No thoughts, head empty.
That was the phrase that came to Jo Jung-yoon’s mind every time she looked at Ha-eun these days.
Although Ha-eun had always worn a calm, almost expressionless face, something felt different lately.
Ever since the conclusion of The Moonlight Splitting the Clouds brought a brief lull in her schedule, only for it to ramp up again with The Sunshine, she seemed more dazed.
“She looks a bit tired,” Jung-yoon thought to herself.
Yet, Ha-eun didn’t skip school, not even coming in late.
She committed herself fully to The Sunshine, which had begun filming just days ago.
And her hours spent at Doubllee’s studio preparing for the Infinite Challenge Song Festival, set to start in two days, kept increasing.
According to Na-yeon, even at home, Ha-eun holed up in her soundproof booth, studying—or so she claimed.
As a parent, Jung-yoon knew that a self-driven, academically focused daughter was something to encourage rather than worry about.
“But she’s like a machine. I wish she had even a moment to breathe.”
As her manager, Jung-yoon couldn’t help but worry about Ha-eun’s condition.
After all, keeping up with such an intense schedule without showing any signs of struggle was no small feat, even for an adult.
In fairness, Ha-eun’s physical health remained robust.
Even after wrapping up The Moonlight Splitting the Clouds, she had continued frequenting Kim Gyu-tae’s action school, practicing various exercises.
She’d even taken up parkour recently to prepare for the action scenes in The Sunshine.
However, no matter how physically fit she was, the mental exhaustion from such a tightly packed schedule couldn’t be ignored.
“Hey, Ha-eun. Want to come somewhere with me for a bit?”
Just after Ha-eun had finished her workout at the action school, Jung-yoon took her to a pre-booked counseling center.
It was a place frequented by celebrities seeking psychological care, so the visit was nominally unproblematic.
The session Jung-yoon had arranged was focused on burnout prevention.
She wanted to ensure that Ha-eun wouldn’t collapse from overwork.
After some light conversation between Ha-eun and the head counselor, the session delved into more specific topics.
“Hmm… I’ve never really thought of myself as struggling,” Ha-eun admitted.
She explained that every single activity on her schedule was something she chose to do.
Not a single task or event was imposed on her against her will.
“While it’s understandable for filming commitments to be non-negotiable, is there a reason you avoid resting even in your free time?”
The counselor was curious about certain aspects of Ha-eun’s life.
In particular, she brought up Ha-eun’s personal live-streaming activities, asking why she continued them despite their apparent toll.
“I think you should start by adjusting that streaming schedule. Collapsing after every session isn’t a good sign.”
She suggested Ha-eun begin moderating the parts of her life she had control over.
Their discussion turned to the content of Ha-eun’s streams.
“Do you have to play games every time you stream?”
“No, not really. But my viewers want to see me play games….”
Initially, her streams had been more conversational, in the "Just Chatting" category.
But over time, gaming streams had become the primary focus, to the point where almost every session revolved around them.
The counselor pointed out the obvious: gaming streams were far more taxing than chat-based ones.
This wasn’t lost on the counselor, who made a suggestion.
“I’m not saying you should give up what you enjoy entirely. But maybe it’s time to balance the ‘intense enjoyment’ with more ‘calm enjoyment.’ Gaming naturally overstimulates your dopamine levels.”
Rather than forcing Ha-eun to stop streaming altogether, the counselor proposed a return to less demanding formats, like her early conversational streams.
“Even if it doesn’t feel exhausting right now, fatigue can accumulate and explode when you least expect it. Do you understand?”
“…Yeah, I understand.”
Trusting the advice of professionals had always been one of Ha-eun’s traits.
Though her streams felt more like relaxation than work, she accepted the idea that they might be tiring in ways she hadn’t realized.
“Hmm. You know, a trip might do you good too.”
“Oh, I’m going on a school trip next week.”
“Japan. We’ll be touring Tokyo for four days.”
“Perfect. Have fun with your friends and use it as a chance to recharge.”
When the session ended, Ha-eun hesitated before asking the counselor,
“Um, are you going to tell Jung-yoon unnie about my streams?”
The counselor reassured her,
“I don’t know much about streaming myself, but if it’s something you’d like to keep private, I’ll respect that.”
Relieved, Ha-eun left the counselor’s office.
When Jung-yoon returned to Ha-eun, she asked teasingly,
“…Do I really look that dazed?”
“Uh-huh. These days, I have to call your name three or four times just to get a reply.”
“Why would I lie about that?”
Ha-eun was genuinely surprised.
Her busy schedule seemed to have left her more distracted than she realized.
Still, she was grateful to Jung-yoon for pointing it out.
“Thank you… I really couldn’t do this without you.”
Awkwardly scratching her cheek, she expressed her appreciation.
“If you’re that thankful, how about a raise? Maybe even a bonus.”
Jung-yoon grinned mischievously.
“I’ll talk to CEO Jeong Do-chul and make it happen!”
“W-wait! I was joking!”
“…Guess I’ll have to watch what I say around you now.”
Later that evening, after being dropped off at home, Ha-eun pondered her counselor’s advice.
Instead of her usual high-energy gaming stream, she decided to host a more relaxed "Just Chatting" session.
- [Exploring the Fan Café ☆]
Her stream’s chat quickly filled with lively messages:
- Why the fan café all of a sudden?
- Betraying your Battle Island fans?
- I was already logged into Battle Island!
- Can you look at fan art if I post it now?
“Well… I’ve been told to take it easy for health reasons, so I’ll be taking a break from gaming streams for a while.”
- Don’t get sick, Diah ㅠㅠㅠ
- We must protect Diah!
- Health first! No graduating, though, okay?
- Did Cream beat you in a duel or something?
- Are your fingers broken?!
- Diah, take care of yourself, you adorable squirrel!!
The super chats rolled in:
[Bernstein d $10,000!]
[EternalYG d $10,000!]
After letting the chat settle down, Ha-eun began exploring the fan café as promised.
“Wow, there’s a lot here!”
While she hadn’t completely ignored the café in the past, the sheer activity was startling compared to her last visit.
One post caught her attention, standing out with overwhelming views, recommendations, and comments:
Curious, she clicked the post—and froze as a fan art filled her monitor.
It depicted Diah in a swimsuit, her figure accentuated more than Ha-eun had ever imagined.
For several seconds, she stared blankly.
Her brain short-circuited.
The chat, meanwhile, exploded:
- Big sis, I’m dying here!!!
- Incredible artwork!
- That body tho ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
- Can we get a swimsuit edition for your avatar, Diah?
Heart pounding, Ha-eun scrolled away frantically, but it didn’t help.
The chat wasn’t letting up.