Chapter 44
Yesterday’s stream ended up being surprisingly successful.
By the end, the number of viewers topped 2,000, and the donations, which usually trickled in here and there, started popping up quite frequently. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was really my stream.
To express my gratitude, and as per my initial promise, I ended the stream with a deep bow, and even Mr. Exit made an appearance, chuckling as he passed by saying, “You’ve really received a good home education!”
And above all, the best way to express that yesterday’s broadcast was successful is that it yielded…
【Sender】 – C&N Entertainment
– Hello, Mr. Cosmo.
I am Jung Ji-yeon, the director affiliated with C&N Entertainment.
I enjoyed yesterday’s stream very much.
The reason I’m reaching out so suddenly is to ask if you are considering joining an MCN in the future.
Our C&N Entertainment…
This is the first time I’ve received an MCN invitation.
I’ve been streaming for over a year, but only recently have I been pulling in about 300 viewers on average, so the idea of an MCN proposal felt like something from a faraway land.
Of course, just because I have few viewers doesn’t mean I wouldn’t receive an MCN proposal; I’ve heard that such offers come to streams with potential for growth.
However, perhaps I was an exception among those streams, as I had never received such an offer until this morning when I woke up to find this email, and I rubbed my eyes in disbelief.
It felt like I had finally been recognized as a proper streamer, and I couldn’t help but feel a little excited.
But I don’t plan to accept the MCN proposal without some thought.
Each company’s vibe is different, and more importantly, I’m lacking in the overall knowledge about the contract clauses and what I should initially be prepared for.
If other companies extend offers in the future, I could compare them and choose the best, but it would be risky to jump at the first opportunity that came my way.
“…Ah, laundry.”
As yesterday’s dream-like day passed, I moved to start another monotonous day, feeling like a hamster on a wheel.
Tap. Tap.
I efficiently shook out the laundry I put in the washing machine and hung it up.
“Woo-yu, let’s have a snack.”
“Meow.”
After setting out Woo-yu’s food and treats like usual, I collapsed on the sofa in the living room, feeling utterly worn out.
I realized that I must have burnt more energy than I expected yesterday. It’s just a matter of turning the cam on or off, but it seems there are plenty of things to manage with expressions and other details.
I really admire those who stream while keeping the cam on all the time. I wonder if I’ll be fine once I get used to it.
♬~
While I was gazing at the ceiling void of thought, my phone, which was next to my head, went off, announcing an incoming call.
Who could it be? My sister said she’s in France, so it’s probably not her due to the time difference.
As I continued to ponder while turning away, I waved my hand vaguely to grab the phone from behind my head and brought it to my face.
【Older Sister Seo-ha】
Upon checking the saved name, my body reflexively shot up from my position.
What’s Older Sister Seo-ha calling for at this hour? I heard she’d be busy with work until dinner.
It was especially surprising since she usually checks with a message first, asking, “Can we talk now?” But now she was calling outright, leaving me a bit flustered.
I hope nothing serious has happened.
“Hey, sis. What’s up?
– Ah, Uju. I’m sorry. Did I call at a bad time?
Hearing her voice asking for forgiveness, I quickly shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me.
Busy? Not at all. I was just lounging around like a sloth.
“No, it’s fine. I just fed Woo-yu and was lying down.”
– Hehe, did you not even feed yourself?
“…How did you know?”
Chilled to the bone by my sister’s words, it felt like she knew my every move, as if she had a hidden camera in my house.
I had been debating about whether to grab lunch or just eat at dinner since I was too lazy to make anything.
– I had a feeling you might be skipping lunch. So I thought I’d call to see if you wanted to eat together.
“Lunch?”
I was fine with that, but isn’t it that she’s usually busy around this time?
The last time we had lunch together, she seemed in a hurry, just stepping out to buy me a meal and rushing back.
“It’s great for me, but aren’t you busy today?”
– I decided to take the day off today, so it’s okay. I have a few simple tasks, but my secretary… ah, I mean, staff can manage things.
“Aha.”
Seems like her company is flexible with their off days, it might be a place that doesn’t mind taking time off when they decide. If it weren’t so, she wouldn’t be able to say that so easily.
Anyway, if she’s free, then I’m all for it.
“If it’s fine with you, I’m happy to go out. Where should we go?”
– Huh? Go out?
Seo-ha sounded puzzled by my question.
She couldn’t be thinking of picking me up at my house, right? That would just be too burdensome.
Even if I’m a dawdler, I’ve got my legs, and as long as there’s a bus or subway, I can go anywhere.
– Did you forget about the promise we made not long ago?
“A promise? What… ah.”
Realization hit me too late as I sighed.
This sister of mine, no way…
– You promised to cook lunch for me. How about today?
“…….”
She wasn’t coming to pick me up, she intended to have lunch at my home.
And I had no clue about it… damn.
*
With an unexpected guest visiting, our home went into high alert mode.
According to Seo-ha, preparing will take some time, so in the meantime, I cleaned the house, vacuumed, and mopped like a whirlwind. I hurriedly tossed out any accumulated trash.
Just to be safe, I opened the fridge and, thankfully, I had some ingredients to whip up a meal. It wasn’t meant to be prepared for this, but luckily I had stocked up after my fridge was nearly empty a few days ago.
Thanks to that, I was able to jump into cooking immediately after cleaning, managing to set up a decently presentable spread before she arrived.
Whoa, I’m starting to sweat from moving around so fast.
Ding dong.
Wiping the sweat as I finished in the kitchen, the doorbell rang from the living room.
I approached the intercom and, despite the grainy video quality, I could just barely make out a beautiful woman on the other side.
She arrived later than I expected, but it was a relief.
Beep. Click.
“Welcome, sis.”
As I opened the door, I was greeted by Seo-ha, dressed casually instead of her usual sleek attire.
This casual look suits her well. The truth is, a pretty face completes any fashion.
“Excuse me. Sorry for dropping by unexpectedly.”
“Don’t apologize! I’m the one out of line, not having anything prepared for you.”
Though I was startled when she mentioned she was dropping by, I never thought it would impose a burden on me. She had done plenty for me in the past.
To be honest, I felt more relieved that my mediocre cooking skills wouldn’t embarrass me too much.
“Your place is so tidy! They say most bachelor pads are a mess…”
“Uh, I just keep things tidy enough.”
As she stepped inside, Seo-ha glanced around at the freshly cleaned living room, letting out a soft impressed noise. Seeing her reaction, I felt a little guilty.
Sorry, sis. I usually live like a pig.
“Oh, and as a celebration for visiting my house for the first time, as a thank-you for the meal, here’s a gift. Uju, didn’t you mention you enjoy having a drink alone sometimes?”
“Yes, that’s true… but is this wine?”
Handing me a luxurious wooden box, I received it with a slightly bewildered heart.
Even though I sometimes enjoy a beer with chicken, I’ve never had the chance to drink wine. In fact, the first time I ever had wine was during a Twip Party.
“Yes, it’s a wine that my father enjoys, and I thought you might like it too.”
“Ah, thank you! But I’m not sure if it’s appropriate for me to accept something like this since I don’t know much about wine…”
I had a feeling Seo-ha would be able to describe the taste of wine, discussing its aroma and all, but I definitely don’t have that kind of talent.
I probably wouldn’t even be able to tell if it’s expensive or not. Maybe that’s why I felt a little burdened receiving this visually luxurious box.
“What does it matter if you don’t know about wine? I don’t have any knowledge either, but since my father likes it, I just drink it with him.”
“That’s unexpected. I thought you’d be well-versed in wine knowledge.”
“Hehe, that’s something I hear quite often.”
With a pleasant smile, she offered me the box while suggesting I take a look inside.
As I popped the lid and carefully pulled out the bottle, a label printed in an unrecognizable language caught my eye.
What is this? It’s not English… Is it French? Romanee… Conti? I’ve never heard of this name in relation to wine before.
Maybe I have heard it somewhere, like in a cartoon.
Only seeing “1990” on the label, I couldn’t make sense of anything, so I placed it back in the box, planning to propose we drink it today, but she declined as she didn’t want to be a bother during the stream.
“By the way, that smells nice. Is it doenjang jjigae?”
“Yep. I’ve made some other dishes too… but I’m not sure if it’ll suit your palate.”
“I’ll eat anything. After all, it’s made by you, Uju!”
With a playful fist pump, Seo-ha expressed her determination cutely.
Feeling grateful for her words, I immediately headed to the kitchen to serve up the prepared food one by one onto a tray, ready to present it in the living room.
“Ah, it feels like a newlywed couple…”
“……?”
Seo-ha watched me with her chin resting on her palm, looking upon me with gleeful eyes, mumbling something that sounded barely audible.
Anyway, I’m glad to see her so happy.