Now That I Have Become a Woman, I Am a Vtuber - Chapter 130

“How about now? Regretting that bet?”
Lee Hyunjoon swaggered out of the recording booth, smirking at me.

…He even finished the recording so quickly.
Of course, as a seasoned idol, Hyun-joon wouldn’t need endless feedback loops like I did.

“Okay, fine. You’re the ‘tone gangster.’”
“Oh? You’re finally giving me credit?”

Sure, I’ll admit it.
Lee Hyun-joon does deserve the title of “tone gangster.”

“But you’re still a notch below me, the tone mob boss, Kim Soo-hyun.”
“…Mob boss? Isn’t that the same as a gangster?”
“Well, a mob boss sounds scarier, doesn’t it?”

“Then I’ll be… tone mafia.”
…Tone mafia?

“Are you a grown man saying that out loud?”
“Wait, you’re one to talk?”

I shot him a disapproving glare, but instead of backing down, Hyun-joon looked genuinely offended.

“Uh-oh, are you mad? Should I go post on the forums? ‘Famous idol Lee Hyun-joon from Beastz…’”
“Are you joking right now? And it’s Beastz, not whatever you just said.”
“Oh, right. My bad. What was it again?”
“Beastz. Keep that up, and my fist might fly.”

I shut my mouth as I saw him clench his right hand.
Back when I was a guy, I’d have flattened him in one punch. But now…
Better safe than sorry.

“Relax. Do I look like I’d actually hit you?”

Hyun-joon seemed genuinely taken aback by my hesitation.

“I mean, probably not, but… you never know, right?”

We moved on to decompress after the session. Hyunsoo joined us, visibly relieved that the day’s work was done.

“Whew, all finished for today.”
“You’ve been at it non-stop, haven’t you?”
“Pretty much.”

Thinking back, Hyunsoo hadn’t taken a single break all day. Between his recordings and tech work, it made sense that he practically lived here.

“By the way, I’ll clean up today’s recordings and send them your way.”
“Thanks. You’ve really outdone yourself.”
“Not at all. You worked hard too.”

Honestly, Hyunsoo is an absolute gem.
If he were a fluffy little girl like Tenshi, I’d have hugged him on the spot.

“What are you staring at me for?”
“…Nothing.”

Later, Hyunsoo asked, “So, heading out now? I was thinking of ordering dinner.”

“Dinner?”
Maybe I should stay.
I usually skipped meals with them, but tonight might be a good time to join.

“What’s on the menu?”
“Anything you want?”
“Hmm… anything.”
“That’s the hardest answer to work with.”
“Just pick whatever.”

Hyunsoo ended up ordering tteokbokki, complete with fried snacks and blood sausage on the side.

“This is dinner?” Hyun-joon raised an eyebrow at the spread.

“You said anything.”
“…Fair.”

Though initially skeptical, Hyun-joon ate with gusto once he tried it.

After dinner, it was time to head home.
“Need a ride? My manager’s just outside.”

“No thanks. Imagine the rumors if someone spotted us together.”

Though tempting, I couldn’t risk another incident like the Parangsae fiasco.

“Fair enough. These days, paparazzi aren’t as aggressive, but still…”
Hyun-joon nodded and left without further insistence.

“Not leaving yet?” I asked Hyunsoo.

“I’m staying here tonight to get more work done.”
Figures. This place wasn’t just a studio—it was practically his second home.

“Okay. If you get bored, you can always tune in to my stream later.”
“Streaming again?”
“Yup. Something you might enjoy, actually.”

After bidding him farewell, I made my way home, dodging the questioning look from Ms. Jang, who clearly noticed I’d skipped dinner at home.

Once in my room, I opened my email to find Hyunsoo had already sent over the final version of Tranquil Lake.

I forwarded it to my manager immediately, and within minutes, my phone rang.

[Manager:] “Miro! This song… it’s amazing!”
“Isn’t it?”
[Manager:] “It’s miles better with your voice. I’m so hyped!”

I couldn’t help but smile.
Even I could feel how much the song came alive in my voice.

[Manager:] “We’re gonna go big with this one. Music video, promo… the works.”
“Just remember, there’ll be backlash.”

The manager paused briefly before responding.

[Manager:] “It’ll be worth it.”

Right. The song would outlive any initial drama.

Before starting my stream, I set up for something special:
A movie watch party with my viewers.

The film of choice? Return, a hit sci-fi drama set aboard a fictional Korean space station, Shelter-17.

And more importantly…
It starred none other than Moon Changsik.

“This should be fun.”
I hit the Go Live button, ready to enjoy the night with my audience.