Chapter 42

A beautiful natural park located by the riverside of the city.

A woman wearing two prosthetic legs was slowly walking across the green lawn for her rehabilitation therapy.

Her name was Gu Min-ji.

She was a woman who went by the nickname “Min-ji” in Gye Se-hoon’s broadcasts.

“Will Se-hoon-nim take a break from broadcasting today…?”

Even during her rehabilitation, Min-ji’s mind was filled with thoughts of Gye Se-hoon.

In the past, she would often lose her balance and fall over even at the slightest distraction, but now she had grown accustomed to her prosthetic legs and could walk while letting her mind wander freely.

“Surely he hasn’t started broadcasting now, right? I should’ve brought my phone…”

Min-ji had an access code that allowed her to join the broadcast at any time, but she preferred to watch from start to finish if possible.

Gye Se-hoon’s broadcasts had already become a part of her life.

“Ah, I really want to see Se-hoon-nim’s face soon.”

Just as Min-ji was grinning while thinking about Gye Se-hoon’s face, a little girl suddenly stopped in front of her.

The girl was tightly holding her mother’s hand.

The girl pointed at Min-ji and asked her mother, “Mom! Why does that unnie have legs like that? Is she a cyborg?”

“Shh! Don’t say things like that in front of someone with a disability!”

The woman quickly covered her daughter’s mouth and awkwardly smiled at Min-ji, offering a half-hearted apology.

“Sorry, my daughter is still young…”

“…It’s okay.”

Min-ji didn’t get angry at all.

Instead, she smiled warmly and accepted the apology.

But her smile carried a hint of bitterness.

“Disabled person…”

Ever since she lost both her legs after stepping on a landmine during her final days as a corporal, she had often heard the term “disabled person.”

No matter how many times she heard it, she couldn’t get used to it.

“Sigh… Let’s just not pay attention to it… It’s not like it’s the first or second time I’ve heard it… Forget it, forget it.”

Min-ji shook her head to chase away the distracting thoughts.

She didn’t want to dwell on negative thoughts.

“And it’s true that I’m disabled… It’s better than being called ‘differently-abled.’ Trying to sugarcoat it just makes me feel worse.”

She had to think of everything in a positive light.

She had no choice.

If she kept thinking negatively, she would eventually become afraid of people’s gazes and end up unable to go outside.

The reason she dyed her hair white was also to convince herself that she didn’t care about others’ opinions.

“I’m pretty even as a disabled person, so it’s fine. Se-hoon-nim even acknowledged that I’m good-looking, right?”

Forcing a smile again, Min-ji got into her wheelchair and hurried home, ignoring all the piercing stares around her.

***

Upon returning home, Min-ji sat down in front of her computer without even washing up.

Her mother cautiously approached and asked, “Min-ji, are you going to watch that ‘Cheerful Man’ broadcast again?”

“No. That broadcast was just something I watched briefly before.”

“Huh? Just briefly? You even made your nickname ‘Cheerful Min-ji’ and donated a lot, didn’t you?”

“I only did that because there was nothing else to watch. Now I watch other broadcasts. I’ve found a place to settle down.”

“…Oh, I see.”

Min-ji answered her mother’s questions dutifully while checking if Gye Se-hoon’s broadcast was on.

“Ah! He started broadcasting!”

Min-ji’s face lit up with a bright smile.

Her mother was surprised to see her daughter’s cheerful smile after so long.

It was a natural reaction.

Min-ji was usually expressionless, even when watching the “Cheerful Man” broadcasts.

“…Min-ji.”

“Yes?”

“It’s fine to like a broadcaster, but you should still donate in moderation. Even if it’s just a few million won a month now, it can quickly escalate to tens or hundreds of millions. The more you fall for a man, the more you lose sight of things. I always told you that, didn’t I? I lost five buildings because of that.”

“Ah, don’t worry! Our Se-hoon-nim doesn’t really like receiving donations from viewers. He’s different from other male streamers who discriminate based on donation amounts. He insults everyone equally.”

“…He insults them?”

“It’s an expression of affection.”

“I see… Well, as long as you’re happy, Min-ji.”

Her mother looked at Min-ji with a warm smile.

Seeing her daughter happy made her feel happy too.

“Then I’ll go check on the buildings for a bit.”

“Personally? Which buildings?”

“You know the building near Samjeon Station? The self-employed people there have been struggling lately, so they appealed to the manager. I’m going to talk to them and lower the rent a bit.”

“Ah… I can watch the broadcast on my phone, so should I come with you?”

“No, you stay home and rest.”

Her mother left Min-ji’s room after saying that.

And she vowed to take care of her daughter as much as possible while she was still alive.

Min-ji had lost her legs while defending the country, so she deserved that much consideration.

Meanwhile, Min-ji, who stayed in her room, entered Gye Se-hoon’s broadcast using the access code.

『’Min-ji’ has entered the room.』

【Min-ji】─Hello!

『’Maehwa Tree’ has been banned.』

【Min-ji】─??

［Maehwa Tree, you bitch, I told you to find a restaurant, but you’re just sitting there without typing anything?］

As always, Gye Se-hoon’s broadcast was lively.

***

Five minutes passed.

Viewers started finding restaurants one by one.

Reverse Rape Mania.

Maehwa Tree.

Everyone except these two.

【Reverse Rape Mania】─Oh no. I don’t know the address…

“That’s your problem.”

【Reverse Rape Mania】─Wait a second ㅠWㅠ I just talked to my daughter,,, She said she wrote the address on a post-it note. I didn’t see it on the monitor;;; Sorry, but could you wait a little longer? (ㅜ_ㅜ)

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Why does this bitch keep acting like an idiot?

【Handsome Licker】─LOL the emoticons are killing me.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─(.)(.) Just type this.

【Handsome Licker】─What’s that?

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Tits.

【Handsome Licker】─LMAO

【Yoho】─Is she really her mother?

【Qkrnfl892】─That doesn’t make sense. No mother would let her daughter use such a nickname.

【Reverse Rape Mania】─;;; Reverse rape is a wholesome preference. I explained it to my daughter.

【Jujijoa】─If that’s true, then both mother and daughter are crazy bitches.

“Mania, stop talking nonsense and just hurry up and find it. It’s been over five minutes, but if you find it before Maehwa, I’ll let it slide.”

【Reverse Rape Mania】─Got it!(｡◕‿◕｡)

After a little more time passed, Reverse Rape Mania also searched for a nearby restaurant.

But Maehwa Tree never typed anything in the chat.

『’Min-ji’ has entered the room.』

【Min-ji】─Hello!

『’Maehwa Tree’ has been banned.』

【Min-ji】─??

“Maehwa Tree, you bitch, I told you to find a restaurant, but you’re just sitting there without typing anything?”

As promised, Maehwa Tree was mercilessly banned.

And just then, Min-ji entered the room.

“Min-ji, welcome.”

【Min-ji】─Yes! ㅎㅎ!

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Maehwa’s out! Aren’t you going to tell Min-ji to find a restaurant?

【Min-ji】─What restaurant?

【Yoho】─The room master told us to find a restaurant each.

【Min-ji】─Ah. I’ll find one right away!

“Min-ji, you don’t have to find one. You just got here.”

【Min-ji】─Ah, okay!!

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Huh? You’re really favoring her? Are you discriminating?

“Got a problem?”

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Nope.

“Then shut up.”

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Okay. Sex. OTO

【Handsome Licker】─What’s OTO?

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Balls and dick.

【Handsome Licker】─Lick.

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─By the way, Se-hoon, are you really getting dementia? Maehwa Tree was chat-banned, you know. LOL

【Jujijoa】─Now that you mention it, she was chat-banned.

【Yoho】─Oops.

“Ah.”

【Handsome Licker】─Ah, LOL, is he crazy?

After seeing the Defense Team’s chat, he remembered.

Maehwa Tree had been chat-banned.

For a full 30 minutes.

“Well, if you’re chat-banned, you should say something so I can cut you some slack.”

【Handsome Licker】─?? He’s really a crazy bastard.

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─LOL

【Qkrnfl892】─Disgusting, Se-hoon…

【Balloon Gum Collector】─Wow. Se-hoon did nothing wrong! You should’ve sent a donation message!

【Qkrnfl892】─Can you send donation messages while chat-banned?

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─It depends on the settings. Since she couldn’t send a donation message, it seems like Gye Se-kkihoon set it up so you can’t send donation messages while chat-banned.

He couldn’t remember how he had set it up.

He thought about checking, but it was too much trouble, so he just let it go.

“…Maid, when you banned Maehwa, you did a regular ban, right?”

【Maid】─Hahaha!

“Then she can come back in. She has the access code.”

【Handsome Licker】─How is this conversation even happening?

【Yoho】─Hahaha! I guess that’s a positive answer.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─She won’t be able to come back right away. There’s probably a one-hour entry restriction. You can change it in the settings, though.

“Really? How do you know so much? Did you used to stream?”

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Nah, I studied all this stuff to become a manager. But I ended up getting fired. Sob sob.

【Yoho】─ㅜㅜ

【Handsome Licker】─Sob sob LOL

“Anyway, it’s too much trouble to change the settings, so I’ll just leave it as is.”

He decided not to touch the settings.

The maid was probably still inexperienced at managing broadcasts.

“She’ll come back in an hour on her own.”

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Bastard. You’re completely ignoring her.

【Balloon Gum Collector】─Wow. Se-hoon is so cold!

【Drifting AI】─I will speak. Gyeongsaeng Guburi has streamed game broadcasts before. He gave up because he had zero viewers.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─?? Shut the fuck up. Don’t make up lies.

【Jujijoa】─LOL Guburi streamed too?

【Drifting AI】─I will speak. He used the nickname ‘Curly Hair on the Lips.’

【Handsome Licker】─LOL

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─LOL

【Yoho】─Ugh. How vulgar.

【Qkrnfl892】─Guburi! Explain yourself!

【Reverse Rape Mania】─That nickname though;;;

【Balloon Gum Collector】─Wow! Guburi’s gone silent!

Guburi’s chat suddenly stopped.

Judging by how he went into chat-ban mode, it seemed like Drifting AI’s words were true.

‘So Guburi used to stream too. No wonder he knows so much about broadcast settings.’

He didn’t bother asking more.

He wasn’t really interested in Guburi’s past.

‘If they start making fun of me too, I might cry, so I’ll just pretend not to see the chat and get going.’

I entered the address into the GPS and left the garage.

***

While driving, I glanced at the chat window.

【Handsome Licker】─Where are you going?

【Yoho】─Are you going to the place I recommended?

【Qkrnfl892】─?? You recommended a place with mint pineapple skate bibimbap as the main menu, you bastard. Who would go there?

【Balloon Gum Collector】─Wow. Yoho is lucky he didn’t get banned.

【Jujijoa】─Why does a restaurant like that even exist?

【Min-ji】─Se-hoon-nim, which restaurant are you going to?

【Drifting AI】─I will speak. He is heading to the soup restaurant I recommended.

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─Tell us where you’re going~!

The viewers were curious about which restaurant I was going to.

They must be secretly hoping.

Even if they were forced to recommend a restaurant, they would naturally want me to go to the one they chose.

But unfortunately,

“Pyongyang Cold Noodles.”

【Handsome Licker】─Who recommended that again?

“Huh? This is a place I found myself. I was searching while waiting for you guys to find something.”

【Yoho】─?

【Jujijoa】─Huh?

“What.”

I had no intention of going to the restaurants the viewers recommended.

***