Gender Swap: The Introvert’s Broadcast

In fact, even managing to take two sets was an impressive achievement. Originally, I thought they wouldn’t win a single one. But they managed to take two.
‘But this isn’t something I should say right now.’

Saying something like that in front of the team that just lost the final set would be no different from mocking them. It’s like saying, “You lost, but you fought well,” which is something people usually say after some time has passed since the match ended.
[🗡️AllKnowingOPCthulhu: Seriously, they lost this?]
[🗡️AllKnowingOPCthulhu: I thought they were going to win.]
[Reverse sweep almost happened, that’s just frustrating.]
[Is this a dream? This has to be a dream, right? A dream? A dream? A dream? A dream? A dream? A dream? A dream?]
[Ah, damn it, I bet 100 bills on KG winning, now I’m totally screwed, lol.]
[Kang Hoomin here: Everyone, face reality.]
[Kang Hoomin here: A loss is a loss.]
[Kang Hoomin here: So don’t get too worked up.]
In the middle of it all, Kang Hoomin was stoking the flames in the chat.

As I was starting to feel a little dizzy from everything…
“Uh… Okay, I’ll end the stream here. Ah, I’m so tired.”
Harin suddenly announced she was ending the stream. She seemed to be under a lot of stress. Otherwise, there would be no reason for her to end the broadcast so abruptly.

“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, yeah. We streamed for a long time today.”
So I talked with Harin for a moment, and then we said our final goodbyes to the viewers. It wouldn’t feel right to just abruptly end the stream without a proper farewell.
“Alright then, we’re off. See you all next time.”
“Bye.”

[🗡️AllKnowingOPCthulhu: Good job today.]
[🗡️AllKnowingOPCthulhu: Both of you streamed for a long time.]
[🗡️AllKnowingOPCthulhu: But seriously, if you’re going to stream, at least give us a heads-up, you bastard.]
[lololololololol]
[Alright, let’s see each other next time.]
[Bye-bye.]
[Kang Hoomin here: Today’s stream was fun, but the ending was a bit disappointing.]
[The ending really was unsatisfying.]
[Still thinking about how KG didn’t win, so frustrating.]
[This is a dream. When we wake up, they win. Yep.]
[Why is everyone collectively losing their minds?]
After saying goodbye to the viewers, we ended the broadcast.
[Broadcast has ended!]

With the notification that the stream had ended, Harin let out a deep sigh.
“Haah… I didn’t think they’d lose. Let’s at least send Rije a message of comfort together. She must be feeling terrible right now.”
“Ah, true.”
It seemed like a good idea to at least leave Rije a message. We had a connection with her, so reaching out might help her feel even a little better. With that in mind, I pulled out my phone and sent her a message.

[Me: Hey, Rije.]
[Me: Are you okay?]
[Me: You did great in the finals, so don’t be too hard on yourself.]
[Me: Let’s grab a drink together when you’re in Seoul.]
After sending the message, I paused for a moment.
“...I feel like I sent it way too much like an old man.”
I probably could have phrased it more casually, but it felt like I’d come off way too old-fashioned. Feeling uneasy about it, I closed my phone. By now, Rije must have been flooded with messages. A reply wouldn’t come right away.

‘Rije has so many connections.’
I’d never met a pro gamer with as many connections as Rije. That’s why I figured it might take a while for her to reply. As I was thinking that...
“Should I… walk you home? Or I could call you a taxi.”

Harin, looking tired, offered to see me off. It seemed like she wanted to be alone after I left. But from the way she spoke, even if she sent me off, it didn’t seem like she’d go straight to bed. Maybe she’d have another drink alone.
‘…Should I just drink with her a little longer?’
It wasn’t too late yet. It felt like we could have a bit more to drink. Plus, since we were at her place, there wasn’t much to worry about.

“Then, bring out some more beer. Let’s drink a little longer before I go.”
“...Huh?”
Harin looked startled all of a sudden, as if she hadn’t expected me to say that. It made sense. I’d never been the one to suggest drinking more before.
‘Worst case, I could just crash here.’

While walking around earlier, I noticed there were several spare rooms. Maybe it was because her house was so big. If I asked, it seemed reasonable to stay over. Harin didn’t seem like the type to try anything weird.
“Quickly, bring the drinks. I’m thirsty.”
I felt an urge to drink. The beer I’d had earlier had worn off, and now I just wanted to enjoy a drink again.

“Ah… Okay. I’ll also make some new snacks.”
“Great.”
Honestly, there were several reasons I decided to stay and drink at Harin’s house, but one of the main ones was her cooking. If her meals were that good, how amazing would her snacks be? And I’d be offering some comfort too.
‘Although… she seems to be in better spirits now.’

Ever since I suggested having more drinks, Harin seemed to perk up. Was it just my imagination? I wondered about it as I waited at the table.
Sizzle-sizzle—
With a delicious sound, Harin returned carrying a hot frying pan.

“Here.”
It looked like she’d simply stir-fried some meat. The aroma was incredible.
“Oh, this looks delicious.”

I marveled at how she managed to prepare such a good-looking dish in such a short time. Just as I was thinking that...
“Wait a sec, there’s more.”
“Huh?”
Harin disappeared for a moment and then returned—

“Here.”
She was carrying two bowls full of pasta. Having finished the broadcast, I was definitely hungry, but this level of preparation made me feel a bit guilty.
‘…I didn’t expect her to go all out like this.’

Feeling a little flustered, I took a picture.
Click—
“I didn’t make it to be picture-worthy, so this is a bit embarrassing.”
“No, it looks delicious. What’s there to be embarrassed about?”

I took several pictures. It seemed like it’d be fun to post them on the community later. Plus, I wanted to show off the food Harin had made for me.
“Oh, and let’s drink whiskey instead of beer. I’ve got something saved for moments like this.”
“Whiskey?”
Whiskey, out of nowhere. I hadn’t expected that. Personally, I wasn’t too picky about alcohol, so I’d drink whatever was offered without much thought. Harin went over to what looked like a cabinet and pulled out a bottle.

“Bal…venie? Never heard of it. I only know Johnnie Walker.”
“It’s just a common whiskey. I got it nearby.”
“Ah, I see.”
Good thing it wasn’t something super expensive. I’d have felt bad drinking it otherwise. Relieved, I watched as Harin busily gathered ice and glasses.
“Do you usually drink this stuff? What kind of house has all this? Mine’s just filled with computer gear.”
“Well, it gets lonely at home alone. Drinking whiskey’s kind of a hobby.”

True. Living alone in such a big house probably got boring. Maybe that’s why Harin streamed more often than other streamers. As I thought that...
Pour—
Harin started pouring the whiskey into the glasses. Since it wasn’t particularly expensive, I didn’t feel too burdened drinking it. Harin didn’t seem bothered either.

Still, there was one thing I was curious about before drinking.
“So… how do I drink this?”
If I’d ever had whiskey before, I might know. But since I hadn’t, I just stared at the glass.

“Jiwoo, seriously? You just drink it, like any other drink.”
Harin laughed as she said this.
“Oh.”

Right. I shouldn’t have asked. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I took a sip.
“Ugh…”
A flavor I’d never experienced before. But—

“...It’s not bad.”
It wasn’t bad at all. For something inexpensive, it tasted surprisingly refined.
“It’s great value for the price.”
“Seems like it. How much is it? I might get some later.”
“About 15,000 won.”
“Oh…”

A decent price. Maybe I could get some to enjoy with Yeram back home. With that thought, we clinked our glasses.
Clink.
“You’re really good at cooking. You could move in and cook for me, you know?”
“Pfft, I’m expensive labor.”
“Hmm… I can see that.”

We joked and sipped whiskey together. How much time passed after that?
“This is good.”
“Wait… why are you eating the ice?”
I started to feel a little tipsy. My sense of direction was getting a bit off too.

‘…Better pace myself.’
Even though it was Harin’s place, I couldn’t let myself do anything stupid. Doing something dumb would just make tomorrow’s me blush with shame. I needed to stay in control. With that thought, I downed the last of my drink.