A Long-Awaited Gathering

The Pepero Day event broadcast ended successfully.

Especially during the 1:1 match with Soldier, the viewer count soared to 4,200, allowing me to clear an additional mission even though I had already completed one.

Thanks to that, the points that ran out during the poor dancer improvement project were somewhat recovered.

‘450? It’s not enough to do anything particular though.’

I miss those days when I had over 4,000 points accumulated before upgrading my appearance.

Back then, I felt full just looking at the points without eating.

[You say that, but you ordered and ate delivery food quite stubbornly.]

“Shut up!”

[Is it okay to treat me so carelessly now? I was thinking of giving you a special mission soon.]

“Oh my! I was wrong. It’s all because of my careless mouth.”

Clap, clap-!

“This mouth, mouth!”

[Hmm, you seem to have reflected enough. Alright. Then I’ll give you a special mission.]

A sweet special mission achieved through a lightning-fast change of attitude.

I immediately checked the content.

[Special Mission!]

[Spreading the gospel and words of the goddess is a difficult journey overcoming numerous hardships and adversities. But we can’t give up. Let’s try evangelism activities targeting even more people than before.]

[Reward: 1500 points]

“Huh…”

The goal was simple and straightforward.

Achieve 5,000 viewers as an individual, not a joint broadcast.

The reward was also considerable at 1,500 points.

But 5,000 people… Is that even a possible number?

“No, the recent 4,200 was only possible because of the incredible aggro from the 1:1 match with Soldier, how can I get 5,000 in an individual broadcast!”

In fact, if there had been prior advertising and rumors spread, it might have been possible to get more than 4,200 with Soldier’s name value.

But the problem here isn’t that.

The fact that only broadcasts conducted as an individual, not joint broadcasts, are recognized… Then the difficulty skyrockets.

[Nothing is impossible if the goddess’s grace is with you.]

No, if it’s that easy, why don’t you do it yourself!

Still, it’s fortunate there’s no time limit.

If I keep growing like this, I should be able to clear it someday.

More importantly, today is the day of a gathering with friends returning after a month.

-Yunjin: Looking forward to female cammer noona today too.

-Hani: You’re really dead. Didn’t I tell you to give me special member status?

-Myunghoon: Are you Dumb and Dumber? ㅋ More importantly, we’re meeting at Seiya in Gangnam today, right?

-Byeonghan: That’s right. I made a reservation with difficulty, so don’t be late everyone.

-Yunjin: Ahem! I’m paying, so don’t forget to thank me.

-Hani: Yes! I’ll express my gratitude with these two fists when I meet you in person.

After sending the message, I immediately start making Pepero.

The meeting time is in the evening so it seems there’s time to spare, but it was tight because I had to make Pepero and do makeup and hair styling too.

‘We’re meeting in Gangnam, so I can’t go out looking shabby. They said the reserved restaurant is a high-end Japanese restaurant too.’

Isn’t it very different from going to the regular meat restaurant near the neighborhood comfortably?

This gathering was a day when Yunjin was treating us after a long time.

He said he received a hefty bonus because the company project he was in charge of produced good results.

‘Just wait. I’ll eat until my stomach bursts.’

He’ll come to his senses after his wallet is completely emptied.

My hands making Pepero get busy.

---

“Thank you for your hard work. Have a good day.”

“Yes, yes.”

Leaving behind the taxi driver’s slightly dazed reply, I approach the destination.

Suddenly, gazes pour in from around me.

At first it was startling, but now I’m a bit used to it and maintain a calm expression as I enter the Japanese restaurant “Seiya”.

“Hello, are you alone?”

“I have a reservation under the name Son Byeonghan.”

“Ah, I’ll guide you. This way…”

Following the employee’s guidance, I headed inside through the corridor.

Several bar seats were visible along the way, and the rest were all private rooms.

“This is the room.”

“Thank you.”

Leaving the guiding employee behind, I gaze beyond the door.

The already boisterous atmosphere inside.

After confirming with sharp eyes that there’s no escape, I quickly opened the door and pounced on the target.

“Wh-what… Ugh!”

“Die!”

This guy can’t be forgiven.

Yunjin, who was caught by me without time to respond, sitting in a position close to the door.

I immediately grab his hair and shake it.

“Aah! This hair took 30 minutes to style. Stop!”

“Hehe! It’s karma. You should have done it in moderation.”

Myunghoon giggling next to us and Byeonghan looking this way with slightly worried eyes from across the table.

After slapping his back with my palm a few times, I let go of his hair.

“Ugh… Hey, is all my hair still attached?”

“Ang. You’ve avoided becoming bald though. Congratulations.”

Ignoring the two guys’ banter, I moved to the empty seat across.

It was floor seating, but in a form with the bottom open so I could sit comfortably.

“Long time no see. Nothing much happened?”

“You know, same as always for me.”

His appearance of lightly laughing while scratching his head hasn’t changed at all from high school, making me laugh for no reason.

“Wow! Amazing. Hani, no matter how much you want to look young, a ponytail at that age is a bit much.”

“… Wanna die?”

“It suits you very well.”

“Hmph!”

What a handful, talking big.

While wiping my hands with a wet wipe, I asked if they had ordered.

“Yep. We ordered before you came. It should be coming out soon.”

“I’ll come in for a moment.”

As soon as Myunghoon’s words ended, a knock was heard along with an employee’s voice.

With a sliding sound, the door opens and the employee starts setting up the basics.

Rakkyō, young ginger, seasoned vegetables, etc. are neatly placed, followed by the appearance of a small bowl to start with.

“Is it porridge?”

“Abalone porridge. Eat slowly.”

No special words are needed in front of food.

Everyone picks up spoons and tastes the abalone porridge.

“Oh!”

“Not bad. Perfect for a start.”

“Did you order alcohol?”

“We didn’t.”

“Why?”

When I asked back, everyone’s gaze focused on me.

Feeling needlessly guilty, I raised my voice asking why they were looking at me like that, and Byeonghan spoke about last time’s gathering in a worried voice.

“Don’t you remember falling asleep drunk last time? Myunghoon had a really hard time taking you home.”

“Ahem, let’s drink just a little.”

With a criminal record, I can’t be bold.

Yunjin ordered alcohol with a smirk at my embarrassed voice.

The second batter appeared in the meantime.

“Here’s flatfish sikhae and maki.”

Maki slightly longer than the index finger and red seasoned fish flesh covering the middle part on top.

When I asked curiously because it was food I was seeing for the first time, they said it’s a regional dish from Hamgyeong-do.

“This is pretty good.”

“Hmm… Not my taste.”

There were some differences in likes and dislikes, but everyone tasted it moderately, and in the meantime, the alcohol arrived.

As everyone fills their glasses, Yunjin recites a toast.

“Well, hoping that everyone’s work goes well… Cheers!”

Clink-!

We clink glasses and take the first drink refreshingly.

Maybe because it’s alcohol I’m drinking after a month, it feels even more sticky in my mouth.

“Here’s the assorted sashimi.”

The appetizers are over and now the main starts.

Food beautifully plated on a blue plate that looks refreshing just by looking.

It looked like a mountain scenery with well-washed stones and flowering trees decorated.

“Let’s taste it.”

“Me too!”

As the saying goes, good-looking rice cakes taste good too, my mouth waters.

I reach for the tuna belly, with exactly 4 pieces placed according to the number of people.

The feeling is even more luxurious with a light sprinkle of gold powder.

When I put it in my mouth, the feeling of being full of oil was quite satisfying.

“What’s this?”

“That’s greater amberjack. It’s delicious because it’s well-aged.”

There were many others too.

We ate plain flounder wrapped in mountain garlic leaves, and the flounder fin engawa following sea bream belly had an excellent nutty flavor.

“Here’s the kaimono.”

It’s an assorted seafood platter.

Abalone, sweet shrimp, whelk, sea cucumber, lobster sashimi, etc… It was a composition that made the alcohol go down smoothly.

“Oh my. I told you to watch me well.”

“Huh? What, are you drunk again?”

“I’m not drunk!”

I don’t know how these guys see me to say I’m drunk.

When I was a man, I could easily drink 3 bottles of soju.

At my peak, I even drank up to 5 bottles!

[I think there’s nothing as unsightly as bragging about drinking capacity.]

“Shut up!”

“What are you saying? You’re the only noisy one here.”

“Sigh. Watch carefully. I’ll go buy hangover medicine quickly.”

As Myunghoon leaves the room, Byeonghan’s worried gaze and Yunjin’s mischievous face brush past my eyes.

“Alright. My hair was pulled earlier too, today we’re filming Troublemaker Female Cammer Part 2.”

“Do you want to play such pranks in this situation?”

A voice passing by despising someone, and a phone screen appears above my lying face.

And Yunjin’s voice full of mischief.

“It’s Hani-nim’s broadcast time. Wake up.”

“Hmm?”

I’m dizzy.

I don’t know if it’s the alcohol rising, but my face is hot and I feel slightly dazed.

Right, I became a woman.

But I’m a man.

28-year-old great man of Korea, Lee Gangjun!

As I struggle to open my eyes, I see something beyond the blurry vision.

Gold? Yes, shining gold…

“Gold Sun?!”

“What?”

I see Gold Sun smiling down at me.

Moreover, he’s trying to film me with his phone right now.

Dangerous!

This is really a dangerous situation.

Instinctively, I raise my body and swing my fist, hitting Gold Sun’s vital point.

“Ugh!”

“Yu-Yunjin!”

“Huh?”

Byeonghan’s sharp voice hitting my ears instantly wakes me up.

What? The current situation…

“What’s going on? Why are you all like this?”

At that moment, I see Myunghoon coming in opening the door.

When I blink my eyes a few times, I can finally see a bit.

Byeonghan with a surprised expression not knowing what to do, and Yunjin collapsed on the floor shaking his body as if having a seizure.

“What on earth is going on here?”

“… That’s what I want to ask.”

Myunghoon’s deep sigh fills the room.