Surviving as the Youngest Among Giant Vtubers - Chapter 62

I returned home after a trip abroad that was both a business trip and for vlogging.

I was only gone for a few days, but somehow it felt like I hadn’t seen my home in a long time.

Last night, I turned on my stream late for a quick “proof of life” broadcast and then fell asleep immediately.

‘Christmas Eve…’

Somehow, the date had already become December 24th.

While others are out having fun with their partners, laughing and enjoying themselves, why do I have to start working as soon as I wake up?

As my messy white hair tickled my cheek and my hand was busy drawing lines.

Ding-dong!

The doorbell ringing from the entrance made me pause my work for a moment.

My hand still held the tablet pen, but my head turned nonetheless.

“What’s this? Did I order something?”

Racking my brain, I couldn’t recall ordering anything.

And there shouldn’t be anyone visiting this early in the morning, especially on Christmas Eve.

‘Then maybe.’

Gasp.

Is it a ding-dong ditch?

Am I finally experiencing ‘that’?

My heart fluttered with anticipation as I got up from my seat.

There are many young children living in my apartment building.

Right next door, and on the floors above and below me, live young couples with elementary or kindergarten-aged children.

There’s a playground within the apartment complex, and anyway, there were plenty of things for kids to gather and enjoy.

Ding-dong ditch is one of them.

I might not care if it happened to other houses, but I had always been looking forward to it.

A boring work life needs events like this to become a little more fun.

I kept my expression neutral, but inwardly, I felt cheerful as I went to the front door.

“Who is it?”

I hoped for no answer, but.

“It’s us?”
“We’re here.”
“Gyeoul~.”

I froze for a moment hearing the voices simultaneously.

No, if Tsupi had come visiting, that would have been fine.

But I didn’t expect my family to visit.

All three of them, no less.

‘…What is this? Some new kind of hidden camera prank?’

I just got back yesterday.

How did they know to come?

Well, I did tell them I was coming back.

But I didn’t expect them to visit so early in the morning.

But they should know the code to my door lock.

Why ring the doorbell?

Stunned by my family’s baffling appearance, I stood blankly for a moment before opening the door.

“Gyeoul!”

“Ack.”

As soon as the door opened, Mom threw her arms around my neck, while my two sisters walked into the house as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Mom’s energetic personality was still too much for me to handle.

Why couldn’t I have inherited that outgoing nature?

“You said you came back yesterday. Why didn’t you contact us?”
“Ah, I forgot… I streamed right after getting back, so I forgot to let you know.”

That’s right.

Yesterday, as soon as I returned home from abroad, I used all my energy calming down the chaotic chat.

Thanks to that, I fell asleep without even sending a message to my family saying I was back.

“Honestly, how could you forget something like th—. Sigh, never mind. It’s enough that you’re back.”

Why is she saying such cringey things?

Is it because she’s still young?

I made a peculiar expression at Mom’s words, then gently tapped the arm wrapped around my neck.

“But when are you going to let go?”

“Can’t we stay like this a little longer?”

“It’s suffocating…”

Despite that, the arm didn’t loosen; it held my neck even more firmly.

It seemed like I’d have to stay like this today.

‘More importantly, it’s 8 AM now. Did they eat breakfast before coming?’

When I asked the three of them with that thought in mind, all three shook their heads.

“We didn’t eat. We came to eat with you.”

“Bomi, how can you call your older sister ‘you’?”

“…Now you’re bringing that up?”

Bomi, looking bewildered by Mom’s scolding, put on a displeased expression.

Then, she spoke again in a barely audible voice.

“Uh, um. I said we came to eat with Unni. Ugh, it feels like my tongue’s getting goosebumps.”
“Goodness. Why would your tongue get goosebumps?”

I also replied with a hollow laugh, but all I got back was a glare.

What’s the point of buying my little sister clothes?

She hates calling me ‘Unni’ even once.

Still, I understood because she has that tsundere trait.

If not for that, I would have given her a smack on the head long ago.

More importantly, our eldest daughter, Gaeul, has been quiet since earlier.

My older sister mumbled, joining the conversation.

“Um… is there anything… you want to receive?”

“…?”

What’s this about now?

I turned my gaze to my older sister.

“Suddenly? Something I want?”

“Because tomorrow’s Christmas. Just wondering… if there’s anything you want.”

Seeing my older sister avoid my gaze accordingly, I smiled slightly.

“What? Are you going to give me a present like Santa?”

“…Why? Can’t I?”

Such a prim and proper act.

My sisters really are something else.

Mom, who was watching, smiled and stroked my head.

“Gaeul said she wants to buy something Gyeoul wants with the money she saved from her part-time job. Mom will help out as much as possible too. Just say anything, Gyeoul.”

Bomi, still a minor, couldn’t join our conversation and pretended not to care, but disappointment was visible on her face.

And my older sister?

I could see both her worry about the potential expense and her anticipation of being able to buy me something.

Mom?

She just had a face that liked whatever was happening.

After observing the expressions of the three, I understood.

Why they came today.

‘So today is that day.’

The day I left home.

Christmas Eve.

December 24th.

The day I left without packing anything, only looking at my parents’ faces as I walked out.

I acquired necessary items one by one whenever I got money.

Now… I live without worrying about money, but because I still lived like an ordinary citizen, I didn’t keep things I didn’t need.

Perhaps because of that, my house had nothing except for what was in my room.

Like a sofa in the living room, or a table, or a TV.

Even things you’d normally expect to find weren’t there.

‘I guess I should probably put some things out now.’

For times when Tsupi visits, and for times like today when family visits.

It’s a bit… awkward always having them sit on my bed or chair in my room.

It seems right to buy at least a sofa and a TV.

But they remember the day I left home?

It’s a day even I had forgotten.

“W-what is it? Hurry up and say it.”

As I stared intently at my older sister, a coy reply came back.

She took such devoted care of me when I was sick, honestly.

‘Somehow, accepting it feels a bit burdensome.’

It’s not an anniversary, and the things I might want are invariably expensive, so the cost would be significant.

“I’ll just accept the thought. You probably couldn’t buy it even if you wanted to. It’s just, well, really expensive.”

What I want is the new LCD tablet that came out last month.

That one thing would satisfy me.

But the price is what it is, making me hesitate to buy it even though I have the money.

‘Since I’m already thinking about it, should I just splurge?’

I don’t lack money anymore, and even if I buy it, it won’t be a crippling expense.

“No, just how much is it?”

When I said that, my older sister asked with an anxious face.

How much was it again?

As far as I remember.

“Six million Won?”

“……”

Just kidding.

It’s 5 million Won.

But I felt like if I said 5 million, she might actually consider it, so I added another million.

However.

“…I’ll buy it for you.”

“What?”

“I said I’ll buy it. That thing.”

…What is this?

This isn’t the reaction I wanted.

This time, it was my turn to frown.

It’s not a small amount of money; does she even have that much in the first place?

When I slightly turned my head to look at Mom, her eyes were also trembling at the price I mentioned.

Mom was amazing for somehow keeping her smile intact.

‘This is the normal reaction.’

What’s going on?

Does my older sister perhaps have money saved up?

“Well, it might take some time, though. For now.”

…So she can’t buy it right away.

Seeing my bewildered face, I could see my older sister’s face gradually turning red.

“Seriously, anyone can promise anything with just words!”

As Bomi, who was listening nearby, shouted and protested against her sister, the older sister slumped her shoulders as if resigned.

“What am I supposed to do when I don’t have that kind of money right now?”

“And I can’t just take it out of the, uh, living expenses account, can I?”

“If I did that, it wouldn’t be me buying it; she’d be buying it with her own money.”

The living expenses account.

The account I send money to.

How much is in that account right now?

Of course, even if I knew, I have no intention of using it.

That’s for the family to use, not me.

‘…Although I am part of the family too.’

I felt a devil’s whisper tickling my ear but quickly shook it off.

“That’s true.”

My younger sister also nodded and let out a soft sigh.

Both of them, tall as they were, looked troubled, leaving me speechless as an observer.

I relaxed my expression and waved my hand dismissively.

“It’s okay. If you’re going to buy it, buy it later. After you pass the civil servant exam.”

“…I’ll pass next year.”

At my gesture, my older sister sighed with a displeased look.

I’m truly grateful she said that thinking of me, but I’ll be satisfied once my older sister and younger sister establish themselves in society to some extent.

Isn’t that why I’ve been sending money all this time?

“Take this opportunity to use as much as you want from the living expenses account. I saw last time that you barely used any of it.”

As I said this while looking at Mom, she gave a vague smile.

“How could I do that~? I can’t just freely spend the money Gyeoul worked so hard to earn.”

“But I sent it for you to use…”

Even though she’s my mom, she lives so frugally.

She has no greed either.

And in reality.

“Ah! Then maybe we could decorate Gyeoul’s house a bit?”

She knows very well that if she suggests it like this, I can’t refuse.

Perhaps Mom knows Cho Gyeoul better than anyone else in the family, even me.

At Mom’s question, both sisters nodded.

“That sounds good. It’s not like there’s anything here anyway, the living room is too empty.”

“Living too gloomily can make a person depressed. While we’re at it, maybe hang some imitation plants on the wall…”

I wish they wouldn’t think about it so hard.