Chapter 91: Jina is the light of the famous Hakodul

“Still… looking at it from a results perspective, I think graduation wasn’t a bad decision.”

As Jina said, in the end, it was a positive outcome for everyone.

Nova’s two members became a late-blooming rookie actor and a VTuber representing the nation beyond their generation, respectively.

Cosmo Live grew into a recognized company in the industry.

That’s true looking only at the results.

But the process was not so smooth.

“It’s as Jina says. But… I know how much effort the two who graduated put in to succeed again, so that’s why I feel even more sorry.”

‘When they were at Cosmo Live, I couldn’t even support them properly.’

‘Out of foolish greed, I tied down their precious talent for over a year,’ Daon thought with a small sigh.

“That’s why when Jina said she’d work with Re… i, honestly, I was very happy.”

Because Jina could perhaps soothe some of the resentment in Rei’s heart.

“Right now, she’s playing the celestial maiden RP, showing only a glamorous and strong appearance, but…”

Actually, she was a soft-hearted kid with many scars.

“As much as she worked harder than anyone, she must have received even greater wounds.”

Looking at Daon’s serious gaze, Jina slowly nodded.

In fact, Jina also knew her very well.

She was one of the original Star-Dusts.

Before watching Minari’s broadcasts, she used to often watch the streams of Cosmo Live’s 1st generation members.

The memory of sending cheers with the few dedicated viewers vividly came to mind.

Jina had been completely captivated by the two who continued broadcasting with bright voices until the end, even in a poor environment.

Is that why?

Working on this project, she found herself unknowingly putting in more effort.

“Jina, it feels a bit like I’ve burdened you with something I should have done… but please take good care of Rei.”

Sincerity was evident in Daon’s voice as she playfully asked her to pay a little more attention to this matter.

“Is there anything to pay attention to or not?”

Jina, seeing Daon like that, gave a mischievous smile for no reason and raised her glass.

“Just, you know, doing it ‘as usual’.”

“Ahaha- Well, even if Jina just shows her usual self, Rei or Nise Live would be head over heels anyway~”

Daon finally seemed to relax and burst into light laughter.

---

To check the revised stage direction, Jina and Rei met once again in a private room in VR Chat.

The private room, decorated with a celestial concept, still emitted a grand yet mystical light.

Rei, who was standing in the middle of the map, put on a deliberately displeased expression as soon as Jina’s avatar appeared.

“…Is the revision work already finished?”

Rei’s voice was mixed with deep suspicion and ill-temper.

“It finished quickly since I focused on the work.”

“Still, I never thought it would take less than a week…”

Wondering if it was done carelessly, Rei unknowingly furrowed her brow.

Normally, this level of revision work would take at least a few weeks.

Jina’s swift response was actually more unsettling.

Nevertheless, the reason she didn’t openly voice her dissatisfaction was that Jina was someone who had already proven herself once.

She was someone who had brought a near-complete stage direction draft in less than a week.

Considering that, the result she brought this time must also be… extraordinary.

“Please take a look first. I’ll take feedback slowly.”

Rei, with a slightly pouting face, glanced at Jina, then slowly walked onto the stage.

As she stood in the center of the stage, Rei’s avatar automatically floated into the air.

Simultaneously, soft light from all directions enveloped her body.

This time, stage effects unseen before greeted Rei.

A very fine crack appeared on the noble celestial background.

And through that crevice, light softly seeped out.

Rei looked at the crack with wonder.

‘Exactly as I imagined… no, even more than that…’

Expressing imperfection was a dangerous theme that could easily induce the uncanny valley.

Nevertheless, Jina subtly blended imperfection into the celestial perfection.

Could her internal conflict, on the border between girl and celestial maiden, be expressed more perfectly than this?

Rei’s eyes, watching the stage direction, wavered for a very brief moment.

‘To the person who directed such a perfect stage, why on earth am I engaging in a power struggle like this…’

Just as the song reached its climax.

The entire stage was instantly plunged into darkness.

“…!”

The moment everything was suddenly engulfed in darkness, Rei was startled and unknowingly held her breath.

But immediately after.

Piercing the darkness that surrounded her, intense beams of light poured down like a waterfall.

As if symbolizing a being ‘reborn’ after overcoming darkness.

Rei’s avatar emitted a brilliant light amidst the dazzling radiance.

Just as admiration was about to escape her lips.

“…This is?”

Rei discovered small details hidden throughout the stage and her expression hardened.

A star-patterned hologram, faintly scattered on the stage floor.

A small star-shaped illustration appearing in the corner of the audience hologram screen.

Even the fanlight color, subtly laid as the stage background, symbolizing Rei’s ‘past life’.

Things she initially thought were mere coincidences.

As they gathered one by one, and piled up.

A corner of Rei’s heart began to waver slightly.

All of this felt strangely familiar.

No, beyond familiar…

It was a memory she wanted to erase.

Though it only flashed by in an instant.

Though most of the audience probably wouldn’t notice.

To Rei’s eyes, it was all too clear.

A heart-stopping shock pierced deep into her chest.

Memories of the past she had tried so hard to forget flooded in.

Rei covered her mouth with a trembling hand.

“…Did you put this in on purpose?”

Rei asked in a faintly trembling voice.

“You couldn’t possibly not know, right? Appealing to a past life… is taboo.”

In the VTuber industry, alluding to a past life is tantamount to a taboo.

Jina, who primarily works with VTubers, couldn’t possibly not know that.

The fact that she had left such conspicuous traces made Rei’s lips tremble pareureu.

“Ah, you recognized it right away. Others just thought it was a depiction of stars in the night sky.”

But Jina wasn’t flustered at all.

Rather, she just replied in a calm and soft voice.

“That it’s taboo, of course, I know. Still, I really wanted to include this Easter egg.”

“…Yes?”

“Actually, before being a 3-week-old woodcutter, I was a 3-year-old Star-Dust.”

Saying she was a fan long before she became ‘Kamishiro Rei’.

Jina said in an awkward voice.

“When Rei said she wanted to include a story about conflicting between humanity and divinity, this was the first thing that came to mind.”

Her as Kamishiro Rei.

And her as the now-forgotten Cosmo Live 1st generation member.

At Jina’s words asking if she wasn’t still conflicting deep in her heart.

The wounds of the past, which she thought were perfectly buried in her memory, slowly raised their heads.

The person who remembered those days when no one watched.

When no one liked her.

When she was practically unknown.

Was right here, in front of her.

“I tried to weave not only Rei-nim’s story but also a little of my own story into this stage.”

The faint but sparkling star that she could no longer see.

Jina laughed awkwardly, saying she also tried to include her personal fan sentiment of cheering for it.

“If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll remove all the Easter eggs I secretly put in.”

Rei couldn’t continue speaking.

She just watched her avatar, enveloped in a brilliant halo of light, floating silently in the air.

Rei’s gaze slowly drifted downwards.

The Easter eggs Jina prepared came into view again.

Traces that only hardcore Star-Dusts among the Star-Dusts would ever know.

The person who loved and cherished her past.

Definitive proof that at least one such person existed.

“Why…”

Rei’s voice cracked.

She bit her trembling lip tightly and barely continued.

“Why did you only appear now…? Huh?”

Sadness, and at the same time, an irrepressible affection, were evident in Rei’s voice.

“If only you had been there… I wouldn’t have left Cosmo Live like that…”

In the end, Rei burst into tears she had tried so hard to hold back.

At first, it was just her shoulders shaking.

“…Heuk!”

Soon, a sobbing sound escaped her lips.

“I’m sorry for being late. But I believe then, and now, that Rei-nim is shining.”

Jina’s low, soft voice seeped into Rei’s ears.

“I tried to put that fan sentiment of mine into this stage.”

That one languid remark melted the knot that had been deeply embedded in Rei’s heart.

“I-I… I’m more sorry… Because the Cosmo Live members… I was envious… I unnecessarily took it out on Jina-nim… Heuk!”

Rei sobbed and lowered her head.

Jina, from below the stage, just watched such Rei with an indifferent gaze.

Any more comfort than this would be unnecessary for her.

The girl conflicting between past and present.

Will eventually become a celestial maiden beautifully adorning the heavenly stage, shining more brilliantly than anyone else.

‘This should be enough to fulfill Daon’s request to take good care of Rei,’ Jina thought.

Jina let out a pleasant sigh.