Chapter 19: Horizon

It had already been a week since I started staying at Yujin unni’s house.

Since I couldn’t keep taking breaks from broadcasting, I started streaming using her equipment from the third day of the trip.

I’ve also been diligently uploading to YouTube during that time…

It’s a period where I can’t neglect my broadcasts.

“Hello~”

–Eha~

–Is your Busan trip over?

–Wow, finally, finally.

Although it was a broadcast after a long time, it seemed like more viewers were flocking in than usual.

Perhaps because it was a broadcast after a break, people’s reactions seemed even hotter.

[Anonymous supporter donated 1,000 won!]

LoL broadcast after a long time?

“Ah, um… Today’s LoL broadcast is right!”

–Wow, finally.

–Play LoL, play LoL, play LoL.

–Kya KKKKKKKKK

The numerous people who usually chanted for LoL cheered loudly.

Since it’s Yujin unni’s computer, it’s better to just run LoL.

In this situation, it’s the optimal content.

Because it doesn’t require any special programs, just LoL.

[Anonymous supporter donated 1,000 won!]

100,000 won if you get over 10 kills!

“10 kills? Just you wait…”

–She’s taking on the mission.

–Nuna’s momentum has already changed ㅋㅋ

–Why did you use your ult? Such a waste.

“…What’s your tier?”

–Triggered? 

Unlike usual, whenever I play LoL, numerous backseat gamers appear.

I ask for their tier every time, but no one ever tells me.

“Hoo… 11 kills. I held my breath.”

[Anonymous supporter donated 100,000 won!]

She succeeded right away…

“Please teach Eri love, nyan~ Thank you, nyan!”

I want to try voice acting content too, but should I think about casting someone?

Honestly, I still don’t know what people want.

Spending several days together, I started to feel more comfortable.

It felt like we were traveling together, and Yujin unni seemed to have become more comfortable with me too.

“Are you leaving tomorrow?”

“Ah, yes, yes. I think I should start heading up soon.”

And, to do various content, my own house is more comfortable.

“…Then shall we go to the beach?”

“Huh? This is the first time you’ve said you want to go somewhere, unni.”

“…It’s just, because it’s the last time.”

“Okay~”

It’s already night, but if she wants to go, I should go with her.

Because it’s the first time she’s said where she wants to go.

Led by her hand, we arrived at a quiet bench.

A single bench in the center, with a panoramic view of the seaside.

The cool, not cold, sea breeze made me feel good.

The sound of crashing waves made the situation even more atmospheric.

“This place is amazing. If I lived nearby, I think I’d come every day.”

“Right? I came here every day.”

“Huh? Did you do that recently too?”

“Yeah, I went almost every day.”

Her unexpected answer.

However, what surprised me more was that the light was returning to her eyes.

When we usually talked, she always maintained a dead-eyed, expressionless face, but it wasn’t like that here.

“Actually, besides this, I’ve lied to you about a few things. I’m sorry.”

“Huh? What are they?”

“My family doesn’t live abroad.”

“Then, do they live in Korea?”

She hesitated for a moment, then calmly began to tell her story.

Her eyes focused, she looked at the distant horizon.

“Actually, I don’t have a family. I grew up in an orphanage. I’ve been alone since I was little.”

“Huh? Wh-What do you mean…”

Suddenly, our first meeting came to mind.

[“Don’t your family live with you?”

“…They all live abroad.”]

Her hesitation before speaking.

She always maintained a poker face, but it showed when she lied.

“Somehow, I feel like I can talk to you.”

With that, she got up from the bench and slowly walked forward.

With her hands behind her back, she began to walk towards the horizon.

“You resemble the unni I relied on at the orphanage.”

“……”

“More than your appearance, your personality is so similar.”

I started to walk behind her.

“I told you I dropped out of high school, right?”

“Ah, yes, yes…”

When we reached the water, she still looked at the horizon and opened her mouth.

“Kids, they’re cunning. They bullied me a lot even outside of school just because I was an orphan.”

“…They’re bad kids.”

Yujin unni lowered her head and fell silent for a moment, as if reliving those memories.

My heart felt heavy.

Honestly, as soon as I heard this story, my heart was troubled.

The story of the broadcaster I liked, and now my reliable colleague.

I didn’t know how much hardship she had endured alone, her inner self.

I couldn’t imagine how vast that loneliness must have been.

“Still, watching your broadcast gave me vitality.”

“That’s truly a relief.”

Perhaps my appearance when I was a man overlapped with hers.

Cutting ties with my family, moving to Seoul, and enduring 11 years in solitude.

Since I didn’t go down to my hometown, I naturally grew distant from my friends and endured alone without anyone to rely on; those memories came to mind.

I used to watch Yuha’s broadcasts and forget my loneliness.

This was the same for me.

I slowly held Yujin unni’s hand and spoke in a sincere voice.

“Yujin unni, you… you are a really strong person.”

“……”

“Enduring such pain, and still giving happiness and teachings to someone, how amazing is that…”

“Who did I give happiness to?”

I pointed to myself with my hand and said.

“Me. I’m learning a lot thanks to you, unni. You’re not alone.”

I suddenly leaned my face in and said.

She was startled, but then she looked into my eyes.

“I’m here too, and there will be more people like me in the future. You don’t have to struggle alone anymore.”

“……”

Her eyes gradually reddened, and then silver-bell-like tears trickled down.

“I’ll be by your side.”

With more and more tears, I could see the light completely return to her eyes.

***

Listening to my words, she wiped the tears welling in her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Hic…”

She tried to hide her sobs, but she couldn’t stop the sound from escaping.

Soon after, she showed a bright smile I had never seen before and replied with eyes full of hope.

“Thank you… I feel much better after pouring out my heart…”

“You can pour out your heart to me anytime.”

“I’ll try to be a little braver too.”

Yujin unni looked at the horizon one last time, and then finally at the moonlight.

“I, I’m going to try moving to Seoul.”

“Huh? Really? Will it be okay to organize your art studio?”

“Yeah. I can just set up an art studio in Seoul.”

I think I now understand why she liked the horizon.

A landscape that comforted her and gave her a sense of stability amidst endless solitude.

It seemed to reveal her freedom and inspiration towards her dream of becoming an artist, and even her will to find her own path within it.

I looked at the moonlight with Yujin unni.

The moon, shining exceptionally brightly today, looked so beautiful.

“…The moon is beautiful.”

“I know, right? It’s so bright.”

Yujin unni held my hand tightly and took a deep breath.

Her face now held anticipation and determination for new beginnings, instead of fear.

“I’ve made another friend in Seoul.”

“Huh? Are you and I friends?”

Yujin unni instantly changed her expression to a cold one and looked at me with contempt, as if looking at trash.

“Just because I play with you, you think we’re friends?”

“Eeh…?”

And then, she raised the corners of her mouth into a wide smile.

“Hahaha~!! We played like this on stream too.”

“Unni, your acting skills are considerable… I thought it was real for a moment.”

“You and I are friends. Thanks for being my friend.”

Her sincere words put a period on the Busan trip.

The biggest takeaway from the Busan trip.

It was Yujin, a friend.

Friends who can rely on each other, isn’t that the best combination?

***

“Take care. See you again in Seoul.”

“You take care of yourself too, unni~”

After saying goodbye to her, I headed to Seoul.

The sushi I ate with her kept lingering in my mind, but now I really had to go up.

As I arrived at Suseo Station, my phone rang busily.

Buzz-

[Rea]

“Hello?”

“Eunseo? Can you talk right now?”

“Yes, yes, I can.”

“No, how on earth did you persuade Yujin to come to Seoul?”

“Huh? Did Rea try to persuade her?”

Rea explained that Yujin told her she was moving to Seoul and added that it was thanks to Eunseo.

No matter how much she tried to persuade her after she passed, Yujin had said she had no intention of coming up from Busan…

“Well, thanks to Eunseo, all four of you are staying in Seoul now. That’s a relief.”

“Ahaha… It’s convenient for the company too, right?”

“Of course. If it’s Busan, it’s inconvenient for Yujin, and also for the company to do anything.”

“That’s great…”

Arriving home, I was overcome with nostalgia for the familiar smell of my house.

Rolling around on my bed, I savored the rare time I had to myself.

Ka-talk!

(Kim Yujin) : Eunseo, you live here, right?

(Kim Yujin) : Gangnam-gu, Seoul…

(Me) : Huh? Yes, yes. That’s right.

(Kim Yujin) : Alright.

Soon after, a call came from Yujin unni.

“I’m moving in across the street from you.”

“Huh?”

“There was a suitable building for an art studio nearby.”

“Ah, yes, yes. That’s great. Did Rea help you?”

“Yeah, she said since we’ve become close, how about living together.”

Well, if we live across the street, we’ll never run out of stories to tell on stream.

For us, who have a high proportion of chatting, it’s the best scenario.

“Please take good care of me from now on~”

“Okay. Please take good care of me too…!”

Click-

Her usual emotionless self occasionally began to show emotion.

I also much preferred the side she showed on broadcasts, so it must be a good thing.

Honestly, it must not have been an easy decision to leave Busan, where she originally lived.

I think it’s commendable that she’s taking on a new challenge and taking the first step.

Of course, this isn’t a thought I have because I’m older than her.

Even if I were younger than her, I think I would have admired her challenge.

Because I also had a past where I challenged something.

I’m also good at empathizing.

I, too, should emulate her attitude of challenging something.

“Hooah~ What content should I do tomorrow~”

Ka-talk!

(Hyeona) : Did you see the CEO’s YouTube?

(Me) : Huh? No?

(Hyeona) : (Picture)

The picture Hyeona sent was our first video, which had climbed to the top of the trending games list.

I shed a few tears of emotion and replied to Hyeona.

(Me) : This is all thanks to your great editing~ Thank you so much!

(Hyeona) : Ah, no, no! I’ll continue to work hard!

I didn’t know managing a channel would be this fun.

Since actual results are coming out, I felt even more energized.

“Let’s work hard on YouTube from now on~!”

Buzz-

I’m getting a lot of calls today.

[Voice Actor Kim Sua]

Seeing the unexpected name, I sat up straight from where I was rolling on the bed.

“Yes! Hello, Voice Actor-nim!”

“Ah~ Eunseo. Can you talk right now?”

“Yes, yes! Of course!”

“It’s about the audio drama I mentioned before…”

Thursday afternoon, after the end of the Busan trip.

I might be able to extend my reach into another field.