Chapter 12 : That’s a difficult question to answer

It’s a difficult question to answer.

Huh.

• Hurk.
• Killer question entering the forum. Heh heh heh heh.
• Damn, this is bad!

“Back in school days…”

It seems like it’s really bad.

This is the conclusion I came to after much thought.

I’m really in trouble.

My past body, I mean, when I was a guy in school, it was so boring.

I just slept every day and drew pictures, a total loner. That was the end of it.

But talking about the girl, Kang Su-hyun, would make the broadcast a mess.

You see, every night I had to wash my bag by hand, or else it would stink like rotten milk. I’d always pretend to sleep in the back seat, and I’d hear the kids gossiping about me.

I took showers every day, but the kids would pour water on me in the morning, so it felt like I was showering twice a day.

…There’s no way I can talk about this.

Even with a broadcaster I’ve been close to for a long time, if I suddenly shared such stories, it would be awkward.

Let alone a guest who just appeared on the broadcast for the first time ruining the mood—it’s natural for people’s perception to change.

[Me. White Palette. You don’t have to answer if it’s hard…]

With a worried voice from the flight attendant, the atmosphere became awkward. Damn it. I can’t delay this any longer. I need to say something…

I steadied my trembling voice and gripped my tense arms tightly.

“No, I must answer properly if I’ve been asked a question.”

Forget it.

Since this is happening, I’ll say anything…!

Kang Suhyun’s silence was brief.

In fact, it was incredibly long for the troublemakers who were waiting to attack her.

But that wasn’t important.

Her silence was a signal for the next part, which they didn’t realize.

“School days… I was really busy back then.”

[If you were busy, what exactly kept you busy?]

FlyingCloud, slightly tense at Suhyun’s change in tone and atmosphere, asked. Normally, when someone changes like this, they’ve caused some kind of trouble.

“Of course, I was very popular, so I was busy. It was really exhausting.”

• ???
• Why are you suddenly like this;

With a light smile, she spoke like recalling memories. The mood shifted. The once gray person now shone like soft sunlight.

It came out as if it was meant to be that way, as though this was the expression that was already “drawn” in her.

The person who had been stuttering with no confidence was nowhere to be found, replaced by a vibe as if she were a “perfect person.”

The one Suhyun had envied and been jealous of in her past life, Kim Kyu-seok.

Unconsciously, Suhyun was perfectly imitating him.

She spoke with a calm, spaced rhythm. Not the kind of unnecessary, long pauses before questions.

It was natural, as if entering the conversation at the right pace, adjusting the tempo of the dialogue.

“Of course, now I just draw in my room, but I miss those days.”

• The calmness of an insider.
• Calmness… Oh…
• Suddenly, she looks so mature.
• Where did that awkward, shy loner go???

What Suhyun was now saying was an absurd combination of words without any evidence or basis.

Even though she spoke like this, her image had already been fixed in the viewers’ minds as the “stammering, weird-sounding girl.”

People don’t usually change their first impressions.

Suhyun was already seen by the viewers as a “shy nerd with a pretty voice.” That was unlikely to change.

Unless there was some unreasonable acting that made people believe even the most ridiculous lies.

Without that skillful acting, the viewers’ imagined image of Suhyun would be completely changed.

From a clumsy girl in a messy room to a woman recalling memories with a gentle smile.

“You can’t imagine it, right? Now, I love staying indoors… so…”

• Heh heh heh heh heh heh.
• Where did that shy, awkward girl with a secretive smile go???

How could someone change like this? What on earth happened?

• Did something bad happen…?

“Oh. Not really. It’s just that as time passed… I started meeting fewer people. I got more shy.”

[Hmm. I see…]

The FlyingCloud tried to remain calm, but it was hard to hide his confusion.

I had talked to her in person many times. But now, the Kang Suhyun in front of me was a completely different person.

Her looks were overwhelming, crushing the appearance of countless idols and actors.

Even though she wasn’t particularly tall, she had the perfect proportions and a body with the right curves in the right places.

To the FlyingCloud, Suhyun looked like someone who could have sky-high confidence without it being strange.

Even if she made a fool of herself, she would still be able to get away with it, because her appearance was just that overwhelming.

Yet, she had such an introverted and timid demeanor. I wondered what had happened.

Her school days must have been as glorious as her appearance. To think that such a shy person could speak so brightly about those days.

So, what happened to change her now…

‘She must have gone through something bad between her school days and adulthood.’

The FlyingCloud, with his sharp mind, jumped to a huge misunderstanding. He didn’t account for the fact that Suhyun’s acting wasn’t so believable as to make it obvious she was pretending.

‘…After the broadcast, I’ll apologize to her. This turned into a sensitive question.’

He typed quietly on the left monitor’s note.

‘After the broadcast, apologize to Suhyun.’

The foolish Kang Suhyun had no idea how successful her acting would be.

She thought if it was successful, great, and if it failed, she’d just get a little ridicule from the community.

She never expected it would be this remarkable, triggering a massive snowball effect.

[Well, then, shall we end the Q&A and start the game?]

“Oh yeah!”

Suhyun, unknowingly, ignited a huge fuse.

She just giggled at the thought of playing a game.

Kuuuu…

Click.

[You have good taste, my friend.]

A character adjusting their glasses and slamming a huge sniper rifle onto the ground.

Chamber. A weapon designer from France. The one I love the most… the one who lives and dies by the aim.

[Chamber. White Palette. You seem confident, huh?]

“I’m not unconfident.”

• Wow.
• That’s some serious style.
• Will he show the skills to match that?

Ugh. I’m nervous. I need to flatten their noses.

It’s been so long since I played an FPS.

And right now…

• [Level 13 Hanasaki Yui]
• [Level 1 WhitePalette]
• [Level 532 FlyingCloud]

…I just played a little and left it alone.

My level is inevitably lower compared to others.

And what about that guy, Bihangwoon?

Doesn’t he do his manager job? What’s with that level?

[Mom! Are you ready?]

Ah, right. I need to focus.

“Yeah. Yui picked already.”

Yui picked Neo. She has speed and tempo, but… in this game, it’s better to hide. Since she picked him, I won’t say much…

[I picked too. Why don’t you talk about mine?]

“You’re good even without me saying anything…”

Knockout.

This was originally an FPS made by a company that gained worldwide popularity with an AOS game. They had already made a fortune with that one game, so I’m not sure why they made this one.

Plus, the concept is the usual—agents with superpowers using guns and skills to wipe out the opposing team.

I honestly thought this would fail, with its strange system where you can’t hit someone in front of you while shooting while walking.

I mean, why is this popular?

Health is ridiculously low, but the weapons are so strong that one shot ends it. You meet an enemy, sit down, and just shoot—end of game, right?

Well… it was pretty fun once I tried it.

When you take out an enemy with quick reactions, it feels like you get a rush, you know?

As you can see, our team consists of me, Yui, Bihangwoon, and two AI characters who are basically punching bags.

And the enemy team is Yoshida Misa, Fujimoto Rie, Yamamoto Emi, and two AI characters.

It’s a team composed to separate Bihangwoon and Misa, but no one believes me. It’s a bit bitter.

Zing- Clunk!

The selections of all the agents are done, and the game is officially starting.

The broadcast mic is about to turn off, and the team will…

[Chamber… So, you’re from ‘Predator.’ Shall I check your skills today?]

Click.

The whole mic turned off.

• Wow, scary.
• Misa is all fired up.

I really can’t stand people who act all tough.

• Damn, this is bad! Run away!

It’s clear that Misa is a skillful VTuber, right?

With her reflexes, she’s currently one of the top knockout contenders among YouTubers.

Oh, of course, the top line is for pro gamers and Kill Log Notes. I’ve played with Kill Log Notes before.

So, seeing Misa whining like this…

“She’s cute.”

I mean, she’s cute enough that I want to bite her.

In this hero-shooting game, you can’t survive with just reflexes.

Phew.

The cold wind blows in the snowy, frozen base.

If we blow up the large bomb, the Spike, we’ll win this round.

[Mom. Should we head to point A first?]

Hmm… Since it’s the first round, that seems like a good idea.

The agents move forward, walking quietly.

Meanwhile, Bihangwoon is silent. He must be focused.

Since it’s the first round, no one has enough money to buy a gun.

Some might have bought cheap skills, but I can’t tell since they’re enemies.

In this situation, the Head Hunter I picked for Chamber takes an advantageous position. It’s a pistol without damage drop-off at a distance.

This is why Chamber’s aim is so important.

With the nature of headhunting, the bullet ricochets, but without “distance damage reduction” and with high damage, combined with the lack of a shield in the early rounds…

Bang!

[Headshot]

[Yoshida Misa eliminated!]

• ????
• Did I just see something?
• I’m speechless.

Where did the guy who was stuttering go?

This would be impossible without hacks.

Such a scene is something you can even direct.