Viral Views and the T Craze

Editor? It's T. I'm T too. The collab the day before yesterday and yesterday was so much fun. Like, so fun I was spitting while yelling eeng~ eeng~. It was pure bliss. And I—I led to a cultural victory for the first time ever. What? Ehehe.

"Hmm... what to eat for lunch today?"

Just like always, I started agonizing over the lunch menu. No gukbap today, for real. Gotta try something different. Time to experiment. Successful people don't fear failure. Yeah, I might fail. But I can just hold out for a day and eat it. Food's for survival anyway... to stay alive...!

So... after some deliberation, I decided. Intestine gukbap with extra meat... ehehe. Can't change everything at once. You know that. Gotta take it slow. Nice and slow. As long as there's change, right? Anyway, I placed my order.

I pulled up YouTube. Wonder what comments are there today?

"Huh? What's this?"

Eh? What the heck? What's going on? This is weird. My views... my views are at... 40k...? What is this? Why?

One video just skyrocketed. Which one? The VRChat episode 2 hit 40k. But episode 1's at 15k. What happened? What's going on here?

I fired up Discord first. Messages from the editor were already there...! And a ton of missed calls too.

No doubt about it—elite move. She spotted the trend and jumped into action. Can't interrupt now.

That was all I could say. Problem solved... Now, I dove into the comments, reading them carefully.

Lots of "that was fun" comments. Sure, some hate, but I ignored 'em. No point reading trash. Spent over 30 minutes like that, then my food arrived, and I scarfed it down.

So many comments. Even after eating and cleaning up, I kept reading for another 10 minutes or so.

When I get famous... won't even be able to read chat... ehehe. There's way too many!

Ring ring ring. Discord notification. From the editor. I chugged some water and picked up.

Someone's gotta stay calm in times like this! I'm the boss, so it'll be me!

Opportunity, sure, but can't get obsessed. My retired VTuber friends taught me that. The more you chase, the harder it slips away.

I'd learned from my past mentor and others who'd faded. Rising is luck—anyone can do it. But maintaining it? That's talent. Gotta rise first to test if you've got it.

"Can't get too obsessed. Just thinking... how about we experiment now?"

My retired VTuber mentor said it: Rises are luck. Holding the wave? Only the talented. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Prove your talent by riding it first.

"Time to show what we're capable of!"

"Huh? You're doing great already. Just keep it up."

Really? Nah, probably not. Honestly, I don't even know what I'm good at. I'm just going with the flow. One day I'll hit a rock and sink.

"But I don't know what I'm good at!"

"Uh... well... just keep doing what you're doing. Hmm..."

Just keep doing this? My head's exploding from content ideas. I agonize over it daily, beg for it on stream, and she thinks that's good? Where?

"So, it's okay to keep begging for content?"

"Huh?! No, not that. I meant keep streaming like normal. You still gotta think about content."

"Hing... it's hard. Can't think ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of any."

"No choice then... keep searching... Ah! Did you check Shorts?"

Shorts? Nah, hadn't. She ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠handles 'em solo—develops, researches, whatever. I leave it to her. Reading comments is fun. Watching my own videos? Not so much.

Saw streamers freak out at their own voice once. Realized it's like that for me. Body gets all fidgety. Can't control it, so I avoid 'em.

"Nah... don't watch those."

"They're killing it on views. Why not?"

"For real? Lots of comments?"

"Probably?"

"For real? Praise comments everywhere?"

"Likely?"

What? Seriously? Changes everything. Shoulda told me if comments were popping off!!

Suddenly hooked. Gotta see those comments.

"Hold on. Checking now!"

What? A hidden powerhouse VTuber. One who loves retiring. 28k? 32k? Whoa... crushing it. No idea.

"Nice. Nice. Ehehehe."

Comments galore too. Saving that for later. Gonna savor every one.

Grinned for a bit, then snapped back.

"Ah, uh...! So, what's up with Shorts?"

"Half-cam ones are straight-up popular."

"Aha!"

Kinda get it! But... VTuber taboo. Red pill! Getting doxxed means penalties, right? Honestly, I don't know VTuber culture deep. Just hopped on 'cause it's trendy.

"But isn't red pill a VTuber no-no?"

"True, but things change. Some treat it like a weapon now. Unless you're stunningly pretty, better avoid face reveals."

"Aha...! Gotcha. But... am I pretty?"

Hooked on that "stunningly pretty" bit. I got eyes. I check mirrors. Pretty. Cute... hehe.

I'm thrilled with it. Even before, my face was fine! Mom liked Dad 'cause he was handsome. That was it. Dad liked Mom 'cause she was pretty. Pure looks.

No personality, money, voice—nada. Love at first sight, they said.

Thanks to those genes... in school, they saw me as the quirky kid. The dim one. The cute one. Biggest school regret? My inferiority complex. Hated myself. Blamed the world.

Others nailed it once; I couldn't. They laughed, I didn't get it. My laughs fell flat. Even at my brightest, no light got in. Always empty, down.

Then, pure chance—saw my deskmate's new game, Lala. Changed everything. Met my first friend there. Addictive growth hooked me; blew allowance on it. Built confidence at the teahouse cafe.

High school sophomore year. Miracle happened. Some teahouse user's monk video moved me. What'd it say? Something like accept and love yourself. Anyway, started changing bit by bit. Still lacking, but better now.

Ah, right—that moment. Miracles ain't grand. Just decide to change and step. That's a miracle. Believe and act; you'll transform.

Eh? Oh, right. Still no answer.

"Am I pretty?"

Wanna try that. Saw an idol prank vid last night. Sudden urge.

"Editor? Hello? Got quiet all sudden. Mic cut?"

"Hello?"

"Uh... yes."

Hear her. Not cut.

"You're totally misunderstanding. Half-cam hides the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠face. It's a culture for voice-only chats."

"Aha...!? Gotcha... but am I pretty?"

Late bloomer scares hit hard—picked up girls' cheeky teasing fun. So addictive. Gonna keep till she reacts.

"...Yes. You're pretty."

"You're super pretty too, Editor. Thought you were a delinquent gal first time!"

"...Is that a compliment?"

"Totally. Delinquent sistas are gorgeous! Don't you know?"

"Heh heh..."

Editor sounds awkward. Why? It's praise! Delinquent vibe—peak compliment!

Anyway. Built it up enough? Go time?!

"Editor, you T?"

"Huh? Yeah... think so."

"Aha! Me too, me too! Cutie. Pretty. Ehehehe. Whaddya think?"

Idol vid from bedtime last night. Stuck 'cause hilarious. Ehehehe. Fun. So fun.

"Sounds good."

"C'mon, Editor, try it! Repeat after me. I'm T."

"I'm T."

"Cutie. Pretty!"

"Sorry, can't relate to T."

"Ugh... no... eeng~ gotta do it, right?"

"...Gonna get back to work."

"No... eeng~ gotta do it again?"

"Sena. We need that big breakout. Back to work."

Ding... She's gone.

Aw, bummer. Gotta tell her later.

"You T? Yup! I'm cutie~ pretty~ Gotta do it on stream. Hehe."

Once hooked, I go all in. Can't help it. Took over 90% of my brain.

"You T? Yup! I'm T! Cutie~ pretty~ So fun. Ehehe."