Chapter 69: Scarlet debut commemorative photo shoot, Part 3

Actually, all-around otaku like Hayoon and Do Jin-ho are not as common as one might think.

From a typical perspective, just listening to JPOP, drawing illustrations, or watching anime is enough to be labeled an otaku.

In short, people like Choi Arin, who considered cosplay a hobby but animating a job, or Hong Seo-hyun, who not only listened to and sang JPOP but also adapted lyrics, naturally thought of themselves as otaku.

At the same time, they assumed that since they were like this, others must also be passionately devoted to one particular area, and they lived believing that.

Most all-around otaku like Hayoon and Do Jin-ho restrained themselves to avoid crossing the line.

They didn’t want their hobbies to be looked down upon, so they refrained from oversharing unnecessary information in front of people who weren’t interested.

If someone asked them something out of curiosity, they would answer only that much.

These were often called “socialized otaku,” in contrast to the infamous examples often seen online.

Most all-around otaku were socialized.

They either learned the hard way during their school days or instinctively behaved that way.

That’s why people closer to ordinary individuals, like Choi Arin and Hong Seo-hyun, didn’t have many opportunities to experience other fields outside their interests.

They were busy with their lives and stuck to one hobby, and the people around them didn’t want to overshare information on topics they weren’t interested in.

But today, Hong Seo-hyun was about to have a different experience.

“From Hongdae Station, go this way…”

She was going to observe a cosplay photo book shoot at the studio Hayoon had booked.

Even aside from the fact that she was Scarlet, whom Hayoon would be cosplaying, this was a rather exciting experience.

Expanding one’s hobbies isn’t easy.

From an outsider’s perspective, people who listen to JPOP, cosplay, or draw anime-style illustrations all look the same: like otaku.

However, those involved rarely crossed over into each other’s territories.

Hong Seo-hyun, who sought to expand her hobby into a professional field and succeeded with Hayoon’s help, was quite a unique case.

Now that her hobby had become her job, it was difficult for her to explore other hobbies.

So, being invited by Hayoon to observe her cosplaying as another version of herself was a fantastic opportunity.

Hong Seo-hyun followed the address of Studio Yoon on her map app and soon found the stylish sign.

Unlike Choi Arin, she arrived quite quickly without any guidance.

She had always been good with directions, so this was a natural outcome.

Hong Seo-hyun got on the elevator without much thought and went up to the floor where Studio Yoon was located.

“Nice building….”

Perhaps because Hong Seo-hyun, who was always busy with her own work, rarely visited studios in bustling Hongdae?

She marveled at the elevator, which looked like it belonged in a luxury apartment building.

It was definitely a classy building.

Choi Arin, Do Jin-ho, and Hayoon had constantly talked about how much money she seemed to have, and it seemed they weren’t exaggerating.

Walking down the stylish hallway, she finally arrived at Studio Yoon.

A mid-sized studio occupying half a floor in a Hongdae commercial building.

“I wonder what kind of place it is…”

Hong Seo-hyun grabbed the doorknob of the studio with anticipation.

A classic bell chime announced her arrival, and what awaited her inside was.

“What? Lower the shot to her hips? This girl is crazy.”

“Ah, ow!”

The scene of a mother-daughter quarrel, something even Choi Arin hadn’t quite gotten used to.

“Uh….”

It was a dizzying moment.

Hong Seo-hyun didn’t know that Hayoon and Yoon Suhee were mother and daughter.

It took her a while to grasp the situation.

After a few minutes.

“Oh, Mom! A client! A client!”

“A client?”

Hayoon, dressed in an oversized shirt and dolphin shorts, was being overwhelmed by Yoon Suhee.

She yelled out when she sensed someone’s presence, and Yoon Suhee’s sharp gaze naturally shifted to Hong Seo-hyun standing at the entrance.

“Ah, hello.”

“Uh, h-hello.”

The ever-ready polite smile was immediately put on.

Hong Seo-hyun, realizing this was the way of the adult world, responded blankly.

“How can I help you? Our studio is currently preparing for a scheduled shoot.”

“Ah, n-no. Hayoon said I could come and observe today….”

As Hong Seo-hyun explained her reason for being there…

“You’re the one?”

“Huh?”

“You’re the one who told my daughter to take these kinds of photos?”

Yoon Suhee glared at Hong Seo-hyun again.

It was a similar reaction to when she first met Choi Arin.

“Th-that’s….”

She wanted to cry.

It was Hayoon who decided on the boyfriend shirt and missing bottom look for Scarlet’s cosplay photo book.

It wasn’t her fault!

She wanted to scream, but overwhelmed by the atmosphere, she remained silent, and the silence stretched on.

 

***

 

As Hong Seo-hyun was on the verge of tears.

“Oh, I’m sorry. You must have been so surprised.”

Hayoon, hearing Hong Seo-hyun’s distress signal, stepped in and explained the situation.

Yoon Suhee lightly smacked her daughter’s back and apologized for her mistake.

“As a mother of a daughter, I couldn’t understand why my daughter would want to take these kinds of photos.”

“Oh, n-no, it’s okay.”

Hong Seo-hyun was still uneasy.

Even if she wasn’t the one who suggested the photos, she was still involved.

As she was wondering how to navigate this atmosphere.

“Let’s skip the introductions and start the shoot, shall we?”

Hayoon, her back slightly red, headed towards the bed.

Actually, Hayoon had been getting smacked on the back even before Hong Seo-hyun arrived because of this bed.

She couldn’t think of a better prop than a bed to highlight the oversized, missing-bottom shirt.

On top of that, she planned to intermittently pull one side of the dolphin shorts slightly down below her hip to show off her hips, so…

It wasn’t surprising that she got smacked.

But thanks to that struggle, she at least got permission to use the bed as a prop.

“Get on….”

“Yes!”

Hayoon climbed onto the bed with its pristine white sheets, obtained at the cost of her back.

Although she was wearing dolphin shorts, they couldn’t be visible.

Even though dolphin shorts were quite alluring, Vtuber Scarlet’s RP (Role Play)  didn’t allow for exposed bottoms.

Hayoon naturally moved towards the headboard of the bed, concealing her hips, and unbuttoned a few buttons of her shirt, revealing her navel.

“Hey.”

“B-But the navel is safe, isn’t it? The navel is….”

“Sigh…. Just hurry up.”

Yoon Suhee immediately glared, but she only frowned, not getting angry, as if the navel was barely within the acceptable range.

Hayoon also got into character, putting on a slightly languid expression…

-click

Yoon Suhee’s camera captured Hayoon.

Unlike Yoon Suhee’s disapproving expression, Hayoon in the camera exuded an aura beyond just beautiful.

Especially with the rare red hair wig and red contact lenses, the effect of the queenly aura seemed doubled.

“Whoever designed this, the fit is…”

“Perfect, right?”

“Yes, perfect. Are you done? Hurry up and get into the next pose.”

“Yes, yes.”

A one-take pass, as expected.

Despite her disapproval, Hayoon, having gained experience from the previous shoot, flawlessly delivered an emotional performance that satisfied Yoon Su-hee.

Vtuber Scarlet’s RP, apart from her appearance and concept, was practically undeveloped.

Unlike with Cosplay Holic, she wasn’t constrained by a specific framework, making it much easier to act.

“Take the next one from above.”

“Yeah, yeah, alright.”

Hayoon grinned and finally lay down on the bed, looking up at the camera lens with a flirtatious smile.

The bottom of her unbuttoned shirt naturally flowed to the sides, resembling wings, revealing her fair skin and navel against the white shirt.

‘Wow…’

gulp

Hong Seo-hyun, watching Hayoon from a distance, swallowed dry.

Normally, one feels the sensation of “sexy” towards the opposite s*x.

Just as men don’t find other men’s abs sexy, women rarely find other women sexy.

While it might be more common among women than men, there’s still a barrier since they’re the same s*x, but this was truly…

‘Crazy….’

She exuded an aura that could make any man lose control, a captivating allure that could even mesmerize women.

gulp

Hong Seo-hyun swallowed again as she watched Hayoon writhing and acting cute.

“Oh…?”

Suddenly.

She let out a small gasp, as if she remembered something.

‘That’s me?’

Starting in September, she would begin building hype for her debut on Bluebird, and in October, she would have her debut stream. Some viewers would believe that Hong Seo-hyun actually looked like Hayoon…

‘I need to… work harder.’

Hong Seo-hyun thought she needed to find ways to become prettier. Meanwhile, the photo shoot progressed smoothly.