What the Heck, I'll Do It
The one who had actually received the proposal couldn't hide her dazed bewilderment.
Even so, the CEO of Lunabis, Kang Yura, was certain.
I can't let her get away.
It might have been a half-impulsive decision, but the woman standing before her met every condition she had laid down.
First: self-management.
True, once you streamed as a virtual avatar there was little chance of your face ever showing. Yet the more careless a person was about looking after themselves, the more easily that virtual veil could be torn aside. The types who hunted desperately for the so-called Red Pill would mercilessly sink their teeth into any gap left carelessly open. Without a foundation of thorough everyday self-management, even a corporate VTuber would live under constant threat.
So what about this one?
Appearance-wise, she passes with flying colors.
Not a trace of makeup, yet not a single blemish marred her skin. Her hair was free of frizz, and her stride carried real strength without the slightest drag. On top of that, she was quietly wary of the woman who had summoned her through her friend—whether that was the proper attitude toward a friend's boss was debatable, but as a working adult it was a rather excellent stance.
And then there was the second reason.
"H-Hurry up and say something, Sihyun..."
"...She's your boss."
"B-But she asked you the question..."
After the CEO had gone to the trouble of coming all this way, here she was, flustered and hiding behind her friend—stage name Shirasaki Noah, real name Baek Jia. Because of the talent shortage in this generation, they had passed her despite a few demerits. Yet every interviewer who had sat with Yura had named the same anxiety about Baek Jia: her personality flaws.
Being introverted was nothing unusual in the streaming world, and with her prior experience she would handle the broadcasts just fine. The problem was that the anxiety was visible. Metaphorically speaking, once she dug a hole and climbed inside, she would keep tunneling until someone dragged her out. It might not stand out on ordinary days, but the moment an issue blew up, her rationality would blow up right along with it.
...And yet she had a roommate living with this landmine of a personality Yura had just rather harshly torn down? A friend who knew not only about the streams but the interview schedule itself?
...If anything goes wrong, it explodes on the spot.
Baek Jia herself insisted they were the closest of friends, but as the old saying went, you can know the bottom of a thousand-fathom sea yet never the heart of a person. If that closest friend ever got any bad ideas and decided to leak something, one carefully cultivated second-gen member could graduate overnight. So Yura had casually called her over under the pretext of confidentiality.
...Beyond imagination.
And in a good way, no less.
"...I heard the competition for Lunabis' current generation is fierce."
"That's correct."
"A company with that kind of renown in the industry... wants me? This suddenly?"
The way she cut straight to the heart of the situation, that thoroughly rational demeanor, layered over her sharp eyes and distinctive piercing impression, put people on edge for no good reason. At the very least, she did not look like the type to get stabbed in the back just anywhere. Even her voice was quite unique—boyish yet unmistakably feminine—and in that tone a glimmer of streaming talent was already visible. Her singing ability was still an unknown, of course, but with a voice like that even a complete novice would improve if made to sing.
...Moreover.
Jia said that while she streams... this one does the housework?
Come to think of it, Jia's face looked better than it had at the interview. Capable of maid duties on top of everything else? With that face?
...That's not the important part.
What mattered was that she could.
As things stood, every member of the current second generation had her own flashy side, leaving the whole group half expectation and half anxiety. But if this person—Yu Sihyun—joined their side, she could more than cover for it. Even if she only dedicated herself to looking after Baek Jia alone, it would free up the rest of the manpower. The details could be sorted out later; at least there would be no problem with the person herself. Yura's eye for people had always been spot-on.
"I am serious."
"Hmm..."
And so Kang Yura conveyed her sincerity once more. Yet Yu Sihyun, who had only come out expecting to sign a simple confidentiality agreement, remained thoroughly dazed.
"...Why me?"
Sihyun's question was fair. She had been summoned solely on a confidentiality matter; it had certainly never been a VTuber scouting.
"You seem to have talent as well."
"...I've never streamed before, though."
"If you come on board, security becomes that much more solid."
"That's true, but... is this really okay?"
The back-and-forth continued for a while without progress. She had not been informed in advance, had never set her career path in that direction, and her previous line of work had been completely different, so the series of reactions was only natural...
"The average monthly take-home of our current first-gen members... have you heard it?"
"...Isn't that confidential?"
"You can't go telling anyone. So..."
At the sudden talk of money, Sihyun let a flicker of interest show. Immediately Yura leaned in and whispered into her ear.
And a moment later—
"What the heck, I'll do it."
Yu Sihyun, six months as a swan.
Having caved to money, she signed the contract that very day.
Lunabis second generation: four-person roster complete.