Now That I Have Become a Woman, I Am a Vtuber - Chapter 70

Entering the studio, I felt the gaze of a man who seemed to be wondering, *Who the heck is this?*

“What are you saying, suddenly popping in here?” Hyunsoo asked with a puzzled look.

“Haha… just kidding.” I chuckled awkwardly. Lately, I’ve been talking nonsense as a habit from all the broadcasts.

“So… who are you exactly?” The man who had been in the room originally asked me, looking a bit taken aback at my casual entrance. Hmm, what should I say? I felt like playing another joke and then noticed Kanghyuk’s guitar.

“Oh, I’m the guitarist for the band here.” I said, casually picking up Kanghyuk’s guitar.

“Huh? Isn’t that Hyuk’s guitar?” he asked.

*Hyuk?* Looks like he’s somewhat close with the people here.

“We’re competing for the main spot,” I added.

“I see…”

As I looked behind the man, Kanghyuk approached with a baffled expression.

“What do you mean, main spot? Can you even finish one song?”

“I can now—how about I go busking?”

“Busking? You’d need to play at least five songs to do that.”

Ah. Now that I think about it, they wouldn’t just perform one song, would they?

“…Shall I just play the air guitar with background music?”

“Are you crazy?”

Wasn’t that a good… idea? It didn’t deserve that reaction, though. Anyway, I put the guitar down, ending my little prank, and asked what I’d been curious about from the beginning.

“By the way, who exactly is this person?”

*Who the heck is this guy?* A celebrity, maybe?

“I’m Lee Hyunjoon of Beastz.”

“An idol?”

“Yes.”

So he was an idol after all. I mean, with that flashy look, it made sense. Now that I noticed, his hair was black with white highlights at the tips.

“I thought so.”

“Oh, did you?”

“You’re… well, flashy.”

I said what I thought, and he looked surprised.

“You’re quite honest, aren’t you?”

“Just saying what came to mind.” His clothes weren’t particularly flashy, but his appearance was striking. Or maybe that contrast with his clothes made him stand out more?

“So, don’t I look a bit familiar to you?” Lee Hyunjoon asked with a slight smile.

I chuckled awkwardly. *Hmm… I didn’t even recognize Moon Changshik, so there’s no way I’d recognize a male idol.*

“I’m not really sure. I don’t watch TV much.”

“Ha… I figured as much.”

Why is he sighing like that? Is he an idol with low popularity? By my standards, he looks like he could be a top-tier idol. Has the standard really gone up that much lately?

“Um… hang in there. You’ll get your time in the spotlight someday.”

Not that my words would be all that comforting, but it’s something I can say at least.

“Huh? Ah, haha.” 

He laughed at my words, strangely enough.

What? Did I accidentally say something embarrassing?

“I’m actually quite popular.”

“Sorry?”

“Our latest album sold over a million copies.”

“What? A million copies?”

Not one million YouTube views, but a million album copies? Even at ten thousand won per album… Wow, really?

“Oh, well, I really don’t listen to idol music much, so I had no idea.” 

I quickly explained myself. What did I just say to a popular idol?

“It’s alright. These days, male idols aren’t that mainstream. If you’re not globally famous, people who aren’t interested in the industry won’t really know.”

“Ah, I see.” 

Now that I think about it, whenever I hear about idols these days, it’s mostly girl groups that come to mind. While girl idols seem to appeal more to the general public, male idols seem to dive deeper into niche appeal. It’s practically a small, elite group.

“But who are you, anyway? You don’t seem to be Hyunsoo’s girlfriend, and it looks like you’re not really competing for the guitarist spot, either.”

“Haha… my name is Kim Suhyun, but I don’t really have a job, so it’s hard to introduce myself.”

“Sorry?”

“I’m just an unemployed person who came to hang out here.” 

I said, plopping down on a nearby couch. Now that I think about it, should I just say I’m unemployed because I’m a VTuber? If I just say I’m an online broadcaster, he might ask for my channel name… Saying I’m a VTuber would be… Nah, just calling myself unemployed is easier.

“Oh, so you’re not working at the moment?”

Is calling myself an unemployed freeloader a bit much? Oh, I just remembered something I could mention. Before I took over this body, female Kim Suhyun’s main source of income was…

“I do some freelance illustration to make pocket money.”

“Illustration?”

“Yes, I’m pretty good at drawing.”

“Oh… my fans sometimes draw portraits for me too.”

“Oh, really? Want me to draw one for you?”

“You wouldn’t mind?”

Not at all—I had misunderstood him earlier, so drawing a picture for him isn’t any trouble.

“What? Draw me too!” 

Ayoung, who had been listening in on our conversation, raised her hand.

“Sure, it won’t take that long to draw.” 

“Then count me in, too. You have to pay the rental fee for borrowing my guitar without permission,” Kanghyuk added. Hmm… well, since it’s come to this.

“I’ll just draw everyone, so come over one at a time.”

Might as well draw them all.

“Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

“Of course, so Hyunsoo, hand me a pen and notebook.”

After getting a pen and notebook from a concerned Hyunsoo, I decided to start by drawing Lee Hyunjoon.

“Fans say my face is hard to draw. How is it?”

“It’s not hard; it’s just a bit of a hassle with the piercings and the highlights in your hair.”

Though it’s a bit of a hassle, having distinctive features usually makes the character come out better when I stylize it. It had been a while, but I let my skills loose and sketched him with quick pen strokes. According to female Kim Soohyun’s memories, I used to draw a lot like this in school. I remember it, though it doesn’t feel nostalgic since I wasn’t the one who actually did it.

I finished, and the result was a pretty good drawing. Even I was satisfied with how it turned out. His face had so many highlights that he looked great as a character.

“Alright, this should do it.”

“Ooh, I’m excited to see it!”

Hyunjoon looked eagerly at the drawing, and his eyes widened as he saw it.

“Did you just draw this? Seriously?”

“Not bad, right? I doubt any of your fans could pull off this level of quality.”

“Wow, it’s actually really good!”

I guess Hyunjoon hadn’t expected much from my drawing. But what could he do? I’m a pro among pros.

“Wow, Soohyun, did you really draw this?” Ayoung, who had come over from the other side, was amazed as she admired the drawing.

I feel like I’m finally showing my true skills again after a long time. Ah, here’s Mi-ro, who’s terrible at singing and playing the guitar, gone from this place. All that’s left is KSH, the professional artist.

I quickly moved on to draw Ayoung, who was eagerly waiting for her turn, then Kanghyuk, who had secretly wanted a drawing, and finally the other band members and even Hyunsoo. By the time I finished drawing everyone, the sunset was already glowing outside the window.

“It’s already evening?”

I hadn’t realized while drawing one by one, but I guess I’d gotten so absorbed that I lost track of time.

“What? You didn’t notice the time? You were really focused on drawing.”

“It’s been a while since I picked up a pen.” 

Now that I think about it, it has been a while since I last drew. There’s been so much going on.

But now that our second single has been released, I should have some free time to spend drawing.

“With skills like that? It’d be a shame not to.”

“Well, I do draw regularly; it’s just that I haven’t drawn much lately.”

It’s not like I’d ever stop drawing. My skills are a valuable asset. Besides, I’m only human, so I do feel a bit of ambition too.

Even though my drawing skills are decent enough to be appreciated as they are, I still want to improve. I should set aside some time to practice one of these days.

As I was admiring the line of portraits I’d drawn, which Hyunsoo and the band members had taped up on the studio wall, Lee Hyunjoon approached me. He had been filming some kind of song challenge with Hyunsoo on the side.

“Hey, um…”

“Yes?”

He held up the portrait I had drawn of him, which he had set aside carefully, and said, “Can I post this on Insta? It’s too good to keep to myself.”

“Uh…”

I wondered if I should let him, but I nodded after a moment. 

“I think it should be fine.” 

It’s not like anyone would know who drew it, and at most, it might help promote my account.

“But keep it a secret who and where it came from. I don’t mind if fans figure it out on their own.”

“Hmm… yeah, I guess that should be okay?” 

He seemed a bit hesitant about posting it, but I just chuckled.

“What could really happen? From what I see, celebrities post random stuff on Insta all the time.”

Things get controversial sometimes, but it’s just a portrait; it’s unlikely to cause any fuss.

“Alright, then I’ll just say that I visited a friend’s studio, and a friend of a friend drew it for me.”

“Yes, that sounds good.”

With that, I finished my conversation with Hyunjoon. 

Since it was already evening, I started getting ready to head home. Hyunsoo came up to me.

“Leaving since it’s evening?”

“Yeah, I should get back early.”

“We never get a chance to have dinner together.”

“If I’m not home, Mrs. Jang would have to eat alone.”

Mrs. Jang, without saying much, had been happy to have someone around for dinner when I came back to my parents’ house. I’m not sure when I’ll leave again, but for now, I try to have dinner with her.

“So, how did you become friends with that idol?” 

It was something I wanted to ask earlier, but I’d been too focused on drawing to ask. I couldn’t imagine how Hyunsoo would have a reason to know an idol.

“Oh, we met on a variety show, and it turns out he’s my middle school senior.”

“Middle school?”

“Yeah, we started chatting, got along, and he came by today to film a challenge video.”

“I saw that—he’s a pretty good dancer, isn’t he?”

“Are you teasing me?”

I shrugged in response to Hyunsoo’s comment. I mean, no one can really compete in dancing if they’re next to an idol, right?

“He’s probably better than me at dancing, anyway.”

“Not good at dancing?”

“Not at all. I’m just no good with physical stuff,” I replied, giving my arm a weak wave.

“I have zero muscle.”

I, Suhyun, am made up of just skin and bones.

“Hey, you should work out a bit.”

“You’re one to talk.” 

Hyunsoo’s stage name is Slim Gold, after all, so he’s far from having a robust build. He might even be slimmer than the idols who constantly maintain their physiques.

“True enough. Oh, by the way, can I post the drawing on Insta too?”

“Sure, but do you even use Insta?”

“Yes, sometimes I post with the band members. It’s pretty popular.”

“Then you’re going to post the whole lineup?” I asked, gesturing at the line of portraits hung on the wall. Even though I drew them, I had to admit they turned out quite well.

“Yes, since people have really started liking the band members since the last variety show.”

I mean, these guys are genuinely fun, and the chaotic mix of a prodigious teenage singer and a remarkable band would make for a perfect slice-of-life movie. Of course people would enjoy it.

“What about me?”

“Hmm, people already ask about you, but it’s hard to answer. What should I say?”

“Good luck with that.”

“Excuse me?”

“Anyway, today was fun, and next time I’ll bring a new guitar piece to practice!” 

And so, after a day of sketching to my heart’s content, I left Hyunsoo’s studio and headed home.

When I got back, I couldn’t help but think about the Insta post for a bit, but what’s the worst that could happen?

Today was pretty eventful, but it’s all for my private records, it seems. There’s not much to share, so I’ll just focus on Civilization tonight. Playing Civ with an audience excited by the unprecedented success of my second album is going to be thrilling. Let’s fire up the stream already.