Chapter 99

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on March 7, 2025

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“Tch, it’s faster for a butterfly to cross the sea than for Dad to get good at playing the flute.”

“…Dad will practice hard.”

A voice echoing from within memories.

A voice that could only be heard in memories.

“Well, it’s okay, Dad. Everyone has their clumsiness.”

“My daughter has already become an adult in ways I never imagined.”

The conversation that had turned into a distant memory.

A conversation that surely could no longer continue.

“But, you have to play this song for me someday, right? The song [Sea Butterfly].”

“Yes. I promise.”

Now, a promise from long ago that I couldn’t even remember when it was made.

A forgotten promise that would never be kept, no matter when.

Still.

“♩♪♬───”

The clumsy sound of the flute that filled the surrounding area with loud warning beeps was too vivid to ignore.

I had no longer any certainty left.

“…I’m sorry. I’ve made you wait for so long.”

After the sincerity mixed within the rigid mechanical voice was conveyed, I finally faced that gaze directly.

I managed to get up from my weak position and ended up embracing that stiff form.

At last, the illustration of the reunion between the Player and Baek Il-hong filled the broadcast screen.

The mouse cursor that had stopped moving showed no signs of budging for quite a while.

Beyond the calm background music, only the sound of sharp breaths and faint sobs could be heard.

I couldn’t even read Baek Il-hong’s lines, which were choking on tears while being held by the Player, nor the flood of sponsorship messages rolling in every second.

“…Ugh… Huh…”

– ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

– This scene is just a cheat code ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

– Are you really crying?

– Diah is sad ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

– The [Sea Butterfly] meltdown reaction is delicious no matter when you eat it.

– For real?

– This doesn’t seem like a fake reaction.

– How long has it been since I felt this genuine?

[ Baek Seol-yeon donated 10,000 won! ]

: This scene makes me sad every time ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

[ Garujag donated 10,000 won! ]

: Diah’s tears are overflowing ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

[ Shuyu donated 10,000 won! ]

: The kid who didn’t cry is now making me sad too.

The chat and sponsorship feed showed several times the usual liveliness.

And, as time passed, the number of real-time viewers sharply increased.

A considerable amount of time had passed since the release of the game [Sea Butterfly].

Still, perhaps because of its fame, viewers flocked from everywhere.

The fact that it was broadcasting the touching ending scene, which could be called the alpha and omega of [Sea Butterfly].

And that it aired pure sobs that didn’t feel artificially forced.

Decisively, thanks to the so-called ‘cuckoos’ who created short clips of Diah’s broadcast and spread them all over, the speed at which the buzz spread accelerated even more.

Thus ultimately, Diah’s broadcast established a monumental record of surpassing 10,000 real-time viewers.

However.

“Can’t you just run away with me? Please…!”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, I can’t live without Dad anymore. What meaning is there in a life without a precious person?!”

Right now, there was only Baek Il-hong and the Player.

I couldn’t think about anything other than the daughter and father who had to say goodbye once more.

The Player was not a human but a humanoid.

It had also been revealed that this being was a robot implanted with a ‘sentient’ entity that was a taboo in the world.

The [Inner City], where the Player and Baek Il-hong were located, was sinking because of the very existence of the Player, which was also taboo.

If the Player’s existence surfaced above the water, everyone related to the Player would be arrested.

The culprits who had caused the Player’s previous death and produced the illegal gas known as ‘Daydream’ were the rulers of this [Inner City].

Hence, they intended to sink the [Inner City] below the sea to obliterate all evidence of their illegal activities.

In the end, the [Inner City] and its citizens were sinking into the ocean for the safety of just a handful of people.

Therefore.

“Il-hong.”

“No. Don’t say anything. I won’t listen, just live.”

One of either the Player or Baek Il-hong had to remain in the city control room to raise the [Inner City] back above sea level.

There was no option for both to survive.

“You know… that Dad loves you very much, right?”

The Player, who could not allow his daughter to be in danger because of his past death.

And Baek Il-hong, who could not bear to part with her father, whom she had finally reunited with.

Neither side wanted the other’s sacrifice.

Yet, time continued to flow.

“Remember. The meaning of Dad in your life is enough with just that.”

– Thud.

“…I will be watching.”

A farewell took place through the player, who had finally made a decision.

Steps that could not be controlled.

A sacrifice that could not be prevented.

All I could do was merely watch.

As my vision, which had grown sufficiently hazy, receded, there was nothing to do but gaze.

The parent who had loved their child more than their own life, whom Ha Eun had wished for all his life, slowly faded away.

What remained was Baek Il-hong, a girl of the same age as Ha Eun.

“………………….”

Having longed for them my entire life, I understood how significant the presence of parents was.

Having finally met a true parent, I could easily understand that loss.

Perhaps that’s why.

[i]“It was fun.”[/i]

– ?

– Why did you suddenly become mute, Diah?

– Were you so sad you couldn’t even speak? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

– Indeed, [Sea Butterfly] is a masterpiece.

Completely submerged in emotion, I began communicating with the other viewers through the notebook instead of my voice.

I felt that if I didn’t forcibly keep my mouth shut, I wouldn’t maintain my sanity.

However.

[i]“Yes. It’s a well-made game.”[/i]

While I conveyed my impressions of playing [Sea Butterfly] through the notebook.

– Swish.

[Heavenly Immortal Issue], Papa

Slowly beginning to ascend on the monitor.

A depiction drawn by a young Baek Il-hong in her clumsy artistic style of the Player.

“………Ugh.”

– Oh no ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

– There’s still one step left! Hahaha!

– Juniormyuu ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

– Diah is sad again ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

– It’s just as heartbreaking until the end.

– [Sea Butterfly] (Complete)

Feeling my throat closing up once more, I eventually left the ending remarks in the notebook.

Almost simultaneously, Diah’s broadcast switched to the waiting screen.

Though the chat and sponsorship feed remained very active, I found myself psychologically exhausted and had no choice but to look away.

Ultimately, not long after that, the broadcast was completely terminated.

Yet, I remained, dazed by the aftertaste of [Sea Butterfly], for quite a while before finally getting my body up.

Thus, I thudded down.

I collapsed onto the mattress more helplessly than usual, tossing and turning again and again.

Finally, the vivid memories of a past life, which had intertwined like a long chain, surfaced for a brief moment before bursting like soap bubbles, leaving a bittersweet taste.

My mind was filled with entirely meaningless hypotheses.

Recalling the times when I had parents but had not possessed them, I cast a shadow over my ‘real’ expression, devoid of emotion.

‘…Would it have been better if I had no memory at all?’

Perhaps since I had already cried once, no tears came.

Only that alone became my only solace.

***

– Ding.

[i]“ㅇㅇ donated 1,000 won!”[/i]

: Creamcream, did you see Diah playing [Sea Butterfly]?

“Ah, yes. I guess because she’s still young, she’s very sensitive.”

– One year old is still young, that’s true, hahaha.

– Indeed, [Sea Butterfly] is a masterpiece.

– Then what does that make Mile, who was sobbing throughout the second broadcast?

“Mile? She was just born F from the start.”

– What a T thing to say.

– Cream, are you a T?

– We need to play [Sea Butterfly] too, Cream.

“It looks way too difficult for me. I watched Diah play until the ending; if I tried, I wouldn’t make it to the ending even if I stayed up all night.”

– That’s because Diah played on Hero difficulty.

– Oh right, it was on Hero difficulty, hahaha.

– I was so distracted by the crying that I forgot it was on Hero difficulty.

[i]“ㅇㅇ donated 10,000 won!”[/i]

: If you call Diah and ask if she’s okay, it’ll cost 30,000 won, go go.

“Hmm…”

As a relatively advantageous mission, the broadcasting name Cream, real name Jeong Maria, pondered.

It was true that I was worried about Ha Eun, who had shown more emotional responses than usual throughout [Sea Butterfly] and ultimately couldn’t even speak properly.

Thus, I decided to call Ha Eun.

I thought that even if it was just for a moment to chat with her, her state would improve somewhat.

However.

-♪

-♪…Click.

For some reason, the call connected almost instantly.

[ …Hello? ]

– Gasp.

– Oh wow.

– Noonaaaahhhhh.

– Wow.

– Oh.