The Savior Behind the Scenes
Iiro Karen's name echoed across the massive server with an overwhelming 1000-to-1 acceptance rate for Star Live's first generation. Even in a backup position, she had claimed her spot on her own merits.
"Karen. From now on, that's your name."
"I understand! Boss! Karen! I'll work my hardest!"
She sowed the seeds on the fertile field Ha-neul and Eos had cultivated, strengthening the soil of Star Live. As time eased up, she gradually widened the field together with everyone.
*… Karen-nim's singing is really amazing.* *In all the VTubers I've heard, she's almost the undisputed number one.*
"Hehe… Thank you, everyone!"
The song that had been her pride among the co-workers received recognition. The concert song from the large server had surged onto the YouTube algorithm, turning Star Live's channel into a massive success. She was overjoyed.
*Haha, where did you even find this kid lol* *You really pulled up all the first-generation members nicely.* *The competition rate was hundreds to one, and then it hit 1000:1? Yeah, no wonder.*
*Hehe…!*
She gained fans' acceptance in the community too, and Karen's popularity began to ripen.
*Karen isn't a guy, is she?*
"…What?"
The baseless rumor began. At first she ignored it, finding it absurd.
*You know, the one who was glued to only male streamers on the big server.* *They say the CEO's connections hooked up the male ones like crazy.* *I heard she had three or four male streamers on her lap.* *Total bitch lol lol lol lol*
"Ah, no…"
By the time she snapped out of it, the baseless rumors had spread like wildfire. Of course, it was only from some anonymous gallery where anonymity was guaranteed…
**EREDWAWE**
"Karen, why are you hiding behind all these rumors? You should come out and explain!"
…It turned out someone had mobilized the in-laws and posted the message in the official cafe. The staff immediately deleted the post, but from that point onward, strange stories began circulating even in the official fandom.
*“Anonymous viewer” donated 1,000 won.* *"You say you're dating other male streamers, and now you want to suck up client money?"*
*“Anonymous viewer” donated 1,000 won.* *"What kind of idiots are these people who look at a bitch like that? lol"*
The backlash was slowly rising even in the broadcast.
"Here come those weirdos again…"
- Real losers. - Where did you hear that weird story and come crying about it… - Let's just make a clean explanation. - How do you explain it? No way lol lol - Real lol how do you explain a lie lol lol "What demon's proof is this…"
On the surface she stayed calm and dismissed the comments. But every time she read the replies, her heart felt as if it would tear apart. The baseless misunderstandings spreading among the viewers made her cry inside.
*Hey! Is that real?* *"Real dating? That streamer?"*
"…?"
Every time her close friends who knew her job asked if it was true, she wanted to complain about the injustice.
*Karen really is a guy?* *Even in this situation, no explanation at all lol* *She always knew how to flirt well, and it was all because of the boyfriends.*
"No… everything… I learned it from Boss before debut…"
Even if she muttered alone in the room, no one would understand. She thought it was just some anti's antics and endured it—until…
"…Boss, I have a request."
"What?"
Finally steeling herself, she plucked up the courage.
"Everything… please sue them."
"…I see."
Receiving the evidence she had collected, the Boss immediately took action. She didn't need to worry about money and went to the best law firm in the country to get a consultation on the defamation suit. The result—
"…It's a shame, but it seems difficult to pursue."
"…Huh?"
Surprisingly, the top domestic law firm betrayed her expectations. The reason was simple.
"VTuber… the profession is probably defamation against a character, so without proving the character is the person, it's hard to pursue defamation charges."
"B-but there have been cases where VTubers were prosecuted for defamation…"
"That's a case where the members' real bodies… or, in their terms, the red pills… were revealed, making it clear who they were."
"…?"
"Karen-nim, you've kept the red pills hidden perfectly while streaming, so…"
"Y-yes…"
Prosecuting anyone for defamation as a VTuber was practically impossible. So it was hard to punish the haters targeting her either. Star Live could sue for product defamation, but the chances of conviction were very low. Still, she would try her best.
After receiving that answer, she continued the broadcast in a hollow state. In a dark room without lights on, she held onto her sanity about to snap.
*VTuber defamation? Fuck it lol* *"Go ahead then you losers lol if you get pissed I'll expose your red pills lol lol lol"* *Karen's tension is really messed up lol* *"Who told you to act like that? You bitch lol sticking to male streamers and sucking up fans lol I'll harass you until you graduate lol"*
"…Sob."
She was furious. So, so furious. She had to endure open insults without being able to do anything. The reality that asking the Boss for help didn't change anything. She thought she would endure by just enduring herself, and tried to keep streaming—until…
*At this point, aren't all the first-generation members basically liars?* *Apparently Rina reincarnated nine times or something.* *To succeed she might have been giving head to male streamers with pillow sales lol* *The CEO herself is a girl like that from the start, what else can you do.* *Everyone in the group is total sluts lol lol*
"Sorry… I'm sorry… everyone…"
As the indiscriminate attacks spread to the surroundings, she finally steeled herself and went back to the Boss again.
"…I'm resigning."
A single sentence that discarded everything she had built and everything she had ever cherished.
"…I'm sorry, Karen."
"Ah, no… sob…!"
At the moment the Boss apologized, the emotions and tears she had hidden in her chest came spilling out—
"Eh? Karen is resigning?"
A new employee passed by near the Boss's office. She had overheard the conversation and asked Karen.
"It's a shame… I really liked Karen-nim's singing…"
"…?"
Since there was no time to answer, she quietly buried her face in the Boss's arms and wiped her tears.
"Then why are you resigning? Did something happen with our company?"
"No, it's not that…"
"Did the Boss hit you? I told you to go easy on the employees…"
"Yo… it's not the time…"
Instead of letting her cry without words, the Boss explained the whole story to Yeon-woo.
Yeon-woo's reaction after hearing everything—
"?" "You're resigning over something like that?"
She asked with an expression that said she couldn't understand.
"Over something like that! Me! How much did that…!"
Slam! Unable to hold back her rage, she grabbed Yeon-woo's collar.
But Yeon-woo just smiled calmly, scratched the back of his head, and bowed his head apologetically.
"If it's that, can you just give me a few days off? I'll look into it and come back."
"…What?"
After learning the top law firm couldn't do anything, Yeon-woo said she'd look into it… She was about to refuse, unwilling to be disappointed again—
"…Just believe me once, Yeon-woo."
"…"
At the gentle proposal from the Boss who had picked her—
"…Three days is enough?"
"Sigh… Three days is plenty."
"…I'll do it."
She declared three days off and gave Yeon-woo that time.
And the next morning.
[Is it defamation if I just sue?]
"…What?"
Unable to sleep alone, Yeon-woo called her from the Boss's house.
[Ah, but I don't think I can do compensation or an apology to Karen-nim.]
"Ah, no, what…?"
[Just wiping it out so it doesn't appear on Karen-nim's radar is possible, but if you want it as compensation, I'll do it again…]
"No! Just wipe it! As fast as possible!"
[Understood. I'll talk with the Boss for a bit.]
After their conversation, some time passed.
"…It's gone."
The haters had really disappeared. Not only on the broadcast and official cafe, but even in the malicious gallery she had started seeing every day, the haters had vanished as if they had evaporated.
"…How…?"
She asked the person involved how he had managed a defamation suit against a VTuber that even the big law firm couldn't handle.
The person laughed as if asking what the problem was and answered.
"Of course VTuber defamation is hard."
"T-then…?"
"Then it's easy. Sue a human instead of a VTuber."
"…Huh?"
The VTuber, Iiro Karen, was not in a position to sue anyone. Because she was a virtual character behind an anonymous banner, anonymity considered.
But…
"Most of the male streamers Karen-nim was dating with mentioned their faces, right?"
"…Ah?"
"So I asked the Boss and had him sue through that channel. It would be false facts or defamation for them too."
"W-with that, it's over?"
All those countless criticisms… over with just that?
"These kinds of people all organize public opinion through private chats and stuff among themselves. Kill a few heads and it's over."
"…?"
"Shouldn't I ask how I knew? I was reluctant to answer because it was a bit difficult…"
Exactly as he said.
The police investigation confirmed that most of the haters targeting her had been operating systematically through chats or secret messengers. It was revealed that many of them were women in their 40s and 50s who had moved over from the idol scene where they had done similar things. A significant number of them were even married.
"P-please… just show some mercy this once…!"
"…"
From behind her hiding place.
One of the haters who had knelt before the Boss came with a request for mercy because she had a husband and child. She had done similar things before, and this time she would go to prison without a doubt if sued. She begged with tears for just one chance, to withdraw the suit.
Quietly listening to the apology from behind, she coldly tapped her smartphone.
[Me: No mercy.] [Me: Send everything.]
"…I see."
That ended the baseless accusations against her and the first generation. Later, with the Boss and Yeon-woo's proper planning, several contents were opened to remove and bury the rumors.
*Karen seems really happy lately lol* *Her singing voice cracking like that lol*
"Hehe…"
At a time when she would have been too embarrassed to even lift her face, she was laughing at her own singing crack clips.
Tap… tap…
Yeon-woo passed by the company hallway with something to do. Her hand unconsciously grabbed his wrist.
"W-wait a sec…!"
"Eh? What's wrong, Karen-nim?"
Seeing Yeon-woo's face smiling peacefully today too, her own face heated up. Her thoughts wouldn't settle. After somehow organizing the rising heat in her head, she said,
"T-that is…"
Feeling sorry for grabbing Yeon-woo's collar in the past, she organized her feelings and spoke with effort.
"…I was really grateful for what happened this time."
"Ah… what? You're a company employee, of course you'd help."
"T-then…"
"?"
Yeon-woo tilted her head at her.
Karen knew it was a strange thought even to herself, but she made one proposal.
"Y-you can have anything, Yeon-woo. Anything you want, I'll listen to just one thing."
"Eh?"
"Y-yes! Anything! Tell me one thing, Yeon-woo."
Whether it was dating or whatever. She could listen to anything.
"…"
"…"
She swallowed the rest and stared at her with intense eyes asking for an answer.
"Ah, it's fine."
Tap! The man who had patted her shoulder said that.
"As I said before, I like Karen-nim's singing."
"…"
"Play a lot of the songs you like."
"Eh…"
She had asked for everything. Flash—!
"Ah, I understand… Yeon-woo…"
It was the moment a man first took root in her life, where she had always thought she would never connect with a man.
"…"
"…"
She didn't understand her current situation at all.
Separately from the Boss, strange behavior suddenly appeared from Aomiya Rina. Following the girl upstairs to the third floor, Yeon-woo saw Rina freely opening the door with the security key she had received from the Boss.
"Rina you…!"
"Aaah?!"
Immediately diving into the room like she was tackling her. It was possible because Rina was unusually tall compared to the other members.
After forcing the first sight of the third floor into her eyes.
*Haaah… I need to drink some water for a second.*
Yeon-woo's voice happened to be heard as she got up from her seat after putting the queue down.
"…"
Quickly rolling her eyes and rushing into the hallway inside the living room.
"Ah, no! Yeon-woo!"
Together with Rina's urgent shout from behind.
Swoosh—!
The door opened gently, and a girl walked out from inside.
"…"
"…"
The thing in her hand was the smartphone she had often watched him use. And the face was clearly…
"Yeon-woo…?"
…It was exactly like the virtual character Yeon-woo had used, who she had been watching on screen.
"…Du?"