Chapter 7
[Thanks so much for tuning in today, everyone~ I probably won't stream again until the audition!]
[Please send lots of support my way~ Lubaruba~]
Ignoring the viewers spamming emoticons like they were heading out somewhere, I hit the stream end button and let out a deep sigh.
Ah... What do I do...
I'd planned to finalize the song that clearly came out on top, but the votes were split almost exactly half and half. Somehow, that left me even more conflicted than if I hadn't asked at all.
Still, the viewers had chimed in via donations and chat about what they liked in each one, so I fired up notepad and jotted it all down carefully.
To sell the idol vibe, go with number one. To just let people hear Luca's voice, number two. That was the general consensus.
Ughhh... I seriously have no idea...
I flung myself onto the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling with a dazed expression.
"Well... Getting this far is pretty impressive already."
Out of around 200 applicants, 180 had been cut after round two. Meaning just 20 survived—only 10%.
They'd announced half of those—down to 10—would drop in round three, and the final number of passers was still TBD.
I pulled out my phone and checked Instagram. Pics from Minji's birthday party the other day had been uploaded en masse.
Minji, face flushed red, blowing out the candles on her cake. Classmates clapping beside her, cheering her on.
"...Looks like it was fun."
Honestly, I did want to go. I got along well with Minji, and the other classmates I'd grabbed drinks with before were pretty friendly too.
But right now, I had to treat my body like a college entrance exam student on the big day—super careful, every step.
Part of me wondered if I really needed to go this far, but bombing the audition wouldn't just be my failure. I couldn't bear the thought of all the viewers who'd cheered me on feeling that sting too. So I was giving self-care my all.
The phone buzzed—whiiirrr—and when I opened Messenger, I was greeted by a delivery app coupon.
I knew damn well no one was gonna hit me up, but it still soured my mood anyway.
Sometimes, right after ending a stream, this hollow feeling would hit hard. Like I'd been in a rowdy crowd one second, then poof—stranded on a desert island with one button press.
I scrolled down the screen, and an unread message caught my eye.
...The team project chat with Taemin oppa.
Come to think of it, Taemin oppa had seemed kinda off when we met the other day.
I'd always known him as super quiet and tight-lipped, but he'd been asking me all sorts of questions.
Not natural chit-chat, though—it felt kinda forced, like he was trying too hard.
Is he doing that on purpose 'cause I confessed? Trying to keep the vibe from getting awkward...?
He doesn't have to go that far.
Every time he talked to me, it felt way more awkward and embarrassing than thoughtful.
Just pretend like nothing happened, please... oppa...
"Ah... Whatever, whatever..."
No matter how much I mulled it over alone, it wasn't something I could straight-up bring up.
Besides, the audition breathing down my neck mattered way more than the guy who'd turned me down.
"Gotta practice my song..."
And so another lonely night slipped by.
Large entertainment agency YM had declared its metaverse idol training program that summer.
Since they'd launched tons of famous idols before, everyone was dying to know what ripples this new venture would make.
The slogan for YM's project: CLOSER.
Fan-idol two-way interaction had ramped up compared to the old days, sure—but they were pushing for something even closer.
Surprisingly, they started recruiting not singer trainees or idol hopefuls, but VTubers already using virtual avatars.
Of course, the audition pool wasn't pure streamers only. Plenty of aspiring singers had rushed out and grabbed avatars last-minute, and the usual crowd-pulling aggro merchants showed up just like any audition show.
For rounds one and two, YM dropped some seriously bold judging criteria.
Round one was pitching your broadcast history and style—total newbies who panic-started streams got swept away like leaves in the wind.
The company was dead set on experienced fresh faces.
Luca's run wasn't super long, but she'd scored high in round one.
Post-round one, Luca's name spread even wider. Her personal stream viewers spiked, and existing fans were cheering her challenge for real.
About five hours left till round three. The communities were already buzzing about today's contestants.
As a diehard Pingtukdan with the top sub tier, I clicked without hesitation.
This asshole? I'd even donoed for song two.
My blood pressure shot up at the reply.
My hands started trembling. Damn, hadn't even started yet and this guy's got me raging.
Deep down, I knew it was pathetic—army vet at my age, hiding behind anon to scrap like this. But hell, he poked first. What was I supposed to do?
I could stomach trash-talk about myself, but insulting my pride as one true Luca fan? No way.
...You little shit!
I slammed my fist on the desk.
Haa... The vibe screamed "pro troll who's been at this forever."
What a clown. He baited with "influx," I bit, and now he's twisting it into "this is your life's peak."
Felt like a punch to the gut. Ugh, pissed.
Didn't even wanna engage anymore—I hit back.
Another Luca post below.
Wonder what this one's spewing—I clicked in.
This one's got taste. Luca's ultra-early days, back when she barely cracked 100 viewers. Totally different vibe from now.
She'd read every single chat, and it'd shake her up more often.
Someone types "was that a burp?"—she'd cling to it, explaining for 30 straight minutes. Grunting denials, viewers dying laughing, teasing nonstop.
Wonder if that clip's still up... Gotta rewatch.
Luca didn't run an official clip channel, so it was all fan-posted stuff online.
The pink-haired avatar shook her head side to side, all wronged.
A bratty, pouty voice leaked from the speakers.
Cute. Too cute. I was drowning in the cuteness, swept away.
Luca flunking idol training would be a global tragedy, I swear.
While nursing that thought, I binged every related video at the bottom and waited for the official audition stream.