episode_0006

“Ugh… It’s hot.”

Once again, the scorching heat of epic proportions has arrived this year. Normally, I would be enjoying games while feeling the greatness of Carrier Hyung-nim and basking in the cool air from the air conditioner.

But my shirt is drenched in sweat to the point of being semi-transparent. The intense sunlight automatically makes me squint my eyes.

Sizzling. The asphalt is on the verge of melting and becoming sticky.

In a hurry, I entered a nearby café and ordered an iced Americano.

Before joining this company, I used to think that carrying around a venti-sized coffee made the office workers look cool, but now I realize it’s an essential item for survival.

I can’t live without coffee.

I found a shaded bench nearby and sat down.

It has been six months since I retired from personal broadcasting and started working here. I joined a mid-sized company’s sales team. It’s rumored to have a workload that can truly be described as murderous.

I quit playing Hiole long ago. In the beginning, I had a lot of thoughts about it because it was a game I really liked.

So, I waited only for the end of work hours, thinking that I would play all night when I got home. But in reality, I was so exhausted that I immediately collapsed like a dead person.

Moreover, as I became more familiar with the job, overtime and extra work… There were so many additional tasks that I didn’t even have time to play games.

Well, if you want to make a living, that’s how it goes… I want to say.

*Riiing!*

The phone rings. When I take out my smartphone from my pocket and glance at the caller ID, my mood instantly sours. It’s Team Leader Halmeum. That’s the name I saved the number under.

Although I saved it as “Halmeum,” they are much younger than me. About 4 to 5 years younger? They graduated from a prestigious foreign university and were scouted by the company right away.

They are a completely different person from me, who barely managed to graduate from a third-rate university while working part-time jobs to pay for tuition.

Well, are they even human? Despite all the rumors about being the CEO’s daughter or having connections, their skill in pushing subordinates is definitely not that of a parachute.

After a brief hesitation, I press the answer button.

“Yes, Team Leader.”

“Daeganghyeon, did I not tell you to report immediately after meeting with the client?”

“Oh, I’ve already submitted the approval for that.”

“Do I have to remind you every time? Reporting in person is a basic requirement, and you should submit the approval afterward.”

“I’m currently out on a field assignment, so it’s a bit difficult to communicate face-to-face…”

“That’s just my style. Don’t beat around the bush and come back right now.”

“…Okay.”

It was unbelievable. Who meets face-to-face every time they submit an approval in today’s world?

What should I do? Going back to the office is a bit scary.

The office of the team I joined was extremely female-dominated, with over 90% being women.

Furthermore, the team leader had a great sense of style and looked like a celebrity.

People who didn’t know the situation would say things like, “I envy you, isn’t it like a harem?”

Of course not. Only those who have experienced the chaos of a female-dominated company know. I wasn’t the owner of a harem; I was more like a servant.

Even if there were beautiful and fit female employees, it didn’t mean much if I wasn’t dating them.

Moreover, whenever there was a challenging task or something difficult, everything was delegated to me.

Dealing with tasks that weren’t even mine and working overnight became routine.

At the beginning of my employment, it wasn’t this bad. I was tempted a few times, almost like flirting.

But I had no intention of dating anyone at the moment, so I firmly rejected the female employees, and they started treating me coldly.

Well, I could endure that much. As long as the team leader didn’t harass me, that is.

Sigh. I let out a sigh. What can I do? If I’m criticized, I’ll criticize back.

As I stood up and crossed the pedestrian crossing,

I saw a truck approaching at high speed from one side of the road.

And before I could assess the situation, the truck hit me.

*Crash!*

I felt my body floating. I have no memory after that.

*

In conclusion, I didn’t end up in another world after being hit by a truck.

When I opened my eyes, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling, and there was a nurse who cheerfully said, “You’re awake! You’ve been unconscious for over a week.”

“What happened to me?”

“Well… to explain your condition, you have fractures on ribs 6 and 7. Other than that, it’s mostly bruises. We were concerned about brain damage, but the MRI results showed no issues. For more details, please ask the attending doctor.”

I looked up with a puzzled expression. Clearly, the last thing I saw was the sight of a truck rushing towards me at an insane speed.

I couldn’t help but wonder if there was someone crazy enough to drive at that speed in the city, but I decided to postpone that question for later.

“I got hit by a truck, but that’s all I got hurt?”

“Yes. You were lucky. Still, I was worried because you didn’t regain consciousness. It’s your girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?”

“Yes. She was wearing a suit and had short hair, very beautiful…”

“…That’s my boss at work. The team leader.”

“Oh my. She felt just like a girlfriend… So, are you single now, by any chance?”

“I don’t have anyone I’m dating.”

“Can I have your phone number then?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Ugh.”

The nurse rolled her eyes so much it was audible. What’s up with the nurse?

“But does that company hire people based on looks? The woman who came and the patient, they both seemed that way. Maybe an entertainment company?”

“No, it’s just a regular company.”

“Hmm… Anyway, I’m glad you woke up. Your mind seems clear enough for casual conversation. That woman was really worried about you.”

“Worried?”

I frowned. Worried? That person who seemed like not even a drop of blood would come out if you pricked them with a needle?

“Yes. I guess I misunderstood why I thought she was your girlfriend. It’s because she seemed to worry a lot.”

“I see. You must have seen it wrong. If she was worried, it was probably about the parts that run the company getting damaged.”

“Is that so? Anyway, take it easy since you just woke up. The attending doctor will be here soon.”

“Understood.”

After the nurse left, I fell into deep thought for a moment.

Being on the verge of death due to overwork, I wondered if this was really how I should be living. It made me question if I had to live like this, without being satisfied with anything and unable to do what I wanted.

If I had died after being hit by the truck, how would I have thought about my life? Would I have considered it a life where I couldn’t find satisfaction or do what I wanted?

The trouble with my boss and the intensity of work were different issues. It was painful enough, but if it was something I truly wanted to do, I could endure it.

But now?

“I have decided to resign. Since I’ve been living alone and I’m not the type to indulge in luxuries, I have been able to save money over time without much difficulty even if I don’t have any income for over a year.

Looking back, the most enjoyable period in my life was when I was doing Hirore and broadcasting.

Yes, let’s give it one more try. And if I still don’t succeed, I’ll gracefully give up and find something else.

With that determination, some time later, I went through the process of resigning.

*

“I heard that you woke up. You should have stayed at the hospital since you wouldn’t be feeling well. I was just about to go there myself.”

The team leader, sitting with crossed legs on a high-end chair, looked at me and spoke. Her face, voice, figure, and style were flawless. Moreover, she graduated early from a prestigious overseas university, so intelligence was also one of her qualities. Well, there was one thing missing: character.

Her high-end suit hugged her body tightly, and her perfectly cut short black hair revealed her impeccable personality without any flaws.

“Yes, I plan to rest deeply now.”

As I said that, I handed her an envelope I had in my hand.

“What’s this?”

The team leader asked, and I smiled lightly.

“As stated on the front, it’s my resignation letter. Since you prefer face-to-face meetings, I thought it would be better to meet in person for the resignation.”

“You’re quitting now?”

“Yes, I told you.”

I could sense the team leader being at a loss for words. Why is she like that?

“If you need time off for your health, we can combine sick leave and vacation to give you enough time to rest. You don’t have to quit.”

“No, I have something I want to do.”

“Something you want to do?”

“Yes, I want to do game broadcasting.”

“What did you say?”

The team leader laughed as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Mr. Daeganghyeon, do you know that your qualifications and abilities are not enough to be hired by this company?”

“Yes.”

“But now you want to resign and do something like a mere game broadcasting. Do you think you’ll be able to get a job at a company like this in the future?”

“It will be difficult. I know.”

The team leader narrowed her eyes.

“But you still want to resign?”

I thought for a moment and then spoke.

“The game broadcasts and such are even more important to me.”

“I’ve thought about it. For the future as well…”

“Team leader, a few days ago, I almost died in a truck accident. I guess you could say I’ve been given a new lease on life. So, I plan to live thinking of the rest of my life as a bonus. Do you understand how I feel?”

The team leader remained silent. I bowed my head, bid farewell, and said,

“You probably don’t understand. I’ll take my leave now. Thank you for everything. Ms. Lee Hye-jin.”

“Wait a moment…”

The team leader reached out his hand to say something, but I turned around and left the team leader’s office.

“Now that I’m back home… I quit my job, and now I have to decide whether to return.”

*

I came home and turned on the computer after a long time. Despite more than six months passing, the computer worked without any issues.

“Come to think of it, the computer’s specifications must have changed a lot during that time. Should I upgrade it?”

The computer I had was just above the minimum requirements for Hiore. Although Hiore had good optimization, it would be better to have a better computer.

And now, I’m not broke anymore.

“Returning…”

After delivering a cool line and retiring, there’s no way I can suddenly come back. Saying that I’m returning is quite embarrassing.

For now, should I at least check how Twitch has changed?

I entered the Twitch address and looked at the main page. Even after six months, the top streamers were still actively broadcasting.

There’s also the characteristic of internet broadcasts that once they gain popularity, they don’t easily fade away, but fundamentally, these people must have great charm and broadcasting skills.

But I saw streamers that I hadn’t seen before. Yet, something felt familiar…

“Arisa and Neon?”

When I retired, they were barely getting over 100 viewers. It’s only been six months since then…

Tens, hundreds, thousands… ten thousand? 10,000 viewers?

Both of them easily surpassed 10,000 viewers.

What happened during that time?