Chapter 6: (Eye Contact…) – 1

I bought a computer from an online shopping mall.

It wasn’t a high-end model worth millions of won.

I didn’t need something that extravagant just for watching internet broadcasts.

It was a reasonably priced model that could handle a few games.

What was more important was the monitor.

Like a two-headed monster, 

The dual monitor that would guide me into the world of virtual otaku.

Its radiant glow satisfied me.

‘With this… I can become a true ace, a boomerang, a carrot, a flounder. This time, I’ll definitely spend my days indulging in some serious otaku activities.’

In my tiny room, the air was filled with the shimmering light.

Twinkle, twinkle.

‘I even bought a new desk, so it feels like a hacker’s den from a movie. Though I don’t actually know many computer programs.’

Maybe I should try living the life of a hacker for 100 days?

As I was lost in thought, the installation technician sent by the online shopping mall spoke up.

After struggling for a while to install the monitor arm, he looked relieved.

“Are you getting into stocks or something?” 

“…Huh?”

Huh… 

How did he know? 

Is he a stalker following me?

Coincidentally, it was the third week of May. 

I had just made some profits from a few stocks I’d been watching.

This villain was clearly after my juicy 6.2 billion won.

I gulped.

And then I clasped my hands together to defend myself.

“….”

‘Is he going to threaten me like a villain from a dirty manga?’ 

If he really threatens me like in those manga… 

I’m willing to pay up to 200 million won for the thrill of it.

But he wasn’t a villain from a dirty manga.

“It’s just that people who buy dual monitors and motion desks for their one-room apartments are usually into stocks. My friend does stocks, and he set up his place just like this.” 

“Ahh…”

Awkward.

I shook my head.

“No, I just want to watch VTuber streams on a bigger screen.” 

“Huh? V, what?” 

“Virtual YouTubers. I watch internet streams. There are four people I personally support, and they all stream around the same time, so it’s annoying to switch windows back and forth.” 

“Oh, I see. You watch internet streams.” 

“Yeah, it’s fun. Want to watch together?” 

“Ah, haha… Oh! Looks like the installation is done.”

The technician quickly turned his head.

He hurriedly packed his bag and left the one-room apartment.

“Well… I’ll be going now.” 

“Take care.”

I waved as I saw him off.

‘Hmm, he doesn’t seem to like internet streams much.’

Thinking that, 

I turned on the computer with my big toe.

The dual monitors lit up.

I set them up vertically and split the screens into four, displaying the channels of ABCD members like a chessboard.

They usually stream in the evenings over the weekend, 

but since it was Monday, they started streaming in the afternoon.

The first to start streaming was Aki-chan.

《Live: Aki-chan’s Regular Stream – Idol Karaoke Time~!》 

-Real-time viewers: 121

“….”

A miracle of 10,000 viewers dropping to 100.

‘Since she came back on Friday, she’s been doing big streams all weekend without saying much, so I guess everyone got bored and left?’

That’s what I was hoping for.

And she probably feels the same way.

Aki-chan seems to take pride in being an “idol.”

She wouldn’t be happy no matter how many viewers she gets if her streams are just carried by Big Man.

She’s really an inefficient bundle of emotions.

I chuckled.

‘…This is fun.’

A fun girl greeted me.

-ABCD’s A! Like a star in your heart! Idol hopeful Aki-chan here—!

“Should I start with the regular ritual…?”

Click!

【‘Big Man’ has donated 2.5 million won!】

As soon as the stream started, 

a sharp 2.5 million won donation came in.

It was the maximum donation limit.

-…!

Aki-chan flinched. But unlike her reactions over the weekend, there was no fear or tension. She responded in a slightly higher tone than usual.

-Th-thank you for the donation…! 2.5 million won! Really, really, really, thank you so much! Let’s start Monday with energy! Aces, did you all have a good weekend?

“….”

‘She’s past the stage of crying and being shocked when I give her money.’

Over the weekend, I saw Aki-chan cry about three times.

Eventually, I couldn’t stand watching her cry for over five minutes, saying she didn’t know how to repay me, so I sent a chat.

[Big Man: Just treat me like I don’t exist. Like a natural disaster that rains money. Just keep showing us what you were going to show us.]

The weight of money. 

I just casually threw money around, but I started to feel bored with the emotions they showed, overwhelmed by the weight of that money.

‘I’m not interested in seeing them tremble for money. I want to see how they’ll use it.’

Fortunately, after that chat, 

Aki-chan’s emotions returned to a relatively normal state.

And it wasn’t just the VTubers who adapted over the weekend.

Comments started pouring into the chat.

-Big Men 

-Big Men 

-Big Men again today 

-Oh, Big Men spreading the gospel again today 

-Aki-chan’s living expenses deposited lol 

-Buy yourself something tasty~ 

-Big Men 

-Big Men 

-Big Man paid for it, but why’s that guy acting like it’s his? lol 

-Big Men 

-Big Men

For a moment, it was prayer time. 

And then it quickly returned to the usual greetings.

-Hi Aki-chan 

-Hi 

-Watching streams during Monday lunch hits different 

-Phew, so I’m not the only unemployed one….

Maybe because we got to know each other over the weekend? 

The Aces also moved past the stage of doing backflips and cheering just because I gave them money.

They maintained a mature warmth, like a gentle flame.

‘…This is sex.’

The electronic camaraderie between the Aces was warm.

But there was also Kim Aeri, who intruded into this couple-like relationship.

-Big Men are f***ing throwing money around, sucking up to these idiots lol

Whoosh!

-(Deleted comment.)

But Kim Aeri quickly disappeared.

And the Aces made fun of him.

-Interceptor’s working well lol 

-Interceptor’s functioning normally lol 

-This is the first time I’ve seen a troll disappear so fast lol 

-Honestly, I don’t get Big Man, but this troll filter is seriously a blessing lol 

-I seriously watch ABCD streams just for the troll filter lol

“….”

I could guess the identity of the suspiciously efficient moderator.

I had seen the notice when I became a VIP on the Live Future platform.

[Comment management for VIP members’ smooth streaming experience]

‘It’s a system that prioritizes managing comments that mention specific nicknames… It’s kind of dystopian and scary.’

And there was another eerie feature only available to VIP users.

Next to Aki-chan’s channel icon. 

A secret button glowed faintly green.

【Live 1:1 Chat】

Regular users can’t see this due to the system. 

In short, I can secretly have a 1:1 chat with Aki-chan while she’s streaming.

It’s the ultimate cash-is-king system.

Aki-chan was still innocently streaming.

-Aces—! Today, we’re doing a singing stream after a long time….

The listeners were whispering among themselves.

-For real? Is Aki-chan good at singing? 

-She sang a bit on Sunday, yeah 

-Her pronunciation gets suspiciously good when she sings lol 

-It’s weird, right? lol

I could tell….

Right now, 

if I press that button. 

A secret chat between Aki-chan and me will start.

A conversation the Aces won’t know about….

“….”

Hmm.

Is this also a kind of red pill?

Whoever made this, 

they did a really creepy good job.

It’s probably a feature for ‘other kinds’ of streams. 

Even without pressing it, my creepy imagination is already running wild.

It definitely doesn’t seem like a feature made for VTubers.

“….”

I ignored the button.

I had nothing to say anyway.

[Big Man] is, after all, just the members’ ATM. 

That’s what I decided.

-Then let’s start the singing—!

As I listened to Aki-chan’s song, I looked around at the other ABCD members.

The next member to start streaming was Berry, who plays the role of ‘B.’

‘It’s ritual time.’

*

《Live: Berry’s Regular Stream ☆Chatty Talk Show☆》 

-Real-time viewers: 97

“ABCD’s B—! Ready to roll? The chatty Berry is here!”

Her English pronunciation was suspiciously good. 

A pink-haired beauty with long hair shook her head playfully on the screen.

Her unusually white teeth stood out.

Her frilly white outfit swayed as well.

Berry spoke in an incredibly high-pitched voice.

“Everyone—!”

The listeners, who had been trained all weekend during the streams, reflexively responded.

-Good afternoon~! 

-Good afternoon~! 

-Good afternoon~! 

-Good afternoon~! 

-Good afternoon~! 

-Good afternoon~! 

-Good afternoon~! 

-Get that guy out 

-Good afternoon~!

Berry smiled brightly and said.

“Good~ afternoon! Nice to see you—! Did everyone have a good weekend? Huh? What you doing? Did you sleep well yesterday? Did you say good morning? Huh? Let’s talk together!”

-Berry, I’m tired 

-This stream is too much for an introvert like me 

-Ugh… the extrovert energy is too strong…. 

-Don’t greet me like an extrovert….

“Ahaha! I just missed you guys, my boomerangs~!”

-Boomerangs? 

-Spy caught lol 

-It’s Berry’s fandom nickname lol 

-Why boomerangs? 

-Come back 

-(Thump♡)

“Ah! You guys, without me….”

At that moment. 

Big Man appeared.

【‘Big Man’ has donated 2.5 million won!】

-Looking at the time difference, you came from Aki-chan’s stream lol 

-Big Men 

-Big Men 

-Ugh, Big Men….

Berry tightly shut her mouth, which had been spouting words like a waterfall.

She rolled her eyes around for a moment, thinking.

Her demeanor was completely different from just a moment ago.

“….”

But she quickly opened her mouth again.

“Wow, wow…! Thank you for the donation! Thank you! Welcome—! 2.5 million won, really, thank you so much! Really, really, thank you so much!”

She acted as if she didn’t know who Big Man was, as if she had just received a donation from a complete stranger.

The viewers were the ones who were flustered.

-? 

-This isn’t the reaction you’re supposed to show Big Man…? 

-Honestly, for a 1 billion won donor, shouldn’t you sing the Yongbieocheonga or something? 

-Big Man’s Yongbieocheonga ㄷㄷ

The boomerangs, who had been trained by Big Man over the weekend, answered instead.

-Those trying to fish for reactions probably didn’t watch the weekend streams lol Big Man hates it when you drag out reactions 

-Just treat Big Man like he doesn’t exist lol 

-“He’s a natural disaster that rains money.” 

-You mean money just falls when you turn on the stream? ㄷㄷ 

-He’s basically like an employee ID for Off Enter ㄷㄷ 

-Off Enter? 

-Aurora Prism Entertainment ㅇㅇ 

-You guys abbreviate everything

Berry jumped in at this awkward timing. She quickly lined up short videos on the screen.

“Anyway! I brought a fun meme…!”

*

Aki ended her stream and turned off her computer.

“Phew….”

He came again today. 

And he threw money without saying a word.

It’s something I shouldn’t get used to. 

But I’m slowly getting used to it, and it feels strange.

“….”

‘It’s weird to get used to someone giving you 2.5 million won every day….’

But even if he’s the only Big Man in the world, I have to treat him like an anonymous donor.

I feel really sorry to him for giving me the chance to live my dream again.

No matter how much I thank him personally, it won’t be enough….

An idol exists for her ‘fans.’

That’s one of Aki’s strongest beliefs.

It doesn’t change even if she’s a VTuber.

-Just keep showing us what you were going to show us.

And I want to believe those words.

“….”

I’m sorry. 

Thank you for helping me. 

Thank you for understanding.

‘Thank you….’

After thanking Big Man about ten times in my heart, 

Aki put on a baseball cap and pulled it down low.

She grabbed her bag and opened her room door.

Click!

The shared dormitory for the ABCD members came into view.

It was an officetel with four rooms… where they handled both streaming and living.

‘I heard they got a cheap contract for a place another broadcasting company used to use?’

That’s when it happened. 

The door on the opposite side of where Aki was standing opened.

“!”

The second member to finish streaming was ‘Berry’… Kim Aeri.

She came out drinking water and widened her eyes in surprise.

“Huh? Ayoung, where are you going?” 

“….”

Aki smiled and said.

“Lessons.” 

“Ah…! Starting today? Those idol-specific lessons?” 

“Yeah. After the 3D debut next week, we’ll start group lessons too. I’ll be back, unnie.” 

“Okay!”

Aki opened the front door and left.

“….”

Kim Aeri blankly watched her leave.

Then she sighed and muttered.

“Is it because she’s in her early 20s? Her adaptability is amazing. She’s even taking extra lessons with her own money. I’m still not used to the 2.5 million won donations.”

You’d think she’d have researched reactions since someone’s giving her money.

But every time she gets 2.5 million won, her brain just freezes.

She just stammers and tries to say something as loud as possible.

Of course, after settling with the company, 

she’s left with about 1.1 million won. 

But thinking about getting that much every day gives me goosebumps.

During the weekend streams, she bowed her head and thanked me for a full 10 minutes.

She even started singing.

Then Big Man scolded her.

-Just act naturally.

“….”

After that, she barely managed to tone down her reactions to the point where his chats didn’t show up.

Kim Aeri quietly prayed.

Big Men….

The members had a meeting and decided to ‘treat him as normally as possible during streams,’ but they couldn’t ignore their gratitude.

‘He seems to want to stay quiet too.’

That’s a relief.

“But what does he do? Is he really an oil tycoon…?”

The CEO even made a plaque of appreciation to deliver it personally.

But Live Future thoroughly kept [Big Man]’s identity private.

And they indirectly conveyed his intentions.

-We contacted the operations team, and he said he’d just accept the sentiment but didn’t want to meet in person.

After that, all official invitations or communications from the company were rejected.

In the end, the plaque of appreciation was only posted on Aurora Prism Entertainment’s SNS.

‘Even if we want to express our gratitude, the other person doesn’t want it at all….’

At that moment. 

Kim Aeri’s phone rang. 

It was a call from the PR team leader, Jo Eunbi.

“!”

She answered the call.

“Hello?”

-Ah, hello? Aeri, there’s something I wanted to ask you.

“What is it?”

-Do you know about the VIP 1:1 chat feature? Live Future asked why we’ve never used it and if there’s a problem.

“?”