Hobbyist VTuber-Chapter 240

"Everyone who watches my streams already knows I’m a huge Ha-eun fan! What’s the point in me avoiding her on purpose, huh...?"

"As long as I don’t meet Ha-eun alone in private, it should be fine...! Of course, meeting up one-on-one at a café or something would look suspicious, but...! This is a concert, a concert...!"

Nael’s face was flushed red from the alcohol.

Her words were interrupted by occasional sniffles.

"I barely managed to get a canceled ticket this time... Director, you know how impossible it is to get concert tickets...."

"I’ll just sit quietly and clap! I won’t say Ha-eun’s name—no, I just won’t open my mouth at all...! So, hic. Just let me go this once, pleeease...."

Her words all boiled down to one thing: I want to go to the concert.

Originally, she had planned to persuade Ji-haemin more calmly.

But after downing shot after shot of soju for courage, her tongue had started twisting.

She could barely keep her head up, slumped over the table instead.

With her small frame and naturally cute features, Nael’s current state was downright adorable.

‘...I really want to take a picture and send it to the group chat.’

For Ji-haemin, who wasn’t even close to being drunk yet, the sight in front of her was amusing in many ways.

She knew full well that describing an adult as adorable wasn’t the most appropriate thing, but still—Nael looked undeniably cute.

"Is that all you wanted to say?"

"A-are you mad...? Director, are you mad...? Uwaaah, I’m sorry...!!"

"No, I’m not mad. I was just about to answer you."

Seeing Nael panic, Ji-haemin let out a small chuckle and leaned back slightly.

Then, she reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of Nael’s hair behind her ear.

"You can go to the concert. How could I tell someone who wants to go this badly not to?"

The unexpectedly easy answer left Nael momentarily doubting her ears.

She never thought she’d get permission this quickly.

"R-really...? I can really go?"

"I mean, it’s not like you’re going there to commit a crime. It’s fine. And you even got a canceled ticket."

Right after that, Ji-haemin made it clear what Nael could and couldn’t do.

After all, Nael couldn’t come asking for permission every single time.

"As long as you don’t interact with Ha-eun in public or do anything that makes it obvious you have a personal connection with her, it’s fine."

"Then, at the God and the Goblin press screening... why did you scold meee...?"

"You hugged Ha-eun on stage and took pictures with her. Did anyone complain about you just attending the screening?"

"Well, technically... I got in through a raffle, so I didn’t really have a choi—"

"Hmm?"

"...I’m sorry... I was careless...."

Worried that Ji-haemin might change her mind at the last second, Nael quickly bowed her head.

Thinking back, it really had been a bit reckless.

Well, anyway—

Now that her main goal was achieved—

"Director, I have a question."

She decided to just chat about whatever came to mind.

After all, drinking sessions were a place to open up about thoughts and feelings.

"Sometime, somedayyy... Ha-eun’s identity will be exposed. What will you do then?"

"Of course! Ideally, it would never be exposed, buuut... Realistically, that’s impossible."

Nael, now completely drunk, asked in a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

When the day came that Diah’s red pill was revealed, what would Ji-haemin do?

Would she let Ha-eun keep streaming? Or would she take some kind of action?

"There’ll be news articles and everything... She might even end up on the 9 o’clock news...."

"Honestly, it would be more surprising if there weren’t articles. It’s not like Ha-eun is just moderately famous."

To be fair, Ji-haemin had already thought about the consequences of Diah’s identity being revealed.

When she first brought Ha-eun into Fantasia, the very first thing she had considered was what would happen if Diah’s identity were exposed?

‘Of course, no one would hate her. Who could possibly dislike Ha-eun?’

Even if the truth came out, it wouldn’t be a bad thing for Diah’s channel.

If anything, it would probably draw more attention rather than less.

After all, the words Diah and red pill didn’t even belong in the same sentence.

Among all VTubers out there, there was no bluer pill than "Lee Ha-eun."

However, outside of streaming—

In terms of Ha-eun’s public image—there would definitely be some backlash.

"I’ll just let Ha-eun decide. If she wants to quit streaming, then... there’s nothing I can do about it."

Ji-haemin had no intention of forcing Ha-eun to continue streaming if she didn’t want to.

After all, Ha-eun would be the one most affected by the reveal.

"Director, what if you just... called all the journalists...! And made them take down all the articles...?"

"I’m not some giant conglomerate CEO. I can’t do that."

Ji-haemin took another sip of soju before continuing.

No matter what happened, all she wanted was for Ha-eun to be happy.

She didn’t want Ha-eun to regret any of the time she spent streaming as Diah.

"It’s funny, isn’t it? Streaming isn’t a crime, but we’re all so anxious about the red pill...

Just thinking about the ridiculous articles that’ll come out already gives me a headache."

"Then just sue them alllll! People only realize they messed up when they have to stand in front of a judge...."

"Haha. Should I? Just sue them all?"

"Yeeees!"

Hearing Nael’s sincere (if intoxicated) voice, Ji-haemin let out a light laugh and tipped back her glass.

The entire conversation had been nothing but nonsense, but she didn’t mind.

And so, they went back and forth, exchanging thoughts about an uncertain future.

By the time Ji-haemin’s vision started to blur slightly, she finally stood up and left the restaurant.

Afterward, she hailed a taxi for Nael, who was already completely wasted.

"Enjoy the concert."

"Yees, Directoooor... Thank youuuu...."

She stood there for a moment, silently watching the taxi disappear into the distance.

After all the things she had discussed with Nael, she found herself lost in thought.

"...I wonder what Ha-eun is doing right now."

***

"You're saying you'll cover Double Lee's part yourself, Hyunmin?"

[ "Yes. Rather than just playing the MR, wouldn't it be better if I made a surprise appearance? It’d get a better reaction, don’t you think?" ]

At a hotel near Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Having just entered her hotel room, Ha-eun paused for a moment to consider Song Hyunmin's sudden suggestion.

Either way, Ha-eun was set to perform her solo songs at this joint concert.

Of course, given that it was a joint concert, this was only natural.

But since Double Lee, who had featured in Ha-eun’s album, wouldn’t be attending this time, their parts were supposed to be replaced with MR.

However—

[ "I'll back you up properly. Consider it my way of returning the favor for featuring in your album." ]

"Have you... practiced it before? Personally?"

[ "I've already memorized all the lyrics, so don’t worry." ]

"Ah, in that case... I'll leave it to you."

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

And so, somehow, Song Hyunmin ended up replacing the MR with a live performance.

Like Lee Joon and Lee Geon-yeol from Double Lee, Song Hyunmin was also a well-known and talented male singer.

Time continued to pass—

And soon, morning arrived in the vast hotel.

"Let's go, Ha-eun. Lenny said she’ll be leaving soon too."

"Ah, okay."

As always, Ha-eun had woken up early.

She left her hotel room with Ju Jung-yoon and headed to today's venue: Seoul World Cup Stadium.

‘This place is huge....’

The preparations for Ha-eun and Lenny's joint concert were in full swing, and the stadium felt overwhelmingly massive.

The number of seats alone was three times that of Gocheok Sky Dome.

As the fifth-largest stadium in Asia and the largest stadium in Korea, Seoul World Cup Stadium was simply enormous.

The thought that, in just a few hours, this entire space would be filled with people who had come to see her and Lenny was mind-boggling.

"Oh, there you are, Ha-eun."

"Ah, unnie. You’re here."

Ha-eun, who had been gazing around at the endless rows of seats, joined up with Lenny and moved toward the rehearsal area.

What followed was a discussion about Ha-eun and Lenny's stage entrances and movement routes.

"Have you ever been on a lift before?"

"I did once at a university festival. But I’ve never been on one suspended in midair like this."

"It’s fun. When it gets dark at night, it really feels like you’re flying."

After that, Ha-eun and Lenny spent quite a while rehearsing on stage.

Given the scale of the concert, the performance time was naturally quite long as well.

More than anything, Park Yeon-woo, a special guest, was set to attend this concert.

He had fought and won against a grueling battle with illness.

For his sake as well, Ha-eun was determined to make this concert the best it could be.

‘Will he recognize my voice?’

Lost in such thoughts, she continued rehearsing.

It wasn't until long lines started forming outside the stadium that she finally moved to the makeup area.

Before long, she was dressed in a black-toned gown.

It looked like something straight {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} out of the medieval nobility—flowy and extravagant beyond her expectations.

"Ugh, it keeps dragging on the floor...."

The dress trailing along the ground bothered her every time she moved.

Ju Jung-yoon was holding up the hem to help, but until she changed into her next outfit, she figured she should move as little as possible.

Not even ten minutes later—

"...Congrats on your first dome concert."

-Tap.-

A familiar voice spoke from behind her.

At the same time, she felt something soft touch her back.

"Huh...? Huh??"

"If someone saw you, they’d think you just saw a ghost. Why are you so startled?"

Turning around, she found Da-yeon, handing her a bouquet of flowers.

Before Ha-eun could even respond, another familiar voice chimed in—along with another bouquet.

"Damn, I thought I’d be the first one here. Guess I’m late this time."

‘...Didn’t this exact thing happen last year too?’

Just like at the Infinite Challenge Song Festival the previous year, Ha-eun, Da-yeon, and Yoo Seong-jae had all gathered in one place.

And, as expected, the moment their gazes met, sparks began to fly between Da-yeon and Seong-jae.

"And why are you here again?"

"I missed my wife. Thought I’d drop by."

"That ‘wife’ thing is so old. Weren’t you the one she strangled to death not long ago?"

"I didn’t die, okay? I survived and even managed to arrest Ha-eun in the end~."

"Ah, sure~."

Bluntly put, it was childish beyond belief.

Why did they have to bicker every single time they met?

The entertainment industry felt both incredibly vast and strangely small.

Since Da-yeon and Seong-jae could technically be considered acquaintances, Ha-eun had hoped they’d get along better by now.

"...What if you two end up getting close from all this fighting?"

"Never." / "Not happening."

"...Unbelievable."

If there was ever a definition of sworn enemies, this was it.

Ha-eun was convinced she wouldn’t live to see the day these two became friends.

Well, in any case—

Both Da-yeon and Seong-jae were here to congratulate her on the concert.

"Are you both staying to watch the concert?"

"I am. Not sure about him."

"Of course, I’m staying. Do you know how hard it was to get this ticket?"

As they chatted to ease Ha-eun’s nerves before the performance, the two of them somehow turned everything into a competition.

"I have a cameo in God and the Goblin. Bet you didn’t know that, Da-yeon."

"As a random passerby, huh?"

"Not just a passerby—Baeksulhwa’s first love. The church oppa. Ever heard of him?"

"First loves never work out anyway. Oh, by the way, I’m starring in a full-length film with Ha-eun. Not just a cameo, but as a lead."

"Ah, I’ve already played a lead with Ha-eun, so I’m not really jealous or anything."

Ha-eun had no idea why these two were acting like this.

At this point, she was too used to it to be surprised.

The only good thing was that time flew by as she talked with them.

The bad thing? Even as she left to get ready, they were still arguing.

Oh well, they could sort it out themselves.

Finally, she started walking toward the stage.

"I’m off."

"Good luck, Ha-eun~."

"...See you later."

Walking down the long, long hallway—

She finally reached the lift she was supposed to board.

Then, Lenny's voice came through her in-ear monitor.

[ Mr. Pinocchio, how do you feel right now? ]

"...Honestly, I’m a little nervous."

[ That’s normal. Even I get the most nervous right before starting. ]

Lenny took a deep breath before speaking again.

She told her to enjoy it.

That it was a cliché, but it was true.

[ If you get too nervous, just think about what you’ll eat after the concert. ]

"...I want red velvet cake."

[ Good choice. Red velvet cake is delicious. ]

Before long, the countdown began, and the entire venue fell silent.

Then, the moment all the numbers hit zero—

-Vrrrmmmm──.-

Ha-eun and Lenny’s lifts began moving, taking them to opposite ends of the stage.

A bright, soaring high note rang out—marking the start of the concert.

"Finally, we meet──♪"

As the spotlight slowly illuminated Lenny, the audience erupted into cheers.

The stage lifts glided through the air like they were floating.

Then, after Lenny finished the first verse—

"I already told you, finally──"

With a pointing gesture from Lenny, Ha-eun's lift started moving.

The stage lights shifted toward her.

-Waaaaaaah!!!!-

The audience exploded with cheers once again, welcoming the concert’s second star—Ha-eun.

And then—her voice rang out.

"Blinding lights bloom and rise──♪"

A powerful, soaring note filled the entire venue.

It was the beginning of a performance that no one in that stadium would forget for a long, long time.

***

"Wow... No, seriously, wow...."

As the first song of the joint concert ended amid roaring cheers, Nael could finally get a proper look at Ha-eun’s dress—

And she was utterly mesmerized.

A pitch-black gown.

A lone figure draped in darkness, standing amid a sea of colorful lights that painted the entire venue.

Silent, still—

Yet the presence of that faint smile was overwhelming.

Was the person standing up there really the same Ha-eun she had streamed with just a few days ago?

"...She’s so beautiful...."

Nael was completely spellbound by Ha-eun’s breathtaking appearance.

Then—

-Srrrrrk...-

The stage lights dimmed, casting the entire area into momentary darkness.

A clear sign that the next song was about to begin.

As Nael, along with countless others, eagerly awaited the second performance—

｢♪───♬♪──｣

"...Huh?"

A melody echoed throughout the stadium.

One that sounded oddly familiar.

A faint stinging sensation crept into Nael’s nose.

At first, she wasn’t sure why she felt this way. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

All she focused on was figuring out what song was playing.

But, unfortunately for her—

The moment she realized what it was, Ha-eun’s voice rang out, filled with deep sorrow.

｢Don't leave me alone──♪

I think I finally understand the meaning of the gaze you always gave me──♪｣

"Ah... No... I-I forgot about this...!"

The moment the first OST from God and the Goblin, Snow Blossom, began—

Nael’s eyes grew misty.

Memories of Baeksulhwa’s tragic fate flooded her mind,

Clenching at her throat and making it hard to breathe.