NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34
Finally, the day has come.
What day, you ask? It’s the day I bid farewell to my beloved home.
Like any other day, I turned on the broadcast, set the background to a funeral hall, placed a Twip icon on the photo of the deceased, and pretended to bow by moving the character that my fans drew for me with the mouse.
“Oh, please rest in peace… It was joyful and happy to be with you…”
With a sorrowful voice, as if sending off a lost wife, the chat window quickly turned into a sea of tears.
【코스모절대지켜】- T_T
【츄우츄우】- Goodbye, my love…
【코끼얏호우】- Now that you’re leaving~ When will you come back~
【백화요란】- It’s really so sad… T_T
In truth, I hadn’t been watching Twip for long, and I had been a streamer for just a little over a year.
On the other hand, the viewers, the so-called Twiverse fans, had developed an attachment to the platform after watching broadcasts for a long time, so their feelings were a bit deeper.
They might think of it as just another platform, but for them, the time they spent laughing and chatting with their favorite streamer was preserved within it.
【‘하우냥이’ 님이 1,000원을 후원하셨습니다.】
– Just the other day, you were doing well…
【‘메기염소개구리’ 님이 10,000원을 후원하셨습니다.】
– This is my condolence money. I’ll light a stick of incense and head back.
“Thank you so much to everyone who came all the way to see us off on our last Twip broadcast. I’ll light one incense on your behalf.”
I drew a stick that looked like incense on Paint and pretended to burn it, then stuck it in the incense burner in the background.
Although it was gloomy, the atmosphere was kind of funny rather than overwhelmingly sad, and laughter began to flow instead of tears among the viewers.
After wrapping up the funeral appropriately, the atmosphere began to change gradually, and a few Twiverse fans started revealing their true colors.
【아디오스다오】- Alright, let’s end the broadcast!
【Bera666】- It’s the last day, how about some adult games? There’s a new awesome one out!
【한대맞고백대때리기】- Since it’s the last day, let’s get drunk!
As suggestions to let loose on the last day poured in, I wasn’t easily swayed.
I had heard that some streamers had resorted to forbidden streams that Twip’s rules disallow, and those reckless streamers were openly playing adult games.
I thought about joining in on that vibe, but I figured it’d be better to end things nicely.
Honestly, I was too busy to even think about creating new content.
“Today, I’ll just chat with you all briefly and end it. I have some things I want to say to you.”
As I firmly rejected the flood of suggestions and spoke with a slightly serious tone, the viewers responded with a mix of disgust and curious anticipation.
【몽구삼】- ? Why the sudden seriousness?
【지나가던앱등이】- A confession attack is coming!
【모스코스】- Oh my, does the lord have feelings for me? What is life if I don’t live longer?!
“No, you crazy kids. Can’t you just listen when someone’s talking?”
Why would I confess to you guys? I wouldn’t just lose innocent viewers like that.
After the atmosphere quieted down to some extent, I finally cleared my throat and spoke.
“I’ve been curious for a while—do you guys have any content you’d like me to do more of going forward?”
Before moving to a different platform, I wanted to know what my viewers hoped to see from me, something I hadn’t properly asked them so far.
Of course, that didn’t mean I’d just merely follow their requests. Streaming is the streamer’s domain, and being swayed by someone else often leads to a dead end.
However, until now, my broadcasts had given off a strong vibe of doing whatever I wanted, so I wanted to know a little about the viewers’ desires who would follow my broadcasts to the Cheese platform.
【코스모절대지켜】- Anything is fine!
【소주맛핸드크림】- Not really…?
【우백림】- If I had to say, maybe some RPGs?
【올프리드】- Not RPGs, let’s do some multiplayer games!
“These guys….”
Up until that point, it had been somewhat alright, but as soon as someone mentioned horror games, a stream of requests for horror games started flooding in.
What’s so entertaining about watching someone scream and shake in fear? I personally can’t even bear to watch someone else play horror games. Does everyone have the heart of a beast?
“So you want to see more gaming content, huh?”
【코끼얏호우】- I like the host’s reaction, so if you had to say, I’d put it that way, yeah.
【크로마뇽인】- You’re also pretty good at chatting, so it’s definitely fun.
【밥먹고지금일어남】- I found the counseling room interesting too, seeing so many people have various troubles.
【분홍토끼】- Do whatever the host wants!
Hmm… Back to square one.
Ultimately, each viewer has different needs, so it’s impossible to unify those into one. I’d never expected that to be the case, though.
When I think about it, it seems impossible for me to satisfy every viewer’s expectations, and a sense of powerlessness washed over me.
Even if I’m a small-time streamer, my only wish is for everyone who watches my broadcasts to enjoy themselves.
【‘코스모절대지켜’ 님이 100,000원을 후원하셨습니다.】
– We’re not here for the content; we’re here for Cosmo. So just do what you want, alright? That’s the best!
Just as I was deep in thought, a big donation from the chairman gave me warmth in my heart.
【선생님께다이른다】- Lolol
【국힙원탑코스모】- Lolol
【집나간개구리】- If you wanted RPGs, you would’ve gone somewhere else already, haha!
【크로마뇽인】- Yup~ Whatever you do, we’ll never leave~ Already committed!
Moreover, other viewers also expressed their positivity, highlighting that the identity of the person showing the content is far more crucial than what content is more entertaining.
That was a huge realization for me.
And I belatedly became aware that when I first started watching internet broadcasts, I didn’t care much about what games or content were fun. I was simply enamored with a streamer I liked and enjoyed whatever they did.
The fact that these viewers feel the same way through me made me feel emotional, while it was equally embarrassing and overwhelming.
“Thank you, everyone. I’ll keep my original intent as I move to Cheese, and I’ll do my best to make it entertaining. Please keep watching.”
【소주맛핸드크림】- Woah ;
【코끼얏호우】- Your voice is indeed a cheat, haha!
【폭삭내려앉은꽃】- If a guy is feeling fluttery, is that bad?
【블루망겜】- If it were any other platform, I would have complained about being corny, but the voice is making me feel all fuzzy, haha!
Whether they took my words seriously or if they were just brushing off my slightly cringey lines, I couldn’t tell.
But at least I believed these people would understand the sincerity behind my words and nodded along.
Thus, the last day on the beloved platform was passing by.
After finishing the broadcast and munching on a string cheese I grabbed from the fridge, I got a message from Older Sister Seo-ha.
It was quite late, but I didn’t think either of us would mind if we reached out to each other. Even if I called her at this hour, she wouldn’t fuss about it.
With that baseless trust in mind, I answered the call.
“It’s been a long day on the broadcast, Uju.”
“Did you sit through the whole thing? I thought you were busy this week…”
“Of course, today’s the last day Uju will be broadcasting on Twip. No matter how busy I am, I’d have to watch it.”
Seo-ha spoke nonchalantly, but I felt a warm pang in my heart.
Wow, I’m really lucky to have a fan like her.
“By the way, Uju, it seems you got a little choked up at the end. Your voice seemed a bit watery.”
“Don’t tease me. I feel embarrassed enough as it is.”
“When else would I get to tease you if not now? Isn’t that right, Uju?”
Feeling flustered, I could feel my face heating up, but unconsciously, I let out a wry smile.
Ever since the day she began calling me by my name, she always mixed in “Uju” when speaking to me.
At first, I thought it was just a feeling, but later when I subtly asked her about it, she replied with a shy smile, “I just keep wanting to call you because I’m so happy.”
Even though I found it hard to understand that feeling, if Seo-ha was happy, that was good enough for me, so I didn’t bring it up lately.
“Next week will be your first broadcast on Cheese.”
“Yeah, I’m kind of nervous.”
“You’ll do just fine. Perhaps more people will come to recognize your charm.”
“I hope so too.”
It’s common for a streamer to gain a sudden influx of viewers when they move to a different platform, but I couldn’t bring myself to wish for that out of sheer conscience. My heart was calm, and I simply hoped that those who would continue to watch my broadcasts wouldn’t decrease in number.
“Do your best when you transition to Cheese. And if there’s anything uncomfortable regarding the platform, please let me know.”
“Huh? You want me to tell you?”
Though I accepted her encouraging words, the latter part left me confused, and I instinctively voiced my mystery.
She asked me to walk her through it, but what does that even mean? Is Sister Seo-ha a Cheese customer service agent or something?
“I misspoke. I meant to say, if you ever have concerns, feel free to come and consult with me.”
Ah, so that’s what she meant.
Realizing what Sister Seo-ha was trying to convey with her slip-up made me chuckle. She might not seem like it, but she has her moments of clumsiness.
“I’ll do that. If there’s anything you want to share, feel free to reach out to me too.”
“Do you really want to operate a counseling service when we’re not broadcasting?”
“Well, it’s entirely up to me, isn’t it? I’ll open it up just for you whenever you want.”
Was that comment a little too forward? I felt a bit awkward after saying it, but the laughter coming from her side quickly eased my worries.
“I’ll take you up on that. I’ll use it whenever I want. It’s a special offer just for me, right?”
“Of course.”
Though I wasn’t sure if I was being straightforward for the sake of being straightforward, Sister’s direct tone made me a little more embarrassed than necessary, but I nodded along because there was no taking that back now.
Satisfied with my response, Seo-ha let out a delighted laugh.
I realized today that laughter could sound so sweet.