Chapter 84

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**It’s Still Better to Be Called That Name**

“Come to think of it, I have something I’m curious about, Natsu.”

“…Yeah? What is it?”

Just before settling in front of the computer, Koyuki spoke up.

She seemed really hesitant.

Even trying to read her expression didn’t help—it was too hard to tell.

Was it something that difficult to ask?

Still, I decided to wait and hear her out.

“Um, so… Natsu, um…”

“You’re curious about how I looked before I changed, right?”

Because she was trying so hard to hide it, it was actually really obvious.

If there was anything Koyuki would struggle to ask about, it would be that.

Honestly, it wasn’t the kind of thing that was easy to talk about with anyone.

But if the person asking was Koyuki—my one and only twin—then that changed everything.

It was more like, “Well, I guess I have no choice.”

“You _really_ wanna know? You might regret it.”

“I don’t think I’d regret it or anything.”

“…Just don’t say it’s weird or make fun of it, okay?”

“I would never.”

Well, then…

I’d gotten pretty used to how I looked now, but just because I was used to this didn’t mean I could sit through someone mocking how I used to be.

Of course, I knew Koyuki wasn’t the type to do that—but still. It’s embarrassing.

And since she’d already asked so seriously, backing out now would make me look kind of lame.

At this point, I might as well just show her. It’s not like I had anything to hide.

“Hmm, let’s see… Ugh, I don’t have any photos saved… Ah.”

I wasn’t very social, didn’t have many friends, and definitely didn’t have a girlfriend, so I didn’t even have a single photo of myself saved in my phone.

But there _was_ a way.

Using the power of Korea’s resident registration card—a government-issued ID—I could show her.

…Though to be fair, the photo was pretty old, so it was kind of questionable whether it really counted as “right before I changed.”

“Whoa…”

“Is it weird?”

“It’s just… so fascinating.”

“To regular people, _we’re_ probably the ones who look strange. White hair, red eyes…”

Koyuki stared at my ID like she was examining some rare creature, flipping it around in her hands.

The look of excitement on her face was so clear that I started to feel really embarrassed, despite how ready I’d been a moment ago.

H-Hey. Haven’t you stared long enough already?

I reached out to take it back, but she dodged.

“Huh?” I tried again, but again, she dodged.

“Koyuki…!”

“But it’s just so interesting! Ugh, I _really_ should’ve lived with you!”

“…Yeah, you’re right.”

“I want to know everything about Natsu.”

There were tiny tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as she said it.

Toya once told me that in Japan, they say twins are a bond granted by heaven.

If that’s true, then despite our heaven-sent bond, we didn’t meet until we were well into adulthood.

It really was a twist of fate. Maybe that’s what made it all feel so precious.

“I grew up in an orphanage. They found me in the summer, so they named me ‘Yeoreum’—which means ‘summer’ in Korean. That’s what ‘Natsu’ means in Japanese.”

“…”

“Oh, but don’t get the wrong idea, okay? I’ve always liked that name. That’s why I’ve stuck with it all this time.”

When I was little, I once asked a teacher at the orphanage—

If my parents had given me my name.

Most people would’ve probably just said “Yes, they did,” but my teacher didn’t.

It was like she knew what answer I wanted, and she just smiled and said one thing:

“Yeoreum, I named you. Because I met you in summer. And the day I met you was a really special day for me.”

Looking back now, maybe that was just a quick answer to dodge the question.

But I liked that answer so much, I never changed my name even after becoming an adult.

Well… Ever since I started living with Toya, more people started calling me “Natsu” than “Yeoreum,” but…

Still, since “Natsu” means “Yeoreum,” I figure it counts as being called by my real name, right?

“Hmm… I guess I don’t have anything especially interesting to tell you…”

“Weren’t you shocked when your body changed? From the photo, it looked like it happened really late.”

“Hmm? Oh… well, yeah…”

I gently reached out to Koyuki, who was looking at me with a worried, apologetic expression.

Why are you making that face, Koyuki?

Look—I changed, but I’m still living, right? I even got to meet you.

I patted her on the head, ruffling her hair.

Even though we were the same height, she felt smaller somehow—it was like I had a little sister.

“Come on, it’s all in the past. No point stressing about it. The past is the past, and now is now.”

“…But still, you must’ve been really tall before, right?”

“W-Well, yeah…”

“I tried my whole life to get taller and gave up, but you were tall and then suddenly shrank. That must’ve been _so_ shocking!”

“Hmm… being short isn’t _all_ bad.”

It’s not like it’s good, either.

But I wasn’t going to say that out loud.

…Saying it would only make me feel worse.

Ugh, I’ve been trying _so hard_ not to think about that, and now Koyuki’s making me remember!

“By the way, do you prefer being called Natsu, or Yeoreum?”

“Hmm… I think I like being called Yeoreum better. It’s my real name, after all.”

Koyuki nodded at my answer.

I mean, if it’s hard to pronounce, I don’t _mind_ being called Natsu, okay?

They both mean “summer” anyway.

But despite my thoughts, Koyuki carefully pronounced my real name.

Like she was determined to say it no matter what.

“Yeoreuma.”

“Yeah?”

“Ehehe, I called you by your name.”

And the moment the word “Yeoreum” came from Koyuki’s lips, I had to take back what I said earlier.

Yeah… being called by my real name really is the best.

—

**[So why is Ichinose Natsu <— also called Han Yeoreum?]**

**[Why is this gallery called Han Yeoreum when all the talk is about Natsu?]**

– [What, is the goddess who revived this dead gallery supposed to be some average Joe?]

– [There used to be a Korean VTuber named Han Yeoreum. Whenhegraduated, Natsu kinda took over the gallery lol]

– [Wait, this was originally a KR VTuber gallery??]

– [So was Han Yeoreum even cute?]

– [(Han Yeoreum “I’m cute though” emoji)]

– [(Han Yeoreum isn’t even a girl emoji)]

– [Wait, washea guy??]

– [Even a guy becomes a girl if you treat him like one…]

– [Some people say they actually _did_ become a girl.]

– [Don’t say that seriously, people might believe it lmao]

**[Newbies out.]**

**[So Natsu, the sushi (JP) VTuber, is the successor to Han Yeoreum, the kimchi (KR) VTuber?]**

**[Calling Natsu “Yeoreum” makes it feel like someone came back from the dead.]**

– [Why act like Yeoreum died?hejust graduated, probably doing fine lol]

– [But like, what wouldheeven be doing besides streaming?]

– [She was good at games tho.]

– [Yeah but like, by normal standards. It’s not like Yeoreum’s a pro gamer now lol]

**[Honestly, at this point, Natsu feels more like the kimchi version of Yeoreum than the other way around.]**

– [Yeoreum… the one who fled just before debuting…]

– [(Stop the fake lore emoji)]

– [This is the fans’ fault for calling Natsu “Yeoreum” in the first place.]

– [Did you know it was actually Japanese Totomos who first started calling her that?]

– [Wait, really?]

– [Yup, 100% true.]

**[It’s not just Koreans who call Ichinose Natsu “Yeoreum.”]**

**[(Thread screenshots: “Yeoreum died and reincarnated as a cute girl—Natsu,” “I really think Natsu is Yeoreum,” “They must’ve had a twin, that’s why they transformed into a girl”)]**

Han Yeoreum gets contract terminated → Toya suddenly goes to Korea → comes back with Natsu and debuts her?

Koreans might say this stuff jokingly, but some people in Japan _seriously_ believe it lol

– [What made you think Yeoreum is Natsu anyway?]

– [Okay but honestly, Yeoreum was more “appealing” than Natsu.]

– [(Inari FBI knock emoji)]

– [(Inari FBI knock emoji)]

– [Dude, anyone can tell Yeoreum was more attractive lol]

– [???]

– [???]

– [Bro, you gay…]

– [(Han Yeoreum cringe emoji)]

– [(Han Yeoreum split in half and die emoji)]

**[Japan has so many delusional people with overactive imaginations lol]**

– [Is that a compliment or an insult lol]

**[For those who don’t know what kind of VTuber Han Yeoreum was:]**

**[(April Fools’ Day video: Voice changer, new model, TS (genderbend) concept stream)]**

She was a TS-concept VTuber lol

– [Stop spreading fake lore lol]

– [Dude, people will actually believe this lol]

– [Not gonna lie though,hewas kinda hot that time]

– [Dude are you insane]

– [Wasn’t this the guy who kept posting weird fanfics?]

– [Bro is definitely gay…]

– [Viewers voted on the April Fools’ concept, but it’s Yeoreum who’s getting dragged now lmao]

– [She’s not dead though]

– [If a VTuber graduates, they’re basically dead lol]

– [(Han Yeoreum isn’t even human emoji)]

– [More like a corpse than a person now]

– [You’re seriously the worst lol]