Pressing the Start Game button for Ocean Butterfly seemed no different from her usual streams at first.
Even when a rarity for a "healing game" appearedâa difficulty selection screenâthere were no red flags yet.
âDing!
[ Please select your game difficulty. ]
Story Mode
[ You are invincible. ]
[ For casual gamers who wish to experience the story only. ]
Easy
[ Player damage is halved. ]
[ Health fully regenerates after a short period without taking damage. ]
[ For casual gamers who enjoy a sense of accomplishment upon clearing stages. ]
Normal
[ Health regenerates up to 50% after a short period without taking damage. ]
[ For passionate gamers who want to engage actively in gameplay. ]
Hero
[ Player takes double damage. ]
[ Health does not regenerate. ]
[ Enemies attack more aggressively. ]
[ For brave gamers confident in their skills. ]
âClick!
"I'm brave, so I'll go Hero!"
Ha-eun, streaming as Diah, selected the hardest difficulty without hesitation.
She was confident in her gaming skills.
Besides, picking an easier difficulty felt like admitting defeat before even starting.
"Our brave, fearless Diah! Totally not panicking inside."
"Oh, the hero we need?"
"Choosing Hero right away? Someoneâs going to regret this."
"I can already see the future: rage-quitting into Story Mode, LOL."
"What could be so challenging about a healing game?"
Brushing aside her chat's teasing concerns, Ha-eun proceeded to the gameâs tutorial.
So far, everything seemed perfectly normal.
Unlike Battle Island, an FPS battle royale game with no storyline, Ocean Butterfly leaned heavily on its narrative.
"Saving Strawberry Squad is Daddyâs mission!"
ââSaving Strawberry Squad is Daddyâs mission!â Aw, this kid is adorable.â
As a VTuber, Diah mimicked the character's lines in her own voice, adding a unique charm to her stream.
This was a hallmark of VTuber streamingâinfusing gameplay with the personality and voice of the streamer.
Viewers found it far more engaging than a silent, unvoiced playthrough.
"A brave and heroic soldier like Daddy can definitely do it! Now, go on!"
âA brave and heroic soldier like Daddy can definitely do it! Now, go on!â
Diahâs voice, soft and youthful, fit perfectly with the lines of the in-game daughter, who appeared to be around six years old.
Guided by tutorial messages, she steadily progressed through the game.
Even the signature wire mechanic, which allowed players to navigate obstacles, quickly became second nature to her.
"Hmm, didn't it take another streamer an hour to finish the tutorial?"
"Hero difficulty really suits her, maybe."
"Okay, be honest, Diah. Have you played this before?"
"Weâre onto you!"
âThis is my first time, I swear!â
"Hmm⦠okay, weâll trust youâfor now."
"Still, calling this a healing game reeks of newbie energy."
Confident in her wire skills, she soon reached the goal of the tutorial: rescuing Strawberry Squad from a strawberry tree and placing them in a basket.
Everything felt peaceful.
When the in-game daughter cheerfully shared strawberries with her father, Diahâs viewers relaxed into the soothing atmosphere.
"Yum yum! Sweet and sour Strawberry Squad. So tasty!"
ââYum yum! Sweet and sour Strawberry Squad. So tasty!ââ
The tranquil vibe of a classic healing game left Ha-eun feeling genuinely soothed.
âI see why people love these kinds of games.â
But then, things changed.
While playing hide-and-seek with his daughter, the protagonist stepped outside.
"Are you hiding yet?"
"Yeah! But Daddy, thereâs something weird in the closet."
"Oh no. Donât touch it!"
"Ahhh, here we go."
"RIP Daddy's peaceful life."
The calming background music abruptly stopped.
"Something weird?"
"Yeah. It says, âButterflies donât cross the ocean.â What does that mean?"
"Oh no oh no oh no."
"Big things are coming."
"She doesnât realize whatâs happening, LOL."
A line of bold text appeared on the screen:
"Butterflies donât cross the ocean."
At the same time, the house where the daughter was hidingâ
âBOOM!
"Explosion incoming!"
"Art is an explosion, after all."
"Oh no, not the kid!"
The screen erupted into flames as the house was obliterated.
The protagonist was flung far away, unconscious from the blast.
âW-what⦠what just happened?â
Diahâs avatar froze in shock, her mouse cursor hovering still on the screen.@@novelbin@@
The game, however, didnât pause.
The title screen reappearedânow drenched in blood-red hues.
What followed was a grim new sequence.
"Help me!"
"No⦠if you kill, youâll be killed."
The protagonist, transformed into a vengeful figure, massacred an entire mafia organization.
There wasnât a trace left of the kind father who once played hide-and-seek with his daughter.
âThis⦠this was supposed to be a healing game! What the hell is this?!â
"Not a healing game. Itâs a killing game, LOL."
"Diah, you got tricked again."
"She really didnât see it coming, did she?"
As the protagonist's rampage continued, Ha-eun debated whether to quit the game entirely.
But stopping now would mean the ultimate streamer disgraceârage-quitting a game under the guise of âhealing.â
Resigned, she pressed on.
Eventually, the wire mechanic, once used for simple traversal, evolved into a deadly weapon.
âSlash!
âThud!
âBoom!
"Your skills havenât dulled, Major. Now I know who wiped out Deadbear."
The gameâs first boss fell to Diahâs expert wire control.
But for Ha-eun, the emotional toll was immense.
Performing as Diah often amplified Ha-eunâs emotions far beyond her usual level of intensity.
While this worked perfectly for cheerful games, it left her vulnerable in darker, more emotional games like this one.
"Look, Daddy! The flowers are blooming!"
âWhy⦠why is she still here? Even if itâs just a memoryâ¦â
"Stop, Iâm crying."
"Diah is so emotional right now."
"If sheâs tearing up already, whatâs she going to do at the ending?"
Caught in the whirlwind of emotions delivered by the game, Diah found herself increasingly drawn into the story.
When the protagonist met a peculiar girl who seemed the same age as Ha-eun, she couldnât shake the feeling that something significant was about to happen.
Her chat became louder and more chaotic, anticipating the next twist.
But Ha-eun had no idea how deeply she would become entangled in the girlâs fate.
Nor could she foresee how the emotional aftermath of Should We Fall Together? would intertwine with this journey.