The moment he toggled the live button, five members joined.
Like usual, Kyle was wearing a mask to hide most of his face, only his dark green eyes visible as he looked into the camera and said, "Hey, how have you all been?"
By this point, it felt more like a video conference rather than a live stream. Because for the past five months or so, it has just been these five people and Kyle.
His words were relayed to them, and soon, the live chat started showing up,
WarHorse: [Kyyyyyyle! Finally, you are here!]
Myuri: [Kyle! Ethara cursed me today!]
Ethara: [Wrong allegations. I never curse, Kyle knows.]
One-eyed: [Kyle, are you planning to stay for long today? Maybe seven hours?]
Tharos: [Kyle...I missed you.]
Despite how bad his day passed, seeing them bantering, texting him, trying to get his attention, and their craving for him to stay longer...it always puts a smile on his face.
He calmly responded to each one of them, "Hello, WarHorse. I hope you didn't fight with people this time and are pretending to be excited so that I don't suspect anything. And Ethara...Myuri wouldn't lie to me. One-eyed, sorry but I won't be able to stay for long. And Tharos...nice to see you in good health."
Although they said they are quite old and have met hundreds of people in their lives, for Kyle, they were like lost children who were handed responsibilities more than they could bear.
What started as a promotion of his company turned into a counseling stream where he talked with his viewers, listened to their problems, and tried to solve them.
He has scolded them at times, too, when they confessed their mistakes or did something under the assumption of being right.
There have been a few times, some of them—especially One-eyed—to get frustrated by his blunt words and leave the stream. But sooner or later, everyone returned to him, accepting that he had been right.
Kyle didn't know whether it ran in his blood, but just like his uncle, he was quite a good counselor.
One-eyed: [Why is that? You don't have anything to do after uni, do you?]
Myuri: [That's right! And you said your partner isn't coming over to your place as well! So no distraction.]
Sharing personal information on a social media platform was not a good thing, but there were times he grew emotional as well and said more than needed.
Well, not like they know who he was to share the details with anyone.
Leaning back in his seat, Kyle said, "Well, you are right. But I got a realisation today...I have been neglecting my duties as a student...wasting my time at things which aren't providing me any benefit."
WarHorse: [That's quite a bad thing to do! You should always invest your time in something pro-ah! Don't tell me...]
Ethara: [Kyle? What do you mean by those words?]
It was surprising that even WarHorse, who generally remains oblivious to these things, realized what he was implying.
It pained Kyle but he has to do it for the sake of his future.
"Yes, you guessed it right...I am thinking of stopping this..."
There was a brief silence before a message popped up,
Tharos: [Kyle...is abandoning me?]
Kyle's heart clenched, guilt arising in his chest. He really didn't want to stop contacting them...but whenever he goes online, he ends up staying there for several hours.
"That's right, I need to focus on my studies for the sake of my future… so yes, I won't be coming online anymore."
The chat went silent.
Too silent.
The kind of silence that made Kyle stare at the screen, wondering if everyone had already logged out. He waited. A second passed. Then another. His cursor hovered, unsure.
Then the messages exploded.
WarHorse:
[This is madness!]
[Absolute madness!]
[You can't just say that and leave!]
Myuri:
[Kyyyyyyle!]
[I can't— I can't—]
[Don't go… please… waaaah!]
Ethara:
[Studies?]
[Is "studies" a person?]
[Where is my spear.]
Kyle blinked.
Tharos:
[Kyle… don't go…]
[Kyle…]
[Kyle...]
WarHorse:
[WHOEVER TAKES MY BROTHER FROM ME SHALL PERISH!]
[Raaaah!]
[I will wage war upon reality itself!]
Myuri:
[Hiiick…]
[Kyle I can't breathe…]
[Please tell me you are joking.]
[PLEASE.]
Ethara:
[Is someone threatening you to say that?]
[If yes, blink twice.]
[That person shall not live another day to see the rising sun.]
Myuri:
[KYYYYYYYYYLLLLLEEEE!!!]
Kyle rubbed his face, already regretting everything.
WarHorse:
[We fought together.]
[We bled together.]
[You stood behind my shield!]
[And now you abandon the battlefield for… books?!]
Ethara:
[Books do not bleed.]
[Books do not scream.]
[Books are suspicious.]
Myuri:
[Do you know how long I waited for you to log in every day?]
[I even saved emotes just for you!]
[I didn't use them on anyone else!]
[ANYONE!]
Tharos:
[The balance is breaking…]
[The threads are shaking…]
[My logs feel empty without your name.]
[Kyle…]
WarHorse:
[I refuse this fate!]
[I challenge it!]
[I challenge STUDIES!]
Ethara:
[Point me to the library.]
Myuri: [If you leave… who will listen to me rant at 3 a.m.?]
[Who will say "calm down" when I clearly cannot?!]
[Who?!]
Kyle was getting blinded by all the messages suddenly popping continuously on his screen, not allowing him to read even one of them.
Just then,
One-eyed: [All of you, stop.]
Somehow, Kyle felt that those words were spoken through the screen, authoritative and strict.
The others stopped messaging.
Kyle exhaled as he finally relaxed.
Just then, One-eyed typed another message,
[Kyle, can you tell us what exactly is going through your life for you to suddenly make this decision?]