My Favorite Has Started A Live Broadcast!

“Thank you for accepting it!”

“Uh… yes…”

For some reason, I received gifts from a few people as soon as I started my part-time job.

Today is my birthday, but I didn’t expect viewers to come directly to give me presents.

I smiled gratefully at a customer who handed me a gift and quickly left the store, then I put the gift box on top of another one in the break room and returned to the counter.

“Wow~ You’re really something… How many gifts is that already?”

“Four…?”

“Wow, they really came out just because it’s your birthday. Impressive.”

I nodded in agreement and greeted the next customer approaching the counter.

“Hi—”

“Excuse me!!!”

Yoon Gae came up to me. He looked up at me from below since the counter was slightly higher, and he bowed deeply.

I leaned my head out of the counter to look at him, but he didn’t straighten up right away.

“Uh… I’m fine, really…”

“You don’t need to pretend you’re okay! Honestly! I’m really sorry!!!!”

“Haha…”

As I chuckled awkwardly, I noticed Si-ha standing awkwardly behind Yoon Gae, scratching his cheek.

I greeted Si-ha, who returned my greeting and patted Yoon Gae on the back, finally prompting him to look up.

Seeing him biting his lip and fidgeting, it looked like he had something to say.

“…Is something wrong?”

“Uh… well… if it’s okay with you… could we host your birthday stream at our place?”

Yoon Gae’s voice was barely audible.

“Um… My brother wants to formally apologize for what happened last time, so he thought it’d be nice to combine it with your birthday stream. I think other streamers will be there, too.”

“Really?”

“Yes, could you come?”

“Hmm… Sure, but are you two really siblings?”

“Huh? Yeah… I’m Yoon Si-ha, and he’s my older brother, Yoon Si-wan. He streams under the name Yoon Gae.”

“…So… will you be coming?”

“Yeah, I was actually planning to hang out with friends, but they had other plans, so we rescheduled.”

“Thank you!”

Yoon Gae bowed once again and left the store. A sports car, out of place for his age, quickly sped away.

“Hmm… Guess I’ll be working late tonight.”

Aro sighed and continued washing dishes.

“Hmm-hmm~”

Humming, I arrived home with my birthday bonus from the manager, only to find another package blocking my way.

It was pretty big, so I wondered how I’d bring it inside, and more importantly, what it was. My head started to hurt.

“Hmm… what’s this… ‘Handle with care’… It’s huge… a monitor?”

Examining the label closely, I realized it was a monitor, and the buyer was Eunah unnie.

After bringing it inside, I quickly organized my things and called out to Eunah unnie upstairs, hearing footsteps approaching from behind.

“Hmm? What’s up?”

Eunah unnie, sipping coffee, asked me.

“Uh… I think this package was delivered by mistake.”

I explained about the package in front of my place, and she took a long sip of coffee, patted my shoulder, and laughed.

“Pfft… Did you think that was mine? It’s your birthday today! It’s for you!”

“Huh? Mine…?”

“Yeah, yours. Aro and I pitched in for it, so use it well. Oh, by the way, you’re going to Yoon Gae’s place today, right?”

“Yes… How did you know…?”

“I’m your manager. Anyway, feel free to set it up whenever. I’m off to play games.”

Just as she was about to leave, Eunah unnie turned back, grabbed my shoulder, and fished out her phone.

“Hold on… Ah, here it is.”

Eunah unnie played a video, and to my surprise, Angel-teacher was in it.

“Hi, Su-yeon! I’ve been so busy, I couldn’t make it… Anyway, happy birthday! When you were younger, you gave me a ring made of flowers… Anyway! I heard from your landlady how much you help her out, cooking, cleaning… So! You only have to pay half your rent from now on!”

“……”

Eunah unnie nodded as I stared at her in disbelief and went back inside.

“Wow… What kind of… miracle is this…”

“Ugh…”

Stretching, I placed the huge monitor in one corner of my room.

Maybe it seemed so big because of the box, but it looked enormous once inside.

As soon as Strawberry saw the big box, she started jumping on all fours at the edge of the bed, showing interest, but since I lacked the skill to set it up just now, I decided to leave it for now.

“Meow…”

Strawberry let out a disappointed meow, but I didn’t want to risk her scratching the monitor, so I just patted her head and changed clothes.

Ding—

As I was playing with Strawberry using a toy fishing rod, an alert sounded on my phone.

Thinking maybe Chocoa had started streaming, I quickly checked, but it wasn’t a Twitch alert.

“Grumble…”

I handed the toy to Strawberry and checked the notification.

It was a message from Si-ha, or rather, from Aro.

Since I hadn’t gotten anyone else’s number after the meetup, it came from Si-ha’s number.

Aro had sent details about the snacks he’d prepared as a form of apology and the time and place for the stream.

Si-ha: I don’t plan on drinking, so feel free to come!

I replied briefly with a “Yes,” and then continued playing with Strawberry, who was pawing and biting the little toy mouse attached to the fishing rod.

“Phew…”

Picking up Strawberry, who was starting to feel heavier, I walked out into the living room and saw the darkening evening sky through the window.

After playing with Strawberry for a while, I lay down, looking at the dark window, as Strawberry rubbed her face against my hand.

Her now longer, soft white fur felt nice.

“Strawberry… Let’s bathe you tomorrow.”

“Meow?”

Strawberry tilted her head in confusion, hearing the unfamiliar word.

Knock, knock—

Arriving at the large apartment building, I took the elevator and knocked on the door.

Before long, the door opened.

“Welcome!”

It was Ninima, still full of cheerful energy.

The house was luxurious and spacious.

Even though only Si-ha and Yoon Gae lived there, the house was big enough to accommodate a family of four, with three rooms, two bathrooms, and an enviably large kitchen.

While gazing around the kitchen, I noticed Yoon Gae coming out of a room and our eyes met.

“Uh… Hi~ Nice to meet you!”

“Hello? This kitchen is massive… And the fridge too… Do you cook often?”

“Oh… No, I just order delivery…”

“Really? That’s a shame…”

The kitchen seemed barely used, with only a few cups and utensils in sight.

Genuinely disappointed, I followed Ninima, who was giving me a tour as if it were her own home.

“Lastly, here’s… not much, huh.”

“Hey! Who are you to dismiss my streaming room?”

“See? There’s barely anything in there! Just a computer! Nothing special!”

“Are they always like this?”

“…Yes…”

As the two began bickering again, I watched with Si-ha.

“Hello~”

Ignoring the two squabbling behind us, I looked at the chat window going up on the monitor, confirming that the stream was live.

Though there were three monitors, I wasn’t sure of their exact purpose. The left one showed the chat and the stream screen, the center one appeared to be the main monitor with many files and games, and the right one was simply turned on.

“Uh… Yoon Gae, why do you have three monitors?”

“Huh… Uh… To look cool?”

“….Idiot…”

Stepping in to prevent another fight, I handed Yoon Gae a gift bag.

Inside was—

“…Rice cakes?”

“Yes, there are sirutteok and mugwort rice cakes.”

Just as I looked at the bewildered Yoon Gae, the door opened, and I turned around, recognizing the familiar footsteps.

“Hello, and happy birthday.”

It was Chocoa.

***
Eunah POV

“Mm…”

A few minutes after Su-yeon took a taxi to Yoon Gae’s house, I found myself standing outside Su-yeon’s door.

I felt conflicted about entering, but I punched in the code and went inside.

“Better than accidentally breaking the monitor later…”

Inside, the lights were already on.

Su-yeon, who’s so frugal that he doesn’t even use heating in winter, wouldn’t have done this, and I realized there was only one person who would.

“What are you doing?”

“Hm..? Mmh… mmph…”

Minyoung mumbled something with her mouth full.

“Well… unnie gave it to me… Anyway, why are you here…?”

“To set up the monitor.”

Passing Minyoung, who was chugging water, I entered the room and found the box in the corner.

I cut the tape with my moderately long nails, removed the excessive packaging and styrofoam pieces, and revealed the large monitor.

I felt the stares of Minyoung, holding Strawberry on the bed, and Strawberry glaring at me as I started the setup.

***
Lee Suyeon POV

“Anyway, today’s collab is!!! A birthday stream for Baraa!!!!… and an apology stream…”

The loud voice in my headset came through again in reality.

Ninima, Chocoa, and I sat in our seats, looking at the big screen.

“Huh..? Su… Baraa? What’s your stream about?”

“Huh?”

On Chocoa’s screen, an alert popped up with a message about my stream.

‘Baraa has started a live broadcast!’

—This stream is now under my control.