Chapter 51: Overcoming (8)

The time remaining until 8 PM sharp felt like an eternity.

In the Xelnaga Entertainment conference room, a tense air hung heavily in front of the large wall-mounted screen.

On the plush sofas brought in beforehand, I sat alongside Jungyeon, Ajung, and today’s star, Yoon Sol.

“Ugh, I’m so nervous…….”

Ajung bit her nails restlessly.

Even though the screen only displayed a black background with the words ‘Scheduled for Release,’ her shoulders were already hunched up.

“Calm down, Jeonga. It’s not your debut, so why are you making a bigger fuss?”

Jungyeon, sitting beside her, chided her, yet she seemed oblivious to her own fingers fidgeting nervously on her lap.

And then there was Yoon Sol.

She sat on the edge of the sofa, her back ramrod straight.

Her face was pale, her lips pressed firmly together.

But she no longer looked as fragile and on the verge of shattering as before.

With a gaze filled more with resolute determination than fear, she stared at a single point on the screen.

Like a warrior before their final battle.

I watched the entire scene silently, arms crossed.

Honestly, I too was a little tense.

The moment of witnessing the results of a significant investment always came with a bit of a thrill, but this time, a different kind of emotion was mixed in.

It wasn’t just the outcome of an investment, but a stage where a person’s life was on the line.

Finally, the numbers on the screen changed from 19:59:59 to 20:00:00.

The black screen vanished in an instant, and the music video began with the familiar Starlight Project logo.

No one breathed.

In a dark room, a girl sat huddled alone, without a single point of light.

It was Yoon Sol’s avatar.

Her expression was sorrowful, as if consumed by despair and fear.

And over it, Yoon Sol’s voice flowed.

The song, starting small and trembling faintly, soon revealed a firm core and gradually gained strength.

The melody, which began like the monologue of a wounded soul, progressively transformed into an earnest prayer, and finally, into a cry toward the world.

The girl on the screen created light with her own voice and, following that light, navigated through the darkness.

She joined hands with two companions she met along the way (Ajung’s and Rinne’s avatars) and finally headed towards the dazzling, pouring lights of the stage.

Ajung and Rinne gently pushed Solar’s back, and she stepped onto the stage in her complete form, a radiant smile on her face.

The climax.

All instrumentals burst forth, and Yoon Sol’s voice, becoming one with them, surged towards the peak.

At its center, Yoon Sol’s voice soared high into the sky, overpowering everything else.

Intense and brilliant, as if to burn away all past wounds.

As the final note lingered and faded, the Starlight Project logo reappeared on the screen.

Silence.

How much time had passed?

“Hk… sob.”

The first to break the silence was Yoon Sol’s sobbing.

She covered her face with both hands, her shoulders shaking as she wept quietly.

“Sol!”

“Ms. Sol!”

Ajung and Jungyeon cried out simultaneously and rushed to Yoon Sol.

“Why are you crying! It came out so well! It’s a total masterpiece!”

“That’s right! It was truly the best! It was so moving!”

The two hugged Yoon Sol tightly, patting her back comfortingly.

However, their voices were also trembling slightly, and their eyes were moist.

I silently turned my gaze to the tablet screen.

Immediately after the music video was released, the real-time reaction was explosive.

The view count was skyrocketing exponentially within minutes of release.

Comments were flooding in so fast it was hard to keep up.

---

• This is insane, what is that voice????

• I cried listening to this song… It’s just crazy;;

• Wow, the narrative is insane;;; It feels even more touching because it really seems like Solar’s story ㅠㅠ
  ㄴ From a bottom-tier VTuber to Starlight, kyaaaah

• You really can’t fault Starlight’s quality, for real. It’s just a cover song, but how much money did they spend on this? Seriously ㄷㄷㄷ

• The avatar is fcking beautiful, she sings fcking well, the MV is f*cking well-produced, it’s just perfection itself.

• No way, they’re using motion capture for a cover song, not even an original? LOLOLOLOLOLOL
  ㄴ Ajung, Rinne : ???
  ㄴ ??? : We used mocap for dance cover shorts, though..?

• Naga-bro, I acknowledge you again this time ㅇㅇ Your eye for talent is amazing.

• This is what an idol is. This is what a song is. Sh*t, I’m just cumming.

• Man, this quality for a cover song is such a f*cking waste. Just release an original quickly, for real.

---

Praise.

Admiration.

And fervent support.

The overwhelmingly positive reactions filling the screen proved the power of Yoon Sol’s voice and the sincerity of her story.

Of course, as expected, malicious comments occasionally appeared.

Attempts to rehash past rumors, disparage her appearance without even knowing it, or belittle her success.

But they were quickly swept away and disappeared into the overwhelming wave of positivity.

Countless fans, already moved by the music video, voluntarily stepped up to refute and report the malicious commenters, protecting Yoon Sol.

Adding to that was the swift action of the legal team led by Yoon Taesoo.

[This is the Xelnaga Entertainment Legal Team. We are currently collecting evidence regarding the dissemination of false information, defamation, and insults directed at our agency’s artist. We inform you that we will take strong legal action based on a zero-tolerance policy. We clearly state that there will be no settlements or leniency.]

This notice was posted almost in real-time on the channel’s community tab.

The stern content and rapid response.

It was a powerful warning that no one could carelessly touch Sol anymore.

“Sob… Thank you… Really, truly… thank you….”

After crying for a long time, Yoon Sol finally lifted her head.

Her face was a mess of tears, but her expression looked brighter and more peaceful than ever.

A sense of relief, as if she had finally laid down the heavy burden that had oppressed her for so long, was even palpable.

“What are you thanking us for? You did well!”

“That’s right! Smile now! Today, Ms. Sol is the star!”

Rinne and Ajung smiled brightly as they wiped Sol’s tears.

Watching them, I felt an unfamiliar emotion welling up from deep within my chest.

Pride.

Yes, it was pride.

A well earnt satisfaction.

It was a completely different dimension of satisfaction from when I simply added Ajung, Rinne, and Solar to Starlight—a much deeper and warmer fulfillment.

Witnessing a being who once seemed fragile enough to break, finally shining brilliantly through my touch.

It was a far more overwhelmingly emotional experience than I had thought.

What had begun as a momentary whim was, before I knew it, changing me as well.

---

That evening, Yoon Sol held a short debut commemoration thank-you stream with Jungyeon and Ajung.

[Hello! I’m Solar, the new star of the Starlight Project! It’s nice to meet you!]

Solar’s avatar, appearing on screen, wore the same bright and refreshing smile as in the music video, like sunshine.

Unlike when I first saw her, her voice was filled with confidence, without the slightest tremor.

With the support of Jungyeon and Ajung sitting beside her, she sincerely thanked her fans.

[Thank you so… so much for listening to my song and sending me so much support. I’m still lacking in many ways, but I’ll do my best to repay you with good music in the future! Please give lots of love to Solar of the Starlight Project, and also to our Ajung and Rinne!]

Each heartfelt word moved the fans’ hearts once more.

The chat window filled with messages welcoming and cheering her on.

The shadows of the past were nowhere to be seen.

She was perfectly heralding a new beginning.

After the broadcast ended, the three looked at each other and smiled, still buzzing with excitement.

“Wow, Sol! You didn’t tremble at all and did so well!”

“That’s right! You seemed like a real pro!”

“No, it’s because you two were next to me that I was okay.”

Sol shook her head with a bashful smile.

“This is the real start for us now, isn’t it?”

Jungyeon said, firmly holding Ajung’s and Yoon Sol’s hands.

“Yeah! Let’s create lots of amazing stages together, the three of us!”

Ajung replied, her eyes sparkling.

“Yes! I’m really looking forward to it too! I feel like I can do anything as long as I’m with you two!”

Yoon Sol’s voice was also full of hope and excitement.

The sight of the three holding hands and talking about the future was as beautiful as a painting.

Three twinkling stars were illuminating each other, creating an even greater light.

I watched them quietly from a short distance away.

My ‘collection.’

At first, it had simply begun with the desire to possess rare and beautiful jewels.

But before I knew it, they were no longer mere collectibles.

They were beings who laughed together, cried together, grew together, and dreamed together.

Perhaps more valuable and precious than any collection in the world.

A faint smile unknowingly touched my lips.

It was a different kind of smile than before, very warm and gentle.

The Starlight Project.

Their story, and mine, was just passing the prologue.

Like the stars embroidering the night sky.

No one knew what brilliant stories would unfold in the future.

But what was certain was that it would be a story created not alone, but ‘together.’