After the Search Volume Showdown – Back in the Private Room

158. I'd just wrapped up the search volume competition stream and returned to the private room. Out of respect for Adella's privacy, I knocked on the door two or three times. Then Adella came rushing over, her face scrunched up in maximum frown mode, and hoisted me right up into the air.

"What are you doing? My armpits are ticklish—put me down?"

"Hey! NoName unnie! Why'd it take you so long!"

"Hey?"

"Let's go to the amusement park together!"

"Amusement park? Now? At this hour?"

"Yeah!"

Adella gently set me back down on the floor and fired up the beam projector. She donned some mystery glasses from who-knows-where, grabbed a slender pointer stick, and launched into a grand presentation.

"Go ahead. I'm not stopping you."

"Nooo! At least hear me out to the end!"

"Fine."

She'd slapped together some rainbow background with a Bonobono template PPT that would've made anyone flee in terror. So I'd given quick permission to get it over with. Anyway, I quietly watched her passionate explanation and reached a conclusion.

"So, basically, you wanna go watch the fireworks tonight, right?"

"It's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a special show that only happens once a year. They sync the real-world one directly into this world? Don't you wanna see it?"

"What's the difference between syncing it and just making it in VR?"

"No real difference, but... ugh, unnie, you have zero romance! Zero!"

Adella took off the glasses again and set them on the desk. On second look, they were just frames—no lenses.

"So you'll go, right?"

"Huh?"

"You weren't planning to bail after hearing me out this far?"

"Got it. National firewalls blocking you from other countries' servers, huh?"

That explained why this kid, who usually played fine solo, was clinging to me today of all days.

"Tch! That's why quick-witted brats are...!"

"That's how you ask for a favor?"

"Please, I beg you, onee-sama! I really wanna go to Japan!"

I had Cheon Professor—a nationally certified powerhouse—as family backup, so hopping onto the Japanese server was no protocol issue for me. But to bring Adella, I'd need at least two guardians. Anyone else with Japan server access besides me?

I scrolled through my short friends list. Never ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heard Sia unnie play on other servers. Same for the other clanmates. Then Kariri suddenly switched from offline to online. Suspiciously high Japanese viewer count—this might work.

* * *

Yun Seol was floored when she heard they were heading straight to the Japanese server.

"Time's fine, but... w-wait, if it's like that, lemme quick-change my avatar and—"

"No way! World pop's at 50k cap any second now. Gotta hurry!"

Adella kept prodding. But Yun Seol was in full panic mode. Her current body wasn't Kariri's. Short, skinny, zero standout charm.

"What's wrong with it?"

NoName shot back like it was obvious.

"Not streaming or anything—just going for fun? Doesn't long-term avatar use get uncomfortable?"

VR avatars weren't magic fixes. The human brain always craved homeostasis. VR worlds let users craft any avatar they wanted, but prolonged sessions caused body dissonance that inevitably affected the user.

NoName zeroed in on that, tugging Yun Seol's sleeve.

"If we don't take Adella today, she'll grumble all day. Plus, unnie's idol-pretty anyway."

"Hurry! 49,500 now!"

Adella was jumping around, then straight-up dragged them both into VR Space.

"Eek, why's the line this long?!"

As Adella lamented, even in VR World, the entry queue snaked endlessly. Other servers dropped you right in the middle. Not here.

Curious why a VR world used manual ID checks by guards instead of digital? Simple answer: It's Japan.

NoName figured slipping into the 50k cap was lucky. Otherwise, she'd have endured Adella's hours-long rant about breaking her promise from the Korea University outing.

Yun Seol, meanwhile, couldn't hide her nerves, gnawing her thumbnail ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nonstop. The grinding sound reached Adella's ears, making her snap.

"Ugh, what's your deal since earlier?! So anxious about what?!"

"Uh... well..."

"What's wrong, unnie? You sick?"

NoName eyed Yun Seol's totally off-behavior. Looked like a whole different person.

"They might recognize me... not with this face..."

Her gaze jittered anxiously. Adella and NoName exchanged glances, tilting heads in confusion.

"Chena unnie... they all think I killed her..."

"Chena?"

Adella had no clue, but NoName recalled hearing it. Korean idol who ended her life via depression last year. Racking her brain, she remembered: Kariri's wiki page.

"Nobody here's gonna know you."

"No, they will for sure..."

Global news on Chena's death always plastered Yun Seol's photo front and center. That pre-capsule clip she and Chena aired was still illegally circulating.

Worst, crowds everywhere. No Kariri body shielding her—Yun Seol felt the air choking her.

What if recognized? Not just Japanese—folks from worldwide. Billions knew Chena; half here had glimpsed her face on news. A fan? How to face them?

Yun Seol found no answer. Adella's snippy voice snapped her out.

"Hey, look."

Adella yanked the crouching Yun Seol upright.

"Your name's Seol Yunseul?"

Blue window before Adella. She'd typed 'Adella' and 'Seol Yunseul' into search.

"Ah..."

"Your self-consciousness is kinda overkill?"

Adella swiped the interface to her. Yun Seol stared blankly.

"80 million? 83 million? They searched me 83 million times? Vs. your measly 20k?"

Adella wagged her tail smugly.

"Whatever you believe, nobody here's knows you. Think you're a star or something."

"Ah..."

Her words hit Yun Seol like a hammer to the head.

"Meanwhile, I'm the star, hehe."

Adella lightly tapped her nose.

"Bragging mid-hype?"

"Just agree already—it's not like it'll kill you!"

"Apologize to Kariri unnie quick."

"Tch, calls this shrimp unnie nonstop, but makes me call ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her unnie? World's so unfair!"

As NoName and Adella bickered, passersby approached.

"Um... excuse me..."

"Yeah?"

"Real Adella? Whoa, it is! Amazing!"

"Hehe. Signature hoshii?"

"For real? Awesome! Gotta buy Lotto Seven today!"

"Me too, Adella-nim!"

Two guys with white headbands started it—suddenly crowds swarmed the trio.

"It's real? WoA NPC spawn!"

"So lifelike?"

"Adella-chan's too cute! One signature pls!"

"Hey, line up straight!"

The queue split instantly. One for Desireland entry. The other: endless line for Adella signatures.

"Hehe, see? This is how I roll. NoName unnie should get it... Hey, once inside, no more signatures—so cut your own line!"

Adella scribbled nonstop, beaming with pride. The comedic chaos left Yun Seol dazed.

"Our Adella's a bit wild, huh?"

NoName squeezed her hand reassuringly. Tiny, but comforting.

"Dunno Kariri unnie's full past experience. Even if I did, couldn't fully empathize."

Humans are basically indifferent to others. Yuna's case proved it easy. Academy elementary kids were mostly rich—early education trumped talent. Yet nobody knew Yuna was on welfare. A bit more attention might've prevented her derailment.

NoName had learned this the hard way over 7 years. Could she blame folks saying "7 years, 50k hours LoL—you'd know"? She didn't even know top World of Arceria or Legacy of Legend players herself.

"People ignore others surprisingly, but you've got folks who get you. That's enough, right? You didn't do wrong."

NoName had Cheon Se-min; Kariri had brother Set Taeyang.

"Even big celebs say streets full of non-recognizers. Don't sweat stares."

NoName skimmed Kariri's controversies—no major faults. If anything, public piling on incidents stigmatized her more.

"Fireworks time? Adella, still far?"

"Wait, unnie! Hey, you! Sign here per promise! 'Adella is not AI.' Can't just grab and go, you sideburns!"

"Ditch 'em."

"Ah... snff... okay...!"

"You guys better! Heyyy!"