I Became a Member of My Favorite Group! - Chapter 32

The day after my secret account was exposed.

I ended up being summoned to the company by the CEO.

Well, not just me—it was all of us.

For some reason, the CEO called not only me but also the other members.

“Ugh…”

I walked down the hallway with my shoulders slumped.

Is this how prisoners on death row feel as they’re led to the execution chamber?

I tried to take each step as slowly as possible, but the end was inevitable.

“It’s okay, Da-jeong. The CEO probably won’t scold you too harshly.”

“R-really…?”

Chae-yoon unnie patted my head encouragingly, and for a moment, I felt a glimmer of hope.

But I quickly shook my head, realizing that couldn’t be the case.

After all, even just from the chat yesterday, it was clear the CEO was furious.

“Everyone, come this way.”

When we arrived at the meeting room, So-eun unnie, who was waiting for us, gestured for us to enter.

Like elementary school students entering the principal’s office, we shuffled in with heavy steps…

“Oh, you’re here? Everyone, take a seat.”

The CEO, sitting at the head of the long table, greeted us with a smile, which was unexpected.

The atmosphere was completely different from what I had imagined, and I was momentarily confused.

“You all know why you’re here, right?”

“Yes.”

“It’s been so chaotic that it’s hard not to know.”

“Our streams were a mess too.”

The members answered on my behalf as the CEO rested her chin on her interlaced fingers.

It seemed that because of my stream yesterday, viewers had flooded the other members’ streams, causing some damage.

Hearing that made me feel even more guilty.

“Well… before I explain in detail, Da-jeong.”

“Y-yes…!”

I stiffened and sat up straight, bracing myself as the CEO suddenly called my name.

She tapped the chair next to her with a smile.

“Come here.”

“Okay…”

This must be the start of the scolding.

But since it was my fault, I couldn’t run away, no matter how scared I was.

I left my seat next to Jia unnie and reluctantly sat down next to the CEO.

The CEO remained silent for a while.

Was she trying to find the right words to scold me?

The 30 seconds felt like an eternity.

Then, suddenly—

Thud—

“Why are you so scared? Did you think I was going to scold you?”

“…Huh?”

The CEO suddenly wrapped her arm around my neck and pulled me close, speaking in a soft tone.

At that moment, time seemed to stop.

What… what’s going on?

CEO, aren’t you mad?

“You’re… not angry?”

“Why? Do you want me to be angry?”

“N-no, it’s not that… but I… I lied…”

Just yesterday, the CEO had been stern.

She had warned me that if I was hiding anything, I should be prepared for the consequences.

If only I had come clean then, things wouldn’t have escalated this much.

So I thought the CEO would be really angry this time.

“Well, even though lying is wrong, I’m not really angry. You didn’t do anything wrong, and there’s no rule saying VTubers can’t run clipping channels, right?”

“Th-that’s true, but…”

It was a fair point, but I couldn’t easily accept it.

After all, I’m a VTuber the CEO invested company money in.

From the CEO’s perspective, it’s not a good look for a VTuber to secretly spend a lot of time and effort on something else.

“Of course, there are some issues. After all, Da-jeong is a VTuber under contract with our company, so it’s not ideal for her to be so absorbed in other activities that it affects her streams. Do you understand, Da-jeong?”

“Y-yes, of course.”

It was as if the CEO had read my mind and said exactly what I was thinking.

I nodded vigorously, agreeing wholeheartedly.

“So, I didn’t call you here today to scold you, Da-jeong. I called all of you to discuss something together.”

“Discuss…?”

“Yes, this isn’t something we can resolve just between the two of us.”

The CEO then turned her gaze to the other members, who had been quietly listening.

“Since this involves Da-jeong, I’ll mention this now. I’m planning to allow monetization for Blue Love-related videos in the future.”

I had a feeling this would happen.

This was something that had happened in the original world too.

When I started running Blue Love’s clipping channel, monetization was already allowed.

“Monetization?”

“Does that mean clipping channels can make money from our videos?”

Unlike me, who took it in stride, the members seemed a bit surprised.

But since they didn’t say much, they must have guessed the CEO’s intentions.

There’s really only one reason to allow clipping channels to monetize.

“That’s right. In this industry, the more videos clippers make, the more marketing effect it has. So, I’m planning to allow monetization to encourage that. Of course, there will be conditions.”

“What about the channel Da-jeong was running?”

“I was just about to get to that.”

The CEO turned her gaze back to me.

“Da-jeong. Let me get straight to the point. You can keep running your clipping channel as you see fit.”

“Huh? R-really?”

I blinked in disbelief.

I can keep running the channel?

I thought for sure she’d tell me to shut it down.

“But there are three conditions. If you follow these, you can do whatever you want with the rest.”

“Okay.”

I nodded firmly as the CEO held up three fingers.

No matter how tough the conditions are, I’ll fulfill them.

As long as I can keep uploading videos of Blue Love!

“First, don’t let it interfere with your streams. For now, I’ll be keeping an eye on you. If I sense even a hint of overwork, I’ll shut it down immediately. Understand?”

“Yes…!”

In other words, she’s telling me to draw a line.

That’s not too hard.

Of course, Blue Love is the most important thing to me.

But now that I’m a VTuber too, my viewers are also precious to me.

I don’t want to betray them.

“Second, ask the members before making videos. For example, if a particularly funny highlight from a stream gets uploaded to the clipping channel first, it could steal views from the main channel.”

“Ah, I think I understand.”

This is something that happens often in the VTuber industry.

For example, let’s say a VTuber creates an epic moment during a game.

They’ll usually ask clippers not to upload that clip for a while.

Once the main channel uploads the video, then the clipping channels are allowed to upload it too.

Conversely, there are also cases where VTubers ask clippers not to upload certain clips they don’t want to spread.

This actually happens more often.

It could be something small, like a slip of the tongue during a stream, or something major, like a serious mistake.

In any case, the point is that I need to follow the same rules as other clipping channels.

Okay, I was planning to do that anyway, so no problem there.

With these two conditions, I feel like I can handle whatever the third one is.

I was already dreaming big, letting out a silly laugh, when—

“And third, apply for monetization on your channel.”

“…Huh?”

I was caught off guard by the unexpected condition and reacted a beat too late.

Perhaps thinking I hadn’t understood, the CEO placed a hand on my shoulder and continued.

“It’s exactly as I said. If you’re going to run a clipping channel from now on, at least apply for monetization. It might not be a huge amount, but it’ll help. The quality of your videos is excellent, so more people will watch them.”

Finally, I understood.

The reason the CEO made this offer was because she was worried about me.

She knew my situation wasn’t great and wanted me to fill my pockets, even if it was just a little.

“Oh, that’s great! Da-jeong, do as the CEO says!”

“Right, you’re doing the work yourself, not hiring an editor, so you deserve some compensation.”

“So, from now on, Da-jeong is Blue Love’s ambassador?”

“Ambassador… Pfft, that’s a good one.”

The members felt the same way.

Even though they could have felt this situation was unfair.

They could have thought I was taking a slice of their pie.

They could have seen it as me profiting off their work.

But instead, they spoke up for me without hesitation.

They told me to receive the reward for my efforts.

Yes, those words made me incredibly happy.

But…

“…I don’t want to.”

That’s right, I don’t want to.

I don’t want to receive any reward for these feelings.

This is my one and only small belief that has persisted for five years, whether short or long.

“Huh? You don’t want to?”

“I’m sorry, CEO. But if that’s the case, I’d rather give up the clipping channel.”

I bowed my head and politely declined.

Yuna, not the CEO, was the one who looked at me with confusion.

“Wait, Da-jeong, why?! Are you worried about us? We don’t mind at all…”

“Yeah, that’s right. Money isn’t always a bad thing, so don’t think so negatively and just do as the CEO says…”

Jia unnie chimed in too, but I just shook my head.

Then, looking around at the CEO and the members, I clenched my fists on my lap and spoke.

“It’s not that. It’s not about disliking money or feeling guilty about profiting off the members.”

“……”

“I… I really love the members. So much that saying I love them the most in the world wouldn’t be enough.”

Calmly, steadily.

For the first time, I opened up my heart in front of the members.

“Until not too long ago, my phone didn’t have a single contact. I didn’t have anyone I could call a friend, or anyone I could call family. But then I met the members.”

The emotions I felt five years ago, purely as a fan.

And the emotions I feel now, as a fan, a friend, and a member of Blue Love.

They mixed together, creating a strange emotional line.

I kept feeling something lumpy in my throat, but I held it back.

This isn’t a sad story—it’s a happy one.

I thought what I needed to show now was a smile.

“I learned for the first time how joyful it is to talk to someone, to become friends, to become colleagues. I think if there’s a light I’ve seen for the first time in my life, it’s these people.”

Of course, to the members, I might not be that important.

I might just be one of the countless people they’ve talked to in their lives.

Just one of the many friends around them.

Or perhaps one of the colleagues they’ve worked with.

But to me, these people are not just one of many.

“That’s why I made these videos. I wanted to let more people know how much I love these people.”

I’ve never wanted any reward for it.

Just expressing my love for these people makes me so happy and fulfilled.

“Of course, I’m really happy and grateful that everyone is thinking of me. But I’m sorry.”

I bowed my head in apology.

I felt sorry that I couldn’t repay the kindness they showed me.

But just this once, I hope they’ll indulge my stubbornness.

That they’ll understand I don’t want any reward for loving them.

Paradoxically, I want them to understand this sincerity—this foolish reward I’m asking for.

“For now, just let me love you like this.”

With my final wish, I bowed my head again.

Somehow, I felt a little lighter.