Chapter 309: Chapter 309

No matter how you looked at it, Da-yeon was the first Noeuli to uncover Diah’s red pill.

The shock of finding out that the VTuber she’d grown attached to without realizing it was actually her closest friend... was indescribable.

Sure, the other Noeulis had gone wild when they found out Diah was actually celebrity Lee Ha-eun. But to Da-yeon, Ha-eun wasn’t some distant idol—she was a friend. So the red pill hit her in a very different way.

“As if she wasn’t already a scarily good actress...”

The whole “red pill” terminology in VTubing came from the cognitive dissonance between the avatar and the person behind it. In Diah’s case, her red pill was so flawlessly executed, it was nicknamed the “blue pill” instead, with people actually loving it.

“...What? Is there something on my face?”

‘Yes, it’s the face of my husband~’

“N-no, nothing at all...”

To Da-yeon, Diah’s red pill wasn’t something as simple as a “blue pill.” It had far more complex meaning.

She was the one who felt the starkest contrast between Diah and the real person behind her—Ha-eun. The tone, the phrasing, the vibe, even the emotional temperature—everything was absurdly different.

Even Da-yeon, a lifelong actress, hadn’t realized for a long time that it was Ha-eun. That’s how perfect the performance was.

She’d always known Ha-eun was a great actress since they were kids, but when Ha-eun became Diah, it was like her very soul changed. That, Da-yeon thought, was the true definition of method acting.

“I know my husband’s face is adorable and all, but if you keep staring like that, you might fall for me~.”

See? She’s doing it again. Just moments ago, she was the calm, composed Ha-eun Da-yeon knew well. And then—bam—Diah's persona would come bursting through.

Every time Diah's "personality" surfaced , it stirred Da-yeon up. She didn’t show it, but she was conflicted. Maybe that’s why she suddenly reached for a metal spoon from the utensil jar.

“Keep playing around and I’ll keep hitting.”

“This is domestic violence...”

Even after getting whacked with a spoon, Ha-eun stayed fully committed to their couple RP. Did she notice how conflicted Da-yeon was feeling?

Da-yeon furrowed her brow at Ha-eun, who remained an enigma.

They had come to a soba restaurant known for its sharp dipping sauce, but Da-yeon had no time to appreciate it.

Meanwhile, Ha-eun was blissfully nibbling away at an added shrimp tempura—and somehow that only irritated Da-yeon more.

‘Bet she’s not even thinking about anything...’

She’d messed up Da-yeon’s feelings and now she was just playing with her food. The unfairness of it all stung.

Unlike Da-yeon, who only found out later that Diah was Ha-eun, Ha-eun had known from the beginning that Hida was Da-yeon.

Whether it was Hida or Da-yeon, all Ha-eun had to do was treat her the same.

But Da-yeon was still floundering—struggling with the gap between Diah and Ha-eun. That constant shift left her all stirred up inside.

“Thank you for the meal, boss.”

“Oh, thanks. Actually... could I ask for a quick photo? With Ms. Min Da-yeon, if that’s okay?”

“Ah, sure. I can take it for you.”

One minute she’s calling herself her husband and teasing her nonstop, the next she’s switched cleanly into celebrity mode again.

Does she have some kind of internal on/off switch?

“Smile, honey. If you smile, maybe the boss will give us extra next time we come.”

At this point, Da-yeon was just dumbfounded. Was confusing her some kind of twisted entertainment?

“Lee Ha-eun, if you keep calling me honey, I’m stamping those divorce papers.”

After enduring wave after wave of Ha-eun’s honey-bombing, Da-yeon finally threw down the nuclear option: metaphorical divorce papers. It was the only way she felt she could regain control of the conversation. Not that there were any actual marriage documents to begin with...

‘Was I too harsh?’ Fınd the newest release on 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵

Even after leaving the soba restaurant, Da-yeon still wore a stiff expression. Only then did Ha-eun start to think she might’ve gone too far.

She had teased her more and more because it was cute how flustered Da-yeon got every time she called her honey.

“...I’ve got class. What about you, Lee Ha-eun?”

“Okay then. See you tomorrow.”

Ha-eun silently watched Da-yeon’s back as she walked away.

Then she headed to a nearby café.

She had a shoot later in the afternoon for The Youngest Son of the Chairman, so she figured she’d use her break time to go over the script one more time.

‘So this is what they mean by campus romance.’

Studying at a campus café during a break between classes—glasses perched on your nose, sitting by the window with a good view. It was one of the few moments that matched the fantasy Ha-eun once had of college life.

...Even if the “studying” was actually just speed-reading a drama script.

There were a few other customers in the café, and while some eyes widened slightly in recognition, they didn’t really react beyond that.

Maybe it was because it had already been over a month since Ha-eun started attending Yeryeo University. People no longer found her presence shocking.

But then—while flipping through the Youngest Son script—her phone buzzed on the table.

‘Maybe it’s Hye-min unni?’

Even as she picked up her phone without thinking, she blinked when she noticed the message wasn’t from KakaoTalk—but from LINE.

Her eyes widened slightly again when she saw who it was from. The sender wasn’t Korean.

[Goto Yume (Lucid)] – Ha-eun-san

[Goto Yume (Lucid)] – You've been playing Minecraft lately, right?

[Goto Yume (Lucid)] – I want to join too.

[Goto Yume (Lucid)] – Could you ask for me?

With her brain going a little fuzzy, Ha-eun quickly packed up her things and left the café. It was a quiet place, after all. And this wasn’t exactly the kind of conversation you wanted people to overhear.

[ 010 - **** - **** ]

“Code red! We have a situation! Incoming strike alert—!”

[ ...Are you drunk in the middle of the day? ]

Later that afternoon.

Filming set for The Youngest Son of the Chairman.

“For the scene where I’m resting my elbows on the table, would it be okay if I leaned in a little slower? I want to emphasize a more relaxed feel.”

“Hmm... I think that sounds good.”

Ha-eun nodded affirmatively in response to Yoo Seong-jae’s question. A typical moment of collaboration between lead actors over blocking and expression.

‘I wonder how the meeting went...’

‘Nael said she pulled a special invite ticket. Does that mean Lucid can be invited now?’

Even as she sat on a folding chair on set, her mind kept drifting. Which wasn’t surprising—after all, something that had never happened even in her past life had just begun a few hours ago.

Still, nothing was certain yet. And when she was on set, she wasn’t a VTuber. She was an actress.

So she did her best to keep her thoughts in check.

She shook her head lightly, trying to snap herself out of it. She was the lead actress, after all.

Her role in the drama was massive. So was her responsibility.

She had to stay sharp.

“...Is something wrong?”

“Ah... I’m just... having trouble focusing.”

“Should I flick your forehead? Might help you concentrate.”

After that, Yoo Seong-jae glanced longingly at Ha-eun’s forehead, as if disappointed he didn’t get to flick it. Ha-eun’s eyes narrowed just slightly. A man wanting to hit a woman? She had thought he was better than that.

“You hit me last time too, Ha-eun.”

“...That was because you asked me to.”

Come to think of it, Ha-eun wasn’t really in a position to judge, so she let it slide. Besides, dividing everything by gender for trivial things felt strange. And... there was something oddly unfamiliar about naturally thinking of herself as “the woman” in this kind of situation.

Anyway, the more important thing right now was the shoot. The conversation between her and Yoo Seong-jae gradually shifted back toward The Youngest Son of the Chairman. These days, Seong-jae had been very engaged—asking questions, putting in effort, studying the script.

Another round of filming started about ten minutes later.

“Alright then... Let’s begin.”

At Director Cha Seon-ho’s cue, Ha-eun and Yoo Seong-jae, now in character as Meul-seo-ah and Shin Do-hyeon, looked each other dead in the eye.

“The mayor too, and several others... It seems quite a few have been switching sides with impressive speed lately.”

Meul-seo-ah’s warning, aimed at Shin Do-hyeon and the rapidly rising Cheonseong Group. She slowly traced the rim of her teacup with her fingertip, watching closely to see how he would respond.

And what met her gaze... was a calm, relaxed smile.

“Must be spring coming soon. The winds keep changing.”

Lifting his cup almost simultaneously and taking a sip, Shin Do-hyeon’s eyes dimmed, his tone deepened. He continued the conversation with subtle determination—a clear message that he wasn’t about to be intimidated by Meul-seo-ah or her power base.

“We already know who's been stirring that ever-changing wind.”

“...You’re not calling it a rumor this time?”

“Rumors... tend to be truths that arrive late. Especially when they’re meaningless to hide.”

Lifting his gaze to Meul-seo-ah, he gave a subtle but unmistakable smile. She responded with the slightest twitch of her eyebrow. Her hand, which had been raising her teacup to her lips, lowered back to the table.

A momentary hitch in Meul-seo-ah’s breath. The two actors' meticulously controlled micro-expressions collided on camera with razor-sharp tension.

“People really are amazing. And at the same time, incredibly pitiful.”

She leaned forward slightly, voice lowering as well. Her icy stare locked straight on Shin Do-hyeon’s.

In response, he didn’t move his body, just tilted his head faintly. A soft smile bloomed. No more words followed—only silence.

“...Cut! That’s a wrap~.”

Scene #19 in the lounge had wrapped.

The tightrope tension of the set, which hadn’t even rustled during filming, slowly began to ease.

“You two lately—your acting is just—”

“Watching from the side, it’s like you’re having a full-blown stare-down—”

“The atmosphere’s even more intense than I expected—”

Murmurs from the «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» crew reached their ears. Lights and camera angles were being adjusted again in the background.

Maybe it was because she had been so fully immersed in the role of Meul-seo-ah. Or maybe it was because she’d been matching the weight of Seong-jae’s increasingly grounded performance lately. Or perhaps it was the fact that this scene had no flashy movement—only tone and expression—that made it feel so heavy.

Maybe she’d overexerted herself trying to keep her performance balanced with Seong-jae’s.

Her whole body felt sore and sluggish. She stretched instinctively.

“I don’t remember feeling two years ago... What’s changed?”

She had thought she was used to acting with Seong-jae, but lately, it felt different. Out of curiosity, she asked if he’d been getting any special training.

“Lately, I’ve been taking calming pills. So I don’t get nervous in front of you.”

“Yeah. They really work wonders.”

A very unexpected answer.

She hadn’t expected performance-related... doping.

Apparently, Seong-jae was more dedicated to acting than she’d realized.

“Then maybe I should try one too—”

“Ah, no no. I like you just the way you are.”

What did just the way you are even mean? Was she easy to deal with ...?

‘Am I still getting distracted?’

She tilted her head slightly. Then decided she needed to fine-tune her acting. The guy who used to find acting with her hard now seemed to think he could hold his own.

Maybe it was just in her head.

‘Ha... Ha-eun’s gaze has gotten scarier lately...’

Yoo Seong-jae felt a slight chill run down his spine as he watched Ha-eun’s quiet, focused resolve. He was starting to wonder if maybe he’d said too much.

“You too, unni. Thanks for everything.”

Ha-eun had just stepped down from Manager Jeong Do-cheol’s van and waved goodbye. She headed home.

But just a few minutes before arriving, she had received some unexpected news—her heart was still fluttering slightly by the time she entered her soundproof booth.

[Dream Server – Day 2☆]

– Minecraft again today?

– You’re 10 minutes late, come over hereee

– Did you know Nael’s been going wild?

“Ah ah~ Hellooooooo~☆”

With Diah’s cheerful voice ringing through the broadcast mic, the stream began. She logged into Dream Server to see what the new invitees had done to the fields she and Hida had set up.

“Oh, they added a lot!”

Unlike the basic setup from the day before, more fields had been created, and empty plots were now filled with crops. When she asked the Noeulis in chat who had done most of it, one name came up again and again—Nael.

“Nael worked that hard?”

– She even bossed Daramsi around lol

– Nael went full workaholic

– Daramsi wanted to keep playing late and Nael had to force her to bed

– Her eyes were glowing. No joke.

“Hmm... Alright. Nael is officially the deputy manager of the Illusionary Realm Dessert Shop!”

[ KyAAA! I’ll work really hard! ]

“W-Wait, Nael? You were here?!”

– Nael is losing it lol

– Nael, my left ear is deaf now...

– From slave to deputy manager in one leap

“Hey! Slave?! They’re all my precious daughters~.”

– What kind of dad calls himself the midwife to his daughters...?

– This... might be problematic

– "Daughters," huh. Sounds like glorified labor

– Yeah, they call it family, but they’re treated like salt field slaves lmao

“‘Salt field slave’?! You’re done. How dare you say that about my lovely girls...!”

Just like always, Diah bantered wildly with the Noeulis in the chat while the stream carried on.

Eventually, it was time—she opened the special invite ticket Nael had pulled the previous night.

She used it right then.

[ PR몋SM_Lucid has entered the server for the first time. ]

“Okay, our newest baby~! Welcome, welcome~!”

[ A-Ah... Hello. Daddy. ]

– Holy crap, it’s Lucid

– Wait, is this a collab?!

– That really is Lucid’s avatar?!

The Japanese VTuber’s surprise appearance immediately stirred up the stream chat. Meanwhile, in-game chat among other Dream Server players remained oddly quiet—they hadn’t noticed yet.

Lucid, after completing the tutorial, returned with Diah to the fields. Diah began giving her beginner gear.

“First, you’ll need cookies—you don’t want to go hungry. Then, diamond hoe!”

[ Oh! Diamond! Thank you, Daddy! ]

“Alright, clear that mountain next. See the one way over there?”

[ U-Um... What did you say, Daddy? ]

“That clear mountain over there. We’re gonna make a strawberry field there, so flatten it out~.”

[ Flatten the mountain...? ]

The stream showed Diah treating Lucid not as a guest, but a full-on worker. And with that came some... questionable lines.

[ Is this how you treat your senior, Diah-san? ]

“Lucid-senpai’s ancestors did even wor— mm, never mind.”

– What was that about revenge again

– What did she just say

– Well you were the master before, so maybe time to try being the slave~

– Nihonjin!! Hayaku hayaku!!

– Dear Kim Gu, are you watching this...

– Is this even okay LMAOOOO

The stream was chaotic from the very start. Clips of Diah spread all over the internet within hours.

“A-Anyway! Those who don’t work, don’t eat! Get digging!”

[ Ueeeh! Diah-san, you’re so mean! ]

“In Korea, our motto is ppalli ppalli! When in Rome, do as the Romans do!”