Chapter 5: Before the merger
“I’m going to talk to Chamgebireong for a moment…”
[But the atmosphere is a bit strange]
[Don’t do the forest friends again, just wait]
I gave Chamgebireong a manager and started a conversation in the manager chat.
[Chamgebireong: Do you know Teyli?]
[Yes]
[Chamgebireong: It’s because the nickname is similar to my friend’s. So, is it possible that..]
Bireong stopped and cut off the chat there.
I felt the guilt that had been buried in my heart slowly resurfacing.
How did they find me?
They couldn’t have been certain just by looking at the broadcast nickname.
[Chamgebireong: I saw the KakaoTalk. The nickname is… Are you troubling me..?]
“No…!”
I suddenly yelled.
I instinctively glanced at the chat window, and the atmosphere wasn’t so good, so I wrote that it was nothing.
[It’s not a nuisance, it’s me.]
[Chamgebireong: You’re right! Why haven’t you contacted me all this time? Did I do something wrong? I was so nervous]
I didn’t want to either.
I was thinking inside how to explain, but it wasn’t easy.
If I told the truth, I’d be called crazy.
In the end, I decided to explain it with a mix.
[You did nothing wrong. It’s my fault. A year ago, I thought I was going to die because of something, and I avoided contacting you, but I didn’t die and I lived.]
[Chamgebireong: Then, what happened to your body…]
[Yeah…]
[Chamgebireong: It’s not because you didn’t want to contact me, right? We are friends again, right?]
[No way… The reason I hid my identity all this time was because I was afraid you’d be sad if I died, but…]
[Chamgebireong: That’s a relief… You won’t tell me what happened, right?]
[Yeah]
[Chamgebireong: Then it’s okay now?]
[Yeah]
[Chamgebireong: Do you have time tomorrow?]
[I always have time.]
[Chamgebireong: Then can I come to your house? I know how much I wanted to meet you all this time?]
[Didn’t you say you didn’t go out much?]
[Chamgebireong: You only remember the useless things. Anyway, now that the reason you avoided me is gone, can we meet?]
[Chamgebireong: I learned your name for the first time. Did I think I was the only friend?]
When I was silent, Bireong started a silent protest with one word.
[No. I’ll tell you the address…]
I gave my home address and phone number to Bireong, who was insistent on telling me the address.
Did they know my number originally?
I felt a sense of resistance to Bireong’s words asking if they could bring their friend, but I, who had committed a crime, had to allow them to bring them.
They asked if a joint broadcast was possible, and I replied, of course.
Bireong, who saw my reply, left, saying they were sorry for disturbing the broadcast.
I dragged it out for too long.
Wouldn’t a flower of suspicion have bloomed in the chat room?
“Everyone… I’m going to have a joint broadcast with Chamgebireong tomorrow…!”
[Is that the real little friend Chamgebireong?]
[It seems like Yewha and Nyanji don’t play with them]
[They weren’t the security guard of the house?]
[kkkkkkkk]
[But why is Bireong doing a joint broadcast with Teyli?]
[They want to]
“Anyway, let’s get back to the main topic… But what were we talking about…?”
-Beautiful Love, 10,000 won support!
But why did you suddenly shout in the middle?
[I was surprised there too]
[I thought you were fighting]
“No… Please understand that there was a situation..”
[Ah~ The tension is dropping~ Just move on and proceed with the broadcast ㄱㄱ]
I just talked casually and ended the broadcast.
I thought it was too modest for the first broadcast after the explanation, but it’s fortunate that the viewers’ reactions weren’t bad.
I’m just grateful to the viewers.
And I have to learn about broadcasting from Bireong this time.
Wouldn’t Bireong be better at broadcasting than me?
Judging by people’s reactions, Bireong is still broadcasting, and they’re a big company.
But after a year, they still think of me as a friend, so I was in a very good mood today.
Even a net friend whose face and voice I don’t know.
But is it the meaning that even though it’s another world, Yejie here was also friends with Bireong?
Why did they cut off contact?
[Energy 60% self-charging in progress]
[Warning: Harmful fine dust detected in the human body. Purification system activated]
[Processing complete]
It doesn’t seem like it’s an important matter.
Now, there’s no way to know even if I want to.
Anyway, future technology is the best!
I don’t know the other functions, but I was using it well as an air purifier.
I have to clean the house and go to bed because Bireong is coming tomorrow.
<Wasn’t the question today a bit…?>
Isn’t the arm and eye question a bit…
Judging by Teyli’s reaction, it seems like there’s still a scar
Coco: Real, let’s be a little careful
Guksu will be: Seems like there’s a lot of scars ㅠㅠ
Jjin: She clenched her eyes and frowned a lot. Does she have trauma?
-Ikwa: Are you a literary person?
-Jjin: Jjin
<What is it? I came in by clicking the link, and it’s a Teyli fan cafe?>
Je-go-nae
ㅇㅇ: Seems like it?
-Guksu: Did Teyli make it?
-ㅇㅇ: Nn, I think a fan made it
The broadcaster’s appearance is so casual, and I thought they’d be casual, but they’re a loser kkk
Jjin: Isn’t it cute kkk
Olive: But the original personality came out in the middle, and I was scared for a moment
Change the cam: Change the cam!!!!!!!!!!
Baekchimi: It’s a white beauty.
<Chamgebireong’s joint broadcast kkkkk>
I didn’t even expect it kkk
But wasn’t Bireong also really jjin?
Guag: I was so nervous, thinking the two of them were fighting ;;
-ㅇㅇ: You have to believe it because I said so kk. Would they come to visit if they fought
Seedlings: Two real ones will play well kkk
Sun forever: The height difference will be enormous? kk
T-shirt stop: But isn’t she wearing only a white tee and jeans again?
Chamyoil: But isn’t tomorrow Chamyoil?
-ㅇㅇ: That’s right kk
<Please, make it a concept>
Coco: I thought if there would be someone living as hard as me, and I have to reflect on it when I see the broadcaster.
Teyli Dan: They must apply for a disability grade;;
Teyri Dan: Should someone tell them after the joint broadcast?
-ㅇㅇ: If it’s this much, it seems they’ll get a disability pension
-Teyri Dan: After the joint broadcast, they must let them know.
Olive: The phone was right to the left, and they couldn’t find it even if they turned their head ㅠㅠ It’s heartbreaking.
Uwooong
“Uh..?”
Uwooouung
“What…”
A call from me…?
For me, a smartphone is a game console I use lying down…
I was suddenly filled with energy, and I remembered the day before.
Ah, that’s right.
Bireong was coming.
“O..hello..?”
“Yejie! I’m almost there.”
“Yes..?”
“I’m going up!”
Knock knock
The phone call ended, and the sound of knocking came right away.
“I’m here~”
“Uh…? Just a moment…!”
I quickly jumped up and opened the door, but there was no one in sight.
What?
“Below…”
A child’s voice that seemed to be upset came from below me, and I lowered my head to see a girl with brown hair…?
Judging by the proportions, it doesn’t seem to be a child… Anyway, the height was that small.
My first impression of Bireong is that they’re short?
“Jeongran! Go up first. I’ll park and go.”
“Why? We can go together if we wait.”
“There’s no place to park. Be careful! This neighborhood is too desolate.”
“Okay~”
Yewha sometimes sees me as a child.
Um, it seems like a neighborhood that looks too dangerous for a woman to live alone, and wouldn’t it be better for Yejie to move?
I thought of Yejie’s eyes and arm, who must have had a bad experience by looking at the dangerous neighborhood, but I tried to think of other things.
Oh my! There isn’t even an elevator…
In the end, I had to climb to the 5th floor.
The inside of the building smelled musty and strange, and there were a lot of traces of something on the walls.
Did she live in a place like this all this time…?
“I’m here~”
“Uh…? Just a moment…!”
“Below…”
I spoke as if I had spit it out with a bit of a bad feeling towards Yejie, who was looking for me.
When I looked closely at Yejie’s appearance, she was so beautiful that I was just staring blankly.
More than the face from the interview in the explanation broadcast…
However, Yejie’s beauty only highlighted the loss of her, not burying it.
The eyepatch covering one eye only brought about a sense of sorrow, not glamor, and the prosthetic on her shoulder was stylish and sophisticated, but it clearly revealed the absence of her shoulder.
And the gloom that filled her face.
I couldn’t remember the words I had thought of while coming.
My mouth didn’t open as if someone had locked it.
“C..come in…”
Her eyes, trembling as if flustered, couldn’t look at me properly, and I could feel that she was afraid of and avoiding people, enough for even me, her friend, to be wary of her.
I also felt fatigue from human relationships and didn’t do social activities well, but Yejie seemed to have a big wound in her heart and was afraid of people.
What happened in the past.
At first, I really wanted to see the face of my friend, who was very close.
Actually, I thought it was a kind of cosplay when I saw the KakaoTalk profile picture.
However, I realized after seeing the explanation from yesterday and the status message on KakaoTalk.
She really didn’t know what to do.
She almost died, but she survived, and the loss of her body left too much of a wound on Yejie.
Even though I didn’t know her face or voice, I thought we were really close, but I was very resentful for suddenly cutting off contact.
But when I realized all the truths, I felt so stupid for resenting that I suddenly cut off contact, and tears flowed without me knowing.
“Huu…”
“Y… why. Don’t cry.”
Her awkward but gentle touch on my back was even more heartbreaking.
“Huuueeeeng… Huueeeng…”
“Uh… I’m sorry…”
I was so upset at the sight of my friend apologizing even though she didn’t do anything wrong that I burst into tears.
I gently patted her back, who was suddenly crying, and comforted her.
Is this much skinship okay..?
I was touched that my friend from the net, who had only cut off contact, remembered me and cared so much.
I seemed to be dazzled by her kindness that treats a small relationship in this way.
She has a lot of affection.
“Huuueee…”
Uuuuuuung-
Bireong’s phone vibration, which completely disrupted that atmosphere.
I didn’t have a handkerchief, although I wanted to give a handkerchief to Bireong’s face, which was a mess of tears.
I have to buy one next time…
I brought a towel and gave it to her, and she carefully wiped her face.
“Keung… Hello? Huk… Yewha.”
“Hey! Why are you crying? Who made you cry? Is it that person you met this time?”
At the sound of someone screaming, Bireong wrinkled her face as if her ears hurt and retorted.
“I had a reason! Kkeung, come quickly. I left the address on KakaoTalk.”
By the way, there’s only one chair in our house, the one I’m using, is it okay?
I don’t know how to speak to Bireong, who is smiling at me with tears to some extent.
Ugh… I should have read a book on how to treat friends..!
“Bireong…?”
“Yes?”
“There’s only one chair… what should we do..?”
In the house, the only furniture was a refrigerator, a small table, a chair, and a small, crumbling mattress bed.
“Should I buy a chair…?”
“Huu…”
“Stop… Why are you doing this..”
“But…”
This month is really tight if I buy a chair, but I can’t just put my friends, who came all the way here, to stand.
As I was hesitating and only looking at her, Bireong called someone.
In the end, this worry was resolved as Bireong’s friend Yewha came and decided to buy a chair.
Hehe… First impression is ruined…
I want to get closer, but I don’t know what to say, since I’ve been talking face-to-face with a person for a long time.
Knock knock
“Yewha’s here!”
Bireong, who ran to the door, brought someone into the room.
It’s a woman with red hair tied in a ponytail, and she was about one head taller than Bireong.
But why does everyone blank out when they see me?
“Hello…”
“Ah, hello!”
She was surprised by my greeting and accepted it.
I reached out my hand to take the chair that my friend was holding, feeling sorry.
“Give me the… chair…! I should’ve bought it… I’ll pay you later..”
“I’ll take it! It’s okay!”
After looking at my hand reaching out to grab the chair, she quickly pulled the chair she was holding behind her.
“Yes! I have a lot of money!”
“Waa~ Then buy me food~”
“You shut up!”
Yewha started placing the chair in front of my computer.
Are they going to do a joint broadcast now?
Ah, but I feel burdened all of a sudden… What should I do?
Maybe I won’t make a mistake?
I started to sweat when I was thinking like that, and Bireong grabbed my hand and stared at my eyes.
Why is that all of a sudden…
I avoided her gaze a little, feeling burdened by Bireong’s eyes.
“It’s okay. Trust me. But are there any words we have to be careful of?”
“There isn’t… Ah, maybe questions about the house are… I’m from a foster home…”
“Okay. I got it. You can just answer our questions and stay still if it’s too hard.”
“Thank you for your consideration…”
I tried to force a smile, but it wasn’t easy.
I was like that before, but it seems to be more so now that my body has changed.
“Today’s content is just chatting together. Don’t feel burdened, and you can just show your honest reaction because there is no script for me and the people I know.”
Yewha handed me a small box, hesitating.
I got it by mistake, but what is this?
“Um… this is a gift, please accept it.”
“Yes…?”
A gift from the first meeting?
“Actually, it’s a cam that I used for a while, and I don’t use it anymore. It seems like Bireong was going to buy and give this cam to me, but please think of it as a gift since I wanted to get close to you.”
“Ah, that’s right. Me too.”
Bireong offered me something beautifully wrapped.
“It’s a VR device I used, so you don’t have to feel burdened! I was going to change it to the new model this time!”
What do you see in me to do this much?
I’m happy, but I was embarrassed.
But more than that, the tears flowing down my cheeks were more embarrassing.
Why?
Suddenly?
Huh?