Chapter 25: Broadcasting Brings Money (Part 2)

Lee Kyungbok scrutinized the chart filled with numbers. Choi Byunghoon chuckled at his friend’s surprised expression.

“I made about nine million won from Tri alone.”

The revenue generated during the live broadcast was close to nine million won. For someone who had just started streaming, it was unimaginably huge.

“You were lucky.”

“Yes, indeed. Almost half of that came from completing Q Agent’s quest.”

During the stream, a viewer named ‘Q Agent’ presented him with a quest offering quite a substantial reward.

“But you wouldn’t have earned that money if you hadn’t succeeded in the quest.”

“Well, the conditions weren’t particularly challenging.”

“…Anyway, there was another quest gathered by fellow Twitch streamers when we took down Logan. Even without considering quests, I received over two hundred dollars purely through sponsorships.”

Lee Kyungbok couldn’t hide his smile at Choi Byunghoon’s explanation. Quests felt like ‘work,’ but sponsorships were different.

To receive this much just from pure support…

It was a tangible expression of affection for Streamer Purple. While it might be difficult to put a price on someone’s feelings, the live streaming industry had its own metrics.

The amounts were displayed quite clearly.

I need to work even harder.

While Lee Kyungbok reaffirmed his determination, Choi Byunghoon continued talking.

“In any case, the Youtube revenue from Bark’s broadcast is significantly higher.”

“What?”

“Flip through the pages.”

Lee Kyungbok’s eyes widened as he realized there were multiple holographic documents before him.

”…Huh?”

This page showed the earnings status from Youtube, and the amount exceeded Tri’s sponsorship income.

“The views vary slightly per video, but on average, it’s around 600,000 views, earning about 1,600,000 won each. There were five story videos and two short ‘Made’ videos. So the total revenue is…”

”…More than ten million won?” Lee Kyungbok stared at his friend in disbelief.

Choi Byunghoon chuckled and nodded. “Yes, buddy. The amazing part is that this is just for one week. Of course, the earnings won’t skyrocket as most viewers have already watched them, but they’ll still steadily increase.”

“Can we keep making more money from here?”

“Yes! It’s like duplicating cash!” Choi Byunghoon laughed jokingly. “Now you understand why people go crazy to become Youtubers, right?”

“Twenty million won in a week… Is this real life…?”

“Hey, hey, not just anyone can make this kind of money. It’s only possible because it’s you.”

“I should’ve started streaming earlier!”

“Told ya so.”

The two friends grinned at each other.

“And with the three million won from sponsorships, we’re golden.”

“Oh right, sponsorships.” Lee Kyungbok chuckled as he remembered another source of income.

I thought streaming would be fun, but I had no idea it could also bring in this much cash…

When was the last time he felt this happy? He turned to his friend, still smiling.

“Woah, even splitting it fifty-fifty, that’s over ten million won for me.”

”…Fifty-fifty?” Choi Byunghoon frowned at him. “What nonsense is this?”

“What do you mean ‘nonsense’?”

“Why should we split it equally?”

”…Then how about…?”

“Oh man, seriously? Remember, I’m your editor—your paid employee.”

“No, our situations aren’t quite the same, so we should split it according to percentages.”

“It’s still important to separate personal and business matters. Besides, once your stream gets bigger, one editor won’t be enough to handle everything.”

Choi Byunghoon continued earnestly, “Most large corporations have entire editing teams. But even if you give me half now, how will you cover the rest of the operating costs?”

“But I’m like a founding member here.”

“What good is being a founding member when the company goes bankrupt? Plus, despite appearing substantial, that amount will decrease significantly after taxes and fees.”

“Hmm, but as someone who’s used to getting paid a fixed salary…” Lee Kyungbok frowned thoughtfully.

Regardless of money, a friend is still a friend—and one of the few people he could trust despite their short acquaintance.

“How about we split it as both base pay and incentives? We can deduct from the revenue generated by the edited videos.”

“Yes, that sounds better. It’ll motivate you when other editors join later on, plus my pride will be somewhat intact.”

“My pride?” Choi Byunghoon chuckled at Lee Kyungbok’s teasing response.

“Of course, dude! Anyway, don’t you think these profits should convince Park Juhho to join Golden Horse?”

“You’re right.” Unlike before, Lee Kyungbok sounded confident now. “If something good happens, it’s best if everyone benefits together.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Then let’s set a date.”

“Let’s do this.”

With results like these, they would surely persuade Park Juhho.

Park Juhho lived in a studio apartment within an office building complex. He waved his card key at the door, and it beeped as it unlocked. The neatly arranged shoes outside revealed that the interior of the unit was quite bare. To someone unfamiliar with him, it might look like he hadn’t moved in yet due to the lack of furniture. There wasn’t even a common household item such as a TV or capsule device. His minimalist lifestyle meant he only kept what he needed.

“Phew…”

Park Juhho let out a small sigh and stepped inside, leaving his suitcase near the entrance. First, he went straight to the bathroom to wash his hands. After lightly shaking off excess water, he opened the cabinet. Inside, various toiletries and towels were neatly organized just like in a hotel room.

He took out a towel to dry his hands and then used another cloth to wipe away any water droplets from the sink.

Hmm?

Upon returning to the living room, he noticed his smart collar vibrating where he had left it on the floor. He checked the notification and answered the call.

“Yes, Mother?”

“My dear, how was your business trip?”

His mother’s warm voice filled his ears.

Park Juhho responded with a small smile.

“I just got home.”

“Really? Have you eaten yet?”

“Just something light.” It was a lie; he didn’t want to worry her.

“You’ve been going on quite a few business trips lately.”

“It can’t be helped.”

“I understand. By the way, are you free tomorrow evening?”

“Tomorrow evening?” Park Juhho quickly accessed his smart collar to check his schedule. Thankfully, there were no prior commitments.

While he did that, his mother continued.

<If you’re free, would you like to have dinner with me?>

“…And by ‘with me,’ do you mean including Mr. Ahjin?”

<I-if it makes you uncomfortable, he doesn’t need to come.>

Park Juhho’s eyes twitched slightly. He still hadn’t adjusted to his mother’s remarriage.

“…Yes, understood.”

Really? Great! Thank you, my dear son. >

“Yes, see you tomorrow.”

The cheerfulness in his mother’s voice brought a conflicted smile to Park Juhho’s face.

I can’t keep her at arm’s length forever…

As he ended the call and started unpacking, he felt another vibration on his wrist. Thinking it might be his mother again, he answered quickly, only to hear a different voice.

<Oh, Assistant Manager Park. Did you arrive safely?>

“…Yes, I just got here.”

This time, it was from his boss.

[Yes, yes. Good job. But… Oh boy.]

“What’s wrong, sir?”

[Uh…it looks like I’ll need you to go on another business trip.]

“…When do you mean by that?”

His boss hesitated briefly before continuing.

[Sorry, but we have to leave tomorrow morning ahead of time.]

Juhho’s eye twitched. He felt something boiling inside him, but he took a deep breath and controlled his emotions.

“…Must it be me again? There wasn’t much for me to do during this last trip either. To begin with, there was no reason for someone from Administration to attend those meetings.”

[Park, I’m also caught between a rock and a hard place here. It’s an order from above, so what can I do?]

Despite being questioned as if under interrogation, his superior didn’t sound angry; rather, he seemed equally troubled.

“So you’re saying I should quit?”

“Ohhh…” The blunt question elicited a deep sigh from the other side of the phone line.

“Juhho, listen to me. Do you think it’s easy for me to talk about this with you on a weekend? This is hard for me too. Playing the villain sucks and isn’t something I’m good at.”

Park Juhho clenched his fist tightly but didn’t interrupt.

“Everyone knows you did nothing wrong, but even if you hang in there longer, things won’t change.”

“Sir, I—”

“You might get transferred somewhere soon.”

His fists unclenched as an uncomfortable silence settled between them.

“Listen, Juhho, that’s just how corporate life goes. It’s great to be meticulous and thorough, which is why I valued having you around. You were someone I could trust, so I planned to mentor you until retirement. But…this situation is beyond my ability to help.”

“Sir.”

“I’m guessing those embezzlement cases you reported involved higher-ups as well. Considering they’re trying to push you out…”

A conflicted voice came through the receiver.

“Sorry that I’m such a coward. It might sound like an excuse, but my family relies solely on me. I…I can’t act courageously like you.”

Park Juhho said nothing. What could he say?

“Haah…my apologies. I’ll send over the schedule via text.”

The call ended abruptly, leaving behind a deathly silence.

What should he do now? He needed to contact his mother again and cancel their plans. Should he even bother packing up his belongings? If reassigned elsewhere, he’d have to find another place to live anyway.

Amidst all these swirling thoughts, Park Juhho felt utterly exhausted and drained.

…I just want some rest.

This single desire surfaced above all others. He collapsed onto his bed.

A beeping noise sounded.

Park Juhho slowly opened his eyes.

Huh…

He frowned and adjusted his glasses as the beeping continued. It was coming from the entrance; someone was entering the password to get inside. Startled, Park Juhho rose just as the door swung open.

“Oh, this is legit.”

“This place sucks! How do you remember all these passwords?”

It was Choi Byunghoon and Lee Kyungbok. Park Juhho stared at the uninvited guests with disbelief.

“What? What’s going on here?”

“Why the sudden visit?”

Choi Byunghoon confidently answered Park Juhho’s questions. “Since you weren’t responding, we came by to check if something happened.”

“Responding?”

Park Juhho finally checked the smart ring he had taken off earlier. There were numerous missed calls from his friends.

Below that message was his boss’s email regarding a business trip schedule.

“…I didn’t hear it because I was asleep.” Park Juhho tried to hide his bitterness.

“Well, good thing you did. We were going to eat out but decided to dine here instead.”

“And we brought alcohol!” Lee Kyungbok grinned as he showed off the bag of food, and Choi Byunghoon chimed in enthusiastically.

Park Juhho forced a smile. “You guys just barge in without asking— No, never mind. Have a seat.”

“We were planning on doing so anyway!”

“Hey, your place hasn’t changed at all since the last time we were here.”

“I know, right? Even the Wi-Fi password is still the same.”

The two friends rummaged through the kitchen cabinets like they owned the place. While Park Juhho usually disliked others messing with his belongings, these two were exceptions. They felt more like family than mere friends.

They were more than just friends to him; they were practically family, perhaps even closer than blood relatives.

The three men quickly set the table and dove into their food before engaging in conversation. Once they had filled their stomachs somewhat, Choi Byunghoon spoke up first.

“So what’s with the suitcase in the foyer? Did you go on vacation?”

“I was away for work.”

Lee Kyungbok glanced at Park Juhho’s expression and frowned.

“You’re not one to let things slide like this. What happened?”

“I guess I can’t hide anything from you guys.” Park Juhho calmly explained his situation. His two friends grimaced as soon as they heard it all.

“What?! So they’ve been spinning lies this whole time?”

“Wow… They really are scum of the earth.”

“If it were me, I’d get fired anyway, so I’d just quit on the spot.” Choi Byunghoon gestured dramatically as he spoke, causing food to splatter across the table.

Park Juhho wiped at the mess with wet wipes and replied, “I need to stick around until my transfer papers go through while preparing for my next job.”

“Next job?”

“You’re planning to resign?”

The mention of changing jobs caught Lee Kyungbok’s and Choi Byunghoon’s attention, and they exchanged glances before Lee Kyungbok nodded.

“You haven’t canceled dinner with your mother tomorrow night yet, have you?”

“No, but I should probably let her know.”

“Don’t cancel.”

“…What?”

Park Juhho looked quizzically at his two friends, surprised by their serious expressions.

“I’ll let you know about my new job.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“We’re starting our own stream together.”

The two friends continued their explanation.

Park Juhho’s frown deepened. “So you want to scout me as your manager?”

“That’s right.”

Though his friends loved joking around, they were being completely serious now, so Park Juhho took it just as seriously.

A streamer’s manager…

It sounded impressive, but it was essentially just another irregular part-time position. Streamers themselves worked in unpredictable conditions, so being employed under them would be even more precarious. Moreover, such experience wouldn’t necessarily help him find future employment. Had Park Juhho always been interested in working in the streaming industry, things might have been different, but otherwise, it’d prove useless if he needed to look for other work later on.

I should decline.

Park Juhho prided himself on being more rational than most, and everyone who had worked with him acknowledged this fact.

If it weren’t for Lee Kyungbok…

However, that didn’t mean he was devoid of emotions like some robot. During his school days, Lee Kyungbok had been a great help to Park Juhho, so he’d always felt indebted to him.

I can handle this.

His future versus the debt owed to his friend—Juhho’s thoughts vacillated as he weighed these two options against each other.

“Hey, you don’t make offers like this to just anyone, right?” Choi Byunghoon couldn’t read between the lines, though, and proceeded to show Juhho some prepared documents instead.

Park Juhho raised an eyebrow at first but then stared wide-eyed at what he saw.

“…What is this?”

Choi Byunghoon burst out laughing, clearly pleased by Juhho’s reaction.

“See that? It’s clear as day, isn’t it? This guy is a genius!”

“We definitely need his help, but after hearing your story, I’m even more determined to recruit him,” Lee Kyungbok said earnestly.

“You know as well as we do that you don’t deserve this kind of treatment.”

“…Reminds me of old times.” Park Juhho scanned the profit statement and smiled wistfully.

“It was like this back when he was still in high school, too.”

His meetings with Lee Kyungbok had always been turning points in his life, and this one would be no different.

“What’re you talking about? Just spit it out! Are you in or not? Right?”

As Choi Byunghoon tried to rush things along, Lee Kyungbok raised a hand to stop him.

“Or take a week off from work and try it out.”

“A week off?”

“They want rid of you anyway, right? They shouldn’t have any issue granting you time off.”

“…I suppose you’re right.”

“Yes, and during your time off, experience it firsthand as his manager.”

Choi Byunghoon nodded vigorously at Lee Kyungbok’s suggestion.

“Oh, that sounds good. He really needs to see for himself.”

“Exactly. And even if he decides to quit afterward, it’ll give the company some time to prepare while he’s on leave.”

“You sound so sure I’m going to resign,” Park Juhho remarked with a hint of amusement.

Lee Kyungbok confidently nodded without hesitation. “He’ll understand once he tries it out.”

“…Right, that doesn’t sound bad.”

Juhho was swayed by their unwavering conviction.

“All right, enough talk! Come on, cheers!” Choi Byunghoon interrupted with laughter as he raised his glass. The other two joined him, smiling.

“We’re counting on you.”

“It’ll be fun.” Park Juhho’s words brought a bright smile to Lee Kyungbok’s face.

The three friends clinked their glasses together.