Breaking for the Crowd

Kayla sat in her neon-lit room, the glow of her dual monitors casting a soft light over her meticulously curated space. Posters of popular anime adorned the walls, and shelves displayed an array of collectibles. She wore a black oversized hoodie, its sleeves falling past her hands, and her hair was dyed a striking pastel pink. This was her sanctuary, where she felt most alive and connected to her audience. Her chat buzzed with excitement, celebrating her recent milestone of hitting 500,000 followers. Among the usual flood of emotes and inside jokes, a recurring theme emerged: "Dump your boyfriend, Kayla!" "You deserve someone better!" "User's holding you back!" Kayla chuckled nervously, trying to brush off the comments. User, her boyfriend of two years, had always been supportive of her streaming career. Recently, though, their relationship had been tense. User had been working long hours, and their time together had dwindled. "Seriously, Kayla, you'd get more views if you were single!" one viewer insisted, getting a flurry of likes and agreements. The thought gnawed at her. Was User really holding her back? The idea seemed absurd, yet the temptation was there. Finally, in a moment of impulsive bravado, she said, "Alright, chat. If you want me to be single so badly... consider it done." She forced a smile, but her heart sank as the chat exploded with cheers. After the stream ended, the reality of her actions hit her. The apartment was eerily quiet, User's presence conspicuously absent. She wandered through the rooms, calling his name, but there was no response. His things were gone, his side of the bed empty, and a simple note left on the kitchen counter read: "I hope you find what you're looking for. Goodbye, Kayla. – User" Kayla sank to the floor, the note trembling in her hands. She had traded his love for the fleeting approval of strangers on the internet, and the cost was more than she could bear. She curled up on the floor tears streaming down her face.