The streamer Kaya is a perfect person.
Most of Kaya’s acquaintances and people who know her would agree with that statement.
From her looks to her gaming skills, athletic abilities, broadcasting prowess, and social status, there’s an endless list of things to mention about Kaya. It’s to the point where it would make one’s mouth sore just talking about it.
Is there really anyone in this world as unrealistic and self-centered, someone living solely for themselves?
Self-proclaimed Kaya’s right-hand man, co-editor of KayaTube Jin Jae-jun, was one of those who strongly agreed.
Though he’s used to it now, when he first became Kaya’s editor and started calling her “Boss,” he was so nervous it felt surreal.
Even now, sometimes he wonders if this is real or just a dream.
It’s hard to believe that Kaya became Jae-jun’s boss and a neighbor, and that she’s half friends with his niece Si Hyun, who even accompanies him to parent-teacher meetings. Is this really reality?
What if Jae-jun died a long time ago and only his brain is inside a jar, reacting to electrical signals? Was everything he thought was real just an illusion?
Even if that were the case, it wouldn’t be too strange. Life is so dreamlike right now.
“Uncle, you’re talking weird again. Instead of that, just tie my hair properly. I don’t want my bangs sticking out.”
“Okay…”
Jae-jun snapped back to reality at the whining of his young niece Si Hyun.
It was quite painful as she flicked her hair in his face while demanding he tie it properly.
Right, dreams can’t feel this real. Jae-jun neatly tied his more grounded niece’s hair and sent her off.
“Have a good day at school. Don’t get hurt. Make lots of friends.”
It was the usual routine of advice he always gave.
However, lately, she had become quite snappy, as if she had entered puberty.
“Just take care of yourself, Uncle. I’m not a kid!”
So, if you’re not a kid, then what are you?
Jae-jun bit back the words bubbling up to his throat and silently waved goodbye.
Arguing with a child over who’s right is just pathetic.
As a grown adult and a working man, Jae-jun finished his morning task (dropping Si Hyun off at school) and returned home.
“Try some of this, and this too. The young lady is really enjoying her meal.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you, ma’am…”
“Don’t call me ‘ma’am’ so stiffly. Just call me mother comfortably.”
At the dining table sat the silver-haired woman, with a stiff expression as she chewed her food awkwardly, while in front of her, Jae-jun’s mother was placing various dishes on her plate.
They were both people that Jae-jun was very familiar with, but that also made for an awkward combination.
‘Why is the boss eating at our house?’
What kind of combination is this? And what’s with my mom’s overly friendly tone?
“Your eyes are so beautiful~. I think I understand what they mean by jewel-like eyes. Did you bleach your hair? It looks so nice!”
“N-No, it’s natural.”
“Oh my, this is natural? Are your parents from a foreign country? Or maybe mixed? You must have strong genes from that side. I’ve never seen this hair color in my life.”
Kayak looked visibly uncomfortable. If Jae-jun were in Kayak’s shoes, he was confident he would choke on his food faster than anyone.
A somewhat unrealistic, dreamlike scene.
Jae-jun walked into the living room and asked, “What on earth is going on…?”
*
The reason why he found himself at Jae-jun’s house wasn’t anything special.
It was simply because he had left the cardigan he wore at the recent meeting of Kai-gwan (Is KayakTube Okay?) at the café.
Thinking it was a matter of neighborhood friendship since they lived close by, he intended to drop by just to return the clothes, but ended up getting caught by Jae-jun’s mother.
He already knew that Jae-jun lived with his mother and his niece, Si Hyun. However, there wasn’t much information about his mother compared to Si Hyun.
After all, he rarely talked about his own mother. So this was the first time he met someone he had only heard about, coming all the way to their home.
“Oh, you must be our Jae-jun, the boss! My goodness, aren’t you just adorable? Come on in!”
The first impression of Jae-jun’s mother, Mrs. Park Bok-ja, was… she was incredibly lively and chatty?
In just ten minutes of knowing her, I learned various facts about her and Jae-jun that I hadn’t known.
Her name is Park Bok-ja, and she has been raising Jae-jun alone for over 20 years. Jae-jun still hugs a long giraffe plush toy like a child. He’s more picky about food than his niece, Si Hyun… and so on…
I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was stumbling upon secrets that I shouldn’t know.
Just like the mother of that job-hunting viewer last time, why do mothers so freely share their sons’ private stories with others?
Thank goodness I have a friendly relationship with Jae-jun and like him, otherwise, if she shared such stories with anyone, it would turn that person’s relationship with Jae-jun ambiguous.
In broadcast terms, it would be like creating a dislikeable story.
“Have you eaten? I was just having breakfast, so I’ll get you a bowl to share. Young people nowadays hardly eat breakfast, right?”
“I’m not eating, you know.”
“Oh, yes. I will eat well.”
For some reason, I couldn’t refuse. I actually hadn’t eaten breakfast, and I didn’t have any plans.
It felt a bit awkward to cut off the offer and get up.
Thus, the breakfast I ended up having was delicious. Very much so.
Kim Jae-jun really has a wonderful mother. His bear-like sturdy physique probably came from this mother’s cooking skills.
While I was eating with Jae-jun’s mother, Park Bok-ja, Jae-jun suddenly barged in. I was secretly relieved since it felt a bit burdensome to be alone with her.
“Why is the boss here…”
However, aside from my joy at seeing him, he looked quite flustered by the situation.
Well, I could understand why. It must be shocking for your direct superior to suddenly show up at home and eat with your parents… Thinking about it the other way, I felt like I had done something I shouldn’t have.
Just as I was about to get up from my seat…
“Oh, Jae-jun has come, so don’t leave yet. Take your time and finish your meal. Hey! Jae-jun! If you suddenly leave like that, Mun Ah will be surprised!”
Then, Mrs. Park grabbed me and started prepping various things for me. She was so quick that she had already prepared side dishes for me to take home.
“So you came to deliver a cardigan… Thank you, boss.”
“Come over for a meal again next time! Don’t think of it as a burden! If you run out of side dishes, just say so! It was nice not feeling lonely for a change.”
“Yes, mother. Thank you. Jae-jun, I will head in now. See you later.”
And so, after spending an hour and a half at Jae-jun’s house, I finished my meal and slipped out.
*
“Mom, you didn’t say anything weird, did you? You didn’t talk about how Jae-jun did this or that, right?”
After sending Mun Ah off, Jae-jun asked in a voice full of anxiety.
He wasn’t being overly suspicious. After all, Mrs. Park had a history of saying similar things.
She must have talked nonsense again when she met Mun Ah. It was then that Jae-jun began to shiver at the troubling memories.
Without saying a word, the woman, Mrs. Park, who had been watching Mun Ah leave, finally spoke up.
“Hey, Jae-jun.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t you think about getting along well with Mun Ah and the boss?”
“Getting along well? What do you mean…?”
He stopped short.
Once he understood what she meant, he froze in place and began to cough violently, as if he had choked on something.
Cough, cough.
Caught off guard by the serious tone without the teasing, Jae-jun coughed and replied.
Hwang Han Jae-jun coughed and said,
“What do you mean, Mom?”
“She’s perfect as a daughter-in-law…. The way she eats so delicately and is polite…”
Now, it’s not like Park Bok-ja was always like this, but back in the day, she worked in a job that involved dealing with people.
So just by meeting someone and having a brief conversation while looking into their eyes, she could get a pretty good sense of what kind of person they were and what their character was like.
From that perspective, Kayak was the ideal daughter-in-law that Park Bok-ja had in mind.
“If only I had a daughter like that… but all I have is this dark-skinned son.”
Jae-jun rebelled against his mother, who was clicking her tongue at him.
“Oh, but you always said having a son was reliable! And Si Hyun is here too.”
“Si Hyun is a cute granddaughter; she doesn’t feel like a daughter.”
Anyway—
Park Bok-ja added, “If you brought home a daughter-in-law like her, I would have no regrets, dear. Even if it’s not Kayak.”
“I’m not thinking about marriage…. I’m too busy caring for Si Hyun.”
However, for a moment, Jae-jun found himself imagining, prompted by his mother’s words.
He envisioned himself getting together with Kayak.
Starting from the relationship of employee and boss, gradually developing into lovers, and then, eventually getting married, having a daughter resembling Kayak and a son like a rice cake. As those children grow up, become independent, and get married, he and Kayak would be left alone, slowly aging until they both closed their eyes on the same day—
‘Kim Jae-jun, what the hell are you imagining?’
Lost in thought, Jae-jun jolted back to reality and shook his head vigorously.
It’s better not to even look at a tree you can’t climb. How many times had he vowed not to harbor personal feelings while collaborating with Kayak?
Though Kayak had drawn a clear line, she didn’t mean to warn him against thinking weird thoughts, but Jae-jun had set that boundary himself.
His sole goal was simple: to make Kayak the world’s best streamer. This was the goal he established when he became her editor, and it was a determination that would never waver.
One comment from his mother wouldn’t shatter that resolve. His firm will was not something that could be easily toppled.
Though he was shaken for a moment, he could always regain his composure.
Thus, Jae-jun, enveloped in momentary anguish, secluded himself for a while to gather his thoughts.
He didn’t attend the meeting with Kayak and avoided contacting her directly, focusing only on editing while exchanging messages.
“Is something wrong with Jae-jun?”
Meanwhile, Kayak, who was unaware of the circumstances, was left bewildered.
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