The previously unseen Raina footage started playing.

"The Best Performance Award goes to… Almond! He’s coming up again!?"

The flashy actions that piled up into a fourteen hit combo blew away the enemy.

— That's what I'm talking about

— Wow.

— Raina! Raina! Raina!

— Mom, I want to be Raina when I grow up!

— So cool!!

'What's this?'

Sang-Hyeon hadn't expected this award. He could understand Best Team, but this was different.

'What do I say?'

Sang-Hyeon was running out of things to talk about. Still, he tried to squeeze something out.

"Ah... I'm really grateful for this award again. The performance... perhaps it's thanks to my capsule? Anyway, thank you."

He now had to make up words on the spot that weren't prepared.

— If it's not an ad, he can't speak.

— Lol, somehow makes a connection.

— Damn lol, nutty guy.

Viewers thought his way of speaking always led to advertisements if it wasn't actually an ad.

"The Best Couple award goes to… Almond and Miho! Their stunning visuals at the pool party photoshoot were quite the topic, weren't they!? Even in the tournament, many users paired them up because of their good chemistry! And here comes Almond again!?"

Sang-Hyeon, now receiving the Best Couple Award, stood before the microphone. From this point on, his mind went blank.

'...'

Not because he was nervous, but literally because he had nothing to say. Standing by his side, Miho somewhat comforted him and rambled on in his stead.

— So good looking!!

— They match well

— The worst streamer on Earth, Almond

— Miho, don't do it, you demon!

— It's going to be small. Please say it's small.

Being next to a popular female streamer meant he also received a lot of flak (or love) in the chat. It was utterly unfair.

"Does Mr. Almond have anything more to say?"

“Ahaha.”

Sang-Hyeon's blank expression caused laughter throughout the audience.

'What to say?'

Still, as a streamer, words came out when the microphone was passed to him.

"Ah, um... for the couple award... thank you... all couples in South Korea, fighting!"

— ????

— Lololol

— Miho's expression lol

— Is this an acceptance speech?

Miho looked at Sang-Hyeon with a dumbfounded expression. The host summarized Almond's words as followed.

"Aha! That's right! Couples need to fight on! South Korea needs to come alive, doesn't it!? Because we need more children!"

— The birth rate is the future lol

— Crazy lol

— Random grand eloquence lol

— Is this the multi-universe of big chaos?

— The host burst into laughter lol

— Miho's face turned red lol

— They're really crazy lol

"Indeed, the youth who aimed for the national team! That's the kind of comment you'd expect! Now, let's move on to the next award for Most Trending!"

The next award was The Most Trending Award. The person captured on the screen was already Sang-Hyeon. Who else would be shown on the screen shooting archery if not him?

The Raina video that hadn't appeared before started playing here.

"Most Trending goes to Almond!”

— Almond! Almond! Almond!

— ???: Almond! He’s winning like a dog!

— lol, sweeping the special awards for real?

— Almond lol

— Even the host gave up lol

"Everyone knows this, right!? When Yu Sang-Hyeon's past was revealed, it even made it to the nine o'clock news. And he appeared on a popular talk show, matching vibes with Kim Tru and Han Min-Gu! But what I'm most curious about is what he will say now!"

With the audience's laughter, Sang-Hyeon stood in front of the microphone again.

"Thank you. It's Almond."

Laughter spread once more.

"Although I couldn't represent the country by shooting arrows in reality…"

The laughter gradually faded. This was a different kind of speech with a firmness in his voice that seemed sincere.

"Ten years later, I was able to do it in a game, so I will continue to work hard. Thank you."

Sang-Hyeon bowed and exited as the audience all applauded.

— Now there's even emotion in the ads...

— The ad quality keeps getting better

— Fighting, South Korea!

— 10 years!!

— Sigh…

However, the host caught on. It was an ad with an emotional concept.

"So it's an ad again!? Just a different concept!"

“Ahahaha.”

The atmosphere, which could have turned heavy, grew light again.

***

The award ceremony continued with various types of special awards. If there was a best, there was also a worst.

Awards for selecting the worst of something could be seen as just for fun.

"Worst Team goes to GreenTeaBagging!"

GreenTeaBagging was chosen as the Worst Team. Although it was in virtual reality, they were selected for punching and beating each other up.

— Lol Pickle's joke

— Here the fate of silk and horsehair was changed...

— So funny lol

— Nickname value top-tier

The funny thing was that they were the very duo who were the MCs for today's red carpet broadcast.

"Worst Performance goes to Bubblegum!"

For the Worst Performance, Bubblegum easily won.

— It’s practically an industry award

— Seems like a bigger compliment than the top excellence award lol

— Why does he look so happy? lol

For a streamer known for being bad at games to receive an award for being bad, it was practically a compliment.

After these varied awards, it was time to announce the Editor's Award. The Editor's Award categories consisted of the Grand Prize, the Excellence Award, and the Newcomer Award.

The announcement started with the Newcomer Award.

***

Every day at a set time inside the subway on her way home, she would think.

'Seo Ji-Ah.'

It was a pretty name. Looking at her reflection in the dark glass,

'Why did you come to me?'

Why did that pretty name come to her? Wasn’t it like that sometimes? When a word one used every day suddenly felt awkward.

For example, the word lid for a pot suddenly didn’t seem to fit. Why was it called a lid? Lid? Why?

Sometimes, a word one used every day suddenly felt strange in one's mouth. She felt that way about her own name sometimes.

The name Seo Ji-Ah felt oddly out of place in her mouth. Suddenly, it felt awkward. The resonance of that name did not match her at all.

It wasn't just because it was the name given to her after her parents' remarriage. Nor was it because no one had loved that name. She believed it was just like a lid. Strange, right? Lid, really?

Rattle. Rattle.

With a sound like an improperly closed pot lid, the subway continued. White dots in the dark window swiftly passed by. It seemed about time to arrive somewhere.

[...]

The announcement played. She didn't bother to remove her earphones and was all too familiar with it. She could get off at the right station just by feeling the time. Her body remembered where to get off like a perfect cogwheel that rotated on its own even if it stayed still. That was how trained her body felt.

She bit her lip.

'You're... overly sensitive.'

She told her reflection in the dark glass across from her. She often heard that phrase from those around her. Now, she repeated it to herself.

'You're too sensitive. You think too much. Just live. You need to adapt.'

To her, this was an undeniable truth of life. Even those who claimed to love her said so.

[Static...]

The music in her earphones stopped. Then, she heard the announcement.

[The next station is... the New Editor Award.]

‘Huh?’

Ji-Ah's eyes widened in the reflection of the dark glass. There was no such station.

[The doors will open on... Seo Ji-Ah. Seo Ji-Ah.]

The dark glass soon brightened with light inside the station.

***

"They'll receive the Newcomer Award together, right? The 2035 Newcomer Award in the editing category goes to Almond's editor! Seo Ji-Ah!"

“Woooah!”

The screen flashed through the videos she created.

'... Me?'

Ji-Ah could barely make it out through her blurred vision that it was indeed her work. When she was nominated for the Editor's Award, they said she had a chance. Realizing that she actually won was a completely different story. Only after seeing her own dumbfounded face hugely displayed on the screen did she realize it.

'It’s me.'

She was certain it was her. A part of her heart felt fiercely warm.

‘It's just like my name,’

Ji-Ah thought.

How come she didn’t match at all? The red dress, her clumsily applied makeup. Among the sparkling crowd at the award ceremony, she felt like the only ordinary person.

Among the countless stars in the universe, she was a single tired and sensitive astronomer. However, among all those stars, she was the one to receive an award.

"Ms. Ji-Ah, please share your thoughts."

Suddenly, she was in front of the microphone. She didn't even realize when she had walked up. Her mouth moved on its own.

Her throat trembled, but her voice continued.

"To receive this award... thank you. I've never received an award in my life..."

The warmth in her chest reached her eyes. Tears poured out. It wasn't just a single drop. They freely flowed out quite embarrassingly, but she stood straight and looked toward Sang-Hyeon and Ju-Hyeok.

"Having never won one... it feels really good. And the two of you."

In her blurry vision were the silhouettes of the two men who saved her.

"Thank you for being with me, for saving me."

Although she was crying profusely, no one thought she looked sad. She was smiling brighter than ever.

***

It was well past midnight and the award ceremony had ended.

As expected, without any surprises, Zello won the Grand Prize.

"Wow, Zello's average viewership was insane. Isn't it the highest output domestically?"

"That one mala hotpot mukbang brought in 300,000 live viewers."

"That's almost like a small city's population."

"He arrived right before the Grand Prize. They asked why he was late and he said it was because of his hip... That was so cool..."

"

Euhahaha!

Did he just come to receive the Grand Prize and then go home?"

Streamers leaving the ceremony venue shared various stories about the awards. Naturally, most of the conversations were about the Grand Prize.

Surprisingly, there was also a lot of talk about the Newcomer Award.

"Did you see the graph for the Newcomer Award?"

"Ah... the difference was no joke. Is he aiming for the Best Award next year?"

"That's what I'm saying... Plus, he swept all the special awards too. He hogged the camera all to himself."

It wasn't just about winning the Newcomer Award, but the overwhelming difference compared to the rest. Then, he also swept various special awards.

As a result, Sang-Hyeon was featured on the award ceremony cameras several times. Even more than Zello, who won the Grand Prize.

"Alright, Almond. Strawberry. Go in."

"Yes~"

"See you next time, Mr. Ju-Hyeok and Ms. Ji-Ah!"

"Yes! Please go in!"

After the after-party ended, the Balloon Stars members parted ways.

"Bro! Let's do another collaboration next time! Bubblegum said he'll teach you a new game!"

"Sure~"

Sang-Hyeon and Ju-Hyeok kept saying goodbye to them. After everyone left, they finally took a breath.

Feeling that something was off, Sang-Hyeon and Ju-Hyeok looked at each other and laughed.

"

Ha.

To think I've been at Ah-Sung for five years."

"It's ingrained in your body, isn't it?"

"Yes."

They inadvertently sent everyone off like clients after a company dinner.

"

Phew.

Let's take a taxi."

Director Oh had already gone home. They had hitched a ride in a van to get here together, but couldn't hitch a ride back.

They decided to call a large taxi.

"Huuuuh..."

Ji-Ah drank too much again and wasn't in her right senses. After crying at the award ceremony, she said it was embarrassing and kept downing shots.

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Ji-Ah kept taking shots because she cried... Ah."

Ju-Hyeok sighed as he carried her.

"No, no need to carry!"

She tried to refuse, but ultimately complied.

"But why did she cry so much earlier?" Sang-Hyeon mused curiously.

"... Just happy tears, I guess."

Although Ju-Hyeok said this, he thought it was strange. He wondered if anyone had ever cried like that upon receiving the Newcomer Editor Award... No one else came to mind.

"Come to think of it, Ji-Ah hardly talks about herself," Sang-Hyeon muttered while booking a taxi.

He seemed pretty drunk too given his flushed face. Being talkative was evidence of his intoxication.

"All I know is she had a bad breakup with her ex-boyfriend and didn't like her job... That's all."

Sang-Hyeon looked at Ju-Hyeok as if to ask if he knew more.

"Um..."

Ju-Hyeok cut his words short.

'I don't know either.'

He didn't know. How had she lived her life? To be honest, who was she really?

***

The next day, comments started appearing on an old notification board long after the event since viewers were aware of the grand after-party for the award ceremony.

— Is there a stream today?

└ Most streamers seem to be taking a break today…

— Open up, boss!!

— Hey. Boss. Skipping the basement today? You've been ending streams like a dog lately, so do it today too!

└ For real lol, balance it out!!

— Let's all pray and take a bite of Almond. This is Almond's flesh, and this Almond breeze is Almond's blood.

└ Is this a religion now? Lol

Although they teased him for a stream, they didn't actually expect one, especially not on this topic.

Ding!

[What will this man be like in 2036? Planning a New Year Masterplan]