Did I say there was no need to worry so much?
Recalling the boss’s words, I gave a small nod.
“It’s true…”
That was my impression after skimming through the community posts following my call with the boss.
<Those who can’t wait for Sera’s next stream, upvote LOL>
Starting with me, LOL.
Just as the boss had said, the responses were overwhelmingly positive.
Of course, among them were some who went beyond simple support and saw me as a sexual object.
But I wasn’t new to this community scene. I had long since grown accustomed to that sort of thing.
<I want to see Sera sobbing her eyes out…>
I want her to cry until she’s completely exhausted and whimpering in frustration.
What’s with this abuse crowd?;;
Not gonna lie, I kinda wanna mess with her LOL
Please take care of Sera ㅠㅠ she’s a good girl
Sera’s fans are all secretly abusers LOL
She is cute though.
“Hmm…”
It seemed my image had solidified into something a little dumb—no, to put it bluntly, outright airheaded.
Something along the lines of “She’s dumb, but she’s sweet.”
It was a bit frustrating since I liked to think of myself as a fairly intelligent person.
But there was nothing I could do about it.
After all, I had made my fair share of mistakes.
The only way to fix it was through my next stream.
I continued scrolling through posts about my latest broadcast.
Sera is cute.
She’s good at streaming.
She seems kind of dumb.
With so many viewers tuning in, the range of opinions was just as varied.
I had experience navigating communities, but this was a first for me.
When I streamed as Mia, I had been mentioned in communities before, but never in such real-time, dedicated coverage of my every move.
Now I understand why the boss told me not to look too much.
This was addictive.
Ego-searching, they called it.
Seeing a flood of posts appear the moment I searched my name—whether positive or negative—was exhilarating.
What mattered wasn’t the nature of the attention.
It was the fact that I was getting so much of it.
Attention was like a drug.
If I let my guard down, I’d find myself searching for more, again and again.
But it was a sweet poison.
I hadn’t used the term “drug” lightly.
Something about this felt dangerous on an instinctual level.
Maybe “drug” was too strong a word.
Regardless, if I wasn’t careful, I would be swept away by this massive wave.
I needed to stay grounded.
Now that I had confirmed the positive reactions, there was no need to check the community anymore.
There was something more important right now.
“Hmmm…”
Today was the third-gen group collab—the day we would all meet at the company and stream together for the first time.
“How do I look, Status Window?”
Right now, I was trying on different outfits, seeking approval from the silent system.
Not that it would ever answer me.
The reason I was so particular about my outfit was simple.
First impressions were everything.
I had already met the boss and the manager during my interview, but this would be the first time meeting the other members.
And considering my first stream had cemented a “dumb idiot” image, I wanted to counter that today.
They probably thought of me as an airheaded, scatterbrained liability.
Since we were going to be working together moving forward, it was crucial to get along.
“This should be good enough.”
I looked in the mirror.
The unfamiliar body reflected back at me.
They say the charm of a woman lies in her curves.
I had chosen an outfit that showcased that appeal while maintaining a clean and polished look.
With that, I stepped outside.
Star Records Headquarters – Lounge
The designated meeting place for the third-generation members was filled with an awkward silence.
The only two people in the room were a woman with bright blonde hair, clearly the result of multiple bleaching sessions, and another woman with black hair and a cute demeanor.
The blonde-haired woman looked utterly disinterested, idly fidgeting with her phone as if she had no real reason to be here.
In contrast, the black-haired girl was visibly anxious, unable to sit still.
“Aha… The weather’s nice…”
She muttered to herself, trying to fill the awkward void.
She cast a pleading glance at the blonde, hoping for some kind of response—only to be met with nothing.
Her name was Dain, and she was terrified.
‘She’s scary!’
Her fellow trainee gave off an intensely intimidating aura.
An ex-idol trainee, if she recalled correctly.
The glossy golden locks and well-maintained features were striking, but her cold demeanor was absolutely chilling.
“A-Ah, hello! I’m Dain!”
“Song Suyeon.”
“Uh, r-right! I go by ‘Hana’ when I stream. I’m 27…! Yeah.”
“I stream as Uriel. I’m 21.”
That was it.
It was clear Suyeon wasn’t interested in conversation.
And Dain wasn’t exactly the most sociable person herself.
Her sharp, slightly intimidating features only made it harder for Dain to speak up.
‘When are the others getting here…?’
There were supposed to be four of them.
Since she and Suyeon were already present, two more were left to arrive.
She desperately hoped the remaining members would show up soon to break this unbearable tension.
As if in response to her prayers, the lounge door finally swung open.
The newcomer was… stunning.
When Dain had first seen Suyeon, she had been impressed.
But this was on a whole other level.
The girl who entered had snow-white hair and deep, ocean-blue eyes that shimmered like the sea.
They were so clear and mesmerizing that just staring into them evoked a strange sense of refreshment—like inhaling the scent of citrus.
“…Oh.”
Excited by the arrival of a new teammate, Dain instinctively stood up—only to freeze in place.
She felt completely overwhelmed.
‘W-What the hell? Is she one of us? Or did I enter the wrong place?!’
The lounge fell into silence once more, this time due to Dain’s bewilderment.
But the one to break the silence was the silver-haired stranger who had just entered.
“Is this not the waiting area for Star Record’s third-gen members? The staff told me to come here.”
“Y-Yes! You’re in the right place!”
Dain finally snapped out of her daze and quickly grasped the situation.
To her surprise, the breathtaking silver-haired beauty standing before her was one of her fellow trainees—just like Suyeon.
“I’m Dain. I go by ‘Hana’ as a VTuber.”
“Ah! My name is Sera… um, and my VTuber name is also ‘Sera.'”
“Oh…”
It was surprising that her real name and VTuber name were the same, but what shocked Dain more was something else entirely.
This was her—the protagonist of the debut stream that had turned Star Record upside down.
‘The fool who tried to play an elegant concept but ended up making electronic cigarette noises.’
That was how the viewers had described her.
Remembering that, Dain suddenly found the person in front of her far less intimidating.
“You’re… really, really pretty. Your face barely looks different from your avatar.”
“Hehe, thank you! And, uh… unnie? You can speak casually with me. I’m the younger one.”
“Should I?”
Her easygoing attitude was endearing, especially considering how noble and refined she looked.
It was a relief.
Dain had been worried she’d have to deal with another intimidating presence like Suyeon.
She had already received some background on her fellow members from their manager, Hyejin.
“Hmm, so you’ve been a VTuber for a while? No wonder you seem so much more experienced than me.”
The one chattering energetically before her, small and lively like a little animal, was Dain—the oldest in the group.
Despite being the eldest, her petite frame and cheerful demeanor made her easy to approach.
“Sera, were you an idol or a model before? Like Suyeon over there?”
Dain’s gaze shifted to the blonde woman sitting quietly in the corner—Suyeon. If her history as an idol trainee was anything to go by, her striking looks made perfect sense.
She had the cold, feline features of a classic ice queen—right up Dain’s alley, if she was being honest.
Ah. Eye contact. Had she stared too long?
“A-Ah, hello! I’m Sera, and I’m 21. My streaming name is also Sera…”
“…Song Suyeon. We’re the same age.”
Suyeon said this while staring directly at her.
She didn’t look away, her sharp gaze sweeping over Sera as if she were analyzing her.
What was with this intensity?
“Uh… do you have something to say?”
As soon as Sera asked, Suyeon turned away.
Was she just shy?
The final member arrived five minutes after the three of them had gathered.
“Whew! I almost died getting here! Sorry for being late! I missed my bus!”
The woman who introduced herself as Joo Saeun radiated energy.
With her healthy, athletic build and bright personality, she seemed like someone who was straightforward, with no hidden agenda or grudges.
However, she was also the most daunting person for Sera to deal with.
And for good reason—Saeun was the younger sister of Si-eun, the president of Star Record.
Having the company president’s sister as a fellow trainee felt like joining a company only to find out your colleague was from the royal family.
Okay, maybe not royal—Si-eun wasn’t some kind of corporate mogul.
But still, something about Saeun made Sera feel like she should tread carefully around her.
Who knew if she was secretly reporting back to her sister?
With her arrival, their group was finally complete.
These were her fellow third-generation members.
Looking around the lounge, Sera had a realization.
“Wow, all four of us are stunning.”
Saeun voiced the thought before Sera could.
The phrase “VTuber reality check” existed for a reason.
Usually, it was best not to expect too much from a VTuber’s real-life appearance.
But surprisingly, every single one of them was attractive.
Of course, in Sera’s case, her body was courtesy of her status window, but still.
Did the company deliberately select people with good genetics?
Or was it just sheer coincidence?
“Suyeon, come join us! Let’s all chat together!”
“…Okay.”
With the ever-energetic Saeun leading the charge, the four of them gathered and engaged in some small talk before the group stream began.
Despite arriving last, Saeun’s social skills were exceptional.
By the time Sera realized it, they were already speaking casually with each other.
Was this the power of an extrovert?
Dain was the eldest at 27.
Saeun was 24.
And Sera and Suyeon were both 21, making them the youngest in the group.
Had things been different, Sera would have been the oldest here.
The thought felt… odd.
“Alright, alright! The youngest ones need to listen to their elders, understand?”
“…Okay.”
“Saeun, you can’t just boss them around because of age. That’s not how things work anymore. They might not like it.”
Sera could only shake her head in disbelief.
You’re in your late twenties too, you know.
“Twenty-seven is still young, unnie.”
“R-Right? I’m still fine, right?”
If you’re going to act like you’re old, at least wait until you hit thirty.
Sera reassured Dain with that sentiment, and she seemed relieved.
Though, calling someone unnie still felt strange.
She would have to get used to it soon.
After about ten minutes of chatting, the door opened, and their manager, Hyejin, entered.
“Is everyone here? It’s time to start the stream. Please come outside.”
Before they knew it, the time for their first group stream had arrived.