman and Arthur arguing next to me, a familiar voice was heard.

“This is really annoying, stop it.”

“Belle, I’m fine.”

“Oh, stop it!”

One of the two people approaching us with a loud voice was Isabelle, whom I know well.

I saw a man walking slowly and staggering, and Isabelle following him as if to stop him.

“Isabelle, what’s wrong?”

“Huh? Autumn!”

He waved his hands as if he had just discovered me.

[Isabelle, welcome]

At that moment, my stomach felt a slight bulge.

A slight ripple that would make even a child lose his balance.

“Aah!!”

A man staggering as if drunk lost his balance and was about to fall out of a lower obstacle than expected.

“Isabel!”

Isabelle, startled, grabbed the man and fell with him, struggling.

She got up from the table she was sitting at and instantly kicked off the ground.

She accelerated while stomping on the ground even harder in the world that had naturally slowed down.

Thump!

After struggling and eventually losing her balance, she barely managed to grab Isabelle’s arm and pull her up.

“Ugh.”

“Isabel, Isabelle! Are you okay?”

“Ugh! –Ugh!”

She was flustered and couldn’t continue speaking, and she just gestured to the man who had fallen.

When she looked out of the obstacle, she saw the man who had fallen into the sea, struggling on the surface.

He seemed to have been lucky enough to land feet first when he fell, as he didn’t seem seriously injured.

“Isabel, it’s okay. That man wasn’t hurt either.”

[Wow, that’s surprising. I’m glad you didn’t get hurt]

[What the heck is fall]

[That guy’s going to leave in a very artistic way]