I Want to Be a VTuber-Chapter 280: A Flame That Couldn’t Become a Star (3)

"You’ve finally found a use for those hands that used to sew nothing but rags and pickpocket scraps."

It was an unfortunate day.

The pockets of the well-dressed gentleman she had targeted had been empty.

And when she took her sick brother to the hospital, every bit of money she had painstakingly saved vanished in an instant, consumed by the overwhelming medical bills.

Worst of all—if he didn’t receive treatment soon, her brother would die.

On her way back from the hospital, alone, leaving her brother behind in a hospital bed,

She had no money for an umbrella and walked through the rain, soaked.

That was when a man approached her.

"This is money you could never touch in your lifetime. Even with just this advance, your brother should be able to recover somewhat."

Unlike the empty wallets she had encountered earlier, this man handed her a pouch of money without hesitation.

A black suit, a black fedora.

A man with a deep, dignified presence.

Lowering himself to her level, looking her straight in the eye, he spoke.

"All you have to do is steal one item... and kill one person."

"W-What...? Are you asking me... to kill someone?"

"If you refuse, I won’t force you. But you should consider one thing."

The corners of his mouth twisted slightly.

That serene, composed face now gleamed with an unsettling glint in his eyes.

Instinctively, Yeon Seonye realized—

This was no kind old man.

"If you don’t do it, the one who dies won’t be some stranger you’ve never met—it’ll be your brother."

Her trembling hands reached for the money pouch.

With this, she could at least secure his hospital stay.

His body would have time to recover.

But that alone wouldn’t solve the fundamental problem.

"So? Will you refuse?"

Because if she truly wanted to save him,

She would need far more than this.

"...I’ll do it."

In the end, all she had was a sharp mind and nimble fingers.

If those were the only tools she had to save her brother,

Then there was only one choice she could make.

****

"Not bad..."

Film critic Kang Yuseok watched the screen with intrigue.

Truth be told, he didn’t know much about Lee Jiyeon as an actress.

"She’s not exceptionally skilled, but... she delivers a smooth performance."

His first impression?

She lacked presence.

For a protagonist, she didn’t quite command attention.

But oddly enough, that made her portrayal of Yeon Seonye all the more convincing.

Yeon Seonye was an ordinary girl.

Clever, dexterous—but ultimately just a street rat.

Her sharp features made her look tough—

And living in a place like that, she had to be tough.

"Given the historical setting, I expected the usual patriotic themes."

But the Japanese occupation was merely background noise to the story.

That, in itself, felt refreshing.

There was no grand revolutionary narrative—

Just a girl willing to do anything to survive.

"The protagonist takes on a dangerous mission, one that forces her to abandon morality—all for the sake of her brother."

A dark premise, yet her performance wasn’t brooding.

Instead, Yeon Seonye carried a quiet resilience.

The scene where she took an entrance test to infiltrate the Amanabi household even managed to draw laughter from the audience.

"Despite her hardened exterior, at her core, she’s just a kind-hearted girl."

There was something intriguing about it.

Unlike Jo Sehee or Ju Seoyeon, she didn’t command the screen with an overwhelming presence.

But there was something warm about her performance—something that made you care.

And just as the audience began to grow attached to her—

Yeon Seonye was finally introduced to her true master.

"So, you’re the mutt Isamu brought in."

And with that, the entrance of Kasugayama Yuina.

Holding a long kiseru pipe, speaking lazily,

She commanded the screen the moment she appeared.

A murmur of admiration rippled through the audience.

This was unlike anything they had seen from Seoyeon before.

The Crimson Butterfly.

Just like the red butterflies embroidered on her kimono,

She carried an eerie, otherworldly aura.

Silence.

Stillness.

Even the background music had faded—

Only the sound of her footsteps echoed through the theater.

"She’s completely overshadowing Yeon Seonye."

Even though they were standing in the same frame,

It felt as if Yuina was the only one on screen.

The sheer weight of her presence.

"A directorial mistake?"

No.

This was Baek Min.

He wouldn’t make an error like that.

It was a deliberate contrast—

To show just how insignificant Yeon Seonye was next to Yuina.

"At the same time, the way Isamu stands quietly behind her—"

It subtly hinted that his role wouldn’t end as a mere supporting character.

"And so, you will receive enough wealth to live a life of leisure."

The camera drew in.

Yuina and Yeon Seonye in close-up.

Pale, elegant fingers traced along Yeon Seonye’s jawline.

Slowly.

Leisurely.

Her touch carried the same decadent allure as her words.

"Oh my, why so quiet? If you’re just a street mutt, you should know to wag your tail when your master speaks."

And just as her fingers brushed against Yeon Seonye’s lips—

Chomp.

Yeon Seonye bit down.

"Ah?!"

Yuina recoiled in shock, instinctively withdrawing her hand.

And with that—her overwhelming presence faltered.

The suffocating atmosphere lightened, shifting the focus back to Yeon Seonye.

Laughter erupted in the theater.

Yuina, the untouchable, had yelped like a startled girl.

"Ah, my apologies. As you said, I’m just a mutt—when something touches my mouth, I tend to bite."

Yeon Seonye spoke, mimicking a dog's bark.

Yuina's face twisted in disbelief.

She clearly hadn’t expected this.

"Of course, as the esteemed lady said, I’ll obey every command."

*"That is, so long as the lady keeps her promises."

Yuina had half-raised a hand, as if considering slapping her.

But at Yeon Seonye’s final words, she simply smirked.

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the girl.

"...Naturally. When a dog behaves, a master must reward it, after all."

With that, she jerked her chin toward the exit, dismissing her.

As Yeon Seonye walked away,

Gotou Isamu stepped forward, his voice quiet.

"I expected you to slap her."

"Hmph."

She had indeed raised her hand, considering it for a moment.

But what was the point?

If it was just a slap, she would surely be struck countless times in the future.

Instead, Yuina simply traced her thumb over the lingering warmth on her fingertip.

"As long as she does her job, I don’t care."

Yuina didn’t trust Yeon Seonye.

After all, she was nothing more than a stray dog that Isamu had picked up off the streets.

She didn’t believe for a second that she would succeed in her task.

If she failed, she would simply find another dog.

And yet—

Even as she dismissed the thought, Yuina couldn’t take her eyes off the direction Yeon Seonye had disappeared.

And neither could the audience.

As the film progressed, the subtle shifts in Yuina’s demeanor and the quiet defiance in Yeon Seonye’s actions naturally drew viewers deeper into the atmosphere.

"That was a brilliant scene. The focus that had leaned toward Yuina was smoothly shifted back to Yeon Seonye."

Even critic Kang Yuseok, who had been scrutinizing the film, found himself impressed.

****

"There’s no need to force conversation with me. Just remember—you are nothing more than a maid."

The story unfolded quickly from there.

Successfully infiltrating the Amanabi household, Yeon Seonye began her work as a servant.

She faced harassment from the other maids multiple times but stubbornly endured,

And soon, she became the exclusive maid of Michiko, the young lady of the house—

A position no one else wanted.

Of course, it had been a trick played by another servant to get rid of her.

But for Yeon Seonye, it was exactly what she had hoped for.

"They say Lady Amanabi is cursed."

"A curse?"

"Anyone who grows close to her ends up dead."

"Oh, come on, that’s ridiculous."

"Oh, Seonye, you don’t know. Do you have any idea what happened to all the maids who served her before you?"

One of the other maids, who had been somewhat friendly to Yeon Seonye, spoke in hushed fear.

"Every single one of them ended up like this."

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She ran a finger across her throat in a chilling gesture.

At that, Yeon Seonye, who had been smirking, stiffened slightly.

It didn’t seem like a lie.

But even so, she had a mission to complete.

There was no turning back.

"My lady is like a doll."

"Oh? Because she dangles helplessly from the strings of her servants?"

"No, because she’s beautiful."

At first, it was mere flattery.

But there was no deception in her words.

Michiko, as she appeared on screen, was undeniably beautiful.

"Seonye, dry my hair for me. Your touch is gentle—it feels nice."

"Was Jo Sehee always this pretty?"

"This atmosphere is... strangely sensual."

Among the audience, various thoughts stirred.

Slowly, Michiko began opening up.

And as Yeon Seonye noticed it,

Her own internal turmoil grew.

"Would I be the one to destroy something so beautiful?"

That thought clung to her.

Then, midway through the film,

A scene where Yeon Seonye and Yuina met in private.

"Lady Michiko is quite wary, so she doesn’t trust me fully yet. However, I have a rough idea of where the necklace is."

Yuina—her employer, the Lady of the Kasugayama household—listened to Yeon Seonye’s reports on Michiko regularly.

And yet, she found herself feeling strange.

She ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) knew full well that this was part of Yeon Seonye’s mission.

That earning Michiko’s trust was simply a means to an end.

And yet—

Yuina’s eyes were gradually drawn to her.

"Her heart is changing."

Yuina, sharp as ever, could see through Yeon Seonye’s wavering resolve.

Should she report this to Isamu?

Normally, she would have cut her off the moment she sensed doubt.

But this time, Yuina hesitated.

"...Fine. Keep me informed of everything. No secrets."

"Yes, as you command."

"......"

Yuina started to say something, then stopped herself.

Like she had been on the verge of making a mistake.

She turned her gaze away, avoiding Yeon Seonye’s eyes.

"Is something wrong, my lady?"

"What?"

"You seem... a bit off today."

Yeon Seonye fumbled with her words.

Yuina instinctively touched her face.

Had it been that obvious?

If even this foolish girl had noticed—

"...Come here."

"Huh?"

"No objections."

Yeon Seonye hesitated but stepped closer.

Standing before Yuina, clearly nervous,

She clenched her fists.

Yuina let out a quiet chuckle.

Afraid her emotions might show?

How ridiculous.

"Your hand."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, give me your hand."

At Yuina’s sharp tone, Yeon Seonye hesitated, then slowly held out her hand.

Without warning, Yuina grabbed it.

Yeon Seonye flinched at the sudden touch.

Yuina smirked.

"Do you think I’m going to devour you?"

"N-No, it’s not that, but..."

Well—

It wasn’t entirely untrue.

At least, that’s what Yeon Seonye’s expression seemed to say.

Yuina let out a soft, amused laugh.

Yeon Seonye had never seen her smile like that before.

She found herself staring.

"Your palm is injured."

"What? H-How did you—?"

"You rely on your dexterous fingers, yet you let me grab you so easily. It was obvious."

Yuina reached into a nearby chest and pulled out ointment and bandages.

The dimly lit room.

The flickering lantern light.

The silhouette of the Lady of the Kasugayama household, wrapped in a crimson kimono adorned with butterflies.

She looked breathtaking.

"...A wound like this will fester if left untreated."

"It’s really not a big deal, my lady. You don’t need to concern yourself—"

"Don’t be mistaken. If you become useless, I’m the one who will be inconvenienced."

"Y-Yes, of course."

"And..."

After wrapping the bandage, Yuina paused.

"It’s fine if you make some mistakes. Don’t push yourself too hard. If you fail, I’ll just find another dog to take your place."

"But haven’t I done better than anyone else?"

Yeon Seonye sounded proud, smug even.

But Yuina’s expression turned sharp.

She shot her a glare, and Yeon Seonye instinctively shrank back.

This woman—

She was impossible to read.

"Just one thing."

"Yes? W-What is it?"

Yuina hesitated.

She knew it was ridiculous.

She knew exactly where Yeon Seonye’s heart lay.

That all of her words—her efforts—

They were all for her.

And yet.

"Don’t lie to me."

Yuina’s voice was quiet.

Her lips curled into a small smile.

A sad smile.

Yeon Seonye forgot to breathe.

And so did the audience.

Because that expression—

That forlorn, quiet realization of unrequited love—

It was devastatingly beautiful.