I Want to Be a VTuber

Jiyeon clutched her head, groaning as she watched Seoyeon rolling around on the floor like a wild animal.

Though the circumstances were different, this scene felt oddly reminiscent of Seoyeon back in middle school.

Back then, too, she had been unpredictable—someone who could leap from one wild impulse to another without warning.

This reminded Jiyeon of a time when freshly woken Seoyeon looked exactly like this: a mix of confusion, energy, and chaos.

“Is Seoyeon always this strong?” Seohui asked, still processing the sight of the crushed beer can.

“Shh,” Jiyeon shushed, putting a finger to her lips as her eyes darted toward Seoyeon.

Fortunately, Seoyeon was still preoccupied, mumbling nonsensically as she rolled over the spilled beer.

‘What kind of drunk is she going to be?’

This was uncharted territory. Jiyeon had never seen Seoyeon drink before, let alone act drunk.

Most drunks fell into a few categories: violent, chatty, or clingy.

Jiyeon figured Seoyeon was likely one of two types—the terrifyingly strong and unpredictable kind, or the ridiculously affectionate kind.

“I once played a monster-hunting game with her,” Jiyeon began.

“Monster-hunting?”

“Yeah, you know, the kind where you set traps and fight dinosaurs and stuff. This feels like that.”

Jiyeon grabbed a few empty cans lying around, a plan already forming in her head.

“Seoyeon has sharp ears,” she continued. “Normally, she’d be able to hear everything we’re saying. But right now, she’s not reacting... so I guess her senses are dulled.”

“She’s kind of cute, though,” Seohui said, watching Seoyeon trying in vain to clean the floor with the hem of her pajama skirt.

The clumsy way she moved reminded Seohui of a kitten pawing at something.

Though Seoyeon was mumbling, it was hard to make out the words from this distance.

‘Should I get closer?’

Just as Seohui started inching forward, Jiyeon raised a hand to stop her.

“Wait. Let’s test something first.”

“With a can? Why?”

“Just trust me.”

Jiyeon rolled an empty can toward Seoyeon, carefully watching her reaction.

The can rolled about three meters.

Then, as it approached the two-meter mark—

CLANG!

“Hmm?”

Seoyeon’s hand smacked down on the can with lightning speed, flattening it completely.

Seoyeon stared at the crushed can in confusion while Seohui froze, her eyes wide.

‘That sound... that’s not human.’

It was like hearing a hammer driving a nail into the floor.

And when Seoyeon moved, there was a certain wild animal grace about her—precise and powerful.

“So... her reaction range is about two meters,” Jiyeon muttered.

“That’s... basically the whole room,” Seohui replied, swallowing hard.

“If we move along the edges, she probably won’t notice.”

Thankfully, it seemed Seoyeon still had some control over her strength.

Jiyeon watched her pick up the flattened can and start folding it like paper, mumbling all the while.

“Tigers are just big cats,” Jiyeon mused.

She needed to figure out what to do next.

Leaving Seoyeon like this wasn’t an option, but moving her would be tricky.

For one, Seoyeon was heavy—not that she would ever admit it.

Even with two people, carrying her was a daunting task, especially with her unpredictable behavior.

“We can’t just leave her like this,” Jiyeon said.

“She’ll catch a cold in those wet clothes,” Seohui added, her tone more urgent.

Jiyeon gave her a skeptical look.

Did she really think Seoyeon, of all people, could get sick from this?

Jiyeon had never seen Seoyeon so much as sneeze. The girl didn’t get sick, didn’t get hurt—not that Jiyeon could recall.

But still, it was true that leaving her soaked and sprawled on the floor wasn’t ideal.

‘So how do we move her?’

As Jiyeon pondered, her gaze landed on Seohui.

For someone so composed, Seohui had an undeniably striking appearance.

Most of the people Jiyeon hung out with were pretty, but Seoyeon and Seohui had an aura that made them stand out even more.

But right now, looks weren’t the point.

“Seohui, come here. I’ve got an idea.”

“Huh? What is it?”

Seohui’s expression was blank, almost naive.

Jiyeon couldn’t help but think it was strange how someone who could act so haughty in public turned into this clueless version of herself around friends.

Jiyeon brushed Seohui’s hair forward, covering her face slightly. Then, she turned off the lights in the room and turned on her phone’s flashlight, holding it under Seohui’s chin.

“This is it.”

“...What is?”

“Now, go approach Seoyeon like this.”

“...?”

What?

Seohui glanced back at Jiyeon, completely baffled.

Jiyeon, on the other hand, was starting to question her own idea.

‘She really does look terrifying. No wonder people are scared of her.’ 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Still, Jiyeon gave her instructions.

“Just crouch a little so your hair falls forward. It’ll work, trust me.”

Unsure but willing to try, Seohui nodded and approached Seoyeon cautiously.

As soon as she stepped into the two-meter radius, Seoyeon’s head snapped toward her.

The sudden movement made Seohui flinch, remembering the crushed can from earlier.

But instead of lunging, Seoyeon started backing away, clearly unsettled by the sight of Seohui.

‘Huh?’

Why was she retreating?

As Seohui stepped closer, Seoyeon kept scooting further back, like a skittish animal.

It was almost comical—like a reverse game of tag where the "chaser" couldn’t quite catch up.

Jiyeon smirked, realizing her plan was working.

‘So she really can’t handle scary stuff.’

Jiyeon had suspected this after watching Seoyeon on a variety show, but seeing it in action was something else.

Using hand signals, Jiyeon motioned for Seohui to guide Seoyeon toward her room.

‘Just keep circling and nudge her in that direction.’

‘What is she saying?’

Not being a mind reader, Seohui had to guess at Jiyeon’s signals.

Figuring she was supposed to keep leading Seoyeon, she took another step forward.

But something about the way Seoyeon recoiled stirred a mischievous impulse in her.

Taking a deep breath, Seohui let out a loud, dramatic scream:

“KYAAAH!!”

The result was instantaneous.

Seoyeon yelped, leaping to her feet and bolting out the door like her life depended on it.

“...What?”

Standing in the doorway, Jiyeon barely had time to react before Seoyeon barreled straight into her, knocking her flat.

“R-Ramiel, help me!!” Seoyeon cried, clinging to Jiyeon in a panic.

“I’m not Ramiel—ugh!” Jiyeon tried to protest, but her words were cut off as Seoyeon collapsed on top of her.

"Seoyeon, can you get off of me already?"

Jiyeon sighed as she felt Seoyeon's full weight pressing against her. Despite the sudden impact of Seoyeon's embrace, which initially made her see stars, Jiyeon was relieved nothing worse happened.

As far as she could tell, Seoyeon still had some control over her strength. She was simply clinging to Jiyeon in a snug, oddly affectionate manner, but it was starting to get annoying.

"Humph."

Seoyeon let out a peculiar, almost purring sound, squirming slightly as she held on tighter. It was like trying to wrestle with an oversized octopus.

"I’ve been practicing romance scenes lately. Want me to show you?" Seoyeon said, her voice playful.

"No, thanks," Jiyeon replied curtly.

"You're so mean," Seoyeon muttered.

Eventually, with the help of a small cart Seohui had fetched, the three managed to transport Seoyeon to another room. Jiyeon couldn’t help but wonder how her life had taken such a bizarre turn.

Meanwhile, Seohui was busy snapping pictures on her smartphone, capturing every moment.

"Why are you taking pictures?" Jiyeon demanded.

"I'm showing these to Seoyeon when she sobers up," Seohui said smugly.

"Unbelievable."

After being settled onto the cart, Seoyeon seemed to calm down significantly. In fact, she fell asleep almost immediately, her soft snores filling the air.

Jiyeon let out a deep sigh of relief, sitting down nearby.

"Good thing she’s the type to fall asleep when drunk," Jiyeon said.

"Yeah. That could’ve gone a lot worse," Seohui agreed, lowering her phone.

The two watched as Seoyeon’s expression shifted from mildly distressed to peaceful as she slept. For a moment, it almost seemed like she was mumbling something under her breath.

"...Mom..."

The single word was soft but carried an unusual weight. Both Jiyeon and Seohui froze, their gazes snapping to Seoyeon.

"...Next time... I'll do better..."

Seohui’s eyes narrowed slightly, but Jiyeon quickly waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't overthink it. She's just talking in her sleep," Jiyeon said, her tone firm.

"Yeah, I guess. It’s just... strange," Seohui admitted, her expression uneasy.

Jiyeon couldn't deny it. She had only seen Seoyeon like this once before, back during a school retreat. It was late at night when Seoyeon had fallen asleep and muttered similar words. At the time, Jiyeon had misinterpreted them, much like Seohui was now.

"Just a sleep-talk thing," Jiyeon reiterated, glancing down at the now-peaceful Seoyeon.

She gently patted Seoyeon's back, watching as her features relaxed further. It was a strangely tender moment, and Jiyeon found herself smiling despite the bizarre circumstances.

What are we going to do with you, Seoyeon?

She spent the rest of the night lightly patting Seoyeon's back until she, too, drifted off. Not long after, Seohui joined them in sleep, though at one point, Seoyeon’s tight embrace almost caused her to lose consciousness—a detail that would only come up in later jokes.

The Next Morning

"Uh... What?"

Seoyeon blinked as she woke up, utterly disoriented by her surroundings.

When did I end up in another room?

Her confusion only grew when she realized Jiyeon and Seohui were sleeping on either side of her. More importantly, she was holding Jiyeon in a firm embrace, as if the other girl were a life-sized pillow.

What the heck happened last night?

Seoyeon scrambled away from her friends, careful not to wake them. Her mind raced to piece together the events of the previous night.

I remember drinking... and then... nothing. Oh no, did I... blackout?

The thought made her shudder. She had heard stories about people "blacking out" while drunk, but this was her first personal experience. The idea was terrifying.

Did I do something crazy?

Her stomach churned at the possibility. She glanced back at her still-sleeping friends, relieved they didn’t seem upset—or worse, injured.

"I guess I’ll ask them when they wake up," she mumbled.

Seoyeon tiptoed out of the room, heading back to the one where they’d spent the night before. Her phone buzzed on the table, the screen lit up with a series of missed calls.

Seeing the name on the screen made her heart sink.

Manager Park Eunha.

The number of missed calls—more than ten—was enough to make her stomach drop.

"Hello?" she answered quickly.

"Seoyeon! What happened? Why weren’t you answering your phone?" Eunha’s voice was sharp with concern.

"Sorry, I fell asleep really deeply..." Seoyeon replied sheepishly.

Eunha sighed but didn’t press further. "Well, no big deal. I’m not mad. I just wanted to tell you something surprising."

"Surprising?"

"Do you know Asher Baldwin?"

Seoyeon froze.

Asher Baldwin.

The legendary director. The two-time Academy Award winner.

Of course, she knew the name. Everyone did.

"I-I do. Why?"

Eunha’s next words sent chills down her spine.

"He wants to meet you."