Netkama Punch!!!

However, that silence didn’t last long.

Shin Heejae had been staring at me for a while, and just as I’d eaten about half my meal, he suddenly grinned and tossed out a question.
“Noona, what did you do at the center today?”
Not understanding the intention behind the question, I frowned slightly, chopsticks still in my mouth.

“Do what?”
“I’m asking if anything happened.”
His words made me reflexively think back on my day.

The usual annoying coworkers and difficult clients were the same as always. I tried to recall if anything had happened that was worth mentioning to Shin Heejae, and suddenly remembered a client who came in around 3 p.m. with a drink.
“Oh. Someone brought me a drink today to thank me—they got a job.”
“You got them hired?”

“No? I didn’t really do anything...”
Although I said that, it wasn’t entirely accurate. The client had thanked me repeatedly, but truthfully, getting hired wasn’t something I could control directly.
Helping with job placements and even accompanying people to interviews was part of my job. It wasn’t like I was being unusually diligent. I had made an effort, but it didn’t feel like something worth being thanked for, so I’d just taken the drink awkwardly.

Besides, that client had been on the older side, but had a good demeanor and relevant experience, and the interview atmosphere had been positive.
“I mean... I just helped a little... Anyway.”
Usually, the clients who end up at the center are people with some kind of handicap. Younger folks or those with desirable experience or licenses find jobs easily on their own.

I remembered clearly how that client had seemed really timid during our first consultation because of their age. But now, having gotten a job and come back just to say thank you—it felt good. A sense of professional fulfillment I hadn’t often experienced.
“But honestly, from the first time I saw them, I thought they’d probably get hired if they made it to the interview.”
“You can tell stuff like that?”

“They had a really nice impression... and, well, I’ve been doing this for a few years now...”
Shin Heejae listened quite attentively as I hesitated and spoke slowly. So without realizing, I just kept going on and on—until suddenly I wondered, Does this bastard even understand what I’m saying?
It started to feel like he’d asked just to fill the time, and I was the only one talking.
“...Why even ask? You’re not trying to get a job anyway.”

He didn’t seem to care about the pointed tone in my voice.
“That’s true.”
“Knew it. You weren’t even listening properly.”

I got annoyed and shut my mouth. Heejae just chuckled.
“I wasn’t ignoring you. But it was kinda boring.”
“What did you just say?”

I was fuming at his honesty about being bored after he asked, and he just rested his chin on his hand, staring at me.
“This is the first time I’ve ever focused this hard on such a boring story.”
“Shut up.”

“It’s boring, but you’re so fun, noona.”
“Get lost!”
I kicked him under the table. Even then, Shin Heejae didn’t wipe that smile off his face. Instead, he kept pestering me, asking if I was sulking.

Any warmth that had started to build after he waited for me with dinner completely vanished from that teasing attitude.
He only shut up after I smacked him on the forehead with my spoon.
* * *

“Aren’t you streaming today? …Hey, damn it! I said don’t cling to me!”
It was after I’d done the dishes in return for the meal and had finally showered and changed. I knew Shin Heejae was creeping up beside me, but I didn’t expect him to ignore my question and just hug me from behind.
Now, if Heejae was even this close, the tension in my body was so unbearable it made my stomach throb.

I tried to elbow him and get out of his arms.
“Get your hands off!”
“I was waiting to stream with you, noona.”

“Why the hell would I do that, you crazy bastard?!”
“I can’t stream with Yuna anymore.”
“...”

I wanted to scream, And how the hell is that my fault?! But whenever Yuna came up, my throat clammed up.
Heejae grinned slyly at me as I fell silent and even pulled out my chair for me. I responded by kicking the chair aside and sitting down in the other one. He obediently swapped seats.
Welcome to the world full of adventure,
Arcadia.

But as I sat down and looked at the desk, I realized he’d already set up the whole streaming rig—mic, hand cam, everything.
Honestly, I hadn’t taken him seriously until I saw the gear. It startled me a bit.
“Wait... you’re seriously gonna stream with me? I won’t even say a word…”

Streaming suddenly like this? Just the thought of speaking in front of an audience made my stomach churn.
But then Heejae ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ paused and whipped around to face me.
“Why would you talk?”

“What?”
“Don’t talk.”
“What the hell, didn’t you say we’d stream together?”

Isn’t streaming supposed to involve, like... talking?
Heejae looked deadly serious.
“I just meant sit next to me while I stream.”

“What?”
“Your voice is too cute—it attracts perverts.”
“Ha…”

I shook my head in disbelief. I didn’t even want to dignify that bullshit with a response, but Heejae kept going with his one-sided logic.
“Just look at Urara. That damn pervert—”
I couldn’t take it anymore. I cut him off, irritated.

“Why the hell are you even in the same clan as a creep like that?”
For once, Heejae was at a loss for words. Then, reluctantly, he muttered,
“...He’s good at the game.”

This guy’s really brain-dead.
I didn’t bother replying—because I knew from experience that arguing with Heejae when he was being stubborn was useless—but inwardly, I clicked my tongue.
At least I didn’t have to be witty or talkative like Yuna. That was a relief. I finally let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“You seriously won’t talk? Just use your skills.”
“…Ugh. Fine.”
“And when you show up on my stream, there’ll be people—other than our clanmates—trying to act all friendly ‘cause they memorized your nickname.”

“…”
“Don’t reply to them. Don’t add anyone back. Got it?”
“How many times do I have to say I got it?”

Right up until the moment he started the stream, Shin Heejae kept drilling in those warnings. He even opened my game screen himself, went into [Community Options], and turned on “Block whispers from strangers” and “Reject friend requests.”
At this point, wouldn’t it make more sense for him to just play solo?
Still, instead of mocking him, I let him do what he wanted.

As if anyone even wants to get close to me…
He was the only weirdo obsessed with me. It was laughable that he thought everyone was like him.
I smacked his hand, which had sneakily wrapped around my shoulder. Only then did he straighten up and turn on the mic.

“Hello.”
After that, he started adjusting the stream settings like a pro. Even with the screen still black, his hardcore fans were already flooding the chat.
LIVE Chat

● hey hey
● Heejae, your voice sounds kinda hoarse today
● yeah, it does

“I’m totally fine though?”
LIVE Chat
● even if you’re sick, stream anyway, Heejae

● true
● stream until you die
“I said I’m not sick? What, you think I’m some frail little anchovy like you losers?”

“…”
Watching him live like this, I suddenly wondered—Is it really okay to stream with that attitude? But the chat didn’t seem to mind.
LIVE Chat

● lmaoooooooooo
● why the rage lol
● did you change your mic setup today? your voice sounds deeper

● heejae your voice today is making me kinda… yeah...
● I’m a fat pig and I’m into this, thx
Typical of Heejae’s streams—his viewers were all cut from the same cloth. I ignored them and looked back at my game screen.

You have entered the clan room.
Sesam appeared onscreen, automatically moved into the clan room. Unlike when Yuna had been around, the clan chat was now full of friendly greetings.
Party Clan Friends Whispers

CYeou: Hello there~
CUrara: Sesam hi lol
CGyeoksal: hey hey

CSesam: heyyo
I greeted them back and quietly waited for Shin Heejae to arrive. Soon, a message popped up—[Heejae] had logged in. At the same time, the clan room’s summoning circle shimmered with light. Someone was entering.
I assumed it was Heejae and moved my character toward it.

Party Clan Friends Whispers
CUrara: hey hey, what are you up to?
But the one who appeared when the light faded... was Urara.

Feeling a little awkward, I replied:
Party Clan Friends Whispers
CSesam: Waiting for Shin Heejae

Then Urara asked me:
Party Clan Friends Whispers
CUrara: oh lol, wanna do dailies as a trio?

I was about to say I wasn’t sure because Heejae was streaming—but before I could, his voice cut in first.
“Sim Woohyun, do you seriously wanna die?”
Party Clan Friends Whispers

CUrara: lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
And just like that, Urara burst out laughing, like they were watching the livestream in real time.