From VTuber♂ to VTuber♀ - Chapter 17

—

Found You (見つけた。)

Tap, tap, tap, tap—

“Is anyone home~?”

…No one inside?

Despite knocking on the door several times, there was no reply. Toya tilted her head in confusion.

There was no way Yeoreum had given her the wrong address. She had checked it again and again on her phone—this was definitely the right place.

And yet, she couldn’t feel a single sign of life inside. That was definitely strange.

Could Yeoreum really be so sick He had to be hospitalized?

Anxieties Toya had kept buried deep began to slowly rise.

“Is anyone there?! Please, if you’re inside, answer me!”

Still no response, no matter how hard she knocked.

She wasn’t worried about being recognized by her voice—her broadcast voice and real-life voice were slightly different.

Besides, no matter how familiar a voice may be, humans are the kind of creatures who instinctively open the door when something keeps nagging at them.

The dull echo of her knocking rang through the hallway, and Toya’s heart began to beat faster.

The front door was cold, as if it had been untouched for days—or as if no one lived there anymore.

That, combined with the public post about Yeoreum ending her contract due to health issues, made Toya’s chest tighten.

“Yeoreum—”

Clack—

“If you’re looking for someone in that unit, they moved out. Stop banging on the door, please.”

“…Moved?”

Toya jumped at the sudden voice, and her eyes widened at the unexpected words.

Moved? He moved out? When? Where? Why?

“When did He move?! Do you know where He went?!”

“they moved out not long ago… but I don’t know where.”

Of course not.

Even neighbors usually didn’t know where someone went after moving.

It wasn’t the kind of news Toya wanted to hear—but it wasn’t bad news, either.

The fact that she moved out meant she was healthy enough to move.

That probably ruled out the possibility of her being in a coma—or, in the worst case, having passed away.

“…Thank you for letting me know. And sorry for making a scene.”

“…It’s fine.”

Clack.

The door closed firmly behind her.

It was as if the door had never opened at all. As though no one had ever been inside.

Toya shivered at the stillness that followed—but forced herself to think positively.

At least she knew Yeoreum had moved. That alone was enough.

She let out a slow breath and slapped her cheeks with both hands.

Get it together, Toya. It’s not like she’s gravely ill.

“…But now I have no idea where to go next.”

She couldn’t help but feel a little sulky.

If Yeoreum was well enough to move out, why hadn’t He replied to any of Toya’s messages?

Was it because they’d never met in person, so it didn’t matter if they lost contact?

…No. Yeoreum would never be like that.

As Toya stepped out of the building and onto the street, everything was coated in white.

The road, which had been filled with footprints just moments ago, was now blanketed as if nothing had ever happened.

“…Phew.”

Crunch.

So what she thought was the destination turned out to be a new starting point.

And now, the goal was nowhere in sight.

No matter where she stepped, her footprints marked the snow—but when she looked back, they vanished as if nothing had happened.

‘Where did you go, Yeoreum…?’

In that white world—

“Mr. Kim, I told you not to go around saying weird stuff!”

“Aw now… I didn’t know that little girl was working there~!”

“That poor Yeoreum… If she’s wandering around in this snow, she’ll catch a cold…”

“…Yeoreum?”

—Toya heard his name.

—

“There’s this kid who started working part-time here recently. Her name’s Yeoreum.”

“She’s got white hair and red eyes. Know who I’m talking about?”

“That can’t be right…”

Toya knew better than anyone that it couldn’t be true—and yet, her legs wouldn’t stop moving.

No, rather, the more time passed, the faster they moved.

It couldn’t be. It couldn’t be. And yet…

Why does it feel like that girl was you?

The girl who had shown Toya to Yeoreum’s apartment.

That tiny, adorable girl with white hair and red eyes.

“That can’t be right…!”

This wasn’t walking anymore.

Toya ran, and ran, and kept running.

The snowstorm struck her face like a barrage of needles.

Why didn’t I just ask her to take me to the house? Or at least ask her name?

Even as her breathing became ragged, she kept running, her legs moving on their own.

She didn’t know where she was going. She didn’t know where she was. But she kept running.

“Hah… hah… haah…”

Where did you go, Yeoreum?

Toya bent over, panting as winter wind filled her lungs.

Her legs shook as if they were about to collapse, and she braced herself with both hands on her knees.

If that girl really was Yeoreum…

If that were true, it meant Toya had already found her—only to let her slip away and now was desperately trying to find her again.

“…Pfft. That’s ridiculous.”

“If you really are Yeoreum, I’m gonna cling to you like glue. You better be ready for it.”

She undid the buttons on her coat. Steam rose from her body into the freezing air.

She had run with everything she had—so much that steam was literally rising off her skin.

It felt like she was an anime character.

Like Gear Second or something.

She giggled as she scooped up a pile of snow and pressed it to her forehead.

There was no better way to cool off a hot head.

“Whew, so cold~”

Okay, calm down. Breathe. Think slowly.

With those short legs, she couldn’t have gotten far.

Especially not in this weather.

Just think. Think it through.

Even if it seems impossible to find her now… a miracle might happen.

—Like right now.

“Huh?”

Under the melting snow in her hand, something came into view.

Something familiar—no, something that could be called her other self.

A character holding a 夏 (summer) cushion, with a heart above its head.

A keyring.

The one-of-a-kind gift for her one-of-a-kind friend.

For a moment, she wondered if it was a hallucination from the cold, but even her frozen fingers could feel it clearly.

‘Yeoreum was here.’

Toya slowly looked up, then around her.

Now that her body and mind had cooled, she could finally see what she couldn’t before.

In the snowy world around her were faint traces—tracks.

She took a step toward them, and more signs revealed themselves.

Like breadcrumbs from Hansel and Gretel, there were small indentations in the snow’s surface.

“…Yeoreum.”

Toya started walking again.

Walk, look for signs, walk again—over and over.

There were patches where the snow was thin, as if someone had fallen several times while running.

She carefully followed those faint tracks, like a hunter trailing prey.

At the end of the trail, she lifted her head—and saw a snowman.

No, not a snowman.

A girl dressed in white, blending into the snow.

“Yeoreum!!!”

The moment Toya called out, the girl slowly looked up.

Her tear-streaked face framed a pair of vivid red eyes that sparkled like rubies.

Wow, her eyes are beautiful.

Wait, that’s not the point…!

As Toya stepped closer, the girl’s head tilted up more and more.

Finally, Toya crouched down right in front of her, and the girl’s gaze met hers fully.

“Why were you crying like that? Did you lose something?”

“…?”

The girl looked at Toya blankly as she gently took her hand and carefully opened her fingers.

Her gaze slowly filled with confusion as Toya traced the tear-stained cheeks.

Caught up in those eyes for a moment, Toya finally snapped out of it and placed her clenched fist into the girl’s open palm.

“Here. A gift.”

She opened her hand, and the keyring dropped into the girl’s tiny palm.

The one-of-a-kind gift for her dearest friend, returning at last to the person it was meant for.

Seriously, I told you not to lose this so many times. And you still went and dropped it on the ground?

As the girl stared wide-eyed, her tears stopping abruptly, Toya couldn’t help but laugh.

‘Judging by that reaction, it really is you… Yeoreum.’

I wonder if Yeoreum realized I’m Toya. Or maybe she didn’t.

But honestly, it didn’t matter.

Even if Yeoreum didn’t recognize her—Toya had recognized Yeoreum.

And that was enough.

So—

“夏さん、見つけた。” (Yeoreum… I found you.)

—And that made everything okay.