Chapter 82 of The Genius Archer's Streaming Season 1

29. Fan Service (2)

Xiaoxian's residence is undoubtedly a place that fits the description of a slum. Steep stairs that are far from convenient, low ceilings, anachronistic red brick houses, and old street lamps that flicker on and off repeatedly. For Juhyeok, who had only ever lived in wealthy neighborhoods, it was an unfamiliar environment.

"Phew. Every time I go down these stairs, it feels like a trial."

Juhyeok frowned deeply. Everything else was fine, but he wished they could do something about these stairs. With winter approaching, how would they manage when it snowed? People living here couldn't even dream of owning a car, and climbing up on foot would be difficult without the right equipment. At least, that's how it looked to Juhyeok.

"Hey, my grandma used to climb up here even in winter."

Xiaoxian retorted at Juhyeok's grumbling. Since his grandmother had done it, there was nothing more to say.

"Phew. It's my weakness, I guess."

"Yeah, that's right."

Xiaoxian nodded in satisfaction and walked ahead, saying, "I'm hungry. Let's hurry."

Juhyeok also sped up, chuckling.

Creak.

Suddenly, a door opened beside him, and he was hit on the forehead.

Thud!

"Ouch! This neighborhood!"

Indeed... No matter how positively you evaluated it, it was hard to consider it a place you'd want to live. The idea of being hit on the forehead by a neighbor's door while going down the stairs was a clear sign that Hugyeong was a dilapidated area.

"Huh?"

But Hugyeong had one good point: the neighbors were nice. Seo Ji-a was one of those neighbors, wasn't she?

"Does it hurt a lot?"

Ji-a, wearing a thick red scarf that suited her, came out, her eyes wide.

Seeing Juhyeok frowning as soon as she stepped out, it was understandable.

"Ah, Ji-a. Haha."

Juhyeok forced a smile, but to Xiaoxian, his expression looked even scarier.

"I'm fine... What can I do?"

"The layout of this neighborhood is a bit strange."

"Right? Haha. I wish I could tell the city planner to live here for a while."

Xiaoxian interjected.

"We keep running into each other."

"Ah, Almond. Hello."

Almond?

Xiaoxian scratched his head.

"Where are you going?"

"Huh?"

"Are you two going out somewhere?"

"Ah, no, we're not going out..."

Juhyeok interjected.

"We're going to eat. Do you want to join us?"

* * *

"Here it is."

Juhyeok pointed to a place with a huge sign and garish, eye-piercing primary colors that read "Oh Gang-woo Kimchi Stew."

"This place is popular lately."

"Ah, really? Haha. This is a secret, but this is where we... got the ad..."

"Hey, let's go."

Before Juhyeok could say something silly, Xiaoxian led the way into the kimchi stew restaurant.

In fact, there was more to his leading the way than just cutting off Juhyeok's words.

'What is it? It feels like they're looking at me...'

There was another reason, a bigger one.

-That's... huh?

-Well, I...

Murmurs troubled his ears.

He had been feeling watched since they entered the city, and it had been making him uncomfortable.

'Let's just get inside quickly.'

He thought it would be better once they were inside the kimchi stew restaurant.

However, his thoughts were far off the mark.

"Welcome! Ten thousand years of tradition..."

* * *

Creak.

As soon as the door opened, the staff, as instructed, loudly announced:

"Welcome! Ten thousand years of tradition! The taste of hell! Oh Gang-woo Kimchi Stew!!!"

Ten thousand years of tradition.

The absurdity of this phrase was another hardship of this job, having to say it every time.

The owner of this chain, Oh Dong-san, always thought, 'Let's just say ten thousand years or so.'

He always found the concept too extreme, but since the owner had just come and laid down the law, the concept had to be maintained.

"Absolutely the same. Ten thousand years. Not a thousand, not a hundred. Ten thousand! And the taste of hell! Got it?"

No chain store manager would defy such an order.

"I've secured a very hot friend for an ad. The profits will skyrocket. I see it! Don't worry! Just follow me! Got it?!"

Ah, yes, yes. He said it was hot.

Looking at the photo, I don't even know who it is. But he is handsome.

Phew... Well, the business is doing well, so let's just follow the same.

Creak.

The door opened again.

See? The business is doing well.

"Welcome! Ten thousand years of tradition..."

Huh?

The manager, who was bowing, tilted his head.

"The taste of hell! Oh Gang-woo Kimchi Stew!!!"

The loud shouts of the other staff filled the gap, but the strange question in his mind didn't go away.

'Where have I seen this person before?'

The shorter man among the three who just entered.

Where have I seen him? He looked familiar, too familiar.

"Kyaa!"

But before the question was resolved, a scream was heard. The manager's head whipped around.

Did someone spill the kimchi stew?

"Almond... Almond!"

Almond? What Almond is here?

This is a kimchi stew restaurant.

"Why are you shouting!"

The manager barked, but the female employee's eyes were fixed on the group that had just entered, and she didn't even look back.

Tap. Tap.

Unable to bear it, Oh Dong-san went over and touched her shoulder.

"What is it?"

"That's Almond."

"A person?"

"No! The streamer Almond! Don't you know?"

Streamer?

I'm forty years old. What are you talking about?

"How would I know a streamer..."

Oh.

Only then did Oh Dong-san realize why the female employee had assumed he should know the streamer Almond.

He should have known.

He should have known! Oh Dong-san! You fool!

"Ah! That ad..."

The franchise owner had bragged about getting this person for the ad just ten minutes before opening!

Boasting about how hard they were working!

'But what is Almond, to deserve such bragging?'

Oh Dong-san whispered to the female employee.

'Among game enthusiasts, he's hot. Really. Really! But honestly, he's better than the ads from those failing TV stations these days.'

'Oh, really? The world has changed.'

'Right? And...'

'What?'

'He's handsome!'

Kyaa!

Oh Dong-san frowned as she burst out laughing right in his ear.

"Sorry."

"Never mind. If you know him well, serve him. I'll handle the service."

"Yes! But... can I get an autograph?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Yay! Loyalty! Loyalty!"

* * *

As soon as they entered, someone suddenly screamed and pointed at him.

Ah... Almond!

Xiaoxian, not being a fool, now understood.

'So, they recognize Almond?'

He always thought he was disconnected from the world of online games, virtual reality games, and live streams.

He thought the people in that world were different from the real world.

But even Xiaoxian, who had never played a game, knew who Balloon Gum was.

Seo Ji-a had recognized him in the neighborhood and followed him.

It wasn't strange that someone in the city would recognize him.

"He seems to be a fan."

Seo Ji-a muttered, glancing at the female employee.

Her eyes were faintly cold.

"Not a fan, just someone who recognized him."

For some reason, Xiaoxian answered as if making an excuse. Juhyeok just chuckled at the sight.

"Wow, you're really popular."

Just as Xiaoxian was about to retort to Juhyeok.

The female employee approached.

She stuck to Xiaoxian's side and handed him a menu.

She looked like a cat, but acted like a dog.

"I'm here to take your order!"

The menu was simple, which he liked.

"Three servings of the Nine Hells Kimchi Stew, please."

"Sure! Nine thousand won! Nine Hells! Kimchi Stew! This is a special menu with squid, so do you have any seafood allergies?"

Seo Ji-a spoke up.

"Also, a bottle of soju, please."

"Soju! Got it!"

The employee loudly relayed the order to the kitchen.

And...

"Um..."

She blushed and handed something to Xiaoxian.

"Is this Almond? Can you sign this for me?"

Here we go.

Xiaoxian nodded.

Of course, he should. This was his first fan to ask for a signature.

"Sure, of course."

"Yay!"

She jumped around openly.

It was questionable whether an employee should act like this, but the manager, who seemed to be watching, looked pleased.

Swish.

Xiaoxian signed it casually. In fact, this was the only signature he knew how to do.

"Also, write your name! Juhyeon!"

"Sure."

"Ah, and write 'I love Juhyeon'!"

"Ah..."

Xiaoxian was startled, writing it without thinking.

"Really?"

'Love'?

"Um, no?"

This was awkward.

Xiaoxian's mind was still that of an ordinary person. 'Love' was a heavy word for him.

"If you can't..."

The employee's eyes were smiling, but they were teary.

"Just the name, please..."

"Sure."

Xiaoxian didn't write 'love' in the end.

She hugged the autograph like a precious heirloom and left.

"Phew."

Xiaoxian took a deep breath only after the employee was far enough away.

"What was that?"

"What? The pain of being famous."

Juhyeok chuckled.

This guy has been laughing a lot lately.

"Fortunately."

Seo Ji-a muttered, glancing at the employee.

"What's fortunate?"

"Just that nothing happened."

Despite her words, another shadow fell over Xiaoxian.

"Excuse me..."

This time, it wasn't an employee.

"Can I take a photo with you?"

One of the women who had been staring at Xiaoxian from outside had followed him into the restaurant.

"Um, weren't you outside?"

"Ah..."

The woman's face was red, perhaps from the cold.

"Yes... But I'm here to eat. Don't worry about being a bother."

So she did follow him in.

She looked like a delicate flower, but to follow him this far was quite bold. Xiaoxian couldn't believe it.

"Sure, I'll take a photo with you."

Xiaoxian stood up and naturally posed.

Seo Ji-a took the photo.

"Thank you! Kyaa!"

The woman confirmed the photo and returned to her seat.

Xiaoxian apologized to the manager.

"Sorry, I didn't expect this."

"No, no! Not at all! I'm grateful!"

"..."

Grateful?

Why was the manager grateful?

Xiaoxian was puzzled for a moment, but following the manager's pleased gaze, he saw the answer.

More groups were entering, clearly looking at Almond.

'I can't be that famous.'

Almond was famous, but not to the point where people would recognize him on the street.

It was because of Xiaoxian's face. His face was more noticeable than he thought. People could recognize him in a crowd.

While it was common for fans to miss celebrities on the street,

Xiaoxian was different.

Thus, even without being a superstar, he received this level of attention.

"Ah, Almond? Really? Sir, we'll have two servings of 666 Kimchi Stew."

"How lucky..."

"Is that him?"

"Can we take a photo?"

"Who's the woman next to him?"

"Maybe his sister?"

Once they noticed, the whispers filled his ears.

They were all talking about Almond.

Xiaoxian's heart raced.

A few fans approached cautiously.

"Almond, can I take a photo with you?"

"I want an autograph!"

Since the manager was happy,

Xiaoxian had no reason to refuse.

"Of course."

He smiled and stood up.

* * *

At the moment when the rookie star Almond was just beginning to feel his popularity,

An account that had been inactive for a long time went live.

It was a comeback after three years.