Hobbyist VTuber

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Hida-ga. So, Dayeon said she can’t do it any other day and really wants Dia to make time for her.

The manager on the other end of the phone awkwardly laughed and apologized, saying Dayeon is hard to control.

Well, neither Nana nor Dayeon are the type to have a lot of free time, so it must be tough for the person coordinating the schedules.

So, in the end, I agreed.

I wanted to postpone it more, but we’ve already pushed it back several times.

If I refuse again with the excuse of a busy schedule, Dayeon will probably get even more upset.

She’ll be baffled, asking why I can make time for Nael but not for her.

“What’s the collaboration content about?”

[It’s a secret… She said she’ll tell you during the collab.]

“…What on earth is she planning?”

I had a bad feeling.

I didn’t expect her to keep it a secret even from the manager.

I’ve been preparing for the collab with Dayeon, but it’s still scary.

Especially the thought of Dia’s dark history being created by Dayeon.

The collab with Dayeon is just for one day, but the video will stay forever.

‘Is it because she likes me that she wants to mess with me more…?’

I wanted to hope for a smooth collab like the one with Nael, but looking at Dayeon’s chats and donations on Dia’s stream, it’s bound to be chaotic.

But with only 10 minutes left until the Rev CF shooting meeting, I had to end the call with the manager.

I mentioned that I might have to hang up soon because of the meeting.

[Mi, meeting?]

“Yes, a meeting.”

[…Where are you calling from right now?]

The manager’s reaction was a bit off.

Is there a reason I need to keep talking?

“Uh, Rev. There’s a cosmetics company.”

[Rev? Haeun, are you at the Rev headquarters right now?]

“Yes.”

[Wha, what?! Did you step out of the meeting to take my call?!]

“No, the meeting hasn’t started yet.”

[Oh… thank goodness. I thought I interrupted your meeting and got really scared.]

Then came a request to let them know if I’m in a situation where I can talk next time.

Followed by a short TMI that the manager also uses Rev cosmetics.

[Haeun’s Rev CF, huh? I’m looking forward to… oh, no. I shouldn’t keep talking. I’ll hang up now!]

“Ah, okay. Go ahead.”

And just like that, *click*.

The call with the manager ended.

‘…She won’t go too far, right?’

Anyway, all I can do is wait for the collab day.

I can’t call Dayeon and ask what she’s planning, so I might as well keep my mind at ease.

Besides, the Rev CF shooting meeting starts in 5 minutes.

I decided to focus on the immediate task at hand rather than the collab a few days later.

‘I’ve already received the contract fee.’

Given the amount of money involved, this is definitely important.

I shouldn’t let my mind wander to other things during the Rev CF.

“Time’s up, Haeun. Let’s go in.”

“Ah, okay.”

And so, I walked into the meeting room inside the Rev headquarters with Joo Jung-yoon.

The meeting room had a sleek, sophisticated vibe.

Being a famous overseas brand, the scenery outside the meeting room felt more foreign than Korean.

But the ad concepts we received were tailored to Korean sensibilities.

“Feel free to ask any questions. Today is all about hearing Haeun’s opinions.”

After that, Jung-yoon and I went through various concepts over and over.

They all looked good to me, so in the end, we decided on the final concept based on Jung-yoon’s recommendation.

“Option B seems to suit you the best, Haeun.”

“Then, let’s go with Option B.”

“Got it. Oh, and for the shooting schedule, is it okay to proceed with the dates we discussed earlier?”

“Ah, yes.”

After that, the meeting concluded with the manager saying, “We’ll be in touch for the CF shoot.”

Now, all that’s left is to shoot at the studio, just like the Sears ad shoot.

I’m still a bit worried about Lee Ye-seo from <The Veterans>, but since I’ve built up some image with my first album, it should match the cosmetics CF at least while the ad is airing.

Anyway, with all the tasks before the CF shoot done, all I need to do now is look into Rev a bit and think about what kind of vibe would work best.

So, on the way home in the van, I was searching for Rev’s history on my phone.

“Ah, right, Haeun.”

“?”

“Starting next week, we’ll begin practicing the action scenes for <The Veterans> with Seo Jin-tae and Yoo Seong-jae.”

News of a new schedule for <The Veterans> filming came from Joo Jung-yoon.

I didn’t think much of it until then.

“Just in case. I’m just saying this just in case, but don’t mess up, okay?”

“Mess up? What do you mean?”

“Don’t actually hit people. Yoo Seong-jae is one thing, but Seo Jin-tae is turning 60 the day after tomorrow.”

I narrowed my eyes at being treated like some dangerous person.

As if I’d actually hit someone.

Especially a senior like Seo Jin-tae.

“Yoo Seong-jae asked me to tell you to be careful with Haeun.”

“…Why does he keep doing that?”

“He’s just looking out for you.”

“It feels like he’s teasing me…”

“Well, I can’t say he’s not. But it’s better to be careful, so control your strength.”

Honestly, I still don’t fully get why people keep telling me to control my strength.

Sure, I have some muscle, but my grip strength is just average for a woman…

…Well, maybe above average.

Anyway, overestimating my strength like that isn’t very convincing.

The only thing I want to be overestimated is my health.

Not even a week after I complained to Joo Jung-yoon about this.

[Kyaaaaaaah!!!]

“Ahhh!!!”

*Crack*

“…Huh?”

I managed to crack the VR controller with just my grip strength.

To be fair, I was playing a horror game, and the plastic controller wasn’t that sturdy.

But still, I had to retract my statement about my strength being just above average for a woman.

Upon冷静 evaluation, it seems I’m at least at a semi-pro athlete level.

“Uh, Witch-nim… The controller’s broken…”

[Are you making excuses because the game’s scary? If you keep this up, I’ll really eat you.]

“No, no, it’s really broken! Seriously…!”

***

An hour before Haeun’s VR controller cracked.

Haeun was nervously clearing her throat as the collab between Hida and Dia approached.

Unlike the collab with Nael, where Hida’s real body and Dia met—which would’ve been a disaster—this time, Haeun had to talk to Hida, aka Dayeon, on Discord throughout the collab.

Just in case.

If, by any chance, Dayeon figured out the true identity of the voice she was talking to…

‘It’d be a broadcasting disaster…’

The explosion Dayeon had been trying to prevent might happen, and the possibility of Hida and Dia’s red pill being revealed during the broadcast was very high.

So, Haeun tried to make her voice sound as different from Dia’s as possible.

That’s why she raised her voice to greet as soon as the broadcast started.

“Ah, hello…! So you’re Hida? Nael told me a lot about—”

But before Haeun could finish her greeting.

[Hmm, you shouldn’t use informal speech with your elders.]

Hida’s voice, slightly more mature, demanded a different kind of greeting.

She couldn’t tolerate Dia, who’s 1 year old, using informal speech with Hida, who’s 600 years old.

And so, in the end.

“Ah, uh, um… Hello, Witch-nim…”

[That’s more like it.]

Haeun started using formal speech as Hida demanded.

After all, today was Dia’s free-use broadcast.

‘She’s coming on strong from the start…’

Unfortunately, Haeun had no right to refuse.

Of course, she could refuse if it was really unreasonable, but as long as it wasn’t something the Noeul fans would consider unreasonable, she had to do as Hida said.

In other words.

[1. Go to Steam.]

“……Yes.”

No matter what Hida said, Haeun had to respond in formal speech.

At the same time, as ekdus7 had repeatedly warned in Dia’s broadcast chat and donation messages.

[2. Install the VR version. You know what game I’m talking about, right?]

“Wh, what? Are you talking about the screenshot you sent on Discord…? …I, I don’t know. What game is this? I really don’t know, though…?”

[Sigh. If you keep this up, Part 2 might turn into Part 3 or Part 4, who knows~?]

It meant she had to play the VR horror game without complaint.

‘Ugh, of all things, it had to be one I haven’t played.’

The problem was that the game in Hida’s screenshot was one Haeun had never played before.

To be precise, it was less creepy and less gory than the horror games Haeun had played before.

But it was still a VR horror game, so it was bound to be scary.

Especially since it was an escape game where monsters kept popping up, making it even more nerve-wracking.

[Are you installing it?]

“Yes, yes. I’m installing Cat Playtime…”

[The VR version, right?]

“Yes… But it says it’ll take about 15 minutes, Witch-nim. So, about that—”

At that moment, as Haeun tried to make an excuse about the broadcast being delayed and suggested another game.

[Then, we can do something else while the game installs.]

Hida flatly refused Haeun’s last request and started preparing another activity for the meantime.

Unsurprisingly, the chat was filled with praise for Hida.

– Ganda-sal Witch-nim

– The unwavering determination to make Cat Playtime happen

– Hida, I love you

– Ah, I’m so excited

– So what are we doing while the game installs??

[Ah, what we’re going to do is…]

Almost simultaneously, *ding*.

Hida slightly adjusted the broadcast settings, and the viewer list appeared on the broadcast screen.

[Dia’s. No, Dia Maid’s special 1-on-1 service is temporarily open~.]

“Wh, what?!”

It was shocking.

Very.

Despite that, Hida’s mouse moved and highlighted one viewer’s nickname right in front of Haeun’s eyes.

And then, Hida opened a 1-on-1 chat room where only Dia and the viewer entered.

Dia started receiving instructions on what exactly she needed to do right after.

[Now, Dia Maid? First, ask if the master has eaten.]

“No, what master—”

[Ahem.]

“…Ma, master. Have you eaten?”

[Again. Master, have you eaten?]

“Master… have you eaten?”

[alswwkd83] – I was just about to eat.

[Oh, perfect timing. Wait a moment, please. Our maid will give you a special☆ service.]

Honestly, even then, I was in denial.

I had an idea of what lines I’d have to say, but I desperately hoped Dayeon wouldn’t actually make me say them.

[Now, Dia Maid. Please cast a spell to make the meal delicious. I’ve written the lines on Discord, so just read them~.]

In the end, Dayeon betrayed Haeun’s trust.

As expected, the many Noeul fans in the chat also urged Dia to say her lines.

– Let’s go

– The omelet rice will get cold, Dia!!!

– If you keep stalling, the Witch will eat you

– Clip ON

[Dia Maid. Are you trying to starve the master?]

And so, in the end.

“O, oishii, narae… moe, moe… uwaaaah!!”

*Bang bang bang bang!*

Dia’s voice, struggling to deliver a very famous line, and Haeun’s sincere shotgun sounds were captured by the broadcast mic.

– LOLOLOLOLOL

– The regret hit hard LOL

– From now on, GOAT is Hida

– Hida, can you handle the aftermath??

– There’s never been a junior like this

But even as tears of shame welled up in Haeun’s eyes.

No, even until the collab with Hida was completely over.

[Hu, huhuhu…]

Haeun never found out that Dayeon was broadcasting as Hida while simultaneously logged into another account on her phone.

She also didn’t notice that the times Dayeon was silent coincided with the times the 1-on-1 chats were sent.

 

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