Chapter 35: In Search of a Home (Part 4)

“How is it?”

The real estate agent looked back at me and asked.

“There aren’t many newly built two-room houses like this. The sunlight is a bit of a disadvantage because it’s north-facing… Well, considering the price, that’s tolerable, right?”

“Uh….”

At that question, I looked around the interior one more time.

A living room and kitchen of moderate size.

And one small room and one large room.

The bathroom had a glass shower booth, and the windows were wide.

Air conditioner, washing machine, and refrigerator are options.

The refrigerator was quite large, and the other appliances didn’t look that old.

And it was a gas stove, not an induction cook-top.

All that for a deposit of 10 million won and a monthly rent of 550,000 won!

Isn’t this pretty good?

I turned my head and looked at Kim Ji-eun, meaning to ask what she thought.

Kim Ji-eun subtly raised her thumb to show me.

I guess that means it’s good?

Actually, I don’t know much about houses, so I didn’t understand everything the real estate agent said.

However, even in my opinion, the house looked clean and okay.

Wouldn’t this be enough for a new nest?

“It’s good.”

After that, everything went smoothly.

The real estate agent immediately called the landlord, and I signed the real estate contract.

After a while, that nice house became mine!

“Wow.”

The move was decided for a few days later.

After booking a moving company with an app that Kim Ji-eun told me about (it was an app that didn’t exist before I went to ‘that world’), I expressed my gratitude to her.

“Thank you for helping me.”

“Don’t mention it. Of course, friends should help each other! And I don’t think I helped much….”

“Still, you were helpful.”

I don’t know much about houses, so I don’t know what disastrous results I would have faced if I had found a new house alone.

I might have found a house with cockroaches.

In that sense, Kim Ji-eun was a great help.

“Hehe. Then I’m glad.”

So I got a new nest.

It was a satisfying day.

The next day.

I woke up in the bed of my old house.

Old house.

It’s a somewhat strange expression, but this word is the most suitable to accurately express my feelings now.

It couldn’t be helped.

Somehow, thinking that I got a new house made this house look old and shabby.

When I first returned to the modern world, I didn’t have much dissatisfaction with this house…

Looking at this, it seems that a person’s mindset is important.

Thinking that I got a new house made a perfectly fine house look old, didn’t it?

But it’s okay.

I was allowed to think that.

Because I got a new house!

“Hehe.”

While I was giggling and rolling around in bed, I soon heard a growling sound from my stomach.

It seemed like I needed to eat breakfast.

‘I have to eat breakfast and connect to Arfellium.’

I promised to play ‘World’ with Kim Ji-eun yesterday, so I had to connect to the game at the right time.

If I was late, I would have to listen to Kim Ji-eun’s nagging for a long time.

“…But am I okay living like this?”

Suddenly, I felt uncertain.

Lately, my daily routine seems to be too focused on games…

Isn’t this just being a complete bum?

‘My life, is this okay….’

However, I soon shook my head.

“Oh, I don’t know.”

There’s no big problem right now, so it’ll be fine.

And even if I’m a bum now, if I start streaming, I’ll have a proper job.

A job called streamer!

‘It’s kind of fulfilling my childhood dream.’

When I was young, I wanted to play games comfortably all day long, so if I get a job where I play games all day, wouldn’t I have fulfilled my childhood dream?

Or not.

“Oops, I’m going to be late.”

I hurriedly got out of bed.

And then I immediately headed to the bathroom, avoiding the bread bags and trash bags rolling around on the floor.

…Well, I think I need to do some cleaning too.

This house is a complete garbage dump.

There was a reason why Kim Ji-eun was startled.

I quickly finished showering, thinking that inwardly.

After diligently drying my needlessly long hair, I devoured two slices of bread in the blink of an eye.

And then I headed to the VR device as if running.

After putting my beloved kitchen knife, which was rolling around on the bed, in its place, I lay down inside the device.

It was the moment when the same day as yesterday began.

“Excuse me?”

Perhaps because I heard an unexpected story.

Kim Ji-eun’s eyes widened like a full moon.

Kim Ji-eun blinked as if she had misheard, and then asked her old teacher, Kim Kuma, in front of her.

“Shihyun to our agency?”

“Yeah. The CEO said it in passing. He said that since you have some connections, he’d like you to persuade them if possible. Would that be okay?”

“No, that….”

Kim Ji-eun trailed off and rolled her eyes.

Sung Shihyun, to Five Star Creative?

“Th, Shihyun hasn’t even decided whether to become a streamer or not.”

“But they will, right? Otherwise, their current behavior doesn’t make sense.”

“That’s….”

That’s true.

Although it was close to a coincidence, Sung Shihyun was currently in the optimal state to debut as a streamer.

They gained recognition by appearing regularly on Kim Ji-eun’s stream, and they also have the game skills to turn that recognition into popularity.

In addition to that, considering her beautiful appearance, it could be said that she was perfect as a streamer.

Of course, if you only consider appearance, she would be fine as an actress too, but it’s not like being an actress is something you can do just because you’re pretty.

‘No, that’s not it.’

Kim Ji-eun imagined Sung Shihyun’s face appearing on TV or the screen, and then shook her head to shake off the idle thoughts.

Now was not the time to have such useless imaginations.

The important thing is about Sung Shihyun joining Five Star Creative.

“I don’t know if Shihyun will stream or not.”

“Hmm.”

“But if they do, it wouldn’t be bad to come to our agency. Because Five Star is not a bad place.”

This was an objective judgment.

It’s an industry where MCNs that squeeze creators with vicious contracts are also common.

Five Star Creative could be said to be a very exemplary and decent company.

“But.”

However.

“It’s not a matter that I can persuade them to do. It’s something that Shihyun has to be willing to do.”

Kim Ji-eun drew a clear line.

It’s a matter of business, and it’s business.

Does it make sense to push through with personal connections and sign a contract?

I don’t know what kind of backlash there will be later if I handle things like that.

Of course, Five Star won’t rip off Sung Shihyun, but there’s no guarantee that they’ll offer proper conditions (that is, conditions befitting Sung Shihyun’s class), is there?

Sung Shihyun has the potential to become a streamer who has no problem going solo.

Even if belonging to an MCN can provide various benefits, no one knows if that will benefit Sung Shihyun as much as sharing their revenue, does it?

Sung Shihyun might suffer a loss.

It’s not impossible.

But even so, you’re telling me to persuade them?

‘I can’t do that.’

Kim Ji-eun shook her head.

“If you want a contract, tell the CEO to persuade Shihyun directly. Even though I’m a streamer belonging to Five Star, I don’t think I have the right to say this or that about Shihyun’s future.”

“Hey, hey. Why are you saying that?”

At that sharp reaction, Kim Kuma waved his hand.

“If you listen to what you’re saying, it sounds like I’m trying to rip them off. Hey, I’m just a messenger, a messenger. I’m just the person who delivers the message.”

“…You were quite proactive, though?”

At Kim Ji-eun’s point, Kim Kuma smiled bitterly.

“No, well… I’m just that. The event is coming up soon, right? I thought it would be nice if we could win if we went out as a team. There’s no other meaning.”

“If it’s an event… TSC (Tricky Streamer Cup)?”

“Yeah.”

Tricky Streamer Cup.

Abbreviated as TSC.

It refers to Tricky’s streamer tournament, which imitates Arfellium’s World Champion Cup (WCC).

It is an event where many streamers participate, and it is officially certified by Arfellium Corporation and has separate tournament broadcasts, etc., so it has quite a full-fledged aspect.

“But can Shihyun participate in that?”

Kim Ji-eun tilted her head.

“There’s a tier limit per team, right? Your crew will be limited because of you, oppa?”

“That’s the standard for the previous season.”

“Ah.”

That’s right.

Sung Shihyun is a pure newbie (?) with no record of the previous season.

According to the tournament rules, there are no restrictions on participation!

“They’re practically a joker pick.”

Kim Kuma shook his fist in the air and shouted with a serious face.

“Their skills are at the Grandmaster level, but their tier slot is unranked? We have to take this. Right? It doesn’t matter to me whether Shihyun comes to our agency or not. The important thing is to bring them to our team somehow.”

At Kim Kuma’s declaration, Kim Ji-eun muttered.

“…Completely a free-rider meta.”

Even though he’s my teacher, honestly, it’s a bit off-putting.