I Can See a VTuber’s Red Pills - Chapter 41

At the appointed time, Yoon Sol stepped out of the taxi, her body taut with suffocating nervousness.

The building before her… was less a building and more a fortress of enormous glass and metal.

The interior of Xelnaga Entertainment’s headquarters, which she had seen online.

It had been overwhelming even in pictures, but facing its exterior in person, the sense of intimidation was beyond imagination.

A starkly different atmosphere from the surrounding buildings—cold, sophisticated, and somehow secretive.

It was as if it declared its severance from the outside world.

‘Am I… really okay going in here?’

Her legs trembled.

Her palms were damp with sweat.

Her legs trembled.

She had brainwashed herself with thoughts like ‘I’m just looking,’ and ‘This might be my last chance,’ but her steps felt as heavy as lead.

The few steps towards the building entrance felt as vast and dizzying as walking along a thousand-foot cliff.

Just then, the fortress’s heavy automatic doors slid open smoothly, without a single sound of friction, revealing an unexpected figure.

“Solar-nim! Welcome…!”

It was Rinne, no, Yoo Jungyeon.

Her voice was as bright and energetic as her avatar’s on screen.

However….

Yoon Sol momentarily held her breath.

It was her ‘real’ appearance, something she had never seen before.

Fair, flawless skin, distinct features, and lively eyes.

She was dressed casually, but there was an undeniable aura about her.

It was an unexpected beauty, different from the easygoing and cheerful image she projected on broadcasts.

A charm that seemed to radiate a healthy, bright light, different from her own.

Honestly, her looks were such that one might wonder why she was even a VTuber.

And Jungyeon, upon spotting Yoon Sol, also paused for a moment.

Her large eyes widened slightly in surprise.

She had encountered all sorts of rumors in the community, but Yoon Sol’s actual appearance surpassed them all.

Clear skin that seemed to glow transparently under the sunlight, doll-like, exquisitely perfect features.

Large, clear eyes that looked as if they might shed tears at any moment.

And enveloping all that beauty, a deep shadow of anxiety and fragility.

Her appearance made all those rumors seem true.

“Wow… really….”

Jungyeon almost blurted out an exclamation of admiration but quickly shut her mouth.

Yoon Sol was looking at her, tense.

She quickly regained her usual bright smile and broke the awkwardness.

“Ah, no! Welcome! I was waiting for you! You look really nervous! It’s okay, it’s okay! I’m not a weird person, hehe.”

Jungyeon approached Yoon Sol and lightly took her arm.

At her warm, firm touch, Yoon Sol flinched and hunched her shoulders, but at the same time, she felt a very slight sense of relief.

A vague feeling that, at least, this person wouldn’t harm her.

“Ah, yes… Hello, Rinne-nim…?”

She managed to squeeze out a greeting, but her voice trembled like a goat’s.

Jungyeon smiled even more broadly at Yoon Sol’s appearance, as if to reassure her further.

“Turns out I’m older, you know? You can comfortably call me unni! Now, let’s go inside first! If we stay out here like this, people might misunderstand.”

Jungyeon led Yoon Sol into the building.

The awkwardness and surprise of their first meeting melted away like snow under her skillful guidance.

“Voilà, this is the lobby! What do you think? Isn’t it insanely amazing?”

As Jungyeon said, the lobby was more luxurious than a hotel lounge.

High ceilings, marble floors, the company logo and the words ‘Starlight Project’ gleaming under a soft, ambient light.

Everything was so glamorous and orderly it felt unreal.

And just as much, it felt cold and imposing.

“Wow….”

Yoon Sol let out a small, involuntary gasp of admiration.

“The security here is incredibly tight, so it might feel a bit stifling at first, but it also means it’s that much safer! It’s a totally impenetrable fortress! When I first did the fingerprint and iris scan, I felt like a National Intelligence Service agent or something, you know?”

Jungyeon chattered about the security system, trying to ease Yoon Sol’s tension.

However, as they passed through the gate lined with cutting-edge devices, Yoon Sol’s shoulders tensed even more.

Rather than feeling safe, she felt like she was being watched.

“Now, I’ll show you the room I was assigned first! When you join, each member gets a personal studio, you see?”

The elevator took them to a floor with several doors lining a corridor.

When Jungyeon swiped a card key and opened a door, a dazzling space unfolded.

“This is the artist’s personal space! We broadcast here, rest here! See those pieces of equipment over there? All top-of-the-line specs! Soundproofing is a given, and over there, there’s a small kitchenette and a sofa. You can eat, sleep, do everything here if you want! Just like home!”

Jungyeon explained excitedly, but Yoon Sol’s gaze lingered for a moment on the cityscape visible through the floor-to-ceiling window.

This space, seemingly completely separated from the small, intricately tangled world below.

Was it a safe fortress, or a glamorous prison?

“If you’re here, you really… wouldn’t be disturbed at all.”

Yoon Sol murmured absently.

“Of course! The boss paid special attention to soundproofing and security. So that artists can focus solely on their work! Ajung also says she feels much more stable after broadcasting from here.”

At Jungyeon’s words, Yoon Sol once again looked out the window.

An environment where one could focus entirely.

Those words were undeniably attractive.

“Now, shall we go see the real highlight? A place Solar-nim will fall in love with at first sight!”

Jungyeon took Yoon Sol’s hand and headed back to the elevator.

This time, they descended deep underground.

In front of a heavy, double soundproof door, Jungyeon swiped her card key again and scanned her fingerprint.

The moment the door opened with a creaking sound, Yoon Sol held her breath.

The sight before her… was surreal itself.

A wide, high space.

Sound-absorbing material covering the walls.

And in the center… a complex and enormous console and system, like the cockpit of a spaceship.

And standing aloof inside the booth, priceless-looking high-end microphones whose names she didn’t know.

“This is our main recording studio.”

Jungyeon’s voice was filled with pride and awe.

“Honestly, I don’t know much about music equipment either, but our boss apparently poured an insane amount of money into this. All the equipment here is the best of the best. I heard one of those microphones costs as much as a decent car?”

Yoon Sol stepped into the studio as if possessed.

Her heart pounded fiercely with each step.

Even the air felt different from other places.

Heavy, almost sacred.

The equipment before her wasn’t just machinery.

It looked like magical tools that could perfectly capture, amplify, and refine sound.

“The engineer says that in here, every single breath, even the most minute tremor of emotion, can be captured. Even if you record just raw vocals without any correction, it comes out sounding like a professionally produced album.”

Jungyeon explained in a near whisper beside her.

Her voice seeped into Yoon Sol’s ears like the sweet temptation of a devil.

Yoon Sol unconsciously reached out towards a microphone in the booth.

The cold, smooth touch of metal.

‘If my voice… resounded here?’

The mere thought sent shivers down her spine.

Something hot surged from deep within her chest.

An intense premonition that the potential of her voice, all the emotions she wanted to express, could finally be perfected in this flawless space.

Trauma, fear, anxiety.

All of it seemed to fade into the distance, at least for this moment.

Only a pure longing for music dominated her entire being.

“Solar-nim’s voice… it’s truly like a treasure. If you record properly here, you could really astound the world.”

Jungyeon’s voice whispered in her ear once more.

It was a voice filled with sincere admiration and expectation.

Yoon Sol, unable to take her hand off the microphone, stared blankly back at Jungyeon.

Her pupils were trembling violently between hope and anxiety.

“Now, I’ll show you the other places! The motion capture studio is totally amazing too, you know?”

Jungyeon, as if trying to change the mood, smiled brightly and led Yoon Sol by the arm.

But she still couldn’t take her eyes off the recording studio.

More than half of her heart was already captive here.

The motion capture studio was as overwhelming as the recording studio, perhaps even more so.

However, Yoon Sol didn’t gape in awe as before.

Instead, perhaps due to memories related to the stage, she felt her face turn slightly pale.

“Wow… this place is amazing too.”

She tried to sound nonchalant, but the end of her voice trembled slightly.

Jungyeon didn’t miss the change.

“Right? But you just need to know that something like this exists! Our company absolutely does not force artists to do things like perform on stage. Especially for you, Solar-nim, your voice is so unique that the boss considers that the most important aspect. Focusing only on song-related activities is more than enough!”

Jungyeon patted Yoon Sol’s shoulder reassuringly.

The words that if the stage was frightening, she didn’t have to stand on it.

The promise that she could be recognized for her voice alone.

That might have been what Yoon Sol had longed for so desperately.

After finishing the tour, they returned to the personal space they had seen earlier.

Jungyeon handed Yoon Sol a cup of warm tea she had prepared and sat across from her.

“Solar-nim.”

Jungyeon’s expression turned quite serious.

“What are your impressions of our company after looking around today?”

Yoon Sol fidgeted with the teacup in her hands, unable to speak easily.

Her mind was a jumble.

“It’s truly… an amazing place. Like a dream.”

It was her honest impression.

“That’s right. It’s a dream-like place. And this dream, Solar-nim, you can dream it with us.”

Jungyeon looked Yoon Sol straight in the eye and said.

“Solar-nim, wouldn’t you like to join our Starlight Project?”

It had finally come.

The official recruitment offer.

“Solar-nim’s voice is truly special. It’s a talent too precious to remain buried. If you join us, I promise we’ll provide the best support so you can fully unleash all your potential.”

Jungyeon addressed each of Yoon Sol’s potential anxieties, reassuring her.

“The best recording environment, dedicated producers and engineers just for you, Solar-nim. We will spare no support for whatever you wish, be it cover songs or original albums. The treatment and benefits will be above the industry’s top standards. Most importantly, the company will thoroughly protect you from all kinds of threats and malicious attacks.”

Everything was a customized proposal for Yoon Sol.

A promise to make her talent shine brightest, while simultaneously and perfectly shielding her from her greatest fears.

Yoon Sol closed her eyes.

The nightmares of the past and the sweet temptation before her clashed violently once more.

‘Can I… do it?’

To step back into the spotlight of people’s expectations and attention.

The potential for more hurt and frustration that it might bring.

But at the same time, the image of her voice resonating fully in this perfect environment.

That electrifying thrill.

‘Just one more time… can I trust it?’

Ultimately, the longing for song overwhelmed her fear.

She felt she would regret it for the rest of her life if she missed this chance.

Perhaps this truly was her last chance.

Yoon Sol slowly opened her eyes.

Her pupils still trembled with anxiety, but within them, a very small resolve had taken root.

“Yes….”

Her voice was as small and thin as a mosquito’s, trembling.

“……I’ll try.”

In an instant, Jungyeon’s face lit up brightly.

She shot up from her seat, rushed over to Yoon Sol, and hugged her tightly.

“Wow! Really? For real?! Solar-nim! Welcome! You made a great decision! Let’s do something really amazing together!”

Yoon Sol’s body stiffened for a moment at the unexpected embrace, but as she felt Jungyeon’s warm body temperature and sincere joy from behind, her own frozen heart seemed to melt ever so slightly.

Not all her anxiety had disappeared.

She was still scared, still unsure.

But at least in this moment, Yoon Sol had taken a very small step forward.

Towards the light, out of the darkness.

Towards where her voice was leading her.

Jungyeon quickly took out her phone and sent a message somewhere.

[Rinne]: Boss!! Huge success!!! Solar-nim has decided to join!!! ୧(˃◡˂)୨

[Seo Hajun]: Good job.

The reply was concise.