From VTuber♂ to VTuber♀ - Chapter 200

Familiar Faces (3)

“Where are we going?”

“Ah, to a café near the company.”

“A café near the company—”

“You know it?”

“…Yes, I do.”

There’s no way I couldn’t know.
I remember every street around the office as clearly as if I’d walked them yesterday.
If we go this way there’s a convenience store,
turn the corner and there’s a bookstore,
two PC cafés beside it,
and the barbecue joint where we held our team dinners after work.

“You still remember everything, huh?”

“…Of course.”

How could I forget?
This street was the place where Han Yeoreum first began—and where she ended.
It marked both the beginning and the end of my pre‑rebirth life.

“Nothing here has changed.”

“Really? They just laid new paving blocks recently…”

“I mean the feel of the street.”

A familiar sensation, nostalgia stabbing my chest.
It wasn’t flower season, yet all the colourful signs hanging from the buildings looked like blossoms to me.
Right—if we go just a little farther, I’ll see—

……

Our eyes met.
You, seated by the window inside; me, standing on the street, looking through the glass.
You, still here; me, the one who left.
Your tired eyes rounded into circles the moment they recognised my reflection in the dark window—
as if asking, Is that really you?
I couldn’t speak through the glass, but I gave a small nod: I’m here.

Ding‑a‑ling—

“Welcome~”

The familiar bell and a familiar voice greeted me as I pushed open the door—the owner who always said hello whenever I bought coffee.
Truly, nothing here has changed.

“Hello, Manager‑nim.”

“Hello, Yeoreum.”

[Breaking News] Han Yeoreum spotted at Straight HQ!!!!!!

Not joking, I swear. I happened to walk by and it was 100% Han Yeoreum LOL
Looked like she was talking with a Straight employee—comeback signal?

ㄴ[BS, nope]
ㄴ[Even if she dropped by, she probably just popped in to see an old coworker LOL]
ㄴ[But didn’t they part on bad terms?]
ㄴ[Stop making stuff up—they ended the contract amicably]
ㄴ[If it were bad, Straight wouldn’t leave all the Yeoreum talk alone]
ㄴ[The current talents never mention her though]
ㄴ[Letting us talk proves it wasn’t bad, duh]

What happens if she really comes back to Straight?

ㄴ[Straight stock goes moon]
ㄴ[Moon? At least it spikes LOL]
ㄴ[But why leave V‑Spe to return?]
ㄴ[Straight’s grown a lot since then]
ㄴ[Still, would you trade V‑Spe for Straight…]

[If Gal‑master streams today I’ll drop a truck of burgers]

ㄴ[Line up]
ㄴ[Though I doubt we’ll get burgers today]
ㄴ[She’s on vacation—why would she stream]
ㄴ[She could stream from Straight]
ㄴ[What, is Straight her living‑room? She can’t just waltz in LOL]
ㄴ[Fact: Straight was her living‑room… two years ago]

Can’t see her going to Straight when she’s travelling with Toya.

If Yeoreum said she was rejoining Straight, Toya would fold the CEO in half ㅋㅋ

ㄴ[Why fold the CEO? ㅋㅋㅋ]
ㄴ[(Toya: “Shall I kill, master?” emote)]
ㄴ[Toya would bow, not fold! Straight gave her a treasure ㅋㅋ]
ㄴ[Young folks who know the “grand bow,” nice manners]

“Yeah, Yeoreum?”

[I called because I’ll be a bit late, Toya.]

“Late? Why?”

[Well… I ran into someone I know.]

“Someone you know? Besides Grandma?”

[…Yeah.]

Very suspicious.
Her voice trembled, and she sounded hesitant—nothing like how she usually talks to me.
Something must be up—
for example—

‘That acquaintance she’s meeting right now…’

But everyone Yeoreum had ever told me about was a good person—
at least, she’d never said anyone bullied her.
If she is in trouble I need to go help right away—just tell me her location…

A former coworker, I guess.

…

I ran into my manager from the Han Yeoreum days.

“…Really?”

Of course she could meet them—managers are the closest people to VTubers.
No, I’m not jealous—
just worried because her voice sounded off.

Look—she told me exactly who she’s with; I should trust her as she trusts me.
So don’t overthink, Toya.
I shook my head to clear any weird thoughts—if our places were reversed, I’d do the same.

[Um… Toya, if you don’t mind, could you come over here? I think it’s a bit much for me alone. Like… if I cry, could you comfort me?]

“…I’m coming right now. Where are you?”

That changed everything.
Better to be with her than alone in the hotel.
She’d given permission, too.
As soon as her location pinged my phone, I dashed out of the hotel.

I don’t know what that manager looks like but…

If—by any chance—they make Yeoreum cry, I’m ready to make them cry twice as hard.
All kinds of thoughts swirled as I ran.

Ding‑a‑ling—

“Ah, she’s here.”

“I’m here, Yeoreum.”

……

Our eyes met—dark brown irises without a shred of surprise, as though she expected me to arrive this fast… or perhaps she simply felt nothing beyond meeting Yeoreum.

“This is my friend, Manager‑nim.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Seo Hye‑ryeong.”

She rose and bowed politely; unlike a moment ago, her eyes now shone with warmth—
simple friendliness toward someone labeled Yeoreum’s friend.
Seems I’d misread the mood.

“I’m—uh…”

“This is Momiji—a friend I made in Japan.”

“Ah, I see… your Korean is fantastic.”

“Thank you.”

Still feels clumsy to me, but no one hates compliments.
Glad I got used to speaking Korean with Yeoreum.

Grip—

“Since my friend’s here, I’ll be going, Manager‑nim.”

“…I can take that as a ‘no,’ right?”

“Yes, it’s no. I’ll need approval from the president. In other words—”

“—in other words, things are different now.”

I didn’t know the context, but Yeoreum’s firm refusal brought tears to Seo Hye‑ryeong’s eyes.
Whatever they’d discussed clearly hit hard for her.

Should I ask? …No, better not.
Feeling the warmth of Yeoreum’s hand, I just smiled.
She tugged me along valiantly with that tiny body, and I matched her steps—

—but soon she began to tremble. My heart pounded.

“…Toya.”

“…Yes, Yeoreum?”

“Did… did I do the right thing?”

…

I said nothing. I knew she wasn’t really asking me; the question was for herself.
Was it right, or was it wrong?
All I could do was stay beside her—holding her hand with one of mine while the other stroked her hair.

And then—

“…Ah.”

White petals began to drift through the sky.
March—
a late snow.