Chapter 4 : First Vlog (1)

“Alright, actor. Get ready~ Ready, cue!”

At Chaeryeong’s signal, I press the record button on the camera.

She’d planned it out to some extent, so she started her opening line while facing the camera at the beginning of our school’s walking path.

“Hello, everyone…? Hm. Since I don’t have a fan name yet, I’m not sure what to call you?”

She glanced at the camera with an awkward smile.

It was natural to be awkward at first—she didn’t have much experience standing in front of a camera.

If anything, I was surprised at how natural I felt.

She was talking as if viewers and subscribers already existed, but if it were me, I wouldn’t have been able to speak so casually.

“Anyway. For now, I’ll just say ‘everyone’? So, I bet you’re curious about who I am, right? Hey, you behind the camera? Who am I?”

“…Huh?”

“Wait a second. Cut, cut. You can’t react like that. You can’t get flustered there.”

Chaeryeong waves her hands, signaling that the take was ruined.

I had watched some vlogs to prepare, but suddenly being spoken to on camera—it threw me off.

I didn’t know how I was supposed to react.

Chaeryeong walked over to me and started giving instructions just like a real director talking to an actor.

“Yoon Taeo, what did I say the key to a vlog is?”

“Naturalness?”

“Exactly. Naturalness. Even if we’re acting and filming ourselves.”

“Yeah.”

“No matter how much people look at us and wonder, ‘Are they YouTubers?’—what do we do?”

“Act natural.”

“Okay. Just ignore the camera and talk like you normally would with me. Be relaxed. If we act like ourselves, the viewers will feel comfortable watching too.”

“Got it. I’ll try.”

“Okay, this time we’re not stopping? Let’s get the rest of the shoot done in one go?”

“Yeah.”

She lightly tapped my shoulder and returned to the opening spot.

Right.

I got paid for this, so I can’t slack off.

If it’s a job and you’re getting paid, you’ve got to approach it like a pro.

Anyway, this was a job I’d been hired for with a contract fee.

From now on, I’m an actor.

With that mindset, I tried to treat Chaeryeong as naturally as usual.

“Hello, everyone? Nice to meet you. Oh, I guess you’re wondering who I am. Hey, cameraman, who am I?”

“Yoo Chaeryeong.”

“And who’s Yoo Chaeryeong? If you explain it like that, how will people know?”

“Freshman at Jeongun University? The goddess of the Media and Film Department? Heh.”

“Ooh, I like that intro. That’s right! I’m Yoo Chaeryeong, goddess of the Media and Film Department at Jeongun University. Hi, everyone~ But hey, why’d you laugh at the ‘goddess’ part?”

“I wasn’t really laughing at you. It’s just… how should I put it. That wording is so cheesy, you know? ‘Goddess’?”

“Oh~ is that so? Sounds like an excuse you just made up, but I’ll let it slide this time.”

Joking around with each other like usual.

Seeing our grinning faces and relaxed attitudes, Chaeryeong looked pleased, as if saying “that’s exactly it.”

Her expression gave me confidence, and I was able to talk to her much more comfortably than before.

“Since this is our first vlog, please understand if there are some awkward parts. Oh, and what kind of vlog is this, you ask? Cameraman, what kind of vlog is it?”

“A couple vlog, I guess.”

Yeah, that’s right.

A couple vlog—with no actual couple.

“A sad vlog where the poor cameraman is being used like a boyfriend. Everyone, avoid girls who like vlogs. If you don’t want to end up like me.”

“Ahhh. What? I can’t hear you. Was that a bird just now?”

“There weren’t even any birds chirping. How did you hear that?”

“I dunno. Anyway—let’s go, let’s go!”

“Acting like you didn’t hear because it’s not in your favor, huh.”

Chaeryeong happily walks ahead.

I film her back with the camera, capturing the scenery as well.

When it comes to filming, I’m pretty confident.

After all, I liked taking photos and videos enough to enroll in the Media and Film Department.

I hadn’t uploaded anything anywhere, but I did take a lot of scenic shots and organized them for myself.

Maybe it was mostly thanks to my uncle, who’s a photographer.

I’d worked as his assistant and learned how fun handling a camera could be.

“This is the walking path at Jeongun University. Wow, isn’t it pretty? Everyone? It’s spring, so there are a lot of flowers in bloom.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“That’s an azalea, and this… is it a royal azalea? Do you like flowers, Mr. Cameraman?”

“Not really. I don’t know much about flowers. I’m not interested in things that are only around for a season.”

“Wow, way to kill the mood. Seriously.”

“Does romance put food on the table?”

At my reply, Chaeryeong sighs and gives me a “we’re not on the same wavelength” look.

So what? Staring at me like that won’t change anything. What can you even do?

“Okay, listen. Yoo Chaeryeong will now revive your sense of romance. Azaleas and royal azaleas have the same flower meaning, you know.”

“What is it?”

“The joy of love. Isn’t that so romantic? ‘The joy of love.’ Oh my gosh~ how exciting is that?”

“Wow, so romantic.”

“That sounded totally robotic. Even a cyborg would’ve had better reaction skills.”

“May I… assist… you. Miss… Chaeryeong. I am an android robot. Cameraman.”

So I’m really just going to be known as ‘Cameraman,’ huh?

That’s why first impressions matter. I think mine is already ruined.

As we walked along the university’s path, showing it off while chatting like usual…

Around the middle of the walk, we heard a sound from somewhere.

“Meow.”

A little creature popped out of the bushes and leapt onto the path.

I instinctively pointed the camera that way, and Chaeryeong’s eyes lit up as she greeted it.

“Hello, Kkongchi~! Aww… so cute…”

As the cat approached Chaeryeong, she crouched down.

Then, pointing to the silver-furred cat, she introduced Kkongchi to the camera.

“This is our school’s mascot. His name’s Kkongchi. His signature look is that everything up to here is silver, but his back fur has a slight dark tint. Someone said he looks like a mackerel, so they named him that. Super cute, right?”

“I heard he’s been living here for like four years. So he’s actually a big senior to us.”

“Wow, really? Then he’s in his graduating year. I wonder where our senior Kkongchi will get a job.”

“At a fish shop?”

“If he gets hired there, I bet he’d get fired in a day. Hehe.”

But Kkongchi didn’t stay long with Chaeryeong.

After brushing past her leg lightly, he came over to me, who was holding the camera.

I didn’t know why, but he’d been like this since not long after I started school.

Kkongchi really liked me.

“…Ah. Can’t believe you’re leaving me for another guy. So cruel.”

“Don’t you think you’re aiming your jealousy at the wrong person, Chaeryeong?”

“Why does Kkongchi only like you? I’m jealous. He’s been your stalker since forever. Tries to follow you into classrooms and all.”

“I don’t know either. Maybe he likes my scent?”

“You sure you’re not secretly spraying catnip at home before coming?”

“I’m too lazy to even use cologne. You think I’d go through the trouble of using catnip spray? I’m not even that into cats.”

Lowering myself to film Kkongchi, I reached out and petted his head.

“Good boy. That’s it.”

He started rubbing his cheek affectionately against my hand, a content smile forming around his mouth.

That adorable display made me smile without even realizing it.

Chaeryeong, watching me closely, suddenly smiled like she just had a great idea.

“…I’m jealous.”

“Stop being jealous. You’ll wear out Kkongchi.”

“Not of Kkongchi.”

“Then who?”

“You. I’m jealous of you, my boyfriend, who got stolen away by a cat.”

She stared at me with a sulky expression.

I could tell from her slightly self-conscious glance at the camera that this was acting.

But still, when Chaeryeong said that, my heart couldn’t help but pound.

“Ah~ My boyfriend’s all smitten with a cat, giving him loving looks and gentle pets…”

“…”

“And does absolutely nothing for me… How sad… So jealous…”

“I’ve never met a girl who gets jealous of a cat before.”

“Maybe I’ll just ditch this date and head home? Suddenly feels boring.”

Maybe no one else would’ve noticed, but I did.

Even though she was pulling a pouty face, the slight upward curve at the corner of her lips gave her away.

Chaeryeong clearly thought this would make for a fun scene and was hamming it up on purpose.

Still, even knowing it was all an act, something stirred in my heart.

Is this just how guys are?

Or is it that those who fall in love really are this easy?

The fact that she was pretending to be jealous for me made a thrill rise in my chest.

…Because, in that moment, she really looked like a girlfriend jealous of her boyfriend.

But this was still a shoot.

I calmed my pounding heart and took my hand off Kkongchi.

Then, crouching down like her, I moved toward Chaeryeong, who was watching me.

“Good girl. That’s our Chaeryeong.”

When I placed my hand on her head, she looked a little startled.

I sent her a silent message with my eyes.

…This is the kind of scene you were aiming for, right?

That kind of look.

“Hehe. Nice. Let’s go with more head pats.”

Chaeryeong soon broke into a smile again.

Like a cat, she rubbed her head against my hand and adorably asked for more attention.

With her eyes narrowing playfully as she looked at me—

…She’s really cute. This girl might be a little dangerous.

That thought popped into my head before I could stop it.