The person who approached me was a woman with the presence of a star you’d see on TV.
I figured out she was a Twip staff member from the name tag that said “STAFF” attached to her chest, but something about her state seemed a bit off.
“Ahhh, hello. I, um, I’m a fan of Mr. Cosmo…”
“What? No, first, calm down…”
It was both refreshing and unsettling to see such a pretty person acting like a broken puppet.
By the way, how did she know I was Cosmo? Is it possible she only thought I was a staff member? The employee at the entrance seemed clueless about me.
“Shall we go to an empty seat? It’s a bit noisy here…”
“Ah, yes, sure!”
Thinking that I needed to create a situation to talk, I put the plate I was about to fill back down and looked for an empty seat.
Fortunately, I quickly found a private area hidden by a barrier, where I saw two small recliner chairs facing each other. We sat down there, sharing awkward eye contact.
I thought if I initiated the conversation, maybe she would speak up, so I mustered up my courage and spoke first.
“Well, it seems like we can chat here at least. By the way, how did you know I was Cosmo?”
The first thing I tossed her way was a question.
It made sense since it was puzzling that she recognized me instantly without the cam being on. I wondered if my face had somehow leaked out somewhere.
“Mr. Cosmo was bragging until yesterday that he would come dressed like this to the party today.”
“Ah…!”
In the midst of my thoughts, she gave a little giggle and briefly explained why she recognized me.
Only then did I realize my outfit itself was a clue, letting out a low gasp.
So that’s what it was. But still, it’s impressive that she recognized me just from my attire.
“Honestly, I was really worried about approaching you. Since Mr. Cosmo usually doesn’t turn on the cam, I thought maybe you wouldn’t want to be recognized…”
Oh, she thought that too. She’s such a dedicated fan.
But if that was the case, there was no need for her to worry. The reason I didn’t turn on the cam wasn’t because I didn’t want people to recognize me or was burdened by it; I just didn’t feel the need to show off my not-so-great face.
“Ah, no way! I just didn’t want to make my viewers suffer from looking at my ugly mug.”
“…Huh?”
“Huh?”
I tried to lighten the mood with a little self-deprecating humor, but she stared at me with a look like, “What are you on about?”
Did I just say something wrong?
After an awkward silence, she firmly stated, as if drawing a line,
“I think you’re quite handsome, though.”
“Oh, really? I’ve never heard that in my life… Thank you.”
Ah, this is the warmth of a fan. Even someone like me, a shut-in from the corner, has someone calling me handsome… I’m truly grateful.
“By the way, so you’re a staff member here?”
“Ah, yes. I was suddenly called in because they were short-staffed today. Luckily, Mr. Cosmo was coming… What a stroke of luck.”
What a bizarre coincidence. Someone who wouldn’t have come originally ended up here because they needed more hands, and that just happened to be the day I decided to attend the party.
Connections can be quite amazing.
“It’s quite surprising that such a beautiful person is my fan. This isn’t a punishment mission or anything, right?”
Seeing her flicker with nervous energy, I decided to lighten the tension with a small joke. The response was pretty dynamic; she reacted vigorously like a fish out of water.
“Y-You’re calling me beautiful…? And it’s not a punishment or anything, I promise…!”
“I was just joking. I could tell from how shaky your hands were.”
“Ah…!”
I felt bad for her reaction, so I awkwardly pointed at her trembling hands, and only then did she realize, looking flustered and quickly hiding her hands behind her back, which made her look quite cute.
Seeing her face all flushed and fidgety, I figured it would be a while before I could get her to speak. I’d have to come up with some topics.
“Uh, do you have any requests since you’re my fan? Like content you’d want to see during a broadcast…”
“Not particularly. Honestly, I think it’s already fun right now…”
“C’mon, you must have at least one wish. Be honest. It’s okay.”
I’m not one of those major corporate streamers bringing top-notch content every time; I mostly just do casual singing broadcasts or chat sessions.
The only exceptions would be when a blockbuster game comes out and I do a gameplay stream, but even then, I’m not exactly bursting with energy, so it’s hardly ever super entertaining.
So, hoping she might have some fun ideas, I nudged her gently.
“Then can I say just one thing…?”
“Sure.”
Ah, so she does have something.
Of course, just because she made a suggestion doesn’t mean I’m obligated to do it, but if it’s a fun idea, I’d consider it.
Her reply was completely unexpected.
“Could you… call me ‘noona’ just once?”
“…Huh?”
In that instant, I thought I misheard her and just blurted out a dumbfounded sound.
“Call me ‘noona’? Not a content suggestion?”
“I know Mr. Cosmo is two years younger than me, and I wanted to hear it at least once. Actually, I only have older brothers, so I don’t have any younger siblings.”
Hmm, it seems like she was literally asking for something she wanted. This was unexpected.
But wait, she’s two years older than me? I always thought she seemed mature, not in the sense of looking older, but more like an aura radiating a mature vibe.
Well, if this fan is asking, I guess it’s no trouble. I also have an older sister, so it’s not that hard for me to do.
“Noona…?”
“……!”
Not knowing her name, I just called out a title but she looked at me with shining eyes, like she was in a daze. Then she nodded vigorously, as if to say, ‘That’s it!’
Oh… I’m not sure why, but I’m glad it satisfied her.
“Thank you for fulfilling such a selfish request.”
“No, I was actually disappointed there was nothing I could do for you after finally meeting a fan like you.”
Honestly, I felt like I would have liked to give her an autograph or something, but I’m not that famous, so I felt awkward suggesting, “Would you like an autograph?”
Still, just being able to bring her some joy like this makes me really happy. Now I understand why idol singers gain strength from seeing their fans. I can somewhat relate to that feeling.
“No, it’s actually something I’ve always wanted to tell you. Your broadcast gives me a lot of strength, so thank you so much.”
“What do you have to thank me for? It’s actually because of the viewers’ interest that I’m growing. I should be the one thanking you.”
I honestly feel that way, not just saying it. I’ve managed to keep my broadcasts going thanks to the affection of the viewers, and even if I’m still lacking, I’ve been able to reach the level of a mid-tier small-time streamer.
As I bowed my head to convey that sentiment, the woman sitting across from me shook her head, as if to deny it, and suddenly placed her hand over mine.
That soft touch made me momentarily lose my concentration.
“Of course, Mr. Cosmo might think that way, but I’m genuinely grateful. So, I hope it’s not too rude, but I came here just to greet you.”
“……”
“I want you to know there’s someone who truly values you, Mr. Cosmo. Sometimes I feel like you don’t realize how precious you are.”
Her soft smile was so warm that it made me lose any frivolous thoughts.
On one hand, it felt incredible. It made me realize that such a sincere person exists—someone who could care this much for a complete stranger, and that person cared about someone as insignificant as me.
“Ahh…! I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hold your hand like that… I hope it didn’t make you uncomfortable.”
After watching me in silence for a while, she seemed to realize her actions, quickly pulling her hand back like she had touched something hot, looking flustered.
The calm and intelligent impression she had just moments ago melted away, and she seemed once again like just an ordinary fan, which I found quite endearing.
“Not at all, so don’t worry.”
I mean, what guy would dislike a beautiful woman suddenly holding his hand? Honestly, I wished it could last a bit longer. I just couldn’t say that out loud for fear of being rude.
“I’m usually not this kind of girl… But seeing Mr. Cosmo in person made me a bit out of character…”
“Listening to you say that makes me feel a bit embarrassed. Still, I can understand it since you’re a fan.”
It’s not like I’m a top star or an idol, so it feels a bit awkward to think that someone momentarily lost their composure because of me.
However, it seems that she views me in a light similar to those stars, which I can somewhat understand.
“Uh, no. It’s not just because I’m a fan…”
“Hmm?”
But with her next whisper that seemed like a tiny afterthought, I involuntarily widened my eyes. The meaning behind that phrase was hard to interpret.
It sounded like there was a reason beyond just being a fan.
“What do you mean it’s not just because you’re a fan?”
“Uh, anyway, please keep it up! I watch your live streams every day, so I’ll always be cheering for you!”
“Thank you! Oh, by the way, could I get your Twip nickname…”
I wanted to make sure to mention her later, and even just her nickname would be fine, but she quickly fled after that final greeting.
I stood there, feeling as if a storm had just swept through, still dazed as the warmth lightly lingered on my hand.
Indeed, coming to this party was a good decision, and I felt like I had made the right choice in starting my broadcasts.
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