Chapter 21: A Pretty Girl Studying Animation

Choi Arin.

Born in 2003.

Eighteen years old this year.

“Haaah….”

!!!

Today, she was once again learning the ropes of animation work using a program called Spine, stretching her hunched posture and moving her body.

She was currently attending a Meister High School in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and although she was in the content design department…….

You could simply think of it as an animation department.

“I’m so tired I could die….”

And like any other animation major, she was crushed under the overwhelming workload, spending another day steeped in fatigue.

As Meister High Schools are meant to prepare students to jump into practical work immediately after graduation, majors like animation, where work speed is crucial, had almost no break even during vacations.

“I should’ve just gone to a regular high school and studied..”

OOO….

Her eyes felt like they were about to burst, and she went on Instagram to look at photos of a cosplayer she usually enjoyed, hoping to refresh her eyes a bit.

“So pretty….”

Actually, it hadn’t been long since Arin started getting interested in cosplay.

She only started getting interested last year, so it hadn’t even been a year.

But the reason she was able to participate in last year’s AGC and Sufer while cosplaying was………

“I wonder if that person is as haggard as me in normal life….”

It’s because of the dissatisfaction that had accumulated while being suppressed.

While her peers were busy dressing up and giggling, Choi Arin chose the wrong school and major, ending up spending more than half of her day with her eyes glued to animation programs.

Because of that, her eyesight had also worsened, causing her a lot of stress.

So, to put it simply….

To Choi Arin, cosplay was a hobby that gave her a sense of liberation.

A day where she, who has no time to dress up nicely and rarely plays, puts on intense makeup, wears pretty clothes, and goes out to play just 3 or 4 days a year.

That was the day she cosplays.

“…?”

For some reason, there was a ‘1’ updated on her message window.

Someone had sent her a DM.

“Who is it…?”

Who could it possibly be…

She hardly kept in touch with her middle school friends after they all went to different high schools, and her high school friends were just acquaintances with whom she exchanged formal conversations.

“Hmm….”

Choi Arin tilted her head, seemingly unable to figure it out, and opened the DM window.

And there it was.

-Hello, Unnie.

You left your Instagram handle when you bought merchandise from our booth last time.

Honestly, I’m not sure what your intentions were, but I’d like to meet up and talk to you if that’s okay. Could we arrange a meeting?

It was clearly a DM.

But….

“Unnie…?”

Unnie?

Could it be that a girl even younger than her was running a booth alone, cosplaying, and promoting her Pixiv account?

No, before that……

“That kind of・・・ drawing….”

A girl younger than her drew that?

“Kids these days are really fast…”

•From Choi Arin’s perspective, there were many reasons to be shocked…….

“Anyway, she wants to arrange a meeting….”

Actually, Choi Ahrin leaving her Instagram handle on the depositor’s name was just an impulsive act.

That day, Hayoon was quite pretty.

That was the only reason.

Leaving her Instagram handle was a long shot, thinking she could go through the account and look at the cosplay photos if she got a reply……

But she never expected to actually get a reply….

Let alone to be asked to meet in person….

She really never imagined it, not even in her dreams.

She briefly hesitated, wondering what to do.

“Maybe it wouldn’t be bad to have a younger friend who does cosplay….”

Recently, due to the vacation season, Choi Arin hadn’t been able to meet her school friends, and her loneliness had reached its peak…….

She was just filled with the desire to have a real conversation with someone.

So………

“Arranging a meeting means meeting face-to-face to talk….”

She sent a reply.

-Yes, of course. I’m free anytime and anywhere, so let me know when you decide.

A few hours later, she got a reply.

“It’s been a while since I put on makeup.”

After sending the address of a cafe near Seodaemun Station, she began to think about what to wear to the meeting.

It would be different if it were a normal school friend, but she met Hayoon at the AGC and Surf events.

She didn’t feel comfortable going bare-faced.

“And wear something pretty.”

Of course, she would dress nicely.

Even when cosplaying, she felt like she was slightly lacking in the quality of her clothes and props, so she didn’t want to seem lacking in a normal setting either.

What should I say….

This was a matter of pride as a woman.

#

Meanwhile, at that time, Hayoon was…….

“Seodaemun Station? It’s closer than I thought?”

After checking the location of the cafe Choi Arin sent on the map and checking how long it would take in advance using a map app….

It turned out that a walk that should take only 10 minutes would take 20 minutes by bus due to a strange misalignment of bus routes, even requiring a transfer.

“I should just walk….”

She thought she could go comfortably because it was close, but nothing is ever easy.

Phew, Hayoon sighed and, after thinking about what to wear….

“Coat?”

Suddenly, her gaze landed on a coat in her closet, and she put on the brown coat and checked herself in the mirror.

“Oh….”

Indeed, the saying that clothes make the person is not without reason.

Certainly, if you have a pretty face and good proportions, you can’t help but enjoy dressing up.

“Maybe I should buy some clothes while I’m at it…”

Hayoon muttered meaningfully, grabbed her phone, and went outside, and Yoon Suhee, seeing Hayoon’s appearance, asked….

“Daughter…?”

“Yes. I’m going out…?”

“Ah…”

She sighed deeply as if she were deeply moved.

It was understandable.

“I really…. thought you were sick or something…”

“Huh…?”

“I mean… You’re always talking to yourself in your room, and I was too scared to say anything….”

Hayoon hadn’t left the house since she went to a restaurant with her parents on December 31st last year, and since she started streaming, the time she spent talking to herself in her room had increased significantly.

And now it was mid-January.

In this kind of situation, any parent would normally worry about their child.

“I’m fine.”

“Right? You’re fine? Then, don’t skip meals, come out and eat. And stop staying up all night.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“Okay, are you meeting a friend?”

“Something like that.”

“Alright. Have a good time.”

“Yes, I’ll be back.”

Choi Arin.

Among the people Hayoon currently knows, she is the only one who can animate illustrations.

She would persuade her to join her, no matter what.

#

Was it because she hadn’t been out in the world for nearly ten days?

Or was it because it had been a long time since she walked downtown in casual clothes?

‘This is crazy….’

Hayoon felt the gazes pouring towards her and once again realized the power of her appearance.

She was a woman, and not just any woman, but a beautiful woman.

Gazes poured in from people of all ages and genders, and among them, there were quite a few gazes that looked at Hayoon lewdly.

Regardless of her young age, the aura emanating from Hayoon was quite mature.

‘Is it because of the Empress’s aura….’

If that were really the case, she wanted to tell the status window to take it back.

But it wouldn’t listen.

That’s just how the status window is.

#

Sighing, Hayoon entered the cafe near Seodaemun Station, the designated meeting place, ordered her usual cold brew, and sat down at a spot with a good view of the entrance.

•It was a spot where she could immediately see Choi Arin when she arrived.

I’ve already figured out how to persuade her.. She’s born in 2003, so she’s probably just a second-year in high school, so it should be easy.. I’ll definitely persuade her no matter what

Actually, Live 2D technology is not essential in making visual novels.

However, Hayoon wanted to incorporate that technology through Choi Arin.

As an illustrator, she wanted to see her illustrations move.

As a planner, she wanted to create the most perfect work possible.

As a fellow otaku, she wanted the visual novel genre to take a step forward.

Even in the mid-2020s, Live 2D technology had not properly settled in the domestic visual novel scene.

So, Hayoon intended to be the vanguard.

She wanted to be the first, to further develop this market…

-Clink.

And the talent who would become Hayoon’s partner.

Was now.

Entering the cafe.