Now That I Have Become a Woman, I Am a Vtuber - Chapter 3

To be honest, I was a bit arrogant.

Or rather, it would be accurate to say that I underestimated the virtual industry.

I thought that no normal person would consider broadcasting while using a 2D avatar.

But I was wrong.

There were people wearing cheap avatars who could sing as well as professional singers, and some could even belt out complex musical numbers. I also hadn’t realized how many people had such great voices.

Although I had the looks and voice of a female Kim Suhyun, couldn’t I ultimately not showcase my appearance?

Purely competing based on voice was challenging given the caliber of the other contestants.

Luckily, I passed the first round, but I felt a sense of crisis.

“…What if this doesn’t work out?”

Upon reflection, even though I understood the female Kim Suhyun persona quite well, it was strictly from a viewer’s perspective. Plus, the basic foundation was almost unknown to male Kim Suhyun, wasn’t it?

The more I thought about it, the more I realized this wouldn’t work.

I felt the need to develop a more personalized character.

So far, the character had a playful older sister vibe, which was in line with what female Kim Suhyun intended, but it felt slightly lacking.

After all, the audition I was participating in was for selecting an idol, not just a virtual YouTuber.

With my singing skills not being as strong as the other contestants, I needed to make up for it in other areas.

Maybe what’s needed is a unique charm? Something that captures the viewers’ attention or stands out when among others.

“Hmm… What would be good?”

Female Kim Suhyun also had only a vague hope that things would go well, not expecting the contestants to be so skilled.

“It has to appeal to the male style.”

The primary audience for virtual YouTubers, obviously, are males.

So, it must resonate well with male otakus who would be willing to spend money on a 2D character inside their monitors.

After some thought, a few ideas came to mind.

First, I needed to provide points of relatability.

This part was easy since female Kim Suhyun was essentially an otaku, so just highlighting that aspect would suffice.

However, if the concept is too strong, it might cause aversion.

“Ah, this is really tricky…”

Being a VTuber is not easy.

I leaned back in my chair and put a cigarette in my mouth.

“I shouldn’t smoke here…”

Then, I stood up and went outside.

There were times when I wanted to smoke carelessly in my room, but I knew better.

Once you start smoking in a room, there’s no turning back. The smell of cigarettes begins to permeate everything, and once the limit is broken, cigarette butts start piling up endlessly…

Having seen a few friends’ rooms turn into such a state, I praised myself for the patience to go outside. Sitting in a small alleyway, I lit up my cigarette.

When I was a man, sitting like this would make me lose balance and fall, but with a woman’s body, there’s no more position as comfortable as this one to smoke.

As I sat enjoying the nicotine filling my lungs, a shadow fell in front of me.

“?”

As I turned my head towards the sounds of someone approaching, I saw a man cautiously walking towards me.

“Excuse me… I live in this villa here.”

The man gestured towards the villa next to the alley where I was smoking, and I immediately put off my cigarette and stood up.

“Oh, did the smoke bother you? I’m really sorry.”

I hadn’t thought much about it, but knowing how annoying it could be for non-smokers like Kim Suhyun, I quickly apologized. However, the man waved his hands dismissively.

“No, no! I smoke too, so it’s fine!”

“Really? Then why are you…?”

At that moment, I wasn’t sure if it was the memory of Kim Suhyun, but something about this man seemed familiar.

It was more the familiarity in his actions than his appearance.

His restless fingertips, his glances flickering over my face, and the smartphone he was holding in one hand.

As male Kim Suhyun, I couldn’t understand what it meant, but the vast data of female Kim Suhyun had already predicted his next move, which aligned perfectly with my expectations.

“Um, since we’ve met this way, could I perhaps get your number…”

“Oh, sorry. I have an urgent matter to attend to.”

Startled by the man’s request for my number, I quickly moved away.

“Damn it.”

I never expected him to ask for my number, although it was a common occurrence in the memories of female Kim Suhyun. Experiencing it firsthand, I felt genuinely disgusted.

“Where should I smoke now?”

Maybe I should just switch to a vape and smoke in my room?

But then, the feeling of a real cigarette… Uh, I’m not sure.

Rather, I had an epiphany.

Female Kim Suhyun is someone who gets asked for her number even when squatting and smoking in front of someone else’s house.

Yeah.

To put it precisely, no matter what she does in front of someone’s house, men tend to like her.

Why had I, as a man, forgotten that fact?

And my voice is like a second face, actions are like a third.

This means I can attract men just by being myself.

Well, to put it exactly, if I slowly reveal the experiences of Kim Suhyun, the viewers will naturally imagine and anticipate my true self.

And if I get caught? Even better.

I’m not planning to get caught on purpose, but with this face, isn’t it the typical ‘blue pill’ scenario?

Regaining my lost confidence, I headed back to my studio apartment.

***

Tonight, I have a second interview.

Initially, I planned to create a persona, but I abandoned that idea.

Any mask is hastily made which is bound to crack and break quickly.

I will boldly answer the questions based on the memories of female Kim Suhyun.

That was definitely my plan.

It certainly was…

I clenched my eyes shut and pressed my lips together.

Then the interviewer’s question echoed from the speaker.

“Do you have a favorite work of animation or comics that you consider a masterpiece?”

The answer for female Kim Suhyun would be Demon Slayer, which is currently trending and has been a blockbuster hit.

But…

Well.

.

“That’s a bit too basic, isn’t it?”

Frankly, aren’t series like “Rurouni Kenshin” and “Bleach” superior in terms of sword-fighting manga?

There are several other works that I consider higher in artistic quality.

From the perspective of Kim Suhyun, who only watches rootless modern anime, the swords in “Demon Slayer” would naturally be masterpieces.

She even cried while watching it.

But, according to the memories of Kim Suhyun, a women who used to rent manga with her neighborhood friends…

Thinking back to those old memories…

The answer here is obvious.

I put my mouth close to the mic and blurted out the masterpiece in my mind.

“..Slam Dunk.”

Kim Suhyun, the woman, should just quit.

Ignorant fool.

***

“Ah, the recent movie came out, right? Were you impressed by it?”

Taesan, the interviewer for this ‘Celestial Project’ and a mid-level streamer, nodded at Miro’s response.

‘Slam Dunk is commendable.’

He felt a connection with Miro’s answer because he had memories of sharing Slam Dunk manga with his friends during his school days.

Moreover, hasn’t the number of people who know about it increased with the recent movie?

“No, I haven’t seen the movie, just read the manga.”

You talk about the manga without even watching the movie?

Taesan nodded again at the overflowing fundamentalism, and the chatroom was also buzzing.

-Lol

-Overflowing with fundamentals

-Isn’t it Slam Dunk?

-Smells like dentures lol

-Slam Dunk is commendable

-The movie was worth watching

-Hmm..really?

“Oh.. You’re the first contestant to pick Slam Dunk as your life’s work. Any particular reason?”

Ignoring the chat’s reaction for a moment, Taesan presented a prepared question, but Miro’s response was a bit odd.

“…Haven’t you watched Slam Dunk, interviewer?”

“Yes? No, I have.”

Yes?

“But why do you ask?”

“Are you curious?”

Taesan was momentarily flustered, but as a seasoned mid-level streamer, he quickly smiled and responded to the question.

“I rate Dragon Ball higher, you know? What about you, are you into manga?”

This would be an impossible exchange between interviewer and participant in a typical audition, but this was more of a makeshift audition conducted live on the internet rather than a formal one.

Moreover, it was more about getting to know each other through questions and answers than a formal interview, so Taesan thought it might bring some fun to the otherwise dull occasion.

“Well, you could say you’re the most knowledgeable person here.”

“Hmm.. Are you confident?”

“Yes, I’m aware of it.”

Miro’s avatar spoke with the usual expressionlessness, but Kim Suhyun, beyond the screen, was laughing.

It was impulsive, but quite a good character, wasn’t it?

Kim Suhyun sincerely thought it was good that the streamer received it well.