Hobbyist VTuber

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The entire sky was covered in a crimson sunset.

Long shadows stretched across the dirt floor.

The thatched cottages, devoid of any notable presence, exuded nothing but a tranquil atmosphere.

Only an eerie silence filled the desolate landscape.

“Ha-eun… no, Yu-hwa So-ja.”

The voice that finally reached me was astonishingly calm.

At the same time, it felt familiar.

I could easily recognize who it was without even needing to meet their gaze.

“We need to escape before the fake Park Do-jun shows up. Come on, quickly.”

A hand was extended toward me.

Beneath it, the fluttering sleeves of a robe.

If it were someone else, I might have followed without a second thought.

They were still awkward figures I had never properly faced before.

With just a fleeting glance, I would have been unable to catch onto the lies being whispered.

But it wasn’t someone else.

This was a person whose trivial habit of twitching their index finger whenever a secret lay hidden had become all too familiar to me.

“…It feels like the fake Park Do-jun has already appeared.”

Instead of taking the outstretched hand, I took a few more steps back.

Almost simultaneously, a lighthearted question came, as usual.

“Oh dear, was it that obvious?”

The sight of Lee Geon-yeol scratching the back of his head and chuckling awkwardly was unsettling in every sense.

With someone who had sleepy eyes playing the villain, the atmosphere felt entirely different.

“I’ll make it quick and painless. So just surrender quietly.”

“I’m not ready for this to be over yet.”

“Oh, what do you plan to do now? No one else knows where you are right now.”

One step.

Then another.

The shadow of Lee Geon-yeol, once long on the dirt, began to loom closer over me.

Even as I tried to back away, the dirt wall of the thatched cottage and the jars in front of it impeded my escape.

I was truly trapped on all sides.

I could hold onto that wicked hand with all my might or roll on the ground to stall for time, but I knew that wouldn’t hold off until someone discovered me.

“At least can you let me pretend to escape?”

“Haha. Pretending to escape, huh? I know your running skills.”

“Not much faster than you, I bet.”

“I think we’re about even, honestly.”

For now, I decided to stall for time with words.

Either way, struggling even a bit seemed better than quietly giving up.

Thus, I continued the conversation with the fake Park Do-jun, forcibly keeping it alive.

I pondered and pondered if there was any way out.

-Thunk.

‘…Huh?’

I suddenly realized that the jar stand behind me wasn’t very tall at all.

I felt a bit uneasy wearing this constricting hanbok, but it wasn’t so uncomfortable that I couldn’t move at all.

The dirt wall behind the jar stand was also of such a height that I could easily climb over it if I stepped on the jars.

‘…I don’t think I’ll break anything if I fall from this height.’

Of course, I wasn’t sure what lay beyond that dirt wall.

But staying trapped inside that thatched cottage until I was eliminated felt worse than attempting something.

After all, the name of the program was Don’t Stop People.

Hiding quietly in a secluded spot only to be eliminated felt like a waste of the program’s title.

“Sir, fake Park Do-jun, do you really want to harm this girl like that?”

“What am I supposed to do now that things are like this?”

“Please, sir. I haven’t yet experienced the flower festivals in spring or the autumn foliage.”

“Those things are for your next life to enjoy.”

Just then, the fake Park Do-jun took another step closer to me.

With his eyes, once filled with anxiety, widening in surprise, he slightly turned his head.

“Uh, uh…! Jeon Dong-guk!”

“?!”

I loudly called out the name of the one person who could resolve this situation better than anyone else.

At the same time, a name that could deceive the fake Park Do-jun more effectively than any other.

In that instant, I jumped onto the jar stand behind me.

-Creak.

The lid of the jar, unsecured by anything, shifted slightly beneath my feet.

Even so, without the luxury of taking a breath, I grabbed the edge of the dirt wall and leaped over.

“Ha, Ha-eun! It’s dangerous─!”

But for some reason—

-Soft.

‘…?’

I felt something soft and squishy instead of the hard dirt floor under me.

Moreover, my feet were still floating in mid-air.

I slowly opened my eyes, which I had unconsciously closed.

And right then, I came face-to-face with—

“Y-Yu-hwa So-ja! I thought my heart was going to drop!”

In what was known as the ‘princess carry’, Jeon Dong-guk held me securely.

“…Oh wow, it’s really Jeon Dong-guk!”

“Then is there also a fake Jeon Dong-guk?”

As both of us stood there, bewildered, not understanding how this had happened—

“Wow, I thought I was really in trouble…”

I finally regained consciousness when I saw the fake Park Do-jun peeking over the dirt wall, only his head showing, and breathing a sigh of relief.

In that moment, I quickly wrapped my arms around the robust neck of Jeon Dong-guk.

“Sir, please take me to the escape location quickly! That wicked scoundrel is going to harm this girl!”

“What scoundrel? Where on earth did you learn that word?”

“What’s important right now isn’t that! Hurry!”

Despite having a still bewildered expression, Jeon Dong-guk began to run as I instructed.

Having gathered the most hints about the final mission that day, he quickly identified the final location.

Finally, as we ascended onto a UFO-shaped podium together—

-Boom!

-Pow!

Brilliant fireworks and showers of paper petals filled the air.

We had won.

*

“Ha, Ha-eun… what were you thinking, trying to jump over that wall?”

“Come on, Geon-yeol, don’t bring that up now. Because of you, we had a spectacular highlight moment.”

“It’s just that I’m worried, I’m worried.”

“Are you upset because you missed the chance to win right in front of you?”

“…What do you think of me?”

Time passed after the recording of [Don’t Stop People: You’re from the Star Special] awkwardly wrapped up.

Members of Don’t Stop People, waiting in the lounge for their respective managers, chatted excitedly about Ha-eun’s various appearances they had witnessed throughout the day.

The guest, Ha-eun, was seated quietly on the sofa right next to Lee Geon-yeol.

However, because Lee Geon-yeol kept glancing at her after witnessing her dangerous wall jump moments ago.

Unlike during the recording when she had boldly delivered historic-style lines, she was now nearly silent.

But the main reason Ha-eun was so quiet at that moment was different.

‘…I have to arrive by 9 o’clock at the latest.’

This was due to a significant incident that would occur in just a few hours.

At the same time, it was the very incident that had been worrying her ever since she first met those people called Doublers.

Right now was arguably the most tense moment of Ha-eun’s 12-year life.

Unlike movies or dramas where reshoots were possible at any time, if she failed to prevent that incident, there would be no way to turn back.

Initially, she had even taken the same car as Lee Geon-yeol to the recording studio for this very reason.

So she could ride in the same car with Geon-yeol after the recording finished as well.

About ten minutes later, Lee Geon-yeol’s manager finally arrived.

As before, he plopped down next to Lee Geon-yeol.

“Uh, Ha-eun… are you upset because I scolded you earlier? You’ve been quiet.”

At the moment Lee Geon-yeol attempted to start a conversation, glancing at Ha-eun’s serious expression.

-Swoosh!

With an exaggerated gesture, she crossed her arms.

“Hmph. I’m not upset because of you.”

She exhibited a clear attitude that screamed ‘I’m upset’ in front of Lee Geon-yeol and his manager, Baek Eun-hyuk.

This portrayal was one Lee Geon-yeol had never seen in the five years he had known Ha-eun.

Naturally, it was inevitable that Lee Geon-yeol, surprised by this unusual demeanor, asked why she was acting this way.

“If you’re not upset because of me… then who?”

“Uncle Lee Joon. He promised to treat us to a nice dinner if we won Don’t Stop People, but he hasn’t answered my calls.”

What Ha-eun said was mostly a complete lie.

Except for the fact that he hadn’t answered her calls, there was not an ounce of truth in it.

However, to confirm her lie, they would need to contact Lee Joon, so—

“…Oh hey, he really isn’t picking up.”

Lee Geon-yeol, having confirmed that his own calls were also going unanswered, found he had no choice but to believe Ha-eun’s words for now.

Then, Ha-eun, who had been visibly frowning, suddenly suggested going to find Lee Joon right at that moment.

“Wait, what? Why so much? Tomorrow’s our singing class anyway; can’t we just meet him then?”

“Nothing’s worse for me than someone who doesn’t keep promises. I’m going to get a meal from Uncle Lee Joon today, no matter what!”

She insisted without room for negotiation.

Though normally she would show composure beyond her years, this time was entirely different.

After all, Lee Joon was the one who had irresponsibly gone silent, so it wasn’t Ha-eun who had done something wrong.

“Well… okay. A man has to keep his promises.”

I decided to go along with Ha-eun’s request for the moment.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t that difficult of a demand.

With that, Baek Eun-hyuk, who was driving, took the car towards Doublers’ studio instead of Ha-eun’s home.

Continuously calling Lee Joon’s manager with the contact number I had gotten a while ago, we finally learned the location of Lee Joon from his manager.

“…Ha. He completely forgot our agreement and is now drinking with his friends, huh?”

Even if Lee Geon-yeol or Baek Eun-hyuk tried to pretend they hadn’t heard, the large mutter slipped out inevitably.

However, the tone was too sharp and low—

‘They say it’s scary when someone who normally doesn’t get angry suddenly does. So true…’

The side glance at Ha-eun gave Lee Geon-yeol goosebumps.

Eventually, our destination for the day became a tavern located on the main street.

Yet, since Ha-eun was still an elementary school student, she couldn’t just waltz into a bar.

“Wait for me here, Ha-eun. I’ll bring Lee Joon as soon as I find him.”

As an adult, Lee Geon-yeol offered to take care of this in place of Ha-eun.

However, instead of letting go, Ha-eun suddenly grabbed onto him to stop him.

“…That’s Lee Joon’s car over there. I’ll hide inside until Uncle Lee Joon gets in, and then I’ll judge him.”

“Su… judge him, huh?”

“Anyone who commits a sin must receive justice.”

She announced she would wait until Lee Joon showed up himself.

Lee Geon-yeol questioned whether it even needed to go that far, but Ha-eun’s steely gaze made it clear that he didn’t dare argue.

-Beeep.

Using the spare key from the glove compartment, they found themselves sneaking into the back seat of Lee Joon’s car.

That tense moment stretched on as time slipped by.

“…He’s out.”

Spying Lee Joon finally appearing from the tavern, Ha-eun gestured next to her towards Lee Geon-yeol to stay quiet.

With a beep, the front doors of the car opened, and he plopped down in the driver’s seat.

Sure enough, the rich aroma of beer began to fill the vehicle.

The real trouble lay in that Lee Joon, unaware of Ha-eun and Geon-yeol’s presence, was fastened his seatbelt right as he shifted the gear from park to drive.

That was the moment Ha-eun’s hand, which had been firmly clamping Lee Geon-yeol’s mouth shut, fell away.

Almost simultaneously, Geon-yeol’s hand swung wildly back to switch the car from drive to park, threatening to break the gearshift.

“…Hey.”

“!??!!? Y-You! What are you doing here?!”

Lee Geon-yeol’s eyes were wide with disbelief, having been completely caught off guard.

It was no wonder; just moments ago, what he witnessed was something completely unacceptable.

Quietly lowering himself, Ha-eun slid out of the backseat and shut the door behind her.

Shortly after, Lee Joon’s white five-seater car began to shake violently.

“Uh, Ha-eun… can I ask what’s going on here?”

“Um, not yet. But you’ll find out in a few days, so just leave it for now.”

With that, Ha-eun took Baek Eun-hyuk’s hand, leading him off somewhere, suggesting they hit up a convenience store first.

Eventually, Baek Eun-hyuk followed Ha-eun to a nearby convenience store, where they ended up sharing 1+1 triangle kimbap during a promotion.

What a complicated day it was.

In good ways and bad.

*

“So wait, this is the trophy we got for winning Don’t Stop People?”

“Yup.”

“Hold on, let me see that.”

Just a few moments later, she bit into it.

Then, crunch!

“Ow! This isn’t real gold, is it?!”

“I never said it was gold…”

“If it was gold-plated, you should’ve told me!”

Technically, it was Da-yeon who snatched Ha-eun’s trophy before she could say anything.

But that was a trivial detail compared to the storm of complaints Da-yeon unleashed.

As Da-yeon continued her onslaught of complaints, Ha-eun finally directed her attention towards the living room table.

More specifically, she pointed at a thick script lying on the table.

“So, why did you bring that <Busan> script with you?”

She asked why Da-yeon, who hadn’t made any plans, had suddenly shown up at her place.

Da-yeon hesitated, mumbling some half-formed words before finally taking a deep breath.

“Let’s have another rock-paper-scissors match, Lee Ha-eun.”

She challenged Ha-eun to a rematch.

This time, it would be acting.

However, unexpectedly for Da-yeon—

The answer that flowed from Ha-eun’s lips wasn’t a yes, but rather a firm denial.

“Um, can’t we put it off until a future audition?”

“W-What? Why not?!”

Grabbing both of Ha-eun’s shoulders, she shook her roughly.

Even still, Ha-eun’s answer remained unchanged.

“I don’t want to act sick. That’s an infectious disease movie.”

“You’ve already played death a couple of times!”

“That’s completely different!”

“What’s different about it?!”

“Anyway, it’s different.”

Da-yeon was struck speechless by this side of Ha-eun she had never dared to imagine.

She couldn’t understand why the person who had insisted on playing until one of them until the very end in rock-paper-scissors would attempt to shy away from a competition now.