Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Myth's Solo Live (4)
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The day of the live.
I was sitting alone in the living room at home, staring at the large TV.
Myth had said I could come along and watch the live filming in person, but for some reason, I didn't want to.
Maybe it was because I wanted to watch Myth performing on the map I created, moving the avatar I made, purely as a viewer—not as the modeler, but just one fan among many.
"It's cold."
The last Friday of January.
Even with the heat cranked up, my body felt a little chilly for some reason.
...Was I nervous?
‘This is the initial excitement that Myth talked about.’
Yeah.
Initial excitement. Don’t lose it.
This tension in my fingertips, this chill—it’s proof that I haven’t lost my initial excitement.
Recalling the conversation we had in the car on the way home that day, I waited for Myth's live to start.
Thirty minutes until it went live.
...Am I waiting too early? But my heart was pounding too hard to do anything else.
Instead, I pulled out my phone, entered the stream separately, and checked the chat.
'The chat's already flooded.'
The chat window, with hundreds of thousands pounding away, scrolled so fast it was impossible to keep up with my eyes.
Even with slow mode on, this firepower was a testament to Myth's popularity.
'Myth said she would've faded into obscurity or never made it without me.'
I didn't think so.
The order was backward to begin with.
It wasn't that Myth the VTuber existed because of me.
It was because of you, the streamer, that I poured so much effort into making that avatar.
High school days that still felt like yesterday.
Days of sharing dreams, exchanging ideas, dreaming of tomorrow.
...Damn.
Maybe I should've just gone with her.
Being apart like this made me miss her more—it felt like a serious case on my end too.
The studio was bustling right up until the broadcast started.
"Alright! Let's check the equipment!"
"If you've got time, Myth, suit up and run a test. Gotta make sure everything's good to the end."
"After equipment check, wipe the floor. Myth's shoes are a bit slippery this time—can't have any moisture, got it?"
"Dry towel, twice or three times."
"Boss, this camera recognition working right?"
"Yeah, looks good. Capture and expressions are showing perfectly."
Numerous staff rushed around the studio preparing for the live.
It was a sight Myth rarely saw.
She'd witnessed this during occasional invites to Dream Live in Japan, but this was her first time seeing it domestically.
So now, she stood at the forefront of this historic moment in her home country.
"Hoo."
The company's studio.
Myth let out a sigh in front of the live filming setup.
Whoa.
I'd never seen unnie this nervous before a stream.
We hurried over to Myth.
"What is it, unnie? Something wrong?"
"No, just a bit nervous."
"You never get nervous, unnie."
"So that's how you saw me? Even I get nervous before every stream."
"Really?"
Myth nodded.
She'd just worked hard not to show it, but every day was tense for her.
Of course, her tension might carry a bit more weight than other streamers'.
'I've been waiting for you.'
Myth recalled the past.
She thought of the boy who lay in bed for seven years as the price of saving her.
The last seven years. Every stream had been scary.
What if I mess up today?
What if I crash and burn before you wake up?
From the position of waiting for you, she feared disappointing you when you opened your eyes.
That anxiety grew day by day.
The higher she climbed, the farther the fall.
Somehow becoming the top VTuber felt exhilarating and terrifying.
"Weird. I thought I was pretty perceptive, but how did I never notice?"
"This tension's different from before."
"Huh?"
But she could endure that kind of tension.
She knew the fear of falling paled compared to the pain you felt that day.
She didn't want to tremble in fear while you lay there.
But this type of tension was new even for Myth.
'You're watching me.'
This wasn't like her other game streams.
On the stage you built, wearing the avatar you created, starting the performance.
The feelings from her very first stream—that initial excitement—had returned.
'I want to look even better.'
She didn't want to mess up—she hated anything less than perfect.
She wanted to show her best to her viewers... and to you.
"Hoo."
Her fingertips were cold.
...Ah, I miss Seol.
"Why didn't you just bring him? If you'd said to come, he'd have followed without a word."
"Did I say that out loud?"
"Unnie, we can read it in your eyes most of the time."
"That's 'cause you're too quick on the uptake. You and Yeona-unnie both."
"Best compliment for a manager. If you're that worried, just call him."
"He said he wants to watch as a viewer from home. Calling would just be a bother."
Why worry over something like that?
As we opened our mouths to speak, Myth's phone rang.
We caught a glimpse of the name on the screen and sighed softly, turning away.
"Go take it outside. If anyone asks where you are, I'll cover."
"Thanks."
What a perfectly synced couple.
Watching Myth head out with that perfectly timed call, we smiled wryly.
The company veranda.
In the spot usually used as the staff smoking area, Myth carefully answered the phone.
"Hello?"
- It's almost live time. You got a sec?
"For your call, I'd make time out of nothing."
Seoul's winter was brutal unlike Busan's, so even late January, her breath fogged visibly.
Despite the chilly wind, her heart felt warmer than when she'd been alone in the studio earlier.
- Called 'cause I figured you might be nervous.
"Pfft. Your voice is shaking more than mine."
- No it's not?
"Liar. I can tell."
Ah, this feels good.
Myth closed her eyes.
This is seriously bad.
Talking to you felt addictive—in a good way.
That pleasantness made Myth a little more honest.
"Seol-ah."
- Yeah.
"I'm nervous."
- Really? Didn't expect that. You're a pro.
Myth chuckled.
"Honestly, I might not have been this nervous before."
- What's different today? First solo live?
"No. It's the first live you're watching."
Seol fell silent.
Gotcha.
Myth clenched her fist happily.
- ...Mistakes are okay.
"Huh?"
- Don't push for perfection.
"But mistakes are scary."
- ...Yeah. Hmm. What to do.
She could hear Seol pondering.
Did I act too spoiled?
Am I putting him on the spot?
Pushing through a flicker of unease, Seol's voice came.
- How about this.
"What?"
- If you mess up, I'll grant you one wish.
"Wish coupon's nice, but so sudden?"
- So even if you slip, I won't be too disappointed.
Um, er.
Myth could feel the embarrassment in his words.
What, too cute.
Come to think of it, while she'd been grinding away, he'd slept for seven years—so technically younger, right?
Suddenly feeling like she was seducing a seven-years-younger boy, a twinge of taboo thrill hit her.
"Seol-ah. I feel like I'll mess up, so lemme use the wish coupon now."
- What is it.
"Doesn't matter. Just once. It's not hard."
- Tell me first. Can't do anything weird.
"Just say one thing I wanna hear."
Whoooosh.
The winter wind blew fiercely.
- ...What.
"■■■."
Facing the midwinter gale head-on, Myth told Legend the words she longed to hear.
Moments later, after a brief hesitation.
Legend's voice reached her.
Hearing those heart-meltingly sweet three words, Myth beamed and returned them exactly before heading inside.
It took a bit, waiting for her burning cheeks to cool in the winter wind.
The last Friday of January.
A night with a brilliantly bright full moon in the sky.
The conversation between the two was known only to the moon above.
"Hey, has Myth come back yet?"
"...Not answering her phone. Not in the green room either. Should we check the smoking area?"
Three minutes to live.
The studio was in emergency mode without Myth's return.
What's the point of prepping everything if the star's missing?
"If we can't find her, announce a 30-min delay, send everyone to search—"
"Sorry! Right on time, huh?!"
"Myth, you're too la—"
The boss was about to chew her out this time.
Even if Myth held subtle top-dog status, he couldn't let her cut it this close as president.
But that thought vanished the instant he saw her face.
"Really sorry. Call ran long."
"Uh... okay."
There's a saying you can't spit on a smiling face.
The boss felt it to his bones today.
Whatever happened, scolding a kid beaming like the sun was impossible.
Instead, he asked about her resolve.
"So, you good? Think you can pull it off?"
"Don't worry!"
Myth shouted energetically.
"Tonight's live will surely become a legend."
So brightly, radiantly, banishing all doubts.
That night.
Every VTuber community on Earth exploded.