Netkama Punch!!!

However, it didn’t feel unpleasant.
‘Since Kim Seyoung hates it, I should say it more often.’

With that thought in mind, I spent the entire weekend editing videos to upload on YouTube and working on an ad proposal for a game by Company N, sending drafts to the PD only to get them rejected and sent back, over and over again.
Before I knew it, it was already Sunday afternoon. I’d pulled nearly an all-nighter working, and I was so exhausted I could pass out any second. But I’d pushed myself on purpose so I could free up time now. Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I hailed a cab and headed to the department store.
“This mattress has way too many reservations. Even if you place an order now, you’ll have to wait about a month.”

The reason I came here was to check out a bed I’d seen online. I figured I needed to see it in person to decide whether it would actually work in Kim Seyoung’s room. So I came to a department store known for carrying every product listed online.
‘It’s pretty, but… it’d take up the whole room.’
The design didn’t suit a studio apartment either. If I wanted to fit that bed in, I’d have to haul out every single piece of furniture in Seyoung’s room. I tried rearranging things in my head like a game of Tetris, factoring in the room’s layout and the bed’s dimensions, but in the end, I had to admit it wouldn’t work unless some furniture came out.

‘I really want to buy it for him, though…’
I still wanted to give him a nice bed. Kim Seyoung loved curling up in his blankets and sprawling on the mattress. And every time he shifted positions, that bed of his made this horrible creaking sound. He might not notice it after all these years, but I did—and it drove me crazy. What if he messed up his back sleeping on something like that?
“Would you like to try lying on it?”

Even while hesitating, I couldn’t bring myself to give up on the bed. And when I finally lay down on it, I instantly knew—it was the one. But whether I could afford it or not didn’t matter. This one also wouldn’t fit in his room.
Just then, the store clerk whispered to me that I’d better make a reservation now.
“Ma’am, moving season’s just around the corner, right? That means by next week, we might not be able to keep up with demand. If you don’t reserve it now, you might have to wait months.”

She made a fair point, but that wasn’t why I was hesitating. She must’ve sensed it from my expression, because she kindly followed up.
“It seems like you’ve made up your mind. Is there something bothering you?”
I didn’t want to disappoint the clerk who’d been walking around with me for the past thirty minutes explaining every mattress type in existence. So instead of saying, “It won’t fit in the apartment,” I gave a vague answer.

“I’m not sure when the moving date will be yet.”
“That’s something I might be able to help with.”
She answered confidently and explained that the movers could handle both the initial setup and one future relocation free of charge. As soon as she said that, an idea popped into my head.

‘I could just keep it at my place for now and move it when Seyoung relocates later.’
Or, you know… maybe he’d come over to my place to sleep.
So that’s how I ended up buying that absurdly expensive bed. It was an impulsive decision, but I felt good about it.
“……”

But once I got home and leaned against the doorframe, staring into my room, reality hit me.
I remembered the bed I was using now—I’d bought it when I first left the orphanage. Back then, I wasn’t doing any streaming and had just started working, so of course I bought something cheap.
It didn’t creak like Seyoung’s bed, but it was still nothing special. Thinking I’d finally get rid of it didn’t make me feel bad. What did throw me off was the fact that I, who’d been sleeping on a cheap bed this whole time, had just bought one that cost a whole different order of magnitude—for Kim Seyoung. It felt like I’d been possessed or something.

‘Even if I give it to him, he’ll probably just yell at me like, “When did I ever ask you to buy this?!”’
Was I really about to blow ten million won on something this unappreciated?
I could already picture Seyoung’s annoyed face, but even then, the thought of him eventually sleeping on my bed made me grin. The way he sleeps with his mouth hanging open like an idiot—no matter how many times I see it, it never gets old. He sleeps like a baby.

‘Is he seriously older than me?’
When I think about it, it’s amazing he even holds down a job with that personality.
Kim Seyoung can’t hide his expressions, is a ridiculously picky eater, and despite being an adult in size, he’s practically a social disaster. Sometimes when he talks about work, it doesn’t sound like he’s exactly on good terms with his boss or coworkers. I, on the other hand, get along with PDs, sponsors, and fellow streamers pretty well. I know how to play nice. That’s how you make money, Seyoung.

‘He really is a dumbass.’
And the funniest part is that Seyoung assumes I act childish with everyone, not just him.
Sometimes he makes this face like, ‘I’m the bigger person for tolerating you,’ and when I see that scowling expression as he tries to hold back a retort, I can’t help but start grinning.

“You’re so stupid…”
Of all his expressions, the way he curses is definitely the funniest. Especially when he goes, “Shit, shit,” over and over—it’s like a Pomeranian barking angrily.
“Pfft.”

He must not realize how completely non-threatening he is when he swears, huh? I /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ chuckled to myself, replaying the image of Seyoung glaring at me, spewing pathetic little curses.
But it didn’t last long.
“Ugh… god, I’m so fucking tired.”

As fun as that was, I was about to pass out. At some point, I’d yawned three times in a row. That’s when I remembered I hadn’t even gotten four hours of sleep over the last two days.
Dragging my feet, I stumbled into the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. I closed my eyes facedown, but oddly enough, sleep didn’t come right away. I just felt this overwhelming exhaustion, like something heavy was pressing down on me. I knew I should change clothes or shower, but I didn’t even want to lift a finger.
“……”

Still, I managed to move my arm and pull my phone out of my pocket. Out of habit, I reread the last message Kim Seyoung had sent me.
It was from yesterday morning, and it was packed with enough words to make it unclear whether he was cursing at me or complimenting me.
Seyoung
Because of you, I wake up at fucking dawn every day, you asshole.

Seyoung
Don’t just say your piece and leave. When did I ever say I missed you?? Stop getting the wrong idea and talking like it’s mutual—I don’t miss you at all. And even if I don’t earn as much as you, I still have a salary, so quit flashing your money around like you’re better than me. Just lose interest and cut contact for good!!!
And of course, I burst out laughing.
* * *

But when I woke up, something was wrong.
Just yesterday, even if he got irritated, Seyoung always replied to my messages. But now, all of a sudden, he wasn’t picking up his phone or answering anything.
Good morning ㅇ.ㅇ

When I sent that first message after showering, I didn’t think I was being ignored. I’d fallen asleep at a weird hour the night before, so by the time I woke up and sent the message, it was already well past 2 PM on Monday. I figured he was probably working, so a late reply made sense.
But after washing up, grabbing a snack, and wrapping up a short one-hour live stream, it was already 6:30 PM.
And still, no reply.

Some of the messages had even been marked as read—but from 4 PM onward, he didn’t read a single one.
“……”
By then, I couldn’t shake the bad feeling. I couldn’t focus on anything else. Work hours had long since ended, and the total silence was eating at me. If it were the usual Seyoung, he would’ve at least replied with a snarky [yes] or something.

That’s when it finally hit me—something was wrong.
I called him right away.
[The person you’re trying to reach is unavailable—]

The ringtone played for a few seconds before cutting off. That meant he was rejecting my call.
“What the hell?”
Right then, I remembered the time Seyoung went off the grid for two whole weeks. The pattern was identical. I’d planned to clear out my room today before tossing my bed, but I canceled everything immediately.

“Shit… Why the fuck aren’t you answering?”
Seyoung, are you okay?
Pick up the phone, will you??
I grabbed my car keys and headed down to the parking lot, calling again as I walked.

Ignored again.
I was absolutely seething inside, but I gritted my teeth and started driving. I didn’t even know how I made it all the way to his place. All I could think about was how devastated I’d be if the door opened and he wasn’t there—or if the place was cleaned out.
Clack—

Thankfully, Kim Seyoung was lying on the bed in a worn-out tracksuit, sprawled out like a ragdoll. And the stupidest part? The moment I saw him, some of that rage started to fade.
But as I walked over, watching him deliberately ignore me with that fake-blank stare, the irritation bubbled back up.
‘What the hell is he sulking about now?’

I glared down at Seyoung, who was stubbornly avoiding eye contact, and asked:
“Are you kidding me? Why aren’t you picking up the phone?”