It's a Gender-Reversed World, But I Don't Go Out Anyway - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: IRL Stream Stalker

* * *

[What’s happening? What’s happening?]

[The broadcast screen is moving around]

[Our Daeju is finally joining society ㅠㅠ[1] Mom always believed in youㅠㅠ]

[Don’t these idiots check Daeju’s community page? He’s just going to the mart]

[Who even checks that?]

These toxic viewers who always flood in when I start streaming are starting to feel welcome now. I needed to say something for the stream, but speaking outside wasn’t exactly easy.

The camera was naturally pointed ahead of me rather than at my face.

The supermarket wasn’t too far from where I was. About a 10-minute walk. But maybe because it was summer, each step felt excruciatingly slow. With every step, I felt beads of sweat forming on my forehead and head, which was unpleasant. Usually, I would’ve channeled this discomfort into complaining to viewers about the heat, but I couldn’t do that outside.

Since I couldn’t stay silent forever, I mustered up some courage to speak.

“Um… everyone”

[Oh, he spoke.]

[He can even talk… our boy’s all grown up…]

[Why is he whispering like that? Is this ASMR?]

[I think it’s nice]

Only after confirming there was nobody around did I manage to quietly greet the viewers.

The reactions were questioning why I was acting this way. Conversely, I wondered how other streamers managed to overcome this embarrassment during their IRL streams.

“It’s embarrassing so I’ll talk less…”

[We’re embarrassing to you?]

[Probably.]

[I see]

[At this rate, he’ll probably go completely mute at the mart.]

“By then I might… get used to it…”

I paused mid-sentence as a woman passed by, then resumed speaking. Because of that, my words lost all their meaning. So much for getting used to it.

Since starting the stream, I’d been flinching every time a car passed by, pretending to watch YouTube or watch streams, somehow awkwardly trying to hide the fact that I was streaming.

The viewers seemed to find fresh entertainment in my behavior.

[lolololol]

[The real basement warrior turns into a complete normie once outside]

[I feel a sense of kinship with you, streamer]

[Honestly, I’m not even this bad lol]

“…ahem”

[That’s the most timid ‘ahem’ ever]

[Makes me want to bully him so bad lmao]

[This is a rare glimpse into the life of a socially awkward person…]

Reading chat while being conscious of my surroundings and speaking – this whole process was incredibly embarrassing.

I could already imagine that at this rate, I wouldn’t be able to say a word at the mart. So I decided to establish rules for streaming without being noticed, at least to maintain minimal communication.

“Um… if I go ‘hmm’ it means no, and if I go ‘ahem ahem’ it means yes. Please understand accordingly.”

For the first time, I spoke in an audible voice. In fact, it was more like declaring that I wouldn’t speak from now on, which was accurate.

As I got closer to the mart, more people started appearing on the street, and I was becoming increasingly embarrassed about holding my phone up to film straight ahead.

[Hmm…sex]

[Can’t you just say yes or no instead?]

[We’ll interpret however we want, so don’t worry and just hmm or ahem away]

[Fr lol just speak if you’re annoyed]

Like that would work.

Anyway, after walking for 10 minutes while completely on edge, I arrived at the supermarket. No matter what, there would always be people around inside the supermarket, so I had no choice but to communicate secretly with viewers through these codes.

Trying not to get caught streaming, I walked while covering my phone with both hands as if texting or using KakaoTalk, which only made me look more suspicious.

In a world that wasn’t gender-reversed, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone reported me for taking hidden camera footage, given how suspicious I looked.

[Is this an outdoor stream or hidden camera stream]

[Looking at where he walked from, this is the H-mart in front of my house, should I go?]

[Oh go and quickly knock him down and do that thing]

[What thing?]

[You know! That thing!]

[Sex]

Faced with the crisis of a potential fan meeting with toxic viewers, I indicated no.

Remember the promise from earlier, ‘hmm’ means no.

“Hmm…”

[What did that mean again?]

[Doesn’t that mean yes? He’s telling us to come quickly lmao]

[I have perfect memory and that definitely means yes.]

Like that would work.

First, I headed straight to basement floor 1 upon entering the mart.

Basement floor 1 was marked for food, daily necessities, and miscellaneous items, but I wasn’t sure if power drills and hoses would be included here. Going down to the basement, as expected of a large mart, there were people everywhere, and items were densely arranged, so it looked like it would take time to find what I needed.

Still, I thought I could find it in about 10 minutes. Though it looked spacious, most of it was the food section. If I skip the food section while searching—

***

[What has this guy been doing for 20 minutes?]

[There are no drills or hoses on basement floor 1]

[But sometimes large places like this have them, right?]

[I think I saw some nails earlier.]

[Just ask an employee please.]

“Hmm…”

Asking would be best. But it’s not easy. All the visible employees were busy stocking ramen or soda, sweating even in the air-conditioned mart – asking where to find drills and hoses? Isn’t that difficult?

At times like this, I really resented my extreme shyness. Why aren’t drills and hoses available for same-day delivery on delivery apps?

After hesitating, I finally made up my mind. How long would it take to search this huge mart? I should just close my eyes and ask, then grab the drill and hose so I can install the air conditioner in my sweltering one-room as quickly as possible.

[Oh he’s going]

[He already went? I’m not there yet lol]

[?]

[Is it that hard to approach people? Lololol He’s walking so sneakily]

[It is hard]

“Excuse me…”

“Ah, yes yes.”

When I mustered up the courage to speak, a female employee who was moving boxes to stock ramen stopped what she was doing and looked down at me. She was looking down because she was on a ladder, not because I’m short. Really.

Actually, since coming to this gender-reversed world, the proportion of tall women seemed to have increased, but that’s not important, and I forcefully opened my reluctant mouth to squeeze out a word.

“Um… hose….”

[Ah fuck this is so frustrating lololol]

[Just speak louder]

[Um… don’t have…? Of course vocal cords.]

[But I get how he feels lol it’s not easy]

“Hmm… Ah! Are you looking for chicken because of Boknal[2]? Which number chicken are you looking for?”

“No…ah…uh…”

“The chicken is over in the meat section right next to the pork! The eggs are right there too, so it’ll be easy to find!”

“Ah…yes…thank you…”

[Lololololo Is this for real? Lololol]

[Why couldn’t you say no lol]

[Our Daeju will eat well for Boknal ^^ lololo]

[This guy is… ‘real’?.]

After saying that, the female employee resumed stocking ramen with a slightly proud expression. Even so, I couldn’t ask again.

Unable to even object to the employee’s kind voice, I trudged toward the meat section she had pointed to.

Even though I knew this wasn’t the time, I was perfectly acting like I was contemplating by picking up and putting down chicken.

[Lmao Since she kindly showed you, let’s just buy chicken and the medicinal herbs next to it and make samgyetang[3] lolol]

[Lololol that’s the polite thing to do]

[Honestly, I would have bought it.]

[My head hurts from laughing too much lol]

[I can’t believe someone like this actually exists…]

“Hmm! Ahem!”

Though it was quiet, I believe it was heard clearly enough since I brought my mouth close to the phone’s microphone.

[Let’s go!]

[That roughly means he’ll ban everyone when he gets home]

[This guy turns back into a warrior once he’s back in his room lol]

While looking around, determined to properly ask about the location of the power drill and hose this time, I noticed a woman walking straight toward me from far away.

She was quite tall, and not only was most of her face covered with a mask and hat, but she was also wearing sunglasses, so all that was visible was her hands and arms in short sleeves. If I wasn’t mistaken, she was approaching me in a straight line. Though her sunglasses hid her gaze, I felt like our eyes might be meeting.

[What’s this? What’s this?]

[IRL stream stalker incoming~]

[Isn’t that the toxic viewer who said this was in front of their house?]

[Ah whatever hurry up and have sex]

I was so stunned I even forgot to read the incoming chat.

The woman who approached me handed something over. When I looked closely at what it was—

“Huh?”

A power drill and hose, and even though it was just by eye, it was a small hose that looked like it would fit behind the air conditioner I had checked. I was about to thank her, thinking she must be a viewer, but she was already walking away in a straight line, just as she had approached.

“Eh?”

[What, she just leaves like that?]

[Like streamer, like viewer lol]

[Then take the samgyetang ingredients and what you got to the counter]

[Ah fuck why didn’t you have sex!]

I’m not sure what to make of this.

Anyway, though I was flustered, now that I had the drill and hose, there was no reason to stay at the mart, so I headed straight to the checkout counter. The hose was very cheap, and while the drill wasn’t cheap, I didn’t think it was a waste of money since I could use it repeatedly.

By the way, I bought the chicken and samgyetang ingredients too.

These were cheap.

* * *

(End of Chapter)

T/N:
1. “ㅠㅠ” – Korean emoticon representing crying or tears
2. “Boknal” – Traditional Korean summer days when people traditionally eat chicken soup (samgyetang) for stamina
3. “Samgyetang” – Korean ginseng chicken soup

Moving forward, it will be 5 coins per chapter. I will be releasing one chapter daily, with two new chapters available for paid users (except on Saturdays).