Chapter 73: Mother of the double-breasted fish (5)

Part 9

“Screen transition’s this button. Use it when you step away and need the standby screen,” Sanghyeon explained.

“Got it,” I replied.

“Cam toggle’s here,” he added.

“Uh-huh,” I nodded.

• Talk to her, and she says ‘Got it’ like a doll.
• Press her for a different line?

Press what? Glancing at the chat, I couldn’t think of a good comeback, so I let out a deflated chuckle. They’re right—I haven’t said anything but ‘Got it’ for ten minutes.

Snapping out of it, I noticed the nickname on Sanghyeon’s screen had switched from Cheungjeokun to Jeokranun. I’d freaked out earlier, seeing “Cheungjeokun-Nuna” unchanged for so long, and watched him tweak the cam and screen-sharing settings. When did it change?

It wasn’t an old nickname, but seeing nearly a thousand viewers on a stream under my name felt surreal. Most were probably Sanghyeon’s viewers carried over, but will this many watch me if I stream?

Wait—how does he know my password?

“I’m not a stuffed doll,” I said.

• Says specific keywords to respond, huh?
• Unknown words just get a ‘Got it’ lol.

“I understand everything, you know,” I shot back.

I half-ignored the “don’t touch this” warnings, focusing only on what to use when. What else am I supposed to say besides ‘Got it’? His explanations were all “Don’t mess with this” or “Use this for that”—no depth to dig into.

“It’s not Excel or Word. Just ‘press this for that.’ What’s there to ask?” I said.

It wasn’t a lack of enthusiasm or faking understanding. The program was just that shallow. Pouting with narrowed eyes, I saw the chat spamming “Sure, sure” vibes. They totally don’t buy it.

“Also, I got you a pricey cam, so grab it before bed,” Sanghyeon said casually.

“Got it… wait, what?” I blinked.

His flat tone nearly slipped past me, but the word “pricey” hit hard. Pricey from a guy earning decent money? My reflexive “Got it” halted as I whipped my head toward him.

“What was that?” I asked.

“Next is the betting feature. Channel points—used for unlocking emotes or stuff—can be wagered like a YES/NO game…” he continued.

“No, the pricey cam! How much was it?” I pressed.

Ignoring me, his hands kept moving, switching the screen back to his stream. A “Notices vs Doesn’t Notice” poll was pinned at the top of the chat, with “Doesn’t Notice” leading 7-3.

“Anyway, chat, I said from the moment I mentioned the cam that she’d notice. She’s not the type to let this slide, even if she seems oblivious. Congrats to the underdog bettors!” he said, clapping.

“What’s going on…?” I mumbled.

His clapping and my confused face broadcasted on the stream. This was a planned betting pool, and I was the subject?

“Opening a fun betting pool like this keeps them happy, so keep it in mind—” he started.

“What’s the cam?!” I cut in, my voice sharp.

He flinched, clearly caught off guard. His reaction confirmed it wasn’t a cheap purchase. My already-furrowed brow sharpened.

“…How much was it?” I demanded.

“…Can’t say,” he dodged.

“What the—!” I exclaimed.

“Look, it’s the first time you’ve seriously wanted to do something besides study. Lately, you only seem this lively when streaming. As family, I can at least do this,” he said, cutting me off.

This time, I flinched. His eyes met mine, tinged with pity and disappointment. Have I not been smiling much? We lived together, but the only time we spent together was during streams. Even at home, that was it. From his perspective, that makes sense.

“…Hrm,” I mumbled.

“Since you’re starting, I want you to do it right. Is that so bad?” he asked, almost accusingly.

I was at a loss for words. My mouth, ready to lecture about overspending, clamped shut. His hesitant, almost wounded expression made me pause. It’s his money. I shouldn’t meddle. He’s not a kid—he’ll manage. I overreacted.

Like with Mom or Junseok-hyung, I might’ve overlooked Sanghyeon as family despite our closeness. That thought crept in.

“…Sorry,” I muttered.

“Yup, those who bet ‘No apology’ are out! How’s it a 50-50 split? Don’t you know our Nuna’s personality?” he teased, his face brightening, voice trembling with suppressed laughter.

“…Hey!” I gasped.

His grin and the chat’s reaction hit me. My eyes darted to the monitor.

“You little—Sanghyeon!!!!” I yelled.

“Yes, this is streamer Cheungjeokun,” he replied smugly.

His loud, refreshing laugh earned another round of shoulder-pounding. No damage, as expected. Next time, I’ll kick him.

Between our bickering, he added that the webcam was bought at a reasonable price through a contact’s advice, so I shouldn’t worry.

Part 10

[Info: Jeokranun Nuna’s streaming days are Tue/Thu for now] – Anonymous

• Due to her part-time job, she only has time on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She plans to keep working during the break, so this schedule will hold for now. Whether she’ll continue the job after the break is unclear.

┕ Anonymous: Doesn’t she come home in the evening? Why no night streams?
┕ Anonymous (OP): Says she doesn’t want to steal her brother’s viewers.
┕ Anonymous: That’s so wholesome lol.
┕ Anonymous: This is… family…?
┕ Anonymous: With her looks, she could quit the job and go full-time streamer, no?
┕ Anonymous: It’s not about money—her friend’s parents’ shop needed help urgently.
┕ Anonymous (OP): Seriously wholesome. Sometimes she doesn’t seem human.
┕ Anonymous: Dark mode?
┕ Anonymous (OP): LOLOLOL.