Something Feels Off About Having Two Wives (1)

Unimori. In English, it would be Unimori. At first glance, it sounds like a name borrowed from some island nation down south. Surprisingly, though, its origin was nothing more than the English words "universe" and "memory" smashed together. According to our esteemed president, "Our VTuber group will be remembered across the universe!"—a name apparently decided after one too many drinks. She probably never imagined back then that, within just a few years, Unimori would rise to become Korea's top VTuber agency.

"Not long ago, Mari hit two million followers. It's not just a domestic one-trick pony anymore; this is a globally recognized agency."

Of course, in this world the Korean Empire stretches all the way to Manchuria, a powerhouse with over a hundred million citizens. Unlike my previous life, where Seoul was mockingly called its own republic, the domestic market here was nothing to scoff at. Even so, two million followers wasn't something you could build on Korean fans alone. The overseas audience was real—my own streams occasionally featured foreign usernames and chat messages. The agency was already huge. Was there really room to grow even further? Honestly, thinking about the future made me a little nervous.

"No matter how many times I think about it, I still can't believe I got into Unimori. Maybe it was the biggest stroke of luck in my entire life…"

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that our agency is far more popular than anyone could have imagined. So here's a question: does that popularity automatically mean good things? For the agency making money, sure. But from a viewer's perspective… the answer was no.

"Aaaaaah! I clicked the button the second it appeared! Why is it failinggggg!"

Popularity meant competition. The downside showed itself most clearly during limited-seat concert ticket sales. With Unimori's first group concert coming up in May, the online ticketing war had begun. I had everything ready, mouse poised, and still suffered a crushing defeat. Sandwiched between five thousand people ahead and five thousand behind in the queue, I somehow made it inside after ten minutes—only to be greeted by the cruel message that every seat was sold out.

"Unimori's just too popular!"

This was an unbearable reality. In despair, I collapsed face-first onto the dining table. Mom, who had been sharing the table with me, offered gentle consolation. In her hands was a tastefully bound hardcover book.

"It's all right, Seolhwa. When something's that popular, there's nothing you can do."

"Sorry, Mom… I really wanted to get tickets for you and Dad…"

As a member of Unimori, I was technically an insider. So why had I gone through the hassle of ticketing at all? It wasn't for me—it was for my parents. When I'd casually mentioned the concert at the agency, Mom, who wasn't great with computers, had asked if there was any way to get tickets. She wanted to get used to the atmosphere before the next concert, since I'd be on stage myself. I'd been genuinely touched.

"Part of me wants to just ask the president for two tickets, but I'm not a direct staff member, so I can't invite family… And buying scalped tickets is out of the question."

An agency employee buying scalped tickets? If I was going to stoop that low, I'd rather beg the president directly. Besides, I didn't like the scalping culture to begin with. What even was "reselling"? Die, just die already.

…Haah. I couldn't keep refreshing the cancellation page forever. It looked like I'd have to give up this time. I heard they'd release a concert VOD eventually, so I'd just have to buy that later and show it to them.

"I never thought ten thousand seats would sell out in a single second… Mom, our agency must be more popular than I thought."

"It seems so. My daughter really joined an incredible place, huh?"

"Incredible is right. When I go on stage later, if I spot you in the crowd, I'll send you a signal like this. V-sign, V-sign."

"Oho ho, I'll be looking forward to it~"

She'd turned thirty-nine this year, yet Mom still looked like a woman in her mid-twenties. That innocent, harmless eye-smile had probably tormented countless male fans over the years. Suddenly, I pictured Dad—the muscle-bound man who'd bulked up just to protect her. If she smiled at everyone like that, of course he'd worry.

If I smiled thoughtlessly and some guy fell for me… I wasn't soft like Mom. It would probably be exhausting, both mentally and physically. Yeah. It was a relief that I'd inherited Dad's sharp eyes instead. It would've been nice if I were a bit more like Hayeon—slender yet sturdy. Unfortunately, I'd taken after Mom in build: a frail frame with an unnecessarily large chest.

"A guy? I can't even beat another girl…"

Looking down, I saw pale, flawless hands—porcelain-white, without a single scar or blemish. I didn't care for nail polish, so my nails were simply trimmed short, their natural pink hue standing out. Staring blankly at those carefully maintained hands, a memory suddenly surfaced: the vivid red marks that had once been left on them.

"It's Snow's fault…"

Fingers forced between mine, pushed in so hard the bones ached, as if claiming ownership. Ignoring how damp with sweat everything became, squeezing tighter and tighter. Yet the other hand had been so gentle—treating my skin like fragile porcelain, brushing it softly, softly. The temperature contrast, swinging between hot and cold, had scrambled my thoughts. And then that face drawing closer, close enough for me to feel the breath, those eyes glistening with desire, those lips softer than pudding—far too addictive…

"Uwaaaah!"

Snapping back to reality, I clutched my head and let out a shrill scream. What on earth was I thinking, with Mom sitting right next to me?!

"S-Seolhwa?"

"Huh? Oh, no… I-I'm going to my room!"

"…All right…?"

I hastily brushed off Mom's puzzled look and fled to my room, heart pounding. Leaning against the closed door, I gasped for breath before diving straight ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠onto my bed. My skin felt too hot to stand.

"Lee Se-rin…!"

Because of that pervert, my head was completely messed up…!

Face buried in the soft mattress, I let out a miserable groan. Maybe it was thanks ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to my past-life memories, but I roughly understood what this feeling was. I couldn't tell anyone, but… this was clearly one of humanity's three great desires—lust. Yet it was an emotion I'd almost never experienced in this life.

"I don't care about guys or girls… That girl just forced herself on me and did all that…"

The cause was obvious no matter how I looked at it. What had happened inside that cramped, soundproof booth had been far too stimulating. Even days later, the memory lingered like a stain, still coloring my thoughts. I'd always thought my desires in that area were relatively faint. But when someone forcibly pulls you in, kisses you like that, licks you—how could you not notice?! And it wasn't just anyone. It was Lee Se-rin. That usually regal, confident face had completely melted, clinging to me with feverish heat while confessing her feelings. How could anyone stay unaffected by that…?!

"…Could it be that I actually want to date Se-rin right now?"

After ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thrashing around on the bed for a while, I stared up at the ceiling. Quietly picturing Se-rin's face, I tried to sort out exactly what I was feeling. But the more I thought about it, the more ambiguous it became. It wasn't love, probably. I'd never dated anyone, but if it were romance, I'd expect to cherish the other person more deeply—maybe even think about marriage and spending a lifetime together. This wasn't that. What I felt now was closer to the flutter you get when a famous idol pushes their affection on you. A pretty face and an attractive body forcing their way in, making you react whether you want to or not.

Wait, so what I was feeling was, no matter how you looked at it, just…

"…Physical desire."

Even while thinking of Se-rin as nothing more than a close agency colleague, I didn't feel any real rejection. That naturally led to this conclusion. Wait, so it wasn't just Se-rin who was a pervert—I was the same? A groan escaped me at the unbearable realization.

"It's not like I can talk to anyone about it."

The fact that I couldn't seek a second opinion made it even more frustrating. "My same-sex friend says she likes me and tried to kiss me, and I don't know what to do. Also, she's an imperial princess, really beautiful, and I didn't exactly hate it…" Yeah. Even to me, that sounded like an impossible situation. Then just date her? No, the whole reason I'm like this is because I don't want to date.

"Ughhh… Ah, I don't know! It'll work itself out somehow!"

Human relationships were just too difficult. Besides, it wasn't like I hadn't expressed myself. I'd already pushed her away and told her dating was impossible. I was doing my best. And I couldn't exactly order her not to like me. People weren't machines—you couldn't just switch emotions on and off.

After roughly organizing my thoughts, I decided to take it lightly. After all, during yuri business, lips might accidentally touch now and then. Last time I couldn't say anything because of what I'd done, but from now on I'd firmly reject anything beyond friendship. And if this was Se-rin's first time liking someone, maybe she'd get tired of it soon anyway.

"That aside… school's already starting again."

Deciding not to think about Se-rin any further, I opened my calendar with a heavy heart, as if lifting the lid on a box I shouldn't open. Today was the last Friday of February. After the weekend… a new semester would begin. In other words, I'd have to return to school as a second-year.

I hadn't even started school yet, and I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was already wishing summer break would come. "What did I even do this break…? Hmm, when I think about it, I actually did a lot."

My VTuber debut had been on January 10th, right when winter break started. Looking back from there, there really had been a lot of ups and downs. Problems right from the debut stream, starting yuri business with Se-rin, going on a date, doing a New Year's special broadcast, then that reality collab… Maybe not many people had spent their break as eventfully as I had. If I'd known, I would've gone on an overseas trip or something. Now there was no time for that.

Whoa, hold on. Did that mean starting next week I'd have to stream while going to school? Could my pathetic stamina even handle it? I might seriously need to start exercising.

"Maybe I should talk to the president…"

The only reliable adults in the VTuber world around me were the president and my manager. Unfortunately, my manager looked even younger than I did, more cute than dependable. Worrying whether my stamina could hold up before a stream… that kind of concern was something only the president could handle.

So when I opened my messenger and entered the chat with the president, the previous messages we'd exchanged suddenly caught my eye.

That had been from a few days ago—a slightly more serious conversation. It had already been nearly two months since my VTuber debut. It was time to shed the newbie vibe and choose a path forward. The president had said there was no rush, but I could feel it myself. I couldn't help feeling impatient.

"Direction… huh…"

She'd given me quite the difficult assignment. Furrowing my brows slightly, I stared at the president's messages. I'd come here to ask for advice, only to feel like I'd been hit instead. A sigh slipped out unconsciously as the night grew deeper.