I am Smart

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Until just a moment ago, the viewers were spamming the chat with messages about Moon Si-hyun possibly breaking her molars.

Their consciousness, once buried in one spot, quickly shifted to another due to the repeated two gift subscriptions from a user with the nickname “Broadcasting on, you bastards.”

―――

No, damn it, you bastards!

Crazy buffalo bastards!

San-deng, you were a man after all…

Hahaha!

Caught red-handed engaging in clandestine activities, lol!

Damn it!

In-chang, you said you were going to stay far away from streaming!

How do you even find stuff like that? Lmao!

I just want to beat Moon Si-hyun next!

Turn on the broadcast!!!!!!!!!

―――

Right after the two-week Demons Competition concluded successfully, the viewers were engulfed in a frenzy of celebration and emotion with the broadcasters they were watching.

Eventually, as the atmosphere started to calm down, and it looked like the broadcast was about to end, the viewers first asked their broadcasters—specifically, two of them, Cactus and San-deng.

―――

So, are you broadcasting tomorrow?

Please say you’re broadcasting tomorrow too!

What are we supposed to do if you don’t, dammit?

Please turn it on, I beg you!

―――

… Time passed, and now, late at night, it was too short a time for the broadcaster and viewers to catch up one-on-one.

Moreover, until now, the broadcasters had mostly been communicating with other broadcasters rather than their viewers due to the nature of collaborative streaming.

For them, there was a desire to share this joy in a moment of two, just between the broadcaster and themselves.

… But, Cactus and San-deng…

– No, I need to rest too!! When am I supposed to rest then!? Am I some kind of slave!? … No, I’m really exhausted. I’ve been running for two weeks straight. Please understand. I’ll be away from stuff like Fiore, internet broadcasts, Pazzk, and I’ll be back quickly to chat together then. Huh? That’s fine, right?

– I’m just going to take a break for a bit. When will I be back? I don’t know. Whenever I want to?

… After saying that during the small communication time, they lightly brushed off the viewers who were holding onto their pant legs, begging them not to leave.

However, those two…

―――

Cactus Fan Cafe

―――

– Real-time) Currently, San-deng and Cactus are duo ranking together

(Capture)

– No, you bastards!

– You crazy idiots!

– ???? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t rank for a while?

– Turn on the broadcast, damn it!!!!!!!!!!

―――

– San-deng and Cactus caught in a room with Moon Si-hyun, lol

(Capture)

– You bastards said you were going to take a break!

– Are you seriously duo-ranking with San-deng and watching female streams right after claiming you wouldn’t enter Fiore and other broadcasts?

– You guys are insane!

– This isn’t a concept; it was genuinely clandestine!

– They’re not even pretending; if it’s a girl, they go wild…

– Gonna have to hang them up now?

―――

If they were found out duo-ranking without streaming or happened to be caught watching a female streamer together…

It was only natural for their viewers to get furious.

Of course, it wasn’t intentional, but only Cactus had lied. San-deng had merely stated he wanted to take a break and hadn’t said anything that could catch him.

However, that ‘boring fact’ was of no concern to the viewers. Both of them had to face the consequences in their agreement.

Thus, the flames of the chat window for Moon Si-hyun’s broadcast rapidly grew.

Immediate suppression was placed on any mention of other streamers—that is, mentioning ‘other streamers’—and there wasn’t any dissent in the public sentiment regarding that.

These three had a peculiar relationship whereby most of their viewer base overlapped entirely.

Because of that, it seemed the fire in the chat wouldn’t be easily extinguished.

[……]

“……”

And there sat two men, currently unable to articulate much while watching the chat.

[…… But, this is a bit embarrassing.]

“…… Um.”

‘Should I create a separate obscure account that no one knows about?’

Park Tae-yeon pondered as he caressed his chin.

No matter how close they had gotten since the inception of Moon Si-hyun’s broadcast and during the competitions, it felt wrong to create a situation that disrupts her broadcast’s atmosphere like this.

[Oh man, I’m sorry, Tae-yeon. I really didn’t expect it to go this way. I truly thought they would take a break, but Fiore turned out to be really enticing… But what should we do? Heh… Should I perhaps turn on the broadcast as an apology?]

So, as they pondered for a while,

―――

Falcon donated 100,000 won.

Right now, if the two join in Guardians’ Journey, our 5 billion viewers will forgive you!

―――

Why did you lie, Cactus?

Shut up and answer, you clowns!

Wow, 100,000 won!

100,000 won! Woah!

Oh!

Oh!

Damn, that’s amazing!

Okay!

Then I’ll really forgive you!

You don’t need to turn on the broadcast; just play with me!

More than that, could you please give them a lesson?

Then soon, they’ll become immersed without realizing it, huh?

Hahaha! They’d probably do it ㅋㅋㅋ, they’re lazy enough to give up on streaming!

―――

The chat had suddenly turned celebratory regarding one surprising suggestion.

[San-deng and Cactus? Um… We should first ask for their willingness though.]

Moon Si-hyun, stated what was naturally, but, in these times, has become an implied norm veiled in politeness.

And for everyone listening… her sweet voice definitely didn’t seem to express any reluctance at all.

[…… Oh?]

And then came the curious voice of Sun-in-jun, who was also watching the broadcast.

[…… Can we really play together? Should we?]
“…… No. Didn’t you say you absolutely wouldn’t play that game?”

[Yeah. I really wouldn’t; however… I have the chance to play with Si-hyun.]

“……”

[Are you not interested in playing with Si-hyun?]

“……”

Park Tae-yeon kept his mouth shut.

When faced with whether he wanted to or not, he would certainly pick the former.

… But he was…

Looking askance and scratching the back of his head, he looked away and said,

“Well, I don’t really… um, not sure.”

[…… That’s kind of annoying, isn’t it? Why’s that?]

Sun-in-jun also picked up on that strange tone.

[Just go ahead and ask. I’ll just question it for now.]

―――

Cactus: Si-hyun… will you play with me……………??????

Ah, damn!

Get lost, you jerk!

This guy’s chat is really off-putting!

―――

[…… Um. It’s a bit sudden, but it seems like it will be fun. The viewers seem to want it too… If Cactus is okay with it, let’s do it together.]

[Yes!! I’ll download it right away… Hey, what are you doing? Hurry and ask!]

“……”

But Park Tae-yeon didn’t respond.

Then, several seconds later.

―――

ㅇㅇ donated 1,000 won.

But what about San-deng?

―――

That donation and chat began piling up. This was what Park Tae-yeon had wanted.

…… For the person he desired to say what he wanted.

It wasn’t necessarily intentional; it was just a habit he had developed.

He preferred not to actively take the lead in suggesting things.

After all, throughout his life up to this point, whatever it was, it was always the other side offering first.

A habit ingrained in evading the position of ‘questioner.’

[…… San-deng? Um…]

…… In truth, he was already held up with ‘Guardians’ Journey Purchase’ typed into the search bar.

What remained was only Moon Si-hyun’s response, and to hit the download button.

“……”

Moon Si-hyun hesitated for a moment.

… For some reason, it was a moment when she usually kept her mouth shut, focusing on her Virtual Model.

[Cactus seems fine… ]

“……”

[But I feel like it might be a little… frustrating with San-deng.]

“……?”

Why?

Throwing away his elevated demeanor and just about to type in the chat,

[Umm… especially when it comes to solving puzzles, I feel like I’d be stuck.]

[…… Pfft!!]

“……”

– …… THUD.

He could hear something of his breaking sound.

“…… No. What the—”

―――

Hahaha!

San-deng: No

Hahaha!

San-deng: What the hell

Scoops on San-deng!

San-deng: What on earth does that mean?

Well, if you were a real pro, I get that it’d be frustrating for Moon Si-hyun, lol.

Hahaha, scoops!

Cactus: I’ve started downloading, Si-hyun!

San-deng: You better answer!

―――

The strangely awkward tone San-deng had just moments before disappeared instantly.

“Ah, Cactus, are you downloading?”

San-deng: You better answer!

Stop whining about it!

Just go lose to Fiore or something, San-deng!

From now on, this is the Sun-Moon gallery!

San-deng: And why is Cactus not frustrated then!?

―――

“Um… Cactus seems to get along with me quite well. It’s the Current Realm duo.”

Even after saying that, amid the rising chats, it seemed San-deng had lost his composure as he kept spamming.

He tried to suppress a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.

Doing things like this wasn’t as fun anymore after becoming who he was; why was that?

… Nevertheless, with such a request.

He flipped his hair casually and said.

“I guess I have no choice. Just don’t hold on to our ankles.”

―――

San-deng: Huh

Hahaha!

San-deng: Seriously

Hahaha!

This is the first time I’ve seen San-deng like this.

There’s always a worse devil over a devil…

―――

Thus, after a bit of a commotion, the three gathered on Discord.

In the meantime, Moon Si-hyun excused herself briefly to wash her face.

Left were Cactus, San-deng, and the viewers—three entities together.

[Shut up!!]

―――

Hahaha!

Still fighting here too.

―――

Was it the broadcaster’s instinct? They filled the audio seamlessly even without streaming.

As seconds passed.

[Um… everyone. I hope you can understand this.]

A cautious voice from Cactus rang out.

[Well, we’re still on a break today. We just suddenly started the game. So, I won’t act like a clown this time. Please understand even if it’s a bit boring.]

It was Cactus’s unusually serious remark.

―――

Okay, okay.

Okay.

It’s all good.

Honestly, it’s just a bit of a nuisance, but we appreciate you doing a collab.

It’s fine.

Okay.

Just being three together is hilarious.

Just playing a game together must be really fun!

―――

The game had begun.

A large man approached Moon Si-hyun, who was sitting beside the campfire.
It was San-deng.

San-deng had been running along the path that Moon Si-hyun had opened from the very beginning. It didn’t take long—less than 10 minutes, in fact.

In reality, since Moon Si-hyun had adventured in an extremely inefficient manner… she hadn’t even completed 5 percent of the progress, so there was no issue with immersing herself.

[San-deng, you’re a tank here too.]

“…… Just don’t make me do any weird stuff here.”

[Weird stuff? But, it’s a build that Kant and Sansu have acknowledged.]

“…… Sigh…”

―――

“In that case,” said San-suu, “Kant agreed as well.”

Oh no, now there’s one more.

Hahaha!

Fact: truth.

―――

[Ah! My bad! I just got lost for a moment.]

Then, Cactus came running. Unlike San-deng, he was lanky. He was also a support, a healer, here.

With light chit-chat among the three, their adventure began smoothly.

After several minutes of passing through a village’s path.

“Hey. Si-hyun, are you carrying something? Do you need help?”

There was a strangely lower adjusted voice from Cactus up ahead.

San-deng looked dumbfounded and lifted his eyes from the ground he was watching.

A big load was soaring toward them.

“What—”

– THUD!

Instinctively grasping it, San-deng ended up holding two heavy packs. The weight caused his shoulders to sag.

Seeing San-deng loitering down at the weight of two people, Cactus turned his head and ran ahead.

“Hey Si-hyun! Careful. Just hold my hand and come up!”

[What? But there’s just one step here.]

“Don’t decline. This is something a man should help with.”

– Sparkle!

His pearly whites shined brightly in the game.

Moon Si-hyun hesitated for a moment and then grabbed Cactus’s hand…

And stepped up one step.

“…… Thank you.”

“Haha… Yes. In this world, we should help each other out, right? Heh…”

―――

You said you wouldn’t act like a clown, you bastard, lol!

?

?

Hahaha!

That laugh, damn!

??

Cactus, you jerk! Don’t let physical contact in VR, I’ll actually kill you.

So sweet—

Seriously, it’s pretty shady! Why do I feel bad?, lol.

San-deng, don’t let her get taken! What are you doing?

???: I won’t act like a clown.

Sounds genuine, doesn’t it?

This is really sweet, haha!

Everyone’s so friendly these days.

―――

“……”

[…… Hey!! What are you doing over there? Hurry up!! Don’t hold us back!! We’re leaving you behind!!]

It was Cactus’s shout that snapped San-deng out of the blank state he was in.

[Ugh! Si-hyun! Let’s move together!]

“……”

It was the moment where San-deng’s mind snapped back suddenly.