They Became the Big Players Among the Hako VTubers - Chapter 17
So When Is It Coming Out? – 2Calmly,
Setting aside Ayoung’s pure dream, let’s be honest.
ABCD is a dead idol group.
It’s not about whether they’re alive or dead—it’s that there’s no world where fans can communicate and breathe with them anymore.
Can a ghost that only exists virtually even be called an idol?
You can’t buy their music to listen to their songs, nor can you buy merchandise to decorate a corner of your room.
There’s no way to connect with them in this world.
And they’re virtual YouTubers, too.
They can’t cross over from their virtual space to interact directly.
Livestreams?
Sure, those are a great way to communicate.
“But there’s no immediate, striking point that makes you think, ‘I want them.’”
That’s why ABCD, as they are now, is just a meme.
You can laugh, chat, and consume their content…
But they can’t become idols who emotionally connect with their fans.
No matter how much they talk, dance, or sing in real-time, the power of physical merchandise and even a short music clip is far stronger in making their existence felt.
In short,
They need a world where fans can play alongside them.
And that world can be built with money.
Not a greenhouse nurtured by the “10 Billion Won Donation Saga” and the “Big Man Religion,” but a world where Ayoung can run around on her own, sweat, and sing.
A world where Ayoung can continue to live as an idol “after Big Man disappears.”
I can make that happen.
“Even if that world only has a shelf life of about a year.”
It’s my repayment for the 10,000 won I received that day.
Rustle—
I looked at the crisp white paper.
The name of the corporation, established through a proxy, was written on it.
Of my 10 billion won in assets, excluding 2 billion in personal investments, the remaining 8 billion could be managed under this corporation.
[Big Plan A Company]
The name of an 8-billion-won legendary sword.
“…”
It’s ridiculously tacky,
But it’s not like it’ll stick around after my regression anyway, so it doesn’t matter.
“No matter how much effort I put into naming it, it’ll be pointless in the end.”
Ding!
“!”
I picked up my phone.
[Attorney Kim: The content-specialized law firm ‘Reflex,’ ‘Motion Graph M,’ ‘Ever Market,’ and ‘Recon Counting’ have all agreed to your proposed contracts.]
Legal, 3D, merchandise, accounting…
Companies that form a core part of the content market have now been tied to corporate investments.
For the next year, they’ll collaborate exclusively with Aurora Prism Entertainment.
Investment costs?
None needed.
These companies will operate under my capital for a year.
Even if I disappear after July 31st, I’ve already planned how to ensure the tightly-knit distribution structure won’t collapse abruptly.
“The downside is that with just 8 billion, this system can only last a year… Well, there’s no helping that.”
If I had scraped together more money during May in this regression,
I could’ve made something far more enduring,
Built a much larger infrastructure…
“Maybe then, they could’ve shone even brighter, even sooner.”
“…”
It couldn’t be helped.
The first step was taken too late.
“Sigh.”
A little later,
Attorney Kim sent another text.
[Attorney Kim: It’s honestly astonishing… These were companies that desperately needed your contract. Without it, they wouldn’t have made it past today or tomorrow. How on earth did you know?]
“…”
If I told the truth,
would they even believe me?
[I just happened to find out.]
After sending that,
I put my phone back in my pocket.
Inside, I could feel the 10,000 won that only exists in this regression.
Rustle—
“…”
The first week of June.
The bustling streets were filled with people coming and going.
No one is preparing to disappear two months from now.
“…”
I walked down that familiar street.
To return to the comforting convenience store,
A place that will only exist for two more months.
*
CEO Baek Socheol was trembling uncontrollably.
Wrapped in an orange teddy bear blanket his son had given him, he looked like a man who had faced divinity.
Fear.
The terror of one who has stood before a god.
“Ugh… I’m scared because everything’s going too well. Big Man’s hand is too big… It’s terrifying…”
“…”
“…”
Operations Team Leader Go Minyoung and member Choi Yeseo watched him with pity.
But they couldn’t outright mock him.
“Well, the CEO does have a point. For all these companies to suddenly rush in offering collaboration… It’s practically like we’re getting an entire distribution network for free.”
“…”
Honestly, even Choi Yeseo couldn’t believe the current situation.
“For related companies to voluntarily gather and offer collaboration like this…”
-What?! A record label contacted us?
-What?! A 3D production company reached out?
-What?! A merchandise distributor?
-What?! Even a law firm and accountants?!
And the people who arrived all held the same stiff business card.
[Big Plan A Company]
“…”
A content investment firm.
The CEO was anonymous.
-Depending on the investment details, we’ll be collaborating with your company for a year. The specifics will be discussed in future meetings…
-S-so, what are the terms? The fees?
-Ah, no need. We’ve already received upfront operational costs. Just provide us with the project proposals, and we’ll handle the rest.
With those words,
ABCD’s dead worldview began to revive.
Music, merchandise, events…
A “big picture” to resurrect them in this world had emerged.
A collaboration system where, with no conditions,
They’d create everything as long as ABCD provided the plans—for an entire year?
“Good grief.”
It was nothing short of a divine miracle.
Not even having a major corporation as a sponsor could’ve made this possible.
At least, that’s how it felt to Choi Yeseo.
“…Big Plan.”
Big Plan.
A company name that unmistakably evoked “that person.”
CEO Baek Socheol had panicked the moment he saw the business card.
If it hadn’t carried “that person’s” scent, he might’ve assumed it was some corporate conspiracy and fled.
“But what’s the ‘A’ for?”
「A」
“!”
“Don’t tell me… Big Plan A means…?”
Choi Yeseo flinched for a moment.
But she didn’t voice her guess.
Admitting it would mean joining Baek Socheol under the teddy bear blanket.
“…”
So she stayed silent.
In that quiet,
General Manager Park Youngsoo slumped into his seat, looking dizzy.
“Ugh, I don’t get it. This isn’t just using cheat codes in a game. And they’re handing us an entire collaboration network with no strings attached.”
Everyone sat down in shock.
The CEO, general manager, operations team leader, assistant manager, PR team leader…
Despite their fancy titles, they were just ordinary workers at a small company.
Even a few billion won in donations would’ve been shocking enough,
but this…
“They basically handed us an entire market. In capitalist terms, it’s like they gave us a whole new world.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Now, Big Man was just plain terrifying.
That one person’s goodwill
could be this immense…
It was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Rustle—
Baek Socheol, who had been trembling in the corner, stood up.
He set aside the teddy bear blanket and turned around—now wearing the face of a CEO again.
“…Alright. Let’s admit it.”
“Admit what?”
“Big Man gave us a market infrastructure. In this brutal industry, we’ve been given the power to dominate like a major corporation—for a year.”
“A major corporation…”
“Now we don’t have to beg anyone, ‘Please do this,’ or ‘Please consider that.’ We don’t have to tiptoe around anymore.”
His eyes burned as he continued.
“Big Man didn’t ask for anything in return. I don’t even know if they’re human anymore, but… they trusted us.”
“!”
“So now, let’s go all out.”
Baek Socheol looked at Operations Team Leader Go Minyoung.
“The music tracks are ready to send to the record label, right?”
“Yes, we’ve already organized all the materials.”
Then he turned to Park Youngsoo.
“With this infrastructure, we can keep the company running even with our current finances, right?”
“Of course. It’s basically like using a resource cheat code.”
Baek Socheol nodded.
“Good. Let’s go all out.”
“!”
“For the next year, we’re invincible. Whether it’s Romantic Drive next door or Dream Live across the ocean, we can do everything they do.”
His voice was thick with emotion,
As if years of frustration were boiling over.
“We’ll release music, provide training, make merchandise, and plaster promotional posters everywhere to show off how much we’ve prepared.”
“!”
“Let’s run like mad for a year.”
At his words,
The staff stood up one by one.
Finally, Baek Socheol looked at Choi Yeseo.
Among the ABCD members, she was the eldest and had endured the most hardships—a dependable employee.
Now, he could finally promise her a stage.
“And…”
“…”
“Let’s gather as many fans as we can and prepare for a live concert by next month.”
“!”
“No half-hearted school festival excuses. Let’s rent a real venue, blast our music, and sing our hearts out.”
“…Yes!”
The goal for July…
A full-scale live concert.
*
Back at the ABCD dorm,
Aki had heard everything.
“…So. Are we really starting now?”
“Yeah.”
Choi Yeseo nodded.
“Next week, we’re releasing four songs. And until the live concert is confirmed, we’ll do everything we can.”
Merchandise, MV production, stores…
To turn this “one-year opportunity” into something “real.”
“Everything.”
“W-wait, unnie…?!”
Berry (Kim Aeri) spoke in a shaky voice.
“W-what does that mean? Can our company even handle that much? Isn’t this too much? If you collapse, unnie, it’s really over!”
“It’s not too much.”
Choi Yeseo pulled out the business card and showed it.
The other three members stared at it, holding their breath.
“…”
“…”
“…”
[Big Plan A Company]
“This company has already invested upfront collaboration funds. We can literally do everything we’re capable of. Honestly, it’s 100% ‘that person’s’ company.”
“B-Big Man—”
Kang Doda crossed herself, clasped her hands, and knelt.
A familiar prayer spilled from her lips.
“Our Father, who art in heaven…”
Kim Aeri side-eyed her blasphemous behavior before focusing back on the business card.
“So… does this mean we can do music activities for free now?”
“Saying ‘free’ isn’t quite accurate since someone already paid… But yeah, that’s the idea. And the company said, ‘If you submit a proposal, we’ll review it and provide content support funds.’”
“So that means…?”
“We can do any broadcast we want.”
“…”
Kim Aeri plopped down, dazed.
“B-Big Man…”
“Yeah, Big Man. I’m so grateful I could cry.”
“But, unnie.”
“Hm?”
“What does the ‘A’ in Big Plan A stand for?”
“…”
Choi Yeseo smiled bitterly.
Then she looked at Aki.
“…”
Sure enough,
Aki’s face was flushed red.
Her hands trembled as tears streamed down her smiling face—an expression of both anxiety and relief.
*
《Aurora Prism Entertainment Collaboration Announcement》
「…We are pleased to announce our collaboration with ‘Big Plan A Company.’ We extend our deepest gratitude to the ‘fans’ who have helped us reach toward a broader world…」
People understood.
Who owned that company?
And they shuddered in quiet awe.
-Holy shit.
-For real…?
-Is this even possible?
But they had no choice but to believe.
They could only pray.
-Big Man…