From VTuber♂ to VTuber♀ - Chapter 201

Familiar Faces (4)

“Feeling a bit better now?”

“…Yeah, I’m okay.”

I’d sniffled against Toya’s chest for quite a while.
When I rubbed my eyes and looked up, Toya was gently stroking the crown of my head.
Why did my emotions explode like that?
I guess seeing someone important after so long just hit me hard.

“So, what exactly did your ex‑manager say?”

“Well, um…”

I replayed the earlier conversation in my mind.
She’d asked me to do a stream together—just once.
Nothing fancy: I’d go live like old times and she’d mod the chat. A single reunion stream.
That was her plea.

“…So I refused. If I said yes, I knew I’d never stop clinging to the past.”

“…I see.”

Toya’s thumb pressed my damp eyelashes; fresh tears rolled out with a plip plip.
Guess the tears I’d held back couldn’t stand the pressure.

“When you feel like this, it’s fine to cry as much as you want, Yeoreum.”

“…I already cried plenty, thank you.”

Don’t treat me like a kid who can’t even weep properly.
I weakly slapped the back of her hand; Toya chuckled playfully.
Yeah, I cried a lot…
Back then—two years ago—I’d cried oceans. Maybe that’s why I can stay upright now.
Because the moment I abandoned “Han Yeoreum,” I thought she was everything.

“Were you really worried? You looked rough when you came into the café.”

“I worried, sure… but if you’re okay now, that’s what matters.”

Pat‑pat. Pat‑pat.
I leaned into the absent‑minded strokes.
Sorry for dragging Toya into my mess and leaving her feeling foul.
I felt like I’d wronged both Manager‑nim and Toya.

“Don’t apologize so much, Yeoreum. Really, I’m fine. And hey—there’s still plenty of vacation left, right?”

“…Two days.”

“Already?!”

Toya folded her fingers, counting what we’d done:
Day 1: hotel nap; Day 2: sub‑culture fest; Day 3: Grandma and Manager‑nim…

“Time must fly when I’m with you.”

“Thanks… but still—”

For something grandly called a “vacation” we hadn’t done anything special.
Since we’d come all the way to Korea, I wanted at least one memorable moment.
Throwing away the past was enough for today; now it was time to walk toward the future.

“In that spirit—surprise voice stream~♪”

“Toya?!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. We’re on vacation—our rules, right?”

“…But that’s basically the same as work.”
For a VTuber, streaming is work.
Calling it a vacation and then going live feels… off.
And besides, it’s unscheduled and unapproved—
Not that we’d ever stuck strictly to approvals anyway.

“It is different! It’s our first stream from Korea!”

“Eh, really?”

“Really.”

From that angle it would be new—
Wait, what am I thinking?! She knows I used to stream from Korea!
But Ichinose Natsu had never streamed here, so technically she’s not wrong…
And Toya too…
While I pondered, Toya confidently produced a laptop and headsets.

…Eh?

“What’s that?!”

“Just, y’know, in case.”

“‘In case’ nothing—you totally planned this!”

“I even brought yours.”

…

I sighed as she extended my headset.
If the VTuber world needed a poster child for workaholism, Toya would qualify.
Shaking my head, I accepted the headset; Toya gleefully tapped away at the laptop.
She really does look happiest when she’s prepping a stream—
…Well, me too, I guess.

Streaming on vacation didn’t actually feel bad; it was like the last puzzle piece dropping into place.
Meaning: I welcomed it.
Guess friends really do grow alike—though who copied whom is anyone’s guess.

[Gal‑master just went live?!]
Clip: Natsu & Toya start a voice‑only live stream
“I half‑expected it, but I still can’t believe they actually did it LOL”

ㄴGet in here, Gal‑master’s on.
ㄴ*(Info) Han Yeoreum once streamed with a 39 °C fever—true streaming addict.*
ㄴThat’s real?
ㄴYep, scary but true.
ㄴHow’d she broadcast while her brain was melting?
ㄴManager stopped her or she might’ve legit died LOL
ㄴMaybe she did die and that’s why we’re here?
ㄴdiE DIe DIe—
ㄴWorld’s best VTuber Han Yeoreum! ×5
ㄴYeoreum is literally a god…

ㄴWhy only voice? Show your face!
ㄴVTubers shouldn’t show their faces…
ㄴBut she already has, right?
ㄴIf her model looks exactly like her, isn’t that just her face?

[Pre‑recorded bait?]
Clip: Natsu & Toya chatting live
“Voice‑only is sus—did they pre‑tape this for cash and just hit play?”

ㄴ*(Info) Han Yeoreum once ran a fully pre‑recorded ‘live’ show.*
ㄴThat’s real too?
ㄴYep—she’s done every format under the sun.
ㄴIf she put that much effort into recording, just take my money LOL

[Could we get voice lives all vacation?]
ㄴThen it wouldn’t be a vacation LOL
ㄴShe says streaming IS relaxing for her.

*[Wish I were a “Korean acquaintance” so I could meet her…]
Clip: Natsu says she met old friends in Korea
“Han Yeoreum, please bear my children!”

ㄴBro… pedo alert.
ㄴ*(Inari’s Pedo‑Smash emote)*

ㄴBet her “acquaintances” are old Straight coworkers.
ㄴShe said she thanked some people.
ㄴVisiting on vacation just to say thanks—what a GOAT.

ㄴWhy’s her voice all soaked today? Been crying?
ㄴSoaked? Dude wtf LOL
ㄴ*(Toya: Gotcha, punk emote)*

[Met some people I’m grateful to, you see 🙂 ]
—

I sipped my beer, listening to that familiar voice.
I thought the next time I’d hear her would be on stream, but I didn’t expect it this soon.

“People I’m grateful to…”
…Wonder if I’m one of them.

Her refusal stung, but I tried not to show it. It was my fault for blurting out that rash request.
Still, I can’t help it—
Do you know how happy those days were for me?
Of course you do—that’s why you said no.
You’re not irresponsible. Your kindness lets you make a firm refusal so the other person doesn’t cling and get hurt further.

[There are grateful people right here too.]
[Though I’m most grateful to Toya ♡]

—wwww
—Toya cute ww
—To‑Na‑Tsu teetee
—Only Nat‑chan will act shy lol 草

…Even without video I could picture her smiling radiantly.
You’ve found new happiness.
I wasn’t surprised—I had, too.

Ping—

[Manager, what’re you doing? Don’t tell me you’re drinking alone again?]

…Heh.
All right then—fly free, Han Yeoreum.
Let’s meet again someday, both of us smiling.