"E-excuse me—!"
A pounding heart.
A squeaky voice.
Jun-su Kim felt a wave of self-loathing as he stepped into Ha-rang Lee's home—the place he'd been invited to by her… no, him.
He was heading into a guy's house right now.
To hand over some unused streaming gear at a bargain price.
As compensation for the nuisance caused by that penalty stream, he'd come to play the role of installation tech.
But even so—!
Damn it, getting excited means defeat!
It was like hearing the ultimate killer line from a crush: "Wanna grab some ramen before you go?" His heart was racing just the same.
Jun-su Kim hated himself for feeling this thrill, this excitement, at being invited to another man's home.
But there was nothing he could do about it.
His brain knew Ha-rang was a guy just like him, but every time he actually laid eyes on Ha-rang, cognitive dissonance kicked in, and his heart pounded out of his control.
"Come on in."
And to top it all off, the Ha-rang who'd come out to greet him was dressed in the lightest, most casual clothes imaginable.
The kind where you could practically glimpse skin if you looked too close.
Jun-su couldn't help sucking in a sharp breath at the utterly defenseless sight.
"H-Ha-rang? The live stream's camera is still rolling, so maybe put on some more… clothes?"
"Huh? What's wrong with my clothes?"
Ha-rang tugged at his comfy at-home T-shirt like there was no issue at all.
Jun-su freaked out and waved his hands frantically.
"Stop! Just stop for a sec!"
He shouldn't have come alone.
He should've brought someone—an editor, anyone—to act as a buffer.
My heart's about to explode…
He had no idea where to look.
Ha-rang's attitude—like, what's the big deal between guys?—only drove him crazier.
Don't tempt me into sin—save me from this otokonoko!
Jun-su chanted a silent prayer, desperately trying to banish his impure thoughts.
Ha-rang smirked at the effort.
This guy's fun.
It was totally on purpose, of course.
He knew exactly what he was doing—teasing reactions out of him and reveling in it.
Now that Jun-su was making that face, Ha-rang planned to milk it for all it was worth.
With a wicked little kuhuhu chuckle in his mind, he savored every bit like a playful imp.
I wonder how the other viewers are reacting?
Regretting that he couldn't check the chat, Ha-rang took the bags Jun-su had brought and gestured him inside.
As he did, his loose T-shirt slipped just enough to flash a glimpse of chest. Jun-su's eyes followed involuntarily.
Then came the instant regret: What am I doing staring at a guy's chest that isn't even there…? A crushing sense of defeat washed over him as he dropped his gaze.
Deciding to ease up on the teasing, Ha-rang shifted to the main reason he'd invited him—offering a drink as a thank-you.
"I did a quick check, and that streaming gear you're giving away? It's worth a pretty penny even used. You sure this is okay?"
It wasn't free, but the price was dirt cheap.
Unlike his Ugly Ha-rang days, Heavenly Ha-rang's looks let him land high-paying service gigs.
He'd seen plenty of filth because of it, but his bank account was fat.
He could've charged more without guilt, but this felt too good to be true.
"Yeah, well, I'm getting plenty of fun out of this content in return."
Jun-su replied matter-of-factly.
A big-league streamer pulling nearly 10,000 live viewers—even if temporary.
Selling off the old gear at market value would take time; turning it into stream gold was the real win.
"Still feels off to me… I-I should at least throw in some s-service."
"S-service?"
Gulp.
Jun-su swallowed dryly without thinking.
Ha-rang played innocent.
"Yeah, as a service—"
"As a service?"
"I'll whip up a home-cooked meal while you set up the stream."
Of course.
The stream was live anyway…
What was I hoping for? Who am I even making excuses to?
Even he, master of composure, shook like a reed in this pretty boy's presence.
Sighing inwardly at the fact, Jun-su replied.
"Then… I'll gratefully accept."
"Sure thing. I'm a pretty good cook, so look forward to it."
And so, Jun-su handled the stream setup while Ha-rang cooked.
The Starless fans, naturally, were rioting.
💬 Live Chat— Black Star Hater?Who said we wanna watch you work? Put the camera in the kitchen NOW.— Tomboy FanI came for the tomboy, not some dude's chores!— Rage QuitterSwitch screens or I'm unsubbing!
They were desperate to watch Ha-rang cook.
It stung a bit that even longtime fans were among them, but…
Honestly, I'd probably feel the same.
Imagining that tiny frame cooking—how adorable it'd be—made it understandable.
In the end, Jun-su caved to the viewers' demands.
"Gasp."
He gasped when he took the camera to the kitchen.
The ultimate guy's dream…!
How could that be a man?
The moment he saw Ha-rang in a full apron, chopping away in earnest, Jun-su couldn't hold back a lament.
It was peak eye candy—while screaming the truth: "It's an otoko." He wanted to tear his hair out.
"Uh… Ha-rang? Viewers wanna see some cooking mukbang. Mind if I leave the camera here?"
"Sure, no problem. Actually, since I'm planning to start streaming myself, can I practice a bit? Treat it like a trial run?"
"Of course."
Why wouldn't he? Jun-su positioned the camera for a perfect view and headed back to Ha-rang's room.
Now he'd tinker alone, lonely and forlorn, under the viewers' gaze.
"How's this? Can you see okay?"
Ha-rang waved at the camera.
The Starless fans went wild.
Jun-su had left a phone for chat monitoring beside it, so Ha-rang glanced at it and dove into his first-ever internet broadcast.
To nearly 10,000 viewers, no less.
A normal person would be nervous.
Even without anyone right there, knowing strangers across Korea—or the world—were watching could feel crushing.
But was Ha-rang normal?
10,000 watchers?
That was nothing compared to getting hit by a truck and dying.
After dying and coming back, he'd grown numb to most things.
So he cooked calmly before the crowd, chatting away.
"You say I'm a good cook? Thanks. I've lived alone a while, so this is basic."
The viewers erupted at the sight of his deft knife work—unnatural for that petite frame.
💬 Live Chat— LoliConnoisseurThis is real loli mom energy?— RealizationKingHoly crap, you're right!— ChatModGuys, I get it, but ease up on the creepy loli mom stuff.— Confused??? Nobody said that.— SelfBurnYou're the one saying it lol
If there was one upside to merging Heavenly and Ugly Ha-rang, it was his ironclad mentality.
He didn't bat an eye at the wild memes and boundary-pushing spicy chats.
He might even be a natural for internet broadcasting.
Cuter than the dirty talk from those construction site uncles.
Compared to the crap Ugly Ha-rang endured, this was adorable.
This was Black Star's channel—full of fans who lived to poke at Jun-su's composure.
And now, a real-life otokonoko named Ha-rang had appeared.
Even with the manager active, excitement levels were high, chats spicier than usual.
Gamers who usually stuck to game streams or girl cams—they weren't great at dialing back the heat, like a guy who'd tasted gourmet knowing cheap meat too well.
Yet Ha-rang just smiled and cooked through it.
He looked like a cute girl on the outside, but the inside was pure sticky dude—so the fans' thirsty sex jokes just made him laugh.
Unlike his past life of rejection, now they were cheering for him. It brought a rush of joy and happiness.
Go on, get even more hyped, you lot.
Puhuhu.
Swallowing his villainous cackle, Ha-rang scanned and savored the chat reactions.
Still, if things got too raunchy, that'd be a problem.
He'd researched before committing to streaming—each channel had its vibe, and nailing it was key. Mess up, and it'd be a headache.
He planned to leverage his looks and uniqueness, but not go full 19+ adult. This was prime time to build moderation skills.
Using Black Star's channel as a tutorial to nail his streaming style.
— Crクルping Pong [1,000 won donation]How long you been independent? That knife skill's pro level. Saw your ID yesterday—you're 22? Must've helped out cooking since living with parents.
Perfect timing for a donation.
"Parents? I'm an orphan… Had to fend for myself since I was little."
— Shocked ViewerGasp!— Double GaspGasp!
No one expected a Tarulla to drop here—the fans panting like pervs over the pretty boy snapped to attention.
"Yeah, being an orphan got me bullied more. No parents meant no backlash, they figured…"
— SympathyAw, poor kid…— DonorRegretSorry. Donor guy, apologize.— MoodKillerCooking and chit-chat was fun… then this…— HeartbrokenHa-rang's too pitiful ㅠㅠ
Ha-rang spoke casually, like it was someone else's story, but to the Starless fans, it hit hard.
The overheated, spicy vibe deflated instantly.
— Crクルping Pong [1,000 won donation]S-sorry… No bad intent.
"It's fine. I've overcome it—or accepted it. Doesn't bother me anymore."
Ha-rang gave a small smile.
The fans instinctively sensed his past was a total minefield.
— TearjerkerWhy does that smile look like crying…— MiracleSpotterBeing able to smile like that is the real miracle.— TheoristThat wild personality yesterday was a defense mechanism!
Ha-rang shrugged at the reactions and refocused on cooking.
Today's menu: doenjang jjigae and rolled omelet.
Simple fare, but…
— HomeyVibesMenu feels all homey, like a new bride in her honeymoon pad. Love it.
The fans gushed.
The briefly somber mood refreshed, and Ha-rang cooked up rice, simmered doenjang stew, and rolled eggs—gaining a feel for streaming, awkward as it was.
Streaming… this is fun.
Accepting and enjoying his girlish beauty was one thing; constantly getting confessions from guys was another.
WWE was fine, but UFC advances? Hard pass.
He'd started this to solve that—turns out, it hooked him.
As thanks to Jun-su for the spark, he loaded up the seasoning. The food turned out delicious in proportion.
"Hardware's all installed. After we eat, tweak the setup, run a test stream, and we're done."
"You worked hard. Nothing fancy, but dig in."
"Whoa, this is a feast."
Perfect timing—the rice and dishes finished as Jun-su wrapped up.
Post-meal tasks could wait. The two sat across the table.
He'd have been grateful for takeout alone, but homemade?
Sure, made by a guy… but every angle screamed girl, stirring that classic guy fantasy.
Don't react. He's a dude! Not some girl's home cooking!
But some things couldn't be helped.
It felt like savoring a bento from a sweetheart.
Maybe that's why his mouth ran loose, unlike usual.
"Wow, this is good! Learned the recipe from your mom?"
— OopsOh, that…— IncomingGasp.— FacepalmOh, Jun-su…
The chat turned weird.
Mid-mukbang, Jun-su caught it and blinked in confusion—too late.
"Nah, no mom. Orphanage and online tutorials."
Landmine detonation!
Kitchen chat—fans knew, but Jun-su had been busy installing and missed it.
Jun-su hit Tarulla point-blank, cold sweat beading as he paused mid-bite.
The tasty rice turned to sand.
Silence hung heavy, Ha-rang's eating sounds stabbing his heart.
Two days since meeting Ha-rang.
In that short time, Jun-su had faced his worst stream—and life—crises, over and over.