I Can See a VTuber’s Red Pills - Chapter 11
“Ughhh…!”
After sitting in my chair all day, I stood up to stretch.
I’d already spent three whole days sorting through the secretary support emails.
But now, I had a rough shortlist.
It was time to meet the candidates on that shortlist in person and conduct interviews.
But then, a problem arose.
“…I have nothing to wear?”
I’d been holed up at home staring at crypto charts—I didn’t exactly own anything decent to wear outside.
Spending time on stuff like that just didn’t make sense.
In the time it would take to go shopping, I could be making astronomical profits.
Which meant wasting time on clothes was a net loss.
In other words, I was hardly dressed for face-to-face interviews.
“…But does it really matter?”
Thinking about it differently, maybe it didn’t matter at all.
I wasn’t the one trying to impress during the interview—they were.
I wasn’t in the position where I needed to look good for them.
It was the applicants who needed to look good for me.
There’s a saying: strike while the iron’s hot.
With that in mind, I sent out messages to the people I’d shortlisted.
Anyone available for an interview today should come to a café near my house.
If today wasn’t possible, they should reply with a time that worked for them.
And then the replies started flooding in.
– I’ll be there right away!
– I’m on my way now!
– I live in the countryside, so it’ll take about three hours to get there!
…
…
…
Every single person said they’d come today.
“What the…?”
Normally people would need time to prepare for an interview, but everyone was saying they could make it today.
Were they that desperate?
I didn’t think much of it and just threw on some sweats and slipped into my sandals before heading out.
I went to the nearest café, ordered an Americano, and sat by the window, gazing outside.
It was the same as always.
Even in the middle of the day, people were rushing off somewhere, and office workers were out for lunch.
Everyone seemed so busy compared to me.
Watching them made me feel strangely out of place.
Because of an accident—or more like a “not-quite-accident”—my eyesight had improved, my daily life had become easier, and I was now financially comfortable.
At first, I’d hated that bastard Sergeant Kim, but now… I was almost thankful.
Thanks to him, I was sitting here today, trying to hire a secretary just to help me understand VTubers better.
– Ding-a-ling.
While I was lost in thought, someone walked into the café.
Judging by the beads of sweat on their forehead and the way they looked around nervously, it seemed like they were one of the interviewees.
I lazily raised a hand.
“Over here.”
“Ah, yes! Hello!”
The person who’d just walked in gave a deep bow as they greeted me, and suddenly all the other customers and even the café staff were looking my way.
“………”
This was going to be a long day.
“Yes, I’ll notify you later via text about whether you’ve passed or not.”
“Okay! Thank you so much!”
As the man smiled—probably from the relief of finishing the interview—and bowed before leaving the café, I gave him a polite nod.
Only one left now. That man was interviewee number 33.
I’d come out to the café in broad daylight, and now it was almost dark.
“The last one… is that person who said they lived out in the countryside?”
The one who insisted on coming today even though they lived far away.
They could’ve just scheduled it for another day, but no—they insisted on coming now.
It made me wonder just who this person was.
What was so urgent for them?
What kind of circumstances drove them to be this desperate?
While I was pondering that…
– Ding-a-ling!
The doorbell I’d heard dozens, if not hundreds, of times today rang again.
I turned my head and saw a woman panting as she scanned the room.
I raised my hand slightly, then froze.
She was… cute. No, really cute.
She had a tidy bob haircut and a slightly feline face—an ideal blend of cuteness and elegance.
Was she the one?
I hoped she was.
I waved my hand, and the woman’s eyes widened as she hurried over to me.
“Uh, hello! Are you, um, the one conducting the interview…?”
“Yeah, that’s me. Please, have a seat.”
“Ah, yes!”
Thankfully, my guess was correct.
A natural smile formed on my face.
She sat across from me, both hands placed primly on her lap, staring at me with a nervous expression.
I placed her application and resume on the table.
“Ah, so this is you.”
“Y-Yes?”
“Nothing, just… your experience is kind of impressive.”
“A-Ahaha… y-yeah, I guess…?”
She laughed awkwardly, like she was a little embarrassed.
She was the only one of all the candidates with actual experience as a VTuber.
Some other applicants had claimed VTuber experience, but it was either super short or they were guys. One or the other.
But not her.
She was a small-time streamer, sure—but she’d been at it for over a year and was still active.
After a few formal questions, I asked something out of personal curiosity.
“So, what’s it like being a VTuber?”
“Sorry?”
“I mean, just… how is it? Do you enjoy it?”
Her tense expression softened a little, and a faint smile crossed her lips.
“It’s fun.
I like that people listen to what I have to say.
Even when I’m gaming alone, it feels like I’m doing it together with others.”
But for some reason, her smile looked… sad.
“But… it’s also tough.”
“In what way?”
“Just… wondering if this is okay. My stream isn’t growing anymore. I wonder if I should just give up.
Honestly, I only applied to this job because I was having those thoughts.
I don’t see a future in VTubing anymore… and I thought maybe it’s time I started thinking seriously about my future.”
“………”
“Holding on to something that’s clearly not working… that’s something only kids can afford to do, right? I’m an adult now. If I keep chasing dreams that go nowhere, who knows where I’ll end up…”
“………”
I knew exactly how that felt.
Back in the military, I had those same thoughts all the time.
What would I do after discharge?
How would I make a living?
Would I just scrape by doing odd jobs every day?
The usual worries everyone has.
But now, I don’t have those worries anymore.
Now my worries are more like… “What should I do for fun today?”
And there’s a simple solution to all that.
Money.
People say money doesn’t equal happiness. That it’s not everything.
But I can say this with confidence: everyone’s idea of happiness is different, sure, but the fastest road to happiness is money.
You need abundance to have leisure.
Only with leisure can you afford to look elsewhere.
And it’s in those new places that you might find something that truly makes you happy.
I’m not great at empathizing with others.
But just this once, I felt a sliver of empathy for the applicant in front of me—Yoo Jeongyeon.
Maybe it was because she was pretty.
Maybe it was because her story tugged at my heart.
Maybe it was because she was a VTuber, just like Ajung.
And maybe… it was because I had the power to do something about her worries.
“Let’s say, hypothetically, I decided to hire you as my secretary.”
“Yes?”
“Hypothetically, right? If I hired you… would you quit being a VTuber?”
“…I don’t know.”
Jeongyeon looked deeply conflicted by my sincere question.
Was it really such a tough one?
I had clearly stated in the job posting that if they wanted to continue VTubing, I’d fully support it.
But Jeongyeon already knew this industry far too well.
“I think… I think I probably would.”
“Why?”
“Holding on to something that shows no more promise… I’m getting tired of it.”
“Hmm.”
She’d already lasted a long time.
This answer felt like the final nail in the coffin.
Soon—regretfully—she’d probably announce her graduation to the fans who’d stuck with her.
I could feel all of that from her words alone.
And so—
“That’s a shame.”
“…Sorry?”
It really was a shame.
“I was hoping you’d keep VTubing.”
“I mean… I’ve already done enough, haven’t I…?”
“Aw, too bad.
If you’d said you were going to keep doing it, I would’ve hired you.”
“…What?”
Jeongyeon blinked, visibly confused by my teasing tone.
I chuckled and continued.
“A secretary who’s also an active VTuber? That’d be perfect.
You’d have constant access to VTuber info. You’d know what’s trending, what viewers are into lately…”
“I-I’ll do it!”
“Sorry?”
“I’ll keep doing it! Absolutely! Definitely!”
She flipped her stance in an instant, and I watched with amusement.
“Alright. Then let’s work well together, yeah?”
“Th-Thank you! I’ll do my best!”
Nice. That makes her my second… wait, does that make her my second main base?
Well, whatever—my first sub-base is officially locked in.
After wrapping up the final interview, I walked out of the café with Jeongyeon.
“By the way, where do you live, Jeongyeon?”
“Oh, I’m from Busan…”
“Wait, what? Then how’d you get here so fast?”
“I took the KTX…”
“Ah… and for going back, too?”
“I guess I’ll have to…?”
I glanced at the time.
While we were chatting, the sun had fully set—it was already past 8 p.m.
Way too late for her to head home and come back tomorrow.
Jeongyeon gave a polite bow.
“Then I’ll head home for now and come back tomorrow!”
“Ah, hold on a second.”
“Yes?”
I stopped her for a moment. A thought had just come to me.
“It’s pretty late.
Why don’t you crash at my place tonight?”
“…Excuse me?”
Jeongyeon gave me a look that could only be described as… contemptuous.
Did I say something wrong?
Han Jeongah (Ajung)