I Became a Malicious Streamer

– Eomma, Eomma! Heehee.

– Why is this kid acting like this?

– Eung, it’s because it’s fun.

Ji-yeon grew up to be a very affectionate child.

By the time she entered middle school, the minor illnesses that had plagued her childhood had almost disappeared, making her a healthy child by any standard.

Since I had always taken care of her since she was little, she had no qualms about expressing her affection towards me, and she was a bright child who loved her family.

On the other hand, Ji-eun had become a bit more apathetic.

– …Don’t you need anything, Ji-eun?

– No, I’m fine.

– If you need anything, just tell me. Eomma will buy it for you.

Rather than being apathetic, she seemed to have become accustomed to hiding her emotions.

At least in front of her younger sibling, she would smile and show a bright side, but in front of me, all she ever said was that she was fine.

Only then did I realize that my relationship with Ji-eun had grown distant, and I tried to make amends, but it wasn’t easy.

Coincidentally, my work had also gotten busier at that time, so I couldn’t pay as much attention to her.

That must have all been an excuse. No matter what, I should have worked on restoring my relationship with Ji-eun.

While I was in this estranged phase with Ji-eun, something happened.

– I’m not your biological child.

– Where did you hear such nonsense…

– I saw it in the storage room, Mom’s notebook.

My notebook that contained records from when I first adopted Ji-eun all the way through her upbringing.

Ji-eun said she had realized she wasn’t my biological child through it.

– It’s okay, though. You’re still my mom, right? I’m still your daughter.

Seeing Ji-eun smile as she said that made me feel relieved, and that day passed without incident.

Just because she said it was okay doesn’t mean it truly was, but since she always said she was fine, I should have suspected things at least once.

I did nothing.

Maybe I was scared; scared of the harsh words Ji-eun would unleash when I truly dug into her feelings.

I was a coward, so I ran away, and in the end, I paid the price.

– Thank you for raising me.

Ji-eun left only a note and disappeared.

She left everything she had been wearing and using behind. She packed only the bare minimum and left.

I wanted to know how she found a place to stay, if she was eating well, and if she was okay now.

I had countless questions, but I couldn’t ask any of them. She was out of contact.

No, even if she was in contact, I wouldn’t have been able to say anything. What could I say, other than excuses, to a child who had already been hurt so much?

Time passed, and at least Ji-yeon was in touch; she would sometimes show signs of having met her sister. I spent days, months, and years trying to find assurance in Ji-yeon’s face.

I let time flow by without being able to do anything.

In the stiff household, I tried hard to look away and focused even more on my work. I kept whipping myself.

But it shouldn’t have been like that, and I was still a coward.

It was all just memories left with regrets.

*

“You… even if you’re not my biological child, I love you. I’ve wanted to tell you this for a long time.”

“Y-yes…”

“Ahem, Dad feels the same way. I’ve never once thought Ji-eun wasn’t my daughter. I even keep your picture in my wallet. My subordinates tease me about it all the time.”

It was suddenly confession time.

And I was the one playing the role of the priest who hears that confession.

I told her to sit down for a moment, and she awkwardly took a seat, leading to this situation.

The truth is, I didn’t know anything.

“I’m fine, Eomma. I’m really fine…”

“Uuh!”

Facing my mother’s red-rimmed eyes, I awkwardly repeated that I was fine.

However, my mother began to sob as though she had heard something strange.

What’s going on? Did I say something wrong?

“I-I’m telling you, I’m fine!”

“Sniff, hooook!”

Hmm, I guess it’s better to just shut up and stay still.

Like a wild animal crying, my mother let out incomprehensible sounds as she cried, and all I could do was sweat and hold her hands.

Dad, who had been observing this scene, also took off his glasses and wiped his tears.

Is this it? It must be, right?

Ji-eun must have left after finding out she wasn’t a biological child, and after some time, she returned home and reconciled with her parents.

Let’s end this on a happy note. I usually prefer sad endings or open conclusions because happy endings always seem so bland, but if I did that in reality, I’d look like a crazy person.

Pat pat-

I awkwardly patted my mother’s back, who had buried her head in my arms, and pondered.

So, Ji-yeon doesn’t know anything?

Does she know Ji-eun isn’t her biological sister or not?

From her reactions so far, it seemed like she didn’t. So why did Ji-eun leave home? What does she think was the reason?

Just a simple fight with her parents? Late-onset puberty? A journey for personal growth?

As I was lost in thought, the sound of a loud crash echoed.

Thud-!

It sounded just like the moment I fell down.

I turned my gaze that way, and there was Ji-yeon, peeking in with an awkward expression.

“Sorry… I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I couldn’t sleep, so I came out…”

Seeing her reaction made me certain.

Ji-yeon didn’t know either.

*

I knew something had happened between my mom and sister.

To be precise, it was something between my sister and my parents. Regardless.

Whatever it was, it had to be significant enough for my good, obedient sister to leave home.

I had been curious about the reason, but my parents never gave me a straight answer and the atmosphere at home darkened each time I brought it up. In the end, I gave up on asking.

But I never expected such a hidden truth.

‘My sister isn’t my biological sister…?’

I was stunned. Just utterly stunned.

I felt like I had been hit in the back of the head with something I never saw coming. One of the fundamental truths I had taken for granted in my life had shattered.

I had known that my sister looked a bit different from me.

She had a cold, striking beauty, while I had a more gentle, round-faced beauty.

Both shared the common trait of being beautiful, but it was hard to say we resembled each other in atmosphere or appearance.

Even so, how could someone suspect their sister wasn’t biologically related to them?

To think that a slight difference in appearance would lead to such thoughts is outside the realm of normal reasoning.

But life doesn’t always roll out the same way. Sometimes, instinct can be surprisingly accurate—as in this case.

“Ji-yeon, were you surprised? Your dad and I were planning to tell you someday… but we never knew when the right time would come.”

“Ah, no. It’s fine.”

I wasn’t just saying that; it really was fine. Yes, it was.

So what if my sister isn’t my biological sister?

Ji-eun is still Lee Ji-eun, and the daughter of Lee Jang-hoon and Kim Soo-yeon.

She was family since she was born, so I couldn’t acknowledge that she wasn’t family now.

With those thoughts, Ji-yeon tried to compose her expression.

If she showed a flustered face, it would ruin the uplifting atmosphere that her mother and sister had built up. She couldn’t be a stumbling block now when they were working on mending their relationship.

“Okay, I’m glad you like it. Ji-yeon, you must have struggled a lot during this time, right? It must feel good now that your mom and sister are getting along. Seeing you smile is nice.”

“Y-yes? Yes…”

But then, Ji-yeon couldn’t help but be surprised again at what her father said.

‘Did I like it?’

Ji-yeon checked her face with her hands.

Her lips were subtly turned up in what looked like a smile.

She hadn’t forced herself to smile, but she was indeed smiling.

She had been trying to act indifferent, to take the stance that it didn’t matter since her sister was family anyway, but—

She was smiling without even realizing it? Why?

‘Because it felt good.’

Searching for a reason for her inexplicable emotion, Ji-yeon turned her gaze toward her sister.

‘It must be that my sister came back to the family, and that made me smile.’

This was a plausible assumption, but Ji-yeon still felt something unsettling. It felt like she was overlooking something.

Ji-yeon observed her state with a cool head. And she realized.

When had her feelings been most intensely swayed? It was when…

‘When I realized that Ji-eun wasn’t my biological sister.’

She thought it was just confusion, but beneath that lay a subtle joy.

What reason could there be to feel happy that her sister wasn’t her biological sister?

For a moment, Ji-yeon pondered and suddenly recalled a possibility that fulfilled all her needs.

Yet it was so gloomy and sinister that she couldn’t believe it had come from her own thoughts, leaving her disappointed, yet oddly excited.

To prevent that thought from being detected by others, Ji-yeon smiled even wider than before.

“Are you happy, Ji-yeon? That your sister came back?”

“Yes.”

So happy. Too happy.

She swallowed the unspoken words. Since she herself was uncertain about the emotion, she avoided attaching any explicit meaning to it.

Just for now. At this point.

In the embrace of her father and sister, with her mother gazing warmly at her, and the awkward expression on her sister’s face.

That alone made for a good night.

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