Became the Mother of Virtual YouTubers - Chapter 97

About two months before Jin Ha appeared on Han A-ri’s one-year anniversary broadcast, an event took place on a late spring afternoon.

That day, the old research lab where Jin Ha had been working was filled with an unusual tension compared to usual.

This was because the final results of the SIGGRAPH conference, the most prestigious conference in the field of computer graphics, were announced today.

The students sitting in front of the monitors were checking their email inboxes from time to time while working on their tasks. It was natural to be anxious about the results, as it involved individual achievements on a small scale and graduation from the lab on a larger scale.

“Hey, seniors and juniors! As soon as the professor receives the final decision email, please report it immediately!”

Even the professors, who usually showed no particular interest in the students’ research, were anxiously waiting for the results.

“Wow… professor, you didn’t help us at all while we were researching.”

“Haha… True.”

Stealing a glance at Ye Rin sitting next to her, who was grumbling, Hyo In made an awkward smile.

‘Isn’t the speed of dark evolution a bit too fast…?’

She felt slightly worried about the fact that the new student was already starting to talk behind the professor’s back, even though she hadn’t even completed her first semester. Of course, inside, she strongly sympathized with Ye Rin’s words.

At the same time, Hyo In’s honest feelings about Ye Rin crossed her mind.

‘I initially thought of her simply as an unqualified junior.’

The first impression of new student Jang Ye Rin was the worst. She entered the lab with the title of the professor’s advisor’s granddaughter, which made it hard for anyone to view her positively.

However, Ye Rin turned out to be a much more diligent junior than expected. Although she still lacked experience, she helped Hyo In’s research as if it were her own. Over the recent months, while enduring the professor’s unreasonable demands together, Hyo In felt immensely grateful for this young junior. At this point, she thought Ye Rin would have insisted on adding her name to the paper, even if it wasn’t an order close to the professor’s command, and Hyo In smiled gently.

Just then, Jae Min, who was in charge of the lab this semester, casually approached Ye Rin and made a joke.

“Wow~ Ye Rin, seeing you cursing the professor, you’re basically a graduate student now.”

Ye Rin smiled awkwardly and slightly bowed her head. She still had an awkward relationship with the other lab seniors, except for Hyo In. She felt shy about being caught cursing the professor in front of someone she found awkward, and her cheeks unconsciously flushed.

“More than that, Jae Min, haven’t you received the final decision email yet?”

Hyo In hurriedly changed the subject to lighten the mood. She thought that continuing to talk about the professor might lead to trouble if it somehow reached his ears.

“Not yet. I heard that the emails started being sent out, but it hasn’t come yet…”

“Then it should be soon.”

“But honestly, I don’t think there’s much hope.”

Despite the resigned tone, Jae Min continuously pressed the refresh button on his smartphone screen. He still couldn’t let go of the last string of hope.

“Well, at least you didn’t get rejected in the initial decision, right?”

After Hyo In’s words, Jae Min sighed and pressed the refresh button again.

“It was major revision… but honestly, looking at the reviewers’ comments, it wasn’t just revisions; it was basically a request to rewrite the paper from scratch.”

Admitting that it would be tough this time, Jae Min sighed heavily and continued.

“Really, Hyo In, you’re the hope of our lab.”

“Hmm?”

“If it weren’t for you, our lab would have really been wiped out, right? If we’re lucky, maybe Byeong Jae hyung?”

“Well, until the results come out, we won’t know…”

This meant anyone could pass unexpectedly, and conversely, anyone could fail, but Jae Min’s thoughts were firm.

“Ah~ Hyo In, I think you’re a sure thing. The reviewers’ reactions were good. It’s practically an acceptance.”

“That’s right, Hyo In unni! You worked so hard, staying up all night preparing, right? You’re definitely going to make it!”

Seeing Ye Rin affirming strongly beside Jae Min, Hyo In smiled lightly.

“Yeah, Ye Rin helped a lot with the additional experiments and revisions, so it seems likely.”

Ye Rin’s face turned rosy at Hyo In’s praise. Jae Min, who was watching her, slyly recalled the past.

“Seeing this reminds me of when Jin Ha senior was around.”

“Jin Ha… senior?”

“Yeah. There was one senior who, it’s almost been a year since he left the lab, and he was a real monster.”

Ye Rin’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Although she had never seen him, she held a keen interest in Jin Ha. After all, his name was listed as a co-first author on the paper Hyo In had just written. Most of the phone calls that came to the lab were also for Jin Ha.

Whenever Hyo In was asked about what kind of person Jin Ha was, the answer was always the same.

Just someone who was genuinely beyond grateful and appreciative, in ways that words couldn’t express.

With a wistful expression, she said that, which made Ye Rin even more curious.

Just when she decided to ask Jae Min about Jin Ha, a frantic voice echoed from somewhere in the lab.

“The results email is here!!”

At that moment, everyone held their breath and turned their heads toward the monitors.

“Oh, I got mine too!”

“What? I still haven’t gotten mine!”

Jae Min hurriedly rushed back to his place. Hyo In and Ye Rin also leaned forward, holding their breaths in front of the monitor.

“Hasn’t it come yet…?”

“It’ll come soon.”

While Hyo In was waiting for the email, short and heavy sighs came from all over the lab. Everyone seemed to have bad results. Some immediately closed their screens upon opening their inbox, while others sighed deeply with their heads bowed.

Amidst it all, a pitiful scream rang out.

That was Byeong Jae.

“Ugh… I thought I might get through this time… If this is what it’s going to be, they shouldn’t have given any false hope!!”

Byeong Jae slumped in his chair, covering his face with both hands.

Seeing that, Ye Rin unconsciously swallowed hard. If even Byeong Jae, who seemed to have a chance, was crushed, she began to feel sweat on her palms.

“It’s here, the email.”

Actually, Hyo In had an indifferent expression.

After confirming the subject line of the email, she took a short breath and clicked cautiously.

“…!”

Only then did Hyo In’s eyes widen greatly.

[Congratulations!]

Just the first line of the email was enough to ascertain the result.

“Wait… did it really happen?”

Honestly speaking, she had a feeling it would be accepted. After all, this was Jin Ha’s research. For Hyo In, who believed in Jin Ha far more than in herself, this paper was one that should definitely get accepted.

However, now that she faced the result screen, she felt a bit dazed and struggled to grasp the reality of it.

It was none other than Ye Rin who pulled Hyo In back to reality.

“Yay! Unni! It’s really happened!!”

Ye Rin jumped out of her seat and tightly hugged Hyo In. As applause erupted in the lab, Hyo In began to feel the reality of the situation.

“Congratulations, Unni!”

“What did I say! I told you, you were a sure thing!”

Hyo In responded with an awkward smile, thanking them, but her true feelings were quite complex.

‘Jin Ha unni…’

Of course, she conducted all the experiments and organized everything, but the groundwork for the topic had been completed by Jin Ha. Without Jin Ha, this paper would not have even existed.

‘…I miss her.’

She couldn’t help but feel regretful that Jin Ha was not there beside her at that moment. For now, she could only be satisfied with their names appearing side by side as co-first authors.

“Doesn’t it seem like the final acceptance rate is really low this time?”

“True. They said the number of submitted papers was the highest ever, but it seems like only about 200 accepted, just like usual.”

“It looks like the reviewers’ standards have gone up significantly. By the way, has the list been posted?”

“Yeah, yeah. It was posted on the official website. I need to organize it and report it to the professor.”

Sounds of disappointment and surprise mixed together echoed here and there. Hyo In regained her focus from the surrounding noise and checked the official conference website.

In the long list of papers that had been accepted, she spotted familiar titles and names.

From the far right.

The professor, Ye Rin.

And Hyo In and Jin Ha too.

Seeing the names listed side by side, Hyo In finally smiled.

“Why do all the names look like either Chinese or Western names? Aren’t we the only Koreans here?”

Ye Rin, who was checking the list beside her, said with a bright smile.

“Maybe not? Right here, this paper has a Korean author… huh?”

Hyo In’s eyes widened in surprise.

The title of the paper seemed unfamiliar. However, the name of the sole author written beneath it was incredibly familiar.

[Author: Jinha Na]

“…???”

Who is this person? Didn’t she say she was busy with outsourcing? More importantly, didn’t she say she had lost interest in research?

When exactly did she write a paper?

Surprised, Hyo In unconsciously dialed Jin Ha’s number.

[Unable to connect…]

As expected, she didn’t answer. It was predictable. She must be sitting in front of her monitor again, spaced out while tapping the keyboard.

‘Wait. The fact that Jin Ha submitted a paper as a sole author means…!’

She was going to have to present the paper “inevitably” at the conference, right?

‘Jin Ha unni and… a trip abroad!!’

Of course, it was for the conference presentation, but still, it would be nice to visit some tourist spots for a day or two, right? Eat together, and at night…

“Hehe, uhuhuhu…”

“…Hyo, Hyo In unni? Is something wrong?”

Hyo In’s face was brighter than when she had received her acceptance email.