Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Mile's Cover Song Premiere
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The release of the other members' long-prepared cover songs was right around the corner.
For some reason, everyone had been prepping around the same time, so the polish level was similar across the board. Taking advantage of that, they'd decided to drop them relay-style—one per day, sequentially.
Sure, releasing them one after another like this would invite comparisons somewhere down the line, but the members, fired up by the news of Heavenly Realm Project 2nd Gen auditions, seemed willing to roll the dice on that risk.
Plus, they weren't just doing one or two covers forever—coordinating schedules every few days to wait on each other would've been a nightmare.
Dropping them all on the same day felt off, but spacing them out by one day each? That worked fine.
As for me... I still had zero plans to release a cover, so I was watching from afar like it was someone else's problem.
More than that, these days I was swamped drawing album art.
Knowing one or two quick sketches wouldn't cut it, I was cranking out drafts and firing them off as they came.
The deadline wasn't super tight, but once full-on Heavenly Realm Project song production kicked off, I'd be slammed, so better to get ahead.
Mornings: album art.
Afternoons: vocal lessons.
Evenings...
[Same old, same old.]
Yup—time to go live.
-Please stop with the guitar... Please stop... Please stop... Please stop...
-Today too? Why...? Today too? Why...? Today too? Why...? Today too? Why...?
-I'm sorry, Miro...! I'm sorry, Miro...! I'm sorry, Miro...!
-We'll be good Mirodan... We'll be good Mirodan... We'll be good...
The chat exploded the second I started streaming.
Hey, chat made it sound like I strummed guitar all day, but nah.
Honestly, practicing guitar nonstop for hours is brutal, so I do 30 minutes to an hour, then switch things up. Viewers knew that—they were just spamming for the lols.
If I actually only did guitar, there'd be a riot by now.
"Truth is, no guitar today. Just titled it that."
-??
-Then what?
-Brought my guitar tho;;
"Today's Mile unnie's cover drop, right? Gotta do a watch party."
-You're not dropping??
-Translation: Sucking honey from other members' content.
-Relay thing, yeah?
"Yup, relay. Day one today. Five straight days of drops—aren't you hyped?"
-Why five days?
-Info: Heavenly Realm Project has 6 members.
-Relay but one's missing??
-Why only 5 for Heavenly Realm Project?
"Me? I'm basically the first Heavenly Realm Project cover uploader?"
I pulled up my cover video from The Six's official NerTube channel.
"Whoa, why's the view count this high?"
Hadn't checked in a while, but it was in the hundreds of thousands.
Started off scraping a few tens of thousands over weeks, but seeing this growth hit home.
-Kya lol big hit Miro
-Only that one song tho;
-Heavenly Realm and that's it for songs.
-That's fair lol
[Artisan Miro, 10,000 won donation—thank you!]
So we're calling it even?
"Thanks for the 10k! Even? Why talk like that between us?"
-What 'us'?
-Only 'us' when it suits you.
"'What are we?' Hmm..."
What even was my relationship with the Mirodan... Thought for a sec, then it hit me.
"Business partners?"
-Disappointing fr;
-Dropping oshi.
-This is rough;
"Not friends or lovers, right? We keep our commitments and build the Miro stream together."
-Said that before?
-Business partners but what do we get?
"What do you get? You watch 'cause you like the stream. Think of this as a zoo—I'm the animal. Watch, vibe, heal, done."
-Kya lol
-Is this a healing stream?
-Animal Miro ㄷㄷ
"Yup, healing stream. You won't feel bad watching mine, right?"
If you get stressed from my stream, that's on you.
-Hmm... fair.
-If I feel bad, can I sue?
"No one's saying otherwise? Anyway, cover drop's soon—let's wait."
I popped open NerTube's main page to head to Mile's channel, no biggie.
-lollllll
-Wtf are those recs? lololol
-Otaku gay...
-Worse than me.
NerTube's algorithm dumped my recommendations straight to stream.
Mostly clips from mainstream VTubers, anime summaries, guitar tutorials, J-pop vids topping the list.
Unintentional exposure, but nothing embarrassing, so I owned it.
"All helpful for streaming, right?"
If even one isn't stream-relevant, stone me.
-Listening to songs but you don't sing.
-Watching summaries tho;; Gonna claim you read the manga from those?
"Summary vids are reruns I've seen. No misunderstanding."
The ones I watch are what pre-womanization Kim Suhyun binged.
Wanna watch, but full versions are spoiled by her memories, so summaries keep it snappy.
-But fr it's bad lol
-Real otaku;
-J-pop only?
"I listen to K-pop too. Anyway, cover's dropping soon—let's go."
9 PM drop, but chit-chat ate time—8:50 now.
Searched Mile—channel popped right up.
80k subs.
For a channel half a year old, Mile's growth was nuts. Chat stirred as I entered.
-???
-lollllll
-Why not subbed?
-Premium's paid, so it's her account.
-This girl's lololol
-Fr controversy.
"Ah."
Come to think—had I subbed the members?
Honestly, never sought their vids on NerTube, so it slipped.
Not subbing your own team? Rumor mill fodder—stamp it out fast.
This was easy to defuse.
"Hang on, folks. Clearing this up now."
Dived back to search, typed "Miro."
Late 90ks—nearing 100k.
Company-run channel, separate from my personal.
-???
-Wtf?
-lol wtf
-Fair play.
-This girl...
Showed my own channel unsubbed, killed the controversy dead.
'Cause...
"See? I just wasn't paying attention. Subbing everyone now."
Hadn't subbed my own, let alone theirs.
Who doesn't sub their own channel? Fair to skip others too?
Hunted down each member's channel, subbed on stream—boom, controversy gone. Back to Mile's.
Counted down to premiere—ding! Donation alert.
[Anonymous, 1,000 won donation—thank you!]
Miro, why search 'Demon Slayer Katana Highlights'? Didn't you say it wasn't a masterpiece...
"...Thanks for the 1k."
-lollllll Dug search history already?
-Fr fast af, missed it.
-Gonna rewind VOD ㅇㅇ
Searched members multiple times—thought I was quick, but they snooped history.
No NerTube violations tho...
[Stationery Thief Miro, 5,000 won donation—thank you!]
Miro, why 'Martial Arts Tournament Highlights'? Not a masterpiece, right...
[Anonymous, 1,000 won donation—thank you!]
Miro, why 'Gotta Be Me Guitar'? Your skill's nowhere near...
"Alright, dropping any sec. What song? No clue here."
-Miro why change subject? Search history embarrassing...?
-Early 20s girl searches like that? I can't even...
-Young and MZ vibes.
-Ignoring donations??
[Anonymous, 1,000 won donation—thank you!]
Miro, why ignore donation msgs? Embarrassed...?
"Ahem... Grabbing some water."
-What water lol
-Just drank.
-Translation: Dodging these filthy fucks.
"No shame in my NerTube history—know that."
Pretended to rise for water, snagged snacks from fridge too.
"Miro's back."
-Miro why hide shame? Embarrassed...?
-Monkey leaving enclosure ok?
"Who's the monkey? Me?"
-Then what?
-You said you're zoo animal.
"Psh, I'm a lion—roams free, crowds gather just watching."
-Bull lol
-Monkey.
-So no tricks?
"Seen lions do tricks at the zoo? Want that, hit the circus."
-Why not make your stream a circus?
-Ok dropping oshi, heading to circus.
"Enough—it's starting. Focus."
Banter flew, time zipped—then Mile's cover premiered.
Dong-dong-dong-dong!
Kicks off with pounding drums against black backdrop.
Tak-
Spotlight hits center with drums.
That sliver reveals a dark tent interior.
Intro alone screamed high production—had me shocked.
Thought it'd be static illust + vocals?
No wonder she prepped so hard...
Mid-wow, drums roll on—a girl drops from the tent top.
Blonde, heavy makeup, pierrot hat—grabs cheek corners, grins wide, cues the song.
[Za! Su- Mile!]
Tak!
Lights blaze—tent interior revealed.
Props, animals, aerial wires, gear everywhere: full circus.
...Circus?
Words from right before premiere echoed—spine chilled.
But Mile in the MV? Bouncing, belting joyfully.
No clue how, but quality was next-level—enough to worry the follow-ups.
Stellar illusts, perfect song pick like an original, polished vocals shining.
Four minutes of eye-candy later, it ended with exaggerated bows.
I threw hands up, protesting innocence.
"I seriously had no idea."
Accidentally spoiled it...
...But fr, I didn't.