Now That I Have Become a Woman, I Am a Vtuber - Chapter 127

“How do you know about this?”  

Why does the instructor know about this?  

More importantly, the video’s view count looks significant. Did it gain some popularity?  

“It’s her, right?”  

When I nodded in confirmation, the instructor grinned knowingly.  

“I knew it! No way you were dancing in that video!”  

“Ahem.”  

Well, of course, I wasn’t the one dancing in that video.  
Honestly, the video isn’t anything special.  
It’s just Kim Yuna (15) dancing while I sit on the stairs in the background, cheering her on.  

Still, with my looks and the cozy holiday atmosphere of Chuseok, it had the charm of a pretty older cousin supporting her middle-schooler cousin’s performance.  

I figured it was a feel-good vibe people would like—and it seems to have worked.  

“So, how did you come across my cousin’s video?”  

Did it just pop up in her algorithm by chance?  

“Oh, she applied for one of my classes.”  

“She did?”  

“Yes, I recently started recruiting for a new class for middle and high school students, and she applied. I wanted to see what kind of student she was, and suddenly, I saw a familiar face!”  

Ah, so she applied for a class?  
She must’ve finally gotten her parents’ permission.  
But this brat… if she’s doing something like that, shouldn’t she have reported it to her older cousin immediately?  

I even gave her pocket money last week—what a letdown.  

“So, how is she at dancing?”  
Curious if she’s improved at all, I asked, and the instructor nodded.  

“She works hard, so she’ll get better quickly.”  

Hmm, so she’s not amazing just yet.  

“Well, she hasn’t been doing it for very long.”  

“Oh, no, I’m not just saying that. She really works hard.”  

“Really?”  

“Look at how many videos she’s uploaded.”  
Videos?  

Puzzled, I looked at the instructor’s phone.  
“Wait, what?”  

To my surprise, Kim Yuna (15) had uploaded a staggering number of videos in the short time since Chuseok.  

“Sometimes she posts as many as five videos in a day. It’s really impressive how dedicated she is.”  
“Wow….”  

She hadn’t said anything about it, but she’s been working so hard. I couldn’t help but feel proud.  

“Wow, is that your cousin, Suhyun?”  

At that moment, the other members, overhearing our conversation, began to gather around.  

“She’s so cute~” 
“How old is she?”  
“She’s in middle school.”  
“Really? Those were the days….”  

Anna, in particular, looked at the video of Kim Yuna (15) with genuine envy.  

Well, I can’t blame her—15 is an enviable age for anyone, let alone Anna.  

Moments like this make you realize how much age matters.  

“She dances pretty well.” 
“Yeah, better than us, honestly.”  
“Really?”  

I didn’t think she was that good last time, but maybe she’s improved.  

Watching one of her dance videos, I realized… she really *has* gotten better.  

“Maybe it’s her youth, but she’s so full of energy….”  

Anna’s comment was spot on—Kim Yuna (15) danced with an enthusiasm that radiated through the screen.  

“Right? She’s not super technical yet, but her passion is impressive.”  
“Wow….”  

Hearing praise about my cousin made me feel oddly happy.  

“So, Suhyun, you’re in a video too?”  
“Oh, yes, here’s the one Miro appeared in….”  

The members ended up watching the video I was in as well.  

It felt a bit embarrassing to have everyone see it.  

“Wow, you’re stunning in the video.”  
“You don’t even look like you’re wearing much makeup. That’s crazy.”  
“It’s like a scene from a drama.”  

Hearing such compliments, I felt a little sheepish. It wasn’t that big of a deal, really.  

“But Suhyun, why did you film a video like this? You don’t seem like the type.”  
“Well….”  

Since they’d seen the video, I explained the situation to them.  

“…and that’s how it happened.”  

But the members looked at me like they didn’t believe a word I said.  

What’s with those looks?  

“Really?”  
“Why wouldn’t it be?”  

Would I lie about something like this? Every word I said was true.  

“Are you really 21?”  
“Wow, so mature for your age.”  
“Why don’t you treat *us* with that much maturity?”  

Ah, did I come across as too mature for a 21-year-old?  

Well, I’m technically a hybrid 21-year-old with a lifetime of 42 years of experience. That depth is bound to show.  

“If you all erase half your years, I’ll treat you like my cousin.”  

“…Is that supposed to be a joke?”  

“I wish I could.”  

Oops, maybe bringing up age was a mistake? Still, it’s odd seeing people in their early to mid-twenties get so gloomy about it.  

Even the instructor, who’s older, didn’t seem bothered… or maybe just a little.  

“Anyway, your cousin is really impressive. What was I even doing in middle school?”  

Mylee muttered wistfully.  

But isn’t middle school the age where you don’t really think about anything? Or maybe it’s the age of overthinking, thanks to puberty.  

“I was just singing 2NE1 songs back then.”  
“In middle school?”  

Anna reminisced about her middle school days, prompting a surprised reaction from Haru.  

…Even I was a little surprised but didn’t let it show.  

“Uh.”  
“Oh.”  

The room fell silent for a moment.  

Haru, couldn’t you just let it slide instead of highlighting the generation gap?  

“So, what about you, Miro? What were you doing in middle school?”  

Mahou broke the awkward silence.  

“Me? Hmm….”  

As a guy, I used to hang out at manga cafes. As a girl….  

“I just stayed home and watched anime.”  

“You didn’t hang out outside?”  

“I got along with my classmates but went straight home after school.”  

“Since middle school?”  

“Yeah, pretty much….”  

Now that I think about it, the female Kim Suhyun started staying indoors around that time.  

I didn’t show it outwardly, but during puberty, when everyone’s so conscious of others’ opinions, the constant stares made me retreat into the 2D world.  

In there, I could just observe without being observed.  

Of course, once puberty passed, that self-consciousness faded.  

But by then, I was already too immersed in the 2D world to leave.  

“You should’ve been out enjoying yourself at that age.”  

“Watching anime back then made me the VTuber I am now.”  

That’s how I see it.  

Even if those times seemed wasted, they ultimately paved the way for where I am now.  

“Well… I guess that worked out?”  

“Honestly, Suhyun, you… never mind. As long as you’re happy.”  

The members seemed to hold back, but their expressions said it all.  

They probably thought I was too good for VTubing.  

“I’m a VTuber chosen by this instructor. If you weren’t chosen, don’t look at me like that.”  

If I didn’t have what it takes to be a VTuber, that’d be one thing.  

But didn’t the instructor herself watch my streams over everyone else’s?  

I think it’s fair to call this my calling.  

“You used cheat codes!”  

“Yeah, let’s compete without the looks.”  

“And without the voice.”  

“Then what do we compete with?”  

“Uh… gaming skills?”  

“Pfft.”  

“Did you just laugh??”  

“No, no, it’s just… we saw the results yesterday, didn’t we?”  

Haru froze, likely recalling her crushing defeat from yesterday.  

“Wait, am I worse than Suhyun at everything? Is Haru just a discount Miro?”  

She seemed to spiral into self-doubt.  

In times like this, a bit of shock therapy works better than gentle reassurance.  

“Some might call you ‘Unlucky Miro.’”  

“Aaaahhh!”  

And with that, Haru crumbled.  

“Suhyun, you!”  

“Haru, pull yourself together!”  

Leaving the collapsed Haru behind, I stood up.  

My energy had finally recovered enough to get up.  

As I stood, I looked down at everyone still sitting around me.  

“Now, I stand above you all.”  

“Stand down!”  

“Ugh!”  

Mahou pulled me back down to the floor.  

“Apologize to Haru right now!”  

“Argh!”  

“Okay, let’s get back to dance practice!”  

Fortunately, the instructor clapped her hands, calling everyone back to focus before I could take any more damage.  

Looks like break time is over—thank goodness.  

“Alright, let’s give it our all for the rest of the time!”  

The rest of the lesson proceeded smoothly, though it was just as grueling as always.  

After the lesson ended, I showered, changed into the clothes I’d brought, and approached the instructor, who was tidying up.  

“Instructor.”  

“Oh, Miro, what is it?”  

“What’s going to happen with my cousin?”  

I couldn’t stop thinking about what I hadn’t heard earlier.  

Personally, I think the instructor is an excellent mentor.  

I’d really like Kim Yuna (15) to learn from her.  

“Don’t feel pressured. If she’s not ready, it’s fine if you don’t take her.”  

Of course, I wasn’t trying to pull strings.  

Like I said before, she needs to earn recognition on her own and stand on her own two feet.  

I can’t support her forever, after all.  

“Even if you say that, it does feel like pressure. Hmm….”  

The instructor replied playfully, then pondered for a moment before nodding.  

“I’m thinking about taking her in. She’s so passionate.”  

“That’s great news.”  

“But Miro, have you ever thought about continuing dance lessons yourself?”  

“Excuse me?”  

“You’ve got talent. Your stamina might be lacking, but you pick things up quickly.”  

Wait… me? Suddenly getting this kind of offer?  

“How about it? Why not learn alongside your cousin? With your looks and dancing skills, you could easily surpass most popular celebrities. Plus, we could make you the face of our academy.”  

“So, that’s your real goal?”  

“Only a little. So, what do you think?”  

Though her tone was playful, her eyes were serious.  

“If you promote us a few times, I’ll even make the lessons free. I don’t offer this lightly.”  

Now there was a glint of ambition in her eyes.  

It was the same look I’d seen in Moon Changsik and Hyunsoo before.  

Twice now, I’d been roped into such proposals….  

“Ahhh! Stay away!”  

What am I, crazy?  

Even the Celestial live choreography is killing me, and now you want me to take more lessons?  

I immediately turned and bolted.  

“Miro!”  

I ignored her voice calling after me.