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EP.98 Jeong Seung-ah (1) The Pursuit of a Fateful Encounter 

[ID: MokaNoonaLover] lol noona, that shot was insane just now! 

[ID: ShotaBest] Wow… she actually won this. As expected of our noona! 

[ID: Anonymous Supporter – 50,000 won donation] Noona, you’re in top condition today. It’s been really hot lately, so use this to buy something tasty and stay strong! 

“Ha! Did you see that, my babies? Did you see? Noona catches it like this! That’s what you call physical skill!” 

A 2D avatar standing in the corner of the screen flashed a victory sign. 

With thick brown hair down to her shoulders and cat-ear headphones, “Moka” shouted in an excited voice, the thrill of the just-finished game still lingering. 

It was a confident tone unimaginable from her “real self.” 

The chat window on one side of the monitor was in a frenzy. 

Praise for her godlike clutch headshot in a dangerous moment poured in nonstop. 

“Oh my, my anonymous baby! You’re giving noona money for something tasty again today… So cute! Noona will give you a special kiss! Smooch!” 

As the avatar mimed blowing a kiss to the viewers, the chat sped up even more. 

Skillfully controlling the stream’s mood and expressing her thanks, she soon noticed that over two hours had passed and smacked her lips in regret. 

“Alright, babies. Sadly, today’s stream ends here. Did you have fun spending Saturday night with noona?” 

The chat was a mix of reactions some agreed it was fun, others begged for more. 

As Moka read through the flood of responses, her avatar froze for a split second at one message. 

[ID: UpstairsHunter] Looks like it was quiet upstairs tonight? That’s a relief lol 

“Oh, upstairs? Uh-huh, of course! Super quiet! Hehe.” 

[ID: Anonymous Supporter – 1,000 won donation] If Moka was nervous about the upstairs neighbor coming down to complain, I’d give that a thumbs up. I’ll go first lol. 

“I wasn’t nervous! Ahem. Anyway! Sleep tight, everyone, and let’s go for it again tomorrow! Moka’s logging off! Love you, babies! Smooch!” 

After wrapping up the last bit of fan service, she moved her mouse to the [End Stream] button and clicked. 

Click. 

With that, the noise and heat that had filled the room vanished as if it had all been a lie. 

The room, once bright with colorful lights and multiple monitors, was suddenly dim. 

The only light left was the faint glow of the monitor in sleep mode, and the LED on the humming computer fan. 

“Phew…” 

A moment later, Moka no, Jeong Seung-ah leaned back in her chair and let out a long sigh. 

Her voice, now low and tired, was nothing like the cheerful “Moka” from the screen. 

“Made it through another one. Ugh~.” 

With no one left to watch, she stretched and yawned deeply. 

The breeze from the fan ruffled her tied-back hair, but it couldn’t cool the room, which was still hot from the computer. Sweat beaded on her forehead and neck. 

“I want air conditioning…” 

Muttering the same complaint she did every summer, she opened her earnings page and checked today’s income. 

Seeing the number brought relief, but couldn’t fill the emptiness in her heart. 

‘I should look into a soundproof booth… No, I need to save up and move first…’ 

She’d managed to grow her channel to 300,000 subscribers without any major noise complaints, but it was always a worry. 

Even if moving was a stretch for now, if her channel kept growing, it wasn’t out of reach. 

All the high-end computer, mic, and lighting gear filling half her room had been bought with streaming income. 

“…Yeah. Air conditioner first.” 

Giving in to immediate needs, she got up and packed her textbooks for tomorrow’s classes. 

“Sigh.” 

Just thinking about streaming was exhausting, and now she had to go to lectures again. Her head already ached. 

Meow  

As she finished packing and sat back down, a soft ball of fur rubbed against her leg. 

It was “Mochi,” her only family and confidant. 

“Mochi, come here~.” 

She picked up Mochi and set him on her lap. 

The warmth on her thighs finally helped her relax. 

As she stroked his fur, a memory from the chat earlier popped into her head. 

The time she’d gone upstairs to complain about noise. 

‘…I went up because it was noisy, the guy apologized, and I felt dizzy so I rested on his sofa.’ 

No matter how hard she tried, that’s all she could remember. 

But it felt strange. 

Like a crucial puzzle piece was missing, her memories didn’t quite connect. 

She’d only felt dizzy for a moment, so why did she fall asleep there? 

What was she forgetting? 

“…Whatever.” 

The guy on the third floor was just a neighbor she sometimes saw in the hall. 

He’d promised to be careful, so there shouldn’t be any more trouble. 

‘Still, for someone who made his girlfriend dress as a maid and introduce herself, he was pretty normal…’ 

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Seung-ah flopped onto her bed. 

The soft blanket wrapped around her, and drowsiness quickly set in. 

But before she could enjoy it, another thought popped into her head. 

‘Oh, right. I need to send feedback…’ 

A streamer’s job isn’t just streaming. 

Depending on the channel’s size and concept, there are all sorts of tasks, but the most important is… 

[^YeriBbi^] 

Seeing that exhausting nickname in her messenger app, Seung-ah groaned and grabbed her head. 

Opening the chat, she found a long list of messages about an upcoming YouTube video. 

“What should I say? ‘Looks good, just keep it up’? That sounds too half-hearted…” 

But really, she had nothing else to say. 

Business chat with someone you technically knew but had to pretend you didn’t was harder than dealing with 2,000 viewers. 

‘If only we didn’t have to see each other in person, it wouldn’t be so awkward.’ 

Still, the editor was skilled and matched Seung-ah’s style, so she was reluctant to switch. 

After a long pause, she finally sent a reply and, seeking escape, opened YouTube. 

Scrolling through the recommended videos, her finger stopped on one thumbnail. 

[Shocking! More mysterious trees found in Ijangsi! Buildings transforming into Japanese-style houses?] 

“So many weird things happening lately…” 

The news was full of such stories every day. 

Communities were rife with conspiracy theories. 

Was the world really ending, as some said? 

Even so… 

“…Doesn’t matter to me.” 

All the strange things happening in Ijangsi were hard to explain rationally, but for someone just trying to get by, it was irrelevant. 

For her, and most people, it was just another fleeting dopamine hit. 

Tired of seeing the same thumbnails, she turned her attention elsewhere. 

What filled her phone screen next was her only real comfort. 

[Noona… I can’t take it anymore…] 

[Hehe, Yuto. You want to cum already? Not yet. Noona’s going to spoil you a lot today.] 

“Hehehe…” 

Watching a cute, obedient boy get teased by his older sister on screen, Seung-ah let out a dark giggle. 

Without even trying to cool her flushed face, she panted and turned the page. 

That small, vulnerable body that triggered her protective instincts. 

That shy, obedient attitude that couldn’t resist noona’s words. 

She’d had this “flavor” many times, but there was a reason she kept coming back. 

‘If weird things are going to happen, why can’t a little brother like this fall from the sky?’ 

“…Maybe just once before bed?” 

Lost in sweet fantasies, her hand started to drift downward  

Ding dong! [Happy Delivery] Your precious package has arrived at your door. 

A notification snapped her back to reality. 

Instead of disappointment, her face lit up. 

“It’s here!” 

She jumped out of bed and ran to the door. 

Her long-awaited doujinshi and merch had finally arrived. 

Brimming with excitement, she flung open the door without thinking. 

Thud! 

“Ow?!” 

A dull sound and a sharp cry pierced her ears the moment the door opened. 

Oh no. 

Worried someone might be hurt, she quickly peeked out and gasped when she saw “him” sprawled at her door. 

A small boy, about ten years old, with fragile-looking shoulders. 

And those striking, deep dark circles under innocent eyes. 

He looked just like the ideal little brother she’d been yearning for in her doujinshi. 

‘What do I do? He’s so cute. No, that’s not the point.’ 

“Um…” 

She wanted to ask if he was okay, but what should she say? 

Hey kid, are you alright? No, that’s too stiff. Maybe apologize first… 

“Ow… Sorry, noona. Are you okay?” 

“Haahk?!” 

At the word “noona” from the boy’s mouth, Seung-ah clutched her chest and collapsed on the spot. 

Her flustered voice echoed up and down the apartment stairwell.