Chapter 64 of The Genius Archer's Streaming Season 1

23. Advertisement (2)

The next day.

Juhyeok told Sanghyun about the news regarding the advertisement, with great excitement.

“Punk called this morning and told me.”

Yesterday, it wasn't confirmed, so he didn't mention it, but this morning, Punk also contacted him.

Now, if Sanghyun agrees, the advertisement will proceed.

Juhyeok handed Sanghyun the tablet screen and shouted.

"Advertisement!"

Dun dun.

A pose that should be accompanied by such a sound in the background.

"…Advertisement?"

"Yeah, take a look."

Sanghyun slowly read through the content.

But his expression gradually hardened.

"Don't you like advertisements? Why do you look like that?"

"I like advertisements. Of course, I do."

"Then?"

"Medical check…"

Among the test items, there was a medical check.

It seemed to be a nominal check to say, "Our Fantasia cares about such things."

Is that what's bothering you? Juhyeok was a bit puzzled.

"Why?"

Sigh.

Sanghyun let out a shallow sigh.

'What is it?'

Juhyeok couldn't figure out what Sanghyun was worried about.

"Tell me what it is."

Sanghyun answered after gulping down the remaining cereal.

"It's because more people are starting to know about my right hand."

Because of his right hand?

"Is there a black dragon hidden in there?"

"Not a black dragon, but a trauma."

"…"

Juhyeok was speechless.

'You were that worried about it?'

The weight of the right hand to Sanghyun, who had dreamed of being an archer, was something Juhyeok couldn't understand.

He couldn't empathize.

"Once you do the medical check, they'll definitely find out."

"But I already told the manager, didn't I?"

"Sure, he's a reliable person in that position. And at that time, it was necessary. But this is just a broadcast. Everything will be shown in that moment, right?"

"I'll make sure it doesn't get shown. Just let me know in advance. That's a given…"

"No, I don't even want the production company to know. How can I trust them?"

"…What? But, you need to do a medical check anyway! Don't you check your condition every time a capsule appears?"

"That's just something you can do at the hospital."

"How many people in this country can interpret capsule and brainwave tests together? And it's not cheap. The medical team at Fantasia is famous! Get the best for free!"

"…"

Sanghyun was silent.

Juhyeok thought he understood what Sanghyun was worried about.

"Are you worried your former colleagues will find out?"

"Shut up, brat."

Thud.

Sanghyun put down his spoon on the table and cut off the conversation.

His eyes were blazing.

Juhyeok knew Sanghyun was sensitive about his former colleagues, but he didn't expect this much.

"Haa. Think about it. Tell me."

Juhyeok said this and put on his thin coat.

"Where are you going? You haven't eaten."

"I'll eat out. And is that even a meal? It's just cereal! Damn it!"

Thud.

Juhyeok said this and just walked out.

"…"

Sanghyun stared at the closed door for a long time.

Then he looked out the window. He saw Juhyeok walking down the stairs.

Sanghyun looked at his reflection in the window and muttered.

"Idiot."

His head drooped.

"It's natural you don't understand."

* * *

"Even though you're not a foreigner, you always eat cereal… I went abroad and came back."

Juhyeok, who rarely went out in the morning, looked at the alley stairs and thought.

'Today is trash day, isn't it?'

He saw a few people coming down with trash bags.

"I'll just throw it out myself."

Realizing he had no intention of doing it, he continued on his way.

I should have some ox blood soup today.

"Uh…"

Suddenly, he met a woman coming out with a trash bag twice her size.

"Hello, Ji-a."

It was Seo Ji-a.

As if nothing had happened, Juhyeok smiled and held out his hand.

"I'll take it."

"Ah, it's okay…"

Seo Ji-a almost had it snatched away by Juhyeok.

At 180 cm, the trash bag didn't look that big when Juhyeok carried it.

"Thank you."

* * *

Thud.

Ji-a's trash bag was added to the pile.

"Thank you."

Ji-a bowed.

"Ah, yes. It's nothing. Let me know anytime."

"But you live here, don't you?"

Oops.

Seo Ji-a didn't know that Juhyeok had moved in with Sanghyun.

"Ah… well, that is…"

He was at a loss for words. It wasn't a difficult question, but he was taken aback by it.

"If it's inconvenient, don't worry about it."

"Ah, yes. Thank you."

"Sanghyun?"

"Ah. That guy is just staying here. Haha."

Seo Ji-a sensed from his tone that they had fought.

'They fought.'

She knew that Seo Ji-a was an early riser.

It was strange, though…

"Ah. Ji-a. How about some ox blood soup? I'll treat you."

"?! "

She likes it.

She has a surprisingly old man's taste.

Ji-a nodded.

* * *

Clunk.

A kind-looking auntie put down a steaming bowl.

It was full of delicious-looking ox blood and meat.

"Need anything else?"

Juhyeok was about to say "No" with a smile.

But…

"Give me a bottle of soju."

"…?"

Ji-a ordered soju.

"…"

"Why? You're not buying me soju?"

"Ah, no, that's not it."

Juhyeok was a bit flustered.

She was quite bold. He remembered she was like this when they signed the contract.

'Did something bad happen?'

After all, it was strange for a man to invite her to eat ox blood soup and for her to follow along.

Something must have happened, and it didn't seem good.

Juhyeok was dazed for a moment, then just started eating the ox blood soup.

'It's delicious.'

After eating cereal all the time, finally having a hearty breakfast made him feel alive.

"Here. Soju~"

The green bottle on the table.

Clunk.

Ji-a skillfully opened the soju bottle and handed it to Juhyeok.

The bottle mouth pointed at Juhyeok like a gun.

"Are you not taking it?"

Juhyeok hesitated. It was the first time he was drinking soju in the morning.

"Ah… Ji-a, you drink. I'm fine."

"You look like you need it too."

"…"

That was true.

He did feel like drinking.

"Alright, one glass."

Juhyeok quietly picked up the small, transparent glass.

Clunk.

The transparent liquid filled the small glass.

After filling it, Ji-a filled her own glass.

"…"

Juhyeok tried to help, but it was already done.

Clunk.

She drank it in one go without clinking glasses.

"Hah."

She let out a shallow breath and started eating the ox blood soup.

'How old did she say she was?'

The scene made him wonder about her age.

Noticing his gaze, Ji-a looked up.

"I can't eat if someone stares at me."

"Ah… sorry. I'll eat."

"You don't have to apologize. Just drink your soju."

"…"

Juhyeok felt like a broken robot.

Should he really drink?

'Yeah, why not. I'm not an office worker anymore.'

He had just run out of the house.

Now he could live by his own rules.

Not someone else's rules, but Kim Juhyeok's rules.

Gulp.

He closed his eyes and poured the transparent liquid into his mouth. The bitter taste of alcohol hit him.

"Ugh…!"

Ji-a immediately refilled his glass.

Juhyeok tried to refuse, but it was too late.

Clunk.

The glass swayed.

"Whatever it is, in my experience, this often helps a lot."

Ji-a tapped the soju glass.

"Do you usually drink in the morning?"

"What's wrong with that? Is it less harmful to drink at night?"

Pfft.

A slightly flushed smile.

"You're ruining the start of the day."

"I'm at the end of my day."

"…?"

Gulp.

Ji-a drank again.

Juhyeok looked at the table. There were already two green bottles.

When did she order them?

"I'll say when I'm done, that's the end of my day."

"…"

"Is that not okay? You're not going to work anyway. Screw it."

She seemed drunk.

First, she was talking a lot, which was different from her usual self.

"Are you starting your day with a fight?"

"…?!"

"Did you think I wouldn't know? Even a passing dog would know."

"Is that so."

"Just say it's the end. It's better than starting with a fight. If you fight at the end, there's always tomorrow."

Juhyeok also poured the soju into his mouth.

His head was spinning.

His mind was getting dull.

"People don't talk about their problems. They just keep pushing and end up breaking."

"…?"

"Almond said that."

Yoo Sanghyun said that?

"Nothing much. Really."

Juhyeok thought for a moment.

Should he tell her?

But looking at Ji-a's intense gaze, he let out a shallow breath.

"Hah. Well…"

He decided to tell her, using the alcohol as a crutch.

He explained as well as he could, excluding the story about Sanghyun's right arm.

He got an advertisement, but he refused the medical check. He mentioned some trauma…

Seo Ji-a's reaction was this.

"If he has trauma, can't you just leave him alone?"

She spoke with a slurred tongue.

"Just… leave him alone…"

"But it's related to his health and the advertisement."

"Does Almond not know that?"

"…?"

"Almond knows it's related. But he still said it's trauma."

Juhyeok felt like he had been hit in the head.

'Right.'

Sanghyun fully understood the situation. He was just worried about his right hand.

It must have been a big worry.

"Hah. That's why men… can't be trusted…"

Seo Ji-a lowered her head and shook it.

Then she muttered softly.

'Garbage.'

It was a very quiet voice, but Juhyeok heard it and instinctively felt it.

If Sanghyun had a problem with his right hand, Seo Ji-a had a problem with men.

* * *

Seo Ji-a was fortunately not as drunk as he thought.

She could walk home on her own.

It seemed like she was just acting earlier.

"Thank you for the meal."

She bowed and disappeared into her house.

Juhyeok also returned to Sanghyun's house.

"Hey, I'm back!"

He tried to change the atmosphere a bit by shouting loudly as he entered.

"What? Did you drink?"

Sanghyun looked at Juhyeok with disbelief.

'Kim Juhyeok drinking in the afternoon?'

He would believe the world was ending tomorrow.

"Ah, yeah. Had a drink. Hah. I feel better."

Kim Juhyeok immediately threw himself onto the sofa.

Thud.

"Damn."

Sanghyun shook his head in disbelief. Then he said casually.

"Hey, Oh Manager set the shooting date."

"…What?"

Juhyeok, who was lying like a corpse, suddenly sat up.

"What did he set?"

"The advertisement shooting. He said we're doing it. It's tomorrow."

"!"

While Juhyeok was out, Sanghyun had made the arrangements.

"…Are you okay with that?"

Sanghyun looked at his right hand.

"Can't avoid it forever. That's what being a streamer is. It's not a big deal, as you said. But…"

Sanghyun turned his head.

His eyes had a strange glint.

"Got a girlfriend?"

"Eh? What are you talking about?!"

"You wouldn't suddenly drink in the afternoon alone."

"Ah, no. What are you talking about? I drank with Seo Ji-a."

"Eh?!"

With Seo Ji-a?

A woman… with a woman…

He was surprised, but then he remembered what Seo Ji-a had said.

"I don't talk to people well. Maybe if I drink, it'll be different."

She seemed to like drinking.

"Ah, she does seem to like it."

"Yeah, I knew. She seems to really like it."

"Does she drink well?"

"Yeah, she drinks smoothly. I think she drinks better than Shim Manager in our company."

"Better than Shim Manager? That's a bit much."

"She seems to have a lot of stories, like Shim Manager."

At the word "stories," Sanghyun nodded.

"Yeah, she does."

He remembered Ji-a's somewhat dark face.

"Do you have an interest in her? Seo Ji-a is quite cute."

"…I don't know."

Sanghyun had a strange expression.

It was as if he had forgotten what it felt like to be interested in someone.

* * *

That day, Almond's broadcast was on hiatus.

Only a brief notice was posted.

[Today's broadcast is on hiatus! I have an important shooting tomorrow, so I have a lot to prepare!]

-What? Why on hiatus? ㅠㅠ

-Shooting?!

-Almond! Are you a top-tier streamer?!

-What kind of shooting?

-Huh, why suddenly?!

-Almond is going to the Diamond rank?!

-Ugh

Many viewers were in agony.

At the same time, they were curious.

Suddenly, a shooting? If it required preparation the day before, it must be a big deal.

And…

They received news about Almond from an unexpected place.

[The hottest battle royale streamer, Almond, invited to the Fantasia channel.]

It was a game news section.