My Girlfriend Is a Fan of Me

Finally, after a long wait, we could enter the Atex building together.

When we first arrived, I didn’t feel much emotion about the festival, but for some reason, just the fact that I was wandering around with a woman made me feel a bit more excited. Am I just a typical guy after all?

“Wow, there’s more than I expected!”

“Yeah, they said this event is particularly big, but I didn’t think it would be like this.”

As I nodded in agreement to my sister’s soft exclamation while looking around, I realized that, indeed, there were so many booths that it was hard to explore everything, as mentioned in an article about how there were more participants than last year.

Among them were booths related to anime I had enjoyed and mobile game booths I usually liked to play. It seems it’s not just new anime or games participating.

“Sister, is there anywhere you want to visit? You said you wanted to check out various things besides Last Destiny.”

There were definitely booths worth checking out, but since I had company, I thought it best to ask for my sister’s opinion first. If it was a booth I wanted to visit, it would be even more fun to go together.

“Me? I don’t have a specific place in mind….”

But unlike what she said earlier, my sister seemed troubled, indicating that there wasn’t a place she particularly wanted to go. Or perhaps she did have a place in mind but was hesitant to say so.

Hmm, then maybe we should start with the Last Destiny booth, which we both wanted to check out. If we have time afterward, we can leisurely explore the other booths.

“Shall we head to Last Destiny first?”

“Sure, sounds good.”

Fortunately, my sister seemed to agree with that suggestion, nodding and trailing closely behind me. It was literally just like that. Someone might mistake me for a baby penguin following its mother.

Am I making her uncomfortable? She could just walk beside me. I hope I don’t smell or anything. I took a thorough shower this morning.

Since I didn’t have the courage to say, “Please walk beside me,” we awkwardly searched for the booth together. Thanks to the pamphlet we were handed in advance, we didn’t take long to find it.

“Oh, I think that’s it.”

As we arrived at the booth with a large banner saying “LAST DESTINY” written in quite vintage lettering, we saw a long line ahead, just as we expected.

Wow, getting in is hell already, and now we have to stand in line here too? I knew it was the first open-world collection RPG in South Korea and was high on people’s expectations, but I didn’t think there would be this many eager users.

“The line is a bit long. It must be a significant anticipated title.”

My sister seemed a bit flustered to encounter an unexpected situation, chuckling softly as she muttered.

Did I make a mistake in suggesting we come here? Now I’m the only one in an awkward position.

“It’s probably because the trailer video caused quite a stir.”

“Is that so? I’m not really into games…. But it seems you know a lot, Mr. Cosmo.”

My sister looked at me with curiosity, but somehow that comment felt like it hit a sore spot. It sounded like she was saying, “Of course, a nerd would know a lot.”

“You can tell just by how I act on my stream. Being a bit of a nerd, I’m quite knowledgeable in this area.”

Joking at my own expense made her widen her eyes, and then she began to chuckle.

It didn’t seem like mockery; rather, it felt like she was smiling warmly at a younger brother showing off.

“Let’s get in line quickly. If we wait any longer, you might not get to see the other booths you’re looking forward to, Mr. Cosmo.”

“Right.”

With a bright smile, my sister carefully reached out and grabbed just the tip of my fingers before leading me to the end of the long line.

It had been a while since I held hands with a girl, and I felt a rush of emotions, but then I remembered that I had held hands with her not long ago.

Did this pretty woman really reach out to hold my hand twice from over there? I did well becoming a streamer….

“Can you believe there are some couples here….”

“Ah, I wish they all just disappeared….”

“That girl is really pretty too…. So envious.”

While we were chatting as we stood in line, faint voices filtered through the surrounding noise, mainly from men.

People actually come here as couples? I don’t know who they are, but I’m really jealous. At the same time, I agree they should be torn to shreds.

It’s an unspoken rule that one should come alone to events like this, tsk.

Alternatively, at least come with a friend of the same sex.

“By the way, it seems you also have high expectations, Mr. Cosmo. Waiting in a line this long….”

“Uh, well, that’s true. It’s a rare game in Korea, after all.”

When I gave a non-committal answer to my sister’s question, she looked at me curiously, tilting her head.

“Is it not a game you were looking forward to?”

“Oh, no. I was definitely looking forward to it. But I wouldn’t say that’s the only reason I came here….”

“……?”

She seemed confused by my response. I awkwardly scratched my cheek and cleared my throat to speak again.

“Honestly, if I hadn’t gotten the ad, I probably wouldn’t have waited in line to come here. I’m not one to enjoy suffering for no reason.”

“Really? But on the broadcast….”

I could tell she was thinking about how I said during the broadcast that I didn’t have to attend the AGP as an advertiser. In reality, almost all streamers who got ads for Last Destiny didn’t attend.

So she must think I was waiting in that long line purely out of personal anticipation. That’s half right and half wrong.

“Well, that’s true, but since I’m being sponsored, I feel like I have to deliver some value since I’ve been paid. Even if you think of it as a bit materialistic, I still think that way.”

Of course, just doing an advertisement stream would suffice in meeting the advertiser’s needs. But ever since I received the ad, I was plagued by the thought: is that really all there is?

“Aren’t we both in a win-win situation? I get paid, and the advertiser gets to showcase the game to more people. So I thought about what I could do for this game.”

I could easily just show a gacha pull on stream, play some in-game content, enjoy the visuals, say “I had fun!” and call it a day without any backlash. That’s how most streamers do it.

But if I receive something, I want to show at least my best within what I can do.

I might be excited because it’s my first advertisement, but I don’t think it’s a foolish action.

“So I thought maybe it would help if I could experience things like this and communicate experiences or joy to others.”

“Ah….”

My sister looked up at me with a slight gasp at my words. That gaze felt a bit burdensome, causing me to instinctively look away.

“I feel like I said something overly grand, but in any case, if I get paid, I have to do my part. Otherwise, how could I expect future advertisers to view me positively and give me more opportunities?”

I threw in a money-grabbing line at the end to lighten the awkward atmosphere, and my sister’s eyes curved into a crescent moon shape at the sight.

“Hehe, I feel like I’d want to give an advertisement to someone like you, Mr. Cosmo. People in this field who can genuinely consider others are quite rare.”

“Oh, that sounded really well-informed about that industry!”

As I involuntarily praised her for sounding like a high-ranking interviewer from some company, her eyes, which had been crescent-shaped, widened as if they were full moons this time.

And then,

“Oh, no…! I’m not involved; I just meant that I felt you were genuine in everything you do…!”

Flustered, she waved her hands around and quickly poured her words like a rapid waterfall.

Oh wow, I didn’t know you could speak this fast.

“I get it. Rather, I’m thankful you see it that way.”

I worried that I might feel like a slave to capitalism, but at least from my sister’s perspective, it wasn’t so bad. I could be satisfied with that.

“Okay, next group, please come in.”

As we chatted about this and that, it was soon time for the people in front of us in line to be let in.

Just one more turn, and we’ll be done. I mean, I’m okay, but my sister must have been tired waiting for so long, so it’s a relief.

“We don’t have long now until it’s our turn.”

“Yeah, I suppose. Time flew by quickly.”

Though my sister smiled in response, I could sense a hint of disappointment in her demeanor. There shouldn’t be any reason to feel regret in this situation, so it must just be my imagination.

“Yes, next group, please come in….”

Just as the person in front of us was about to enter,

“Wahhh─!”

A child’s wail erupted from somewhere.

Worried that something had happened, I turned my head toward the source of the sound, where I saw a young girl, looking to be around kindergarten to elementary school age, sitting on the floor and crying sorrowfully.

A child that age wouldn’t have come here alone, so she must have lost her parents who came with her.

“Mommy…!”

“…….”

Seeing her desperately searching for her mother was painful enough to evoke bad memories, making my chest feel heavy.

The staff was already calling us to enter, but their voices barely registered in my ears.

In that moment, I instinctively noticed my sister standing beside me, but I had to detach myself from the line.

“Sorry, sister, please explore first. I’ll catch up later.”

“…What?”

“I can’t just leave that child like that. I’ll find her parents and be right back.”

I understood that taking such actions without my companion was not the right thing to do, but people aren’t always rational beings.

Apologizing to my sister, I started to step out of the booth.

Thump.

I felt something tugging at my wrist, and my body swayed backward slightly.

Turning around, bewildered, I found my sister standing there, looking somewhat angry.

“There’s no way I’d let you go alone. I’m going too…!”

At that moment, I wish I had a mirror in front of me. I genuinely thought about how my expression must have looked.

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