There were an insane number of chats calling me cute.
It was something I'd admitted to myself, sure.
But hearing it straight from other people's mouths—in front of over seven thousand viewers, no less—left me feeling a little embarrassed.
Cute? Yeah, that's true.
Is it really okay for *me* to be hearing this?
...Well, it *is* a fact that I nod along every time I glance in the mirror.
These days, looks basically *are* assets.
But right now, I was just the ops team member here to clean up the mess.
So I cut straight to the chase.
"In Rain's stream, you keep calling for me instead of Rain. I was actually thinking of giving you a piece of my mind."
— Gasp
— So perceptive
— Gasp...
"If you're just using me as an excuse to donate to Rain, I'll let it slide. Anyone from the Acknowledgment Committee here?"
The viewers started testing the waters like they were gauging my reaction, and then, led by a few bold pioneers, the chat filled up with agreement.
— OK
— OK, got it
— Acknowledged
— Totally get it
— OK OK
"Alright, so that's a yes? No more need for your excuse now? I'm outta here?"
I left the voice chat without a second's hesitation.
At the same time, I signaled Rain to handle cleanup.
— Oh
— Oh nooooo
— Why are you actually doing this lol
— This one's totally enjoying it
— Nooo my soft-mochi-employee-chan
— Momo, free D Rain!!!
— Wait, you're really leaving?
— She's really gonna go
The chat erupted in protests, but Rain casually hit mission complete.
It was all pre-arranged, after all.
She'd just show her face today, and do a proper collab next time.
And just like that, the tower of donations the viewers had piled up (mostly courtesy of the chairman) vanished into Rain's mouth.
Was 4 million won *that* delicious? Rain's voice was more excited than it'd been in ages.
[Whoa, seriously. The puddles made this moisture *so* delicious. Going out of their way to make excuses just to give it. Goddess, keep it up and I'll get wild. Thanks! Thanks!]
The puddles, who'd been hyperfocused on me for a bit, finally realized the mission was done and exploded in frustration.
— You're the worst
— She actually completed it? Can you handle that?
— Thief!!!
— Who stole my donations ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
— Hey hey... We've still got 환 and 불 left, right?
— Don't make me laugh... Don't make me laugh... Don't make me laugh... Don't make me laugh... Don't make me laugh... Don't make me laugh... Don't make me laugh... Don't make me laugh... Don't make me laugh...
:: Anonymous donor sent 1,000 won ::
:: Bet that won't even digest—spit it back up? ::
[No no. Eating and spitting is a bad habit. Big Ma said it before in that collab.]
Rain fired up the echo and laid down a backing track, riding the rhythm into a special 1-million-won donation reaction.
The viewers' reactions were all over the place.
— You're lying, right?
— (tear kon)(glowstick kon)(tear kon)(glowstick kon)
— (flop kon) I'm out
— Ragequit
— Aaaah ㅠㅠㅠ (glowstick kon)
— Don't need the goddess anymore!!!
— Rain still here? Puddles are leaving?
— (bloody tears kon)(bloody tears kon)(bloody tears kon)
— Me
— Yeah~ Just change your name and you're good~
— Ragequit
— Me
As the flop emotes and ragequit spam started piling up, Rain finally dialed back the MR and got to the point.
[You know what's coming, right? Next week, collab with D Rain, puddles.]
— ??
— ?
— For real??
— Don't lie
— You could've said that sooner
[Gotta draw out your true feelings first. Like right now.]
I could've announced my next-week collab earlier, sure.
But Rain had clearly planned to troll the viewers from the start.
Hitting mission complete and making a huge fuss about how tasty it was? All part of the scheme.
The second I left, she was ready to pour oil on the fire of their outrage.
The streamer who'd gotten beaten down by toxic viewers back in her US days was now the toxic one after nearly a year...
[So, chat autopsy before the one-million reaction? Who's dying. Not scared. Not terrified. Just super anxious, shaking that you might miss Rain's killer reaction.]
Moments later, confessions from those terrified of the chat autopsy and reaction ban poured down like rain from the heavens.
:: Anonymous donor sent 11,111 won ::
:: To Rain ::
:: Anonymous donor sent 11,111 won ::
:: If there's one true goddess in this world, it's you, Rain ::
:: Anonymous donor sent 11,111 won ::
:: The 국 Hip One-Top GOAT Rain ::
:: Anonymous donor sent 11,111 won ::
:: I believed in you dammit I believed in you dammit I believed in you dammit ::
Watching it gave me chills for no reason.
I'd been through the humiliation(?) of my toxic chats to the president getting autopsied in the past.
But the real top-tier toxics are the ones prepped to take a beating from the streamer.
It's like wrestling—you gotta trade moves, blows, and counters for the real fun broadcasts.
If there was a Toxic Academy and I was an invited professor, I'd probably tell the students something like this:
Top-tier toxics *help* the streamer's broadcast.
No hesitation throwing yourself in to create peak honey-jar moments.
In other words, everyone who jolted and dropped 11,111 won? All grade-A elites.
The ones with double curses or pad rips? Lock 'em up.
* * *
Maybe because I'd locked in the Rain collab, the other 1st Gen streams that evening went off without a hitch.
Same chill vibe as always, everyone kicking off part 1 with chit-chat streams, blooming with laughs over yesterday's [Find Rain] chaos.
D Rain—aka me—came up a lot...
But if you're that curious, just check Rain's VODs, official channel, or clips. The clueless types blabbing about me in other 1st Gen streams get a manager warning.
Still, I kept an eye out, and sure enough, tons of people fishing for info from Komari and Maru.
Probably 'cause those two had leaked plans once each in the past.
Hoping for another slip-up with juicy details on me, I guess.
But Komari and Maru handled it like pros, showing off their growth.
[Leafies. Can't do that. It stresses out the staff.]
[You guys talking about another girl when I'm right here?! Ugh... Maru's super depressed!! Gonna turn all black!!]
Dora the sturdy one just hunkered down with zero reaction.
Rain, with the collab locked, casually spilled old tales.
[Staff? What about her? Hehe.]
[Super nice lady. For real. Even jammed out hard today. Whined like it was my first day in Korea. Like, foreigner needs help... stuff.]
Even the president's stream, which I figured would pull the most aggro, stayed drama-free.
The prez is a natural at handling viewers, though.
[Curious? Wanna hang a mission on our stream too? Heh. If it's her salary amount, she'll show. Deal?]
— Here we go again...
— Someone rein in this money gremlin
— She wasn't *this* bad even when broke
— Prez needs to rake in big bucks~ lol
Anyway, it was clear they were all watching out for me.
Suddenly, I felt like the baby of the company.
Or like the maknae little sis debuting alongside the 1st Gen.
They'd always had a protective streak toward important staff.
But not *this* much.
Did my cute new look just trigger everyone's maternal instincts and protective urges?
Honestly, I get the urge to protect.
I catch myself poking my cheeks constantly while prepping for work every day.
Plus, today I even got a subway seat.
My commute's always a 30-minute stand-fest, but some tall ajusshi suddenly gave up his spot like, "Sit here."
He asked if I was a vlogging N-YouTuber, so not *purely* innocent motives...
But hey, a seat's a seat. I thanked him and moved on.
Compared to getting the stink-eye from gramps and grannies for not standing quick enough before, it felt like a whole new world.
Of course, nothing beat trading chill dings with the prez right now.
[Boss: Grabbing food with Rain tomorrow]
[Boss: You know?]
[Me: Yup]
[Boss: Thought about collab content yet?]
[Me: Not yet]
The boss, who'd always forcibly hyped me as the "employee who handles everything perfectly on her own," was treating me like a *friend* now. My lips kept twitching up on their own.
[Boss: Backcall then?]
[Boss: Haven't collabed with Rain in a bit anyway]
[Boss: You, me, Rain—perfect trio queue]
[Me: Snoozefest]
[Boss: ??]
[Boss: Why? You love backcall]
[Me: Gym gets real when you're there—can't troll you proper]
[Boss: Hey]
[Boss: We can go light on the game, y'know?]
[Me: Fine solo, but with Lengying? Tough]
[Me: Fr tho]
[Boss: Rain does die kinda hilariously easy...]
[Boss: Still, backcall feels safest to me?]
Having watched the boss so long, I could read her intent.
She knew I'd struggle with viewer chit-chat, so: We'll (lie down and) fill the audio, you game and react to us.
Something like that.
[Me: Let's backcall]
[Me: Talk too much and I might slip]
[Me: Better keep it minimal like you said]
[Boss: Yup yup]
[Boss: Collab logistics—we'll hash it out over food with Rain tomorrow]
[Me: Got it~]
After hitting send, I fiddled with the keyboard without thinking.
...Did I just use a ㅎ ieung in "got it~"?
Not a plain "yup"?
Did I seriously get *cuter* in my head too?
I'd always rocked suits to maintain working-stiff dignity, stuck to protocol in front of the boss to uphold company rules. Felt weird now.
Body gets cute, brain follows and turns fluffy?
[Boss: ㅎㅎㅎㅎ]
[Boss: See ya tomorrow]
[Boss: Off to stream]
[Boss: Go easy on the toxic missions]
[Me: lol]
Key thing: boss's reaction was different from usual.
Normally just a single mocking "ㅎ," but four this time.
Does she prefer "got it~" over "yup"?
[Boss: Stop laughing and answer]
[Me: Nope]
[Boss: Answer]
[Me: Nope]
[Boss: Hey]
[Me: Got it~]
[Boss: Quick on the draw now]
Tested it out, and no anger vibes from boss.
Even after being extra cheeky than usual.
"Hmm."
Suddenly, my inner toxic instincts boiled over.
Cute enough to get a pass even when toxic?
Gotta run a social experiment after work.
* * *
Past 2 AM, every game sprouts more crazies.
But salarymen burning annual leave to binge games they never get to play show up too.
For these normies, post-2 AM is straight-up Asura hell.
A lawless zone you don't step into lightly.
[Hi 1TR, hi 2TR, hi 3TR, hi 4TR, hi 5TR...]
Office worker Kim realized "MomoWhoseHighestEduIsChickenSchool" popping up as random teammate was peak late-night lunatic. Girl lunatic.
Her voice was insanely cute though, diction on point—made him wonder if she was a streamer.
[I'll keep going till you reply, hi 25TR, hi 26TR...]
But if no answer, she'd probably spam "hi" till game end.
So he dug out the mic shoved in his desk drawer and flipped on voice.
"Hello."
The "hi" cut off sharp at 42TR.
A beat later, she spoke.
[Whoa. You actually replied. As thanks, I'll carry this round.]
Kim, clueless about communities or the toxic signal flare, snorted to himself.
'...With two double-barrels?'
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