Chapter 16: Unlikely Collaborations and Unexpected Connections

People are inherently contradictory.

They turn on the air conditioner because they hate the heat, yet still cover themselves with blankets. They subscribe to Netflix with enthusiasm, only to end up watching nothing.

These are just a few examples that illustrate the diversity of human behavior.

<How long will BunnyRun keep this up?>

Messes things up as soon as she returns. Isn’t she an adult now?

– 21 is still pretty young.

But she’s an adult, so acting the same as when she was underage feels a bit off.

Even if people enjoy BunnyRun’s unfiltered words, it’s natural to hope she’d avoid making reckless mistakes. This contradictory feeling—liking her carefree nature yet wishing she wouldn’t cross lines—comes naturally to anyone.

The same applies to those who aren’t even her fans but still feel the urge to discuss whether “BunnyRun will be okay at this rate.”

Since the moment BunnyRun hastily ended her stream, the topic has consumed the VR streaming community board, burning for over a day straight.

<BunnyRun never learns.>

Got suspended for six months after stirring up drama with idols, yet she hasn’t changed.

But hey, didn’t the idol scam their agency?

– Sure, but even if BunnyRun was right, she was reckless.

It’s not about whether she was right or wrong. It’s about how she messed up big once and still didn’t learn her lesson.

<BunnyRun’s always been like this.>

(Subscription receipt proving long-term support for BunnyRun.)

Every time she causes trouble, nothing changes. She’ll probably lose a lot of long-time fans this time too.

That’s just wishful thinking from salty folks like you.

– How much influence do VR community boards even have?

Right or wrong, fact or opinion, accurate or speculative—there was endless debate.

No conclusions were reached.

That’s just how these things go when the subject of “X-is-fine” isn’t around to defend themselves.

Just as a gloomy atmosphere settled over the board…

<BunnyRun’s stream is ON >

Alright, let’s dive in

– Finally, you [expletive] showed up.

• You’re dead now.

BunnyRun went live.

The community members immediately rushed to her stream.

It was hard to believe these were the same people being all serious just moments ago, but that’s how online communities work. From the outside, they might seem like manic-depressives.

<BunnyRun’s viewers exceed 5,000>

Record-breaking viewership this year

Fun fact: Viewership tends to peak right after a controversy.

From the VR streaming community to other platform users, everyone flocked to BunnyRun’s stream.

From there, it was smooth sailing.

Once a stream climbs to the top, it gains more exposure, drawing even more viewers.

The viewership was growing exponentially—6,000, 7,000, almost hitting 10,000—when music started playing.

It was a gloomy violin melody, the kind even a funeral would reject.

Whoever composed it must’ve had a twisted personality.

What’s with this song?

Is she playing this because her career is over?

Is this a festival or a funeral?

New viewers from other communities and V-TV burst into laughter.

But the VR streaming board reacted differently.

They recognized the song.

<Isn’t this from a game made by Han Yurim?>

(Link to Fantasy Life OST on MeTube)

Why is BunnyRun playing this?

– Is she promoting her “atonement” song or something?

She won’t even apologize and pulls off this nonsense? Seriously, this is insane.

Recently, Han Yurim had been a hot topic on the VR streaming board.

There was a lot of chatter, and the regulars were well aware that Han Yurim was the developer of Fantasy Life and Excel Busters.

The reaction from the VR broadcasting gallery wasn’t great.

People were expecting an apology, but instead, she started with a performance, which didn’t sit well.

<She’s hopeless.>

She should be issuing a public apology, not playing around.

– Maybe she’s just playing the song because she likes it?

Come on, you idiot, choose your battles better

The atmosphere in the VR broadcasting gallery quickly became hostile.

Those who liked BunnyRun, those who didn’t, and those who couldn’t care less—all mixed with trolls—were about to engage in a chaotic brawl in 3 seconds!

But BunnyRun turned on her mic just a little earlier than that.

“Hello? It’s the world’s cutest bunny, BunnyRun, all alone and feeling lonely!”

Black Jesus… No, blue Jesus had arrived.

?

???

What was that?

??????????

???????????????

Title: What did I just hear?

Post:
This is my first time watching BunnyRun’s stream. Does she always sound like that?

Comment: No, she doesn’t usually sound like that.

Suddenly, every online community was unified in confusion.

BunnyRun, now a collector of question marks, turned on her avatar again. She repeated the strange greeting, but by then, no one was paying attention to that anymore.

There was only one question on everyone’s mind: “Who on earth is streaming on BunnyRun’s account?”

The answer appeared quickly, as the chat and forums were flooded with the name Han Yurim.

However, even though they figured out who it was, the question of why remained.

Why was Han Yurim streaming on BunnyRun’s account?

And more importantly, where was BunnyRun?

The chat exploded with questions, but Han Yurim—posing as BunnyRun—ignored them and launched Eternal World, picking the character Thierry.

Thierry wasn’t well-regarded, which made viewers uneasy, especially those unfamiliar with Han Yurim.

But everything changed by the time she hit level 3.

From that point onward, she began massacring enemy cores with such skill that no one could doubt her ability.

The chat scrolled rapidly, captivated by the rare display of high-level gameplay.

Despite the confusion, the entertainment value was undeniable.

Soon, the victory screen [Victory] appeared.

And then came the moment of truth.

“What are you doing here, Han Yurim…?”

The real BunnyRun finally showed up.

The entire VR broadcasting gallery, having enjoyed the chaos caused by BunnyRun’s earlier slip-ups, was thrilled with the unexpected conclusion.

<“These damn VTuber wannabes thought only they could enjoy content like this?ㅋㅋ”>

“Man, it’s been a while since the gallery was this livelyㅋㅋ”

– “Hey, can we start using VTubers too?”

– “But is BunnyRun even a VTuber?”

No matter how much people crave dopamine, they still prefer a satisfying ending.

Seeing BunnyRun and Han Yurim doing a stream together—just a day after the drama—felt like a quick yet perfect resolution.

Even short-form content lovers were pleased with how smoothly everything wrapped up.

Other communities shared the sentiment.

<“The polar bear has fallen”>

(A clip of BunnyRun and Han Yurim talking)

“Did I know Han Yurim before? If I did, why would I have caused that mess two days ago? It was just a coincidence.”

“You’re not going to call me ‘Unnie’ anymore? Well, I don’t really care what you call me.”

“…It turns out we were working part-time at the same place. I was just as surprised as you.”

<Laughter echoing until the Arctic melts>

Virtual Broadcasting Gallery.

Even galleries that mainly follow VTubers thoroughly enjoyed the collaboration between BunnyRun and Han Yurim.

Let’s take a quick peek at just how much fun they had.

<“Virgin confirmed”>

(A clip shows Han Yurim, using BunnyRun’s avatar, curiously touching the avatar’s chest.)

“She doesn’t know anything—virgin confirmedㅋㅋㅋ”

– “(Unicorn horn: Peace mode)”

– “But isn’t it more suspicious how calm she is? Maybe she’s actually experienced?”

Alright, alright. Let’s stop here.

The broadcast that set multiple communities on fire came to a spectacular conclusion.

The peak viewership was 18,832—surpassing BunnyRun’s previous record of 16,000 from six months ago.

After ending the stream, BunnyRun sat down, holding her head in her hands.

“Seriously? Just three drinks, and you have a headache? How weak are you to alcohol?”

“Unnie, what even was that situation just now?”

Maybe it wasn’t the alcohol but me causing the headache? I smiled.

“See, even when I drink, my cognitive abilities remain sharp, but my mood improves. And you know how people tend to do things twice instead of once when they’re feeling good.”

“Are you saying that’s why you acted like that?”

“You could say that.”

No matter how much I drank, I never felt intoxicated. My cognitive function stayed intact.

But that didn’t mean there were no effects at all.

Just like sugar lifts your mood, alcohol altered my emotions.

Since it felt like a waste if alcohol didn’t boost my mood, this made sense—though it did go a bit overboard.

It was about 1.5 times better than drinking cola.

Because of that, I ended up saying BunnyRun’s intro—”Hello! The loneliest, most adorable bunny in the world, BunnyRun here!”—twice when once would have been enough.

For an entertainer, restraint is a virtue—what a major blunder that was.

“Ugh…” BunnyRun groaned, then booted up her computer to rewatch the stream.

Her eyes widened in shock.

It seemed my extraordinary game development talent, even through an avatar, had left her amazed.

She asked, “What’s with that weird tone of voice?”

“Aren’t all VTubers supposed to talk like that?”

“…Honestly, I don’t know. I’m not exactly an expert on VTubers.”

“You are a VTuber, though.”

“Yes, I am a VTuber.”

I see.

So, no roleplay either?

And you still call yourself a VTuber?

“I read on your wiki that you’re from a tribe of rabbits in another world. What’s that about?”

“…That’s just something the viewers made up.”

I see.

Feeling a bit deflated, I grabbed my smartphone and browsed through the community forums.

As I scrolled, BunnyRun suddenly called out to me.

“Unnie.”

“Yes? Say whatever you want.”

“…Thank you.”

“Thank you?”

“Could I ask you for just one favor?”

“As long as it’s not something strange.”

“Come on, don’t make it sound like I’m always up to something weird.”

“It’s not a big deal… Just play a game with me.”

“A game?”

“Yes.”

I nodded, then quickly added, “You have played PC games before, right?”