After rummaging through An-sae’s house, I finished the day’s broadcast with a meal and a livestream together.
I also received a small appearance fee from the Taker. Plus, I now had an extra source to post a video on my V-Tube.
[The Broadcast Host doesn’t have a boyfriend, right?]
[An-sae is an amazing streamer. A true streamer should focus only on the broadcast, right?]
[Is this a soup room too? Ugh.]
[I’ve been watching since the no-cam days, but I don’t want to be treated the same as those people who just showed up because the cam is on, lol.]
[The soup density just got thicker all of a sudden.]
[Honestly, this room isn’t a soup room. I like it because it’s cozy and feels like friends.]
[For real, lol. I hope we can start dating soon.]
[Those types of people are the most dangerous, right?]
[If they actually start dating, they’ll be trashing it online while flooding the community with dozens of pages of posts.]
[;; Let’s stop with the dating and soup bait!]
[It’s all the Broadcast Host’s fault for being so pretty.]
“Hmmm….”
The very next day, it was time for another broadcast.
I stared at the chaotic chatroom again, thinking that something needed to be done about it.
Before I knew it, my average viewers had suddenly skyrocketed to 10,000 to 15,000, and on special occasions, it even surpassed 20,000.
Though as dawn approached, it usually dwindled back down to the 5000s, which still felt like a lot.
Actually, the numbers weren’t that important. What mattered was the atmosphere of the chatroom and public opinion.
While it’s true that managing a larger number is challenging, having fewer people doesn’t automatically mean it’s easier to manage.
Sometimes, when I got bored late at night, I’d check out broadcasts with fewer viewers and the chatrooms were pure chaos.
What had happened at An-sae’s house had quite an impact as well.
The content itself was that kind, but seeing her desperately defend herself got me thinking.
Why does the subject of relationships provoke such desperate defenses? Why do my viewers type this kind of chat?
I had already mentioned similar things about relationships multiple times.
I feel more and more that these issues are becoming serious. Perhaps it’s because I only give verbal warnings without any real consequences? Some friends just can’t stick to the boundaries if they’re not tightened.
How much more reassurance do I need to give them?
I only have the broadcast; with others, it’s just lighthearted banter, and I have no romantic feelings whatsoever. I can’t open my heart and show my pure feelings, so I’m just frustrated.
I thought I had built a trusting relationship with the viewers, but do they still not trust me?
Complaining about a sore horn is nothing. I mean, come on, dragging in relationship issues to nitpick and disrupt the broadcast?
I let out a sigh, feeling a bit drained mentally, which I knew was inevitable.
Due to the nature of the broadcast, new people constantly come in, so I have to repeat the same stories like a broken record, and I know it better than anyone.
Streamers aren’t just crying about mental issues for nothing. Broadcasting is a form of emotional labor, and since people aren’t machines, the parts that get used the most are bound to wear out.
For me to last long, I need to manage my mental health well. I’ve been doing broadcasts based on what I want to do at the moment to avoid mental wear and tear.
[Kayak should come out as a guest on Taker's crime show too.]
[Kayak is going to prove herself like An-sae?]
[Why does the broadcast host need to prove anything, lol? Ridiculous, haha.]
[You should be thankful that the broth is being broadcast, you broth monsters.]
[It is a bit suspicious that Kayak and Taker are so casual with each other.]
[It's true that someone with the Broadcast Host’s personality would have many male friends.]
[Even at the fan meet, she hugs strange men without hesitation, you know...]
[The fact is, the only one who can embrace guys like us is Camilla.]
[What if Kayak has already been reached by a 20cm alpha male celebrity?]
[Rather than being puffy in reality, live loving Kayak in the cyber world.]
[Looks like the time has come to switch back to no-cam with these fat comments popping up.]
[There have been a lot of new followers... Anyone who watched the Christmas broth broadcast is definitely not letting go of Kayak.]
[Since you're so used to guys, your past is pretty obvious, haha. I bet the lesbian appeal is a lie.]
[It’s clear that she has only fans, and I just don’t get why people throw money at her, haha.]
[She definitely has a boyfriend.]
…
“Sigh.”
After finishing the broadcast, I checked the community, and it was full of similar but more raw, thick stories.
Truly, human malice. At this point, aren’t they just people who dislike me rather than fans?
Evil, huh? At this point, I wonder if they just dislike me instead of being my fans.
What’s the point of calling viewers stupid when they’re clearly enjoying the broadcast? If they don’t like it, they can just stop watching.
What’s ridiculous is that most of the negative opinions revolve around my love life and virginity.
There’s no mention of wishing the broadcast was better or suggesting what content they want to see.
Mostly, it was just the unicorns throwing a tantrum.
“Hmmm.”
Anyway, feeling bad is one thing, but this needs some action.
*
“Yes, unicorns do have that tendency.”
Across from me, An-sae nodded in agreement.
Through the last broadcast, I confirmed that An-sae was suffering from similar issues, and I wanted to hear her thoughts.
Maybe brainstorming together would yield some good methods.
Crunch—
I was currently at An-sae’s house, tasting the cookies she baked herself. She invited me over after I suggested we meet at a nearby café, claiming she could make them at home.
“Why didn’t you do this last time?”
“Back then, I hadn’t mastered it yet—”
Honestly, it doesn’t seem like she’s mastered it yet. I popped a crumbly cookie into my mouth and spoke as I chewed.
“What I consider most important is the doneness of the cookies.”
“Huh?”
“But this cookie… isn’t evenly baked.”
I picked up the cookie and continued.
“That’s a bit disappointing.”
“Uuuh…”
An-sae’s bewildered expression began to darken.
“However, cookies are a snack that has become so common in cafés that the standard isn’t low by any means. I actually appreciate that you achieved this level of quality at home.”
So ultimately,
“It’s a pass, An-sae. Congratulations.”
“Yay!”
An-sae cheered, holding her plate like she survived a reality show.
This is what I like about An-sae. She’s always so accepting of everything. It’s kind of motherly, I guess.
No wonder the viewers call her Maman. If it were Riri or Nicang, they would’ve criticized right away.
“I would have raised an objection from the start if that were the case.”
“But why all of a sudden are we doing evaluations? At any rate, it tastes good, right?”
“Yes, it does taste good.”
“For a non-professional, it’s quite excellent, considering it’s homemade.”
“Last time you mentioned your hobby was knitting, and now you’re baking cookies—An-sae really is quite domestic. I think I get why the broth lovers are crazy for her.”
“Anyway, An-sae, you don’t have any sharp methods, do you?”
“Well, yes. I might be a bit better now, but there was a time when I was fully into that side of things.”
“You mean you’re saying you’re less into it now?”
“Unlike now, where I mix gaming with communication, back in the day, An-sae was all about being a Female Streamer.”
An-sae was what we call a broth seller, openly stirring the pot to elicit similar romantic feelings from viewers, selling high-priced goods, and sending personal messages for large donations.
“The earnings were good, but… the risks were huge.”
An-sae continued her story calmly.
“There were way stranger people back then compared to now, when I have way more live viewers and V-tuber subscribers, and stalkers sneaking around everywhere. If I got involved with a guy even a little, it was chaos. I’d get insults on their streams and tons of personal DMs and emails telling me to behave properly. If it were the same as back then, I wouldn’t even think about participating in the current detective content.”
As that situation dragged on, An-sae felt quite frustrated.
Sure, the money was flowing in, but her growth as a Streamer was stunted, not to mention the mental exhaustion.
“These days are much better. The viewers now… aren’t as obsessive as before.”
An-sae has certainly gone through tough days. I mean, who in this world doesn’t have their stories?
“So, what about you, Kayak?”
“Well… I do have a method in mind, but I’m not sure if it’ll go as I think.”
An-sae said things improved as she increased the gaming aspect and dealt with a few unruly unicorns as examples, but I thought my stream needed something beyond that.
We needed a stronger response. After hearing An-sae’s story, my resolve strengthened even more.
Brace yourselves, unicorns!
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