chapter_0045

45 – Mom, I Became a Successful Fan!

45 – Mom, I Became a Successful Fan!

… ─ — Jikwon D Mini Gallery ─ ─ — …

[100% Debut Potential]

Wasn’t it the case that when Jikwon D just appeared, the kids didn’t notice at all?

(Hmm… Kon)

No one called for them; they just wanted to show their face because they wanted to go live?

(Aha Kon)

So, it means they are about to debut soon.

Exactly right.

[Comments]

— Jikwon D835: Don’t trust it too much; it’s all scripted, lol.

— Jikwon D093: For real, lol. They probably talked about it before going in, lol.

–
Jikwon D734 (Author): Even if it was scripted, why would they script it?

–
Jikwon D734 (Author): Wasn’t it to draw attention to Jikwon D by saying something like “Wow, a fantastic Pokémon”?

–
Jikwon D540: Sounds plausible.

— Jikwon D202: This kid is really consistent, lol.

–
Jikwon D734 (Author): When Wondy-chan debuts later, remember it’s thanks to me, lol.

–
Jikwon D202: It would be a relief if they don’t run away because of you.

… ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ …

* * *

At the moment Majiya stirred up the Halloween Dotsumachi.

Parallel A Conference Room.

The first part of the last meeting regarding the first generation’s first anniversary event, which will run from November 5 to 14, has concluded.

“Alright, let’s eat and reconvene.”

“Thank you for your hard work!”

“What about the boss?”

“Oh, I’ll just grab some kimbap. I have too much on my mind right now.”

“Oh dear, I’ll bring some coffee when I come back later.”

“Thank you, Team Leader.”

In other words, the meeting will continue after dinner.

With the events packed closely together and needing to flow organically from start to finish, the planning team was busier than ever.

On Sunday, November 5, the first generation’s new song will be revealed.

From Tuesday, November 7, to Friday, November 10, there will be sequential 3D showcases for the four members of the first generation.

On Saturday, November 11, there will be a Parallel pre-event hosted by Cheon Do-hee.

And on the much-anticipated November 12, the first online group concert for the first generation using 3D models is planned.

New songs, 3D, and concerts will follow in sequence.

It will truly be a week-long dopamine party for the fans.

Of course, conversely, it means there’s no hellish week like this for the company.

The only relief is that almost all preparations are complete, except for the pre-event on November 11.

The pre-event is crucial as it involves materials to be viewed with the audience. The presentation created by the planning team received perfect scores in repeated internal evaluations.

Since it was based on the brutally honest evaluation reports from Jia, there shouldn’t be any issues.

What remains is the commentary during the actual broadcast.

In other words, as long as Dohee’s hosting is perfect, everything will be fine.

Of course, there are virtually no doubts about her abilities.

She has proven herself as a leader in the virtual YouTuber industry with her subscriber count, viewer ratings, and broadcast metrics.

Conducting , which looks back at each quarter of the first generation every three months, she has already shown significant results in sustained viewership metrics, search volume, and new fan influx.

The doubts lie with Dohee herself.

Every time she conducts the quarterly review broadcast, there’s a consistent comment.

“It’s fun, but it feels subtly different from what we expected?”

In fact, while there are no major issues overall in the business,

Momo is a broadcaster before being a businessperson, right?

It’s only natural to want to find and fix even the smallest discomfort.

Most evaluations have become positive as improvements are seen in each broadcast, but that one lingering issue is quite bothersome.

‘Time is the problem for now.’

However, there are only two weeks left until the pre-event.

It’s unlikely that a solution that hasn’t come to mind after continuous contemplation will suddenly appear.

Thus, today too, Cheon Do-hee favored the business side over the broadcasting side.

It’s best to focus on ensuring everything is perfect for the anniversary event rather than worrying.

11 PM.

“Thank you for your hard work!”

“Let’s do a cheer!”

“Alright, boss too.”

““One, two, three, fighting!””

“Let’s go~!”

The marathon meeting that seemed like it would never end finally concluded.

The planning and promotion teams had been sparking fireworks in their heads with endless debates about ad execution and timing, but they all looked relieved as the organization wrapped up satisfactorily.

Some were already suggesting that they should have a drink at this late hour.

However, even after the meeting ended, Dohee’s worries about going live continued.

Sitting with her forehead resting on the script, she didn’t feel entirely pleased with the excited atmosphere.

“Everyone, you know this is just the beginning, right? We’ll have the real party after everything is done, so let’s wrap up simply today and go home to rest.”

The planning team leader and the promotion team leader, who had been excitedly arranging a company dinner, awkwardly stepped back first.

They seemed to want to take their subordinates along but noticed the mood and slipped away.

Thanks to that, the younger employees felt a sense of relief.

Team members bowed their heads in gratitude as they left.

As the last remaining employee and Dohee turned off the lights and exited the conference room, one side of the dimly lit office was lively.

Wondering if the team leaders were planning another dinner, Dohee took a quick glance, but it wasn’t the case.

At the partition closest to the main entrance of the long rectangular office, Majiya and Gong Seung-yeon were watching a broadcast flowing from several monitors.

‘Looks like the Halloween broadcast is going well.’

Just yesterday, there had been complaints about parts not sticking, awkward moments, and requests for revisions, and it felt like a war.

Fortunately, today there were no major issues.

If there had been, Majiya would have been the first to rush to the conference room.

Curiosity piqued, Dohee strode over, resting her arms on the partition and propping her chin on her hands.

The two were having an earnest conversation, with one side of their headsets slightly pulled back so it wouldn’t cover their ears.

“Didn’t that last conversation remind you of the Mari-Dora coupling?”

“From six months ago during Black Company.”

“Yeah, yeah! Even when a monster appeared, Komari was calm, and Dora screamed. It was really similar to when they opened the surprise box just now. What do I do? Kyaaa! Mari! Help me! Get that! Mom! Mom!”

“And thinking back, the Mama Mari meme probably started then. Mari used her real voice for the first time back then.”

“Oh. I think that’s right. Even though she hated it, the reactions were good, so I remember her continuing to use it for donations…”

“That’s really mischievous.”

“Ugh… Hearing it from the team leader makes me feel weird. Why do I feel like I’m being praised?”

They got along well, but the conversation between the two mischievous ones was quite amusing.

“Personally, I wish we could see Mama Mari more often. Do you remember when we were doing Fallen Soul?”

“When you walked over without knowing there was a hole in the floor and fell.”

“Oh right! That was it! Right after that, she used her real voice for a while. It was so different from her usual Komari tone that I must have replayed that part 200 times.”

“Uh… Recently during Rubber Duck House, didn’t she speak in her real voice for quite a while?”

“I couldn’t watch that because I was preparing for an interview…”

“Oh. Did they mute that scene in the replay?”

“Yeah! I clearly remember there being chicken legs when putting it in the fridge, but when I took it out to heat it up, it felt like the legs had completely disappeared…!!”

“Oh dear. Can you at least reenact what that felt like?”

“… Huh? Can you reenact it? I thought you only knew how to do Rain’s impressions?”

“I can’t do it exactly, but I can do something similar. The ear filter is something Seungyeon can handle.”

“Wow. Are you a genius, Team Leader? I’ll definitely listen.”

Ahem, Majiya cleared her throat, relaxed her voice, and began to speak as if she were sighing.

“I feel like I’m really going crazy… I can literally see the lane battle in front of me. I see the turret. I’m having a vision of getting a kill on the opposing laner… Ah, I can’t help it. Just one game. No, since it’s 1 AM now, let’s just play until 2. I think the boss will forgive me for this.”

Gong Seung-yeon, who was savoring the impression with her eyes closed, shouted.

“Wow. I can hear it. I found the lost chicken leg…!”

This scene, witnessed thoughtlessly, stirred a huge ripple in Cheon Do-hee’s heart.

The empathy between Dohee and Jia-Seungyeon regarding Komari’s Rubber Duck House broadcast was subtly different.

Dohee remembered how Komari’s RP, which had been trying to wear a mask all this time, was completely shattered by the baptism of Yeongdo before the real voice.

‘The difference in how one accepts things….’

Even when watching the same scene, evaluations can differ from person to person.

Let’s say Momo and the viewers watched Rain cursing due to a faulty Korean patch.

Momo would reflexively say, “Cut down on the cursing and speak more nicely.”

After all, the first generation members seem like idols from Momo’s agency.

As they watch, they might suggest directions like, “This would be better,” “Let’s refrain from that,” or “This is okay.”

In other words, they tend to analyze rather than simply feel the broadcast.

But what about Majiya?

She would be giggling while watching that and then pull out her phone to send a donation.

“Wow, your ssang-york is so good! You’re fucking good at ssang-york!”

Why has the monitoring task, which was originally the planning team’s job, returned to Majiya?

Because she could watch the broadcast with the eyes of a viewer while being an employee.

Shouldn’t we support our company’s virtual YouTuber?

That kind of logic didn’t exist for Majiya.

Her reports were always close to “viewer impressions.”

What was fun, what wasn’t, what she would like to see again, and what she hoped wouldn’t happen again, etc.

It was a straightforward and honest impression, presenting opinions as one of many viewers.

In other words, the viewers’ evaluation that Dohee’s first generation quarterly review was fun but different from what they expected.

If that really is a difference in perspective, Dohee couldn’t avoid experimenting properly.

‘What if Jia hosts the pre-event… would it feel different?’

However, asking Jia, who has never broadcast alone, “Go and host the pre-event” would be too much pressure.

In other words, if Jia were to be called to the broadcast, it would naturally be a two-person setup.

Cheon Do-hee would host the broadcast, and Majiya would elicit viewer empathy from the perspective of a viewer.

Like a game caster and commentator.

‘Jia just needs to convey reactions that are closer to the viewers from the side.’

However, for that to happen, Jia’s avatar, which has completed rigging, must be revealed.

A broadcast where only one side moves gives an incomplete feeling. And if Momo’s side is left still, it feels like it’s half-prepared.

However, at a time when the first generation should be the center of attention,

some fans might interpret the Live2D reveal as Majiya’s debut?

That’s quite risky.

Even if discussed with the planning team, the feedback would likely be negative.

‘But if it’s Jia….’

However, Majiya has the remarkable achievements shown during the Battle Colosseum.

At that time, everyone’s attention was focused on Majiya as if it were promised.

The way she seamlessly transferred that attention to the first generation and exited is still talked about in the promotion team meetings.

Thanks to that, ad proposals poured in, and the teaser video for the anniversary song surpassed 300,000 views.

While this may seem trivial, the main video usually goes up within 1-2 weeks after the teaser is released, and it typically barely exceeds 100,000 views, but this time it was three times that. In just one week.

The metrics proved that the level of interest was significantly higher than usual.

So, even if everyone is astonished by Majiya moving live on the broadcast and all attention is focused on her instead of the first generation, it might be possible to smoothly shift that attention to the concert the next day.

Most importantly, this time Dohee is right beside her.

If Jia were to encounter a difficult situation, Dohee would be there to shoot it down like a missile turret.

‘For now, the individual’s will is important.’

If asked and she says it’s okay, then they’ll proceed.

*

“Hey, if you have some free time on the 11th, could you help me with my broadcast?”

After assigning monitoring to Seungyeon and responding to the call to the boss’s office, a surprising proposal awaited.

To help with the broadcast?

The boss, overflowing with pride in their own broadcast, is making such a suggestion?

“Are you feeling unwell or something?”

“… What do you mean all of a sudden?”

“I’m surprised because the person who hates anyone interfering with their broadcast suddenly asks for help.”

When I first spoke, the boss, who had a tense expression, burst into laughter.

“Oh. You thought I might skip the broadcast under the pretext of being sick? That’s why you asked?”

“Please don’t make me look like a crazy person who can’t watch your broadcast.”

“… Hmm. So you were genuinely worried.”

“Actually, I was worried you might not broadcast.”

“This is serious.”

To be precise, the atmosphere was about to turn serious, so I made a joke.

It’s just that I keep looking for signs when I could just comfortably leave it to someone.

“How can I help with the broadcast?”

“On the 11th, we’re having our pre-event. I thought it would be good to host it together with you, so I asked.”

No matter how difficult the task, if it’s Favorite’s request, I will definitely accomplish it, and each time I feel more joy than pressure. I think, “I’m helping Favorite! I need to work harder!”

However, even I am a bit concerned this time.

After all, it’s not just anyone; it’s the boss’s broadcast.

“Isn’t it going to ruin your broadcast because I’m involved?”

“If it’s too much pressure, it’s okay to decline. I really just came to make a suggestion, not to give an order.”

“It’s not that it’s too much pressure. It’s just that I feel a bit uneasy about showing my face on your broadcast. It feels like I’m leaving an ugly footprint behind.”

“… The person who has been sniping every time during the Battle Call says that?”

“Sniping isn’t about leaving footprints; it’s about targeting the boss’s head—.”

“Hey.”

It sounds like a joke, but it’s true.

If inducing the broadcast owner’s reaction to elevate the broadcast is sniping, then this proposal is truly about sitting side by side and broadcasting together.

The first generation members are a level above me, so I can at least approach them more easily. But the boss is two levels above.

It’s a position where mutual respect should not be allowed.

However, even so,

I’ve been feeling anxious about not being trusted by people after shrinking down.

If the boss trusts me enough to assign me such an important task first, why would I refuse?

“I’ll go along with your suggestion, boss. What should I do? Should I add my own comments, agree with you, or reinterpret what you say?”

I shrugged my shoulders and said to the slightly surprised boss.

“I’ll do whatever you want, boss.”

A word from the author (Author’s Note)

I’ve revised a few sentences at the end!

The overall tone hasn’t changed!