It looked precarious, but fortunately, there wasn’t an immediate problem.
After all, shooting wildly without aiming properly wouldn’t hit the boss, so they’d die quickly, resulting in a game over.
If even one piece of equipment broke, I’d have to file a report while eating a McMorning, Dora would have to write an explanation letter, and the stream would go down.
You might think expensive gear wouldn’t break so easily, but even a smartphone costing over a million won can be ruined just by an unlucky drop. Electronics are fragile like that.
So, if Dora keeps swinging her hands around carelessly, it wouldn’t be surprising if something broke. Honestly, I think the mouse cord would snap first.
I whispered quietly into Dora’s ear, who was too busy sniffling without a clue.
“Hey, say you’re taking a quick bathroom break and turn off the mic.”
“Sniff… Sniff… I… I wanna go to the bathroom… Sniff…”
– Go ahead.
– Come back soon.
– Man, I need a drink, too.
– I nearly choked on my food just now.
– How does her aim go that wild? LOL
– Legendary as always, haha.
:: An anonymous supporter donated 1,000 Clouds! ::
:: I didn’t get dental insurance ㅠㅠ ::
Leaving the noisy chat window behind, I made sure the mic was off and spoke to Dora.
“I figured out why problems happen only when you play horror games.”
Dora wiped her tear-streaked eyes with her sleeve and blew her nose into a tissue nearby.
“What is it…?”
“It’s your habit while playing games.”
“Habit…?”
I showed her the video I had recorded earlier of her playing.
In the video, Dora was shaking her head side to side, while her right hand wildly swept across the desk like she was scrubbing it with a rag.
Watching this, Dora mumbled in disbelief.
“Do I really look like that when I play?”
“Yep. Isn’t it amazing?”
“N-No, it’s not amazing at all!”
Anyway, now that we knew the cause, it was time to fix it.
“…What are you doing?”
I stood behind Dora’s chair and firmly held her head to keep her facing the screen.
“Earlier, I noticed you kept looking elsewhere and flailing your arm. This way, there’s no reason for the mouse to go astray.”
She might have thought about just moving the equipment farther away, but everything was already placed ridiculously far from her reach. After dealing with past issues, we’d adjusted the setup so that Dora wouldn’t touch it and I could easily manage it.
In short, stopping Dora’s arm from swinging wildly was the simplest and most effective solution.
“This won’t work. I can’t play like this! It’s too scary!!”
“Scared? Then are we ending the stream?”
“Ugh, I can still stream without doing this, okay?!”
“Then the equipment will break again. This is the best way.”
“Ughhh…”
As Dora took longer to return, the chat window started getting rowdy again.
– Where’d they go? LOL
– Did they bail?
– Nuna?
– I knew this would happen someday, playing ranked games nonstop. LOL
– Legendary. LOL
– Did they ditch the stream?
– Are you abandoning the hatchlings? Your team?!
She frowned at the chat and sighed.
“I’ll just try to sit properly and avoid touching the equipment…”
“Aren’t you scared? Isn’t it hard to do this alone?”
“Uh, well… Could you help in a slightly different way…?”
Dora hesitated, glancing back and forth between the chat and my face before speaking.
“This might sound strange, but it’s really for stability, not anything else. Would it be okay if I put you on my lap?”
It was inevitable.
I’d been waiting for this moment.
And as soon as she said it, something naturally came to mind.
Right.
When Komari was here, we didn’t have these equipment issues, did we?
That stream lasted quite a while, too. I was so thrown by what just happened earlier that I didn’t even consider it.
“So, if we do that, you won’t freak out like before?”
Dora pouted and nodded.
If that’s what she wanted, then fine.
I’m not one for roundabout methods.
It might feel weird being held like some sort of plush toy, but if it solves the issue, so be it.
“Alright, let’s do it, then.”
As I hopped onto Dora’s lap, she carefully wrapped her arms around me from behind.
Since upper-body motion tracking was impossible in this position, I turned off the Live2D model and switched to a static illustration.
The viewers quickly caught on and started laughing.
After all, the setup had worked back when Komari cleared a game under similar circumstances.
– So the fusion has finally happened.
– This setup actually performs really well.
– Didn’t Komari win like this too? LOL
– At least now we can patch up the fractured gameplay.
With Dora back on the mic and diving into the game, her demeanor transformed.
Judging by her words, it was like watching a newly awakened hero.
Her voice carried such conviction that even the chat added a support mission:
:: Mission ::
:: (New) Clear the game and take home 50,000 Clouds ::
“Alright, time to get serious! Thanks for the mission! Guys, I’m in my gaming suit now. Let’s push through to the end. I’ve got this. Totally doable.”
– Yeah, sure, not expecting much~
– Bet she’ll cry for help soon enough. LOL
– Hardcore? More like hard luck.
The funny thing was, all it took was putting me on her lap to bring about this “transformation.”
“KYAAAAAAH!”
Well, she was still a scaredy-cat. Just slightly less of one.
At least now she was focused on the monitor and properly engaging with the monsters instead of just running away in panic.
“Dieeee! Eek! You’re gonna die! Just die already!!”
Her aim was still clumsy, and she occasionally “outlined” the monsters with her bullets, drawing laughter from the viewers. But unlike before, she was actually aiming at the enemies and making progress.
– She’s growing, growing, growing.
– And yet, those screams are still top-tier. LOL
– Is she mad, or is she scared? LOL
Of course, why her behavior changed so drastically depending on whether I was present remained a mystery.
She’d never mentioned anything about it on the stream.
But recalling the conversations we had, both with Komari and now, I started to form a hypothesis.
[Dora: Oh, today?]
[Dora: Maybe it’s because I feel a little reassured when I’m not alone…]
[Dora: I don’t really know myself. Haha.]
As for the personal lives of VTubers, the company doesn’t interfere much.
The company’s goal is simple: they want talents who can stream smoothly and successfully. Once they find the right people, they fully support and nurture them to reach the top.
What I needed to understand was this: as long as Dora had someone with her, she could handle horror games without any major issues.
It’d be ideal if Komari could join her, as their synergy was fantastic. But on days when Komari couldn’t make it due to scheduling conflicts, I could step in as a substitute.
Whether I was on company duty or just sitting nearby, it didn’t really change my work environment. However, being present during Dora’s horror game streams completely preempted any problems.
Perfect.
This is what you call magical thinking.
It’s like we hit the jackpot. Lucky Vicky-style.
* * *
12:00 a.m.
After wrapping up her short stream, Dohee prepared for work the next day and delivered her sign-off line:
“Alright, see you in two days, Mongmongies.”
– Noooo! 😭
– Don’t gooo!
– Moba!
– Come baaaack! (crying emotes)
– Moba~
– Moba (kiss emotes)
As soon as her stream ended, Dohee logged into her secondary account and headed straight to Dora’s stream.
[“KYAAAAAH! Stay back! Don’t come closer! I’m out of bullets, I’m out of bullets! What do I do?!”]
The deafening screams hit her ears the moment the stream started. Grimacing, Dohee immediately halved the volume.
[(🔴 Live)] Too scary, so I brought a buddy to help 👨👨👦 7,891 viewers
#Pandemic_Village #Parallel #BigScaredyCat
Even at this late hour, with a game that had already passed its peak trend, nearly 8,000 people were watching.
For comparison, Dohee, with over five times the YouTube subscribers Dora had, had just finished her stream with 13,000 viewers, a respectable figure, especially for a weekday midnight slot.
Considering Dora typically maintained 5,000 – 6,000 viewers during horror game streams, it was safe to estimate that 1,000 – 2,000 of the current audience were drawn in thanks to Jiya’s presence.
It was impressive, almost beyond belief.
Dohee mused over the unexpected audience of 1,000 to 2,000 viewers Jiya had attracted.
These viewers might have come from other first-generation VTubers, Momo’s streams, or even unrelated communities like casual battleground players who stumbled across Parallel.
One thing was clear: Jiya was beginning to develop a dedicated fanbase.
These weren’t just casual viewers—they were people who dropped other streams, activities, or games to watch Jiya. Considering the first-generation VTubers averaged around 3,000 to 4,000 viewers, Jiya’s numbers were astonishing for someone who had only appeared on stream twice and didn’t even have a proper VTuber model.
If these fans seamlessly integrated into the Parallel fandom, Dohee would be thrilled.
Still, she had her doubts.
“This is probably the limit, isn’t it?”
These viewers were like wandering cyber ghosts—uncommitted and prone to chasing trends. They didn’t have a specific favorite VTuber or a consistent channel they frequented. Subscriptions didn’t guarantee viewership, and their interest could vanish overnight.
To secure these 2,000 viewers, something stronger a “next weapon” was needed.
For someone who streamed with a webcam, that might mean high-end equipment and polished visuals. For VTubers, it meant an appealingly designed avatar a proper “model.”
“But, well, it’s Jiya. What can you do?”
Dohee wasn’t keen on pressuring Jiya just to retain the viewers. Having watched the VTuber scene for years, she knew what Jiya might think the moment she saw a professionally designed model, “I’m debuting, aren’t I?”
Jiya was fiercely loyal to the company and believed any investment in her required equal value in return. She’d likely refuse even gifts from devoted fans, declaring herself undeserving of a fanbase.
Lost in thought, Dohee snapped back to reality as Dora announced a short break before starting Chapter 3 of her horror game.
[“Listeners, I’m heading to the bathroom and grabbing some water… Why is this game so long? It’s ridiculous. It’s like a heaping bowl of rice…”]
– GOTY, of course.
– There’s a reason it won awards!
– Overwhelmingly Positive reviews at 95%. Don’t act surprised, LOL.
– Tbh, we should already be halfway through Chapter 3, but someone grilled marshmallows in the intro. LOL.
Dohee assumed Dora had gone to the bathroom, but her phone buzzed instead.
Bzzzt.
[Dora: Boss.]
[Dora: Are you awake?]
[Dora: I thought your stream was probably over by now.]
It was perfectly timed—just as Dohee was planning to call it a night after briefly watching the stream.
[Me: I’m awake. What’s up?]
[Dora: Can I draw a fanart of Jiya?]
Suddenly?
[Me: You haven’t drawn anything in ages, though.]
[Dora: I just feel really grateful. Jiya showed up early and helped with everything we asked. TT]
[Dora: If she hadn’t come, today would’ve been a disaster, right?]
[Me: Oh, so you want to repay her?]
Dora’s logic was sound. Jiya had been her savior and support during the stream.
[Dora: But there’s not much I can give her, you know?]
[Dora: It’s kind of funny to give money as a thank you gift.]
[Dora: So, I wanted to draw a picture for you instead.]
[Dora: After all, I’m pretty good at drawing, aren’t I? Haha.]
Dohee’s sleepiness, which had been creeping up on her, suddenly disappeared.
That was because her curiosity had been instinctively piqued.
…What happens to the tributes a fellow VTuber offers Jiya?
[Me: Could you ask Jiya and let me know?]
[Dora: Sure!]
Majia answered nonchalantly.
“Okay.”
“What? Really?”
“Yeah. I don’t see why not.”
As Dohee expected, Jiya probably would have declined any gift from a fan, saying she didn’t deserve such things.
However, Dora wasn’t just a fan.
She wasn’t someone below Jiya in status and wasn’t incapable of drawing, either.
Though she hadn’t had time to focus on it recently, Dora was skilled enough to produce illustrations that could be sold for money if she put effort into it.
The thought of seeing her own adorable self in 2D form—
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t at least a little curious.
“I’ll make it super cute. So, if you appear on the stream next time, you’ll use my drawing, okay? Hehe.”
But since Dora was still streaming, the conversation couldn’t go on much longer.
Jiya quickly nodded in agreement, knowing the viewers were probably growing impatient.
“Alright, I get it. Now go back to streaming. The viewers are waiting.”
“Oh, just one last message…”
“Why are you always texting someone mid-stream?”
“It’s the boss, the boss!”
[Dora: Jiya says she likes it!]
[Dora: She seems really happy. Haha!]
[Dora: She even said she’d use it next time she’s on stream!]
[Dora: I have to draw something super cute~]
Dohee felt dazed reading Dora’s reply.
“She’s really accepting this?”
While it settled the question of where the 2,000 followers came from, it also meant she had taken on an additional task: making a broadcast appearance and supporting Jiya’s VTuber activities.
Placating overexcited fans would be easy enough with a reasonable excuse.
After all, when family or friends of VTubers appear on streams, it’s standard in the industry to create illustrations that fit the VTuber’s world and aesthetic.
However, with this new opportunity and Jiya agreeing to use the drawing, a significant crossroads had appeared for Majia.
Would she show star potential and head toward debuting, or remain recognized as a staff member?
The latter seemed more likely for now, as her current position leaned heavily toward being an employee. Still, the former wasn’t impossible, especially considering the overwhelming resemblance to D-Rain or the rising fame of SignalFlare.
Of course, this wasn’t something to be decided overnight.
Ultimately, what mattered most to Dohee was Majia’s own decision.
“Yawn…”
For now, imagining the possibilities didn’t hold much meaning.
With a big yawn, Dohee settled in for a good night’s sleep.