I Want to Be a VTuber

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As a third-year student at Yeonhwa High School, Song Yong-ho found himself wandering into the school auditorium in the dead of night.

Even though the college entrance exam was over and he wouldn’t be coming back to school much, he still felt the need to drop by.

The reason was obvious.

“This has to be live-streamed!”

Song Yong-ho was what you’d call an internet streamer.

Just earlier this year, he was a nobody, but then his video from Close Your Eyes went viral, and he started to blow up.

He captured raw reactions like no one else could.

He even broadcasted in real-time.

Sure, he got a warning from the broadcasting station later, but since he was still a student, they let it slide.

Luckily, the video only gained traction after the show aired.

And now, he was a well-known streamer with 100,000 subscribers.

After graduating high school, he planned to fully dedicate himself to internet broadcasting.

“I heard that our first-year students are having a year-end party today. You know our school, Yeonhwa High.”

– Where’s that?

– No idea, never heard of it.

– Isn’t Yeonhwa High a place with strong arts programs in the humanities track?

– I heard they’re even leaning towards becoming an arts high school these days.

“Yup, that’s right. And you know, my video, the one from Close Your Eyes!”

As soon as he mentioned this, viewers who remembered Close Your Eyes started chattering.

– Isn’t that the school where Joo Seo-yeon is?

– Do high schoolers really throw year-end parties now??? This is wild;;

– What kind of party is a high schooler holding when they should be studying? LOL.

The responses were surprisingly lukewarm.

After all, among internet viewers, there were plenty who couldn’t care less about celebrities.

At least he was getting some attention because many of his new viewers came from Seo-yeon’s breakout role in Close Your Eyes.

“So, I subtly told the teacher I’d help out and joined in, you know.”

– Did you mention you were streaming?

“I didn’t get permission for that, but it should be fine, right?”

– Wow, such a little punk.

“Hey now, punk? This is all an implicit agreement! An implicit agreement!”

In truth, he probably thought about it to some extent.

With Seo-yeon being there, even if it wasn’t Yong-ho, someone would have filmed it anyway.

Well, call it his self-justification, but still.

While he received some flak during Close Your Eyes, Yong-ho was essentially a streamer who aimed for wholesome content.

“First things first, I need to help out, so I’ll turn off the stream for now and start again when Seo-yeon shows up.”

– ?

– What about the other kids? Aren’t they streaming?

“Regular folks aren’t streaming. Nope.”

With that, Yong-ho turned off the broadcast.

He had to help out anyway, so keeping it on would be pointless.

‘So, when is she coming?’

She wouldn’t just not show up, right?

As Yong-ho mentally shook off his anxiety and headed inside the school, he noticed.

‘What’s that? Are those reporters?’

His eyes widened at the sight of men approaching the school, all armed with fancy cameras.

Clearly, they weren’t sneaking in; they were being shown around by the teachers.

‘Ah, they must be here for promotion.’

Since they were putting on this event, it made sense they’d want to get some buzz from the media.

That way, word about Yeonhwa High would spread in the community.

‘See?’

They probably allowed him to stream since it was known he’d be broadcasting.

These days, even schools were promoting themselves.

With Yeonhwa High struggling against surrounding prestigious schools, it was essential to make the most out of this opportunity for promotion.

‘Not bad, actually.’

The auditorium lights, which would usually be off, were dazzlingly bright, and a pretty decent banner was hanging at the entrance.

Yeonhwa High, First-Year Year-End Party.

It was about to kick off in earnest.

***

“Da-hyun, when is Seo-yeon coming?”

“Is Seo-yeon really coming today?”

“Yep, for sure.”

Da-hyun sighed as she answered the countless questions she had heard today.

‘Everyone is so curious.’

The auditorium was packed with first-year students.

This year-end party set up by the school was an event that honestly should have hardly anyone attending, yet students filled the auditorium to the brim.

Even the upper section was occupied by teachers and reporters, with some snapping pictures here and there.

‘I heard about this, but it’s more serious than I thought.’

Gil Da-hyun flicked her tongue.

The school had told them beforehand that this event was for promotional purposes.

They had heard reporters might come, but she never expected so many.

Some reporter was scanning the space with a keen eye.

It was as if they were searching for someone.

‘They must be looking for Seo-yeon.’

Now it made sense.

The reporters were here not for the school’s promotion, but to capture Seo-yeon.

Of course, the school must have allowed this since even that would count as promotion.

‘I told everyone it was a party dress code, but…’

Da-hyun had seen very little of Seo-yeon’s casual wear.

Seo-yeon usually wore her school uniform.

That’s why she emphasized the dress code for the party several times.

But a high school party outfit isn’t exactly a big deal.

However, since they were basing it on the concept of the prom, outfits would look somewhat fancy.

Promenade refers to the graduation dance party held in American high schools.

Though they were all first-years with graduation still far off, it seemed they wanted to capture that vibe.

If it went well, maybe this year’s seniors would actually have a real party.

After all, the auditorium was already decorated.

“Gil Da-hyun.”

At that moment, a stranger’s voice reached Da-hyun’s ears.

Turning her gaze, she saw Lee Ji-yeon, dressed in a simple red dress, leading her group.

‘Is she part of the popular crowd?’

Such a thought crossed her mind.

Of course, the real popular kids would flee if they met Ji-yeon’s gaze.

That thought left Da-hyun quite suspicious.

Even as fellow celebrities, if someone like her hung around Seo-yeon, it could potentially tarnish Seo-yeon’s image.

So, Da-hyun discreetly asked the others.

“Those are the kids who picked fights with Ji-yeon in middle school.”

“So, they had a fight with the girl named Ji-yeon?”

“Hmm, it’s a bit more complicated than that.”

“I heard that girl with the bob cut threw everyone off when she was with Ji-yeon.”

“The girl with the bob cut?”

It felt too strange to think of her just as Ji-yeon’s friend.

Not to mention, the phrase ‘threw everyone off’ struck a nerve and called someone to mind.

“There aren’t many from that middle school at our school, so I don’t know them well, but…”

“I’ve heard stories of someone trying to break it up and getting knocked down, and others say the bob-cut girl beat them all up.”

“Really? You don’t know who it was?”

“Yeah, I heard it was a girl with a bob cut who always wore a black mask. No one has really seen her face because she’s always on her phone.”

Da-hyun pondered.

‘Could it be Seo-yeon?’

Could it be that Seo-yeon was kind of wild back in middle school?

But it didn’t feel like that either.

Listening closely, the descriptions felt ambiguous.

She gave off a vibe of being the silent type hanging around with the popular crowd.

“Hey, I have something to ask.”

While lost in those thoughts, Ji-yeon spoke up again.

“Do you know where Seo-yeon is?”

“Huh? Seo-yeon?”

As soon as she said Seo-yeon, Ji-yeon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“I’ve heard, but you’re really friends with Joo Seo-yeon?”

“Uh, yeah? Why?”

“Not many people call her by her first name like that.”

The way Ji-yeon spoke sounded oddly possessive.

Like she didn’t like her circle expanding beyond herself.

‘Oh come on, no way.’

Ji-yeon already had a ton of friends around her.

Whether they were real friends or just a gang was still up in the air.

“Anyway, it doesn’t seem like Seo-yeon has arrived yet. At least, I haven’t seen her.”

“Really? Hmm, got it. I came early just to check on her, and now she’s late…”

“Huh?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

Ji-yeon muttered something under her breath, looking a bit uneasy as she walked away.

Da-hyun too had her own brewing curiosities but dared not ask.

After all, they hadn’t talked like this before.

‘I better get started on what the teacher asked me to do.’

Either way, Da-hyun was busy.

Why did they even decide to hold a year-end party, making her go through this trouble?

“Gil Da-hyun, did you come in dressed too simply?”

A female student dressed in a notably luxurious outfit approached her.

She was a schoolmate Da-hyun had known since middle school, a girl who always had something to say to her.

Her name was probably Jung Ha-jin.

‘You’re just overdressed.’

As Da-hyun appraised Ha-jin, she couldn’t help but chuckle to herself.

Not overly flashy, but definitely a high-end luxury outfit.

It was a dress that wouldn’t look out of place at a prom.

‘I’ve heard she’s become an idol trainee or something.’

Rumors said she was pretty good and would debut soon.

In middle school, this girl had been competition for grades, but did she always have this much flair?

“Isn’t it bad to look too much like a nerd? But we also have a dance party going on later, right?”

“Exactly.”

“Eh, not too shabby. And hey, there are a ton of reporters around.”

Seemingly, she wanted to take advantage of the reporters being present today to assert her own presence.

“Let me know when Seo-yeon arrives.”

“Why?”

“Oh, just thought I’d like to befriend her.”

She said it proudly, eyeing Da-hyun as if belittling her.

Da-hyun didn’t really mind that.

What bothered her were other things.

“That’s easy, but…”

“What’s hard about it?”

“I wonder if being beside her even has any significance.”

“What?”

Da-hyun’s words made Ha-jin frown.

Was she trying to pick a fight?

Or maybe she felt inferior while wearing her fancy clothes?

Or was it about appearance?

Either way, it was a deeply unpleasant comment for Ha-jin.

“What do you mean by that…?”

As she started replying, the atmosphere in the auditorium began to shift oddly.

Some people were gasping at something, and it sounded a bit like screams.

“What’s happening?”

Realizing this, Ha-jin turned her glare from Da-hyun to the commotion.

Following the crowd of students gathering, she easily spotted the source of the noise.

“…!!”

There stood a girl in a stunning black dress.

Her neatly arranged black hair gleamed, adorned with red earrings that matched a ruby necklace.

Though it wasn’t revealing, the dress radiated elegance.

It looked like something out of an awards show.

The dress flowed all the way down to her knees, swaying gracefully as Seo-yeon’s long legs moved.

It was as if a grand black rose had bloomed in the auditorium.

The gown was inarguably extravagant, yet Seo-yeon’s own beauty made it feel just right.

“Uh, uh?”

Ha-jin gaped as Seo-yeon came walking towards her.

Why was she coming towards me?

Should I run away?

No, I wanted to talk to her!

As Seo-yeon approached, reporters began snapping photos like crazy.

Ha-jin snapped back to reality but couldn’t recall how to react.

Should I rush up and at least link arms with her?

Initially, she planned to pose as if they were close friends to enhance her own visibility.

Even if they weren’t pals at school, she’d undoubtedly gain recognition just by appearing in the articles.

But her legs wouldn’t move.

As Seo-yeon’s crimson gaze approached her, she felt a tightening in her chest.

With her usual blank expression and icy demeanor, it was hard to imagine how she could……

“Seo-yeon, is something wrong?”

But then, the very girl Da-hyun had been eyeing just asked Seo-yeon with calmness.

At her words, Seo-yeon, who was walking towards Ha-jin, turned her gaze to Da-hyun.

Then.

“…I must have worn the wrong outfit.”

That was the heartfelt confession she managed to spill upon arriving.

***

Seo-yeon first sensed something was off the moment she stepped into the auditorium.

The attire of the students entering was far more ordinary than she expected.

Just before stepping out of the van, her manager, Park Eun-ha, subtly asked.

“Seo-yeon, didn’t you say it was a party outfit?”

“…I did.”

“It is a party outfit, but the dress code seems to be… different?”

What Seo-yeon was wearing looked like something meant for an awards show.

Admittedly, it wasn’t initially meant to be that fancy.

It was just a dress similar to the one she had worn at a party she attended with Jo Seo-hee.

But as she wore it, Seo-yeon felt increasingly excited.

Plus, the stylist who picked the outfit seemed to enjoy herself too.

‘I look pretty.’

By the time Seo-yeon snapped back to reality, she was already dressed in a gown like this.

To some extent, it was poetic justice.

Of course, Park Eun-ha, who cheered her on all along, wasn’t completely innocent either.

She had continuously encouraged her, pointing things like, “This looks gorgeous, how about this one?”

“Right! Today, Seo-yeon is the star of this party!!”

In reality, Seo-yeon didn’t particularly wish to be the star.

She just thought she’d blend in fine with the crowd.

So now, as she strolled through the auditorium, her gaze remained fixed on nothing but Gil Da-hyun.

However, there was a girl she’d never seen standing next to her.

Being shy, Seo-yeon couldn’t help but notice the unfamiliar girl nearby.

Who is she? I wish she would go away….

With those thoughts in her head, Seo-yeon finally confessed to Da-hyun that she had gotten her outfit wrong.

“Oh, Seo-yeon, your ears are turning red!”

“~~~~!!”

Seo-yeon hurriedly covered her ears and lowered her head.

It turned out that it wasn’t just her eyes that were turning red from embarrassment.

And then.

Click!!

A flash from a camera went off right at that moment.

 

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