This page is part of the Discity Classified stories released on the official Twitter account. Clicking the links on each part will redirect to the original post.
If I can make a big splash in my final live stream, it would be the perfect finale to my six months as a streamer!
Part 01
Lunchtime is in full swing, and the noisy bustle of cooking from upstairs—the sizzling stir-fry and rhythmic chopping—rudely awakens Nino from her peaceful sleep.
Unlike the buzz of life in her neighbors' homes, Nino's own abode feels eerily quiet and deserted.
Nino's parents, tied up with jobs far from home, are rarely around.
With her grandma, her sole caretaker, gone, Nino finds herself living in solitude.
Just then, a tantalizing scent of cooking drifts in from outside the window, filling the air.
In the days when her grandma was still with her, Nino didn't mind the absence of her parents much. Sharing meals and TV shows with her grandma, she felt a warm, contented bliss in those simple moments.
But now…
Nino retrieves her phone from beneath her pillow, having fallen asleep straight after a long gaming session last night and forgetting to charge it.
With the phone's battery hanging on at 3%, she rapidly places a takeout order on Supereats—the food is secondary, her only ask is that it includes a cola.
Once her takeout is ordered, Nino dashes to her computer and launches "Legion of Warcraft," a game that has been her constant for two years. It is her daily dose of fun, her go-to boredom buster.
"Hey guys, I've arrived!"
"Wow, Captain's awake already!" "Hey, Nino's here."
Being the heart and soul of the group, as soon as Nino comes online, her guild members are quick to send their warm welcomes.
Since the game is closing down next week, the guild's online presence has thinned out to just a handful of key members.
It is a stark contrast to the earlier times when Nino's login would stir up excitement like water hitting hot oil—full of life and buzz.
A flurry of messages bombards Nino: some welcoming her, others calling on her to settle disagreements, and a few challenging her to spars. It is a dizzying cascade that nearly gives her fingers a workout from replying.
Yet, for Nino, this sense of being in demand and among friends is her ultimate happiness, trumping everything else!
After all, Nino thinks, other than gaming, there isn't much in her everyday life that brings her joy.
She poses a question in the guild chat.
"What's our next adventure after the server goes dark?"
For Nino, "Legion of Warcraft" is more than a game; it is a virtual home. Now, with this home being torn down, moving on is the only option. Yet, as long as the squad is united, any game becomes an adventure. There's a whole universe of games out there, after all. Nino sees this as a new beginning, not an end.
When no one else speaks up, Nino offers an idea:
"I've been scouting some reviews, and 'Final Dream 15' looks promising. How about we test the waters there? We could even keep our guild name when we jump in."
The chat is quiet for several minutes, and no one chimes in.
Nino is still at it, typing away, when a message from "Heart of Ashes," one of the guild members, appears in the conversation:
"Sorry, Nino, I've got a job now. It's starting next month."
Nino's typing halts, and she backspaces over her unsent message:
"Hey, don't all clam up on me. Any ideas on where we should head next?"
"Ah, no sweat, it's all good," Nino responds promptly, "Just focus on your job, alright? Don't let gaming get you in hot water with your boss."
"Sorry, Nino… I'm heading for a trial period at FAC soon. Looks like I won't have much time to play either."
The moment "Heart of Ashes" speaks up, "Night Shadow" also sends out a message, calling it quits from the game.
Nino reassures herself—after all, "Night Shadow" is a brainiac, isn't he? Gaming is just his escape valve.
Compared to me, who ditched school in sophomore year because of gaming, they're in a league of their own…
"…Well, that's great news! I'm genuinely happy for you…." Nino responds, "And the others?"
The others are either tight-lipped or slowly come forward with their plans to quit the game.
Not a single soul talks about moving with Nino to the next gaming adventure, no one says they'll stick with her—at the end of the day, they all have their real lives to return to.
Nino, wanting to keep the chat lively, drops a meme of herself pulling a goofy face.
In the past, the gang loved snapping pics of Nino's avatar and whipping up memes for a bit of fun.
Nino might have playfully called them out for their "lack of class," but deep down, she was delighted, saving each meme with care.
"No worries, everyone, living it up is the way to go, right? Maybe we'll cross paths again in the future," Nino types, feigning indifference. She rips open a bag of chips and crunches away, attempting to munch her bittersweet emotions away.
"Will you feel lonely, Nino? When we're not around anymore?" ponders one of the guild members.
"Take a wild guess," Nino responds, sidestepping the question with a hint of mystery.
Nino has always believed that being seen in tears is a sign of weakness, a notion deeply ingrained in her.
Perhaps it began in her school days when, after being picked on, she sought refuge in tears behind the classroom door. Coincidentally, a classmate stumbled upon her. Despite clearly seeing her cry, they just scoffed, gave her a scornful look, and walked away. Nino's real emotions only came to the surface after she created her own guild in "Legion of Warcraft." Suddenly, her happiness and anger mattered to others, and she felt seen. She could share
her feelings without the fear of them being disregarded and shattered.
But now, that guild, her refuge, is breaking apart.
Haunted by the dread of solitude, Nino retreats behind her defensive facade again.
She had no memory of when she finally logged off that day. Her last moments were lost in a daze, mindlessly navigating the game's interface, almost as if she was searching for something, trying to leave behind a trace.
It only hit her that she had forgotten the delivery at the door when her once frosty cola had lost its chill.
The day before the game was set to go offline for good, Nino logs in once more. Surprisingly, the whole guild has shown up, ready for their last hurrah together.
The group is all laughs and chit-chat, peppered with Nino's quirky emoticons filling up the chat.
"You should try livestreaming, Nino." Snow Feather, one of the members, suddenly chimes in.
"A live stream? What do you mean?" Nino asks, confused.
"Like streaming games!" Snow Feather clarifies. "You're not like us, the casual gamers in the guild. You've got serious skills, Nino. You could easily be a big-time streamer in other games! "
"Ha ha… me, a streamer? I don't think I can…"
Nino always thinks streamers are the type who have off-the-charts people skills. How could she, of all people… how could she ever pull that off?
"Ah, just try it out, why not? You've got nothing to lose!" Snow Feather keeps cheering her on.
"Go for it, Nino!" "Go for it, Nino!" …echoes the guild, their voices blending as they fill the chat with their enthusiastic chorus.
"Fine, fine, I'll try it out. "
Nino, not wanting to be a buzzkill at the last second, plays along and agrees, but she doesn't actually take the suggestion seriously.
Once "Legion of Warcraft" shuts down for good, Nino turns into an online drifter, roaming the web each day, lost about her next move.
She decides to give new games a shot, registering for different ones in an attempt to relive the nostalgia of the old game.
Confronted with strange environments and new allies, Nino's attempts to find a trace of the familiar only deepen her feelings of being lost.
After trying her hand at multiple games, each as unappealing as the last, a spark of memory brings Nino back to something her guild member "Snow Feather" had mentioned: a livestream.
Might as well kill some time watching live streams—they're free anyway.
Nino muses, quickly setting up a burner account and clicking on a featured streamer's channel from the homepage recommendations.
Being a wildly popular streamer means facing a relentless storm of comments and chats, each one like a snowflake in a blizzard, impossible to keep up with.
To stand out, several fans splurge on super chats, pinning their messages temporarily at the top of the screen, all vying for a moment of the streamer's attention.
The live stream room buzzes like a concert filled with thousands, with the streamer as the dazzling centerpiece under the spotlight.
All eyes are fixed on the streamer, everyone joins in their journey, sharing the thrill and joy of the moment together.
The vibrant buzz of the live stream is contagious, stirring a wave of excitement in Nino.
Peering closer, she realizes the streamer is engrossed in "Companion's Cuisine," a game focused on culinary creations.
The streamer never misses a beat criticizing his teammate, words spewing out rapid-fire, like a machine gun.
"It's a total mess! A mess! Didn't you notice you've completely screwed it up?"
The streamer's constant jibes stir a similar urge in Nino to dish out her own barbs. In the art of trash-talking, Nino is a force to be reckoned with!
Years of battling it out in " Legion of Warcraft" have transformed her. Gone is the timid Nino who used to turn red even before her targets did when poking fun.
The streamer is too busy to cook, prompting Nino to bombard the chat in concern:
"Do you expect the pot to magically start cooking? That's pretty disrespectful to the pot, don't you think?"
The streamer fumbles and drops the dish while delivering it, prompting Nino to send a teasing message to spur him on again:
"Seriously, a rookie delivering foodies?"
Nino's witty jab at the streamer sets off a wave of laughter in the chat, bringing back the thrill she'd missed of being the group's prankster.
When she is about to root for the streamer again, she gets hit with a surprise—her sass has gotten her account muted!
The channel's mod pops up a reminder: "Keep the chat clean, folks; it's on all of us to keep things cool."
"They can't block me! Do they have any idea who they're dealing with?" Nino mutters under her breath.
It's a fact—away from the "Legion of Warcraft," Nino is just another name. She muses, feeling somewhat deflated.
Switching to her backup account, "WarGod002," Nino tunes into a less popular streamer's channel. It is a quieter scene, lacking the buzz of the earlier one.
"Shoutout to WarGod002," announces the streamer, spotting the name on the chat feed.
The less crowded stream means Nino gets the host's attention, a little thrill she hadn't anticipated.
Even with a modest audience, the chat bustles with viewers keeping the streamer company with a steady stream of comments.
As the streamer engages with the audience on everything from the mundane to the exotic, Nino finds herself reminiscing about her old days with the guild.
"Calling it a night, folks. Sleep early," types a weary Nino in the chat.
"Night, WarGod," the streamer quickly replies after catching Nino's message.
"Night!" "G'night." "Sleep well." The crowd in the chat joins in wishing Nino goodnight, leaving her a bit overwhelmed but touched.
In those few moments of chatting, Nino feels like she's made short-lived but genuine connections with these faces behind the screen.
Friends, well… they always end up going their separate ways eventually. Whether it's fleeting or long-term, it's all the same in the end.
Nino… she just craves company at this very moment.
"What if I started streaming? Could I have a bunch of friends hanging out with me too?"
Deciding on a whim—with time on her hands, why not dive into streaming for fun!
Part 02
Nino, set on being a virtual streamer, decides on a look… her gaming avatar from "Legion of Warcraft"!
Her in-game self has sassy blonde hair with pink highlights and rocks a daring Harajuku-style outfit—a midriff-baring top and a mini skirt, standing out in every way.
The real-world Nino is a stark contrast—with a standard schoolgirl haircut and her untouched, original uniform, she is just another face in the crowd.
Being an unpopular student means drawing attention is a no-go, as it often leads to harsher teasing and exclusion. Blending in has become Nino's unspoken rule for getting by at school.
Once inside "Legion of Warcraft," Nino finds the courage through her avatar to let go of her concerns and express herself freely.
She longs for her meaningful digital alter ego to keep "living" on in the virtual realm.
Nino commissions an artist to craft a costume, replicating her gaming persona down to the last detail.
But top-notch artists don't come cheap. Determined to nail the look, Nino ends up dining on ramen for the better part of a month.
Luckily for Nino, a sweet old lady next door often brings her meals, saving her from the perils of a non-stop ramen diet.
With the costume crafted and motion capture gear in hand after extensive preparations, Nino is all set for her first-ever live stream.
At 9 PM on Saturday, the peak hour for streaming traffic, Nino turns on her camera, fine-tunes her gear, and starts her broadcast.
"Hey there, folks… I'm Nino, your fresh-faced host. Welcome to my channel! Hit that follow button, and join me for some gaming action every night…"
Nino beams, her cheerful smile brilliantly captured and mirrored on her digital avatar's face in the stream.
Yet, her smile is met with silence, no one responding.
Her live stream is almost empty, attracting only a few curious passersby. They pop in to check out the new streamer but quickly leave if not captivated.
"Welcome to the stream…" Nino begins, but before she can even finish saying their name, the viewer has already clicked away.
The chat is silent, no interactions, no one lingering to hear Nino talk. It is nothing like the bustling live stream she had envisioned.
But in moments of defeat, it's essential to get back up using your strongest suit.
Nino fires up "Codename: Dark," the latest hit game, on her streaming screen.
"As soon as I show off my gaming skills, I'm sure to impress the viewers and draw a crowd!" She thinks confidently.
But Nino overlooks one thing: at the same hour, more famous streamers are showcasing the same game.
Gamers gravitate towards these well-known channels, leaving little audience for a relatively unknown streamer like her.
Atter gaming for quite a while, Nino's stream has only managed to go from one viewer to a peak of three and stalls there.
"Your avatar's costume seems familiar," remarks a viewer named "Warcraft123" just as Nino is starting to lose heart.
"Huh?!" The sudden comment jolts Nino back to attention, who quickly responds, "Yeah, yeah, that's the look I had when I was in the Legion of Warcraft."
"That one that was shut down? I played it for a while, but had to quit when exams rolled around," remarks that audience member.
"What server did you play on back in the day?" Nino inquires with warm enthusiasm.
But before she can get the full question out, Warcraft123 has already bailed out of the live stream.
The viewer might have dashed off fast, but Nino can't hide her joy.
Finally, some real interaction! The first person today to chat with her, and they even get the gist of her outfit's design!
Wrapping up a marathon streaming session, Nino turns off her live stream with a mix of fatigue and contentment.
The stream's stats pop up on the screen: Revenue—a big fat zero, total visitors—six, max simultaneous viewers—one, and a grand total of two comments.
"Heartbreakingly low popularity. Is it because I'm a gaming noob?"
Nino, a bit dubious, starts checking out other streamers' replays.
She realizes that some aren't even better than her, but somehow, they are way more popular.
A bit of sleuthing later, she figures it out. These streamers had migrated from other platforms, carrying along a tide of dedicated followers and their views.
A few streamers are kind of celebs offline, with fans tuning in just for them, not caring much about the content.
Then there are those who've been in the streaming game for ages, earning a solid fan following thanks to their relentless grind over the years.
Sure, there are other rookie streamers like Nino, but most have inked deals with streaming agencies, riding the coattails of the pros to boost their popularity.
But Nino? She's flying solo. It's like she's in a battle, wielding just a basic slingshot, while others are armed to the teeth with high-end gear.
It'd be a shocker if she didn 't get totally trounced by them.
"So I can't take them on face-to-face—but who says I can't outmaneuver them?"
Nino opts for a dodge-and-stream strategy—waiting until the big-league streamers call it a night, then kicking off her own broadcast.
The tactic is working a treat—her stream's viewership is bumping up by a dozen or so people.
A dozen folks tuning in—it's a step up from just a handful, right?
Every little bit counts, Nino thinks, reassuring herself.
"If you like my stream… don't forget to smash that follow button up top!"
In her live stream, Nino juggles playing "Codename: Dark" and warmly welcomes new viewers with utmost politeness.
Having been banned before for her sharp tongue in another streamer's chat, she is extra cautious not to drive away the precious few viewers she has managed to attract to her own channel.
"GG! How long have you been playing this? That's some sick moves," a viewer in the chat asks.
GG, a term Nino's gotten the hang of, along with other jargon from the live stream universe.
"I'm a newbie, haven't played much. Killer skills? Guess I'm just gifted," Nino says diplomatically, leaving out her more "polite" inner commentary: "That's because you're all rookies. "
"Why are you still awake at this hour? I'm late to the party; my oshi has already called it a night," a viewer remarks in the chat.
"Oshi? What's that?" Nino wonders aloud.
"It means my favorite streamer. See my badge?" a chatter in the stream responds.
Nino checks out the viewer's profile and sees their collection of fan badges from other streamers, all impressively at level 29.
"Must be nice, sticking with a streamer to level 29. That's some hardcore fandom, isn't it?" Nino thinks, a bit envious, as she hasn't snagged even one fan yet.
"Then let me be your oshi too!" Nino exclaims, "l stream every night, don't forget to tune in."
Even without any fans, the mere fact that someone is willing to chat with her leaves Nino feeling content.
"Comparing myself to the big-time streamers as a newbie? That's just asking for trouble," Nino muses.
Yet, despite her self-advice, she can't help but ambitiously inch closer to where the top streamers stand.
What was that line her teacher always loved? Nino, not exactly a model student, racks her brain… Oh right, "It's only by going through the toughest times that you come out on top!"
Night after night, Nino is religiously live from 1 AM to the crack of dawn, without fail.
Nino manages this night-and-day flipped schedule solely on the back of her young and tough body.
Yet, her constant indoor lifestyle, minimal exercise, and a diet filled with junk food mean her fitness level is way below other people her age.
Despite the grind, the numbers don't improve—the stream's stats are still in the dumps. Nino resolves to stretch her streaming sessions, going all out in her gaming marathon.
One day, Nino reaches her limit. She dozes off with her head tilted back, still on camera, collapsing into her chair in exhaustion.
On the screen, "Streamer Nino" mirrors her, eyes shut, head drooping to the side, completely still.
Virtual streamer dozes off—nothing out of the ordinary there. But amidst Nino's steady breathing, a stream of garbled sleep-talking slips out.
And, well, the content of those mumbles is not exactly stream-appropriate.
Amidst her sleep talking, names of famous streamers sporadically surface. Even asleep, this young streamer is hard at work, analyzing her rivals.
Unwittingly, Nino's stream has gathered an audience who find entertainment in watching a streamer snooze. The chat is abuzz with banter, pondering over her unusually "refined" sleep talk and the kind souls or acts she might be dreaming of.
Nino is totally flabbergasted when she wakes up to find out she hasn't turned off her stream.
She is amazed to see that during this marathon session of over a day, she has somehow racked up 9 new followers and a whopping 68 visitors! That is more than she ever achieved with her regular hard work!
"Are viewers actually into watching streamers sleep? How weird is As Nino replays the stream and hears her own "refined" mumblings, it clicks. She also feels a rush of relief—not getting muted or kicked off the air for being "refined" was a lucky break. And gaining followers too? She should probably pray and thank god.
The incident with her sleep talk gaining followers opens Nino's eyes to new streaming strategies—simply playing games by the book might not make her stand out. If she adds some jokes and lively stunts, she might just attract more followers.
Nino quickly drafts a thorough plan for livening up her streams: Today, it's her take on the epic clash between two leading streamers. Tomorrow, she's set to go head-to-head with other up-and-coming streamers in a live card match, with the loser having to munch on a keyboard…
Leveraging her diverse, entertaining tactics, her fair and keen critiques, and a natural flair for fanning the flames, Nino gathers her first group of entertained followers.
In the highly competitive world of virtual hosting, the space for fun-loving, prankster streamers is jam-packed.
Despite Nino's all-out efforts in her entertaining antics, she can only maintain a stable audience of several dozen daily viewers.
The tips, amounting to only a few dozen DisCoins, are just enough for a couple of fast-food meals with soda.
That day, Nino gets her parents' weekly phone call.
Since becoming a streamer, her life has flipped to a night owl schedule, frequently missing calls from her parents and causing them concern.
"You're up all night, sleeping through the day, wearing yourself out for that thing… what's it called?"
"Virtual streaming," Nino clarifies.
"Is this streaming enough to support yourself?" There is a hint of concern in the voice over the phone.
"Well… it's more of a long-haul strategy. If I stay dedicated to streaming, making ends meet won't be an issue."
"It's great you're standing on your own two feet. We'll tune into your stream tonight when we're free."
"Oh, maybe don't… Tonight's stream isn't really something you'd find interesting." Tonight is all about fun and games. Nino pictures herself goofing around for the viewers, and the idea of her parents watching… She knows she'd be mortified and unable to be her usual self.
"You can tune in next Monday for my live gaming sesh! I'll be playing that new… "
"Mom and Dad are off to a meeting in a bit, Nino. You good on cash?" The urgent buzz of a work call slices through Nino's words, leaving them hanging.
"I'm all set, really. You guys focus on your meeting, I'll be fine."
"Okay, just make sure you look after yourself, alright?"
Call disconnects.
Even though Nino is down to her last dime, barely enough for tonight's dinner delivery, she can't bear the thought of weighing down her parents, who are already working their fingers to the bone.
I guess it's a biscuit dinner for me tonight!
"Nino, you home?" Come dinner time, there is a knock at Nino's door. It is her elderly neighbor, with a warm plate of freshly made red bean pies.
The sweet old lady from next door reminds Nino so much of her own grandmother who had passed away. She always feels a special bond with her.
"Nino, honey, I'm not getting in the way of your work, am l?"
"No worries, my live stream isn't until midnight. I've got time."
"You're burning the candle at both ends with your work. Make sure you eat enough, okay?" As she sets the red bean pies on the table, she adds, "Got a craving for something delicious? Just let me know, and I'll whip it up for you."
"Thanks a bunch. When I start making some money, it's my treat for a nice dinner!"
"I'll be looking forward to that, dear."
Nino rubs her weary eyes—she is driven by her parents' hopes and elderly neighbor's goodwill. She is determined to put in the effort and rise to the top as a star broadcaster!