The news that Streamer Mollu had joined the Flare Crew spread quickly.
The crew was composed entirely of VTubers.
In a sense, Mollu, who was not a purebred VTuber, had ended up in that place.
Some reacted with surprise, while others responded with a sense of inevitability.
Regardless of people’s reactions, interest from those around was focused on the future activities of the Flare Crew, which had recruited the monster rookie Mollu.
“Flare Crew Large Group Broadcast! The identity is…!”
The broadcast by the crew’s leader, Rita.
She was stirring excitement by announcing that all crew members were scheduled to participate in the content.
Today was the day that marked the start of that content.
“Drumroll…”
Rita was making sounds with her mouth and loudly tapping on the desk.
[Hurry up ㅡㅡ]
[I’m going to grow old waiting]
[Where did the person who is broadcasting go~]
Just as the viewers were getting more than a little annoyed, her mouth opened.
“It’s the opening of the Minecraft Flare Server~ Yay!”
Minecraft.
Some might say it’s a child’s game, merely enjoyed by kids, but that’s wrong.
It is true that the pixelated game appears cute and peaceful.
However, that’s simply because the game is that intuitive and has a low entry barrier, making it easy for anyone to play.
The world of Minecraft is boundless.
Building one’s own structure, battling the ultimate bosses, traveling across vast maps is just the beginning.
If you look for it, there are endless activities to engage in.
It truly can be called a feast of content.
The belief is that broadcasters who recognized the value of Minecraft, a national game that has been out for a long time and needs no introduction, have already uploaded numerous videos to YouTube, thoroughly capitalizing on it.
“The village we will be spending time in will be Flare Village.”
Rita’s reasons for choosing Minecraft were similarly grounded.
While not guaranteed success, at least a decent outcome was assured.
There’s a saying in the VTuber community about revolving doors.
It’s a kind of slang meaning that you only watch VTubers from a specific agency or only view VTubers from a certain group.
The Flare Crew holds about a quarter of the VTuber pie.
The viewer count of the crew members varies, with leader Rita leading the pack with a few thousand followers.
As a crew, the members often do broadcasts together and participate in various interactions.
Naturally, the viewer pool also mingles.
When A’s broadcast ends, they move to B’s, and when B’s ends, they go to C’s and so forth.
Thus, those who frequently watch the Flare Crew’s broadcasts are well-versed in the chemistry stemming from the relationships between the crew members and enjoy it.
This is why the large group broadcast of Minecraft is not a failure, even if it’s not a resounding success.
There may be differences in viewer preferences regarding the crew members, but no one is particularly excluded.
In fact, they relish the gatherings.
Simply building together or adventuring in the game world is enough for viewers to feel satisfied.
Moreover.
“Is Mollu participating too? Of course.”
The fact that the newly joined Mollu would fit well into the group broadcast was also a consideration in Rita’s mind.
“She’s our new crew member, so she can’t miss this group broadcast.”
(The CEO behavior)
(Oh lol right, isn’t it normal for a new member to miss gatherings?)
(Our company’s new members miss the welcome gathering too)
(This is the trend nowadays~)
(So MZ of them)
Mollu, still without having greeted anyone but herself.
The face of Mollu from yesterday flashed before her eyes.
It was indeed a face that didn’t match what she had imagined.
She considered whether to invite her to the group chat in advance, but it felt too rushed, so she dismissed the idea.
After all, they would become comfortable with each other through the group broadcast.
There’s nothing more effective for easing awkward relationships than playing games together.
That’s what Rita thought.
“The server will open from tomorrow evening! Please look forward to it.”
Rita smoothly wrapped up her promotion.
She was satisfied as the situation was progressing smoothly.
[Check in tomorrow evening]
[Tomorrow evening…?]
[Mollu is supposed to be on break tomorrow]
[Really?]
[I just checked, and it really is a break]
[Is there a new member who won’t come on the first day of the broadcast?]
[That’s totally MZ]
[I need to enforce some discipline]
“Um… Is she really on break tomorrow?”
Mollu holds a substantial role in the content, even if she’s not the main focus.
But Mollu not being there.
If they were thinking of keeping the Minecraft Flare server open for about a week, it’d be inconsequential when she joined, but it was still disappointing.
It was her fault for not informing everyone of the date in advance.
“It can’t be helped.”
Rita thought that indeed, nothing in this world is easy.
*
– I’m at the main building next to the science lab on the third floor… No, I’m waiting at the front. I’ll come pick you up.
“Uh-huh.”
In the bright noon light, or rather, the early morning.
At 10 AM, I was facing the cold winter wind in front of a high school.
What can I say? It was my younger sister Ji-yeon’s school.
“This school is nice…”
A massive school divided between the main building and the annex, with not a single part of the exterior looking old or shabby.
The playground is covered in artificial turf, and the nearby washing station looks very tidy.
From the looks of it, they must have spent a bit of money on this private school.
So why, out of nowhere, am I at Ji-yeon’s school?
I received her invitation.
“Hey, sis, there’s our school festival the day after tomorrow. Do you want to come?”
She didn’t just ask as a formality; she genuinely hoped I would come.
Since then, my days off have been filled with plans involving someone.
Now, I even plan my rest days around them.
I had wanted to visit Ji-yeon’s school at least once.
This might sound a bit parental, but I was curious how much it has changed since my time.
Outdoor booths were being operated here and there under the supervision of teachers.
It was subtly university-like, yet had high school elements.
I suppose you could say it occupies the middle ground between youthful freshness and adulthood.
I heard Ji-yeon’s class was running a café.
A friend whose parents run a café handles the kitchen while Ji-yeon oversees the counter.
While waiting for Ji-yeon and looking around, I heard someone approach.
“Hey, why did you come in casual clothes?”
A woman with a stern impression came up to me and said that.
From her attire and tone, she seemed like a teacher.
Did she mistake me for a student?
“No, it’s not like that…”
“No matter how much it’s a festival day, students should wear their uniforms. Which class are you in?”
As the teacher’s voice rose, the attention of those around shifted.
Who is this? I don’t recognize this person. She’s pretty. Was there such a girl here? The murmurs filled the atmosphere.
I was about to explain myself to the teacher whose gaze was sharp.
“Wait a moment!”
“Hmm? You’re not… Ji-yeon, are you?”
A cute Cody in a brown apron and a baker’s hat approached and eagerly engaged in conversation with the teacher.
She must have just come from working.
After a few swings of her arms and understanding the situation, the teacher looked at me apologetically.
“You’re Ji-yeon’s sister, right? Looking at you both, it’s clear you resemble each other; you really are a beauty. I’m sorry, I totally forgot that we were having external visitors today.”
“No, it’s okay.”
It struck me anew that Ji-eun still looked to be in her early twenties.
It had barely been over three years since she graduated from high school.
Plus, kids these days grow up so fast, and given Ji-eun’s looks, it’s entirely understandable for the mix-up.
“I’m a bit late, right? Suddenly, a crowd formed.”
“No, I haven’t waited long.”
Ji-yeon led me with a brisk step back to her class.
Seemingly a school celebrity, she greeted students as we passed through the hall.
“Hey Ji-yeon~.”
“Hi.”
“Is this your sister?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s really pretty.”
What was peculiar about those greetings was that at least once, I was mentioned.
Could it be that news of me had spread throughout the school? Most students who greeted Ji-yeon recognized that I was her sister.
“Hello, sister!”
“Uh, yes. Hello.”
There was even a cheerful girl who claimed to be Ji-yeon’s friend who greeted me enthusiastically.
It seemed my sister was quite the social butterfly.
Standing beside her made me feel like I was somehow a celebrity too.
Finally, we arrived at the classroom, where desks were arranged with pretty tablecloths to create a café atmosphere.
It was well-decorated.
As someone who doesn’t have any noteworthy memories of my school days, it was quite a pleasing sight.
“Sit tight for a moment. I’ll make you a drink.”
Ji-yeon seated me in a corner before heading to the kitchen.
The kitchen was separated well, while still being visible from the hall, giving it that café feel.
The female student in the kitchen heard Ji-yeon’s words and immediately started preparing something.
Her skillful hands suggested this wasn’t her first time doing this.
“Excuse me, are you Ji-yeon’s sister?”
“Yeah? What is it?”
“Oh my gosh, is it really you? You’re Ji-eun’s sister, right?”
While I waited quietly for the drink, my eyes met with a group of girls.
In an instant, they approached me, their eyes sparkling.
“Sister, what tint do you use?”
“Wow, your skin is amazing.”
“Totally stunning. How do you usually take care of it?”
It didn’t take long for me to realize that Ji-yeon was the more reserved one.
The conversations of current high school girls were dizzying.
I replied adequately, feeling a little overwhelmed.
