Chapter 35 - Winter, the Season of Storms (3)
What is this indescribable gloomy feeling?
Maybe I can compare the emotion I’m feeling now to this.
A guitar.
When you first learn to play the guitar, your fingers hurt so much from pressing the strings that you can’t play for long.
Only when calluses form and your fingertips harden can you finally produce beautiful sounds.
That’s when you truly understand the joy of playing the guitar.
It’s the same with labor. Truly.
I became a woman overnight and had to support 9 siblings overnight. So I plunged into the sea of labor and worked like crazy.
As calluses formed and I adapted, just as I was starting to feel what labor really is, to taste its true flavor-
Ironically, I ended up escaping from labor.
I should feel light as if I’ve taken off stuffy clothes,
I should feel refreshed as if I’ve pulled out an aching tooth,
When I was working, it was so painfully hard that I wanted to quit,
But now that I’ve actually quit, why do I feel so empty?
My hands and feet… seem to be craving labor.
Han Yujin, you’ve finally gone crazy…
Even when I opened my eyes in the morning, my mood was strange.
It was always my routine to wake up hurriedly to the sound of the alarm. Now that I wake up without an alarm, there’s an emptiness in a corner of my heart.
Have I really become a workaholic?
There’s a saying among retired pro gamers.
After retiring, they feel like they’ve become useless beings. They thought they’d feel relieved after leaving the world of competition, but instead they feel more stifled.
That’s how I am now.
I felt so stifled, as if I’d fallen into mannerism.
“Kids?”
When I opened the door and came out, no one was there. Only pitch-black silence greeted me.
…They’re all doing fine without me.
Even PD Kim Hwachang, who used to follow me around like an annoying fly, doesn’t tag along these days, saying he’s focusing on the other family members.
I spent the whole day in a daze, as if I’d lost something.
And,
When my siblings came home from school one by one, I regained my vitality.
I went into Han Sejun’s room.
“Hey, Han Sejun.”
“What.”
“…What are you doing?”
“Can’t you see? I’m studying. Get out.”
“Bullshit. What’s the point of studying now?”
“Ah, why are you picking a fight again! Get out!”
Han Sejun treated me coldly and kicked me out of the room.
I immediately went up to the second floor to find Han Sieun.
She was deeply immersed in her game, wearing headphones, not even noticing I came in.
“Sieun.”
“…”
“Han Sieun!”
“…”
“Han Sieun, you idiot!”
“Oh? Unnie.”
Han Sieun glanced at me and then focused back on her game.
“Am I being too annoying right now?”
“Huh? Nooo…”
“I’m bothering you. Okay, keep playing your game.”
“Huh… what?”
Han Sieun remained focused on her game until the end, not giving me a single glance.
Even Han Sieun, who used to be devoted to me, has coldly abandoned me.
With a last hope, I approached the four twins watching TV in the living room.
“My little birds! Want to play with unnie after a long time?”
“…No.”
“We’re busy.”
“We want to watch TV.”
“…”
The last one, Han Gyeoul, doesn’t even answer.
I turned my head to look at the TV screen, where a bespectacled penguin was playing with animal friends on an iceberg.
Wow, Han Yujin. Have you now been pushed down in priority even by such a penguin?
Everyone… is busy except for me.
Being busy was such a good thing.
…I think I need to recharge a bit.
I messed up my hair thoroughly and went out into the cold outside.
[It’s fcking cold but Gangnam outdoor broadcast ㅆㅂ you want it?]
[38,521 viewers]
[BJ Rilme]
“Ah, it’s fcking cold!”
Rilme was roaming around Gangnam holding a Bluetooth selfie stick. The chilly wind passed through her mini skirt.
‘GangnamKing’ gifted 1,000 star balloons!
-Cold? Tension dropping? Dopamine decreasing? Let’s dance once and cool down the cold with heat gogogogo
“Kyaaah-! Our Gangje oppa gave 1,000 star balloons! I’ll dance right away!”
When she took off her padded jacket, a crop top that fully exposed her navel was revealed. Then she turned on some music and started dancing an idol dance in the middle of the sidewalk. Passing citizens glanced at her as if watching a clown.
Rilme finished dancing and brushed up her hair. Her platinum blonde hair glistened.
“You know, everyone. I have zero content today. I’m just walking around hoping something will happen… huh?”
Rilme turned her gaze with a puzzled expression.
She saw a woman hitting a punch machine in front of an arcade. It was quite a familiar back view.
Rilme approached the woman as if bewitched, like a moth to a flame. She tapped her shoulder lightly with her fingertips.
“Could it be… right?”
“Ah, what is it.”
It was Han Yujin.
Rilme, instinctively realizing this was broadcasting material, let out an undisguisable laugh through her nose.
Filming Han Yujin with the rear camera, Rilme playfully growled.
“Ah, what is it? Why is your tone so sharp? When you meet a senior as high as the sky, you should greet first.”
Bang-!
Instead of answering, Han Yujin struck the punch machine hard. With her full weight behind it, as if to crush the leather.
=lolololololololololol
=lololololololol
=Seems like there’s some personal feelings there
=lol They start fighting as soon as they meet
=담당일진 class;;;
=HaGa-year’s personality lolol
=Look at the junior’s attitude lolol
=I’ll kill you if you pick a fight lololol
=Tr—queen
At some point, in Rilme’s broadcasts, the existence known as Han Yujin or HaYoo was being called ‘industry junior’, ‘Tr-queen’, ‘담당일진’, ‘HaGa-year’, etc.
Han Yujin adjusted her hat and nodded her head.
“Hello. …Is that enough?”
“Minus the ‘Is that enough?'”
“Hello.”
“Mm, that’s better.”
Rilme switched back to the front camera mode and muttered excitedly to the viewers.
“Ah, this is so fcking funny! You all know her, right? The neighborhood gang leader who sucked away 10 million won and my editor from me. HaYoo death.”
“Hello, Asia viewers.”
“They say enemies meet on a narrow bridge, but now it’s at an arcade in Gangnam? What were you doing alone?”
“Relieving stress.”
Hearing that, Rilme cackled.
“Hey, Twimer broth boys. Your master is playing alone sadly, go play with her a bit.”
Han Yujin, still seeming not fully relieved, rotated her arms in a circle. Then she hit the punch machine again, trying to use up the remaining coins.
Thump-!
Rilme chirped like a sparrow and asked,
“But who are you thinking of while hitting it?”
“You.”
“You bitch!”
=lolololololololololol
=lololololololol
=No personality vs No personality
=Let’s do a collab stream while we’re at it gogo
=Great Ha Yoo
=Twimer broth bastards were enjoying this alone lol
Seeing the word ‘collab’ flash by in the chat, Rilme thought, that’s right.
She immediately spoke up.
“It’s not easy for us to meet like this, right? How about a cozy collab between the two princesses of the major platforms?”
“No thanks. Please go.”
“Hey!”
Han Yujin ignored the collab proposal and went straight into the arcade. Rilme followed her like a shadow, not wanting to miss this chance.
Walking with heavy steps, she stood in front of the BB gun shooting range.
Then she abruptly held out her hand to Rilme.
“…What?”
“Lend me some money.”
“Ha, really. You’re funny.”
Though she said that, she immediately took out 3,000 won and handed it over.
Han Yujin pulled her hat down low and covered her eyes with the brim like a training camp instructor.
“I’ll show you what a special warrior is.”
=Failed warrior lololol
=How does someone who hasn’t served know about special warriors?
=She definitely has the vibe of a nasty senior soldier if she went to the army
=Our Rilme is a special angel (is that what I should write?)
=Let’s go for now
=Rilme is a special chXXX
When she inserted the bill, small plastic targets popped up. Han Yujin firmly pressed the stock against her shoulder.
She looked through the sight. And fired. One shot, two shots, three shots. In rapid succession. The targets fell like scarecrows from top to bottom.
=Oh
=Oh
=So fast
=Holy shit
=She’s talented
=Must be experienced lol
=The national security report number is 111
=What the
=A terrorist from Twimer wow
=Reserve sergeant Great Ha Yoo lol
The resulting score was 2080 points, a perfect score.
The prize was a 100cm white teddy bear.
“…You’ve done this before, right?”
Rilme asked with a dumbfounded expression.
“No.”
“Then why are you so good?”
“When I imagined shooting at your face, they kept falling down.”
“Ah, stop it already!”
=lolololololololololol
=zzzzzz
=She keeps roasting till the end
=Industry secret revealed lololol
=Then 100% accuracy is agreed lol
Han Yujin hugged the white teddy bear she received as a prize. Then she rolled her eyes, lost in thought, and handed it to Rilme with an indifferent expression.
“A gift.”
“Huh. You’re giving it to me?”
Han Yujin nodded.
Rilme refused with an apologetic expression.
“But it’s too big.”
“I’m giving it to you because I’d be embarrassed to carry it home too.”
“Ah, you’re just dumping it on me?”
“Yep.”
“Get lost.”
Han Yujin, holding the teddy bear, went to the claw machine. As she did, she asked Rilme,
“Is there anything you want? These are small, so I’ll give you a real gift.”
“Hmm. Kuromi?”
“As expected, a menhera is a menhera.”
Then Han Yujin held out her hand again.
Rilme made an exasperated expression.
“Ah, you want more?”
“I’m joking.”
Han Yujin rummaged through her pocket. She took out a crumpled bill and inserted it into the machine.
Exciting music played and the machine lit up in colorful lights.
Han Yujin squinted one eye and adjusted the lever minutely. She moved to the side and even measured the angle, putting in great effort.
Rilme watched her cutely, snickering at the sight.
After careful consideration, she pressed the button and the claw went straight down. It firmly grasped the doll’s head, then lifted it up securely.
Han Yujin took the doll from the dispenser and handed it to Rilme.
“Damn, it’s so cute?”
“…Consider the 15 million won paid off with this.”
“Stop bullshitting.”
=lolololololololololol
=lololololololol
=She’s paying it off herself fck lol
=Miracle calculation
=This is so fcking funny lololol
=Burning 15 million for one doll lololol
Han Yujin got another doll. Like a fisherman showing off his catch, she held up the doll in front of the camera.
“I got one for myself too. What was this one’s name again? Kuromi’s friend. My Melody?”
“Wow. Then we’re a couple?”
Hearing that, Han Yujin.
As if displeased, she threw the doll she had just gotten onto the floor.
“Aaaah-! I’m joking! Pick it up quickly!”
Han Yujin put the My Melody doll in her pocket and, holding the teddy bear, said,
“I’ll be going now.”
“Hey, but today you seem… somehow your tension is too low.”
At that, Han Yujin smiled brightly.
“My tension was low… but I think I feel better thanks to you, unnie.”
“You, did you just call me unnie? Did you call me unnie? Huh? Huh?!”
Han Yujin just smiled and then turned around abruptly.
Rilme watched Han Yujin’s retreating figure, then looked at the Kuromi doll with a low laugh.
Then she showed the doll to the viewers, giggling as if boasting.
“Everyone. Isn’t this cute? My little sister HaYoo got it for me!”