NOVEL NEXT Chapter 299
Gasp!
My breath was heavy.
My steps were sluggish, and my whole body was damp with sweat.
Suddenly, a breeze blew through, cooling the sweat and making my body chilly.
Hah…
As I let out a deep breath, white steam slightly obscured my view.
Just a bit more.
How many times had I repeated that phrase in my head?
I had put in enough effort by this point.
How many times had I shaken my head at that thought?
What on earth was I walking for like this?
When I looked back, it was probably just simple self-satisfaction.
Shaking off those negative thoughts, I stepped forward once again.
And.
Hah, hah…
I was left speechless at the sight of the pure white canvas spread beneath my feet.
Nature’s grand landscape treated my worries as trivial.
My abilities were far too lacking to express this scene.
This is the end.
The world journey of five months culminated here.
Well, calling it the end of a world journey feels strange since this was Japan…
“Didn’t you say you were on your way back from your world journey?”
“…Yes.”
I nodded slowly at the words of the aunt I had met at yesterday’s lodging.
“Is there a reason why Mount Fuji is your last stop?”
“Well… I just wanted to come and see it once.”
In a way, climbing Mount Fuji could be considered part of my world journey as well.
At my words, the aunt chuckled, calling it something wonderful.
“…”
There had been much emotion.
Knowing something through knowledge and capturing that stunning view with my own eyes was truly a different dimension.
I asked myself in my heart.
Were the memories of the past five months beautiful?
I nodded.
Then… what was more beautiful, the scenery from that day or the view now?
That question didn’t come easily to answer.
No. To be honest, I felt it was rude to even compare.
But.
Thinking of the view from that day still made my heart race, and the emotions I felt back then remained just the same.
Though they had slightly dimmed, they showed no signs of disappearing.
…I actually already knew.
As long as the one I admired was shining at the front as promised, I could never forget that day.
“Do you have any plans for the future?”
At the aunt’s question, I shook my head.
“…Not yet.”
To be honest, various thoughts had crossed my mind.
However, I wanted to experience a bit more before making a decision.
I felt bad for everyone waiting, but I could instinctively tell that this was the right choice.
I was sure, but didn’t want it set in stone.
“Well, I guess I need to look for a job first?”
I’d have to apologize profusely later.
Swallowing that thought, I turned my steps around.
★
[Virtual VTuber Minor Gallery]
[Title: Why are there four students in the 2nd generation of Star’s Flow?]
[Author: ㅇㅇ]
1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th generations have five members, but why does the 2nd generation have just four?
[Likes: 62 / Dislikes: 1]
ㅇㅇ: I heard the 0th generation has one member!
[Title: Kainoh Izumi <<< Who is this?] [Author: ㅇㅇ] Incoming from the 5th generation, but every time I hear about her, I don’t know who she is... [Likes: 62 / Dislikes: 1] Evil Lady: I can’t believe there are people who don’t know who Izumi is anymore. └ㅇㅇ: So who the heck is she?
└Evil Lady: Well, there is definitely someone.
Strongest Maid: I’m off to see the Izusaku collab after a long time!
└ㅇㅇ: But seriously, who is Izumi?!
└Strongest Maid: There’s definitely someone.
└ㅇㅇ: Ah, crap.
[Title: I’m really curious about what Izumi is doing these days]
[Author: Oya-bung
]
It’s already been over two years since Umiko stopped her activities, and she’s not doing any personal projects…
To be honest, with Izumi’s talent, she could be working as an illustrator and it would be a huge deal,
If she entered personal projects or another company, all the Izutomos would follow, so has she genuinely cut ties with this industry?
[Likes: 62 / Dislikes: 1]
Suzuizu: I cried because I wanted to see Mei-chan…
└Oya-bung: I cried too…
Incoming from the 5th generation: Who even is Izumi, you idiots?
└Oya-bung: If you don’t know Mei-chan, why are you even on the gallery?
[Title: Izumi’s Return Wish 1000th Day]
[Author: I Love Mei-chan]
[Kainoh Izumi☆Star’s Flow_Graduate @KainoIzumi · 1 minute]
I’ll be back!!!
It’s already been 1000 days since Mei-chan said she’s back.
I’ll be waiting!
[Likes: 0 / Dislikes: 0]
ㅇㅇ: Wow, this is insane ㅋㅋ
└ㅇㅇ: Did she really not miss a single day in those 1000 days?
└I Love Mei-chan: Yep!
★
If I were to name the largest company in the current VTuber market, everyone would likely say “Star’s Flow.”
It was only natural, really.
The VTuber market had collapsed once before.
And it was Star’s Flow that ushered in a new golden age for that market.
In fact, with the quality of VTuber avatars starting from the technology level being breathtakingly high, it was expected that more fans would be easily attracted. Therefore, Star’s Flow’s standing in the current VTuber market was absolute.
As the scale grew larger, it was also natural for the company to change in various aspects.
The most notable change was the way they recruited members.
Up until the 4th generation, they selected five members from those who applied within the set period, but due to the excessive number of applicants during the 4th generation recruitment, they had to change the method.
Now, instead of accepting applications almost year-round, even if you passed, you would have to wait until five members who were able to debut together had gathered.
Thus, the 5th generation of Star’s Flow debuted last summer.
They were a group of ‘ordinary’ high school girls belonging to the lightweight music club of Sei High School, called “Astre.”
And Astre had stirred tremendous buzz among VTuber fans from their debut, which in turn naturally led to an increase in applicants to Star’s Flow.
“Noah-senpai. I’ve sent all today’s application forms and videos.”
“Okay. Are there any unique points?”
“I haven’t seen the videos yet, so I don’t know, and the forms are nothing special… Ah. If I had to point one out, there is one biracial applicant, half Japanese and half Korean.”
“…Biracial?”
“Yes.”
At my junior’s response, I stifled a pfft of laughter.
“Noah-senpai? Is there a problem?”
“Not at all. Let’s discuss the applicants tomorrow after we gather. You’ve worked hard today too.”
After sending off my junior, I downloaded the files that she had sent to review the applicants beforehand.
“Speaking of which, a half-Japanese girl…”
In the past, there had been someone who was half-Japanese among the talents of Star’s Flow.
The one known as the Queen of Yeo-sang… a name laden with various meanings.
The first and last graduate of Star’s Flow to this day, Kainoh Izumi.
Hearing the term half-Japanese led me to recall the memories with her and I let out a chuckle.
It’s not like we couldn’t meet; I had just dined with Suzuha a week ago. But… it certainly felt different to recall memories from when she was a member compared to setting up a separate meeting.
“I wonder what kind of people we’ll see this time…”
I muttered to myself as I began checking the application forms and videos.
A total of eight applicants.
And up until the seventh, they were all just ordinary applicants like usual.
Thus, the eighth applicant was likely the half-Japanese girl my junior mentioned earlier.
With that thought, I felt a strange excitement and opened the file for the last application.
[Name: Minah Yeon]
“…Huh?”
[Age: 21]
[Birthday: June 12]
“Wait a minute.”
[Special Notes: She is half-Japanese and half-Korean.]
The kanji on the application was the same as the Korean name I knew her by.
Her age and birthday were identical as well.
And suddenly, I remembered the time I met her a week ago.
‘Nowadays, are they pretty much accepting applications year-round…?’
At that moment, I had only asked out of curiosity since it was a matter related to the company I was part of.
‘We accept applications around quitting time, and then Katsuki first reviews them, and like, the next day we decide together while looking at the forms and videos.’
I had thought nothing of it when hearing the method had changed.
…But what if it wasn’t just coincidence?
It was an absurd thought.
I told myself it was all just coincidence and took a breath, yet my heart still raced.
All that remained were the two videos that this applicant had sent.
Sending in two videos was not unusual.
It’s a common practice to separate the motivational video and the talent showcase.
But my instincts told me.
That this first video would certainly be special to me.
As I pressed play on the video.
[Ah, hello! I’m Minah Yeon, and I’m applying to Star’s Flow!]
Her brown hair, glossy to the point you could tell just by looking at it, cascaded down to her waist.
Her mesmerizing blue eyes were so ethereal I initially thought she was of Western descent.
With flawless skin and a cute appearance without a single blemish.
Though she was short, her body proportions were outstanding.
Indeed, she still looked like an adorable doll.
A familiar face was sitting in the chair.
And for a moment she sat silently before breaking into a smile and speaking again.
[Um. Surely M-chan said she would be looking at the forms and videos first….]
It was natural for the junior who sent the forms not to know her.
While it was well-known that ‘Kainoh Izumi’ was half-Japanese, her real name was not public knowledge.
It would have been exclusively known by members from the 0th to 3rd generation and the employees who worked at Star’s Flow before then.
And since that junior only joined after the debut of the 4th generation, it was no wonder she couldn’t predict anything by just seeing the name ‘Minah Yeon.’
[No other broadcasting experience or special talents. But, I absolutely love VTubers…! Like I said at the beginning!]
“That’s right….”
Recalling that she had said that reminded me of the excitement I had when watching her application video.
I had also been disappointed to see her communication impairment during the interview.
[I still… really love VTubers. Thinking back to the time when I said I would graduate is quite embarrassing, but… Yes. It’s shameful but it’s okay how much I love VTubers. I genuinely like everyone in Star’s Flow.]
As if to prove that the embarrassment was real, she blushed and scratched her cheek as she continued talking.
[Yet still, despite how much I long for it, I thought it wasn’t right to return to Star’s Flow…. I thought so because it would be too selfish. Now that I have a basic understanding of how the world works, I thought I should let it go. But knowing that, I just… really love everyone at Star’s Flow so much that I want to be with you.]
“Seriously, how could she….”
The words slipped from my lips without thinking.
[So once more, I want to make one last unreasonable request. Even if Kainoh Izumi… no. I don’t need to be a VTuber again. I’d be okay just coming on board as a regular employee. Can I please be with you one more time?]
“No matter what, it would still be Yeo-sang, Izumi-chan.”
Whether she becomes active as Kainoh Izumi again.
Or debuts as a 6th generation member.
Even if she comes on board as a staff rather than a VTuber… with one tiny misstep, the truth about Izumi would definitely be revealed.
How very much like a ‘Queen of Yeo-sang’ this is.
[Ah. If you happen to see this video, please delete it after watching, heh.]
Of course, there were plenty of ways to hide the truth if she chose route three.
But I had already erased those possibilities from my mind.
Because I had long wished for the chance to be with her again.
“Either way, even if I delete it from my computer, the fact that I sent it via mail will still remain…”
I couldn’t help but think of Kainoh Izumi as a woman of grace and charm.
“Well, for now… I guess I’ll go report this…”
I stood up with a faint smile.
★
Three years had passed.
That was longer than the time I had spent at Star’s Flow.
And during that three years, I had done many things.
From working as an illustrator to interning at a publishing company. I also took a part-time job at Onodera’s store.
I had even worked as the camera operator when my sister was a model.
There had also been proposals about participating as a sister model, but of course, I declined.
…To be honest, I found many things easier, more enjoyable, and a lot more comfortable than when I was active as a VTuber at Star’s Flow.
However, none of those experiences could erase the touching emotions I had felt on stage back then.
Thus, I still admired her.
The one who is still shining brilliantly as promised.
I still wanted to be an idol like Natsune.