Hobbyist VTuber-Chapter 268

It really was different.

That was Ha-eun’s first thought as she finally stepped into the studio of Prism Live.

First of all, the entire building belonged to Prism Live.

Technically, the LUX building wasn’t exactly small either—but that was a comprehensive MCN housing all kinds of broadcasters, not just VTubers.

Unlike LUX, Prism Live was focused entirely on VTuber-related business.

‘Japan really does operate on another scale...’

Ha-eun hadn’t intended to compare LUX and Prism Live, but she couldn’t help being fascinated by the multiple large-scale motion capture studios.

After all, Illusionary Realm was a later entry to the field.

It felt like visiting a famous tourist attraction.

As a Prism Live staff member guided her through the facilities, Ha-eun’s eyes kept darting left and right, taking it all in.

“That’s our control room. We use it for monitoring live broadcasts, among other tasks—”

“This chroma key room is mainly for recording live performances or scenes that need extra CG—”

“And this is the room you’ll be using on the day of the collab—”

Like a proper tour, she was guided all around the studio.

Eventually, she was led to the reception room, where she was told Lucid would be arriving shortly.

The surprise? Even the snacks in the room were Prism Live collaboration products.

Some were the same types she had bought during her trip to Japan a few months ago, while others were completely new.

“Oh, this...”

“Ah, yes. You’re welcome to help yourself.”

“Ah—no. I’d actually like to take them home as souvenirs. It feels like a waste to eat them.”

“Eh...”

After a moment of quiet blinking, the staff member snapped out of it and promised they’d pack up a full ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ variety for her later.

Ha-eun thanked them and took pictures of the snacks first.

“Are you going to post that on Insta?” Ju Jung-yoon asked just then.

“I’ll take your photo—how about holding one of the snacks and standing by that wall?”

“Ah—no. I really can’t post this on Insta. Seriously, that’d be bad.”

“...Wait, is this some anti-Korea company—”

“No, no, not at all!”

Before Ju Jung-yoon’s misunderstanding could spiral out of control, Ha-eun quickly explained that she’d only be showing the photos to some friends.

Although Ju Jung-yoon knew about the Diah channel, she didn’t seem too familiar with the VTuber industry itself.

So Ha-eun gave a basic explanation of VTuber etiquette—even though she had to repeat herself a few times due to the lack of comprehension.

After that, she uploaded the snack photos to the Illusionary Realm group chat.

[Lee Ha-eun (Diah)] – (Prism Live Collab Snack Photos 1)

[Lee Ha-eun (Diah)] – (Prism Live Collab Snack Photos 2)

[Lee Ha-eun (Diah)] – Agent D has successfully infiltrated...!

[Kim Eun-hye (Ria)] – LOLLLLLLL

[Lee Ye-na (Yuna)] – (shocked duck emoji)

[Park Mi-so (Mile)] – The snacks look so good

Maybe the Illusionary Realm members were curious about Prism Live’s studio, too.

The chat filled with questions about the facilities.

While waiting for Lucid to arrive, Ha-eun decided to keep chatting with the members.

She didn’t have anything else to do anyway.

And so, as she was sharing her impressions of Prism Live’s studio—

—Ding.

[Jung Maria (Cream)] – Aren’t the people there surprised to see you?

In response to Cream’s message asking about the staff’s reactions, Ha-eun glanced at the glass wall of the reception room.

Right on cue, she saw staff peeking over at her from the hallway.

Maybe it was because every single one of them was a stranger.

Ha-eun felt like she had stepped into a foreign world.

[Lee Ha-eun (Diah)] – They’re still glancing at me right now

[Lee Ha-eun (Diah)] – But

[Lee Ha-eun (Diah)] – They won’t come within three meters of me

[Lee Ye-na (Yuna)] – Lol is that a barrier spell?

[Park Mi-so (Mile)] – Superstar Lee Ha-eun: shocking America, stunning China, and humbling Japan

[Lee Ha-eun (Diah)] – (nervous otter emoji)

[Jung Maria (Cream)] – I mean, I’d be shocked seeing Ha-eun in person too lol

[Kim Eun-hye (Ria)] – Ha-eun-san!! Sign please!!

[Lee Ye-na (Yuna)] – (laughing duck emoji)

As she watched the hilariously chaotic group chat, Ha-eun gave a sheepish smile.

Just a few seconds later, there was a knock on the door, and she flinched, turning toward the sound.

“Hello, Miss Ha-eun. I’m Kamiya Junya, Lucid’s manager.”

“Ah, hello.”

A man introduced himself as Lucid’s manager.

Following closely behind him was a woman.

“H-Hello...”

Ha-eun recognized her instantly from her voice.

Long, jet-black hair.

A height just slightly taller than Ha-eun’s.

A calm and mature aura overall.

She looked a little different from the avatar’s soft, relaxed image—but there was no doubt.

This was the person Ha-eun had wanted to meet.

“C-Can... sign okay...?”

Ha-eun summoned every last drop of Japanese she’d learned from Gong Hye-yeon and offered a sheet of paper for a signature.

Just like how she had gotten autographs from the Illusionary Realm members when they first met, Ha-eun now wanted to start by getting Lucid’s autograph.

To Lucid, who had no idea what was going on, it was all quite sudden and confusing.

“E-Eh... Sign? My sign? Isn’t... isn’t Ha-eun-san giving me a sign?”

“Hai. Lucid sign onegaishimasu.”

“Oooh...”

The person she had only seen on TV was suddenly standing in front of her, asking for an autograph like a fan.

Since Lucid had mostly thought of Ha-eun as a famous Korean celebrity rather than a VTuber, this situation was completely bewildering.

Still, instead of saying anything more, she accepted the autograph sheet—because there was sincerity in Ha-eun’s eyes.

There weren’t many people who could say no to a request from someone who had just reached the level of a true Hallyu star.

But just like how Ha-eun wanted Lucid’s signature, Lucid also wanted Ha-eun’s.

“Ha-eun-san. Can I... have sign... too?”

She looked at Ha-eun with hopeful eyes and, though the Korean was clumsy, asked for an autograph of her own.

And so, a completely opposite scene played out in the reception room from just a moment before.

Naturally, Ha-eun didn’t refuse Lucid’s request either.

Lucid was a legend in the field. As someone junior in the same industry, turning her down would’ve been unthinkable.

However, the staff members peeking in from the hallway were completely lost about what was happening.

❮So, Miss Goto is the one giving Ha-eun a signature, right?❯

❮Wait, but Miss Ha-eun is also giving a signature...?❯

❮I-I want Ha-eun’s autograph too!❯

❮Maybe we should ask after next week’s collab?❯

❮We did it. Ha-eun’s a fan of Lucid...❯

The result? A bizarre scene in which Prism Live and Lee Ha-eun were mutually fangirling over each other.

It was likely influenced by the booming popularity of God and the Goblin in Japan.

Episode 14 was set to air in just a few hours.

Since the big moment in Episode 10 where Baek Jin and Baeksulhwa became a couple, Episodes 11 and 12 had continued with heartwarming, affectionate scenes between them.

But the problem was Episode 13, which aired just last night.

“...So you walk the path to the afterlife, saying you love me.”

That bitter line was followed by a scene where Baek Jin’s body became faintly translucent.

A stark contrast to the cozy barbecue party they’d had together in a scenic spot just moments before.

❮He said it like he’s about to die...❯

❮I’m too scared to watch Episode 14.❯

❮Should we casually ask Miss Ha-eun about it...?❯

The only way to break Baek Jin’s curse of eternal life was for Baeksulhwa to find happiness.

In other words, the happier she became, the sooner Baek Jin would disappear.

Naturally, viewers of God and the Goblin—including the staff at Prism Live—were on edge.

Regardless, wishing for characters’ happiness was a universal instinct.

It was no surprise the romantic scenes between Baek Jin and Baeksulhwa had been met with such overwhelmingly positive reactions.

"General."

"...!"

"What? Why are you surprised? General, General, General."

"Why are you suddenly...?"

"I just remembered the old days. We came here before, too."

"...You remember."

"Yes, all of it. How could I forget?"

Every time Baeksulhwa expressed her feelings for Baek Jin, viewers couldn’t help but hold their breath.

It was because Baeksulhwa, in this moment, looked happier than ever before.

It was exactly the kind of happiness the audience wished for her—but at the same time, it hinted at Baek Jin’s impending disappearance.

A sequence of scenes where no one could afford to let their guard down heightened the immersion for everyone watching.

Maybe that was why.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Roughly two hours later, just as Ha-eun and Lucid were wrapping up their first rehearsal—

“Um, Ha-eun-san.”

“Yes?”

“If it’s okay... would you like to come to my place? You haven’t eaten, and I’d really like to watch God and the Goblin together later...”

Lucid, a viewer of God and the Goblin, invited Ha-eun to her home.

Partly because it was time for dinner, and partly because dining out with a celebrity like Ha-eun came with too many complications.

But more importantly—it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch the drama with the person who played Baeksulhwa!

No true fan could possibly pass that up.

“Um, Jung-yoon unni... would it be alright if I went?”

“Would it matter if I said no?”

“...I can’t exactly say it wouldn’t.”

Of course, Ha-eun had no intention of turning down Lucid’s offer.

In fact, she was genuinely happy to accept it.

So, by the time Ha-eun changed back into her regular clothes from the motion capture gear, her visit to Lucid’s house was practically confirmed.

—Creak.

“Sorry for the delay~! I’m Staff A, your interpreter for this collab~!”

“...Sunbae?”

“I’m not your sunbae! I’m Staff A~!”

A petite woman burst into the room where Ha-eun and Lucid were.

Her Korean was notably more fluent than Lucid’s.

She wore a black baseball cap and round glasses.

But most of all—

That familiar, breezy springtime voice—

“Aqua... is that you?”

“Ah! Busted!”

It was enough for Ha-eun to recognize the legendary founding member of Prism Live—Aqua.

The surprising part? That Aqua had referred to herself as just “Staff A.”

Ha-eun had heard during the online meeting a few days earlier that there would be an interpreter for her and Lucid.

But she hadn’t imagined that the Korean-fluent staffer would turn out to be Aqua herself.

“Wait, but... why?”

“Because I wanted to do a collab with Ha-eun-san too! It’s not fair that Yume gets to monopolize her~!”

And just like that, she was face-to-face with a woman who sounded exactly like Diah on-stream.

From the moment they left the studio, to the moment they parted ways with Ju Jung-yoon—who said she’d stay at the hotel in case anything came up—

Even when they finally arrived at Lucid’s house—

“Alright~ come on in~!”

They were accompanied by Aqua, who acted more like a hyper tour guide than an interpreter.

She even opened the doorlock herself.

...Was this even Lucid’s house?

“I-It’s... my house, really...”

“Ah... you must be really close with Aqua.”

“Close, um... I mean, yes. But she clings a lot.”

“Oh my, Yume. ‘Clings’—how hurtful. That’s no way to speak to your senior~.”

“Didn’t you say you were Staff A earlier?”

And so, Ha-eun found herself sitting at a dining table with not one, but two of Japan’s top VTubers.

After the meal, they all sat together on the same couch, waiting for Episode 14 of God and the Goblin to start.

‘W-What did I just walk into...?’

Her heart was pounding like crazy.

Of course, she didn’t forget to get Aqua’s autograph as well.

And when Aqua shyly asked for Ha-eun’s in return, it honestly felt like a dream.

“Here you go~.”

“Th-Thank you. I’ll give you mine too.”

“Waa~ it’s Ha-eun-san’s autograph~!”

Just like a trade of treasures, Ha-eun and Aqua exchanged signatures.

Then, the three of them began watching Episode 14 of God and the Goblin together.

Luckily, both Lucid and Aqua seemed to genuinely enjoy the show, which allowed Ha-eun to relax a bit.

But halfway through the episode—when Baeksulhwa quietly wandered into Baek Jin’s room in his apartment, as she always did—

And then.

“A will...? Last words...?”

She found a will on Baek Jin’s desk.

“...No...”

Her voice trembled.

Her eyes shook.

She stumbled back, knees buckling as she caught on the corner of the desk and collapsed to the floor.

Her breathing began to grow ragged.

It was in that moment, watching the TV, that Lucid and Aqua truly realized Ha-eun was an actress.

A world of difference from the slightly awkward girl who had just eaten dinner at the same table with them.

Maybe it was that.

Or maybe it was a question they’d been meaning to ask since learning she was Diah.

“Ha-eun-san. Why do you do VTubing as a hobby? Is it fun?”

“I-I was wondering that too. You’re busy enough just being an actress.”

They asked how she came to have such an unusual hobby.

And in response came a calm voice.

“That is my hobby. My main job is VTubing.”

“...Huh?”

“Haha, Ha-eun-san. How can being an actress be your hobby?”

“I’m serious. One hundred percent.”

“...It’s not April Fools’ Day today, though.”

Her serious tone continued even after that, drawing the stares of both Lucid and Aqua.

But there was no trace of playfulness in Ha-eun’s face.

“The one with white... the one who moves forward...”

“You said you’d come whenever I called, didn’t you? That I should call you loud enough for you to hear me...”

“So... that’s a hobby?”

“I won’t let you go. No—I can’t. You always decide everything on your own and end it by yourself. How can I let you go like that?”

“If you die, I die. I can’t live without you. How am I supposed to go on without you?!”

“You’re calling that a hobby, Ha-eun-san? Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“I love you... please... don’t go...”

“...Your standard for hobbies is way too high, Ha-eun-san...”

Lucid and Aqua accepted her words, but they still couldn’t understand them.

How could acting be a hobby?

And not just any acting—acting so moving that it crossed the sea and won hearts in Japan.

“There are all kinds of hobbies in this world.”

That same serious voice continued—and in it, they sensed something close to madness.

It was only then that Lucid and Aqua deeply realized that Ha-eun had meant it when she said acting was just her hobby.

❮We might have to be a little more careful.❯

❮Huh? Why?❯

❮Because I think there are some... intense people across the ocean.❯

“...She really is a scary person.”

“I told you so.”

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