Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Since I Became a Woman, I'm Doing VTuber
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The debut song release was truly right around the corner.
In the meantime, I'd done a few collabs, and we'd even held a debut showcase with actual reporters invited.
While going through the schedule, I'd made a few verbal slip-ups, but fortunately, they passed without any major controversy, and the broadcasts were steadily growing bigger.
However, one problem cropped up...
"Huh? You're quitting the vocal academy?"
"I'm not quitting exactly—I'm just thinking of pausing my enrollment for a bit."
"Why...?"
At the vocal teacher's shocked question about suddenly dropping lessons, I bowed my head as if ashamed.
"Because I'm short on money..."
"Oh..."
A few days ago, my parents here found out I'd dropped out of college.
Since they'd been covering the tuition and related expenses from the start, it was inevitable.
In fact, managing it for about a month could be considered holding out for a long time.
Naturally, they'd dropped out quietly, so my parents flew into a rage, told me to come home immediately, and cut off all support.
I'd already spent my savings on the avatar and streaming gear, and even covering phone bills and card payments with live stream earnings was tough—let alone vocal lesson fees.
Stream sponsorships deducted more fees than expected.
On top of that, now that I was with an agency, they took their cut too, so life was still pretty impoverished.
"Well... the lesson fees are a bit burdensome, aren't they?"
"Right...? Haha, but once I start earning more, I plan to re-enroll."
At my words about re-enrolling once income came in, the vocal teacher pondered for a moment before making a casual suggestion.
"Hmm... How about doing a part-time gig then?"
"Huh? What kind?"
"Oh, you can't tell the other students about this, okay?"
Having made the offer first, the vocal teacher hesitated a little.
"What is it? I won't say anything. I don't even know the names of the other students."
"Well... you only do private lessons... Alright, I'll tell you."
Why the suspense? My curiosity piqued, and I leaned in as the vocal teacher glanced around before continuing.
"My acquaintance's little bro is prepping a track and looking for a featuring vocalist. I'm saying this because your tone is so good, Suhyun—want to give it a shot? The pay will be good."
"Huh?"
I was stunned for a moment.
Featuring on a track? Isn't that something only singers do?
"She's a rookie, so she's scouting around. My tone doesn't match for it—she wants a clear, feminine vocal sound."
Well... I'd heard the vocal teacher sing a few times, and it was a husky voice.
"Worried? If you do it, I'll help out a lot from the side. I don't usually make offers like this, but it's such a shame you're stopping. Plus, it'd help my acquaintance too with vocals at your level."
The offer tempted me. It was a rare opportunity. I didn't know who the acquaintance was, but the vocal teacher I'd known so far wouldn't recommend just anyone.
However...
"Oh... It's a really good offer, but..."
"But...?"
"The thing is, I have an agency I'm signed with...? I'd need to check with them first."
I was officially under The Six.
Naturally, something like this required consulting the agency.
"Oh... I figured."
The vocal teacher nodded slightly at my mention of the agency, accepting it so matter-of-factly that I felt oddly flustered.
"You're not surprised...?"
"Nah, someone at your level would naturally have an agency. I just didn't mention it since you never brought it up... Which one? AG? SN? Or JYB?"
She rattled off the three major entertainment agencies so casually that now I was the one embarrassed.
"Huh? Oh, no—not an entertainment agency."
"Huh? Then what..."
"Well..."
I had no choice but to explain the whole story to the vocal teacher.
That I was doing VTuber stuff, passed the audition, and now even had a debut song coming out.
"Huh? You have a debut song? Can I hear it? But what's a VTuber? Something like YouTube?"
I'd given a brief explanation... but seeing she didn't even know what a VTuber was, I pondered how to explain before just showing her one of my videos.
Watching the song video from the fourth audition round, the teacher's mouth dropped open as she looked at me.
"This is the one you recorded back then... Oh! This is you, Suhyun?"
"Yes... that's right."
"Wow... The character's super cute. Like an animation? Dubbing?"
"No... um..."
Explaining to someone totally clueless about this world was making my face heat up, but VTubing was my job. I held back and explained step by step.
"Oh... so you use a cam but show the character instead of your face?"
"Yes, exactly."
"Ahaha... I see? Tech these days is amazing..."
"R-right? But a lot of people like it anyway."
"Yeah. Who wouldn't like you, Suhyun? Plus, this way your personal info stays safe."
"Yes, exactly."
"Then ask your agency, and if it's okay, let me know—I'll check with my acquaintance too."
"Got it."
"Good. Uh... your identity as Suhyun is a secret, right? I'll handle opinions online then."
"Yeah, that'd be great—thank you."
"Alright, my acquaintance's name... it's in English, so I'll write it here."
With that, the vocal teacher tore off a sheet from her notebook and wrote down the English name.
I read the neatly penned English.
"Slim Gold, right?"
"Yeah. Kinda tacky, huh? She's skinny with blonde hair, so that's what she goes by."
"Oh..."
Honestly, it was a bit tacky, so I nodded.
"The name's whatever, but she's super handsome. Want an intro?"
"Oh, no thanks. Anyway, I'll talk to the agency."
An intro? Don't say such terrifying things.
I shook my head at the vocal teacher and stood up.
"Then, I'll get going."
"Sure. Chat later and text me~"
Leaving the vocal academy like that, I immediately called the manager.
[Hello?]
"Manager."
[What's up?]
"I got an external offer."
[Pardon? What do you mean?]
"My vocal academy offered me a featuring spot."
[A featuring offer? Could you tell me more?]
"Well..."
I explained the whole backstory.
How I'd enrolled in the vocal academy right when auditions started, built rapport with the teacher.
How I'd trained under her for the fourth audition video, and when I said I was pausing due to money issues, she suggested this part-time featuring gig.
[Are you having living expenses troubles? Should I talk to the company about support funds?]
"Oh, it's not that."
[No, we were planning to recommend a vocal academy anyway, so we can cover the fees.]
"Really?"
Agency support felt iffy, but if it was for that...
[Yes. I'll check with the company. But what's the name of the artist for the featuring?]
"Oh... I don't know their stance yet, but I heard it's Slim Gold."
[Ah... Slim Gold... Sounds familiar. Hold on.]
Familiar? The vocal teacher said it was a rookie. And recommending a lesson student like me for featuring meant it couldn't be a big-name artist.
[Miro-nim? Is it really Slim Gold? Could you tell me the English spelling the teacher wrote?]
"Huh? I can read English fine... Hold on... s..."
I read the English exactly as the vocal teacher had given it, and a startled gasp came from the other end.
[Miro-nim!]
"Yes?"
[We have to make this happen!]
"Oh... Is he famous?"
I'd never heard of him. At my puzzled tone, the manager replied with a hint of excitement.
[No! He's a rookie without much name value yet, but compared to our group, he's leagues more famous!]
"Oh..."
Relative fame, huh...
[He's building buzz as a rookie, so hopping on now would be a great opportunity.]
"Got it. Should I tell the vocal teacher the agency's approved it?"
[Well, I need to report to upper management first...? But they'll likely okay it, so you can mention it ahead.]
"Really?"
If they back out later, it'd be super awkward.
[I think it's a near sure thing... Worst case, you can do it not as Heavenly Realm Project member Miro, but as Kim Suhyun.]
"Huh? I can do it under my real name separately?"
[Of course. We're contracted for VTuber Miro, right? As long as it doesn't interfere with Miro activities, you're free to take other work.]
"I see..."
News to me. Miro and Kim Suhyun were separate?
"Then I'll go ahead and tell her."
[Yes, thank you for bringing us something good. Please thank the vocal teacher too.]
"Oh yes, got it."
[Alright, good luck.]
"Yes, you too."
After hanging up with the manager, I immediately messaged the vocal teacher that it was okay.
And the next day.
"Huh?"
[Sorry... Upper management says no external schedules for now—focus on building internally first...]
"Huh??"
[I have no face to show...]
The external featuring gig I'd assumed would go through got nixed by upper management.
"Hello? Teacher, about that..."
[Suhyun! I like this girl! It's perfect!]
Regrettably, the featuring gig went through.
In the end...
"Um... the agency turned it down, so..."
[Eh?]
"Could... could I join under my real name instead of the VTuber name?"
Not as VTuber Miro.
But as the human Kim Suhyun, I ended up featuring on the track.