Chapter 96: Our daughter, please love her a lot

Gradually, Jina and Han Ari’s talk show was drawing to a close.

In the calm atmosphere, Han Ari muttered as if disappointed.

“It’s already… almost time to finish.”

“Indeed. Time flies, doesn’t it? It’s already been a year since Han Ari started broadcasting.”

Jina’s calm voice followed Han Ari’s words.

“How was… today for you? It’s your first time appearing on a broadcast, wasn’t it uncomfortable?”

“Not at all. Rather, thanks to Han Ari, I’m leaving feeling healed. It brought back some old memories too.”

“Old memories…?”

Jina hesitated for a moment, then carefully began to speak.

“When I just came out of graduate school, I remembered that time.”

At the words ‘graduate school’, the atmosphere in the chat window suddenly became solemn.

[-Ah… Aah…]

[-Mamang… What sins did you commit in your past life…]

[-Jinha is free!]

[-Graduate school, that place is truly…]

[-Sincere congratulations on escaping slavery…]

Watching the endless stream of condolence messages, Jina smiled awkwardly.

“Due to personal matters, I unexpectedly had to make a fresh start… and well, it was truly daunting.”

Now, she chooses the work she wants to do, fully enjoying the privileges of a freelancer.

But back then, she often had no proper work and many idle days.

Her bank account was also empty, so she was psychologically cornered.

‘I should have just sold Hana for money.’

‘At the very least, I should have properly put it in my portfolio and gotten its value recognized.’

She was so out of it from suddenly becoming a woman overnight that she couldn’t think straight.

Stubbornly holding onto her pride, searching for dreams and romance, she went through all sorts of hardships.

“It was a tiring and difficult time… but whenever that happened, I endured day by day watching Han Ari-nim’s broadcast.”

‘While I was sending emails to Han Ari telling her not to give up on broadcasting, acting as if I were someone important.’

‘I couldn’t give up myself, could I?’

“Thanks to that, I’ve now… managed to establish myself as a proper 3D designer.”

Han Ari’s pupils subtly wavered on the screen.

She held her breath, waiting for Jina’s next words.

“The reason I came on the broadcast today was also because I wanted to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to Han Ari-nim.”

“Jina…”

“Han Ari-nim calls me Mama, but rather, it’s thanks to Han Ari that I was able to be reborn.”

‘At this rate, I don’t know who the Mama is,’ she thought.

Jina rubbed the back of her neck and laughed softly.

“…”

The more Jina’s calm confession continued, the more transparent dewdrops welled up in Han Ari’s eyes.

“Once again, thank you. Entrusting Hana to Han Ari was the best decision of my life.”

Soon, a small, round teardrop fell ttuk- down her cheek.

It was such a natural tear that it shook the hearts of those watching.

“D-don’t say that… It’s me who… is so, so grateful…”

Along with her tearful voice jureureuk, tears streamed down, and the chat window was also covered with crying emojis.

[-No… What’s with the falling tears…?]

[-Is this really a VTuber? Not a homunculus or a clone, something like that?]

[-If you raise our standards like this, how are we supposed to watch other VTuber broadcasts!!]

Between the emojis, chats expressing astonishment at Jina’s overwhelming technical skills were occasionally seen.

“I’ve received so much from Mama… What should I do…”

“Uh oh… I didn’t mean to make you cry…”

“B-but…”

“Don’t cry. If you keep doing that, I’ll reduce the avatar functions.”

At Jina’s playful voice, Han Ari let out a small laugh.

“Really… You’re too much, Jina.”

Han Ari sniffled lightly, composed herself, and then greeted the viewers again.

“Jina is Jina, but… to everyone who has been with me for the past year… thank you so much. Thanks to many of you, I was able to come this far.”

So please continue to support me in the future, upon Han Ari’s shy request.

Jina also added a word in her gentle voice.

“Please continue to love and cherish our daughter.”

“…??!?!”

“I’ll be cheering along with you.”

Leaving behind only that bombshell of a remark, Jina just like that left the voice chat room.

[-Han Ari’s broken LOLOLOL]

[-She said… our daughter…]

[-Eldest daughter is Han Ari, legal wife is Han Ari, eldest daughter is Han Ari, legal wife is Han Ari, eldest daughter is Han Ari, legal wife is Han Ari]

[-Aigooooo!! Bom! Summer! Fall! Winteraaaaak!!]

---

[You must have been~ very happy, Jina?]

“Haha…”

As soon as Jina took off her headset, a call came from Winter.

During the collab with Han Ari, she had thought this might happen from the moment the certified nickname ‘Seasons_Winter’ occasionally appeared in the chat.

But actually hearing such a sulky voice… was extremely awkward.

“Um… Winter-nim. Did you perhaps wait until the broadcast ended…”

Jina deliberately tried to change the subject with a playful tone, but it didn’t work on Winter at all.

[That’s too much!! I was the first to ask to broadcast with Jina-nim… but with someone else first…!]

Disappointment and regret were fully evident in Winter’s voice.

Jina scratched her head, then carefully spoke, wondering if perhaps.

“Um… Winter-nim, are you perhaps jealous?”

[N-no, I’m not?! W-w-w… What kind of ridiculous thing are you saying…!!]

“Ah, if not, then that’s a relief.”

At Jina’s laughter-filled, languid voice, Winter pressed her lips firmly together, pouting.

[But isn’t it really too much? You told Sacho you weren’t thinking of going on stream, but you only went on Han Ari unnie’s stream…]

“I was thinking of going on Winter’s stream too…”

[But you cancelled it immediately when I didn’t achieve my New Year’s goal!]

“Well, a promise is a promise…”

She regretted it as soon as she said it.

A very T-like (Thinking personality type) remark popped out like a macro without her realizing it.

Sure enough, a sulky voice dripping with coldness returned.

[So, really, just like this, forever, you’re not coming on my stream, right?]

“Ah, no. That’s not it…!”

Jina was so flustered she waved her other hand, the one not holding the smartphone.

She wasn’t even face-to-face with Winter, but felt a bit ridiculous for even gesturing.

“In a broad sense, it’s a promise with the viewers, so to speak, that’s why I only made one music video for Summer-nim, so to speak…”

[So?]

“Um… Anyway, it doesn’t mean I won’t go on Winter’s stream.”

‘Why, didn’t I send a message just a while ago?’

‘Saying I’ll show my face on Winter’s stream soon.’

At some point, Jina was making excuses that weren’t really excuses to Winter.

Like appeasing a lover whose feelings were hurt.

‘…Why does it feel like I got caught cheating?’

She had never even cheated in the first place.

Besides, she wasn’t even in a relationship with Winter.

…More importantly, first of all, Jina, Winter, and even Han Ari are all girls!

Anyway, the feeling was strange.

[…That, wasn’t it just something you said to appease me?]

“No way. When have you ever seen me make empty promises?”

[Then you’ll come on my stream too, right…?]

A hint of anticipation was now mixed in Winter’s voice.

At the excited voice, Jina let out a languid sigh and replied.

“Yes, I’ll go on Winter’s stream too. I promise.”

[Really? For real?!]

“Yes. For real.”

Over the speaker, waaah- along with a bright cheer, the sound of something being kicked pang pang was heard.

Winter’s unusually excited appearance was clear in her mind’s eye.

“Actually, I thought Winter would easily achieve her New Year’s goal, so I made something in advance. I should use this.”

[Of course~ You went through the trouble of making it, wouldn’t it be a waste not to use it? Then, when should we do the broadcast? I’m ready, and Jina seems ready too, shall we do it tomorrow?]

“…Yes?”

‘Um… Winter-ssi?’

‘Don’t you need permission from the President or the General Manager?’

‘Things like announcements, don’t you need to post them?’

Fortunately, Jina didn’t need to persuade her by listing various realistic concerns.

Winter herself realized she had momentarily lost her reason due to excitement.

[Ah, even so, tomorrow would be impossible, right?]

“…I’m glad you know.”

[Then next week or the week after… Ah! More importantly, we need to plan the content, so should we meet and talk first? Preferably at a cafe somewhere, not VR Chat…!!]

“Just a moment. Let me check my schedule.”

Jina listened to Winter’s excited voice and clicked the mouse.

The moment she checked the calendar like that.

“…Ah.”

A cold sigh escaped Jina’s lips.

[…Is something wrong?]

Winter’s excited voice quieted down again.

Hearing Jina’s sigh, she immediately sensed that something had gone wrong.

Jina hesitated for a moment, then spoke with apologetic feelings.

“Um… It seems it’ll be a bit difficult for the time being.”

[Are you very busy?]

Jina paused for a moment, then carefully opened her mouth.

“I just checked, and I have a schedule to present a paper overseas early next month… I think I need to prepare for it, at least roughly.”