I Want to Be a VTuber

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Yeonhwa High School.

Gil Da-hyun, the class president of a first-year class, sometimes felt a strange sensation.

There’s a celebrity in her class.

What’s more, that female student was just a quiet girl when the school year began.

“Wait, she wasn’t just a quiet girl.”

To be precise, the phrase “incredibly beautiful” should come first.

From the start of the year, she had a peculiar aura that made her feel somewhat out of place among students.

Of course, it wasn’t that there was something wrong with her; it was just her appearance.

And the unique atmosphere she carried was the issue.

It wasn’t easy to casually approach her, to put it that way.

Back then, Da-hyun didn’t realize the reason.

But as time passed, she would learn that this female student was actually a child actor who had hit it big in a production ten years ago and then vanished without a trace.

It must have been from that point on.

The school atmosphere had oddly shifted.

“Since this is the case, I think it would be good to focus on developing the arts.”

“We should significantly increase the club’s budget and create better conditions for learning in this area…”

Being the class president often meant she had more interactions with the teachers.

So, various kinds of information were accessible to her.

Yeonhwa High School was surrounded by prestigious schools, after all.

Honestly, when it came to pure academics, they were at a disadvantage.

Due to the declining birth rate, the number of students has also dropped.

If the school doesn’t have some remarkable merit, student numbers will gradually dwindle.

“There are even schools shutting down.”

In such a situation, Seo-yeon’s presence must have been welcomed by the school.

Currently, the nearby middle schools were showing strong interest in Yeonhwa High School.

After all, just one special student like Seo-yeon made a difference, but having one more was even better.

“The girl from the next class, Lee Ji-yeon.”

And there were rumors that Jo Seo-hee often visited, which led to various discussions about Yeonhwa High School.

“Putting Seo-yeon’s name in the school brochure outright…”

“Isn’t that something Seo-yeon should decide herself? I mean, she has to tell her agency.”

“Then they probably wouldn’t allow it…”

“Isn’t there also Lee Ji-yeon besides Seo-yeon?”

“They’re from the same agency.”

“Oh, really? So should we contact them?”

“Were you not aware they’re from the same agency?”

“Cough. Who could know that?”

Upon entering the teacher’s office, such conversations could be heard.

Coincidentally, Da-hyun had come in to discuss something and paused to think upon hearing that.

A school brochure with Seo-yeon’s face on it could feel good in various ways.

Anyway, from Da-hyun’s viewpoint, Seo-yeon was undeniably stunning to the extent it felt surreal.

“Ah, Da-hyun. The teacher is really busy right now, can you come back later?”

“Okay, understood.”

“Oh, and Da-hyun, aren’t you close with Seo-yeon?”

At her homeroom teacher’s words, Da-hyun almost nodded but hesitated.

Are they close?

They’re friends, that’s true, but they don’t really talk much.

“Well, Seo-yeon almost doesn’t talk to anyone in class except you.”

Hearing that made her think maybe it was true.

‘We did study together.’

Seo-yeon wasn’t inherently chatty.

It’s often said celebrities are different on and off the screen, but Seo-yeon seemed to embody that notion in a peculiar way,

‘… or not?’

But recalling her actions during the school festival, it might not be the case.

Another class student.

According to Lee Ji-yeon,

“Once she gets into her vibe, she can’t be contained, so it’s better to be cautious.”

It seemed she had said that casually to Da-hyun.

A group of girls mainly led by Lee Ji-yeon surrounded her and spoke such words, which honestly intimidated Da-hyun.

‘Is she a bully?’

No, not quite.

It was more like the bullies avoided Lee Ji-yeon.

Considering her appearance and status as a celebrity, causing her trouble would be difficult.

Essentially, among the first-year girls at Yeonhwa High School, you could argue Lee Ji-yeon had the strongest presence.

‘How exhausting.’

In any case, the division of boys and girls doesn’t do much good.

When girls crowd together, cliques form whether they like it or not.

So Seo-yeon also struggles to make friends easily.

Of course, there were no groups bothering her thanks to Lee Ji-yeon, but now that she’s gained fame, many students were starting to keep their distance even more.

“Da-hyun?”

Caught up in such thoughts, her homeroom teacher called for her again.

“Oh, yes.”

“Could you ask Seo-yeon if she could help with the school promotion, later?”

“Um, sure.”

“Sigh, Da-hyun, you’re astute; it makes me very reassured as a teacher.”

Da-hyun awkwardly smiled at her teacher’s comment.

Astute.

Diligent.

Those were words she frequently heard.

At first, it wasn’t so bad, but Da-hyun felt it was a roundabout way of saying she was a bit boring.

You can study anywhere.

Thinking about it, she came to Yeonhwa High School, but looking at Seo-yeon brought up many thoughts.

‘Especially.’

<Sky Garden>.

The drama that recorded the highest ratings in the past few years.

After that drama ended, Yeonhwa High School was lively for a while.

When Seo-yeon was in school, students from other classes would come to see her.

Even nearby residents would sometimes drop by.

Journalists, paparazzi.

All sorts of people could be seen coming and going.

But then again, Seo-yeon was like a ninja, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Where did she disappear off to?

Da-hyun genuinely found it curious.

“Back in <Sky Garden>, you really helped me a lot, Da-hyun.”

In everyday moments, Seo-yeon had quietly approached Da-hyun and said so.

“I referred to you a lot while playing Yoo-joo.”

Lee Yoo-joo, the protagonist of <Sky Garden>.

<Sky Garden> is a story about the growth of protagonist Lee Yoo-joo.

It’s about Yoo-joo, who could only walk the path set by her parents, finally discovering a new dream along with a touch of thrilling drama.

‘Me and Yoo-joo?’

Even Da-hyun, who watched the drama, found that a hard statement to grasp.

Honestly, she didn’t think they resembled each other much at all.

In terms of personality or even in the moments where Yoo-joo decided her future in the latter half of the show.

‘If anything…’

The only similarity might be that neither had a particularly special dream.

However, it seemed more like Seo-yeon didn’t mean that when she said she referred to Yoo-joo as a reference.

What made her say such a thing?

Her own path wasn’t about finding her dreams like Yoo-joo.

Anyway.

Inquiring or requesting about Seo-yeon wasn’t just limited to the homeroom teacher.

Especially when relatives gathered, the topic would come up.

It happened again this time.

“My daughter really wants to enroll in Yeonhwa High School. So she’ll be staying with you guys for a while, is that alright?”

Especially among relatives, there tended to be individuals who stood out.

Unlike Da-hyun, who came from a relatively poor, working-class background, this one often fell under the category of rich kids.

The girl would likely be similar for that reason.

Her interest in the arts rather than studies was likely due to this background.

Of course, being interested in the arts doesn’t automatically mean being a rich kid,

But usually, if you lack the means, those thoughts are hard to develop.

“Sis, have you seen Joo Seo-yeon?”

Her cousin, a rather cute girl, inquired.

Her name was probably Song Na-rin.

She was a bit spoiled and seemed to look down on Da-hyun.

In fact, it wasn’t just her cousin who looked down on Da-hyun’s family.

The other side of the family, no, most relatives seemed generally similar.

“Yeah, I’ve seen her.”

Well, they were in the same class.

However, Da-hyun didn’t feel the need to elaborate.

It would just feel burdensome if she did.

“Have you talked to her…? Well, that’s not surprising; you wouldn’t be interested in that sort of thing.”

That sounded like it was implying Da-hyun was a boring person.

“Still, let’s get along well from now on, sis.”

Her parents agreed to take in Na-rin.

In any case, it appeared her relatives decided to send a decently sizable amount of money as well.

That’d be quite precious for her working-class parents scraping by.

‘Something feels bothersome.’

Da-hyun sighed.

She imagined it would feel quite exhausting next year.

***

‘… More and more people are showing up.’

As Seo-yeon thought while sneaking out of school,

She had barely jumped over the fence and was hiding among the trees, yet it seemed like more people were coming to the school.

‘Sky Garden’s influence is way bigger than I thought.’

Neither <The Chaser> nor <Dream Future> had this kind of attention.

But after <Sky Garden>, there were noticeably more people seeking Seo-yeon.

Not just reporters.

Paparazzi.

Plus various YouTubers and all sorts of surrounding individuals.

To be honest, it wasn’t easy to move around smoothly like before.

‘Jo Seo-hee was riding her bike and coming over without any issue.’

When it came to fame, Seo-hee was still more recognized than Seo-yeon.

Still, Seo-hee energetically pedaled her bicycle all the way to Yeonhwa High.

“What’s up, I haven’t appeared in any recent hits,”

Seo-hee commented while keeping an eye on Seo-yeon.

It was as if she wanted to take Seo-yeon for a bike ride herself.

Why was she so eager to take Seo-yeon along on her bike?

It was puzzling, but it was clear she wanted to get closer.

‘If I had to say, it seems easier for me to ride with Seo-hee then have her carry me.’

If she sat behind and Seo-hee struggled at the pedals, Da-hyun imagined she’d feel an intense shock.

“I think this will be the case for a while. Usually, a year’s quietness leads to them fading away… but maybe you won’t.”

Seo-hee looked upon Seo-yeon, who stared at her blankly.

With Seo-yeon’s fame, her face didn’t appear common in public.

Thanks to not filming those advertisements that plaster faces across numerous varied buildings.

< Sky Garden > was no different.

Honestly, Seo-hee noted that fewer people were after Seo-yeon than she expected.

Considering the drama’s success, it shouldn’t be this “little” amount of interest.

‘Is it due to the many hits over the past year? Or…’

Are they competing underground to reach out to her?

She could simply ask her father about this, but honestly didn’t want to bother with it.

She was an actress, not a businessman.

“Anyway, the important thing is the next shoot.”

Seo-hee said while pulling her bike along beside her.

“You mentioned you were having some acting troubles last time, have you resolved it?”

“Yeah.”

“……Really?”

If she hadn’t, Seo-hee planned to use that as an excuse to hang out like last time.

Seo-hee wore a slightly downcast expression.

“This time’s different.”

Seo-yeon confidently replied.

It sounded like she had gathered some tips or something.

“Hmph, sounds interesting.”

Seo-hee smiled at Seo-yeon’s mood.

Well, it’s not like they wouldn’t have more chances to hang out later.

***

Director Baek Min reviewed the footage they had shot, reflecting on his luck with the actors.

There hadn’t been any mistakes from the leads, so the shooting speed increased.

There was no commotion on set either.

After all, directing can often lead to various issues arising.

But there were no such occurrences with Jo Seo-hee or Seo-yeon.

‘More than that, I didn’t expect Lee Ji-yeon to shine this much.’

She had surprised him with her performance, as if she had done such acting frequently before.

Yet, looking at the other roles she had taken on, none really resembled her current character, Yeon Seon-ye.

Was it that this role fit her so well?

“Personally, I think Seo-yeon is slightly wavering.”

While watching the footage, a deep voice spoke from behind.

“Lee Sang-soo.”

“Hello there. I arrived early because I had a bit of excitement to shoot again after such a long time.”

His arrival made the filming set stir.

While most were aware he would be participating, there were some who hadn’t heard due to the hush-hush nature of the announcement.

“The lead, Joo Seo-yeon, usually has a rich emotional line. However… she still seems a bit shallow.”

“Are you implying she hasn’t immersed herself fully in the character?”

In response to Director Baek Min’s words, Sang-soo chuckled gently.

“You know I didn’t mean it that way, right? If rumors spread saying I said that, I might get a slap from Jeong Eun-seon.”

“…..Looks like Jeong Eun-seon is particularly invested.”

“She’s been paying great attention to this Gyeongseong Young Lady. After all, it features two actresses she cares about most.”

Jeong Eun-seon’s admiration for Jo Seo-hee has been well-known for years.

She probably views her as her successors.

Furthermore, Seo-yeon also shared a deep connection with Jeong Eun-seon.

“She seems eager to make a cameo if possible.”

“……Hmm. A cameo.”

Recently, Seo-yeon made quite an impression with her cameo in Japan.

But having none other than Jeong Eun-seon in a cameo…

‘What a luxurious casting choice.’

To be honest, this was beyond expectations when the first shoot was planned.

While Jo Seo-hee had actively sought participation, the rest were well beyond what Director Baek Min had envisioned.

‘In any case.’

Director Baek Min resumed watching the footage.

Regardless of what Sang-soo said, he had been somewhat pondering the same thoughts himself.

Whether it was a failure to immerse in her role, or acting mistakes.

It wasn’t that exactly.

Rather, yes.

‘It feels as if the emotions are drawn like a painting.’

Their emotions were distinct and beautiful, but compared to Seo-yeon’s recent performances, it felt different.

Seo-yeon’s acting shone brighter in raw, unfiltered instances.

‘But wanting more than this is honestly a director’s greed.’

Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of regret.

Director Baek Min could only think that way while watching Seo-yeon’s performance.

At least.

Until seeing today’s acting performance.