Swoooosh—
When Sua came to her senses, she was somewhere in an amusement park.
Summer. The day was scorching.
‘There are so many people here.’
The rides in the distance moved boisterously while crowds of people surged like waves nearby.
Sua soon realized one thing: everyone in this place was happy.
Their joy was unhidden, evident on their faces, their steps light like rising heat waves.
This was a place where sorrow wasn’t allowed—because it was an amusement park.
Crack!
At that moment, someone smacked the back of Sua’s head.
“Stay here and wait. I’ll be back after having some fun.”
It was her step-sister.
Sua knew to some extent that her step-sister looked down on her. It was obvious from her attitude right from the beginning.
“What the hell, why do you keep pestering Mom to bring you here? Why do I have to be your guardian…”
Still—
“Ehehe…”
Despite everything, a silly smile came out.
That’s how Sua was right now.
Neither the fact that her step-sister disliked her, nor the heat, mattered much. The precious thing was simply being in this amusement park finally.
“Huh… Ehehe.”
Sua soon moved.
Ignoring the command to wait, she wandered all over the amusement park.
“That woman seems a little strange, doesn’t she?”
“Why, why is this happening! What are you doing to our child!”
“Get out of here!”
Naturally, there were countless complications.
“Oh… I’m sorry… sorry. Sorry. Sorry….”
At times, her curiosity chased someone, surprising them, while her attempts to pat small children were misunderstood as malicious acts.
“I’m sorry…”
Still, it was fine. She was finally at her dream amusement park.
Later, how much time had passed?
Sua didn’t realize she had lost her way. She had no idea how to get back to where she started.
Yet, she felt no real uneasiness. She simply wanted to explore the amusement park until she was satisfied.
—The Missing Child Center announces: We are looking for Miss Kim So-hee. The description…
She didn’t even register the announcement related to her.
The amusement park was still dazzling, after all.
“Hey! Let’s go together!”
“Isn’t it incredibly hot today…?”
“Let’s only take pictures at the carousel and head to the Viking ride.”
However, ‘dazzling’ means something different for everyone.
For most, the dazzle of an amusement park is normal—a look of forgetting fatigue, rides glinting, kids excitedly pulling their parents along. However…
Sua’s criteria were different now.
For her, everything felt like music.
Whooosh! Whoosh! Whoooom!
The swaying Viking ride became the kick drum.
“Hey! Run! There’s a short line!”
Tap tap—!
The rapid foot races of people became the snare drum.
Though they weren’t running in perfect rhythm, it was acceptable to translate them into her mind’s beats.
Amusement park noise swirled in Sua’s mind like a waltz.
Soon, she started humming a melody that spontaneously arose, nodding her head to a 3/4 beat.
“Hmm, hmm… Hihi…”
This was why she didn’t think about returning to the starting point.
Because for Sua, the entire amusement park was a colossal orchestra, and as long as their performance continued, she couldn’t leave.
Then, at some point,
—Miss Kim So-hee, we are looking for Kim So-hee.
The announcement rang again.
“Kim So-hee! Where are you? Hey!”
Her step-sister yelled, panic in her face.
“Is that Kim So-hee over there?”
“It looks like her, with her description…”
When other people started recognizing Kim So-hee (Sua),
Sua moved as if possessed. She took the vacant seat at a busking piano, her fingers trembling uncontrollably, unable to suppress the rising intensity within.
She felt she had to release it now.
“…Should we pull her out?”
“Ah, I wanted to record her playing and post it on SNS. Is it really bad timing that she sits down now? She doesn’t look quite normal.”
“Let’s ask her to move. Where’s her guardian?”
However,
None of their opinions materialized.
It was unnecessary for her irresponsible step-sister, or the missing child center staff, who abandoned her earlier, to try hard now.
Simply—because Sua pressed the keys.
Dada-dan—
It was an introduction to the world.
A delicate tone beyond all words.
◈◈◈◈◈
A little later.
After all experiences had ended, inside Sua.
It was dinner time.
Little versions of Sua were seated around a round table like a family. The menu? Instant noodles and well-fermented kimchi. Everyone was busy eating.
—The ramen, I find it truly delicious.
—Please do the dishes today.
—Hmm…
Wi Ji-hye coughed a few times.
—How can the swordmaster wield anything but a sword? It is against destiny. I am the best swordsman in both sects and time…
—It’s your turn to do the dishes. Do it before I lose my temper.
That’s when it happened.
Crash!
Suddenly, another Sua burst into the house.
—…?
Alarm spread across the little Sua’s faces.
She looked pretty at a glance. Her simple and innocent appearance was evident.
However, it was her peculiar expression that made them uneasy.
Was it like she lacked some presence? The kind that made you sure, upon meeting her eyes, that something was off with this person.
Fearsome imagination soon turned into reality.
—Mmm…
Small Sua uninvited herself into their circle.
—I’m hungry.
Grabbing Wi Ji-hye’s chopsticks, Suhui Sua began shoveling noodles, eating more than anyone expected.
—Ohoo, it’s hot, so hot… Give me water…
—…
Stillness reigned for a while.
—…
Finally, after they stared at each other for quite some time,
—We might need other responsibilities besides the chores, huh?
—Ah.
It was as if life would get harder from now on.
◈◈◈◈◈
That night. Reality.
Woooonnng—
Suddenly, her phone started ringing.
She was incredibly sleepy. She didn’t want to be disturbed.
Woooonnng—
But Sua reluctantly opened her eyes and checked the caller.
If it was an emergency work call, she had to pick up.
But she soon realized it wasn’t. The caller was Monkeying.
What’s more, it was a video call, not a regular one.
Out of the blue?
“Let’s do it later. Later…”
She mumbled and tapped the phone to reject.
Probably just a casual game invite… or something else, but it was too late to play now.
Between friends, this degree of refusal was fine, right? Surely, they’d understand that she wanted to sleep…
But—
Woooonnng—
Woooonnng—
Woooonnng—
“Aargh, seriously!”
With no choice, Sua answered the call.
“What? What is it?”
Sua shouted, barely awake.
The next thing she saw were Young-ji and Monkeying. Both were rolling their eyes in an unusual manner.
“Looks like we made Sua wake up.”
“Where did you wake up, exactly? Motel? Hotel?”
“Your collarbone’s showing. Are you naked?”
“…You haven’t been fooling around with a guy, have you? Is there a man there or not?”
What on earth is all this about?
Sua heavily sighed and furrowed her brows.
“I’m alone. Why are you acting this way all of a sudden?”
But on the other side, the noise escalated.
“Sua, what about Lee Su-an? What’s going on?”
“That’s right! Did you finally find a boyfriend? What’s going on?”
Excitement continued between Monkeying and Young-ji.
How did Su-an, a new member, connect with Sua? And how did she form such an intimate relationship with a handsome man? What kind of relationship is it?
Finally, Sua understood.
‘Oh, right.’
It made sense given the circumstances.
Because she had been busy since winning the award, she hadn’t had the chance to explain.
“First of all, Su-an’s identity is me…”
But Sua stopped midway.
It was an instinct, of a sort.
‘Wait.’
She realized it. There were tell-tales everywhere.
Young-ji and Monkeying considered Su-an and Sua as completely different individuals, the production team and Chairman Kim have been busy recently with rumors about new talent awards, and even the online communities have been buzzing.
All of these points lined up neatly, leading her to a conclusion.
‘I shouldn’t mention this yet.’
Clearly, there were solid reasons behind the decision of the experienced team and Chairman Kim to separate the identities.
There was no point wrecking their well-planned strategy with her casual comment.
Therefore, Sua spoke calmly.
“She’s just a close friend. We’re not anything special.”
As if they were completely separate people.
“Are you really saying there’s no intimate relationship at all? Just good friends who occasionally meet for casual release…?”
“No. Absolutely not.”
“Well, that’s a relief…”
That’s when Monkeying joined in the dialog.
“Both you and Su-an are candidates for the newcomer award. I’m putting in effort in the community, and Young-ji is working on it as a journalist. So, we have a question.”
“What is it?”
“What kind of public favor would you prefer? Would you like us to support you?”
“Hmm…”
Sua soon shook her head.
“No, Su-an and I share the same agency, and she’s really thoughtful, deep, and smart. Besides, she’s intelligent.”
Actually, praising Su-an was praising herself, but Sua had already embraced her audacity to such an extent.
“So please also support Su-an. Especially since the airing of Special Mobile Unit 808 is coming up, anyway.”
“Hmm…”
With that, Sua asked, “Please help that person succeed. If she does well, I’ll do well too.”
“Alright.”
This was good. The situation was handled smoothly.
Sua thought, wasn’t I pretty sharp and articulate? What do you think, world? Are you afraid of the growth of Sua?
But then…
Just then.
“You know, Sua, by any chance…”
Sua was unexpectedly surprised.
“Could Su-an perhaps join a video call someday, like the previous encounter with Sun-il?”
“Hm?”
“It’s not me interfering in your relationships, but I’m curious about who he is. They say he’s handsome…”
“…I agree. If he’s not your boyfriend, please introduce us.”
“…”
What to do?
In the end, she felt unable to refuse.
◈◈◈◈◈
Meanwhile, NeoLive’s streaming was ongoing.
[ LIVE ]
[ Chatting wildly while rocking the new outfit! ]
[ 25,000 viewers watching ]
The weekend, coupled with the fact that the avatar was wearing a new outfit, had propelled Shikarin’s broadcast into smooth sailing once again.
However, Saeng-ji noticed a subtle difference.
This was especially clear when looking at the chat.
[ Shikarin, have you seen Sua’s recent updates? ]
[ I heard Sua eventually got the prize. ]
[ She’s articulate and straight to the point. ]
[ I’ve developed an interest in short films for the first time. ]
[ Should Shikarin and I watch a movie now? ]
[ Let’s play a game of guessing celebrity names. ]
‘…Is Sua really this big of a deal?’
Shikarin-Saeng-ji-Go Eun-bi’s shock came from the fact that a significant portion of the chat’s topics revolved around Sua.
Normally, after doing promotional homework, the chat interest would quickly wane. Whether it was games, foods, or products, it was all the same.
And finally… Homework’s over!
Everyone worked hard!
Shikarin, can you please do something else now?
Yes, usually, these were always the feelings conveyed after watching the ads. Ads were inherently boring but tolerated because of Shikarin.
But this time was different. The viewers were genuinely interested in Sua.
“Hey, I’ve got a new outfit on too…”
Shikarin wiggled the avatar’s figure she was using.
This hanbok-styled outfit had significantly more exposure than before. Normally, such exposure would’ve sent the viewers into fits.
[ Even with this, you’re still smaller than Sua. ]
[ Wow, that person’s rear is just unmatched! ]
[ I feel the urge to tightly grasp a soybean-paste jar and perform an impromptu drumming show. ]
[ Automatic Chat Filter detected inappropriate content. ]
[ I feel the butt percussion might actually be softer. ]
“Ahugh, that damn rear!”
Without realizing it, Shikarin exclaimed.
“Is it so much better to be big like a hippo without any strategy?”
[ ? ]
[ ??? ]
[ ???? ]
Saeng-ji belatedly realized she had gone too far.
[ I agree. It’s actually so good. ]
[ So good, isn’t it? ]
[ I forgot everything because of the rear. ]
[ Shikarin doesn’t have the butt size, does she? ]
[ Flat butt Shikarin ]
“…”
There was no valid counter-argument.
Because, honestly, this was just plain inferiority complex.
Back in the day, Saeng-ji used to wonder each time she saw Sua.
Why was only Sua blessed with such overwhelming proportions? Why was it so unfair for God to be this one-sided?
Of course, later, Saeng-ji reached a personal conclusion.
Life evolves according to the environment. Ah, for someone of Sua’s intelligence, to lure males and continue generations, such a body type might be necessary.
This too is one of nature’s designs, right? Or something like those thoughts.
No, these were merely occasional jokes from the past.
Now, I support Sua! I’m rooting for her with all my might!
Anyway, even Saeng-ji, who meticulously treated the Vtuber job professionally, was confused now. She’d never faced such a situation.
The host of her own broadcast is not really the main character… what is this?
She tried to change the subject somewhat.
“Guys, how about Kim Sun-il? Special Mobile Unit 808 starts airing from tomorrow. Seo Yeon-joo is also part of it.”
[ They say Kim Yu-han was chosen for the role. ]
[ Anyway, Sua’s Newcomer Award is already locked. ]
[ No interest in Yang Ha-rin’s drama? ]
[ There’s a new face every drama these days. ]
[ This year’s competition is fierce. ]
“You guys should also watch with me. I can turn on a live relay. Even though screen sharing can’t be done, you can simultaneously watch individually.”
[ But Sua’s not in it, right? ]
[ We want to see Sua. ]
[ No, bring I-seo over. ]
Changing the subject seemed futile. No matter how the conversation flowed, it always ended up back at Sua.
Is it because the male viewers dominate the audience? In the community filled with women, there were many fans of Lee Su-an’s face. Saeng-ji herself leaned towards that side.
[ Did you see Sua’s acceptance speech? ]
[ Shikarin, let’s watch it together. ]
[ 3 minutes 19 seconds, massive waves of applause! ]
Why, why keep talking about Sua?
“Is this maybe… I should try inviting Sua?”
She muttered this inadvertently when—
[ ? ]
[ ??? ]
[ ? ]
[ ??? ]
The chat window reacted with an abrupt frenzy.
For a moment, it felt like the window had frozen.
Go Eun-bi belatedly realized her misstep, but—
[ Bring her on! Bring her on! Bring her on! ]
[ We really want a joint broadcast with NeoLive once. ]
[ If not now, when? Later, it’ll get even more expensive. ]
[ They say Shikarin sings well—let’s have her sing and bring Sua! ]
[ Shikarin, please bring Sua! ]
“…”
Saeng-ji’s mind became complicated.
‘Well, not like it’s bad, is it?’
Thinking about it, it didn’t seem entirely bad.
‘I’ve always considered helping Sua anyway, and there’s no better promotion than a joint broadcast. Wow, that’s not all, is it? If this collaboration becomes a hot topic, it means my channel will also benefit in the end.’
Shikarin soon nodded.
“No, well, I’ll try to send an invitation once…”
Immediately, the chat was drowned in ‘Paradise’.
There was only one day left until the airing of Special Mobile Unit 808.
