NOVEL NEXT Chapter 86
The news that streamer Mollru had joined the Flare Crew spread quickly.
All the members were virtual YouTubers.
In a way, Mollru, who isn’t a pureblood VTuber, ended up being part of it.
Some reacted with surprise, while others thought it made sense.
Regardless of the people’s reactions, the focus was shifting to the future moves of the Flare Crew, which recruited the monstrous newcomer, Mollru.
“Flare Crew’s large-scale gathering! The identity is…!”
It was the broadcast of the crew’s leader, Rita.
She was generating excitement for the content, claiming that all crew members would participate.
Today was the day that marked the beginning of that content.
Dugudugudugu…
Rita was noisily drumming on the desk while making the sound with her mouth.
[Hurry up ㅡㅡ]
[I’ll grow old waiting]
[Where did the streamer go~]
Just when the viewers were getting annoyed with the wait, Rita’s mouth finally opened.
“We’re launching the Minecraft Flare Server~ Yoohoo!”
Minecraft.
Some might say it’s just a children’s game, something only kids enjoy, but that’s not true.
It’s true that the game appears cute and peaceful, made of pixels.
But that’s only because it’s intuitive and has a low entry barrier, making it look that way.
The world of Minecraft is limitless.
You can build your own structures, hunt down the end boss, or roam around the vast map.
There’s an abundance of things to do if you look for them.
It’s truly a feast of content.
Broadcasters who recognized the value of Minecraft, a national game known by everyone, have already uploaded countless videos to YouTube, sucking it dry.
“The town we will be living in will be Flare Village.”
Rita’s choice of Minecraft was also for similar reasons.
It may not guarantee success, but at least a decent performance is assured.
There’s a saying in the VTuber world – revolving door.
It’s a sort of slang for only watching VTubers from specific agencies or only certain groups.
The Flare Crew holds about a third of the VTuber pie.
The member’s viewer counts vary, with leader Rita leading with a few thousand followers, and the rest are unevenly distributed beneath.
Like a crew, the members often host streams together and exchange various interactions.
Naturally, the viewers also interchange among them.
When A’s stream ends, they go to B’s, and when B’s ends, they hop over to C’s.
Hence, those who frequently watch Flare Crew’s broadcasts know the chemistry that comes from their relationships and enjoy it.
This is why the Minecraft group gathering isn’t a success but won’t fail either.
There may be differences in the viewers’ preferences towards the crew members, but no one is specifically excluded.
Instead, they enjoy gathering together.
Simply building together or adventuring in the game worlds satisfies the viewers.
In addition…
“Is Mollru participating too? Of course.”
Rita had also considered that it wouldn’t be a bad group gathering for the newly joined Mollru to blend in.
“We can’t have our new crew member miss out on such a group gathering.”
(Boss behavior)
(Ah, haha, isn’t it right that a newbie skips the welcome party?)
(Our new hires skip the welcome dinner too.)
(That’s trending these days~)
(So MZ-like)
Mollru had yet to greet anyone but herself.
The face of Mollru that I saw yesterday lingered in my mind.
It was a face that didn’t match what I had imagined at all.
I thought about inviting her to the group chat in advance, but it felt a bit too hasty, so I dismissed it.
Anyway, as we do group streams, we’ll surely become more comfortable with each other.
Nothing breaks the ice quite like playing games together.
That’s what Rita thought.
“The server will open tomorrow evening! We hope for your interest.”
Rita smoothly wrapped up the promotion.
The situation was progressing smoothly, and she was satisfied.
[Check tomorrow evening]
[Tomorrow evening…?]
[Mollru’s off tomorrow, right?]
[Really?]
[I just checked, and it’s true, she’s off]
[Is there a newbie missing on the first day of the gathering?]
[That’s so mz-like]
[We need to discipline them once]
“Uh… so she’s off tomorrow?”
Mollru’s absence would carry quite a bit of weight in the content.
But Mollru not being there…
If I think about leaving the Minecraft Flare Server open for a week, it doesn’t matter when she participates, but it’s disappointing nonetheless.
It was my fault for not informing everyone in advance.
“It can’t be helped.”
Rita thought once again that nothing in the world is easy.
*
– Come to the main building and wait next to the science lab on the third floor… No, just wait at the front door. I’ll come to get you.
“Okay.”
On a bright day. Actually, it was still early morning.
At 10 AM, I stood in front of a high school, feeling the cold winter wind.
What can I say? It was my sister Ji-yeon’s school.
“Nice school…”
A massive school divided into main and annex buildings, and not a single part of the exterior looked dilapidated or shabby.
The playground had artificial turf, and the nearby water fountain looked remarkably clean.
From the outside, it seemed to be a private school that had spent some money.
So, why on earth was I at Ji-yeon’s school?
I had received her invitation.
-Sis, our school festival is the day after tomorrow. Will you come?
It was a question not asked out of courtesy but rather a hope that I would definitely attend.
Since then, my holidays had been packed with plans and appointments with others.
Now, I even planned my days off around others.
I had wanted to check out Ji-yeon’s school at least once.
I might sound a bit old-fashioned for saying this, but I was curious about how things had changed since my time.
Booths were operating in various places under supervision of teachers outdoors, creating a surprisingly collegial atmosphere for a high school.
It was a mixture of the freshness of students and the maturity of adults.
I heard Ji-yeon’s class was running a cafe.
A friend whose parents operated a cafe was in charge of the kitchen, and Ji-yeon would serve at the counter.
As I waited for Ji-yeon and looked around, I heard a voice.
“Hey, why are you coming in casual clothes?”
A stern looking woman approached me, saying this.
From her attire and tone, she seemed like a teacher.
Did she mistake me for a student?
“Um, that’s not it.”
“No matter how much it’s a festival day, students should wear their uniforms. Which class are you in?”
As her voice rose, everyone’s gaze turned to me.
Who is she? I’ve never seen her before. She’s pretty. Was she always here? The whispers around me filled the air.
Just as I was about to explain to the sharply staring teacher…
“Wait a minute!”
“Huh? You’re not Ji-yeon?”
Ji-yeon approached wearing a cute outfit with a baker’s hat and a brown apron, eagerly talking to the teacher.
She must have just finished working.
After Ji-yeon waved her arms a few times, the teacher realized the situation and apologized to me.
“Oh, you must be Ji-yeon’s sister. Now that I see you, you two really look alike; such a pretty pair of sisters. I’m sorry, I completely forgot there were outsiders coming today.”
“No, it’s okay.”
Realizing it again, Ji-eun was still in her early twenties.
It had only been a little over 3 years since she graduated from high school.
Plus, kids these days grow up so fast, so it was perfectly reasonable to misunderstand, given Ji-eun’s looks.
“I’m a bit late, huh? Suddenly a crowd gathered.”
“No, I haven’t waited long.”
Ji-yeon walked me to her class.
She seemed to be a school celebrity, as she greeted people as we passed through the hallway.
“Hey Ji-yeon!”
“Hi.”
“Is this your sister?”
“Yep.”
“She’s super pretty.”
It was a special point that amidst the greetings, I was mentioned at least once.
Did the rumors about me spread in school, or did the students already recognize that I was Ji-yeon’s sister?
“Hello, sis!”
“Uh, hi!”
One girl, claiming to be Ji-yeon’s close friend, greeted me cheerfully.
My sister indeed seemed to be quite popular.
I somehow felt like a celebrity too.
Finally arriving at the classroom, the desks were arranged in various places, and beautiful tablecloths decorated the space to create a cafe vibe.
It looked nice.
For someone like me with no memorable school experiences, it was quite a pleasing sight.
“Sit tight for a moment. I’ll make you a drink.”
Ji-yeon seated me in a corner and headed into the kitchen.
The kitchen was well separated, maintaining its purpose while still being visible from the dining area.
While I waited for my drink, a girl from the kitchen looked at me and immediately started making something.
Her movements were impressive, not something done by an amateur.
“Um, are you Ji-yeon’s sister?”
“Yes? Why?”
“Oh my gosh, really? Are you Ji-eun’s sister?”
While I sat waiting for my drink and admiring the decorations in the classroom, a group of girls with sparkling eyes dashed over to me.
“Which lip tint are you using?”
“Wow, look at her skin.”
“She’s incredible. How do you manage your looks?”
It didn’t take long for me to realize Ji-yeon was rather quiet.
The conversation of current high school girls was dizzying.
Feeling a bit drained, I responded appropriately.