Former Hero Streamer – Chapter 58

The story progressed swiftly.

After all, I had broadcasting scheduled four days a week.

Even excluding weekends, the schedule allowed for one more skipped day without any concerns.

The person who contacted me in the MS Room was Ryu Ah-jin, the woman who would be my editor.

The purpose of our meeting was supposedly to draft a partnership contract, but…

‘It’s pretty transparent.’

Anyway, I was the one holding the reins, so there was no worry about being pushed around.

That made sense, as we had already negotiated when we first met.

We were at the stage where we just needed to sign the finalized contract.

The contract was drafted based on Dayoung’s advice, and it was decided that the compensation would include base pay and incentives based on view counts.

I didn’t know the exact workings of this industry, but Dayoung assured me that such generous terms were rare, so there shouldn’t be any issues.

In other words, I wouldn’t face any delays with the contract.

The only thing on my mind was how to approach her naturally.

While leaning thoughtfully against the sofa in the MS Room, I broke into a chuckle, wondering what I was actually doing.

As I relaxed into the sofa and closed my eyes, her image automatically formed in my mind.

With that alluring pink hair and those slightly eerie, uniquely bright eyes.

Ah, she definitely seemed extraordinary.

‘From Dayoung to Ryu Ah-jin, I’m gathering heroes…’

My heart beat rhythmically.

It turned out, I wanted to meet her just as much, but I was starting to feel expectations creeping in for other reasons.

Looking back slowly now…

I didn’t think my actions were solely driven by the resolution to save heroes.

If she was really a hero like Dayoung… I had this desire to keep her close.

Romantic feelings? Affection?

‘No…’

I shook my head in denial.

If I had acted on such feelings, I would have made my move well before Dayoung.

Though I was becoming exasperated with myself for agonizing over it after the broadcast ended, I wanted to move forward only after solidifying the direction of my thoughts and conclusions.

“This is frustrating.”

Wanting to feel the cool breeze on my bare skin, I logged out of the virtual reality.

Stepping out of the capsule device, I leaned against the balcony and savored the late-night breeze.

Nothing refreshes a cluttered mind like a chilly wind.

If only I had a cold drink to wash down the moment.

‘I should have brought out some beer.’

A twinge of regret washed over me, but my sense of refreshment left little will to head back to the kitchen now.

I merely leaned back on the balcony, letting my body sag.

As I tilted my head down, it felt fascinating when my hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

How long had it been like that?

Half-awake, I opened my eyes and saw the stars glittering against the sky.

Not one, not two, but a countless number of stars…

“So pretty.”

Suddenly, I had this longing to possess all those stars.

I could sarcastically laugh it off as a silly thought, but it seemed my body was quite honest.

In sync with my heart, my outstretched hand lifted towards the sky, attempting to grab a handful of those twinkling stars.

Of course, I grabbed nothing but air.

Unintentionally, I found myself gazing at my empty hand and the starlit sky…

“Ah ha!”

A gasp escaped my lips before I even realized it.

With late winter nights slowly winding down, I was fortunate the sky remained clear.

Seeing the starlight streaming through my fingertips gave me a chance to introspect my feelings.

Yeah. Let’s acknowledge it honestly.

I want to…

“I want to gather heroes.”

I’m pulling out my heart by saying it out loud.

When I realized that even the resolve to save heroes stemmed from the desire to gather them, my face flushed with embarrassment, feeling like I had exposed myself.

Still… it felt refreshing as if not only my body but my heart had been washed away by the cold wind.

Yeah, I want to gather heroes.

It was something I spoke with Dayoung about before, but there was no rule stating there couldn’t be more than three heroes.

I already have my first, Dayoung as the second, and now it hinges on welcoming the new third, Ryu Ah-jin.

If I have three, why not four or five more?

Just like collecting talented people while playing games or gathering good items, I want to collect all the heroes as trophies on my broadcast.

“If any issues arise with Dayoung or A-jin…”

I could solve them and bring them into my broadcast.

Money? If I reveal my wealth ranking in Korea, I’ve got enough that’s practically within my fingers.

Curses? Debuffs? My traits as a hero with a holy knight capability rival those of a saint.

Whether it’s problems relating to my abilities like Dayoung or A-jin, or practical problems they face after returning to Earth…

The range I can care for can rival the vastness of the sky, so if I use that as a leverage, it shouldn’t present any issues.

After all, I returned to Earth without any clear purpose in life, merely living for the sake of attention.

If I now have a solid goal, it might well be a blessing from the goddess.

Young blood (‘blood’ literally means having youthful energy) surged within me.

“Okay.”

Let’s do it.

I’ll find heroes… and gather them!

It felt like a surge of energy, and my head was whirling with thoughts.

If someone could read my mind, they’d be overwhelmed by this chaotic whirlwind.

But my clarity of thought since returning to Earth had never been sharper.

“Yay!”

Springing up energetically, I headed straight for my computer.

* * *

The weather seemed dismal, with a sky filled with dark clouds.

However, A-jin quite liked the current sky.

—Squeak!

“I-I’m heading out.”

After saying that, I felt a pang of self-deprecation twist my face.

I put on the hooded sweatshirt and tossed on a mask to hide my ensuing embarrassment.

Yet, as I stepped out of my empty apartment to say goodbye to thin air, what a foolish sight that was.

“… I-I won’t let my heart be stolen… or anything.”

I grumbled, lamenting about the unfairness of the last-minute slip.

But what could I complain about now? The ship had already set sail, and this was the situation.

Anyway, A-jin’s year of hardship was finally about to meet its end as I’d found a clue to end this notorious lifestyle.

“Sehee.”

Hehe, heehee.

A smile broke out, and my curled-up form started to bounce excitedly.

I bit my fingernail through the mask, feeling both happy and anxious. I felt relieved yet uneasy.

I longed to see Ryu Sehee, the streamer known by the nickname Friede.

I felt like this emotion wouldn’t settle until I had her in front of me.

‘I want to see her, want to see her, want to see her, want to see her, want to see her, want to see her…’

Reciting it incessantly like a mantra, I generated images of her name and face in my mind.

Oh, how much I had twisted and turned in discomfort over just a few days.

The tranquility from that meeting felt like a dream…

I wanted to touch that sweet feeling once more.

Going beyond regular obsession, my feelings twisted into an even uglier form.

It was truly a pitiful fake madness that never reached genuine insanity.

“Mom, that girl looks weird.”

“Shh, don’t stare.”

People around me whispered while maintaining their distance.

They all avoided walking near A-jin, who was grinning and walking down the street.

It was a level of boldness that even the infamous first subway line couldn’t rival.

However, there are always some insurmountable foes in the world.

“Meow!”

“Hey~ meow!”

“…….”

A party of stray cats confronted the over-the-top hero.

What the heck? Why are you getting in the way?

“Are you guys… minions of the Demon King?”

“Meow!”

“Ugh…!”

If only I had the power of a hero, I could wipe them all out in one go.

I couldn’t let myself be hindered while on my way to see Friede, Sehee.

Though my powers were sealed by this world, I was still a hero who had defeated the Demon King.

If there were obstacles, I’d smash through them head-on!

A-jin gathered all her little strength and reached out toward the stray animals.

That was…

“What are ya doing? Shoo, shoo.”

It was a timid gesture that felt absolutely devoid of any hero’s power.

* * *

Life always trips you up with unexpected problems.

I had set the appointment at my home.

But when the time was approaching, I hurriedly prepared to head out with a slap on my forehead.

Considering A-jin’s level of anxiety, I imagined it would be anything but an easy journey for her to step outside.

I started to worry if she would even make it this far.

But since I had already set the appointment, there was no turning back.

I thought of contacting her to come and meet her halfway.

But then….

“Why aren’t you picking up?”

I kept getting her voicemail as I tried to call.

Is she really too anxious to answer the phone? No, I saw her reactions when we exchanged numbers; that couldn’t be the case.

Tilting my head in confusion, I stepped outside and walked the route I thought she might take.

Unless she was driving, the public transport route to my house would be limited.

I just had to get to the branching point.

It was then.

“Heeek!”

“Meow!”

I sensed a familiar scream of panic as it approached from ahead.

Putting confidence behind me, I saw her running toward me, chased by a horde of cats and…

“What the heck?!”