Infinite Cashback System

Chapter 213: 214 | Viewer Count: 2

Two humans. Two actual people choosing to spend their finite time on earth watching an eighteen-year-old girl ramble into a microphone in her apartment.

"Two viewers! We’re growing at a hundred percent rate. At this pace I’ll have four viewers by the end of the hour and eight by tomorrow and by next month I’ll be competing with Pokimane. The math works out. I’m a Communications major, not a math major, but I’m pretty sure that’s how percentages function."

A message appeared in chat.

jordanm404: nice setup

Chloe froze.

She recognized the username immediately. Jordan had created his Twitch account two days ago at her desk while Kumiko directed the process. The 404 was his apartment number. He’d spent approximately forty seconds choosing the name before Kumiko declared it perfect because it contained a hidden reference to the HTTP error code for pages not found, which Kumiko interpreted as poetic commentary on Jordan’s journey from invisible nobody to main character.

"Someone in chat says nice setup." Chloe directed her voice at the camera, keeping her tone neutral even though her pulse had spiked and her cheeks felt warm. "Thank you, jordanm404. My friend helped me build the PC and pick out all the equipment. She’s incredibly smart and patient and also possibly insane because the process took like six hours."

She glanced at the clock in the corner of her monitor. 11:53 AM. Jordan’s Management 1A lecture ran until 12:15. He was watching her stream during Dr. Ashford’s class. The same Dr. Ashford who had publicly humiliated Jordan for looking at his phone two weeks ago. The same Dr. Ashford who could apparently sense electronic devices from across a lecture hall like a predator sensing fear.

jordanm404: sound quality is really good too

"He says the sound quality is good." Chloe adjusted the mic arm slightly, a nervous habit. "I spent way too much money on this microphone. My... someone told me audio quality matters more than video quality for streaming, and apparently she was right because this thing picks up everything. Watch."

Chloe tapped her fingernail against the desk surface. The microphone reproduced the sound with startling clarity.

"See? You can hear that. You can probably hear me breathing. You can definitely hear the traffic outside my window if I stop talking for more than two seconds, which is a skill I’m still developing."

The viewer count shifted.

3 viewers.

Three. A full trio of human beings. Chloe felt something ridiculous and wonderful bloom in her stomach, the same feeling she used to get when her father took her to the dry cleaners and let her press the button that started the conveyor belt, watching the plastic-wrapped clothes circle through the machine in their orderly procession. Something moving. Something she’d set in motion.

KumiKumoCos: HIIIIII STELLARNOTE OMG OMG OMG YOUR FIRST STREAM

"Oh my god." Chloe covered her mouth with her hand, laughing. "Kumiko. KumiKumoCos in the chat. She’s the friend who built my PC. She’s also... she’s the best person I know. Kumiko, aren’t you supposed to be in class right now?"

KumiKumoCos: professor canceled!!! im watching from the library bathroom because i couldn’t wait to see you live

KumiKumoCos: YOU LOOK SO PRETTY

KumiKumoCos: the lighting is perfect!! the purple leds are chef’s kiss

Chloe felt heat crawl up her neck. "She says the lighting is perfect. She positioned every single light in this setup with a ruler. Not a metaphorical ruler. An actual physical ruler with centimeter markings."

jordanm404: she measured twice

KumiKumoCos: i ALWAYS measure twice

The two messages appeared almost simultaneously in chat, a small conversation between Jordan and Kumiko playing out in her viewer window. Chloe watched the exchange with a complicated feeling she couldn’t name. Her boyfriend and her best friend, the two people she loved most in the world, both cutting class to watch her talk to a camera. The sweetness of it sat right next to the anxiety, because Jordan was absolutely going to get his phone confiscated by Dr. Ashford, and Kumiko was sitting in a library bathroom at her university lying about a canceled class.

"Both of you need to go back to your actual responsibilities. I appreciate the support but I refuse to be the reason either of you fails your courses."

jordanm404: dr ashford stepped out for 5 min. im fine

KumiKumoCos: my responsibility is YOU right now

Chloe shook her head at the camera, but she couldn’t stop the smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. She tucked her legs under her on the chair and pulled the hoodie sleeves past her fingers, creating sweater paws that she pressed against her cheeks to cool the blush.

"Okay. So for anyone watching who isn’t a personal friend or family member, which is... statistically nobody at this point... let me tell you what this channel is going to be. I’m planning to do Just Chatting streams a few times a week. Talking about life, school, whatever’s happening. Eventually I want to add cooking streams because I’ve been learning Korean recipes from my mom and I think food content translates well to live formats. I might play games sometimes but honestly I’m terrible at most games so that would be more of a comedy stream than a skill showcase."

The viewer count held steady at three. Chloe forced herself not to check it every five seconds. Kumiko had warned her about this during the equipment setup, explaining that new streamers obsess over the viewer number and it poisons their content because the audience can sense desperation like dogs smell fear.

"I also sing. I’ve been taking vocal lessons for about two years now. My coach, Karina, she’s amazing. My dad used to say I’d hear my voice on the radio someday and..." Chloe paused. The words caught somewhere between her chest and her throat. "And I’m keeping that promise. Even though he’s not here to hear it."

The chat went quiet for a moment.

KumiKumoCos: chloe-chan...

jordanm404: your dad would be proud of you right now

Chloe blinked hard. Once, twice. The ring light blurred into a soft circle of white. She reached for her water glass and took a long drink, using the motion to buy herself three seconds of composure. The glass clicked against the desk when she set it down.

"Sorry. Got a little real there. First stream, no filter, you get the raw version. StellarNote terms and conditions include occasional emotional vulnerability. No refunds."

She pulled up her Spotify on the second monitor, angling it so the screen wasn’t visible on camera. "You know what, let me play some music. My friend says having background music makes dead air less painful. She’s been streaming for two years and she knows things."

Soft lo-fi beats filled the room through her speakers, low enough that the microphone picked them up as ambient texture. Chloe’s shoulders dropped half an inch.

"Better. Okay. So. What do people talk about on Just Chatting streams? I feel like I should have prepared material. Like a comedian with a set. Except I’m not funny. I’m told I’m funny by people who are obligated to find me funny because of our personal relationships."

jordanm404: you’re funny

"That’s exhibit A. Biased source."

KumiKumoCos: you’re the funniest person i know and im not biased at all

"Exhibit B. Even more biased."

The viewer counter blinked.

2 viewers.

One person had left.