Chapter 10: A Villain Can’t Possibly Be This Cute Part 1

There were an overwhelming number of comments saying I was cute.

While I do admit it myself, hearing it from someone else, especially in front of over seven thousand people, made me feel a bit shy.

Sure, I’m cute.

But… is it really okay for me to hear this?

Well, I do acknowledge it every time I look in the mirror, after all.

Looks are practically an asset these days.

But right now, I’m here as a member of the management team to help handle the broadcast.

So, I got straight to the point.

“People keep looking for me on Rain’s stream instead of Rain, and honestly, I considered saying something about it.”

Gasp

Noticing

“If you’re just using me as an excuse to support Rain, then I’ll allow it. Is there a Committee of Approval here?”

Viewers cautiously tested the waters, then a few took the lead, and soon the chat was filled with agreement.

Ox

Yes, agree

Approved

Big agree

oxox

“So, you’re all admitting it, right? You don’t need me as an excuse anymore, right? I’ll leave now?”

I left the call without a moment’s hesitation.

At the same time, I signaled Rain to handle the rest.

Ah

OFFFFFFFF

Seriously, why are you like this, haha

Honestly, I think they’re enjoying this

Ah, my soft, squishy employee-chan

Free D-Rain, pleaseee!

Wait, are they really leaving like this?

They’re really going?

The chat was flooded with complaints, but Rain calmly pressed the “mission complete” button.

It was already agreed upon in advance.

Today, I’d just show my face, and next time, I’d join for a proper stream.

So, the tower of donations that the viewers had eagerly built up (mostly by the chairman) went straight into Rain’s pocket.

If 4 million won tasted that good, Rain’s voice sounded more excited than it had in a while.

“Wow, seriously. This moisture that the puddles provided is absolutely delicious. Thanks for creating an excuse to give it. Goddess, I’ll work even harder to yaral! Thank you! Thank you!”

Only after the puddles had been focused on me for a moment did they realize the mission was complete, and they burst out in frustration.

How could you really complete this?

Are you ready to handle the consequences?

“Thief! Thiiieeeef!”

“Who stole my donation?”

“Hey, hey… we still have a refund button, don’t we?”

“Don’t make me laugh… don’t make me laugh… don’t make me laugh… don’t make me laugh… don’t make me laugh… don’t make me laugh… don’t make me laugh… don’t make me laugh… don’t make me laugh…”

:: Anonymous supporter donated 1,000 won ::

:: Look, you probably can’t digest all that—how about giving it back? ::

“Nope, nope. Spitting it out after eating is a bad habit. That’s what Bigma, who I collabed with before, said.”

Rain, activating the echo, started grooving with background music for a special reaction for the 1 million won donation.

The viewers’ reactions varied.

“This has got to be a lie, right?”

(Tear emote) (Glowstick emote) (Tear emote) (Glowstick emote)

(Laying-down emote) “I’m done.”

Screaming with rage(Glowstick emote)

“Who needs the Goddess now?!”

“Is Rain still here? Should the Puddles leave?”

(Tear of blood emote) (Tear of blood emote) (Tear of blood emote)

“Nah~ All we need to do is change our names.”

(Rock emote)

“Yeah.”

As more and more laying-down emotes and despair-filled messages filled the chat, Rain finally turned down the background music and got to the main point.

Did you know? Next week, I’m streaming with D-Rain, Puddles.

“Are you kidding?”

“Why didn’t you say so sooner?”

“This way, you all reveal your true feelings. Just like now.”

Honestly, I could’ve revealed earlier that I’d be appearing on the broadcast next week.

But Rain seemed to have anticipated all this and had prepared to tease the viewers from the start.

Completing the mission and raving about how delicious it was—all to fan the flames as soon as I left.

From a streamer who used to get harassed by toxic viewers in the U.S., it was as if Rain had become the toxic one after nearly a year…

“So, how about a little chat post-mortem before the 1 million won reaction? Isn’t it scary? Aren’t you trembling, terrified you won’t get to see Rain’s epic reaction?”

Soon, confessions from those afraid of the chat post-mortem and reaction ban poured down like rain.

:: Anonymous supporter donated 11,111 won ::

:: To D-Rain ::

:: Anonymous supporter donated 11,111 won ::

:: If there’s one goddess in this world, it’s you, Rain ::

:: Anonymous supporter donated 11,111 won ::

:: The national hip-hop GOAT, Rain ::

:: Anonymous supporter donated 11,111 won ::

:: I believed in you, damn it, I believed in you, damn it, I believed in you, damn it ::

Reading it gave me chills.

I, too, had suffered the humiliation of having my toxic messages to the boss dissected in a post-mortem before.

But being willing to get clapped back at by the streamer—that’s true top-tier behavior.

Like wrestling, a real show gets fun when people are willing to trade blows and throw themselves into the action.

If there were a “Toxic Academy” and I were invited as a guest lecturer, I might say this:

“Toxicity that benefits the stream is first-class. Throw yourself in, all for the fun, without hesitation.”

Those donating 11,111 won in shock were all exemplary first-class viewers.

But anyone who crossed the line with vile language or slurs should be locked up.

Since I’d already arranged a collab with Rain, the broadcasts of other first-gen streamers that started that night went off without a hitch.

Everyone was sharing laughs during their pre-broadcast interactions, chatting about yesterday’s “Find Rain” stream.

Though my story, as D-Rain, kept getting mentioned quite a bit…

If anyone got too curious, they could simply check Rain’s replay, official channel, or cut clips.

Anyone persistently talking about me in other first-gen streams would get a warning from the managers.

Still, just in case, I kept an eye out, noticing there were a lot of people seeking information from Komari and Maru.

It’s probably because each of them once accidentally leaked plans before.

They might be hoping one of them would spill some extra details.

However, Komari and Maru seemed keen to show their growth, responding appropriately.

“Leaves, that’s not good. It makes the staff member feel bad.”

“Are you talking about another girl right now?! Geez… Maru’s super depressed!! I’m gonna turn so dark!!”

Dora, true to her nickname as a “stone,” curled up tightly, showing little reaction.

Since we had a collab coming up, Rain casually shared old stories.

“Staff member? What do you need to know? Hehe.”

“A good person. Really. Today, too, she sulked, just like when she first arrived in Korea. She kept saying, ‘Foreigner needs help…’ while whining.”

Even the boss’s stream, where I thought attention might peak, remained quiet.

The boss is a master at handling viewers, after all.

“Curious? Then, shall we put up a mission in our chat too? How about making a goal the staff member’s salary, and then we call them in?”

Is this starting again…

Can someone please handle this money-crazed boss?

She wasn’t even like this when we were small…

“Boss has to rake in funds, huh? Haha.”

It was clear everyone was trying to protect me.

I suddenly felt like the baby of the company.

Or maybe like a little sibling who debuted with the first-gen streamers.

They’d always been protective, calling me an important staff member, but honestly, not to this degree.

Now that I looked cute, everyone’s maternal instincts seemed to be kicking in, overflowing with a desire to protect.

And I get it, honestly.

Every morning, they probably don’t know how much I pinch my own cheeks just getting ready for work.

Today, on the subway, someone even gave me their seat.

Normally, I’d stand for thirty minutes on my commute, but a tall guy offered me his seat, even asking if I was a vlogger.

Maybe his intentions weren’t purely altruistic, but I appreciated it and thanked him.

Thinking back to the days when I’d get side-eyes from elderly people silently urging me to give up my seat, it felt like the world had changed.

Above all, my favorite thing is exchanging cheerful messages with the boss on TingTalk.

Boss: Tomorrow, I’m having lunch with Rain.

Boss: You know, right?

Me: Yep, got it.

Boss: Have you thought about what content we’ll do during the collab?

Me: Not yet.

The boss, who used to forcefully praise me as a “good employee who follows orders well,” now treated me like a “friend,” which made my lips curl up with joy.

Boss: Then, should we do some Battlefield?

Boss: I haven’t collabed with Rain in a while.

Boss: We can do a three-player queue with Rain and me.

Me: Boring.

Boss: ??

Boss: Why? Don’t you like Battlefield?

Me: Because if the load increases, I can’t tease you, boss.

Boss: Hey

Boss: Can’t you take it easy for once?

Me: It’s not easy with Rain around.

Me: Really.

Boss: Rain does tend to get defeated absurdly quickly…

Boss: But Battlefield seems the most fitting to me.

Maybe it’s because I’ve known the boss for a while, but I could guess her intent.

She likely wanted me to take on a lighter role, just responding to their chatter while gaming.

Me: Let’s do Battlefield.

Me: If I talk too much, I might say something awkward.

Boss: Got it, got it.

Boss: We’ll discuss the collab plans tomorrow at lunch with Rain.

Me: Sure.

After typing that, I found myself fiddling with the keyboard.

Did I just type the informal “ng” ending instead of the polite one?

Could it be that I… have been bewitched by cuteness?

Keeping my composure was always a priority, always in formal suits, always maintaining respect with the boss.

This was new.

Did a cute body mean my personality became soft too?

Boss: Ah, ah, ah, ah…

Boss: See you tomorrow.

Boss: Heading to the stream.

Boss: Don’t overdo it with the toxic missions.

Me: Haha.

The boss’s reaction was different than usual.

Does she prefer “ng” over “yes”?

Boss: Don’t just laugh, answer me.

Me: Nope.

Boss: Answer.

Me: Nope.

Boss: Hey.

Me: Sure.

Boss: That took you long enough.

Just to test it, I pushed a little harder, but she didn’t seem annoyed.

It was a bit bratty, yet…

“Hmm.”

Suddenly, my inner mischievous side awakened.

Could cuteness really excuse bad behavior?

This social experiment would have to wait till after work.

Past 2 a.m., strange things happen in any game.

For office workers, staying up late gaming on leave is a rarity.

Around this time, it turns into a battlefield, and you need to be careful.

“Hello, first try, hello, second try, hello, third try, hello, fourth try, hello, fifth try…”

Kim, the office worker, soon realized that her teammate “Momo from Chicken School” was either insane or a dedicated troll in this late-night battlefield.

The voice sounded so cute and articulate, Kim wondered if she was a streamer.

“I’ll keep greeting you until you respond, hello, 25th try, hello, 26th try…”

Eventually, fearing the greetings would continue until the game ended, he dug out his mic from a drawer.

“Hello.”

The chain of greetings stopped at 42.

After a moment, she spoke.

“Amazing. Since you responded, I’ll carry this round.”

Unfamiliar with streaming lingo and the toxic culture, Kim chuckled.

“…With a double-barrel?”