I May Be a Virtual Youtuber, but I Still Go to Work - Chapter 119

The opening ceremony collaboration promise had been set three months ago during the crackling year-end party, so there was a lot of preparation in between.

First off, I had to memorize the cheer song for the KG Dragons, which is the team Cheongmang supports.

I’ve never been there, but people who have said that knowing this cheer song can make or break your enjoyment of the game.

Cheongmang, who is crazy about baseball, especially KBO (Korean League), not only knows the cheer for his team, the KG Dragons, but also the songs for all the other teams. When watching online streams, if the KG Dragons are losing, he’d creatively adapt the opposing team’s cheers with curses like “Ah-tteugeo!” and “Double play!” to make them sound like some sort of ominous incantation.

I was curious about the specific meanings of those terms, but since Cheongmang would tell me the rules when I get there and that it would help our conversation flow smoothly, I didn’t bother to look into it.

Secondly, I asked the President in advance to prepare an outfit suitable for the KG Dragons.

Since I needed to buy new spring clothes anyway, I went shopping at the mall with the President again. We ended up picking out an outfit in the team’s key colors, red and black.

This was because of a gift that Cheongmang always gives to his guests. Every season, he gifts jumpers in fall and short-sleeved player t-shirts and hats in spring and summer. Naturally, they’re designed with the KG Dragons in mind, featuring a black base with red accents.

The President mentioned that if I wore it and the color balance was good, Cheongmang would be thrilled. When we met, he immediately gifted me the t-shirt and hat, and since I wore a black polo shirt, I looked like a young fan who’s been rooting for the KG Dragons all along.

“Whoa! Did you try it on beforehand? It suits you so well! The hat and the shirt! What do you think, little nephew? Now that we’re here, why not become a fan of the KG Dragons?”

I shook my head vigorously.

“I already have my favorite team. Sorry!”

Cheongmang burst out laughing.

“You’re really loyal, huh? Sometimes I envy Momo. I wish my daughter would depend on me like you do… Oh dear.”

“You’re working hard on that, right? I’m sure she’ll understand someday.”

“Nice words, huh? Alright, let’s go. We need to fill our bellies first before we sing songs or bang our cheering sticks.”

By the way, the last point was to speak up loudly about anything.

The baseball stadium viewing videos I found online had such loud background noise that people had to shout to communicate with each other.

Considering Cheongmang’s age, asking him to repeat things would likely be exhausting for him. Today, the key was to push my voice a bit so it reached above the crowd’s roar.

Like this, for example: “Yep!”

Cheongmang seemed surprised by my tone change as he chuckled. “Wow! I thought my daughter would get mad at me for watching baseball!”

But as I followed Cheongmang to our seats, a surprisingly different environment welcomed me.

I expected a lively atmosphere where I’d be bumping into the person next to me, high-fiving over home runs or hits, and bouncing around. Instead, Cheongmang had rented a VIP room just for me!

I’d seen tables set up for grilling meat and ordering chicken and pizza in the outfield, but I never imagined there’d be a separate glass-walled room with heating and cooling.

Of course, even inside, the sound blasts through, so the live experience wasn’t drastically different, but it was definitely an excellent environment for us to quietly broadcast together.

However, there was quite a personal sacrifice for Cheongmang.

Normally, when he attends a game, he’d tell everyone where he is, take pictures with fans, and manage his interactions. But today, he wore his baseball cap down low, having rented a VIP room instead.

“I’m keeping my hat pulled down. If someone recognizes me, that’ll be a problem.”

I nodded twice in gratitude for his consideration.

Honestly, I didn’t need to hide since I’m just a VTuber, but it felt odd to ignore his thoughtfulness.

* * *

Cheongmang is now 40 years old.

Among internet streamers, he’s considered quite old, but surprisingly, he has a younger audience than many of his peers.

This is likely because people come to see “Cheongmang exploding while watching baseball” or “Cheongmang raging while playing difficult games.”

You know how when people get mad, they usually shout nonsense? Not this guy. He rarely curses but uses a fascinating blend of words that makes everyone go “Wow!”

For example, if a baseball fan says, “Those idiots! I could do better!” Cheongmang would say, “Oh dear, did they just get their corneas scraped during their laser surgery without enhancing them? Can’t they tell a baseball from a light? Soon enough, they won’t even be able to tell friend from foe!”

He goes on and on like that, brilliantly mixing it all up, and he’s famous for not tiring out his mouth throughout the entire broadcast.

— LOL

— Has it started…?

— This is such a joke

— Wow, that fumble was worse than anyone expected

— From the opening game, it looks hopeless, huh?

— Hmm… Just your typical KG, right?

— Wow, you’re already fired up

This ability is hard to find in young streamers, which is why people of all ages have gathered, drawn in by his blend of comfort and provocation.

The uncle who was previously just enjoying baseball with his viewers became the 3 million subscriber “Cheongmang” by spilling his frustrations about all things gaming, merging those streams with his irritable rants.

Usually, as people age, they start to calm down their speech, but Cheongmang proudly explains that he’s evolved due to having too much to say.

One reason is that the KG Dragons, once in the running for the championship ten years ago, have now struggled to even reach the playoffs, floating around the bottom of the rankings.

That also has its luck to it. Cheongmang knows this so well that he says half of his rise is thanks to the KG Dragons, and he even donates a portion of his broadcast earnings to the club.

Starting his broadcast with a mindset of “I should try something after my business went under,” he has a name derived from “Cheongmang,” which also sounds like “KBO is a garbage league,” so he can’t escape the playful jabs from viewers.

Now he’s a general broadcaster, but at his core, he’s still a baseball fan.

Anyway, while following along with Cheongmang in the catchy cheer songs, and munching on the baseball knowledge he was explaining, I found myself cheering for the flying baseball by the 5th inning, halfway through the game.

Surprisingly, having participated in competitive tournaments before made the thrill feel similar to that exhilarating moment when, having worn mismatched clothes, I finally got the outfit and shotgun I desired—it’s that bliss of hitting a solid single after watching nothing but double plays, ground outs, and strikeouts.

I finally understood why people cheered the moment the ball soared high and the satisfying crack echoed.

Cheongmang may have noticed this because, after the 5th inning, during a brief cleaning time to check the stadium’s state, he said, “Finally, my little nephew can enjoy baseball properly.”

Of course, since I couldn’t reveal that I was a guest yet, I had to phrase my feelings differently.

“I might not be understanding this right, but it feels like how my mom wouldn’t let me play games, and when I finally got the chance to play on the weekends, that’s the vibe.”

“Ha! That’s so relatable!”

Luckily, the viewers resonated with my sentiment.

— LOL

— It is a bit different though, haha!

— Kinda makes sense like the old man said, huh?

— That feeling when you’re suffocated and finally get some oxygen, right?

However, as we chatted without introducing the guest, speculation among the viewers began to rise.

With all the talk of “nieces and nephews,” they were starting to wonder if it was a real niece brought in.

Listening to my voice, they thought I might indeed be so.

But hold on—Cheongmang calls many female streamers “nieces.”

Hmm, is that so? The voice sounded somewhat familiar…

As theories about my identity began to surface, they were quickly debunked since the busy preparations for my second-gen debut kept me too occupied to come out here.

Besides, it was crucial to note that because I had to change my tone to cut through the loud surroundings, there were hardly any who could deduce who I truly was.

Even within the noise, a few keen observers noted, “Feels like Majia,” showcasing their skills, but since Cheongmang had announced that he would reveal the identity of the guest after the game, most viewers were watching the game and our conversation, guessing who I might be without paying much attention to that aspect.

Moreover, since they occasionally caught glimpses of my head beneath the camera, it wasn’t an outright lie that we were doing a collaboration.

[ (🔴Live) KBO Opening Game Experience with Adorable Niece! ] 👪30,021

#ProfessionalBaseball #OpeningGame #Cheongmang

By the way, the viewer count was truly legendary.

Usually, it hovers around half of this number.

When there’s a guest, it just catapults past 30,000, highlighting Cheongmang’s impressive reach.

In fact, when the most popular female idol appeared before, the numbers soared to an astounding 90,000, making it a fantasy opportunity for those wanting to grow through collaborations.

Especially for VTubers, it’s almost an unattainable realm.

Cheongmang tries to understand the VTuber culture and has shown substantial consideration during today’s broadcast, but fundamentally, he’s just a guy broadcasting with a camera, and his main audience and guests are regular broadcasters rather than VTubers.

I even wondered if I would be able to enjoy watching baseball like this if I were just a VTuber.

If I were to draw a comparison, I’d point to Bachu Bachu.

The first-gen and second-gen debuted three and two years ago, respectively, and they all boast subscriber counts in the 100-200k range.

Among them, only Taro managed to successfully collaborate with Cheongmang.

This means that, though I stumbled into the invitation during the year-end party, it was a significant moment in itself that Cheongmang called me out there.

When I hung the dark history of Cheongmang on the fourth floor of the Demon King Castle, I had no thoughts, but now seeing that snowball roll this far is quite intriguing.

When will the day come when our members can step up in my place?

* * *

Of course, first things first, the first-gen members need to tackle the issues at hand.

Thanks to Cheongmang’s guidance, I had a blast enjoying the baseball game, but for Majia, now that the game is over, this is where the real collaboration starts as Cheongmang’s broadcast switches to interaction mode.

Even after getting into Cheongmang’s SUV right after leaving the stadium, the baseball talk did not cease, but once that wraps up, I too must jump in with the stories I’ve prepared.

“d*mn it. Seriously, those guys are making the money I donated feel wasted. How can they keep getting worse over time? At this rate, wouldn’t it be better if the defense was run by AI drones?”

— For real, today’s performance was seriously bad. Did they even train right?

— Either way, thankful to Cheongmang for making it entertaining, so thumbs up!

— Uncle, your smile is not faded at all!

— The team lost, but the uncle is still happy, huh?

“Sorry, little nephew. It’s been a long time since I watched a game like this with a guest… Our team has been like this for the past few years. I kept worrying that with their atrocious performance, your bright little eyes would turn into fish eyes.”

“It’s alright. I still enjoyed it.”

“Exactly! If you enjoyed it, that’s what matters. But well, since I feel bad, I’ll have to plan a Parallel World Cup event later. You came all the way here to play with the old man, after all.”

Cheongmang naturally set aside the transaction that was between us—the fact that I’d come as a guest to ease his boredom, while he would do something nice for me in return.

At that moment, some viewers started to catch on.

— Why are we talking about the Parallel all of a sudden?

— Huh?

— Could it be…?

This is the power of 30,000 viewers.

If no one’s paying attention, few notice either, but with so many viewers, there’s bound to be some fans of the Parallel among them and within that audience, a tiny group of people pressuring Majia for more broadcasts.

:: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! ::

:: Wait, was today’s guest really Majia? ::

As I shifted back to my usual gentle tone, despite the noise, those who hadn’t noticed before started to respond one by one.

— Oh, wait a minute…

— Oh hey, now you mention it, your voice really does match Majia’s!

— ???

Cheongmang, who was focused on the chat, nodded once.

That was a signal that it was time for introductions.

Given his experience with numerous guests, he handled the transition smoothly.

So, it is now Majia’s turn to speak up without hesitation.

“I’m here just to play with you! I only suggested coming after seeing you at the year-end party, so thank you for accepting my invitation, Mr. Cheongmang.”

“Oh come on, that’s a big deal. Honestly, it takes a lot of courage to suggest something like that!”

“Well, I’m always eager to do my best for the members.”

Flowing seamlessly into the conversation, I started introducing myself.

“Hello, I’m Majia from the Parallel group, invited by Mr. Cheongmang to watch the opening game of pro baseball today.”

Of course, many here aren’t familiar with the VTuber culture, so I decided to add more context.

I usually represent our first-gen original song, Maru’s <Finally>, which is the only one to surpass 5 million views, and these days, I also mention our first-gen anniversary song, <One Other>, which crossed 3 million views within four months…

But having just delivered that somewhat standard line, the atmosphere in the chat suddenly shifted.

— Welcome! Haha!

— I wondered when you’d show up. You actually came!

— We were waiting for a gem like you!

:: An anonymous donor has contributed 1,000 Clouds! ::

:: So that’s why you weren’t showing your face! Haha! ::

— Are you for real, Majia?

— Wow, a live joint broadcast! This is totally unexpected! Haha!

— I saw you were tiny before! Haha!

— ???

— Huh?

Yep, you got it.

Because Majia was so busy working and was quite oblivious to the attention directed at her.

She was the smokey tank who had barely rescued the team that almost floundered in an epic fail during the tournament, which had 20,000 of Cheongmang’s audience watching during the final.

They were all clearly aware of her impressive performance!

:: An anonymous donor has contributed 10,000 Clouds! ::

:: The God of Shotgun, the GOAT! ::

— The savior of the Younggun team!

— Major League Legend!

— I still rewatch the finals, and it’s crazy good!

:: An anonymous donor has contributed 10,000 Clouds! ::

:: Thanks to you, my brother can finally stop being dissed for not having won anything while competitive! ::

— Welcome, Human Signal Flare!

— Majia! Majia! Majia!

— Mom, when I grow up, I want to be Majia’s shotgun!

— I want Majia’s smokescreen!!!

— d*mn, is Majia that adorable in real life too?

— Wasn’t this person a VTuber? Is it okay to reveal your face like this?

— They aren’t a VTuber!

— They are a VTuber!

After chatting more with Cheongmang about the Parallel, I planned to draw more of the audience over and, depending on the vibe, mention looking forward to next week.

But Majia never imagined everyone would suddenly be so engaged with her.

Despite the surprise, Majia could see the angle she needed to take.

Many who knew Majia might not know about Parallel.

That’s because fandoms of big time broadcasters tend to be pretty static. However, viewers remember those who come on as guests and display their talents.

And among those hanging out in the community, they’re likely more in the loop about Majia’s second-gen debut tease than average viewers.

People generally don’t care about random broadcasters’ news, but when it’s someone they know, they’ll be curious enough to click.

So, without realizing it, Majia dropped a bombshell of a statement.

“Thank you all for the warm welcome… I really appreciate it! Next week, I’ll be making an unexpected announcement on the official channel, so please keep an eye out for that too!”

The viewers reacted exactly as she’d hoped.

— Oh?

— An unexpected announcement?

— ?

— Are you debuting for real?

— What?

— Are you announcing a surprise here?

— All of a sudden?

— Huh?

— What are you planning to do?!

— Are you really making your debut?

— Majia, are you really about to drop that news now?

— Whoa!