Now That I Have Become a Woman, I Am a Vtuber

---

The busking began.

As I listened to the male vocalist’s sweet voice while strumming the guitar with all my might, I was really putting my heart into it.

I had to focus intently on my guitar playing, not daring to make a mistake, keeping my gaze down.

Thank goodness there’s a boost in sound quality with this equipment, right?

It felt like the splendid sound of the guitar was covering for my clumsy playing skills.

Still, even while performing like this, I couldn’t help but feel nervous and my heart raced.

After all, busking had been something I secretly hoped for.

Now that I was barely keeping up with my playing, I liked that we were creating music together on the street.

Thanks to my hard work, I successfully finished the first song.

“Wow!”

When I looked up, I saw a considerable crowd had gathered.

…When did they arrive?

It must be a busy street since way more people turned up than I expected right from the first song.

Admiring the crowd, I grabbed the microphone this time instead of the guitar.

It was my turn to sing the next song.

“Hello!”

I started with a light greeting.

The gazes of the crowd immediately turned to me.

“Wow….”

“Wow… who is she?”

“She’s pretty!”

Admiration, admiration.

And more admiration.

…These people are amazed even before the song has started.

Well, I did come a bit dolled up today, so I can’t fault their reactions.

Still….

“Ah—”

They’re bound to be even more amazed from this point on, and it makes me a little worried that they’re already like this.

I wonder if these people don’t have any appointments today?

They’ll probably be stuck here all day until the busking ends, and if they have plans, that would be unfortunate.

“I’m going to start now.”

And so, I smiled at some people who had taken out their phones to film and began singing confidently.

**

A street on the weekend.

The street, where people usually pass by frequently at this time, was even more crowded today.

That’s because there were spectators gathering for the busking event.

And all the gathered people were gazing at the woman singing on stage.

“Wow, she’s really pretty….”

“Who is she?”

“She’s an actor, don’t you know?”

The beautiful woman in the blue jacket, holding a guitar, was none other than actor Kim Soo-hyun.

Most people here recognized her as the actor, and the audience at this busking could be divided into three groups.

“Wow, she’s pretty and can sing well….”

People amazed by the singer’s beauty and voice.

“She used to be a singer.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, and she also did broadcasting!”

The next group consisted of people who had some knowledge of either actor Kim Soo-hyun or singer Miro and were explaining it to others.

And finally, there was….

“Wow… Miro is insane!”

Someone taking pictures while recalling Kim Soo-hyun’s other identity.

“Who’s Miro?”

“Uh? No, it’s not that.”

This guy was one of those who had wandered out as usual and got glued to the busking performance.

Unlike those gathering here, he secretly watched the VTuber Miro’s broadcasts and participated in the community.

Since he was that kind of guy, he was busy being awestruck while barely half-listening to what his friend was saying.

‘She really is beautiful.’

He had seen her often in community pictures and was well aware of her beauty, but hearing the voice he’d grown accustomed to in broadcasts and seeing her face in person felt entirely different.

Honestly, on broadcasts, she felt so relatable….

“That’s actor Kim Soo-hyun.”

“I know….”

Seeing her in person made it really feel more like she was a celebrity rather than the VTuber Miro, just as his friend had said.

There was an atmosphere about her that seemed almost unattainable.

Just days ago, she would’ve been distracted by snagging a whale in “Mark’s Whale Hunt”?

Yelling out names of techniques from cartoons like an otaku?

…That’s ridiculous.

Just look at it now.

Even though there were other celebrities beside her, the cameras of those around were solely focused on Miro.

Is that really the VTuber who was so engrossed in “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” and always said the most ridiculous things?

Feeling an indescribable mood, the guy also felt a sense of pride in the fascination surrounding the VTuber he followed.

In such a convoluted feeling, he still held some expectations.

The situation was bewildering, and Miro on that stage felt somewhat foreign, but still, I had the chance to see her live.

Most people who participated in the community would envy this moment.

Thus, after Miro started singing, he began listening intently to her songs more than anyone else.

One song, then two.

As Miro sang and played the instruments, everyone, including him, gradually focused on the stage, and the busking reached its peak.

“And now! We’ll perform an unreleased new song!”

Miro exclaimed while grasping the microphone.

…An unreleased new song?

As she said that, staff came over to ask if they could stop filming, and the guy stopped filming and looked up at the stage.

Thanks to the people lowering their phones, the stage now seemed clearer.

Miro smiled as she took the stand microphone, securing it before picking up the guitar.

“Wow!!”

“She’s so pretty!!”

The cheers erupted just from her smiling.

She beamed an even brighter smile in response to the cheers and brought the microphone closer.

“Please take care of me.”

The words were polite, but her expression was filled with confidence.

Thus, those who had been listening to Miro’s songs felt excited expectations building within them.

At that moment, she was about to repay those expectations with her song.

Tap, tap.

The guy looked up at the droplets falling onto his head.

…And saw thick clouds.

“Wait, didn’t they say it wasn’t going to rain today?”

His friend said that.

Yes, just as he mentioned, unexpected rain began to fall.

“Uh? It’s raining, isn’t it?”

Miro, who was about to sing, also halted and looked up at the sky.

Tap—tap—tap!!

Rain began to pour down increasingly.

“Uh, uh!”

“Eek!”

“Don’t have an umbrella?”

Suddenly, the rain shower dampened the clothes and hair of those spellbound by the busking, jolting them back to reality.

The busking was on the verge of collapsing right before announcing the new song.

With unpredicted rain, it was a moment where anyone could clearly say “there’s nothing we can do.”

But then….

“I’m going to start!”

The singer on stage stepped forward and announced.

As a result, some people looking for convenience stores or turning to escape the rain turned their heads.

In that place stood a well-dressed actress, or rather, a female singer, who seemed to need to avoid the rain the most.

Even as her blue jacket slowly got soaked, she looked like she had no concern about ruining her well-done hair or make-up—she just smiled.

As if she were the sunlight hidden behind the clouds.

With an expression that said this situation wasn’t so bad, she started strumming her guitar.

At that moment, even other musicians hastily trying to shield their instruments.

Those seeking shade to avoid the rain.

Staff who were debating whether to continue filming or not.

Everyone returned to their respective positions.

The musicians began playing, unperturbed by the rain.

Those who had tried to escape the rain found themselves stuck back as part of the audience.

Staff shielded only the equipment that shouldn’t get wet but grabbed their cameras.

Thus, in the pouring rain.

“The title of the song is, Circuit of Hope!”

A singer began radiating light, as if to replace the sun.

**

The sky was dark.

The rain was pouring down so heavily that visibility was poor.

Hastily, staff had brought out cloths to set up makeshift tents for the instruments sensitive to water, but those of us playing instruments remained soaked all the way through.

Well, we had played regardless of the pouring rain.

For me, my blue jacket was drenched and heavy, and there wasn’t a spot on my body that was untouched by water.

Even so….

“Wow!!!”

“Wow!!!”

Thanks to the people up front cheering while thoroughly soaked, I didn’t feel the least bit tired.

As the rain intensified, more people eventually left.

Still, a handful of people remained.

Now, since the last song had ended, I felt grateful towards those people.

I performed because they were here.

“Thank you!”

“Thanks!”

Other performers seemed to share the same sentiment as they smiled broadly at the audience and waved.

Though I wanted to ask for an encore, truly, I couldn’t perform any longer.

“Thank you very much!”

“If there’s another chance, see you again.”

After delivering my final farewell.

“Ms. Soo-hyun, over here….”

One staff member led me into the tent and handed me a large towel.

I wonder where they got this from.

They sure know how to prepare.

After drying my head with the large towel, I took off my blue jacket and wrung it out.

Plop, plop.

It was so soaked that a good amount of water spilled onto the floor.

“…How much rain has fallen?”

My body drenched and the heat from the stage dissipating, I began to feel chilly.

“Ack….”

“This is completely soaked….”

Inside the tent, the other performers, including me, looked like drowned rats wrapped in towels.

“This is my first performance like this….”

“What about our instruments?”

While some lamented at the absurd situation, others worried about their damp instruments.

“Still, that was fun.”

“Right?”

Everyone had gentle smiles on their faces.

It seemed like they were satisfied with the stage performance.

As I watched them with a warm feeling, I turned to look at my guitar on the floor.

…I hope it’s okay?

Without much thought, I blurted that out, but I might really need to buy a new one.

Still….

I looked down at my hands.

I recalled the moment when I sang the new song while playing the guitar.

That time when everyone hesitated, but I stepped forward to sing alone.

The audience who braved the rain to stay.

The other performers who followed along as soon as I started.

The PD who was beyond thrilled and threw his hat when he smiled among the audience.

The scenery and emotions from that time seemed like they would last quite a while.

It seemed like the promotion for the new song would go exceptionally well.

I understood why the PD cheered.

I wondered how the busking we did today would make it to the variety show.

They’d edit it into something amazing, right?

Perhaps that choice I made could bring meaningful results for the new song’s performance.

Well, regardless of the new song’s outcome, today would turn into a wonderful memory.

Thus, filled with pleasant expectations about how the editing would turn out, I finished the day’s filming for the variety show.

And the next day.

[…You have a cold, they say.]

“Huh….”

It seemed I was paying the price for having too much fun yesterday, as I ended up with a bad cold.