Now That I Have Become a Woman, I Am a Vtuber - Chapter 136

I woke up late, around noon, on Christmas Day, the aftermath of yesterday’s Christmas Eve drinking spree hitting me like a truck.

“Ugh…”

As expected, the dreaded hangover had arrived, assaulting my entire body from head to toe.

I should get up, considering the plans I have today. But the bed… oh, this bed… with its comforting embrace and the heavy blanket, refuses to let go.

And why is it so cold? The weather and this blanket must be conspiring against me.

“Alright, let’s do this.”

With a burst of resolve, I threw off the blanket and forced myself out of bed.

…That was tougher than I thought.

I tried piecing together memories of last night.

Maho’s house, beers, some banter—no major embarrassments, thankfully—and I somehow made it home in one piece.

Stepping into the living room, I caught sight of the backyard through the glass doors.

Snow had blanketed the lawn overnight, transforming it into a pristine white canvas. A fluffy white dog—my family’s—frolicked joyfully in the snow.

Smiling faintly at the scene, I made my way to the kitchen.

On the table sat a pot of dried pollack soup, likely prepared as a hangover remedy.

“Ah, nothing beats home.”

This is why I’ve never moved out. Independent living? No thanks. I could happily live here forever, enjoying meals prepared for me.

I imagined my mother, Mrs. Jang, rolling her eyes in exasperation if she overheard my thoughts.

Grateful for the warm soup, I quickly ate and began preparing for the day.

Today was the much-anticipated Christmas party at Hyunsoo’s studio.

At Hyunsoo’s Studio

It didn’t take long to get there. The studio was bustling with activity. Hyunsoo and his bandmates were busy in the kitchen, clearly in the middle of party preparations.

“You’re here?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”

Hyunsoo, seated nonchalantly on the sofa, greeted me with a casual wave. Ignoring the busy kitchen scene, I made a beeline for the opposite sofa and collapsed onto it.

“Ugh…”

Despite the restorative powers of the pollack soup, the hangover still lingered.

“Are you okay?”

Hyunsoo looked at me, concern evident on his face.

“Do you even know what a hangover feels like?”
“A hangover? Did you drink yesterday?”
“Yeah, I drank. A lot. By the way, you’re almost of age now, right?”

In just a few days, Hyunsoo would officially turn twenty and gain the right to buy alcohol, cigarettes, and watch R-rated movies.

It’s crazy how fast time flies.

“Yeah, almost there.”
“Well, you won’t need soda at company dinners anymore.”
“Exactly. Soon, I can drink like an adult.”

I squinted at him. As a fellow adult, I felt obligated to dispense some advice.

“Hyunsoo, drink responsibly, okay?”
“Don’t worry. I don’t even like alcohol that much.”
“That’s the spirit. Good mindset.”

Once you start enjoying alcohol, life has a way of unraveling. And if it crosses into dependency? Well, that’s when things really spiral.

“Hey, what’s so bad about drinking?”

I turned to see Hyunsoo’s bandmates sauntering over with mischievous grins.

“You look like death warmed over.”
“We’re drinking today too. Think you can handle it?”

They gestured toward the kitchen, where bottles were stacked high.

“Absolutely not.”

Drinking more after a night like last night? Even if humans are forgetful creatures, this level of self-destruction isn’t happening.

“Hah, suits me fine.”

One of the band members, Ahyoung, smirked as if she had some sort of plan.

“What’s with that look?”

Sensing mischief, I narrowed my eyes at her.

“We went all out for Christmas. Picked up some fancy whiskey.”

“Whiskey?”

Ahyoung’s words piqued my curiosity.

“You’ve never had it?”
“Nope.”

Cocktails? Sure. Straight whiskey or fine wines? Not yet.

“Your eyes are practically sparkling. Want to try?”
“…Maybe a little.”

She laughed and motioned for me to follow her to the kitchen.

The kitchen was a hive of activity.

“Whoa, are you guys cooking all this?”
“Yeah, Hyuk’s the master chef here.”
“Impressive…”

Hyuk, the lead guitarist, waved off my praise and pointed toward the table.

“Help set the table, will you? We’re almost done here.”
“Got it.”

I had planned to enjoy a sip of whiskey right away, but Ahyoung dashed my hopes.

“Do some work first. Everyone drinks together, not alone.”
“…Fine.”

Defeated, I helped transfer dishes to the table. The spread was nothing short of impressive—Western-style dishes that looked like they belonged in a fancy restaurant.

Finally, once everything was set, Ahyoung handed me a glass filled with ice. She poured a small measure of whiskey.

“Alright, give it a try.”

Hesitant but curious, I downed the contents.

“Blegh!”

I couldn’t stop my face from contorting.

This wasn’t what I had expected. Instead of sophistication, it felt like I was drinking liquid fire.

“Hahahaha!”
“You look like a kid trying alcohol for the first time.”
“Here, drink some water.”

They clearly found my reaction entertaining.

I stared at the glass, bewildered. How do people enjoy this?

“Try this instead—it’s a dessert wine.”

This time, Ahyoung handed me a glass of red wine.

“…I trust you.”

The wine was better. Still bitter, but drinkable.

And so, I joined the band at the beautifully set table and enjoyed the Christmas feast.

Later

After hours of eating, drinking, and merry chaos, I stepped outside to get some fresh air.

The streets were quiet, save for the occasional laughter of passersby. Snow glistened under the streetlights.

The party had been fun—more lively than I expected. Maybe that’s the charm of hanging out with musicians.

Leaning against the wall, I sighed. “Another drink-filled day.”

Heading back inside, I found Hyunsoo sitting by the entrance.

“Why are you out here?”
“Some people got too drunk, so I escaped.”
“Hahaha, just kick them out. You’re the host.”
“Maybe I should…”

We chuckled at the thought. Then Hyunsoo asked something unexpected.

“Aren’t you supposed to stream today?”

Oh no.

“I… Uh… Wait.”

The memory of yesterday’s promise slammed into me.

“I gotta go.”

Scrambling for my coat, I bolted out the door, leaving Hyunsoo bewildered.

“Taxi!”

I flagged down the first cab I saw.

“Sir, step on it!”
“Big date?”
“Yes. About a thousand people waiting.”

Checking my phone, I braced myself for the fallout.

[Where’s Miro??]
[She promised us!]
[Chicken’s cold, damn it!]
[Worst streamer ever.]

I cringed. Maybe I shouldn’t stream. But no—there was still time. Christmas wasn’t over yet.

Finally home, I rushed to my setup, washed my face, and threw on my headphones.

Taking a deep breath, I hit the Go Live button.

[Christmas Stream]

• She’s here!
• MIRACLE!!!
• We knew you wouldn’t abandon us.

“Hi, everyone! Merry Christmas!”

• A bit late, aren’t we?
• Did you forget?
• What took so long?

“Haha, well, the snow outside was just so beautiful….

As I smoothed over my tardiness with festive cheer, I decided to make it up to them with a surprise.

“Alright, let’s get festive. How about some carols?”

• !!
• A LIVE PERFORMANCE??
• THE GOAT

And so, with Christmas almost over, I sang to my patient, forgiving audience.

A belated but heartfelt celebration of the season.