Chapter 61: Reality merger

‘Life is solo.’

Like that saying, it was difficult to expect unconditional warmth in modern society.

As the internet developed, communication between people decreased.

Naturally, even interest in each other faded away.

Not even knowing what your next-door neighbor is doing is the reality of Korean society.

When you’re busy just trying to make ends meet yourself, how can you possibly care about such things one by one?

Oh Sanghun was one such person.

From his perspective as an ordinary office worker, paying attention to other people’s affairs one by one was close to a luxury.

“No, why are there so many damn people…?”

Sanghun grimaced at the sight of Busan Station, which seemed unusually crowded today.

I need to get to the meeting place quickly, what is all this?

Did an accident happen somewhere?

He looked around, but there was no sign of such a thing.

It was just that at some point, people had stagnated and were moving slowly.

“Excuse me, please let me through.”

It was the moment he, with a deeply furrowed brow, squeezed through the crowd.

“Wow, so pretty…”

“Is she some celebrity?”

‘Hmm?’

The voices of people suddenly reached his ears.

A celebrity.

No matter how much they try to build a friendly image these days, they are beings who live in a completely different world from us.

In short, they are like mythical creatures one can only see on TV.

Even someone who doesn’t believe in superstitions would be interested if they heard a unicorn actually existed.

Out of that curiosity, Sanghun unknowingly turned his head.

“Wow…”

And he couldn’t help but marvel.

Where people’s gazes gathered, a woman was walking by.

Wearing a cap pulled down and a mask, she looked like some celebrity.

Regardless of gender.

She possessed a beauty that would make anyone turn their head with interest.

Even the woman next to her, who looked like a manager.

And there were two people who disliked such attention.

One was Ren, the very person attracting everyone’s gaze.

‘…..Save me.’

The other was Baekro.

Seohyun, who found such attention burdensome.

Her dazed expression, as if her soul had been sucked out, naturally evoked sympathy from onlookers.

Her whole body was tightly covered, yet how could a person attract so much attention?

It was an achievement most celebrities wouldn’t even dare to attempt, but the person herself seemed to think differently.

‘I should have just wrapped myself in a padded jacket.’

Receiving so many stares like this.

She resented her past self for thinking a mere mask and hat would be enough cover.

Right, was this face something that could be hidden anywhere?

At this rate, wouldn’t it be possible to identify her with the naked eye even on a battlefield?

‘No, but still, isn’t this a bit too much?’

The stares she received in Japan could be brushed off.

As the leader of a group that everyone who knew, knew.

She was used to not being able to move around carelessly outside.

But to receive such stares in a foreign country where I’m not that famous.

Especially in Korea, renowned for its many handsome and beautiful celebrities, it was quite burdensome.

‘No, aren’t there many pretty actresses in Korea too?’

Thinking about it, it wasn’t strange.

What are the chances of an ordinary person seeing a celebrity in real life?

My looks were sculpted by a true god (the illustrator).

I possess looks that wouldn’t even think of losing to Korean celebrities.

Well, if you can’t accept it, take it up with my illustrator.

The moment she walked for a few minutes, trying her best to ignore the stares.

“Um… Unnie, shouldn’t we just go inside?”

Eventually.

Seohyun, unable to bear the people’s gazes any longer, asked Ren.

It was a bit embarrassing to say this as the one who offered to guide her.

‘Even so, still….’

As a hikikomori, it was difficult to stay long in a place where people’s attention was so focused.

“—Hmm, shall we?”

After pondering for a moment, Ren agreed with Baekro’s words.

‘If my picture gets uploaded to the internet, that’ll be troublesome in its own way….’

If it were simply praise for my looks like now, I’d gladly accept it.

But what if the netizen investigation squad finds out I’m in Korea?

Since I’m not a criminal, it wouldn’t be a particular problem.

Still, I hated anything that could lead to annoying talk.

“Yes, for now, how about we come out at night when it’s a bit quieter?”

Seohyun’s words were a reasonable suggestion.

After all, many people are out and about in the morning.

When it gets completely dark at night, the number of people will decrease compared to the morning, even if just for security reasons.

Besides, my hair color is dark navy blue.

It’s a color that won’t stand out much at night.

If I’m lucky, couldn’t it even serve as camouflage?

“Okay, then let’s head back for now.”

Having such outlandish thoughts as well.

Ren agreed to Baekro’s suggestion.

---

A deserted alley.

‘Hmm, this feels a bit off….’

Avoiding people’s eyes, Seohyun, who was returning to the hotel with Ren, fell into thought.

「This is my first time sightseeing in Busan, so I’m a bit nervous.」

Seohyun suddenly recalled what Ren had said.

Did she say this was her first time sightseeing in Busan?

Seohyun cautiously looked at her back.

Though not easily apparent due to her characteristic expression, she too must have been looking forward to Korea.

That’s why she must have asked her for some tourist information.

Therefore, she might have been disappointed about having to turn back now, unable to withstand the gazes of others.

Look even now.

Don’t her shoulders seem strangely slumped, and isn’t there no strength in her steps!

That was something she, as a warm-hearted Korean, absolutely could not tolerate.

Something special.

If we’re coming out again at night, doesn’t that mean we have to meet again anyway?

In that case, it seemed better to just take her home and then leave together.

Mmhmm, this definitely doesn’t have any selfish motives mixed in!

“Um…. Ch-Cheongha Unnie!”

After rationalizing it to herself like that.

In a trembling voice, Seohyun spoke to Ren.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“Um, while we’re at it, would you like to visit my house?!”

“….What?”

Ah, I’ve done it now.

Seohyun thought to herself.

It happened often, but for some reason, she seemed particularly swayed by her emotions today.

She already had a soft spot for younger people, and seeing that expression.

She just couldn’t be firm.

I need to fix this tendency; this is serious.

Anyway, that suggestion wouldn’t be a big loss for me.

‘I’ll be able to stream too, right?’

I already felt sorry for not being able to stream right away due to personal reasons.

While I’m at it, I felt like I should at least explain things on Baekro’s stream.

By the time she came to her senses.

‘Huh?’

She was already in front of Baekro’s house.

Wow, truly a pro streamer.

Her decisiveness is so quick.

---

“Here, Unnie, this is it!”

“….It’s impressive.”

Genuinely admiring, Ren entered Seohyun’s room.

A soundproof booth large enough to comfortably accommodate two people came into view.

This was Seohyun’s family home.

The house where she lived with her parents.

“I’m sorry, because of my mom….”

“No, she complimented me, so I should be thankful.”

‘Oh my, child, if your friend is a celebrity, you should have said so!’

There was a bit of a happening involving Baekro’s mother midway, but they managed to get through it well.

My parents…

‘Ugh.’

Ah, this isn’t right.

Just thinking about it made her throat ache.

Whoever it was, comparing them to that person was an insult to humanity itself.

After briefly rubbing her neck, Ren sat down beside her.

“Then Unnie, will this title be okay?”

Seohyun, who had quickly finished setting up the stream, showed her the screen.

[I actually met Cheongha…!]

“I don’t really mind. Do whatever you want.”

“Then I’ll go with this! Hehe…”

Come to think of it, this is my first time meeting Switch viewers, right?

Having only streamed on Live Stream until now, I felt strangely nervous.

So many people are going to come in here.

“Hey, Unnie, just act like you normally do!”

Perhaps noticing Ren’s nervousness.

Seohyun offered words of encouragement from the side.

Right, well.

What could happen?

It’s not like the chat culture is different, it’s just that the number of viewers displayed on the screen will be larger.

It might matter to a beginner, but for me, who’s already streaming, it doesn’t really matter.

“Alright, let’s start!”

Just as Ren was steeling herself.

Seohyun pressed the broadcast button.

---

[I actually met Cheongha-nim…!]

How long had it been since the stream started and the opening card was displayed on the screen?

The viewer count shot up instantly.

-??? What’s this title?

-That Cheongha-nim?

-The one who lives in Japan?

-What is this, clickbait?

[Baekro-nim is live streaming]

[Viewers: 3,568]

‘Wow….’

Six times.

Viewers numbering six times her own.

Accessed her stream in less than 10 minutes.

This is what a major streamer is.

Switch, the top streaming site in Korea.

And Baekro, who belonged to the major leagues among them, had incredible firepower.

The viewer count, which had been steadily increasing, only began to slow down after approaching 4,000.

Ren quietly glanced to the side.

“Yes, everyone. Hellooo~!”

Seohyun, who had just been shy, was now back to being the pro streamer.

‘Baekro’.

[Baekro Joa donated 1,000 Won]

=So what’s up with the guest today?

“Alright, everyone, don’t be surprised!”

Baekro replied to the immediately incoming donation message with sparkling eyes.

-Explain the no-show.

-What, did you really come to Korea?

-But why is this the first reveal here…?

-Hey, don’t abandon your stream.

Surprisingly, it seemed like some of my viewers were mixed in too.

Well, it’s not like people only hang out on one site.

Besides, since many viewers had come in through Baekro recently, it might be a natural reaction.

“Hmm, no-show?”

I couldn’t exactly say I was almost killed by a stalker, so I decided to come up with a reasonably decent excuse.

“Um, I was in a bit of a traffic accident.”

“I was out of it, so I couldn’t post a notice.”

“But I’m fine now.”

-Oh no…

-What to do ㅠㅠ

-Don’t be sick…

Concerned reactions from the viewers followed my explanation.

‘Being comforted in real-time, not just simple comments….’

This was definitely something I never experienced during my idol days.

Celebrities usually don’t do things like internet broadcasts.

At most, it would be edited videos on YourTube.

[Shubilshubal donated 1,000 Won]

So what’s the content for today?

“Ah, today’s content?”

At the viewer’s question that flew in again.

Baekro immediately went online.

“Hmm, since we’re in one place.”

“Something we can do together would be good, right?”

Simultaneously, a Flash game appeared on the screen.

[square X triangle]