Now That I Have Become a Woman, I Am a Vtuber - Chapter 87

The next morning.

Seeing a van parked right in our yard makes me chuckle. 

Even at a glance, it’s obvious—a dark-tinted van that screams, “Hey, there’s a celebrity in here.” 

Or maybe it gives off more of a “Someone’s getting kidnapped” vibe. 

I heard they’d be picking me up, but I didn’t expect them to bring a van so boldly. 

What if a crazy fan snaps a picture? 

Hmm… maybe actors don’t get as much downtime?

Come to think of it, I don’t really hear stories about actors being harassed by obsessive fans. 

Anyway, as I approach the van, the window slides down smoothly.

“You came out right away?”

“Well, I figured this car shouldn’t be left parked for too long.”

“Oh, I’m on my way to work too… Not too many people around the neighborhood, so it didn’t attract much attention. Plus, it’s still morning.”

“Ha, yeah, right. Can you open the door, though?”

“Oh, right. Hop in.”

Inside, the van is much roomier than it looks from the outside, and I notice a man in his mid-thirties, likely the manager, driving from the front seat.

“Hello. Thank you for picking me up today.”

“Haha, no problem. But wow, Chang-sik here is even picking up a lady.”

“This guy loves to talk nonsense.”

“Anyway, we’ll get going, so make yourself comfortable.”

Well… with someone like Moon Chang-sik, he probably wouldn’t give rides to women all that casually because of all the eyes on him.

Being an actor must be a tough job.

If I were born with that face, I’d probably have four girlfriends by now, tsk tsk.

But wow, this seat is really comfortable. 

Is it because they’re always moving around for their schedules? Feels like I’m sitting on a sofa.

“This van’s pretty comfy. How much does something like this go for?”

“This? I’m not sure. My accountant told me to get it, so I did.”

What is he, J.P. Morgan or something? 

People who ask about van prices probably can’t buy one themselves, huh?

…Honestly, that’s probably true.

Even though I make more than the average person from my stream, I’m definitely not in the same league as celebrities.

Anyway, the van cruised smoothly toward the broadcasting station where the shoot would take place.

During the ride, I asked Moon Chang-sik about the filming.

“How long does a shoot usually last?”

“Well, it varies depending on the day’s schedule, but I come at sunrise and leave at sunset.”

“So in winter, you get off work on time, huh?”

“….”

“Just kidding.”

“Not funny.”

Hmm… So filming hours are roughly similar to an office job? Or maybe even longer.

“Well, it’s not like I’m shooting the whole time, of course. I have to move around for different locations, read my lines, or get a feel for the vibe until it’s my turn.”

“The vibe?”

“Depending on the day’s atmosphere, the scenes that get filmed can vary a lot.”

Oh… I thought actors just needed to act well, but they even have to read the vibe.

“So, what if you read the vibe and it’s just completely messed up?”

“Messed up? Quite a… colorful way to put it.”

“Well… how else would you say it?”

I can’t exactly call it a total disaster, can I?

Looking at me like he’s trying to figure out what kind of person I am, Moon Chang-sik hesitates for a moment before answering.

“If the vibe is off… it depends on the actor, but I tend to go even more overboard with my acting.”

“Overboard?”

“Maybe ‘full of energy’ would be a better way to put it?”

“Oh… to lighten the mood?”

“Exactly.”

Wow, true pros are just on another level. All these little details. 

I really hope the vibe is good when I get there. Nothing more uncomfortable than being in a gloomy room like a funeral reception.

We continue with random small talk until we arrive in front of the broadcasting station.

“Do you usually film at a broadcasting station?”

“Sometimes we rent out a location, but we also just build sets inside.”

“And today’s one of those days?”

“Yes, building a set might cost more, but we get to film exactly the way we want.”

Oh, that makes sense.

But Chang-sik seems to know quite a bit about filming, even though he’s an actor. Did he pick it all up over time?

“We’re not going out the front, are we?”

I glance out the window, seeing a crowd of people, mostly women, all holding things. Did an idol just arrive or something?

“Of course not. We’ll go to the inner parking lot. Sometimes we do drop people off here, but that wouldn’t be a good idea for us, right?”

Right, wouldn’t want a picture of us popping up online tomorrow. Since I’m meeting the director today, I even dressed up a bit. Standing next to Moon Chang-sik, it might even look like we’re together or something.

“Let’s head to the parking lot first.”

The parking lot was practically empty, quite a contrast from the front of the building, with only a few scattered cars around, almost eerily quiet.

“It’s a bit empty, huh? On music show days, it’s packed.”

Ah, so they made it spacious for those days.

After parking the van, we all got out and entered the elevator in the parking lot.

Phew… The thought of actually going to the set now is making me nervous. 

I guess there’ll be other actors there, too?

Should I… ask for autographs? But then, they’re here to work, so that might be a nuisance?

“Nervous?”

Just then, Moon Chang-sik, standing beside me, casually asks.

Oh, was it that obvious?

“Yeah, well… it’s my first time in a place like this.”

“Everyone’s usually too busy to notice you. Just greet anyone who looks important, and you’ll be fine.”

“Excuse me?”

“Just bow respectfully to anyone who looks older or like an actor. That’ll cover half of what you need to do in this industry.”

“Ah….”

With those words, the elevator doors opened, and we arrived on the floor where the set was located.

“Let’s go.”

“Wow…”

The first thing I felt stepping in was just how spacious it was.

Bright lights were densely arranged above, and people were busily moving equipment around, going here and there. 

On one side, actors sat in arranged chairs, and on another, staff members clustered together, chatting about various things.

It was exactly the kind of lively, bustling scene you’d expect on a film set. As I looked around, amazed, Moon Chang-sik signaled me to hurry up.

“Are you planning to sightsee all day?”

“It’s just… really fascinating.”

“Yeah, I felt the same way my first time here too.”

Following him across the set, I soon noticed a middle-aged man ahead of us. 

He had his cap pulled low, a scruffy beard, and a rather stern look. It might be rude to describe someone this way, but… he kind of looked like a toad?

This “toad director” was engrossed in a conversation with the staff but turned his gaze toward us as we approached.

“You’re finally here? I told you to get here earlier, didn’t I?”

Did something go wrong? The toad-like director snapped at Moon Chang-sik, but as he glanced at me following behind, his eyes widened a bit.

“This is the person?”

“Yes, they wanted to visit the set today to see how things go.”

“So, it was you who boldly suggested such a thing…”

The director looked me up and down, and suddenly I understood why Chang-sik had called him a chef.

Despite scrutinizing me, I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. 

It didn’t feel like he was sizing me up as a person—more like he was examining an ingredient?

At that moment, the director’s gaze seemed less like a person’s and more like a camera lens.

After a thorough once-over, he finally…

“Ah, well, that makes sense! Welcome!”

To my surprise, he greeted me with an unexpectedly bright smile.

“Oh… Oh! Yes.”

“Don’t be nervous. We’re all just people doing our jobs, right? You wanted to check out the set today? Let me guide you, so you can really observe.”

What…? Can someone’s expression change that drastically? Shouldn’t this guy be the actor instead of Moon Chang-sik?

I may not know his real face, but it feels like he has at least two different ones.

“Come on, follow me!”

The director gestured for me to follow, leading the way confidently, and I stood there a bit dazed. Just then, Moon Chang-sik slid up next to me and quietly muttered,

“I think your presence does a better job of lightening the mood than my overacting.”

“Excuse me?”

“What kind of nonsense is that?” 

I looked at him in disbelief, but Moon Chang-sik just shrugged and said, “Well, let’s go along and observe. That’s what we came here for, right?”

“Uh… yeah, I guess so.”

Better than frowning and making the mood awkward…

So, I trailed along behind the toad-like director as he led us deeper inside.

“Here’s where we’ll be shooting today.”

Inside, there was an even more elaborate set, which looked like a recording studio.

“Wow… it feels so realistic.”

Of course, one wall was missing for the camera angles, so it wouldn’t be ideal for actual recording, but still.

“Haha! We spent quite a bit on this. We got a good chunk of investment this time! The quality of the set raises the quality of the film.”

The director proudly announced this, as if inviting me to take it all in. I guess a director is still a director. A nice set certainly doesn’t hurt.

“If you end up filming, it’ll be right here. The movements are simple: start from inside the recording studio, exchange a few lines with Chang-sik, then open the door and exit. It’s not much.”

“I see….”

Hearing it described like that, it really doesn’t sound like much. Just memorize the lines and follow along, right? Doesn’t even seem to need much emotion.

“What do you think? Seems doable, right?”

Did he pick up on what I was thinking? The toad-like director asked, and I instinctively nodded.

“In that case, would you like to try filming a take?”

And before I knew it, he had pounced on my nod with a sudden proposal.

“Excuse me?”

“We can use the footage if it turns out well. Haha! Why not give it a go?”

…Aren’t film directors supposed to be more meticulous about shooting? Can it really go like this?

I glanced over at Moon Chang-sik.

Aren’t you supposed to be an ultra-dedicated actor? Is this how directors are allowed to work?

My look must have conveyed that thought because…

“Sounds good! Knowing how you appear on camera is an essential skill for an actor.”

…Right, I’d almost forgotten how intense he was.

The entertainment industry was starting to feel a little scary.

Hyunsu, you’re surviving in this world, huh?

No wonder you’ve gotten tougher.