I Became a Malicious Streamer

After playing with the Crown Ring moderately, I ended the broadcast.

Feeling the power of Sena, I cleared the story adequately.

Sena was a god, and I was invincible. The other 6-star characters were nice to have, but not essential.

Even if they were absent, I could replace them with slightly weaker characters, but Sena was an irreplaceable resource.

It seems like the character balance is a bit off. Perhaps the director, being a fan of mine, overspecified Sena. If this continues, a nerf is inevitable.

So, after enjoying a healing game with Sena, the broadcast ended.

It was evening, and I was supposed to lie in bed and shake off the fatigue piled up from the broadcast, but contrary to my plans, I was out right now.

“So, does this even make sense…?”

In front of me was a familiar face. A neatly tied ponytail in the back and a strangely melancholic gaze.

It was Papi Joah, the one who made me dried pollack soup last time.

She sighed, looking like something was bothering her, gulping down the foam beer in her hand.

I noticed last time too, she has a knack for drinking.

As I quietly observed her, someone next to me slapped the table and spoke up.

“Hey, you shouldn’t do that! You shouldn’t! Tex, why are you like this? Should I say something to help?”

It was Ryuah. With a subtle blush on her face, she seemed to be more excited about Papi Joah’s story than Papi Joah herself.

It was probably the alcohol. Empty bottles around Ryuah indicated that she had also drunk a fair amount.

This was a bar. The situation had already been like this since I arrived after getting the call.

Ryuah and Papi Joah were sharing drinks and chatting away.

You could have guessed why we were all gathered here given Tex’s name had come up earlier. The three of us were here because of Papi Joah’s love life.

To be precise, Ryuah had come up to Seoul and met with Papi Joah, and the conversation had drifted that way.

Anyway, the topic of discussion was Papi Joah’s love life, and it didn’t seem to be sailing smoothly.

I thought they were enjoying sweet moments as they openly dated now, transitioning from a secret relationship to a public one, but what was going on?

“I feel like he doesn’t like me as much as before. Am I just boring him?”

Is it a phase of disinterest? It looked like they were currently facing a common issue in relationships.

Relationships typically aren’t like that. It’s not possible for endless laughter and mutual infatuation to last without any hiccups.

After all, men and women think very differently. When something happens, women want empathy, while men are basic problem solvers, right?

Have I never experienced romance to know this? I’m well-versed in theory. I’ve played the role of a listener to my friends’ woes many times.

Yet, I often found myself without a voice. Given my status, I usually was overlooked.

Hearing someone say they fought with their girlfriend over an issue, I’d suggest trying this way or that, only to get scoffed at for being a perpetual single.

That’s why I was here quietly holding my ground now. Under Ryuah’s restraint, I couldn’t even drink, merely popping peanuts and listening to their conversation.

Papi Joah and Ryuah seemed satisfied that I was here. They didn’t appear to expect any specific advice from me.

“So, their feelings have cooled, and they’re not able to contact each other often?”

“It’s not that we can’t contact each other, but the frequency and replies are… Well, he streams from night to dawn, while I’m during the day.”

Ah, the lament of a streamer! Once a broadcaster sets their own schedule, it’s incredibly hard to break that routine.

Papi Joah, streaming during the day, finishes and logs off in the evening, while Tex fires up at night and calls it a night before sunrise. Their windows to communicate are naturally very short. Occasionally, they might miss each other entirely because one of them is asleep after a stream.

Plus, they lived in different regions. A man from Busan, Kim Taek-soo, and a woman from Suwon, Jeong Soo-hee, lived quite far apart.

That’s why long-distance relationships are tough. They’re choosing a challenging path, for sure.

“Is Tex really that cold?”

What’s the cause of Papi Joah’s anxiety? What makes her feel like Tex doesn’t love her? Is it due to a lack of affection?

I had friends like that before. Humans who couldn’t express their love, missing their chance to say they cared, or worried.

I asked, thinking along those lines, only to receive an immediate denial.

“That’s not it. As you know, he’s a bit… hyper. He shows too much affection, which is the problem. When we contact each other, it feels more awkward than when we meet in person; his words become rigid, and he types slowly. That’s just age, I guess… I have to understand.”

“Ugh, this is precisely why ‘old farts’ are troublesome.”

Ryuah shook her head in disapproval. Old farts? What does she mean, “old farts”? Thirty isn’t ancient!

What was even scarier was that Papi Joah didn’t refute Ryuah’s words. Kids these days. Do they really think they won’t age? Thirty comes way faster than you think.

Putting that aside, what was the problem? I found clarity through Papi Joah’s next words.

“But when we meet, everything’s fine. I don’t feel anxious, and there are no issues. Seeing his face is good; it’s just that it’s a problem that we can’t meet…”

“Are you just bragging?”

Ryuah made a face that indicated her appetite was gone. Papi Joah waved her hand and sighed deeply.

“No, I didn’t mean it that way… So when we meet, it’s genuinely great, but it’s a problem we’re unable to meet.”

“How long has it been since you last saw him?”

“It’s been about three weeks… no, a month.”

That’s quite a stretch. Especially when you’re in the prime of a relationship, it must feel even longer. “I miss him,” Papi Joah muttered when she continued.

“We both have our own things to do… and living far apart makes it hard to just run back and forth. It’s not feasible to meet every day.”

“Have you talked to Tex about it?”

“I didn’t want to seem too childish… so I didn’t. I’m sure he misses me just as much, but I felt like I’d just be whining. Plus, when we started dating, the age gap made him feel burdened.”

A six-year age gap isn’t that significant, is it?

In short, she didn’t want to seem immature, so she couldn’t bring up her worries. I pondered if that kind of lack of communication would build up and eventually lead to problems later on.

I understood precisely what the issue was. The problem was missing each other but unable to meet. If they only could meet frequently, it would sort itself out.

Honestly, I came up with a solution as soon as I heard the situation. The fact I was looking for solutions rather than reassurance proved I might not be the perfect girl after all.

Anyway, I had thought of a solution, but should I say it? Or not?

I didn’t know. At this point, it was better to take a shot rather than stay there looking dejected.

The choice wasn’t mine to make but Papi Joah’s.

Even so, the solution might seem a little extreme, so I prepared the groundwork.

“I have one idea that popped into my head. Would you like to hear it?”

“Did you come up with a good idea?”

Seeing Papi Joah’s eyes sparkle, I continued calmly.

“So, the issue is that you can’t see each other, right? You and Tex.”

“Exactly, I want to see him every day, but…”

“That’s precisely it. We need to create an environment where you can face each other every day.”

Papi Joah tilted her head, looking as if asking how?

“Co-habitation. Live together. Couples who can’t get enough of each other sometimes live like this… I hear that Tex has a place in Busan.”

“Y-Yeah? Living together?”

Living together… Living together. Papi Joah mumbled with a reddening face while Ryuah gasped softly beside her.

“Ji-eun, you’re really open-minded about this. Unexpected.”

What’s the issue if two consenting adults decide to live together because they love each other? In fact, if you think of it as a bigger step toward marriage, it could even be a good thing. Of course, I acknowledge it’s a bold option for a couple that hasn’t been together for long.

But was there a better way to ease Papi Joah’s worries? I believed there wasn’t. This was the best.

Ryuah viewed me as a conservative and traditional person, but I wasn’t that rigid.

Moreover, if you think about it, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Both had streaming equipment, so they could either take what they needed or find dedicated space in Tex’s house. They could live together, stream separately, and spend time together when offline. Everything would run smoothly!

When I laid it out nicely, Papi Joah seemed intrigued despite her earlier shock.

“I’ll think about it, living together…”

“Just consider it. I don’t think it’s a bad idea.”

It was the verdict of a wise Solomon, solving their worries.

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