“What do you mean, no? I’m incredibly skilled with chopsticks, actually.”
[??? What’s with the sudden shift in topic?]
[Nari, we can’t see it on screen.]
[What’s with the chopsticks now??]
[Does Yoo Seo-ha use chopsticks weirdly??]
[Show us too!!]
“Oh, did I perhaps misinterpret the situation?”
“Naturally. Who in their right mind, at this age, would struggle with chopsticks?”
“True enough.”
I responded with an utterly shameless expression.
Since my voice betrayed not a hint of wavering, Boss swiftly dismissed her suspicions.
Phew.
Somehow, I had managed to sidestep the issue this once.
Surely, she wouldn’t imagine such a person actually existed….
Ultimately, I resorted to brazenly picking up the salmon sushi with my bare hands.
I did so quickly, seizing the moment while Boss was preoccupied with monitoring the chat.
“Phew! That was a satisfying meal! Now, should we start clearing the table and get ready for the collaboration stream?”
“Yes, Boss.”
As we only needed to communicate via voice messenger, I opted not to wear a headset.
After I finished tidying up and returned from brushing my teeth, that *person* made their entrance.
Ding.
– Oh! Nari!
“Master! Hello!”
– So, today *she* went to your house directly, right?! Is she next to you now? Seo-ha?
“Yes! She’s right next to me!”
“Hello.”
Her voice sounded as though it had been thoroughly steeped in exhaustion.
I offered a casual greeting, feigning ignorance of the day’s events.
– Hey!! You little hoodlum, after everything you pulled earlier, you still have the audacity to greet me respectfully?!
“Pardon? I’m not quite sure what you’re referring to…”
– Nari! Get a handle on your friend! Around one o’clock, she specifically targeted me! Do you have any idea how much time I had to spend just to recover the points I lost because of her?!
At his outburst, Boss cast a startled glance in my direction.
While some of his claims were incorrect, I chose to acknowledge them for the moment.
“There seems to be a slight misunderstanding. It wasn’t a deliberate ‘targeting,’ but rather a chance encounter.”
– You were openly watching my broadcast, and you dare claim it wasn’t a targeted attack?!
“You see, I’m a member of Chan-ho-nim’s ‘Handful Fan Club’ (TL Note: ‘hanjumdan,’ a Korean slang term referring to a small, dedicated fanbase). It truly was nothing more than a coincidence.”
– I keep telling you, I’m not part of some ‘Handful Fan Club’!
His voice boomed, as if exhaustion were a foreign concept to him.
There was something undeniably pleasant about a person bursting with such vigor.
A ripple of satisfaction spread across my face.
Yet, my triumph was fleeting, as Im Chan-ho’s counterattack instantly stiffened my body.
– Fine, I was prepared to let it slide if you offered a sincere apology… but perhaps a full-blown war is in order?
“Wait a minute.”
– Nari!! After you ended your stream, she and I had a little chat, remember? And what we discussed was…
“Excuse me…!”
– Ah, this is far too juicy to give away for free, don’t you think, everyone? Should I hold off a little longer before dropping the bombshell?!
Frankly, it wouldn’t be an issue if Boss knew about my ‘back-apology’ (TL Note: ‘dwit-sagwa,’ a Korean term referring to an apology given privately or behind the scenes, often after a public incident).
As I’d previously mentioned, Boss was, in fact, the very person who had received my ‘back-apology.’
The true issue was….
[?? What happened yesterday?? You just ended the stream after the collab, didn’t you?]
[Well, that is…]
[Do you want to know? But the time is not yet right… I shall tell this story another time.]
[Ah, damn it, tell us!!!!]
[I’m dying of curiosity, please!]
[What’s with all the fuss???]
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ It’s that kind of issue ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Seriously, ㅋㅋㅋㅋ she was really f*cking cute ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
The true issue was that *they* were learning about it.
While I knew it was likely only a matter of time, the thought of an anonymous multitude of people calling me ‘cute’ made my skin crawl, as if I were breaking out in hives.
In such a state, I simply couldn’t bring myself to properly assist Boss with her broadcast.
– Ahem, ahem! Seo-ha-yang. Don’t you have something you’d like to say to me?
“Chan…ho-nim. For having targeted you…. I sincerely apologize…d.”
– Aha! That’s it! This is precisely the scenario I envisioned!
“I also apologize for exploiting Chan-ho-nim’s lack of popularity… and for unearthing those rather sordid desires of yours…”
– …Your addendum is rather lengthy, wouldn’t you say? This is an apology, after all! Stick to the main objective!
*Damn it, it’s bound to come out eventually. Should I just blurt it out myself, then torment that man to my heart’s content?*
Such a desire began to swell within my chest.
“Seo-ha, what happened between you and Master yesterday?”
“It’s just… nothing at all….”
“What is it?! Tell me! Why am I being left out?! I feel so wronged!”
“A 26-year-old attempting *aegyo* (TL Note: a Korean term for a cute display of affection or charm) is, frankly, a little jarring.”
“Do you *want* to die, Seo-ha?”
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Seriously, ㅋㅋㅋㅋ it feels like sushi is about to come flying out of my stomach ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Honestly, was I the only one who found it cute??]
[I agree…. She is pretty…. ]
[Hey, hey! If you keep saying things like that, Nari’s ego will swell immensely;;]
[1. Just beat Nari to a pulp, lol.]
“Usually, viewers of female streamers don’t act like this…!! Everyone else is doting and boosting their morale, so why is it always just me?!”
“The answer! Because you’re old.”
“Damn you. Yoo Seo-ha, get over here…!”
[Goodbye ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[You won’t be gone long ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[It’s been a pleasure, Martyr Yoo Seo-ha ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[Were we always like this? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ We weren’t when you were a ‘youngster’ (TL Note: ‘jeolmaeng-i,’ a playful term for a young person) ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Nari-nim, if you’re so bothered, just perform ‘return to youth’ (TL Note: ‘banrohwandong,’ a term from fantasy/wuxia novels referring to a magical transformation that restores one’s youth and power)~~]
[What even is ‘return to youth,’ you old geezer, damn it?]
Boss seized my cheek.
Or perhaps, it would be more accurate to say she gripped my chin with a single hand?
Thanks to my rather small face, my chin fit perfectly within Boss’s palm.
“You!! Who told you to say such mean things?!”
“Oobub, oobubu.”
“Did this tiny mouth say that?! Huh?!”
“Bwehehe.”
“Hey!! Don’t spit!! Ugh, gross!!”
“I just brushed my teeth, so it’s clean.”
Boss wiped the spit from her hand with a tissue.
Hmm, hmm. The effect was undeniably potent.
– Yoo Seo-ha’s ‘Yuksu’ (TL Note: ‘yuksu,’ a Korean slang term, literally meaning ‘broth,’ often used to refer to a dedicated male fan of a female streamer, sometimes with a slightly derogatory connotation) has donated 50,000 won!
[By any chance, how much are you selling that tissue for?]
“Wow! Thank you for the 50,000 won donation!!”
“Boss, please ban her.”
“It’s 50,000 won, so no.”
“But! You promised to protect ordinary citizens?!”
“You… well, to call you ‘ordinary’ at this point… that’s a bit of a stretch, wouldn’t you say?”
“Pardon? Why me?!”
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ How did she survive ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[No, Yoo Seo-ha, how does she already have ‘yuksu’ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[So funny ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[I agree ㅋㅋㅋㅋ To call her an ordinary person… right?]
[She’s half a streamer already ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
– Indeed, Seo-ha. When are you starting your broadcast?
“Why would I broadcast?”
– If you don’t do it, then who will? It looks like you already have a fanbase.
“Is *that* a normal fanbase…?”
“And there’s a high probability that fanbase was originally mine…. You thief!!”
Seeing her attempt to seize my cheek once more, I preemptively stuck out my tongue.
At the sight, she swiftly recoiled her hand.
It seemed even Boss possessed a modicum of learning capability.
Regardless, the main content of the stream officially commenced.
****
And then….
Throughout the entire segment, Im Chan-ho acted with a triumphant air, constantly dredging up my weaknesses.
– Oh. Seo-ha. You explain it instead of me. I’m feeling a bit lazy today….
“No, you’re the master. I’m not even primarily an Undead player, so why must I explain the shortcomings of a thoughtless Lich all-in strategy in a Human vs. Undead match?”
– Tsk! Shall I spill the beans about yesterday’s broadcast?
“…Because, fundamentally, an Undead player should never approach a match with the mindset of finishing off an opponent solely with a Lich. Instead, one should aim to buy time to advance through the main building tech tree, progressing from [Corpse Mortuary – Medium Morgue – Corpse Exhibition Hall].”
– Precisely! Considering Nari’s skill level, she’d never properly grasp the timing for an all-in, so this strategy is far more suitable.
“Once you reach the Exhibition Hall, you can produce advanced units that perfectly counter the opponent’s infantry setup, meaning the Lich has served its purpose by simply carrying you through the mid-game.”
Could there be any greater humiliation in this world?
What’s more, these tormenting incidents continued to repeat themselves.
– Seo-ha?
“…When the Dragon Tribe’s ‘SimCity’ (TL Note: a gaming term referring to base layout or build order) is so poorly executed, you must breach their defenses and dismantle the Humidity Regulator. Dragon Tribe buildings become inactive without a nearby Humidity Regulator, meaning no further Dragon Tooth Soldiers (TL Note: ‘Yong-a-byeong,’ a specific unit name in the game) will be spawned.”
.
.
– Seo-haaa.
“If you frequently face opponents who favor Dragon Tooth Soldier rushes, try practicing the ’11-front build’ (TL Note: ’11-ap build,’ a gaming term referring to a specific early-game strategy or build order). It’s far easier to counter than the ’12-front build’ (TL Note: ’12-ap build,’ another early-game strategy)… Ugh, fine!”
“Everyone! The truth is, I offered Chan-ho-nim a ‘back-apology’ yesterday! I told him I was sorry for being so cheeky during the broadcast and that I deeply apologized if I had caused any offense!”
– Gasp?!
I simply couldn’t endure it any longer!
Was this truly the life of a sane human being?
Rather than being manipulated like this, I decided to just reveal everything openly.
Embarrassment? The frustration boiling within me was far greater.
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ She finally couldn’t take it and spilled the beans ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[I knew it was only a matter of time ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Seriously ㅋㅋㅋㅋ everyone who knows already knows ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[What is it?? A back-apology?? Is there a video??]
[Yep, check Chan-ho’s VOD, it’s still there.]
[What’s a back-apology, anyway ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Hold on, I’m going to watch it.]
The patience I had painstakingly suppressed finally burst.
Yet, my outburst didn’t stop there.
Was I to be constantly suppressed by him, having my weaknesses exploited like that again?
No, before that, I’d reveal it myself!
“And I actually can’t use chopsticks very well either! Boss! Could you lend me some chopsticks?!”
“Huh?? Uh, uh?? Oh…”
She placed the wooden chopsticks, which had been cleared away after we ate the sushi, in front of me.
Without hesitation, I shifted my position, making sure my hands were visible to the camera.
Although I had impulsively exposed my weakness, honestly, I had no intention of failing now.
This was the moment for the finger adaptation training I had diligently practiced to finally shine.
Just as a baby takes its first steps, the time had come for me to demonstrate my first successful use of chopsticks.
To achieve this, I imposed upon myself the constraint of being watched by thousands of people.
I pushed myself to my absolute limit.
For humans, after all, are known to perform miracles in moments of crisis.
[Oh ㅋㅋㅋㅋ what’s with her hands ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Wow, look how small her hands are.]
[What?? She can’t use chopsticks well??]
[No way, that’s a lie.]
[How can an adult not use chopsticks ㅋㅋㅋ]
Searching for something suitable to pick up, my eyes landed on a cola bottle that Boss had apparently been drinking earlier.
That bottle cap would be perfectly sufficient to prove myself.
The dense grooves etched along its side also suggested a high coefficient of friction….
Sensing a chance at victory, I confidently detached the cap and placed it on the desk.
Finally, the moment of truth had arrived.
If I couldn’t trust my own past efforts, diligently rehabilitated through Triarkia, who else would?
Believe. Believe in the me that believes in me!
I confidently picked up the chopsticks.
Then, I extended them towards the cola bottle cap without hesitation and….
“……”
*Thunk,* the bottle cap fell.
The cap, caught between my chopsticks, failed to rise even 10cm before falling uselessly.
[????]
[What’s she doing????]
[Did she hurt her hand?]
[??????]
From the very start, the way I held the chopsticks was fundamentally wrong.
Instead of gripping them elegantly like Boss, I held them as if stabbing them into my fist.
Somehow, it felt like I was reliving the same embarrassing situation as yesterday.
My face flushed crimson.
Frankly, I thought there was a high chance of failure, but a true ‘man’ doesn’t consider the aftermath of failure, so I challenged myself.
*Maybe I shouldn’t have tried to be a ‘man’ after all….*
*Indeed, asking a former hand-disabled person to use chopsticks in less than two weeks was an unreasonable demand.*
*It’s not my fault….*
“I thought I’d succeed since wooden chopsticks are less slippery…!”
“Seo-ha…?”
– You mean… you were someone who couldn’t even use chopsticks??… Did I lose to someone like that?… Even if I was distracted by the chat… Wow, I feel dizzy.
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ What the f*ck is this now?? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[That’s impossible ㅋㅋㅋ It must be a fake for the broadcast. How could an adult…]
[Seriously, ㅋㅋㅋㅋ how can someone with 2750 points not be able to use chopsticks??]
[No, is it really not faked??]
Silently, I tried again.
*Slide, thud.* It fell.
I quietly retrieved the rolling cap and placed it back in its original spot.
Once more. *Slide.*
“Oh…! I did it!”
On my third attempt, I succeeded in lifting the cap!
With eyes brimming with joy, I looked at Boss.
I proudly presented the bottle cap, gripped between my chopsticks.
“How’s that! I succeeded!”
“Oh… um… no… *tsk,* you… did well. Seo-ha….”
“I told you I could do it! See! I always follow through on my promises!”
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ No way]
[Seriously, ㅋㅋㅋㅋ it looks so genuine??? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[??? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Why is she genuinely so happy? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[What kind of move is this ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Please tell me it’s faked, how can an adult????]
– Anonymous donated 1,000 won!
[Did she live abroad??]
[Look at her voice tone go up ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Seriously, ㅋㅋㅋㅋ why is she so cute getting so happy over something so trivial? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Is she really a baby? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Nari is super flustered too, so it’s not pre-planned ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Don’t be ridiculous ㅋㅋㅋㅋ So you’re saying you believe that’s real? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ She’s so f*cking cute, honestly ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Wow… she really has to be my wife….]
I carefully moved the chopsticks, afraid the bottle cap might fall.
This could truly be considered an accomplishment.
Honestly, I wanted to take a picture to commemorate it, but I refrained, knowing that taking out my phone might disrupt the delicate balance of power I currently held.
At this moment, I was more serious than ever before.
– Um… Seo-ha. 99% of Koreans can do that, you know….
“I’ve never been taught how to use chopsticks by anyone. This is my first success…!”
– Oh…? Is that even possible? Usually, parents teach their kids when they’re young.
“Gasp. No way!”
“Because of some physical issues when I was young, I couldn’t learn how to use chopsticks at the orphanage. This achievement right now is purely through my own effort!”
– The orphanage…? Wait, wait, wait, then I’ve been teasing someone like that all this time…. Oh, hold on everyone. No! I’m not that kind of person!
“Boss, could you possibly take a picture for me?? So I can remember this feeling when I practice alone at home…!”
– I didn’t know! I didn’t know!! How was I supposed to know about her past?!
It was only after I had calmed my excited heart that I noticed the turn of events.
Approximately five minutes had passed.
It was enough time for Im Chan-ho, who had been exploiting me all this time, to be branded with nicknames like ‘trash,’ ‘orphan exploiter,’ and ‘not human.’
Hmm….
I hadn’t intended this, though?
Nevertheless, since the situation was turning out to be amusing, I decided to add fuel to the fire.
They say that to extinguish a fire, setting a counter-fire is an effective method.
Of course.
I had not the slightest intention of actually quelling the controversy.
He had played with me like that all this time, had he?
Then he deserved to suffer, didn’t he?
“The truth is, even my ‘back-apology’… was because I grew up eating ‘nunchitbap’ (TL Note: ‘nunchitbap,’ a Korean term referring to meals eaten while being overly conscious of others’ moods or opinions, often implying a difficult upbringing) in the orphanage since I was young, so things like that particularly bothered me…”
– Wait a minute!! Seo-ha!! That’s really not fair!! Hey, hey!!!
“Perhaps my personality… seemed rather amusing to Chan-ho-nim…. To have my weakness exploited like that, honestly, I felt a little… well… downcast.”
– Save me!! Seo-ha-nim!! Please!! My streamer career will really be over!! This is WWE, right?? Right?!
“Hmm.”
Watching Im Chan-ho’s image crumble in real-time filled me with a refreshing sense of satisfaction.
So, I decided to give him one last chance.
“Whether this is WWE or UFC will depend on how Chan-ho-nim acts from now on, won’t it?”
– Teacher!! Teacherrr!! From now on, I am Seo-ha-nim’s dog!! Shall I bark?! Huh?!
Today’s first lesson.
Do not try to win against me.
