Misunderstanding
"Alright, let's keep it clean."
CEO Kang Sung-min stepped in to wrap things up. "To properly utilize the Luna-ri character anyway, we need Young-il. And we were planning to contact Young-il from the start. So, priority one: snag Young-il."
Singers who can perform well are replaceable, but composers who can create hits like that? Not so much. That's why Young-il was top priority. If that failed? They'd reluctantly let Luna-ri go and cultivate someone new. It wouldn't be hard to find a trainee with killer vocals, even if the visuals weren't top-tier.
"Still no idea who this guy is?"
"Nope. No traces on SoundCloud, no activity history at all. Probably an established composer doing this on the side."
"Figures. What a quirky hobby. Who the hell is this guy cranking out bangers like that?"
They'd thought he was just a wizard at arrangements, but his original compositions were on another level. The insane part? This madman wasn't working with pro singers—he'd jumped into the VTuber playground with three originals in a row.
To Kang Sung-min, it felt like watching a high schooler wrecking the kids' sandbox. But what could they do? There was no rule against originals.
Did he have some reason to hide? Contracted elsewhere? Something shady? ...No way, a criminal?
Kang Sung-min's wild speculations were interrupted as IG's chief producer Kim Hye-min timidly raised her hand.
"Um... sir."
"What."
"I-I ripped apart the audio files in the studio right after the contest ended, and th-there's another possibility. He might really be a total newbie!"
"Hm?"
Kim Hye-min pushed up her glasses confidently. A few staffers glanced at her nervously, but she pressed on doggedly.
"First off, when I analyzed the frequency bands, the h-harmonics at the tail end were sliced clean like with a saw—razor sharp."
"...?"
Kang Sung-min shot her a "what the hell does that mean, otaku?" look, and the A&R manager poked her side.
"Ow! I-I mean, he used virtual instruments! And not just that—the balance on every track is perfect, so it's all computer-rendered virtual stuff! In other words..."
"B-but it's not easy to pull that off just clicking a mouse. I've tried it myself back in the day, and it sounded just like a real session. Makes me wanna see his workflow."
"Get to the point..."
Kang Sung-min rubbed his throbbing temples.
"Time is money. He didn't use sessions, just poured in his own time—no spending cash. Or maybe he had none! Plus, it doesn't follow commercial trends or structures! Genres and sound textures vary per song, so no consistent style to pin on a known composer. No telltale tricks from this industry either—no one fits."
"So the point?"
"He could be someone who makes music as a hobby! Not from this scene at all! High chance he's a complete unknown newbie!"
"““Sigh...”””
The chief producer Kim Hye-min's rambling drew collective sighs. Kang Sung-min seriously wondered if building the company around pure talent was biting them in the ass. How did she even become chief? Right—offbeat, but damn good at making songs.
"Got it. Good work."
"Yep!"
They'd watched Virtual Voice Fight to the end, and it was getting too late. Time to end the meeting and send everyone home.
I'm an MZ-gen boss, after all.
Kang Sung-min, who demanded formal speech from everyone but defaulted to casual himself—and owned it—stood first.
"Luna-ri's stream still going? Blast a big message from the company account to build goodwill and snag her email. Ugh, if Se-young had just given us the email, we could've handled this quietly."
"Haha... things were too hectic."
"Yeah, whatever. Anything we offered Sion, Manager Kim can approve too. If the composer's got requests, hear 'em out."
"Got it. I'll contact Luna-ri right away."
"Oh! If he's into VTubers, offer him a spot on the Virtual New Business team. Invite him in. Face-to-face makes deals easier."
"Yep."
"And be careful with Luna-ri!! They might know each other—don't know how close. Keep it in mind!"
He had a hunch Luna-ri held the key to landing Young-il.
"...Yep."
The A&R Manager Kim Hee-dong, in charge of contracts, gave a deflated reply that set Kang Sung-min on edge, but he stood anyway. No point nagging more—that type broke worse under pressure.
As he headed out, Kim Hye-min shot her hand up again.
"F-for that newbie composer, just offering to help release the tracks would thrill him. Oh! He might not know the process, so throw in studio mixing, top mastering team—stuff like that could hook him?! Weirdos like him obsess over gear. Usually."
The staff grumbled softly at her stopping the boss. Kang Sung-min took a deep breath, flashed a bright smile.
"Sure, Manager Kim can note that. I'm off!"
Kim Hye-min's lack of tact wasn't new, but they hid it. Truth was, she didn't lack tact—she just didn't need it. Clumsy on the surface, but as chief producer, she was company brass.
On the elevator ride home, Kang Sung-min pulled out his smartphone and played the video.
The YouTube upload right after the contest had hit 50k views. By tomorrow, it'd blow past 100k, and the buzz would only grow.
He hadn't brushed off the chief producer for nothing. It was too absurd. A hobbyist churning out this?
Kim Hye-min had killer instincts for talent, but Kang Sung-min was dead certain she was wrong this time.
It had been a while since I'd called Yoo Na-ri. Exactly two days after the finals—I'd seen the missed calls and messages piling up and called back late.
"Young-il oppa, nothing to say to me?"
"Uh, not really...?"
None that I can think of. Wasn't she the one who'd reached out?
"What've you been up to?"
"Working. Felt like composing."
"Why'd you turn off Discord?"
"Needed focus."
"Tsk, I told you about status messages for a reason."
"S-sorry."
The vibe screamed apology, so I gave one, but I still didn't get it. Why? I'd just been offline two days.
Back then, maybe, but now? Yoo Na-ri had fans coming without me. Contest over, free time—I'd just composed in peace.
"No contact, thought something happened. Vanish right after finals—would I freak or not?"
"Ah."
"Sorry. Ideas hit watching the contest, had to work right away."
She'd been worried. Felt weirdly awkward.
"Yeeah~ figures. Song turn out good?"
"Yeah, yep."
"Yeeaaah greattt~"
"S-sorry."
"Nooo it's fiiine~ Finals end, I wanted chit-chat, private toast. New viewers flooded in, panicked—spilled stories. Wanted to plan future streams. Lots happened, but I'm to-tal-ly fiiine~"
Lots my ass. She looked anything but. Nearly a month knowing her, constant calls during practice last week—I'd gotten comfy.
Friend.Is this what friends are like? Too long since middle school streaming or shut-in days; felt foreign.
"Congrats on runner-up. You nailed the lyrics tweak at the end. Thought you'd win."
"Eep, hehe. Total surprise. Felt prettier that way, needed visuals—busy, but glad it worked!"
"Yeah, definitely."
Chatting with her a few times, I'd realized: she was simpler than expected. Praise lit her up.
"So proud~ From first listen, chills everywhere—my song. Lyrics hit close to home."
"Haha... old track. Good call changing it."
She never pried about the past—blessing. This is All for Me screamed backstory. Sudden dark turn begged questions.
Yoo Na-ri, full of stories from two days, spilled one by one.
Then.
"But you don't watch my streams anymore?"
"Yeah. N-no? Got it on beside me."
"Liar, you said you composed two days."
Right.
"Just this time."
"Week ago, three days pre-quarters, Steam game I mentioned on stream?"
"Uh... forgot. Too many games."
"Wrong! No games since VVF started. Splits the influx, you said."
Trap.
"...Damn, when'd you stop?"
"Not totally, I pop in and out."
Too many viewers lately—uncomfy.
"Nooo, streams tank without you."
"Huh?"
Sudden casual. Why?
"Oh, meme—sorry. You wouldn't know. Always thought you're older. Lol."
"..."
She cackled happily. No need to say, but probably me younger. She'd implied college senior—at least older.
"Oh right, main point! Called for this."
"Over an hour in?"
"Bonus lol."
There was a reason.
"Posted email on channel. Boom—flood."
"Figures. Tons?"
No clue how many, but spotlight was on. Probably mine too—definitely, with her constant mentions. We'd been bundled.
"Roughly 300?"
"Crazy."
"Sorting's a job. 270 fan cheers/comfort. Gonna tell 'em no more—business inbox."
She muttered about no fan cafe, then snapped.
"Ok! So of the other 30, how many yours?"
"Uh... five?"
"Wrong! 17~"
Too high share.
"No contact two days~ I checked! Agency 1, personal 5, VTubers 11."
"What... dizzying."
"Forwarding messages? Skip personal ID stuff?"
"Yeah, appreciate it."
Sorry for dumping mail on her, now managing too.
"No biggie. After all you've done... nice actu—"
"Huh?"
"Nothing. Plan to go public with yours?"
Couldn't keep burdening her inbox forever. Needed my own.
Where though? Not a streamer. Nothing?
"Could, but nowhere to post."
"Ah. Yeah, no uploads. Use mine for now."
"Ok?"
"Duh."
Friends rock.
"Real main point: IG Entertainment contacted. Contest sponsor—remember?"
"Yeah."
"No reply yet. Want us both. I'm ok, but figured you'd hate it. Like Sion's offers?"
Meeting strangers? Uncomfy. Why seek me? Thought: her singing my songs. Composer snag.
Three unreleased tracks. To them, she was like a married woman with three kids—songs attached.
Couldn't ditch songs, so handle releases, albums, royalties. Spend big, tiny cut back. Deadbeat ex handing kids (songs) to new hubby (IG), pocketing alimony (fees).
Decent royalties? Proud ex maybe. Not arrogant from contest buzz, but... fans might love my songs. Would she forget mine for better under IG?
Sniff.
"What're you pondering so long."
"Nothing. You go listen? I'll cooperate if no face-to-face."
Sad, but composed. Didn't wanna hold her back.
Bye, my little wif—er, Na-ri.
"Hiss... why? Bad vibe suddenly......"
Indigestion?
She muttered alone.
