The girl’s head, which had been nodding anxiously, suddenly drooped down.
“…Hot.”
For a moment, she was startled and lifted her head.
Nod…
Once again, the large doll costume began to sway.
-Your little sister seems tired, huh?
-Definitely sleeping.
-Kids should be going to bed by now.
-What did you do with the room leader last night? (Message deleted.)
-See you later, lol.
“Are you sleepy?”
“Yeah… No….”
“…So, are you saying you’re sleepy or not?”
“I’m not sleepy….”
“If you’re sleepy, it’s okay to go sleep.”
“I’m not sleepy, I tell you….”
‘That’s not convincing at all.’
Isn’t she going to end up with a broken neck at this rate?
Da-eun, watching the swaying doll costume anxiously, finally hugged Kana gently.
“This won’t do. Let’s go to bed.”
“Okay….”
As Da-eun held her, Kana, who had been whining for a moment, soon began to breathe softly.
Why is she being stubborn when she’s going to fall asleep like this anyway?
Chirp, Da-eun smiled and went to another room, laying Kana down gently on the bed.
After a little tossing and turning, Kana seemed to enjoy the feel of the blanket wrapped around her, as if it were quite comforting.
“Kana, really… even if you’re sleepy, you should take off the costume to sleep.”
If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to sleep comfortably like that.
How could she sleep peacefully in that costume?
Was she that sleepy, or was she just used to it?
As Da-eun pondered this trivial question, she carefully removed the costume so that Kana wouldn’t wake up.
“Sleep well.”
Da-eun gave Kana a pillow for her head and left the room, heading back to the soundproof booth.
“I’m back.”
-Rickshaw
-Cadmium
-Car Center
-Kindness
-You’re back!!
-Wow!
-Did you put her to sleep?
“Should I say I put her to sleep…? She wouldn’t wake up, so I just laid her down.”
-Oh, I see.
-It’s that time to sleep soon.
-Still, that’s pretty early for kids these days.
-By any chance, are you older?
“She’s a bit weak, that’s all.”
-Sickly pretty girl, whoa.
-Does she actually have an illness?
-She did look a bit sickly.
“She doesn’t have an illness. It’s a bit complicated to explain, but she’s just not feeling well. I didn’t want to call her for the broadcast…”
-I’m sorry…
-Oh no, trash.
-To be honest, that was a bit concerning.
-If it were another room, it would have been over long ago.
As Da-eun deliberately trailed off, the viewers guessed the words she was swallowing.
In reality, even now, if Da-eun were to fight Kana, she would lose.
‘After all, she isn’t lying when she says she’s feeling unwell, right?’
She didn’t lie, at least.
Da-eun defiantly lifted her head.
– Isn’t the room leader going to sleep?
“Me? Um….”
Da-eun glanced at the chat and checked the time.
She had started late and had been chatting for quite a while, so time had flown by.
Indeed, it was time to sleep.
“I should go to bed now. I can’t sleep while the broadcast is still on, so I came to wrap things up.”
-No!!!
-ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
-Just a little more, pleaseㅠㅠ
-I just started the broadcast…
Thanks to the new rules, the atmosphere in the chat had become remarkably calm.
Of course, it wasn’t as until before, and the number of viewers had dropped quite a bit due to the mass bans and exits…
‘Still, this is much better.’
It really should have been like this from the start.
Why had the restaurants on the broadcast started to lose their flavor?
Was it because so many people flocked in that it couldn’t guarantee the existing service and quality?
Da-eun suddenly realized that broadcasting wasn’t all that special after all.
‘Should I hire some more staff at this opportunity…?’
Since starting Silia Online, her broadcasting style had changed a bit.
With so many changes, it was bound to cause problems if she tried to manage things like before.
‘I guess I should give them a bonus.’
If Da-eun felt this way, then the staff helping her would have had it much tougher.
As she organized her thoughts, someone in the chat posted:
-But you guys look really close.
-RL lol.
-Usually, if you were close when you were young, it becomes awkward as you age, right?
-It’s case by case, but there are many people like that.
-I was close as a kid, but it got awkward after middle school lol.
-How close do you have to be for a cousin sister to rush to you because she’s depressed…?
-Being close is one thing, but she simply seems kind.
-But why not to us…?
“Hahaha, my little sister is kind.”
To break it down, she wasn’t even a cousin sister, nor had she visited to comfort her depressed self.
But, thanks to that, it was a fact that she’d found solace, so wasn’t it a lie after all?
Thinking this, Da-eun smiled gently.
Thinking of Kana made the chat go wild again, but those who crossed the line were ruthlessly cut down by the sword of rules.
“As I mentioned, since we decided to live together from now on, I know we can’t avoid saying anything at all. But if you mention it out of nowhere or say something weird, you’ll be banned right away. I might even go so far as to pull out the invitation.”
-?
-Invitation?
-Fan meeting?
-Based on what?
“Yes, it’s a fan meeting invitation. Anyone wanting to have a fan meeting with the police officers can do so as they please.”
I didn’t want to be so restraining it this way, but.
However, there are things that must be done, whether one wants them or not.
Like an office worker who goes to work every morning.
‘When I was in Silia, I caused nothing but bother…’
Someday, the catastrophe that struck Silia might also strike Earth, as Kana and Edel mentioned.
When that happens, she wouldn’t be able to hide any longer.
But at least until then, or until Kana’s heart changes, she would do as Kana wanted.
“Anyway, I really need to go now. Sleep well, everyone.”
-Bye!
-Thanks for your hard work!
-Bbye bbye bbye
Having made up her mind, Da-eun ended the broadcast.
Amidst the darkened monitor, a familiar face smiled bitterly at Da-eun.
“…Even so, I ended up getting help again this time.”
How embarrassing.
What’s the difference between now and when she was in Silia?
Feeling the negative thoughts creeping up, Da-eun slapped her cheeks hard.
Smack!
“Get a grip!”
What difference is there?
Just a little pressure and she’s babbling like a fool.
“Kana said that too. Don’t worry too much.”
Since it was her own wrongdoing that caused the fuss, it was only right for her to clean it up.
She might have said that to comfort her because she was sighing heavily.
“She pretends not to care, but she is kind.”
In the end, the remark made by Kana was said without much thought, but if the outcome is good, does it really matter?
Unaware of the truth, Da-eun smiled contentedly at Kana’s kindness.
To keep dwelling on past mistakes would be to ignore Kana’s goodwill.
Thus, instead of repeatedly regretting the last matter, Da-eun refreshed her mindset.
“Should I order some chicken tomorrow?… I think she liked chicken the most when I checked last time.”
Muttering that, Da-eun picked up her phone.
To see the reactions to today’s broadcast, she first entered the fan cafe.
It was a place created for Da-eun, and thanks to the warning, the mentions of ‘little sister’ noticeably decreased.
Scanning through the posts on the cafe with satisfaction, her fingers moved busily.
“Next….”
Community.
While it wasn’t her favorite place, none could completely ignore it, seeing as a majority of the rumors sprouted from here.
In other words, if she could cut down on the unsettling sprouts growing here, many problems would be resolved.
“Hmm….”
As Da-eun sifted through the flood of posts in the community, she tilted her head.
“Why is it so quiet?”
She had thought they would be running wild disregarding the warning, but surprisingly, it was quiet.
Even when mentioning the little sister, instead of the intense words she had feared, there were many posts focusing on the content of the broadcast, such as ‘I heard they live together’ or ‘She seems to be unwell.’
Of course, it wasn’t completely absent…
Da-eun figured out the reason when she read a particular post.
“Oh, so that’s why?”
A post summarizing the incident when Da-eun sued those who hurled malicious words at her in the past.
Since Da-eun had punished them without leniency or settlement, it had become quite a hot topic, which she remembered.
Moreover, since it had been revealed that the other party was a minor, anyone without a backer had no choice but to tread carefully.
“The harsh laws on minors would definitely hurt. But thankfully, it doesn’t seem like it’ll go that far…”
It wasn’t a big issue to retain a lawyer.
The real problem was that there was a chance Kana’s identity could be revealed during the process of suing.
Someone without backers, to the point they would be sued, would definitely not keep quiet about it and would likely blabber online.
For now, it seemed like there wouldn’t be any such incidents, so Da-eun let out a relieved sigh.
[Am I the only one who thinks it’s strange?;]
Isn’t it suspicious that someone who was depressed after an NPC died got better just as their cousin sister came to visit?
(Picture of Kana sitting in a chair.jpg)
(A picture of a girl with a cat costume sitting in a chair.jpg)
Their body types are even similar.
Am I the only one suspicious…?
Occasionally, there were also posts tying the cousin sister to ‘Kana’, raising suspicions.
-So what are you trying to say?
┗RL so what are you getting at?
-Are you thinking the Earth is flat?
-If you’re controlled by a nano-chip, shake the carrot please.
-Sure, sure. Anyway, the moon landing is a scam.
They got treated worse than cheap conspiracy theories and were squashed.
As expected, the anticipated reaction.
Recognizing that her clarification broadcast had been successful, Da-eun happily left the community.
“Yawn…”
With the issues that had troubled her for days resolved and the concerns that had weighed on her mind not coming to pass, relief washed over her, bringing forth fatigue she had forgotten.
Letting out a yawn that seemed to split her face, she rubbed her eyes.
“I should go to sleep now….”
Click.
Turning off the light in the soundproof booth, Da-eun stumbled toward her bed.
When she reached the bed, Kana welcomed her back with the same appearance as when she left.
She looked just like a cocoon.
Snap.
“Heh.”
Da-eun, snapping a picture of the sleeping Kana, couldn’t help but smile softly.
So cute, really.
Then, carefully climbing into bed, she hugged the blanket bundle so that Kana wouldn’t wake up.
“Uh….”
Kana whined, seeming uncomfortable.
However, she must have been quite exhausted, as she didn’t open her eyes and fell back into a deep sleep.
“I just need to lie like this for a bit…”
Just a bit, then she would wake up, wash her face… and clean up a bit….
Contrary to Da-eun’s intentions, her eyelids grew heavier.
Hoo….
Eventually, her dark eyes disappeared completely from view.
In the dark room, only the two breathing sounds quietly lingered.
*
“?”
Morning arrived.
With the sunlight sneaking in through the improperly closed curtains, I woke up groggily, surveying my surroundings in confusion.
“…Why am I lying here?”
I was clearly broadcasting with Da-eun….
After blinking in confusion for a moment.
First, I thought to drive away the drowsiness, so I attempted to get up.
-I tried to get up.
If it hadn’t been for Da-eun, who was clutching me tightly.
Zzzzzzz…
“…”
With the blanket wrapped around me, alongside Da-eun hugging it as well.
In this stuck position, the only thing I could do was stare blankly.
“So frustrating…”
I muttered my feelings, but Da-eun showed no signs of waking up.
“Hmm.”
Deep in thought, I succumbed to the warm invitation of the blanket and closed my eyes again.
Oh, whatever.
I might as well catch a little more sleep.
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