Chapter 41 : Hanami Nana

Someone said it.

Nobody knew I  would become this successful.

They didn’t appear like a comet; initially, they first showed up at the fixed member auditions for Eungtae, a streamer whose main content

was VRChat.

It was a popular audition at the time, with at least over 100 participants auditioning.

Eungtae’s video, getting angry at them for auditioning with the same concept just different faces, still remained a hot topic.

“Hey! What was it? All those idols I eliminated earlier, gather ’round.”

“Was it five of them?”

“Since all your concepts overlap, I can’t pass all of you, so why don’t you guys just try working as your own group?”

That was the beginning of the legend.

Achieving #1 on the domestic charts!

Later, entering the Billboard charts!

Their path was unstoppable!

Like a rushing tide!

They moved forward without hesitation.

Initially, the plan was just to pick them as fixed members and have fun with content.

Even Eungtae himself, who picked them, didn’t know they would grow this much.

That was the start.

Of VTubers increasing in Korea.

There are indie VTubers, and also VTubers where streamers like Eungtae created groups.

In a way, they could be seen as the originators of Korean virtual idols.

Eungtae said.

“Hey everyone. How did you really grow like this?”

Eungtae himself had unknowingly raised monsters.

“Nanmi-nim? Of course, I know her!”

“Is there anyone in Korea right now who doesn’t know her?”

One of the members of Ilive.

Self-proclaimed main vocalist Hamomo spoke.

“I watched that broadcast live, you know?”

“Coincidentally, the next day was my day off.”

“Wow, but seriously, the national pride was overwhelming.”

“It was the first ever for Time Click, right!”

“What? The Messi of the gaming world?”

“Honestly, I think from now on, it’s right to call it the Nanmi of the gaming world.”

“So, praise me like that when you compliment me, okay?”

“Ahahat!”

Her clip, characterized by a peculiar laugh, ended there.

Nanmi looked at clips of other members too.

It was a clip of the eldest sister, Larne, known as the actual main vocalist.

“Uhe·····, Hm? Nanmi-nim?”

“She’s a legend.”

“I think I’ve become a fan.”

She was characterized by making a languid “Uhe·····” sound whenever lost in thought, as if her brain connection was severed.

Among fans, she was likened to a capybara bathing in a hot spring.

She was called Larnebara, a compound word for that.

“Honestly, I’m not the type to get excited easily.”

“But you know?”

“When we reached the semi-finals in the 2002 World Cup?”

“Ah, were you guys around back then?”

“I got excited with a similar feeling to that time.”

Next were clip videos of the second eldest sister, Naruna, and the youngest, Rino.

Specifically, it was a video from when they played Time Click duo.

Rino asked Naruna.

“Unni.” (Older sister)

“Hm? What’s up?”

“Nanmi-nim wouldn’t have made that kind of judgment back then.”

“Hey! Th-th-this kid! Huh!”

It wasn’t clear what the situation was, but the video of the second eldest sister, Naruna, having a fit was amusing.

Lastly, Saeum.

“Hm? Nanmi-nim? Umm·····, Ah! O-of course, I saw it.”

“Yes.”

[oo donated 1,000 won!]

“What? No~”

“There’s no way, right?”

“I saw it too····, umm····, I saw it·····.”

After that, Saeum changed into a black suit.

Saeum spoke in a polite voice.

“I sincerely apologize.”

“Truthfully, I was slightly confused about the name.”

-[Huk!?]

“To make an excuse, I was broadcasting at that time, so I actually thought Inaring-nim had achieved 5000 points.”

“I’m sorry.”

-[Heok!]
-[My god, this might be controversial?]

[oo donated 1,000 won!]
[[How dare you compare Inaring and Nanmi! You wench! You deserve to die!]]

“Ugh·····, The only VTuber good at games in my head was Inaring-nim.”

“Really, gomen nasai!” (I’m sorry!)

After watching up to that point, I looked at the chat window.

Doesn’t know Nanmi? 

But my thoughts were different.

“Hmm·····, nice.”

 What is?

“Inaring who’s good at games.”

“It seems Saeum-nim is also an Inaring fan.”

“She’ll get along great with me.”

-[???]
-[?? It becomes like that?]

Besides them, I saw other famous streamers talking about me.

A grin spread across my face unconsciously.

Compliments always feel good no matter when you hear them.

It was then.

“·····Hm?”

A title caught my eye.

Title: [Nanmi-nim! Want to see an overseas VTuber mentioning Nanmi-nim?]

[Video]

“Overseas VTuber?”

Who could it be?

I immediately entered the post and checked the video.

In that instant, my eyes widened without realizing it.

“Ah·····.”

It was a VTuber I knew well.

The representative Japanese VTuber group, Haralive.

In a way, they could be considered the first virtual idol group.

Haralive’s 3rd generation member, Hanami Nana.

Because she was my favorite in the past.

“Wow·····, I can’t believe Nana-nim would mention me.”

Before Inaring started streaming, I used to enjoy watching Haralive VTubers.

Somehow, my heart started to feel touched.

So this kind of thing happens when you get famous.

It was then.

[Hanami Nana donated 100,000 won!]

[[I’m a fan!]]

“Hm?”

A donation message suddenly popped up.

However, the nickname was unusual.

“Hm? Hanami Nana?”

-[Is that the real Nana?]

“First, thank you for the 100,000 won donation.”

Honestly, I didn’t think much of it.

First, my thoughts were the same as the viewers’.

Because·····, this streaming platform is the Korean platform NamuTV.

I couldn’t imagine Nana-nim, who streams on YouTube, would go as far as joining this platform just to watch my stream.

Still, as a streamer, I decided to play along with the viewer’s skit.

“Wow~ Did you see that? Everyone?”

“It’s the real Nana-nim.

-[A broadcast even Hanami Nana watches! As expected of Great Nanmi!]

-[Kya~! Awesome~!]

“That’s what I’m saying. Pfft-“

“Honestly, I wish it were real.”

“I’ve actually been a fan of Nana-nim for a long time.”

[Hanami Nana donated 10,000 won!]

[[I’m a fan too!]]

“Oh my, thank you, Nana-nim.”

“I also watch Nana-nim’s streams often.”

“Only when Inaring is on break.”

[Hanami Nana donated 10,000 won!]

[[Please check your email!]]

“·····Hm?”

Email?

Wait a minute, this person seems too absorbed in their concept?

Do people usually go this far?

“Eh, eh·····, no way·····.”

[oo donated 1,000 won!]

[[Check it ]]

“Ah, no, could it really be real?”

I briefly switched the broadcast screen and checked my email.

And a moment later.

“Huh?”

I saw a rather unusual subject line.

The sender was an email address written in Japanese as Hanami Nana.

“Th-there is? Just a moment.”

“Let me check the email content.”

I immediately checked the email content.

The sentences themselves were strange, likely due to using a translator, but I could roughly understand the content.

It was an email saying she wanted to collaborate with me.

[Hanami Nana donated 10,000 won!]
[[I want to collab!]]

My mouth fell open without me realizing.

“E-everyone.”

“I think that person might actually be Nana-nim?”

-[?? Why is this real?]

-[Why is a foreigner here lol]

“No, did you really join this platform just to watch me? Wow·····,”

“Honestly, this is the first time something like this has happened, ah! First.”

Ahem- Nanmi cleared her throat and opened her mouth.

However, the words that came out of her mouth were not Korean.

“[First of all, Nana-nim.]”

“[It’s nice to meet you.]”

“[Thank you so much for the donation.]”

“[Honestly, I never imagined it was really you.]”-[You knew Japanese?]

The viewers were confused by the fluent Japanese suddenly flowing from Nanmi’s mouth.

Of course, Nana, listening, was just as surprised.

[Hanami Nana donated 10,000 won!]

[[Wow! Your Japanese is good! Did you learn it?]]

Ah·····, it seems she’s really the one.

Somehow, the donation message sounded like it went through a translator.

I answered in Japanese.

“[That older sister made me study a lot when I was young·····.]”

My sister made me study hard since I was young.

For most subjects, I didn’t need to go to an academy; I was tutored by my sister.

Of course, Japanese was something I studied personally just because I wanted to learn it.

Anyway, I could manage simple conversation.

“[Well·····, first, thank you so much for the donation.]”

“[I never thought you’d be watching my stream.]”

“[Especially on this platform.]”

“[Umm·····, I’m very grateful for your proposal, but I think I’ll need to discuss this with my boss.]”

“[It’s quite a big deal.]”

A Korea-Japan collaboration.

As someone only on day 3 of streaming, I didn’t think I could decide on my own.

Honestly, in my heart, I really wanted to do the collab too, but I felt I needed the boss’s permission first.

Nana-nim replied to that.

[Hanami Nana donated 10,000 won!]

[[Okay, I’ll be waiting!]]