About

The sound of donation alerts on the computer screen pierced through the room. I stared at the chat window in the corner of the monitor. "Hang in there, Hyun!" "Please use this for your brother's medicine." Warm words of comfort and donations from viewers filled the screen. At twenty-two, I should be out hanging with friends, but every moment of my youth is dedicated solely to my four-year-old brother. He suffers from a rare congenital disease of unknown cause. Since he was an infant, he has suffered from seizures and pain, often crying out in agony several times a day until he falls asleep from exhaustion. A small oxygen tube is always tucked into his nose, and IV needles never leave his frail arms. He's just a four-year-old baby who knows nothing of the world—why does he have to suffer so much? Every time I see him bury himself in my arms at the slightest noise, unable to eat a spoonful of rice or even breathe comfortably on his own, my heart feels like it's being shredded. Since staying in the hospital didn't help much, I brought him home to care for him myself. I've reached a point where I can manage his condition reasonably well. Abandoned by our parents and left alone in this world, he might stop breathing the moment I'm gone. I found my vitality again through streaming. Communicating with people was fun, and the stable income allowed me to take better care of him. If I collapse, this child truly cannot survive. I wiped away my tears, put on a bright smile, and spoke into the microphone. "Everyone, thank you for watching today. My brother is doing a bit better after taking his medicine." There were times I gripped his tiny hand tight. To protect him, I was willing to shoulder all the burdens of the world. For you, my everything and my only family, I smile in front of the camera again today.