Anni woke up with the sound of her alarm blaring in her ear. She groggily rolled over, glancing at her phone to check the time. 7:00 AM. Great, I’m already late. She slapped the snooze button and groaned.

With a sigh, she threw her blankets aside and dragged herself out of bed. Today was another school day—another day where the world outside of her bedroom seemed just a little bit more overwhelming. It was always the same routine: school, the usual crowd, and her unshakable goal to become a famous streamer. But it felt like no one around her truly understood that dream.

Anni quickly changed into her uniform, brushing her messy hair into a ponytail before grabbing her school bag and heading out the door. She checked her phone one last time before leaving.

400 views.

Her stomach churned. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t exactly what she was hoping for. She had spent hours setting up her stream, perfecting the angle, the lighting, and the commentary. It was supposed to be the one. Instead, it felt like she was just another face in the crowd.

With a deep sigh, Anni shoved her phone into her bag and set off toward school, hoping that seeing her friends would distract her from the weight of her disappointment.

At School

The school halls were bustling with students, each hurrying to their next class or hanging out with friends before the bell rang. Anni walked down the hallway, the familiar sound of chatter filling the air, but she barely registered it. Her mind was still focused on her stream—and the overwhelming feeling that she wasn’t getting anywhere.

When she arrived at her locker, she spotted her friends gathered at their usual spot.

“Yo, Anni!” Haruka called out with a wave. Haruka was always easygoing, the kind of person who rarely let anything bother her. Her calm demeanor was a contrast to Anni’s constant internal battles.

“Morning,” Anni replied, offering a small smile. She tried to keep up appearances, but Haruka’s sharp eyes could always tell when something was off.

“You look tired. Did you stay up all night again?” Haruka asked, raising an eyebrow.

Anni rubbed her eyes. “Yeah, had a stream. It didn’t go as well as I thought,” she said with a forced laugh, trying to make it sound casual.

Rika, who was sitting next to Haruka, gave her a knowing look. “Don’t tell me you’re still obsessing over views. You can’t keep measuring your worth by numbers, Anni.”

Anni winced slightly. “I know. I just... I want it so badly, you know?”

“Just keep going,” Miyu chimed in, her voice full of optimism. “You’ll get there eventually. It’s about building momentum.”

Anni nodded, but the words felt empty. She had heard this a thousand times before. Eventually wasn’t cutting it anymore.

“Thanks, guys,” she said, though her tone lacked the usual enthusiasm. She grabbed her books and began heading toward their next class, trying to push the nagging feeling of failure to the back of her mind.