“…Japanese representative? American representative?”
Sua muttered absent-mindedly.
It was a reaction completely out of the blue. Amidst the discussion about the struggles of the Korean representative, the sudden inquiry about the American or Japanese representative came as a shock. What on earth?
On the other hand, Director Kang Hyun-seong crossed his arms.
“Now that I think about it, that does make sense. Since Sua is overseas-based, you could naturally have such thoughts. It’s something I didn’t consider carefully… Does that mean the Korean representative isn’t working for you?”
No? That’s not the issue at all…
“Uh, umm, aaah…”
“If Sua could tell us the conditions she desires, we would be very grateful. This show was planned with Sua’s participation in mind, so we can accommodate as much as possible.”
What can I do? Sua felt like her head was about to explode.
Isn’t this a golden opportunity to be part of Director Kang’s return to broadcasting? Yet, the question of whether she could shoulder the heavy responsibility as “the representative” still lingered.
Certainly, it wasn’t something she wanted to pass up, but there was also the fear that holding on to it might burn her hands. What should she do?
Just as she was lost in thought…
─Senior Sua, would you like some assistance?
‘Your help? Of course, it would solve everything, but…’
If Kim Yu-han were to take Sua’s place on the show, it would surely make things easy, but it felt a bit off. Sua wouldn’t be doing anything herself in that case—making it almost meaningless.
However, as if reading her mind, Kim Yu-han spoke up:
─I’m not suggesting replacing you in the show.
‘Then what?’
─Director Kang said we could mention any conditions. I’ll take care of tweaking them so that even if Sua participates directly, there won’t be any issues.
‘What? Really? Is that even possible?’
This was something Sua could hardly imagine. If Kim Yu-han could adjust a few conditions, could she actually appear on the show using only her own intelligence? For real? Truly?
─Senior Sua.
Kim Yu-han said nothing more.
─We’re done. Kim Yu-han.
It was the most reassuring single sentence in the world.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A little while later.
The writers, including Director Kang Hyun-seong and the personnel, swallowed their dry mouths. Sua’s attitude about discussing conditions had suddenly shifted dramatically.
‘The atmosphere just changed completely from earlier.’
‘I’ve heard she’s never lost in negotiations.’
‘Whoa, my legs hurt. What’s with this overwhelming presence?’
The fact was that Sua had only momentarily handed over the reins to Kim Yu-han, but the crew, unaware of this, couldn’t help but feel intense tension. For this moment, Sua was indeed intimidating.
And then, Kim Yu-han, speaking on behalf of Sua, broke the silence.
“Participation itself is not an issue, but I must stress that my private matters should not be touched upon. You should already understand the reasons, correct?”
“Maintain strict privacy?”
“That’s not for my sake alone, but for the sake of this show and Director Kang Hyun-seong as well.”
“…For our sake?”
“Yes. If my private information comes out—such as being of overseas origin—it will be difficult for viewers to immerse themselves in the character of the Korean representative. The character must be clear.”
“Ah!”
At this point, both Director Kang Hyun-seong and the nearby crew couldn’t help but express their admiration. With Sua considering the well-being of the program, they couldn’t help but feel gratitude.
Of course, this was all part of Kim Yu-han’s calculation.
─Let’s pretend to prioritize the program and cover up any information related to Senior Sua. There’s nothing good about old details before she gained her special features being leaked.
Covering truth with falsehood is for amateurs. High-level players cover the truth with more truth. After all, Kim Yu-han was genuinely hoping for the program’s success.
Soon, Director Kang Hyun-seong vigorously nodded.
“I understand. In ‘Star Talks,’ we will not touch on Sua’s private information. We’ll focus strictly on building the character of the Korean representative.”
Upon reflection, Sua’s statements made perfect sense.
Though Sua might have matched the image of the representative, she was, after all, overseas-based. Viewers would naturally question if she was truly representative of Korea.
Thus, it was better to eliminate any room for doubt entirely. Many quietly marveled at the wisdom of her approach.
‘Ever since the special on pets, I’ve thought she stood out. Not only does she meticulously prepare her character and environment for projects, but it’s beyond impressive.’
‘Sua’s brilliance extends beyond drama and film. She’s got what it takes to be a great broadcaster. Suddenly, this variety show feels more solid.’
Happy with the decision, Director Kang asked:
“Sua, are there any other conditions?”
“Yes.”
Sua—or rather, Kim Yu-han—responded.
“Taking a look at the proposal, I see that in addition to the representatives directly involved in the debates, there is also a host. Of course, no variety show goes without a host, and no debate without one.”
“Yes. That’s true. We’re still deciding who…”
“I strongly recommend Kim Sun-il.”
The reason Kim Yu-han was pushing for this was simple.
‘An arm bends toward its own body.’
The plan was to place the close ally, Mystic Media figure, as the host. Sua was bound to make a few mistakes during the show, and Sun-il would be there to back her up each time.
It was fine if Sua made mistakes in front of Sun-il. Why? Because Sun-il was aware that Sua had difficulty expressing emotions.
Director Kang stroked his chin.
“This is the first time Sua has so strongly recommended someone. Is there a specific reason?”
“She’s composed, knows her limits, and carries gravitas. She fits perfectly as a fair moderator.”
Once again, Kim Yu-han framed a lie as the truth.
The words themselves weren’t false; Kim Sun-il is indeed an excellent person who would be suitable as a host.
Director Kang soon nodded.
“Understood. Let’s go with Sun-il.”
“Thank you. That concludes all my conditions.”
At this, Director Kang stood up from his seat and approached, extending his hand for a handshake.
“Sua, thank you so much. I appreciate you taking on the role of the representative and your thoughtful advice. Let’s do our best! Let’s truly break through with ratings!”
“Well, I always give my best.”
Sua slowly took his hand, a confident smile playing on her lips.
Meanwhile, the real Sua inside was full of worries. Had they pushed too much for their own side? What if it made them look bad?
‘Seeing the conditions Sua put forth today reassures me. She’s genuinely passionate about this show. It’s clear Sua is getting interested in this plan!’
‘How can she be so precise? She must show the same poise during the debates as the Korean representative. The Korean audience will surely feel satisfaction watching her.’
‘I want to be like her…’
On the outside, this was what others thought. They marveled at her poise.
And once again, everything was within Kim Yu-han’s calculations.
◈◈◈◈◈
Meanwhile, at the filming site for “Lies, Lies, Lies.”
As Kim Yu-han worked on creating a custom variety show (?!) tailored for Sua, this location was bustling with activity. With the climax of the filming out of the way, they were now moving toward wrapping up.
However, there was one distinct difference compared to before.
It was the scorching heat radiating from the set.
“Hmm… Director, do you think we can redo this scene one more time?”
“Yeon-joo, are you serious? I already said it was okay.”
“I think it’s okay too, but the actor opposite me doesn’t seem entirely satisfied. However, out of politeness, he didn’t mention retaking it. That’s why I’m saying this.”
The female supporting actress standing behind nodded shyly at Seo Yeon-joo’s words. For Director Park Mu-ryong, who was bald, there was no reason to decline such a proposal.
To improve the quality of the work—it’s a no-brainer, of course.
Everyone was driven with passion, and leading them was an even more experienced Seo Yeon-joo than before. It seemed like they were now truly understanding the experiences of the team that made “Special Mobile Unit 808.”
Praises for Yeon-joo never ceased from the actors’ lips.
“Yeon-joo-ssi seems like such a good person.”
“Exactly. I personally had something I wanted to ask the filming team, but I hesitated. She spoke up on my behalf—it’s like having an angel here.”
“Didn’t I hear her acting has improved recently?”
“I heard it’s all thanks to Sua-ssi! She said so herself—it’s all thanks to Sua-ssi.”
As soon as everyone began praising Yeon-joo, her comments inevitably led to praise for Sua as well. Thanks to this, Sua’s reputation was steadily rising even though she wasn’t physically present.
…It was almost like automatic leveling-up.
◈◈◈◈◈
In the meantime, the internet was flooded with all kinds of articles.
First up was the famous writer Park Yu-mi.
When she cast Sua in a maid role to teach her ‘fox tactics,’ she wasn’t messing around. Now, with the show’s Netflix debut drawing closer, they had officially begun a promotional blitz.
[Will Writer Park Yu-mi’s new work prove herself on Netflix as well? ‘Even without top billing, this will be the last laugh.’]
In response, the production team of Lee Geum-sook, the leading writer, couldn’t sit still. They quickly began their own aggressive publicity campaign.
[Unnamed Netflix flagship drama. It’s not that they couldn’t decide on a title—it’s something the viewers need to judge for themselves.]
Meanwhile, Hong Ye-ji was busy playing video games at an arcade. Perhaps she had reached the stage of self-abandonment? She was surviving day by day by diving into rhythm games like a shut-in.
Amidst all this, a different discussion was heating up on online forums. Surprisingly, it was unrelated to drama or movies. The buzz centered around individual live streams.
Specifically, about the “Shark’s Playground.”
[Streamer Forum]
[Title: Shark’s Playground in a week?]
[Also, tomorrow is the debut of the youngest member of NeoLive. Haha, there is already so much to eat, my stomach might burst.]
– The youngest member’s silhouette looks incredibly pretty
– The personality seems very cute, like a proper rookie
– Let’s hope they’re full of coquetry.
[Title: Why all this talk about VTubers here?]
[Is streamer forum broken? Will VTubers not stop?]
– Anyway, it’s Shark’s Playground in a week
– We’ll be together anyway once Shark’s Playground begins
[Title: So, who’s the youngest member in NeoLive?]
[There’s zero information revealed so far. Looking at the silhouette, it seems like they have cat ears, but isn’t it a bit big for a cat?]
– A cat is already part of NeoLive
– Perhaps a cheetah instead?
– A deer, a cat, a bear… who could the youngest be?
NeoLive rookie.
In other words, Sua’s interest was red hot.
◈◈◈◈◈
Finally, the day of the showdown arrived.
NeoLive headquarters.
“Ugghh, I’m so nervous…”
This was Sua’s state of mind as she prepared for her debut as a VTuber.
NeoLive’s broadcasting studio was excellent. Top-of-the-line equipment was all there, and most of all, it was incredibly comfortable, truly a paradise for VTubers.
What facility-related issues could there possibly be?
Sua’s excessive tension was the real issue.
“…This is more nerve-racking than I thought…”
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Her heart was racing uncontrollably.
Looking back, Sua never had an experience of real-time communication with an undefined audience. While she had checked out the intense online reactions before, that wasn’t actual communication—more like observing wild crowds.
“…Remember everything I told you?”
Sua nodded her head vigorously.
“Be careful not to slip up verbally. Scrutinize the chat meticulously while maintaining communication. Think of yourself as a product, and make efforts to show only your prettiest side…”
“Good. Keep these as the basics. Never forget.”
“Umm… yeah…”
“And you are definitely going to participate in the talent showcase, right? You can’t go back on your word now, right? Got it, Sua?”
“I got it, I told you.”
Sua nodded her head, but her movements were stiff like a nutcracker doll. All due to extreme tension.
At that moment, NeoLive’s team leader appeared.
“With just one mouse click, we can start the broadcast. Before that, would it be okay to explain a few strategies we’ve come up with for Sua?”
“Strategies?”
“Yes. Stories with a twist are effective, right?”
“That… yes?”
“So, during the broadcast, we’d like you to intentionally show a slightly disappointing performance.”
“…Intentionally?”
Sua blurted out without realizing it.
“Yes. Intentionally present a slightly underwhelming score during the broadcast and then completely reverse the situation with a stellar appearance at Shark’s Playground. That’s the twist we’re planning.”
“Hmm, I fully understand.”
The staff and the deer looked at Sua with uneasy expressions. Though Sua was already extremely nervous, because of the special song she had practiced, she could manage with some self-encouragement.
“You are aware of your own image, right, Sua? Constantly chasing perfection with a sharp edge, right?”
“Oh?”
“Therefore, if we don’t intentionally create a contrast, there’s a possibility of your true identity being exposed. Please act a bit more clumsy on purpose.”
“…Ah, I’ll do my best.”
By now, the Sua Association was looking bewildered.
─There’s no need to force it since she naturally shows that side anyway.
─They are giving her the task she does best. That’s great!
─The request matches Sua’s principles perfectly.
‘Ah, stop chattering everyone, I’m nervous!’
And then, shortly after.
“Well, then…”
The deer moved the mouse.
“…Let’s start!”
[ L I V E ]
[NeoLive Rookie Debut!]
[The bewitching Su Mi-ho here, meow! (˃⩌˂) ]
At this very moment, the broadcast began.
[Come on! Come on!]
[Holy crap, she’s insanely pretty! What is this? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Welcome the rookie! Welcome the rookie!]
[Introduce yourself!!!]
[Finally revealed!!!!]
[Wahhhhh, her cleavage! Oh my gosh!]
Sua’s brain completely froze.
[What will the first line be? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Everyone is dying to hear her voice]
[Tell us your measurements]
[Can you do a double elbow bump?]
[Give us the sound of tapping your belly]
“…”
Am I really communicating with this barrage of messages in real-time?
“…”
Sua Impossible! Sua gives up!
Sua Bisa!
