Chapter 98

I introduced Akane to the people.

“This is Pape-nim, who used to be from Spoon but repented and now plays close-range melee characters.”

“Hello.”

“This is Malangmabang-nim, who loves soft-headed maid characters more than anyone in the world.”

“Mos, Cheonmyeonghan here.”

“This is Bbangbbang, who insists he likes noona characters.”

“Rumen here.”

“This is Choco Full Bread-nim, one of the world’s three great mysteries.”

“Choco Full Bread here!”

“Lastly, this is…”

I paused for a moment and asked for an appropriate explanation.

“Akane-nim, do you like Korean culture?”

“Akane enjoys Korean dramas.”

“Have you seen <The Killer>?”

“Yes.”

If she’s seen it, it’ll be easier to explain.

“Do you remember the killer from <The Killer>?”

“Huh?”

“Exactly. The killer, played by actor Jo Jin-young.”

“Is he really an actor?”

“This is Kim In-ho, who looks like him.”

“Now that you mention it, he does kinda look like him, but it’s a bit ambiguous.”

“…Kim In-ho here.”

With that, I introduced all the guys. Now it was time for the girls.

“Akane-nim, this is Bunny Run-nim, the apostle of purity.”

“Unnie, your explanations have been a bit weird since earlier.”

“This is Chaenarin-nim, the crazy beast.”

“…Chaenarin here.”

“This is Arina-nim, the genius stalker.”

“I’ve been saying this, but you’re the one chasing me, not the other way around?”

Akane tilted her head at my introductions.

“Introducing everyone by nicknames, are they your colleagues?”

“Yes. Most of them are broadcasting on the same platform as me. Kim In-ho is also a game development colleague.”

“So it’s a gathering of broadcasters!”

For some reason, Akane seemed amazed.

It seemed like she had never seen a gathering of broadcasters before, but why? She’s a broadcaster herself.

Well, Akane is famous for being a loner.

It made sense she’d be amazed.

This time, I introduced Akane to the group.

“This is Yukimura Akane. She’s a first-generation member of Novel Live and the current queen.”

“Yukimura Akane. Nice to meet you.”

“And this is…”

I glanced at Akane’s companion.

A girl with an overall indifferent expression was sitting behind Akane.

The girl spoke.

“Kurohina Mai.”

Her stage name is Kurohina Mai.

If Akane is the pillar, founding contributor, and ace of Novel Live, Mai is… well, she’s done a lot, but if you ask what exactly, it’s hard to say. But she definitely helped the company.

So people often remember Mai as the queen’s friend.

In fact, she’s the queen’s only friend, and she’s benefited a lot from that image in her broadcasts.

By the way.

Both Mai and Akane were quite beautiful in person. Both are VTubers whose real faces aren’t revealed, but they managed to hide it well.

Plus, both had great figures. Actually, everyone here had great figures.

Truly a generation of overnutrition. Everyone’s physical development was at its peak.

Did she sense my gaze? Bunny Run spoke up.

“Unnie?”

“Go ahead.”

“Why are you staring at my chest so intently?”

“I wasn’t suspecting you hid cigarettes there, so don’t worry.”

Bunny Run has been acting a bit off lately, and I wondered if it had something to do with her chest size. No special meaning.

I stood up.

“Shall we break the watermelon Bbangbbang bought?”

*

Pape came under the parasol to catch his breath.

Then Mos, Rumen, Choco Full Bread, and Kim In-ho sat down next to him.

Curious, Pape asked.

“Rumen, what are you doing here?”

“What about you?”

“I’m tired, so I’m resting.”

“Same here.”

“Malangmabang, what about you?”

“I’m exhausted.”

Exhausted. In the context of the conversation, it would mean he’s tired from moving too much, but Pape knew that wasn’t it.

Mentally exhausted. That’s what he meant.

Pape looked at the girls chattering noisily in the distance.

Han Yoorim spread out a mat and twisted a watermelon in half with her hands.

…Isn’t that not how you break a watermelon? But it’s Han Yoorim. After all he’s been through, he couldn’t be surprised by such trivial things.

Pape examined the lineup of girls playing with Han Yoorim.

Bunny Run, Chaenarin, Arina, Akane, Mai.

Honestly, just being near them was draining because their level was so high.

Especially their looks.

It wasn’t for nothing that the guys gathered around Pape like refugees.

Pape shifted his gaze to the one who stood out even among these beautiful women.

Hair like spun gold reflecting the summer sunlight fluttered in the wind. Eyes so clear and blue they made the nearby Maehama Beach seem “just okay” illuminated the world.

And her skin, as white as snow, seemed to deflect the harsh Okinawan sun.

“Bunny Run-nim, have some watermelon.”

…Even holding a watermelon she smashed with her own hands, her beauty didn’t fade. At this point, it wasn’t just human beauty.

Honestly, her looks were something he couldn’t get used to.

“Should we leave them alone? Akane was getting hit on earlier.”

“It’s fine because of Han Yoorim.”

When people feel awe, they start being careful with their actions.

It’s like being careful with expensive items.

You naturally change your demeanor because you feel like something bad might happen…

Han Yoorim’s looks gave off that vibe.

The kind of looks that make you think something bad will happen if you mess with her.

The kind of accident Rumen was worried about wouldn’t happen.

“True.”

Rumen nodded slightly in agreement.

Then he continued.

“She didn’t even chop the watermelon, just tore it apart with her grip. She should be fine.”

“Right.”

“Is she even human?”

“Maybe not. She doesn’t even sleep.”

Rumen muttered, recalling the memory of when he boldly offered to join her during a top-tier run, only to bail later.

Pape, nodding in agreement, soon turned to ask someone else.

“In-ho, how did you end up meeting Han Yoorim?”

“We met at a part-time job.”

“Part-time job? Oh, at the movie theater?”

“Yeah.”

Kim In-ho reminisced about the time he met Han Yoorim.

A part-timer with such stunning beauty that he felt guilty just talking to her came in and carefully taught him the job. Then, out of nowhere, she came out as a fan of “Nasu Kinoko,” leaving him flustered.

Why would someone like her? Was she joking? But as they talked, his worries faded, and they ended up having a lively otaku conversation.

Even now, it felt surreal.

A top-tier beautiful girl who’s also an otaku? It was hard to believe such a thing existed in reality.

“The fact that we both work in game development made it even more fascinating.”

“Makes sense. Choco Full Bread… we brought her along, so we know all about it.”

“I got scouted!”

“What about you, Malang Mabak?”

“Me? I kinda know, don’t I?”

“Not that.”

Pape knew about the incidents involving Mos, Rozon, and Han Yoorim, but that wasn’t what he was curious about.

“You said you knew her from the Game Gallery. Tell me about that. I’m curious.”

“…You know how awkward it feels to talk about community stuff with someone you know, right?”

“So what? We’re not exactly normal people.”

Pape, who scours various communities for broadcast feedback, wasn’t alone. Rumen, a pro gamer, visited the Eternal World Gallery daily, and Choco Full Bread, being a broadcaster, did ego-searching in the VR Broadcasting Gallery.

Kim In-ho? What else would an indie game developer be? A monster of attention, grinding through all sorts of manual labor just to get noticed.

If guys like them weren’t ego-searching, that would’ve been scarier.

At Pape’s words, Mos scratched his head and spoke.

“Even if we knew each other, it was more like Han Yoorim knew me one-sidedly. I don’t even know her nickname.”

“She didn’t tell you?”

“She said she only lurked.”

“Does that even make sense?”

Pape rarely posted in communities, but Han Yoorim’s case was different.

What Pape did was lurk in ‘large communities,’ while Han Yoorim lurked in the ‘Game Gallery.’

Pape, who roamed various communities for work, knew a thing or two about them.

The Game Gallery.

It was a small, close-knit community.

To put it in perspective, Pape not posting in a community was like going to the gym and not talking, while Han Yoorim not posting was like attending a small gathering for seven years without saying a word. The former was understandable, but the latter? Did that even make sense?

To attend a gathering meant to socialize, yet not speak to anyone for over seven years?

It was physically impossible.

“So, you’re saying Han Yoorim lied.”

“I kinda think so too. But even if she deceives people, she doesn’t lie, right?”

Deceiving without lying. What did that even mean?

She might phrase things confusingly, but everything she said was technically true.

“That’s why I’m saying. Didn’t she give you vague answers too? Like, ‘I’m just lurking, so I don’t have a nickname,’ with ‘for now’ implied in parentheses?”

“Yeah, that does sound familiar.”

At Pape’s words, Mos stroked his chin. It sounded very plausible.

“But even if that’s the case, what can we do if she doesn’t say anything?”

“Don’t you have any suspects?”

“Nope.”

Someone as unique as Han Yoorim would stand out even with a throwaway nickname, but Mos had no memory of seeing anyone like her while lurking.

Pape muttered softly.

“Maybe she’s just keeping up an act…”

“Or maybe she really didn’t do it.”

“Rumen, if anyone talks business, run away.”

Leaving the overly naive Rumen behind, Pape pondered for a moment before speaking.

“Should we find out?”

“How?”

“What do you mean, how? Obviously.”

Pape glanced at Han Yoorim and twitched his lips.

“Just casually probe her. We might get some clues.”

“I’m out.”

“Me too.”

“I’m out too!”

“Why?”

Pape looked baffled, and Mos answered.

“Why? Obviously because we don’t want to get hit by Han Yoorim.”

“Pape, you still haven’t learned?”

“I’m on Yoorim’s side.”

“It’s just a casual probe. Han Yoorim wouldn’t even care about this stuff.”

“Exactly. My past is public information anyone can look up. If you investigate, I might wonder why you’re going through the trouble, but I wouldn’t care.”

At the sudden voice, Pape shut his mouth.

He looked toward where the voice came from. There stood Han Yoorim, expressionless but somehow radiant.

Han Yoorim spoke.

“Be careful. Lip-reading experts can tell what you’re saying even from a distance, you know?”

“She’s a monster.”

“It’s natural to be curious about a super developer’s past. No need to be ashamed.”

Handing a watermelon to the still dazed Pape, Han Yoorim asked.

“Want some watermelon?”

“No, I’m good.”

Day 1 of the Okinawa trip.

End.