Chapter 9: Verification of skills (2)

A few seconds after the intense trap beat started to hit.

Kang Yoora, listening blankly, suddenly doubted her own ears.

“…What the.”

Before the recording, Siyeon had earnestly told her.

Not to have high expectations, as she hadn’t majored in or learned music separately.

That it wasn’t a field she was particularly interested in anyway, so please teach her slowly, one by one.

At the time, Kang Yoora had just accepted it as is.

However, currently.

In the eyes of Kang Yoora, who considered herself quite knowledgeable about music…

Siyeon, contrary to her own words, was absolutely not at an ordinary person’s level.

– Talkin’ that talk? Boy, watch your manners─

– Ice in my veins but my soul stay dangerous─

First, the low-to-mid-range part she was currently singing.

It’s called low-to-mid-range, but…

If sung incorrectly, it could give a feeling of losing all power.

But Siyeon’s powerful voice, combined with her unique husky tone…

Led it exceptionally well, without any such issues.

– Straight to the top, I don’t see no ceiling─

– Took all the pain, now I make a killing─

And then followed the high-toned, rapid-fire rap part.

The vocal range changed abruptly, but again, far from going off-key…

At a glance, it was hard to even discern her breathing timing.

As it was originally a song for two people, it wasn’t usually easy to sing alone.

Not only was her breath control, the most difficult part for ordinary people doing rapid-fire rap, perfect…

But her tone changes were also so fluid, as if she were swapping out her vocal cords.

‘…This is an ordinary person?’

‘Seriously, what has she been doing…?’

Of course, Kang Yoora had glimpsed a hint of potential in Siyeon’s voice.

But the potential she had expected was, at best, a raw gemstone that needed to be carefully polished….

She swore, she hadn’t even hoped for a finished gem.

‘…But what on earth is this in front of me?’

– Lights too bright, but I never fade─

– Golden mind, yeah, I’m self-made.

Naturally, her skill was impressive, but…

The level of completeness was unusual for someone who merely sang occasionally at karaoke.

It wasn’t just singing haphazardly as it came.

It sounded like she had listened dozens of times, sung dozens of times, and revised dozens of times….

So to speak, wasn’t this a level she had polished herself?

‘…This will work.’

“…Hoo.”

And so, while Kang Yoora was lost in shock.

Siyeon, after taking a breath, carefully removed her headset.

“How was it? Was it listenable?”

“…Siyeon-ah.”

At those words, Kang Yoora, released from the deep lingering impression.

Suddenly opened the recording studio door, strode over…

And just like that, embraced Siyeon.

“Without you, we’re all doomed.”

“Eh…?”

Kang Yoora, the CEO of Lunavis, vying for the top spot in the Korean virtual market.

Fell captive to a super-massive diamond that suddenly rolled in.

‘…Why is this lady like this again?’

‘…Of course.’

Siyeon, unaware of the background, was simply bewildered.

After my music skills test.

The way the CEO treated me became noticeably more lenient.

…No, well.

She had always been quite accommodating regarding my convenience, but….

Constantly asking what I want to eat, or saying she’d personally crush anyone who tried to rip me off.

The direction felt somewhat… strange?

The things she’d been saying recently were also all peculiar.

Like, ‘A pebble on the roadside turned out to be a diamond’….

Or, she’d go on about how ‘the 2nd generation will not fail.’

Because word got around the company that the CEO had said such things….

Thanks to that, it’s been a bit awkward every time I go to the company.

It’s… how should I put it?

Am I unnecessarily attracting attention from the staff?

It’s nice that they look upon me favorably… but it feels like they’re making too much of a fuss, so it’s a bit much.

‘I’m not that good, everyone.’

‘I’m definitely not world-class….’

“Ah, you’re here?”

“…Yes, well.”

Since I couldn’t say that out loud.

I just gave a slight nod to the staff members I encountered….

And hurriedly escaped to the CEO’s office.

“Have you eaten? Not yet?”

“Of course I ate, what time do you think it is? What do you take me for…?”

“Hey, this is all an expression of affection. It’s because I’m worried, worried.”

However… um.

This place, it’s not just about casting glances….

There’s someone who says things directly, so it’s a bit bothersome in various ways.

At least, she’s easy to deal with….

Let’s just take comfort in that.

“So, what is it this time?”

“…Kkeung. No fun.”

Anyway, that’s that.

In my experience, if I let this go on, there’s no end to it….

I cut her off appropriately and got to the main point.

“You need to get used to it too, eventually.”

“…?”

“A VTuber can’t use their real name when streaming, can they?”

Then, the CEO, wiping the playful expression from her face….

Spoke a single word softly, in a rather serious tone.

“Shiozaki Reina.”

“…!”

“That’s your stage name, the one you’ll use while streaming from now on.”

…Right.

From now on, this is the real beginning.