Ch.161156 – Admired Idol

It was snowing heavily all day on a winter night.

The news that Kariri would be doing a collab stream with Chena made many people doubt their ears.

No matter how popular Kariri was, she was just a VTuber.

90,000 VTube subscribers? 500,000 average video views?

That was nothing compared to Chena bringing glory to the nation by topping the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for three consecutive weeks.

The other side’s music videos had view counts in the hundreds of millions.

It seemed too low-quality to be considered a new type of attention-seeking.

The fact that she targeted an idol who was gaining massive popularity in Korea was particularly irritating to fans.

Just as demands for punishment from the agency exploded, even more shocking news arrived.

[Hello. This is NTis Entertainment.

We would like to inform you about the upcoming schedule of our artist “Chena” Kim Saet-byeol.

Chena is currently on vacation after completing her world tour schedule, and we have confirmed through communication that she will appear on an internet broadcast due to personal connections.

Although this is not part of our company’s planned schedule, we have received assurance that she will maintain her position as a public figure during the internet broadcast, and we will do our best to ensure that the concerns of fans do not materialize.]

* * *

“Um… welcome! Wow, Chena sis…! It’s been so long, I’m so happy… I mean, happy as a lark!”

“Should I sit here? Oh, hello everyone! It feels quite fresh to meet you in this setting. I’m singer Chena.”

Yoonseul looked at the true “celebrity” sitting next to her with sparkling eyes.

Until now, showing herself on camera in real life when starting a broadcast had only happened during collabs with LK and Kim Wooju.

And when news broke that the third guest would be none other than Chena, tens of thousands—no, over a hundred thousand viewers instantly flooded into the stream. The first digit changed rapidly.

The chat was so lagged that it temporarily froze.

“You seem to be doing well these days, Yoonseul? You’ve lost some baby fat and gotten even prettier.”

“Eeeek! S-sis, saying that with that face… that’s cheating, cheating!”

“Is it?”

Kariri blushed at Chena’s compliment, not knowing how to react.

It was a beauty that seemed to suck out your soul just by looking at it.

In comparison, she herself was only considered ordinarily cute like an idol, so Chena’s compliment was an incredible honor for Yoonseul.

“And you shouldn’t call me by that name here.”

“Then what should I call you?”

“Kariri…! I am Kariri, king of the savanna! Gr… grrrrawwwr…!”

The chat was flowing too rapidly to read and respond to comments.

However, knowing exactly what the viewers wanted, Kariri quickly changed the subject.

“Sh-shall we go into virtual reality now?”

It was indeed too much to continue broadcasting with their real appearances.

Kariri suggested this with earnest sincerity.

“We came all this way just to go into VR?”

“But since Saet-byeol sis is so pretty… I… I think we could model your avatar exactly after you…!”

She had already prepared a top-tier rental capsule in advance for Chena’s visit.

And its performance was good enough to perfectly recreate Chena’s appearance in virtual reality.

Kariri’s broadcast specialty: “Rock Paper Scissors Q&A.”

In this segment, whoever loses at rock-paper-scissors must either answer the opponent’s question or perform a random penalty.

Kariri couldn’t hide her satisfaction at having prepared numerous questions that daringly pushed the boundaries.

“Rock, paper, scissors! Yes, nice! Face the consequences!”

“Wait, you suddenly became too aggressive… Eek! What? Why did you hit me right away?”

“Oh right! I forgot in all the excitement!”

As the segment progressed, a lot of information was gathered.

What drew the most attention was how Chena came to appear on Kariri’s broadcast.

The public couldn’t help but look with curious eyes at the fact that Kariri had shared a room with her during her trainee days.

After all, plenty of people didn’t even know that Kariri had once been an idol trainee.

-Wow, 300,000 viewers lol

-Today is truly legendary

-The power of a world star, damn

With simultaneous broadcasting on Twissy and VTube, about 10 times the usual number of viewers had gathered.

This collab was especially meaningful to Yoonseul herself.

Chena was an idol who had already reached the peak in the career path she once aspired to.

She didn’t need to try hard to maintain high energy, and the smile never left her face.

“Ah, singing! Then Kariri should sing ‘Wild Flower’!”

“Wild Flower again? Are you still only singing that?”

“Don’t underestimate a song I’ve perfected thousands of times with craftsmanship, hehe!”

Kariri adjusted the broadcast settings to activate viewer visualization mode.

Suddenly, outside the private room, hundreds of thousands of people appeared sitting with light sticks in their hands.

Perhaps this was the future that might have been given to Seol Yoonseul if she hadn’t given up on being an idol.

But Kariri shook her head and focused on singing. After all, she wasn’t an idol but a VTuber.

She was determined to show Korea’s best VTuber to Korea’s best idol.

“Cherished memories, lingering feelings.”

Chena silently listened until she finished the song.

As the cheers erupted after the song ended, Kariri bowed her head deeply, even shedding a few tears.

“Sniff. Thank you all so much! Would you like to sing next, Chena sis? Your new song—”

“No… not today.”

“Oh, okay? Taking care of your voice is important…! Then shall we move on to the pillow time segment?”

The so-called “lying down broadcast.”

A segment that’s always a hit when idols do it.

Many of Kariri’s segments were inspired by and borrowed from external sources like this.

It was by no means a common sight to see two beautiful girls lying on one bed, looking at each other and sharing words from the depths of their hearts.

“Yoonseul… I mean Kariri. I really can’t get used to this name, haha. Why did you quit being an idol in the middle? I thought you could debut with me. You’re pretty, sing well, dance well, and above all, I always thought you were the hardest working among us.”

“Kariri realized! I didn’t need to be an idol.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t want to become an idol itself. I just wanted to sing and dance in front of many people. I don’t think it necessarily had to be in the form of an idol.”

“I see…”

“But I’m a little envious of you, sis! If singing in virtual reality is this moving, how much more thrilling must it be to hear the cheers of real people!”

There had never been so many people gathered before.

Does Chena feel this thrill at every concert?

Chena, who had been listening to Kariri’s confession with her eyes closed, spoke in a gentle voice.

“Kariri. I’m actually really envious of you.”

“Eh? What about me?”

Chena gently stroked her cheek.

Kariri let out a small scream from the ticklish sensation but soon opened her eyes wide and focused on Chena’s words.

“You pioneered a path no one even thought of taking, and you’re living your life so freely and enjoyably. Maybe ‘idol’ wasn’t the most fitting word for you… that’s what I think!”

“Come on, sis, you’re supposed to only tell the truth here! This is a truth game!”

“Haha, busted? You’re right, you’re the second best fit after me!”

“That’s right! That’s the Chena sis I know!”

Kariri had a talent for bringing out the charm of her guests.

She enhances their existing charm and finds and conveys their unexpected charm.

Kariri would be satisfied if she could widely show the public—who envied Chena for simply finding good songs and a good agency to rise to stardom—that she was such a thoughtful and charming person.

“I hope we can do another collab like this.”

She couldn’t help but be a bit greedy, but,

“It probably won’t happen.”

“I guess you’ll be busy with your schedule?”

“Yeah… so you too, live your one life without regrets and have fun.”

“Yes! Kariri will remember that! Until the day I reclaim my throne in the savanna!”

[Just Chatting – Chena is a Goddess!]

[Broadcast Time – 5:29:10]

[Viewers – 384,927]

* * *

It was the day after the collab.

[At 4 AM this morning, singer Chena was found dead at her residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Police and fire authorities stated that there were no external factors such as crime, and they are continuing to investigate the exact cause of death with the possibility of suicide in mind.]

* * *

News reports continued to pour out from morning about the shocking incident that shook South Korea.

For whatever reason, the bereaved family maintained that they could not disclose the suicide note she left at this time.

They only repeated like a cuckoo that it was Chena’s wish, asking people to trust and wait a little.

A wave of condolences continued worldwide following the sudden suicide news of a singer.

Chena’s suicide note would eventually be revealed to the world after a month had passed, but all sorts of speculation ran rampant before then.

Some netizens belatedly revealed that Chena had been suffering from severe depression for a long time, and all arrows of blame pointed toward her agency.

But the stream never flows in just one direction.

Like a river splitting into two branches upon meeting a large rock, the next target was Kariri.

-You didn’t know your close sister was depressed?

-What did you say to Chena after the broadcast? After all, Kariri was the last person to meet her

-Did you blackmail her or something?

-This is so ridiculous;; Rewatching the broadcast, she keeps trying to compete with Chena lol

-What’s a VTuber? Makes me want to vomit just looking at it

-No normal person watches that stuff

-So disgusting;;

-Why did she spend her last moments with someone like this lol;;

-Go die the same way

-Just like all those girls who act cute and suck money from simps

-You killed her, go turn yourself in

Bang bang bang-

“Ms. Seol Yoonseul, are you home? I’m from XXX! Could we have a brief interview?”

“I’m a reporter from XXX! Ms. Seol Yoonseul, could you spare us a moment!”

Reporters stormed Yoonseul’s house.

The girl kneeling in front of the entrance door began to tear at her hair.

“No… it wasn’t me…”

[Ms. Seol Yoonseul!]

[Are you in there!]

[We’d like to ask if Chena said anything specific to you!]

“I said no, I… haa… haa…”

Yoonseul’s gaze trembled anxiously.

Hot air entered through her throat, but somehow she couldn’t breathe properly.

A vague fear that her violently trembling heart might burst and fail to function,

A terror that her body would become paralyzed and she would die unable to breathe,

A pressure like her airway was blocked and she might suffocate—all these sensations tightened around her.

[It has been reported that the day before the incident, singer Chena appeared on the internet broadcast of Seol Yoonseul, who was once a trainee at the same agency…]

The face of “Seol Yoonseul” kept appearing on TV and internet sites.

This wasn’t,

This wasn’t how she wanted to become famous.

Yoonseul’s body crawled weakly across the floor.

She thought the cold wooden floor might cool her burning sensation, but it was useless as chills returned.

[Being cured doesn’t mean not experiencing panic, but rather not fearing panic.]

It was a monster that had already once shattered the dream that Seol Yoonseul had cherished for a long time.

And now that monster had extended its hand to Kariri as well.

Half-collapsed, Yoonseul continued to sob uncontrollably.

It seemed she wasn’t cured yet, as her doctor had said.

But how could a human not fear death?

-A girl who couldn’t even debut probably killed her out of jealousy poor our Chena sis crying

-She looks so fox-like why did Chena meet someone like her? Ridiculous;;

-Her face is all over now, how is she going to walk around outside

-Who cares lol if she didn’t like it she shouldn’t have shown her face, sucking up all the popularity

The world was cruel to the girl.

A great flood had hit the perpetually drought-stricken savanna, and even the invincible King Kariri had no way to deal with this natural disaster.

An individual was infinitely powerless in the face of society’s malicious gaze and slander.