Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: No Price for Love!
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The day after my sub-account got exposed.
I ended up visiting the company after receiving a summons from the President.
More precisely, it was all of us.
For some reason, the President had called not just me, but the members as well.
"Ugh..."
Shoulders slumped, I trudged down the hallway.
Is this what condemned prisoners felt like on their way to the execution grounds?
I tried taking tiny steps to drag it out as long as possible, but the end drew near anyway.
"It's okay, Da-jeong. The President won't scold you too harshly."
"Y-you think so...?"
Chae-yoon unnie stroked my head encouragingly, and for a brief moment, I dared to hope.
But I quickly snapped out of it and dropped my head with a thud.
After all, yesterday, even just from the chat, I could tell the President was furious.
"Everyone, come on in."
When we reached the meeting room, So-eun unnie, who had been waiting, greeted us with a wave.
We followed her inside with the heavy footsteps of elementary kids heading to the principal's office...
"Oh, you're here? Take a seat, everyone."
The President, sitting at the far end of the long table, welcomed us with an unexpected smile.
The atmosphere was so different from what I'd imagined that a flicker of confusion passed through me.
"You all know what this is about, right?"
"Yes."
"It was blowing up so much, it'd be harder not to know."
"Our streams were total chaos too."
The members spoke up on my behalf as the President rested her chin on her interlaced hands and asked.
It seemed that because of my stream yesterday, viewers had flooded the others', causing some fallout.
Hearing that made my guilt swell even more.
"Well... before I explain in detail, Da-jeong first."
"Y-yes...!"
I hadn't expected her to call on me so suddenly, so I straightened my back rigidly and responded with full military discipline.
The President then patted the empty chair beside her, her lips curving up.
"Come here."
"O-okay..."
This must be the start of the real scolding.
But since it was my mess, I couldn't run away just because I was scared.
I left the seat next to Ji-ah unnie and shuffled over to sit beside the President.
She said nothing for a long while.
Was she searching for the perfect opening line to chew me out?
Less than thirty seconds felt like an eternity.
Squeeze—
"Why are you so scared? Afraid the President might yell at you?"
"...Huh?"
Suddenly, the President wrapped her arm around my neck.
And pulled our bodies close together, speaking in a gentle tone.
In that moment, it felt like time had stopped.
W-what was this?
Was the President not angry?
"Y-you're... not mad?"
"Why? Would you prefer if I was?"
"N-no, not that, but... I lied..."
Just yesterday, the President had laid down the law.
If there was anything else being hidden, be prepared when it came out.
If I'd come clean even then, it wouldn't have blown up like this.
So I'd thought she'd be really furious this time.
"Well, we'll address the lying later... but I'm not really mad. You didn't do anything wrong, Da-jeong, and there's no rule saying Virtual YouTubers can't run clip channels, right?"
"T-that's true, but..."
Her words were spot on, but I couldn't accept them easily.
After all, from the President's perspective, I was a VTuber she'd invested company money into raising.
For that VTuber to secretly pour so much time and effort into something else behind her back wasn't good, no matter how you looked at it.
"Of course, there's that. You're under contract with our company right now, so getting too absorbed in side stuff to the point it affects your streams isn't something we'd view positively. You get that, right, Da-jeong?"
"Y-yes, of course."
It was as if she'd read my exact thoughts, and she voiced them perfectly.
I nodded vigorously, nearly snapping my neck, in full agreement.
"So I didn't call you here to scold you today. I wanted to discuss it with the members together."
"Discuss...?"
"Yeah. This isn't something just the two of us can settle."
With that, the President turned her gaze to the members, who had been quietly listening to our exchange.
"Since it's about Da-jeong's situation too, I'll say this upfront: I'm planning to allow monetization on Blue LUV-related videos going forward."
Just as I thought.
It was something I'd anticipated, since it had happened in my original world too.
By the time I started my Blue LUV clip channel, monetization was already allowed.
"Monetization?"
"Meaning clip channels can make money off our videos?"
Unlike me, who took it in stride, the members seemed a bit surprised.
But since they weren't saying much, they must have guessed her intentions.
There was only one reason to allow clip channel monetization anyway.
"Exactly. In this industry, the more clips get made by clippers, the better the marketing effect. So to encourage that, we'll allow monetization. Of course, with conditions."
"What about Da-jeong's channel then?"
"That's what I was about to get to."
As if it was my turn again, the President looked down at me.
"Da-jeong. Bottom line: do whatever you want with your clip channel."
"Huh? R-really?"
I blinked in disbelief at the unbelievable words.
I could keep running the channel?
I'd assumed she'd tell me to shut it down.
"With three conditions. Follow those, and the rest is up to you."
"Got it."
I nodded firmly toward the President, who held up three fingers.
No matter how tough, I'd fulfill them.
As long as I could keep uploading Blues' videos like now!
"First: don't let it interfere with your streams at all. I'll be watching for a while, and if I see even a hint of you overdoing it, I'll ban it immediately. Understand?"
"Yes...!"
In other words, stay within bounds.
That wasn't hard.
The Blues were the most precious to me, sure.
But now that I was a VTuber too, my viewers were precious as well.
I didn't want to betray them.
"Second: check with the members before making videos. Say a highlight from a fun day goes up on a clip channel first—it could steal views from the main channel."
"Ah, I think I get it."
It was common in the VTuber world.
For example, if a VTuber hit a legendary moment in a game.
They'd ask via stream not to clip it for a bit.
Once it went up on the main channel, then clip channels could use it.
Conversely, clips the VTuber didn't want spreading got banned too.
That was more common, actually.
From minor slip-ups on stream to major blunders.
Point was, she wanted me to follow the same rules as other clip channels.
Yeah, that was my plan anyway—no issue.
This made me confident I could handle the third condition, no matter how strict.
I was already grinning like an idiot, dreams swelling, when...
"And third: apply for monetization on the channel."
"...Pardon?"
The unexpected condition threw me off beat.
Thinking I hadn't heard right, the President placed a hand on my shoulder and repeated herself.
"Exactly what I said. If you're running a clip channel from now on, at least apply for monetization. It won't be big money, but it'll help. Your editing quality is top-notch, so more people will watch."
Then it hit me.
The reason the President was making this offer was out of worry for me.
She knew my situation wasn't great and wanted to help fill my pockets this way.
"Oh, that's great! Do it, Da-jeong, just like the President says!"
"Yeah, you're doing the editing yourself—no way you shouldn't get compensated."
"Does that make Da-jeong our Blue LUV ambassador from now on?"
"Ambassador... Pfft, I like that."
The members felt the same.
They could have seen this as unfair.
Like I was taking their slice of the pie.
Using them to line my own pockets.
Yet here they were, casually supporting me.
Receive the reward for your efforts.
Yes, that made me so happy.
But...
"...I don't want to."
Yeah, I didn't.
I didn't want any price for these feelings.
It was my one small conviction, held for five years—short or long.
"H-huh? Don't want to?"
"I'm sorry, President. But if that's the case, I'd rather quit the clip channel."
I bowed my head politely and refused.
The one looking at me in confusion wasn't the President—it was Yuna.
"Wait, Da-jeong, why?! Is it because of us? We're totally fine with it..."
"Right. Money isn't bad, so don't overthink it negatively— just do what the President says..."
Ji-ah unnie chimed in, but I just shook my head.
Then, looking around at the President and members, I clenched my fists on my lap and spoke.
"It's not that. Not about hating money or feeling guilty for earning off the members."
"......"
"I love our members so much. More than I could ever say."
Calmly, steadily.
For the first time in front of them, I laid bare my heart.
"Until recently, my phone had no contacts. No friends, no family. Then I met the members."
Feelings from five years ago as a mere fan.
And now, as a fan, friend, and Blue LUV colleague.
They blended into a strange emotional wave.
Something kept welling up in my throat, but I held it back.
This wasn't a sad story—it was a happy one.
I needed to show a smile.
"I learned how joyful it is to talk with someone, make friends, become colleagues. If the first light I ever saw in life was these people, that wouldn't be wrong."
Of course, to them, I might not be that significant.
Just one of countless people they'd talked to.
One of many friends around them.
Or one of many colleagues they'd worked with.
But to me, they weren't just one of the crowd.
"That's why I made these videos. To let more people know how much I love them."
I never once wanted compensation.
Expressing my love for them brought this much joy and happiness already.
"Of course, it's incredibly touching and grateful that everyone thinks of me. But I'm sorry."
I bowed deeply in apology.
Sorry that I couldn't return their kindness.
But this once, I hoped they'd respect my stubbornness.
That I wanted no price for loving them.
Paradoxically, hoping they'd recognize this sincerity—my foolish price.
"Just let me keep loving you like this."
With my final wish, I bowed again.
For some reason, my chest felt a little lighter.