The match against ACL had just ended.
While I never thought we would lose, it was undeniably a match burdened with high expectations.
It would be accurate to say we had passed a significant hurdle.
Since the match had been a complete victory, the teamâs atmosphere was quite positive throughout our return.
Even Outlaw, who usually spoke little, seemed visibly excited.
Especially Hekate, who was very joyful.
She had struggled quite a bit against Sparrow during the spring league.
Having successfully countered that head-on, today's match must have felt exhilarating.
Humans are creatures heavily influenced by their surroundings.
Of course, I was no exception.
I needed someone to share this feeling with, so as soon as we arrived at the dorm, I turned on the broadcast.
[Title: Just a Brief Broadcast Before Sleeping]
[âSigma Ga-wolâ is live.]
[ON AIR | 00:00:05 | WEBCAM]
Oh no.
I should have set up the camera beforehand.
It had been so long since I did a face-cam stream that I completely forgot.
âHello! Can you see me well?â
I secured the camera to prevent it from shaking and checked the screen appearing on the monitor.
Aside from being a bit too close, there werenât any major issues.
Oh my!
Whatâs with the cleavage right from the start?
Yes, this is it!
It seemed my chest was close to the camera.
I need to be more careful next time.
Anyway, even though I turned on the stream without notice, many people had come to watch.
Seeing the chat fill up so quickly put me in a good mood.
It felt like warmth was spreading inside me.
I should have grabbed a drink or something.
There should be some beer in the refrigerator downstairs.
If Iâd also gotten some snacks, it would have been even better.
âI havenât been able to stream much lately, so I thought Iâd turn it on like this. Itâs been a while.â
So where is this?
Tenny, itâs your fault we lost again in solo queue.
Stop using the chain scythe already!
This seems to be Sigmaâs dorm; I think Iâve seen it in a video.
Show us your room!
âItâs the dorm, indeed. Itâs my room. Would you like to take a look? Itâs nothing special, though.â
Even though my room isnât very exciting, I didnât mind showing it if the viewers were curious.
It was basically a room that hadnât changed much from what Sigma provided.
I still used the furniture that was there, and I hadnât really changed my blankets or cushions.
If I took out all my stuff, it would fit into just one suitcase.
The only notable items would be⦠my pajamas hanging in the closet and a rolled-up yoga mat in the corner?
I should have put away the pajamas.
I hadnât realized I had hung them up since I had worn them for so long.
It was such a natural sight that I didnât even think about it.
âThe yoga mat is for light exercises in my room. Since my legs arenât great, most of my exercises involve sitting or lying down. Itâs convenient to have one.â
It was something my instructor had given me in the past.
Since I couldnât go to the dojo, he had suggested I stretch instead.
Other than that, there wasnât much else I kept in the room.
âThe room looks a bit empty, right? Iâm sorry if you were expecting something more. I donât have a hobby of collecting things.â
I had always been like that since I was young.
Simply put, I lacked material desires.
I never thought much about needing to save money, but I also hadnât had many things I wanted.
As long as I could buy what I needed at the time, that was enough.
Most of what I bought was related to kendo, anyway.
Even electronic devices like my tablet were ones my parents had bought for me, and I had used them for a long time.
Well, even if I had a hobby of spending money, I would have had to put it aside for a while.
It hadnât been long since my bank balance had started to have some breathing room.
Just a few months ago, I was in a position where every penny mattered.
As I looked at the chat, more and more voices started to gather.
âDo you want to see me in my pajamas? I usually wear them inside, so Iâm a bit shy⦠Um, okay. I guess pajamas should be fine. Iâll just turn the camera for a moment.â
Oh, shadow!
Crazy girl, crazy girl, crazy girl!
(This chat has been blocked.)
No, Your Honor, she tempted me first!
I pointed the camera toward the wall and changed my clothes.
Since it was something I wore often, I hadnât thought much about it, but it seemed like my chest made the shirt ride up a little.
But this should be fine.
Itâs not like itâs too revealing, and thereâs no way to hide it.
If I showed any signs of being self-conscious, it would only emphasize it further.
Thinking about it, this is the first time Iâm showing this comfortable a side of myself.
Usually, when I appeared on broadcasts, I put in a bit of effort.
Especially when I was with Elderin, I was often half-forced into putting on makeup.
Compared to that, now I was in a relaxed state.
It wouldnât be good if I became too relaxed, but still.
I perched myself on the edge of the bed and turned the camera back.
âThis is how I usually am in my room. So, since Iâve changed clothes, shall we just chat for a bit? I really wanted to get an all-kill todayâ¦â
As I spoke quietly, my hands felt a little restless.
I grabbed a pillow and hugged it, starting to speak softly again.
It was enjoyable to have someone listening to me.
I shared stories one by one, and if there were any questions, I answered them sincerely.
In the community, my broadcasts had been surprisingly praised for how well I answered questions, saying they were quite enriching.@@novelbin@@
That was something I took pride in.
I would have preferred it if the word âsurprisingâ had been omitted, though.
As the broadcast continued for over an hour,
one viewerâs donation caught my attention.
ãSoran is a Girl has donated 10,000 wonã
ãAre you feeling unwell? You look quite pale.ã
Glancing at the mirror, it was true.
My skin was generally pale, but today it looked a bit lifeless.
I guess the fatigue had piled up more than I thought.
âOhâ¦? Now that you mention it, I suppose it is. I guess Iâm tired. Shall we end it here for today?â
Thatâs strange.
I didnât feel this bad while I was in the arena earlier.
Somehow, this condition felt strangely familiar.
Speaking of which, what day was it today?
Suddenly, chills ran down my spine.
Every woman has a visitor they meet once a month.
Itâs called a period or menstruation.
Fortunately, these days, I didnât spill blood on my blanket, but⦠it was still not a welcome presence.
Moreover, it seemed that my menstrual cramps were pretty severe.
In the past, I hadnât known because I had no comparison, but these days I had other women around me.
Especially Hekate and Luche, who lived in similar spaces.
Compared to those two, my cramps were distinctly painful.
Still, it wasnât to the point where I couldnât move at all.
I was menstruating, not dying of a terminal illness.
âSo, you came over even though youâre in pain?â
Today was the day I had promised to meet with Elderin.
It wasnât for anything grand; we just planned to have a meal together.
Being a professional gamer doesnât mean you donât have days off.
Unless thereâs an important tournament coming up, pushing every day without rest can lead to negative effects.
You reach a limit at some point if you keep that up.
In short, the timing of my pain was just right.
If it were my usual cycle, it wouldnât be a huge issue for the next training or match.
âI made a promise to meet in advance, you know? I donât have a fever or anything.â
âDo you know how terrible you look? Youâre even sweating cold.â
â...Iâm sorry.â
No.
In truth, that was all an excuse.
The pain I felt in my lower abdomen was indeed real.
It felt as if my lower belly were being torn apart, as if something sharp were scraping inside.
The fatigue washing over my whole body was undeniable.
But more than that, it was the mental fluctuations that were worse.
For no reason, I felt as though my life had come to an end.
When I lived alone, I usually solved it by bathing in warm water.
I could take a shower in Sigmaâs dorm too, but⦠I didnât want to show my weak side to my teammates just yet.
I wanted to meet someone who could be there for me as Daeun, not as Ga-wol.
So I forced myself to keep my promise with Elderin.
âLetâs skip the restaurant for now. Letâs just rest at my place for a bit.â
âOkay⦠Iâm sorry.â
âThereâs no need to apologize. If a sick person loses all their energy, thatâs no good. Get better quickly.â
Even though the promise had gone awry, Elderin didnât get angry.
Instead, she invited me home to let me take a short nap.
Was it because someone was there to provide warmth?
After napping for an hour or so, I certainly felt better.
After eating warm abalone porridge, I felt even more okay.
âAre you feeling drowsy or anything?â
âNo. I wasnât entirely sleepless today.â
âAlright. Then, do you want to lie down here for a bit?â
â...?â
Elderin patted the spot in front of her on the sofa.
When I lay down as directed, her soft hand began to gently caress my belly.
The peculiar feeling made my toes curl.
âUh, sister?â
âYou said your menstrual cramps were quite bad, right?â
âYeah⦠I did?â
âIf I do this, itâll feel a bit better. Iâll rub your belly and give your uterus a massage; it should relieve some discomfort.â
For a moment, my mind stopped.
What do you mean, massage...?