Chapter 82 of The Genius Archer's Streaming Season 1

29. Fan Service (2)

The area where Sanghyun lives 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.

To Juhyeok, who had only 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.

It's almost winter; how are we supposed to handle it when it snows?

People living here can't even dream of owning a car, and climbing up on foot seems 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."

Sanghyun retorted at Juhyeok's grumbling.

Since his grandmother used to come and go, there was nothing to say.

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

"Yeah, that's right."

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

Juhyeok also sped up with a chuckle.

Squeak.

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

Thud!

"Ouch! This neighborhood!"

Indeed... no matter how positively you evaluate it, it's hard to call it a place you'd want to live in.

To be hit on the forehead by a neighbor's door while going down the stairs—Guhoe-dong is truly a dilapidated area.

"Huh?"

But there is one good thing about Guhoe-dong: the good neighbors.

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 Sanghyun, his face looked even scarier.

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

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

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

Sanghyun interjected.

"We keep running into each other."

"Ah, Almond. Hello."

Almond?

Sanghyun 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 these days."

"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 to Seo Ji-a, Sanghyun took the lead and headed towards the kimchi stew restaurant.

Actually, the reason he took the lead wasn't just to cut off Juhyeok's words.

'Something's off... It feels like they're looking at me...'

There was another reason.

-That's... huh?

-I don't know... but.

Murmurs troubled his ears.

He had been feeling someone watching him since they came to the city.

It had been an uncomfortable feeling.

'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 from correct.

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

* * *

Squeak.

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

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

Ten thousand years of tradition.

It was another hardship of this job to have to say this ridiculous phrase every time.

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

It always seemed like an extremely extreme concept, but since the owner had just come and laid down the law, the concept had to be maintained.

"Absolutely do it the same way. 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 this time. The profits will skyrocket. I see it that way! Don't worry! Just follow me! Got it?!"

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

Looking at the picture, I don't even know who it is. But he does have a good face.

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

Squeak.

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 guy 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's that doing here?

This is a kimchi stew restaurant.

"Why are you shouting!"

The manager barked, but the female staff'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."

"Who?"

"No, not a person! Almond the streamer! Don't you know?"

Streamer?

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

"How would I know a streamer..."

Ah.

Only then did Oh Dong-san realize why the female staff had assumed he should know about 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 an ad from this person just ten minutes before opening!

Boasting about how hard they were working!

'But what's so special about Almond to brag about?'

Oh Dong-san whispered to the female staff.

'Among game enthusiasts, he's hot. Kind of. Kind of! 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 good-looking!'

Kyaa!

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

"Sorry."

"Never mind. If you know him well, take care of the service. I'll handle the rest."

"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!

Sanghyun isn't stupid; he now understands.

'So, they recognize Almond?'

He always thought he was disconnected from it.

The game community, virtual reality games, and live streams were a different world from reality.

So, he thought the people in that world were also from a different world.

But when you think about it, even Sanghyun, who has never played a game, knows who Balloon Gum is.

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

It's not strange at all that someone would recognize him in the city.

"He seems to be a fan."

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

Her eyes were faintly cold.

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

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

"Wow, you're really popular."

Just as Sanghyun was about to retort to Juhyeok.

The female staff approached.

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

She looked like a cat, but her actions were like a dog.

"I'm here to take your order!"

The menu was quite 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 was the only one to speak up.

"Can we have a bottle of soju, too?"

"Soju! Got it!"

The staff loudly relayed the order to the kitchen.

And...

"Um..."

She blushed and handed something to Sanghyun.

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

Here we go.

Sanghyun nodded.

He should definitely do it. This was his first fan who asked for a signature.

"Sure, of course."

"Yay!"

She literally jumped for joy.

It was questionable whether this was appropriate for a staff member, but the manager, who seemed to be watching, looked pleased.

Swoosh.

Sanghyun signed it casually. Actually, this was the only signature he knew how to do.

"Hey! Your name too! Juhyeon!"

"Sure."

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

"Ah..."

Sanghyun was startled as he was about to write it without thinking.

"Excuse me?"

Write 'I love'?

"Um, can't you?"

This was awkward.

Sanghyun's mind was still that of an ordinary person. To him, 'I love' was a heavy word.

"If you can't..."

The staff's eyes were smiling, but they were tearing up.

"Just the name, please..."

"Sure, I understand."

Sanghyun refused to write 'I love.'

She hugged the signature as if it were a precious heirloom and left.

"Phew."

Sanghyun took a deep breath only after the staff was far enough away.

"What was that?"

"What? The pain of being famous."

Juhyeok chuckled.

This guy has been laughing a lot lately.

"At least it's a good thing."

Seo Ji-a muttered, glancing at the staff.

"What's good?"

"Just that nothing happened."

Despite her words, another shadow loomed over Sanghyun.

"Excuse me..."

This time, it wasn't a staff member.

"Can I take a photo with you?"

It was one of the women who had been staring at Sanghyun from outside.

She had followed him into the kimchi stew 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 grown in a greenhouse.

But for such a woman to be bold enough to follow him here was unbelievable.

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

Sanghyun stood up and naturally posed.

Seo Ji-a took the photo.

"Thank you! Kyaa!"

The woman confirmed the photo and returned to her seat.

Sanghyun apologized to the manager.

"Sorry, I didn't expect this."

"Ah, no! No need to apologize! I'm grateful!"

"Grateful?"

Why is the manager grateful?

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

More groups were entering, and they were clearly looking at Almond.

'I can't be that famous.'

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

This is due to Sanghyun's face. His face is more noticeable than he thought. People can recognize him in a crowd.

Usually, even if someone is a fan of a celebrity, they might not recognize them on the street.

But Sanghyun is different.

That's why, even if he's not a superstar, he receives 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.

Sanghyun's heart raced.

A few fans cautiously approached.

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

"I want an autograph!"

Since the manager was happy about it,

Sanghyun had no reason to refuse.

"Of course."

He smiled and stood up.

* * *

While the rookie star Almond was just beginning to feel his newfound fame,

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

[Electromagnetic Wave has started streaming!]

It was a comeback after three long years.