I Want to Be a VTuber

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Even Stella’s request was to spend the last day in Korea.

Honestly, her suggestion to fly from Japan to Korea just to go on a date and then part ways was quite something.

“I want to go on a date with you in Seoul one last time before I go back, okay? Besides, you have no filming schedules, right?”

With that, Stella looked at Lee Ji-yeon and Jo Seo-hee.

“If we date in Japan, those two might get in the way.”

Seo-yeon was a bit taken aback by this unexpected request.

She never thought Stella would ask for something like this.

Of course, Seo-yeon’s shock wasn’t just because of the request.

“Honestly, I thought she might ask for something more annoying.”

To be honest, this was relatively okay.

Or she might have put forth an even more unreasonable demand.

Like maybe saying she wanted to appear in some movie or variety show in Korea.

That would be a request she simply couldn’t fulfill.

Compared to such imaginings, asking to just meet alone was really nothing at all.

“But… what would we even do if we met alone?”

Seo-yeon pondered as she saw Stella looking at her while seated across at the cafe.

Stella was smiling brightly at her.

Truly, she was a woman one couldn’t read easily.

“Why?”

Back in Korea, Stella spoke as if she could read Seo-yeon’s mind.

“Are you curious why I wanted to meet alone?”

“Yes.”

Stella just smiled sweetly at Seo-yeon’s calm reply.

“I have two reasons.”

“Two reasons?”

“One is that I want to buy a souvenir before I go back to America tomorrow.”

A souvenir, huh.

That was really unlike Stella.

“After all, I might not get to see you for a while. No, it could be that this meeting in Korea is the last.”

“Oh.”

That could indeed be true.

She was known as the fairy of the century beyond Hollywood and America.

What were the chances she would meet someone like herself again?

If Seo-yeon only worked in Korea, it was possible they might never meet again as she said.

“So, a memory? It would be nice to have something to commemorate.”

“Is that so?”

Honestly, it didn’t completely make sense, but Seo-yeon thought it could be true.

She didn’t really know what kind of logic Stella had for sure.

She could only roughly guess through Stella’s personality.

“What’s the second reason?”

“That’s a secret.”

Stella spoke as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“I’ll tell you before we part today.”

It was as if the purpose of their meeting today itself was the point, Stella said.

So Seo-yeon could only nod vaguely.

***

“….Are you really a girl? You can’t even shop properly.”

But it didn’t take long for Stella to realize that Seo-yeon wasn’t the best shopping partner.

Seo-yeon’s taste was extremely simple, as if she didn’t care much about whatever she picked up.

Be it clothes or daily necessities.

As long as it’s cheap and offers good value for money, what more is there to think? That’s how she looked.

“Isn’t that dress the one you chose?”

“Well, my friend picked it out for me last time…”

Seo-yeon looked down at the dress she was wearing.

It was indeed her choice, but getting to that choice involved countless rejections from Jo Seo-hee.

Jo Seo-hee was dead serious about dressing Seo-yeon, and she’d immediately swipe away any clothes that didn’t catch her eye.

At least she hadn’t paid attention to brand names, so that was a relief.

Thinking about it, Jo Seo-hee didn’t seem like a rich kid who flaunted luxury goods.

Honestly, she felt rather indifferent about such things.

When asked about it, she said, “We’d only get criticized if we go around with that sort of stuff.”

“But other stars carry them around.”

“We’re minors.”

Carrying around luxury bags or clothes as minors would easily invite criticism.

Jo Seo-hee explained this as an excuse, but she honestly didn’t seem that interested either way.

To her, luxury items and regular street brand clothes might feel pretty much the same.

After all, if she wanted something, she could just buy it anyway.

‘It’s not like she has a ton of money; it just seems like she’s different from the others at that high-society party I went to.’

It must just be her personality.

While Seo-yeon was thinking about that…

“Are you thinking of another girl right now?”

Stella was now very close to Seo-yeon’s face.

“….Could you please back off a bit?”

“No, I won’t. If you came out shopping with me, focus on me.”

What a spoiled little young lady she was.

Nonetheless, since that statement wasn’t wrong, Seo-yeon couldn’t help but assist Stella earnestly with her shopping.

They casually looked through clothes and food, visiting both the department store and the general market together.

“What do you think? Does it look good?”

“It does fit you well.”

Nodding in agreement, Seo-yeon said as Stella held up a pink dress she found in the market.

It did look good.

Stella’s appearance was pretty extraordinary, so even a regular street outfit looked like a luxury piece on her.

‘People are staring at her.’

For the record, Seo-yeon was covering her face here and there, but Stella didn’t bother with that at all.

Not many people recognized her in Korea anyway.

Of course, there were some who did.

Now and then, she could hear whispers.

Occasionally, men who knew a bit of English would approach and say,

“Uh, are you Stella Baldwin?”

Before Stella could even respond with a smile, Seo-yeon stepped in to block them.

“I’m sorry, but we’re busy right now.”

“Isn’t that a bit harsh to my fans in Korea?”

“I don’t really think so.”

“Haha, just what kind of impression do you have of me?”

With a bright smile, Stella immediately stopped laughing and looked at Seo-yeon.

“Hmm~, I see. But it’s not bad getting some help like this.”

“That was something the bodyguards used to do anyway.”

“But this is a bit different.”

What’s the difference, though?

Seo-yeon just tilted her head.

‘The reason she brought me along today must be for shopping and security, right?’

She could only guess since Stella didn’t tell her the second reason.

‘Honestly, there aren’t many people who are this complicated.’

As she nodded at whatever Stella was showing her, Seo-yeon thought.

She was sensitive to others’ emotions, and she could easily infer what most people were thinking just by looking at their faces.

It wasn’t because Seo-yeon had any special talent.

She just happened to be good at picking up on cues.

If Lee Ji-yeon heard her, she would probably say, “That’s a lie.”

“Joo Seo-yeon can read people? Nonsense.”

That’s how she would respond.

But surprisingly, it’s true.

Seo-yeon tended to be sensitive to others’ feelings.

It wasn’t so much from her current personality but more the lingering effects of her past life.

It felt like habits remained from a time when her emotions were different from the norm.

Even though she had reincarnated and led a completely different life, that memory still clearly lingered.

It was like a scar etched on her soul, compelling Seo-yeon to act this way.

Perhaps, this was different from the special abilities she gained when being reborn.

Not some extraordinary power.

Or, a sharp memory that recalls only the crucial bits.

Separate from that, she also couldn’t forget this.

Rather, it felt more like a scar than a newly earned badge.

Regardless, while leading a new life, Seo-yeon had become commonly termed a “clueless kid.”

Even her mother, Suah, sometimes said that.

“Seo-yeon used to be quite perceptive when she was younger. What happened to you…?”

Why it was always followed by a “what happened” comment was a mystery, but that was just how it was.

When she was younger, the effects of her past life lingered more strongly.

As she grew up, those influences would have faded.

But they never truly disappeared.

Seo-yeon naturally tuned into others’ feelings, analyzing how they perceived her.

What they were thinking.

What their gaze meant.

‘That’s definitely true.’

Stella probably felt the same way.

Seo-yeon thought as she watched Stella present various items to her.

It was something she sensed from the very first time they met.

Stella could read between the lines.

Acting as if she didn’t, wearing a crafted mask, and speaking with a smile, but Seo-yeon could tell.

It was likely due to the illness she had.

That’s why Seo-yeon couldn’t grasp what was beneath Stella’s mask.

“Stella.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“But I don’t see any accessories?”

As Seo-yeon quietly observed Stella, she suddenly realized one fact.

While Stella seemed interested in clothes and other items, she appeared to have no interest in accessories at all.

No, it almost seemed like she was purposely avoiding them.

If one looked closely, there were no earrings or necklaces that most women typically wore.

It was strange for someone who clearly enjoyed dressing up to show no curiosity about accessories.

“Huh~, sharp, aren’t you? I want to say ‘Did you just figure that out?’ but…”

With a subtle smile, Stella said.

“Of course, the reason is a secret. Talking about it now would dampen the mood.”

“Is that so?”

“Yep, that is it.”

Seo-yeon considered briefly as she looked at Stella’s smiling face.

She had a few guesses about the reason.

However, that reason, as Stella suggested, might be a little dark.

‘Hmm.’

As she observed Stella picking out clothing, her gaze wandered for a moment.

To the accessory shop Stella wasn’t visiting.

And the souvenirs.

Still lost in thought, Seo-yeon turned to Stella and said, “Can I go look for something I want to buy?”

“Huh? I don’t mind, but let’s go together.”

“No thanks.”

“Huh, why?”

Seo-yeon stepped back slightly as Stella moved closer.

There seemed to be an invading closeness about her presence.

As if the physical distance was too close compared to the emotional distance.

She surely found Seo-yeon’s embarrassment amusing.

Seo-yeon could tell that Stella cared about her emotionally, but mostly from curiosity.

It was hard to discern how much genuine fondness there was.

“It’s a secret.”

“That’s unfair to borrow stuff like that.”

Who’s the one always claiming secrets?

Anyway, Seo-yeon briefly left Stella behind.

Like she mentioned, it might not be likely she’d see this person again.

Setting aside her feelings, giving a gift felt appropriate.

‘Well, if my guess is off, the mood could sour unnecessarily.’

Still, it felt nice to see something that caught her eye.

At least she felt it would suit Stella really well.

…Though including her own feelings, she wasn’t sure if it would appeal to Stella.

As she was returning after buying the item, she felt someone tugging at her dress.

“……?”

For a moment, she thought it might be a pervert, but the position and strength were oddly subtle.

When she turned her head slightly, she saw a familiar child.

That child stared at Seo-yeon for a moment and then exclaimed,

“Ma, Magical Girl Unnie! Are you really the Magical Girl Unnie?!”

“…….”

She was astounded that this child would remember her like that.

Seo-yeon hesitated on how to respond, feeling a bit awkward.

But there was not much time for thought.

Bending her knees to meet the child’s gaze, Seo-yeon gently smiled.

“Hello.”

“Yes! Hello!!”

“Are you getting along with Su-yeon?”

“Yes!”

The friend of Seo-yeon’s younger sister, Joo Su-yeon.

Han Yoo-na.

Seeing her after such a long time left Seo-yeon feeling both happy and strangely peculiar.

There was something oddly sentimental about seeing this child.

She was in the position where her past self would have been.

If asked, she’d say that there was not one similar trait with her “past self.”

Neither gender, appearance, nor personality fit.

Yet they shared the same parents, making it feel as if fate was playing tricks.

“Seo-yeon, how long are you going to make me wait…… Oh my.”

Stella, who had been pouting while waiting for Seo-yeon, appeared behind her.

It seemed she was displeased that Seo-yeon had not returned for a while.

However, when she saw Seo-yeon being grabbed by the child, her expression turned to one of curiosity.

At the same time, she found Seo-yeon’s gaze towards the child to be quite strange.

‘Why does she look at that child like that?’

Just as Seo-yeon found Stella strange.

Stella found Seo-yeon odd too.

It was clear she came from a warm household.

Had good friends around her.

And since everyone seemed to genuinely care for her, it only made Stella feel that Seo-yeon was even odder.

For all that, it seemed Seo-yeon was so sensitive to the surroundings.

Additionally, since Stella could see Seo-yeon’s face… she thought Seo-yeon was someone who, like her, acted during everyday life.

A strange sense of kinship.

This peculiar sentiment lingered, and the more Stella understood Seo-yeon’s relationships, the more puzzling things became.

And just now, while watching the girl, Stella felt a similar odd sensation.

For reasons she wasn’t sure of.

“Wow, are you an angel?”

As she mused on this, Yoo-na exclaimed with a surprised expression when she saw Stella.

Bright golden hair.

Short hair that shimmered like sunlight at her shoulders, made her almost angelic.

As the blue eyes turned to her, the girl jumped back, clinging to Seo-yeon.

“Magical Girl Unnie! You’re a real angel……”

While thinking this, Han Yoo-na exclaimed loudly.

Seo-yeon hurriedly covered the little girl’s mouth with an embarrassed expression.

“……Magical Girl Unnie?”

Stella looked at her with a curious expression, as if questioning whether she had prompted the child to say that.

Seo-yeon quickly shook her head.

“Oh, no. It’s just something relevant from before.”

“A matter related to a Magical Girl?”

“Well, when you put it that way, it’s somewhat accurate.”

Seo-yeon explained in a hushed voice to Stella.

About an event where she had acted as a Magical Girl during a street promotion event.

And following that, the theater performance.

“I have a video of it!”

Yoo-na said excitedly as if she couldn’t contain herself.

Seo-yeon tried to quicken her pace to cover it up, but she couldn’t stop the child who was excitedly speaking, so she froze in place.

“Ahaha, what’s this? It was real. A Magical Girl.”

Stella laughed brightly after watching, as it captured Seo-yeon’s truly embarrassed expression very rarely.

Seo-yeon could only shudder in humiliation.

‘I shouldn’t have bothered bringing this stuff back.’

Seo-yeon sighed as she felt the small box in her pocket.