Chapter 31

“Holy cow!

A soft knock on the door and my sis’s voice drifts in. Barely audible, but enough to make Si-yoon jump and check the time.

Crap! It’s past 9 PM already.

She’d been streaming for ages, chatting with her viewers and totally losing track of time.

Si-yoon fumbles around, muttering excuses as she quickly mutes her mic.

In a hurry, she scurries toward the door.

Creak—

She slowly, *sooo* slowly opens it just a crack, poking her head out like a nervous little turtle.

“U-Uh… I’ll be right out!” Si-yoon stammers, trying her best to sound calm despite her jitters.

“Okay! I got tons of yummy snacks, so hurry up!” comes the cheerful reply.

“Got it!” Si-yoon chirps back before the door clicks shut again.

She leans against it, letting out a long sigh of relief, her hand pressed over her racing heart.

Not because of the late hour—but because she still didn’t have the guts to tell her sister that she was actually Momobin, her favorite VTuber.

‘This isn’t the time for that!’ Si-yoon mentally shakes herself and rushes back to her monitor.

What if her sis turned on the TV right now?

If she accidentally launched TTUBE…

There would be no stopping the bright red “LIVE” notification from luring her in. And knowing her sis, there’s no way she’d resist peeking into the stream—even for just a moment.

Panicking, Si-yoon realizes she needs to wrap things up ASAP. She’d already promised to come out soon; ending the broadcast cleanly would erase any suspicion if her sis ever looked at the replay later.

“Everyone! That’s all for tonight’s late-night stream!” she announces brightly.

– What? Why so sudden?

– Wha-wha-wha-wha-whaaaat?

– But we were having such a good time!

– Noooo, don’t gooooo!

The chat floods with protests, desperate attempts to keep her online longer.

“Late night streams are rare, so see you next time!” Si-yoon insists firmly before cutting off the stream.

Taking a deep breath, she tiptoes toward the door once more, every nerve tingling with anticipation.

Her mind races. Did sis turn on the TV already? Would she notice anything suspicious about what she does for a living? What if she starts getting curious?

But nope! Her sis is calmly setting up dinner at the table, blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding in Si-yoon’s head.

Relieved, Si-yoon plays it cool as she joins her sis in the living room, pretending everything’s normal while preparing drinks.

As they settle down to enjoy the delicious midnight feast prepared by Si-hyun, said sis casually grabs the remote and turns on the TV.

Just as Si-yoon feared, Si-hyun launches TTUBE—but luckily, Momobin’s stream has ended and isn’t featured on the main page anymore.

Si-hyun sticks to their agreement: after work, when watching TV together, they avoid VTubers altogether. Plus, she never enters Si-yoon’s room without permission. Not even once.

After skimming through some videos, Si-hyun hands the remote over. “Nothing catches my eye yet. You pick something.”

“G-Got it!” Si-yoon says, her muscles trembling slightly under the guise of calmness. She selects an innocuous video and lets out a quiet sigh of relief.

Their peaceful evening continues until Si-hyun casually mentions, “Hey, remember that magic stone we got from the dungeon boss yesterday? Turns out Ji-a could really use it!”

“Really?” Si-yoon responds, feigning surprise.

“Yup! And guess what? She wired us a ton of cash already. After we deal with the leftover items, she said she’ll send even more.”

“Wow, awesome!” Si-yoon exclaims, genuinely impressed.

Buoyed by this news, Si-hyun goes on excitedly, “Still, we’re short on funds for now. But once we save enough after I finish studying, let’s move to a new place!”

“A new place…” Si-yoon repeats softly.

It wasn’t bad news per se. With Ji-a’s earnings and plans for housing, moving with her sis meant upgrading to a much better home.

But Si-yoon instantly senses the implication: if they weren’t going to live separately, then sooner or later, she’d need to reveal that she’s a streamer—or rather, *the* Momobin.

That way, proper soundproofing could finally become a reality. For now, she’s done everything within budget to minimize noise leaks, but it’s still far from ideal.

Better soundproofing, a cozy workspace—these dreams linger tantalizingly close yet feel miles away.

Her thoughts whirl furiously. Could she reveal only that she’s a streamer without admitting she’s Momobin? Possible, maybe, but one connection and the secret would unravel in seconds. Nope, not viable.

The idea of confessing outright pops up again, but she shakes her head fiercely. Not ready yet. Besides, why ruin her sis’s happy fantasies about Momobin? Nah, too embarrassing.

‘What excuse can I come up with…?’ Si-yoon frets internally, though moving isn’t imminent. Still, her worries deepen.

Spring had arrived.

* * *

The next day, lunchtime.

Si-hyun lounges comfortably on the couch, enjoying her well-deserved break. The Academy lectures are still days away, giving her plenty of free time since adjunct professors have fewer responsibilities anyway.

After pulling an all-day shift yesterday, today was reserved for relaxation.

Flipping through a manga she recently started, Si-hyun murmurs aloud, “Hmm, this protagonist feels kinda similar to me…”

Curious about a term used in the story, she searches online.

“Dried-fish girl.”

Apparently, it refers to women who hold jobs and perform their duties responsibly but prefer spending most of their time lounging at home. Their romantic interests have dried up like fish jerky, hence the name.

Essentially, the female version of herbivore men.

Si-hyun finds herself increasingly drawn into the manga, realizing how relatable it is.

It’s not that she lacks interest in romance—it’s just that she’s different from others in many ways. Complicated circumstances and unique traits make her hesitant to dive deep into relationships.

Even thinking about love brings images of heroes and party members to mind. Though she knows they’re abnormal, those associations remain stubbornly ingrained.

Young as she is, there’s no rush for these matters. Time will sort things out eventually.

Back to the manga, Si-hyun grins as she flips pages. Thanks to her younger sister Si-yoon’s recommendations, her shopping app wishlist is packed with trendy women’s clothing. Today, she placed an order for some pieces, expecting delivery soon.

Her phone buzzes with a message confirming arrival, making her smile widen. Buying new stuff always gets her excited!

Then, her phone screen lights up with an incoming call from Moon Da-young. Si-hyun answers promptly.

“Hello?”

– Hi, Si-hyun. This is regarding our previous request. Do you have time to talk now?

“Of course.”

With Si-hyun’s consent, Da-young explains further.

The tools needed for her upcoming lecture are all set. They’ve partnered with a supplier and gathered materials. Now, only production remains—and payment.

– About the fee… We’ll cover raw material costs, but instead of labor fees, could we ask for your help in another way?

“Help? What kind?”

– Well, some of our rookies got hurt during a C-rank dungeon run recently.

“Seriously? Were they badly injured?”

– No, no, nothing serious! Just minor stuff—they’ll recover quickly. Don’t worry.

“Thank goodness.”

Si-hyun breathes a sigh of relief. If Da-young referred to “our kids,” that likely included Ji-han and Han-gyeol. Knowing the injury wasn’t severe was reassuring.

– Anyway, would you mind joining us for a dungeon run?

“A dungeon run?”

– Yep! Including the D-rank hunters, I want to help them adapt to C-rank dungeons. Thought long and hard about who to ask, and you seemed the most trustworthy!

“…Huh.”

Most trustworthy… Heat rises to Si-hyun’s cheeks as she unconsciously rubs them with her free hand.

– You don’t even need to fight actively. Just supervise from behind and ensure everyone stays safe. If something doesn’t feel right, feel free to reprimand them. How does that sound?

“Ensuring safety while minimizing risks, huh?”

– Exactly! So, what do you say?

“Let me think…”

After hearing Da-young out, Si-hyun pauses briefly.

Ultimately, the focus lies with the D-rank hunters accompanying Ji-han and Han-gyeol. Observing their skills firsthand presents a valuable opportunity, especially compared to her students.

Plus, the requested item for the commission isn’t cheap, so saving on labor costs is beneficial.

Si-hyun makes her decision.

“Sure, when would you like me to assist?”

– Great choice! Let me know if you have busy schedules so we can coordinate accordingly. I’ll handle dungeon reservations and get back to you once everything’s set.

They finalize tentative plans before hanging up.

Feeling satisfied with the arrangement, Si-hyun checks her plans when a new message arrives. Without thinking, she glances at her phone and bolts toward the entrance.

Opening the door, she spots a silver polybag lying neatly on the floor. Snatching it up, she retreats to the living room.

Plopping onto the floor, she eagerly tears open the package.

“Oh…”

Setting aside the handwritten thank-you note and candy, she unwraps her purchase—a sleek black dolphin shorts.

Several colors purchased means endless styling options!

Si-hyun giggles happily as she changes into the comfy new piece.

Until now, she’d worn relatively casual outerwear except when sleeping. Switching to these shorts feels liberating.

Standing in front of the mirror, she admires her reflection, twirling playfully.

“Not bad… Hehe…” she chuckles, posing like models she saw online before blushing shyly and stepping back.

Clearing her throat, she moves to test comfort levels next.

Leaping onto the couch, she stretches out luxuriously. Her bare legs glide smoothly against the soft fabric, unencumbered by bulky jeans.

Freedom feels amazing. Completely satisfied, she picks up her phone to resume reading her dried-fish girl manga.

Lost in the story, Si-hyun sinks deeper into the cushions.

Meanwhile, Si-yoon emerges from her room, bored and seeking company. Spotting her sister sprawled out in fresh attire, her leg bouncing happily, Si-yoon can’t help but grin mischievously.”