Chapter 13: Channel Wars and a Tsundere’s Support

[Title: Recommending Channel <Temporary>
Author: Ah-ang

(Link)
This channel just uploaded a guide video, and they clear dungeons so well, it’s awesome.
Especially recommended for Lilith players.

(Likes: 370 Dislikes: 342)

[Comments (Expand)]
Totally unknown
└ Lazy name lol

Now that they’re recruiting creators, anything is being uploaded.
└ And it’s self-promotion.
└ Lol, for real.

Not even trying to hide the self-promotion.
└ LOL So blatant.

But the video is actually good?
└ Is this also self-promotion? How many IDs do they have?
└ Go check it out.
└ Hmm…? It’s actually really good.

God-tier control. Worth showing off lol
└ Less embarrassing if it wasn’t self-promotion.
└ LOL]

Honestly, it was only after people pointed out the self-promotion in the comments that I realized people wouldn’t know Ah-ang was Ban-ye, so they would think it was self-promotion.

My face burned, but since things had come this far, I decided to brazenly push forward. And as Ban-ye’s skill was undeniable, the comment reactions gradually improved with each refresh.

So, I was addictively refreshing the page when a Discord notification popped up.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] What are you doing?
[Hwang Hyun-joong] Stop it.
[Ah-ang] Stop what?
[Hwang Hyun-joong] The forum.

I chuckled at Ban-ye’s reaction and muttered,

“Hehe, looks like our Ban-ye is embarrassed again.”

[Ah-ang] Just wait, I’ll make this channel a success.
[Hwang Hyun-joong] I don’t need it.

Ban-ye spoke firmly, but I ignored them.

And as if my trolling had succeeded, the video views increased as much as the comments section was on fire. Then, new posts started appearing on the free discussion board one by one.

[Thought Temporary was a gag channel, but they’re actually good][51]
[Ah-ang seems to be the top Lilith player][34]

By then, Ban-ye told me to delete the post, but I ignored that too.

As expected, YouTube was all about getting attention. Despite Ban-ye’s somewhat uninspired channel name and editing, they gained a hundred subscribers in just one day.

“Kya… Now I’ll keep pestering Ban-ye to upload the next video, make them a successful YouTuber… and if I become Ban-ye’s manager? We’ll be an instant success.”

Yep, yep.

Lost in a sweet dream, I was even fantasizing about appearing on the popular show, “You Quiz on the Block,” hosted by the nation’s MC, Yoo Jae-suk.

Just then, I received a notification from Sisi’s YouTube channel, which I had subscribed to for reconnaissance purposes.

“What? He uploaded another video?”

But this time, it wasn’t a video, but a YouTube community post.

[Hello! This is Sisi.
I’m planning to do my first live stream this weekend at 8 PM.
I’ll announce the exact date and time soon.
Thank you for always supporting my broadcasts :)]

“Is this bastard crazy?”

I was annoyed that he was so proudly announcing a live stream, and I was worried it would be successful.

So, I immediately suggested to Ban-ye that we sabotage the live stream.

[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] We need to sabotage Sisi’s live stream ㅡㅡ
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] That trash surprisingly has a lot of fans. If he gets more from a live stream, it’ll be ㄷㄷ

[TL note: “ㄷㄷ” is Korean slang that represents trembling or being shocked, often used to express surprise, fear, or awe.]

It was horrifying.

The number of people praising Kwon Da-jung without knowing his true nature would double. And if I saw that, I might die of anger.

[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Ban-ye, don’t you have any good ideas?
[Guild][Ah-ang] Do I have to think about it too?
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Of course!
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] We’re in the same boat!

Ban-ye created a channel and uploaded a guide video with my character. Doesn’t that mean we’re a team?

However, Ban-ye’s reaction was cold.

[Guild][Ah-ang] Lol
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Stop laughing and think.
[Guild][Ah-ang] We’re on different servers, how can we stop him?
[Guild][Ah-ang] Calm down.

No matter how much I frothed at the mouth, Ban-ye maintained a calm demeanor. I felt like grabbing Ban-ye by the collar and shaking them.

It wasn’t Ban-ye who responded to me, but the other guild members.

[Guild][Youngmyeong] But why do you want to sabotage him so badly?
[Guild][HeyYam] Yeah.
[Guild][Male3] Do you know each other?

It might have been a random comment, but the accurate pinpointing sent a cold sweat down my back. Was it a mistake to blurt it out in the guild chat because I was so agitated?

[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] It’s more than just a jilted fanboy.
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Fanboy? ㅡㅡ
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Don’t say such disgusting things.
[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] Lol
[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] What’s your relationship with Sisi?
[Guild][HeyYam] We need to know to help, right? ㅇㅅㅇ
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] I just hate him ㅡㅡ
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] His voice is greasy, the way he talks is cringey, his skills are bad but he acts like a god of control, I hate everything about him.
[Guild][ImSoCute] This is more than just dislike.
[Guild][HeyYam] Did something happen?

I tried to give reasonable explanations, but it only made them more suspicious.

Then, Ban-ye came to my defense.

[Guild][Ah-ang] Stop bothering Ah-ang.

The guild chat went silent for a moment at their firm words.

However, it had the opposite effect. Ban-ye’s intervention only provoked more jeers from the guild members.

[Guild][Youngmyeong] Boo, thumbs down.
[Guild][Youngmyeong] What’s this? Are you two sharing a secret world? Is there something or not?
[Guild][Neda] That’s too much.
[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] Why tell Ban-ye and not us?
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] I just… I just don’t like him, okay…
[Guild][Male3] I’m disappointed.
[Guild][Male3] I’ve partied with Ah-ang quite a bit too.
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] No… that’s not it…
[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] I’m on Sisi’s side. Heh.
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] What?
[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] If you don’t like it, tell us about Sisi. Heh.
[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] ㅡㅡ;;
[Guild][HeyYam] We need an explanation. You’re always suddenly cursing Sisi, so we don’t know what’s going on ㅇㅅㅇ……

HeyYam’s last words made it sound like I was constantly cursing Sisi and tiring out the guild members.

No, actually, that was probably true. I had been cursing Sisi like a madman for the past few days… At the same time, I felt dejected by my own inability to clearly explain this drawn-out and embarrassing past.

Then, Ban-ye spoke to the guild members.

[Guild][Ah-ang] Just know that Sisi is an idiot. Why do you keep asking for explanations?
[Guild][Ah-ang] If you’re so curious, ask Sisi.
[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] Lol why the sudden outburst?
[Guild][Ah-ang] Pathetic.

[‘Ah-ang’ has logged out.]

After that, the guild members didn’t ask me any more questions. I was taken aback, but at the same time, I was incredibly grateful that Ban-ye had firmly and coolly drawn a line.

I messaged Ban-ye in our private Discord chat.

[Ah-ang] Ban-ye.
[Hwang Hyun-joong] What?

And we said, almost simultaneously,

[Ah-ang] Thanks.
[Hwang Hyun-joong] Don’t thank me.
[Ah-ang] LOL
[Hwang Hyun-joong] Sigh
[Ah-ang] Why shouldn’t I thank you?
[Hwang Hyun-joong] Forget it.

Ban-ye then said, after a long pause,

[Hwang Hyun-joong] For the time being, either don’t talk about Sisi or only talk to me about him.

Those words stung a little.

I didn’t know why I felt a pang of guilt, but I felt a bit dejected and forced myself to reply.

[Ah-ang] I guess I should…
[Hwang Hyun-joong] Not too often, though. x
[Ah-ang] Okay… I won’t bother you.

But then, as if Ban-ye had noticed my misunderstanding, they started to explain, rather at length for them.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] It’s not that it’s bothersome, it’s just that talking about it will only make you feel worse.
[Hwang Hyun-joong] Anyway, aren’t they the one who’s desperate, not you?
[Hwang Hyun-joong] They were practically begging.

“…”

I didn’t know why my eyes suddenly welled up, and my fingers trembled slightly. All I had to do was say “yes” and “thank you,” but my heart felt strangely heavy.

[Ah-ang] Am I not bothersome to you?

So, I ended up asking that one question. Even as I asked, I felt a twinge of regret.

‘Of course, they’ll say no.’

Actually, I had asked Sisi the same question before.

Sisi hadn’t said I was bothersome either. In fact, he had said I was cute. That reassured me, and at the same time, I started to like Sisi a lot.

Ban-ye… what would they say?

[Hwang Hyun-joong] That’s why I don’t reply when you’re being bothersome.
[Ah-ang] LOL

Honest.

I felt a weight lift from a corner of my heart, and soon I was able to talk to Ban-ye as usual.

[Ah-ang] You seem less bothered by me these days lol
[Ah-ang] You reply more often too lol, right?
[Hwang Hyun-joong] Don’t push it.
[Ah-ang] LOL
[Ah-ang] I’m kind of addictive lol. You can’t escape me now either lol
[Hwang Hyun-joong] Sigh
[Ah-ang] LOL