Became the Mother of Virtual YouTubers - Chapter 98

Hyo In’s contact with Jin Ha happened several weeks after the final results of the paper were announced.

[Wow… This sister finally picked up the phone.]

“Uh, um. It’s been such a long time, Hyo In.”

[No, are you really that busy that you don’t even have time to reach out? You seem more hectic than a graduate student.]

“Well… I’m handling several things at once. It’s been chaotic. One of them is quite significant.”

Jin Ha lightly sighed and looked at the workspace on her monitor.

“Preparing for the concert is more work than I expected.”

[…A concert? Are you really going to sing?]

This sister watched a lot of VTuber broadcasts usually!

She has actually debuted as a VTuber and started producing content herself!

At Hyo In’s surprised voice, Jin Ha couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Of course not. It’s just a regular stage production work.”

[…What? I’m really surprised.]

The small sigh mixed with disappointment… must be just my imagination, right?

“By the way, I heard your paper got accepted? I saw the message. Congratulations.”

[Well, at least you didn’t completely ignore the message I sent. More importantly, congratulations to you too. When did you write your paper?]

“Well, it just happened that way.”

[If you were going to write a paper, you should have told me. I would have helped out even if it meant taking time off.]

“Haha…”

I really didn’t expect this.

After making a not-quite successful failure, I got so absorbed in the work that the paper came out unexpectedly.

[I’m really just asking out of curiosity, but you do know your paper got accepted, right?]

“I did see that it passed the first review.”

After that, work piled up, and she offered excuses that were not quite excuses.

[It seems your paper passed without any revision requests, so it must be really good.]

Well, considering Jin Ha, it was to be expected.

At Hyo In’s assertive words, Jin Ha only let out an awkward laugh.

[By the way~ this means you inevitably have to go present the paper~]

Hyo In’s voice was filled with excitement.

A trip abroad with a senior she likes? I can’t resist this.

“Well… I’ll put your name on the paper I wrote, so how about you go and present my paper along with yours?”

[Do you seriously think that’s an option?!]

“Haha, I’m just kidding, just kidding. I do have to go.”

Jin Ha smiled awkwardly.

Half was a joke, but half was sincere.

I submitted the paper out of inertia and happened to pass, but looking back now, I wonder what I was thinking at that time.

[…Is it because of identity issues? Like with your passport?]

The questioning voice was cautious.

It’s understandable because Hyo In was one of the few people who knew that Jin Ha used to be a man and suddenly became a woman overnight.

“That issue has been roughly resolved. I even got my ID and some other documents renewed last month.”

After mentioning that thanks to the hospital providing ample opinion letters, the administrative process was faster than expected, Hyo In asked again, her voice filled with concern.

[What does the hospital say? It’s not a terminal illness or anything, right…?]

“The professor in charge said even they don’t know the cause. They said that if the psychiatrist who helped me hadn’t mentioned it, they would have thought I was a woman from the start.”

Even now, she still goes to the hospital regularly.

Lately, Jin Ha’s most common refrain is not knowing about being a man but having high liver enzymes, so she needs to quit drinking and lead a more regular lifestyle.

[That’s right, sister. I’m not going to tell you to cut back on drinking, but you should reduce your workload. Isn’t your birthday this year making you officially in your 30s?]

…Wait. This is a bit touching?

“Hey, you’re close to turning 30 too.”

[Well, I’m just glad it’s not serious. Anyway, is there any problem with going on that trip abroad?]

Hyo In, Hyo In… a trip abroad…

“I’m going there for work, not a vacation.”

[That’s the same thing~ Ah! Should I book the plane tickets and hotel for you too? I’ll just use the project funds slyly!]

“Hey, that’s embezzlement of project funds…”

[So what? The professor travels abroad on project funds and spends their personal living expenses freely.]

“…That’s true.”

When going abroad, they register for a suitable nearby conference and get a free business class ticket.

They purchase personal items and separately issue receipts, making up meeting notes that never happened.

It was a well-known secret that professors misused public funds.

“I’m joking, I’m joking. You think I would actually do that? It’s a matter that would get caught at the professor’s level anyway.”

I didn’t need to mention that her voice had seemed sincere just now.

“…Anyway, I’ll find a hotel and plane tickets on my own.”

Gone are the days when Jin Ha, who used to complain about not having money to buy alcohol from convenience stores, had nothing but savings piling up because there was no time to spend.

Even at times like this, I should flex; when else would I get to?

[Let me know when you make the reservation. I want to stay in the same hotel.]

At Hyo In’s words, Jin Ha involuntarily shuddered.

“What about the lab? Are you coming alone?”

[I think it’ll just be me and Ye Rin like this.]

“Oh, that parachute?”

[It is a parachute, but an evolved dark form of it.]

“Uh?”

[They’re already complaining about the professor even before going. They’re totally attracted now.]

“That’s not dark evolution; that’s just regular evolution… Anyway, so the professor and the others aren’t coming, right?”

[I guess not? After all, we’re ‘women,’ right?]

When males go abroad, the accommodation cost doubles from the start.

Even if their own spending may be extravagant, a professor who is very stingy with the money spent on the lab students would never tolerate this.

“One of them being there is a bit better, I suppose.”

[Why? Are the lab people uncomfortable?]

“Sort of… To be honest, I didn’t want to reveal this to you either.”

[True, I think I would have felt the same if I were you.]

“Well, I mean, it’ll eventually be discovered, but I should try to hide it as much as possible. Especially if Byeong Jae finds out… huff…”

That guy would definitely tease me.

Mixed in with the sigh that escaped were traces of frustration.

[But won’t it be revealed this time when you present your paper? Your paper isn’t a poster, it’s an o*al presentation.]

“Well, there are ways around that.”

Saying this, Jin Ha looked at the monitor screen.

In the middle of her small room captured by the webcam.

The short-haired avatar, JINA, and the long-haired, shorter avatar, MINA, were wandering around freely as if they had come to visit someone they knew.

*

“Is this the conference where Jin Ha is presenting her paper…?”

Winter, or rather Seo Ah, had finally found Jin Ha’s new paper on the official conference webpage.

Next month, she would be presenting her paper abroad, and there was Jin Ha’s English name.

This was overflowing with information.

Seo Ah, who had initially found Jin Ha’s first paper simply by the ID ‘jinha_na,’ thought this much was nothing.

“Wow… It’s not just one paper, but two? As expected of Jin Ha…!”

Seo Ah was carefully examining the list of papers on the screen when she slightly frowned.

One had only Jin Ha’s name listed.

The other one had quite a few names next to it.

“The last one should be the name of Jin Ha’s supervising professor… the other two must be Hyo In and Ye Rin…”

The good news was that, excluding the professor presumed name, the other two authors had female names.

What if there had been male names?

The unicorn horn of winter would have turned black and almost broken off.

Internally letting out a sigh of relief, she was suddenly struck with a thought that complicated her mind again.

“Wait. Isn’t it a bigger issue that they’re women…?”

Upon observation, Jin Ha, while being a woman, seemed to attract women in unusual ways.

Seo Ah herself had fallen head over heels for Jin Ha. It’s an undeniable fact.

Also, all of her classmates in Seasons had a crush on Jin Ha.

Especially during Summer, they were openly declaring Jin Ha as “theirs.”

If Jin Ha had been a man, they would have snagged him long ago, claiming that honesty, even if it’s another woman, it’s enough as long as it tastes good (?), throwing around nonsensical remarks.

Not to mention outside of CosmoLive, there’s Han A-ri, Jin Ha’s first daughter and strongest competitor.

This sister, who previously seemed shy, has lately been openly flirting with Jin Ha.

Not only did she ask for her number, but she even sang a love confession song. This was undoubtedly blatant.

And where does it stop? Recently, Kamishiro Rei, practically the face of NiseLive KR, has also been openly appealing to Jin Ha.

It seems that there are two unidentified rivals (?) added in the mix.

Additionally, given the nature of freelancing, it’s hard to predict how many more people will fall for Jin Ha in the future.

After all, Mama is meant to be conquered.

Resolute, Seo Ah immediately dialed the corporate phone of CosmoLive.

[Yes, Seo Ah. What can I do for you?]

“Manager, is Sachyo busy right now? This is a bit urgent.”

It’s not just a little; it’s very urgent.

[Please wait a moment. She just finished a broadcast and is coming out right now.]

Before long, a light voice answered the phone.

[Hey~ Seo Ah~ What’s up?]

Seo Ah cleared her throat and spoke in a serious tone.

“Sachyo, do we have any plans for a business trip for new technology analysis for our CosmoLive?”