Chapter 214: I Met a Kindred Spirit!

Reаd o​ń ‍&K;аt̃&R;​e​а​dïn‍g‍C​&a;fe

“Originally, we’re not supposed to disclose acceptance results in advance, but…”

Given the unusual circumstances, Ji-won received confirmation as a second-generation member right after the interview.

Once everything was settled, Ji-won and I headed to a nearby café—one I frequented with the other members whenever we gathered at the company. It had a private room, making it the perfect spot for conversations without worrying about prying eyes.

“Wow, so you have an older brother, Ji-won?”

“Yes, he’s three years older.”

“I don’t have any siblings, so I’ve always wondered what it’s like. It sounds like so much fun…”

“It’s not bad. Though we used to fight all the time when we were kids.”

“Everyone says that! Do siblings really fight that often…?”

“Don’t even get me started. When we were little, we’d brawl like stray dogs the moment we made eye contact.”

We briefly exchanged stories about our families.

“So, you’re still working at your current company?”

“Yes, but now that I’ve been accepted, I’ll have to submit my resignation.”

“Right, juggling both would be tough.”

“That’s part of it… but also, since this is my first real dream, I want to give it my all.”

“I’ll cheer for you! I know you’ll do great.”

“Th-thank you. I’ll do my best to support you too, Lulu.”

“Y-you don’t have to call me that in real life…”

We spent a delightful time encouraging each other’s dreams. The stiff, awkward atmosphere from earlier now felt like a distant lie.

“Ehehe… Speaking of which, I feel a little embarrassed about casually revealing my real self to a fan like that.”

Now that the mood had relaxed and I’d shared my real name, I found myself blushing at the thought of having a face-to-face conversation like this. It wouldn’t have been as strange if she were just an ordinary second-generation member, but knowing she was originally one of our most passionate fans made it even more surreal.

“Ah, actually… there’s something I should tell you about that.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“The truth is… I already knew your face, Lulu—no, Da-jeong. I’m sorry for only bringing it up now.”

“Huh?! How?!”

I was quietly nibbling on cake, waiting for Ji-won to continue, when her unexpected words nearly made me drop my fork. It was that shocking.

She knew my face?! How?!

I’d searched online before, wondering if my face had leaked somewhere, but it seemed like no one knew about it. (Though the same went for the other members.)

“Da-jeong, do you remember going to see Lilith’s birthday billboard?”

“Yes, I mentioned it on stream…”

“Well, I was the one who took your picture that day. You suddenly ran up and asked me to take a photo, and I was so surprised!”

“Wait…?! Y-you were the one who took it?!”

The vague memory resurfaced, and I couldn’t hide my astonishment.

That’s right.

Back then, Chae-yoon unnie and I wanted to take a picture together but didn’t have a good way to do it. So I handed my phone to a passerby who looked like an ordinary person.

I’d assumed she had no connection to this industry—that’s why I felt safe asking her. But who would’ve guessed she was a Star Piece? No, not just that—she was going to be a second-generation member of Blue LUV?!

The world really is small.

“At first, I wasn’t sure, but your voice gave it away. Plus, I could sense your unique way of speaking…”

“Th-that’s even more impressive. You recognized me just from that?”

“Well, I’m a Cherry. Of course I’d know.”

Ji-won shrugged casually, as if it were obvious, while I gaped at her.

Sure, but not every Cherry would notice!

Of course, if she watched my streams often, she might’ve gotten familiar enough to recognize me. But we hadn’t even talked for that long—most people would’ve brushed it off with uncertainty.

Just how much did she watch my streams?

“And remember when you showed up at the birthday café livestream? I was there too.”

“Seriously…?! You went to the birthday café too?”

Wow, the birthday café.

I’d heard the slots were incredibly competitive. If she got in, didn’t that mean the heavens had destined her to be a true Star Piece?

“Yes, when I got the notification, I almost punched a hole in the ceiling from excitement. It was the happiest day.”

“Hehe, I’m glad you enjoyed it. It was my first time, so I thought it’d feel lacking…”

“It was the best. I still carry some of the merch I got that day in my bag.”

“The merch?!”

When I gave her a disbelieving look, Ji-won rummaged through her bag and pulled out the cup coaster and keyring from that day.

Huh?! They’re really here!

W-why would she carry these around?!

“B-but why aren’t you using the coaster at home…?”

“It felt too precious to use. The thought of Lulu’s face wearing out made me hesitate… so I just keep it wrapped in a thin pouch like a charm.”

“Wow…”

Rustle—rustle—

I took the coaster from her hand and confirmed it was indeed encased in a protective sleeve.

Just how sincere is she…?

“S-so, speaking of which… I know it’s shameless, but could I ask for one favor?”

“Of course! Anything.”

As a fan, I was ready to grant any request—well, except for cheek-pinching or anything like that!

But Ji-won didn’t seem the type to ask for something like that anyway, so I nodded confidently.

Then, she carefully peeled off the plastic sleeve, pulled out a marker from her bag, and held it out to me.

“Could you… sign this for me? I want to treasure it for life…”

“Huh? O-on this?!”

“Yes. Paper would be fine too, but… if possible, I’d love your signature on the merch.”

The request caught me completely off guard. Given the nature of VTubers, I’d never been asked for an irl autograph before. Even official company merchandise never included signatures, so this would technically be my first time signing anything.

“W-well, I’ve practiced signatures with the other members, but… I’ve never actually done one. It might not turn out well—is that okay?”

“Gasp…! Does that mean I’ll be the first person to ever get Lulu’s autograph?!”

“I… guess so?”

Huh? Now that I think about it, yeah.

Ji-won would be the first person to receive my signature.

That’s… a strange feeling.

“Sniff… I’m so glad I’m alive…!”

“J-Ji-won…?!”

As I took the marker and brought it close to the coaster, my hand trembled slightly.

Watching this, Ji-won suddenly slumped onto the table, pretending to cry—no, wait, she was actually crying?!

“W-wait! Why are you crying?!”

“I’m sorry. I never thought the day would come when I’d get Lulu’s autograph… And to be the first one too… I’m just so moved…”

“P-please, stop. We’re going to be fellow Blue LUV members now, so you don’t need to be like this.”

“No. Even if I become part of Blue LUV, I’ll always be a cherry at heart. You always say it too, Lulu—that you’re a Star Piece before you’re a Blue LUV member.”

“W-well, that’s true…”

Her flawless logic left me speechless.

When I called myself a Star Piece, it never felt strange—in fact, it filled me with pride. But hearing someone else say it to me? That was… weird.

Scribble—scribble—

“Here. Sorry if it’s a little crooked…”

“No, that makes it even more unique…! I’ll treasure this for life.”

“P-please don’t say things like that…”

Imagine the shock of future generations seeing a cup coaster hailed as a family heirloom. For the sake of domestic peace—no, for the sake of my dignity—I begged her inwardly to reconsider.

“Come to think of it, you called yourself a cherry earlier. Do you not watch the other members’ streams as much?”

“Of course I do!”

As I handed back the signed coaster, Ji-won violently shook her head, then opened her phone gallery to show me a photo of her room—filled with Blue LUV merchandise. Not just mine, but every member’s.

Whoa. That must’ve cost a fortune.

“I watch pretty much every Blue LUV stream. If they overlap, I prioritize my favorites, but I always catch up later through the BlueOshi channel. The editing quality is just too good!”

“Ehehe…”

The sudden praise made me blush, but hearing that the videos I edited were enjoyable brought an involuntary smile to my face.

“Lately, I’ve been watching Lilith and Yukiko’s streams a lot. I’m terrible at games, but theirs are still so fun—probably because their reactions are gold.”

“Right?! Right?!”

My hands clapped in agreement before I could stop myself. Those two were undisputedly Blue LUV’s highest-energy duo among the first-gen members.

And of course, Chae-yoon unnie and Yuna’s streams were in a league of their own. Chae-yoon was ruthlessly skilled, while Yuna made up for slightly weaker mechanics with legendary meme plays.

“I didn’t watch Erin much at first, but after her original song dropped, I got hooked. Now I tune in like it’s a radio show. Her voice is just… unfair.”

“Exactly! Listening to Erin unnie feels like ascending to heaven.”

Preach.

Jia unnie’s voice was divine—literally dust-free, as fans often joked. Even we hesitated to record after her during group sessions because the contrast was too brutal.

…Yeah, “we” means me.

“And Lucretia? She’s the type of woman who’s charming even to other women. That ‘flirty older sister’ vibe? Impossible not to fall for.”

“Right?! Sometimes during off-collabs, Lucretia unnie will wink or blow kisses, and Erin unnie always scolds her, like, ‘Stop seducing people!’”

“If that happened to me, I’d lose my mind… I’d be dead on the spot.”

Ji-won shook her head dramatically, mimicking a fainting spell, and I burst out laughing.

Hehe. I’ve never had someone in real life to gush about this stuff with. This felt like meeting a kindred spirit for the first time. With Ji-won, I could talk for hours.

“Alright, passed!”

Not that CEO Kang hadn’t already approved her, but I flashed a thumbs-up, solidifying my confidence in her.

Someone this devoted to Blue LUV? No way she won’t be an amazing VTuber!

I guarantee it!