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“Ta-da!!”

Ah-young was holding a bouquet of flowers that she must have bought somewhere.

“What’s that?”

“Thinking about it, I realized I didn’t have one? So I went outside and quickly bought it. Here, take it!”

“…Thank you.”

Hyeon-su, still with a look that questioned whether this was right, accepted the bouquet gracefully.

“Then let’s take a picture now.”

Ah-young, her excitement through the roof regardless of the stares from those around, scanned the area for a good spot to take a photo.

I wonder if it’s because she loves the school? It feels like anywhere would work.

The interior of the building has a stylish vibe, and it’s basically clean overall.

Well, as for the photo…

“Hyeon-su.”

“Yes?”

“You have friends here, right? You should call them over.”

First, I need to call over Hyeon-su’s friends who ran away.

Since it’s graduation, we should take pictures with our friends too.

“Hmm… I understand.”

After glancing around briefly and contemplating, Hyeon-su pulled out his phone.

…Could it be that we’re embarrassing? That might… be possible…

I think about it repeatedly, but it wouldn’t be because of me.

It’s probably more about Ah-young and Kang-hyeok.

They’re currently gathering all sorts of attention.

After a short wait, I spotted some of Hyeon-su’s friends approaching timidly from a distance.

Oh, there’s a girl too? This guy, Hyeon-su… skipping school often yet still making friends.

“Ah, hello.”

“Right, they’re Hyeon-su’s friends!”

“Yes….”

Ah-young stepped in to greet Hyeon-su’s friends.

But they all looked a bit intimidated.

Well, just looking at them, they give off a rich kid vibe, like a young master and lady.

I guess it wouldn’t be easy for them to adjust to rough band folks.

Hyeon-su seems rather curious.

How did he end up in a basement workshop, working with the band?

I’d like to hear that story sometime.

“Alright, let’s all take a picture together!”

Thinking of that later, we all gathered on one side of a wall to take a group photo.

“Hey, over there…”

As I casually moved to a corner to settle down, one of Hyeon-su’s female friends quietly approached me.

“What’s up?”

“I-I was wondering if you’re the pivotal point….”

It’s been such a short time since the song released, and she recognizes me?

Did Hyeon-su share that I featured in his song?

“How did you know?”

“You’re just too beautiful…”

Her shyly averted gaze was simply adorable.

She’s only two years younger, yet she still looks like a student.

“Really? How is it compared to seeing me in person?”

“You’re even prettier than in the video…”

“I know. The video doesn’t capture it, right?”

“Wow….”

As we were chit-chatting, Ah-young slyly came over and nudged me in the side.

“Can you focus on taking the picture?”

“Haha, no, I’ll get it right.”

We gathered for the group photo.

“Okay, everyone stand next to each other. I’ll take your picture.”

Next, one by one, we stood next to Hyeon-su for individual photos.

“Alright, next is Soo-hyun.”

“Got it.”

As I stood next to Hyeon-su for the photo, Ah-young gasped slightly, eyes widened.

“Wow, standing like this makes you really look like a high schooler.”

“How many times have you said that?”

“I’m genuinely surprised each time I see you!”

She seems surprised, but honestly, standing next to Hyeon-su feels quite surreal.

“Hyeon-su, did you get taller?”

“Yeah? Oh, I guess I grew a bit?”

I didn’t quite feel it, but indeed he’s taller now.

Is he similar to how I was during my boy days?

Sometimes I miss that time when I was overflowing with energy.

“Look here!”

Well, it’s not so bad now either.

After taking all the photos, we went back in Kang-hyeok’s van.

Inside the car on the way back.

I noticed Hyeon-su gazing blankly out the window.

What’s wrong with him? Is he feeling sentimental about graduating?

“Hyeon-su.”

“Ah, yes?”

“Are you feeling nostalgic now that you graduated?”

No matter how much he tries to hide it, I could see he was getting along well with his friends, so he must be sad about not going to school anymore.

Even though getting there was a hassle, once you’re not going, you start missing school.

“Um… I thought I’d be fine, but maybe a bit?”

“See?”

“I do regret missing out on school activities quite a bit.”

Well, Hyeon-su skipped a lot, so of course, he’d have some regrets.

“At least you listened to me and participated in the school event, so I’m glad.”

“My words?”

“You said to attend school properly last time, and after that, I skipped less.”

Did I really say that?

I think I might have.

“Well, it feels refreshing now. I’m completely free, right?”

Seeing Hyeon-su smiling serenely with a distant look, I suddenly recalled a fact.

“Free? What do you mean by that?”

“Uh?”

Free, huh.

I guess I hadn’t been thinking about this every day…

I suppressed a laugh that was about to burst out and said.

“Now you have to go to the military.”

“Aw, crap.”

Oh.

This is the first time I heard Hyeon-su swear.

I totally get that feeling.

There was a time when I was pulling my hair out over military issues.

“Hang in there, Hyeon-su.”

“Do you think I can smile?”

Not anymore.

Women are really the best.

“Is this how you speak to someone who just graduated?”

“Right, Soo-hyun, you went too far this time!”

Afterward, though Kang-hyeok and Ah-young teased him, he looked slightly dejected for a moment.

“…I’ll visit you often.”

“…I hope you keep that promise.”

Anyway, we arrived at a nearby meat restaurant after the drive.

“Isn’t jjajangmyeon the go-to?”

I asked since I had expected we’d be eating jjajangmyeon, and Ah-young chuckled.

“This is tastier, right?”

“…That’s true.”

I couldn’t argue back.

Well, more expensive and tasty is definitely the best.

After filling up on a hearty lunch.

Feeling a bit tipsy after having some drinks while eating meat, Ah-young smiled and said.

“Alright, let’s go back to our hideout and have a second round! Others are coming too!”

Second round… I don’t want to deal with more visitors…

“I’m heading home now.”

“What?”

I’m starting to think about going back slowly.

“I’ve already been congratulated!”

We celebrated the graduation, and having lunch was enough.

If I go to Hyeon-su’s workshop now and hang out, I won’t be able to stream today.

I haven’t streamed for the last couple of days, so I need to do it today.

Since it’s my first stream after releasing a new song, I’m already a bit anxious.

I wonder how many viewers will show up?

Or how many trolls will there be?

Thinking about how to best conduct the broadcast, I headed home first.

“I’m back.”

When I got home, I locked eyes with Mrs. Jang, who was watching TV in the living room.

“…What’s with the uniform?”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, I was still in the school uniform, right?

…This is quite embarrassing.

“Um, there’s an event.”

“…Is that so?”

Mrs. Jang’s expression changed in a strange way.

What should I say… It has that look parents give when they see their immature child?

“…Really.”

“Alright, got it.”

Thankfully, Mrs. Jang didn’t push further.

But is it really not a big deal? She wouldn’t think anything strange, would she?

“Speaking of which, is there anything you want for your birthday?”

“Huh? Birthday?”

“You’re having one soon.”

“Ah.”

Now that I think about it, my birthday is coming up.

With all the events lately, I hadn’t given it much thought.

“Just let me know when you figure it out.”

Our family tends to celebrate birthdays a bit, so Mrs. Jang said that.

Thinking back, last year I completely skipped celebrating my birthday since Kim Soo-hyun wasn’t home.

What a disgrace to the ungrateful daughter history.

To not even go home on my own birthday, how out of touch was I?

Right, but when it comes to birthdays… I don’t particularly want anything or want to do much.

Maybe I’ll just do a special birthday stream?

A birthday special live stream for Miro…! That would definitely bring in good feedback.

Even I find it hard to believe that a virtual streamer would be thinking about broadcasts on their birthday…

Anyway, that’ll be for later; for now, I need to sort out today’s stream.

So I went back to my room first to change out of my uniform.

The uniform was surprisingly uncomfortable.

After changing into my comfy everyday clothes, I sat in front of the soundproof booth to think for a little while.

Is there some great method I can use?

Some brilliant way to broadcast while drawing in viewers who are eager to join in?

“Hmm….”

After thinking for a while.

“Ah.”

A functionality I hadn’t thought of came to mind.

***

Quite early for dinner.

I turned on the stream earlier than usual.

[Miro Broadcast.]

“Ah, ah, hello?”

-Hi hi hi

-Did Miro go live?

-Nice to meet you

-Why didn’t you come yesterday?? Why didn’t you come yesterday?? Why didn’t you come yesterday??

-At last, Miro surfaces…

As soon as I started the broadcast, viewers flocked in.

“Nice to meet you all. You’ve been waiting, right….”

There was a decent chat for a moment.

At some point, however, the number of viewers started to increase gradually.

-Is this Miro’s broadcast?

-What’s the music video??

-I became a fan after watching yesterday

-Ugh, go away

-Don’t you do variety shows?

-Why are you a virtual streamer?

-Trolls, damn it

-Please turn on the cam

And soon, the chat window grew chaotic.

If I were an ordinary streamer, I’d probably panic here, but I already had a plan.

Smoothly.

I moved my mouse a couple of times and adjusted the stream settings…

-??

-Huh?

-What’s this

-Lol

In an instant, all the troll messages disappeared.

“Phew, it was unavoidable.”

[Subscriber-only Chat]

I had forgotten there’s this feature on Dwitch.

It’s a capitalistic suppression method that only allows viewers who pay monthly to chat.

Although Miro broadcasts are all about interacting with viewers, sometimes you have to go with such measures…

It’s all the viewers’ fault for this!

“Now, I’m sad too, but to chat today, you must subscribe to Miro’s broadcast….”

-Money, pffft

-You’re changing it up, lol

-Yeah, I’m a subscriber~ yeah, I’m a subscriber~ yeah, I’m a subscriber~

-lol just as long as it’s not me~

-Can we continue doing broadcasts like this?

With a tearful decision, I nodded looking at the now clean chat window.

Great, now back to properly broadcasting…

-So, what will you do today, Miro? Oh, typo, haha

-I enjoyed your new song, “Calm Lake,” haha

-You look slim today, haha

-Gold King of Broadcasting, let’s go!

“Ha-ha.”

…I can do this, right??

 

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