Come to think of it, female Kim Suhyun really is incredibly pretty.
Among women who are around 170 cm tall, she's fairly tall, has a small, celebrity-like face, and her features are so distinct it's ridiculous. To what extent, you ask? From the moment I went to school to submit my withdrawal papers, all the way to arriving near the vocal academy, I haven't seen a single person prettier than my own reflection.
If there's one uncomfortable thing, it's the way people keep staring.
I never realized it when I was a man, but now that I'm a woman, I get it automatically.
You can feel every single sidelong glance.
Did the women I used to look at back when I was a man feel this way too?
Am I paying for that now?
Even the guy up ahead keeps glancing at me while pretending to look at his phone.
He's tall, obviously handsome, dressed like someone who clearly puts effort into fashion, and even his hair is carefully styled. Having a guy like that stare at me this openly makes me feel… strange.
What's more, he clears his throat slightly and checks his hairstyle using his phone screen.
Huh? Why is he coming this way?
"Um, excuse me. Could I get your number…?"
Of course. My bad feeling was spot-on.
"Oh, I lost my phone."
"Then maybe Instagram—"
"I don't use Instagram."
"Then KakaoTalk—"
"I exchange letters."
"Then your address—"
"Excuse me?"
What the hell is this guy?
At this point, you'd think he'd give up, but he's persistent.
"Haha… I know this is sudden. But really, it was love at first sight—"
I looked straight into his eyes.
Just look at that confidence-filled gaze.
He's probably never been rejected after asking for someone's number in his life.
Then maybe it's time someone gives him that experience.
That's the role of a seasoned adult, after all.
"You're not my type."
At my words, his expression freezes.
I mean, sure—he's objectively handsome, the kind no one would argue about. But that's all.
My heart doesn't flutter even a little.
"Haha… This is actually my first time being rejected."
"It shows. I'll be going now."
The man, clearly shocked, didn't try to stop me.
"Ha…"
Leaving him behind, I let out a sigh as I exited the station.
That made five times today.
I didn't even dress up. Sure, I did my makeup the way female Kim Suhyun remembered, but my clothes were pretty much the same as when I was a man.
Just black pants, an oversized black sweatshirt with a pattern, and a cap pulled low—one of those all-black outfits you'd see once or twice on the street.
And yet, men keep approaching me…
What kind of life did female Kim Suhyun live?
Maybe that's why she avoided going out—
No, that's not it.
She liked staying home ever since elementary school.
"Is this the place?"
The vocal academy stood confidently in a downtown area just a short walk from the station. The time was 3 p.m.
I'd have a consultation, meet Hyejeong, spend some time at a café, and then head to the barbecue restaurant we'd planned.
"Welcome!"
When I went up to the second floor, a young receptionist greeted me cheerfully from behind the counter.
"Hello."
As I approached and greeted her, she glanced at me once, then stared intently at her monitor.
"May I have your name?"
"Kim Su-hyeon."
"Oh! I see~ Wow, you're so pretty I thought you were from an agency or something~"
"Haha…"
Being praised so directly makes me feel oddly uncomfortable again.
"Let's head inside, shall we? The director is waiting for you."
"Yes."
Following the receptionist, I passed a hallway lined with photos and autographs. Some of them belonged to singers and idols I recognized, which genuinely surprised me.
I knew the reviews were good, but to this extent?
We went further inside and arrived at the director's office.
"You can go in here."
The office looked like a typical academy director's office.
Awards and photos decorated the walls, and in the center was a table for consultations with sofas on either side.
And the director…
He was younger than I expected.
A man who looked to be in his late 30s to early 40s, with the air of a well-aged actor, was sitting on one of the sofas.
"Ms. Su-hyeon, right? Nice to meet you."
I shook his hand as he stood up, then sat down across from him as guided.
"Hmm… Basically, there are two ways to learn singing here."
He got straight to the point and handed me a pamphlet.
"There's an advanced class for people who want to seriously pursue this as a career, and there's also a hobby class for regular people. Which one are you interested in, Ms. Su-hyeon?"
"Uh… um…"
'What should I say?'
Just saying it's a hobby?
That doesn't quite feel right either… If I pass, I'll be going pro.
So do I start with the hobby class and move to advanced if I pass?
No, that defeats the purpose.
This is an academy you enroll in assuming you'll pass auditions in the first place—does it even make sense to take a hobby class?
"I'd like the advanced class, please."
"I see… Is there a particular direction or style of singing you'd like to focus on?"
Direction…?
Uh… I'm a VTuber, so…
"Well…"
"Well…?"
"Japanese songs, maybe…"
"…Ah, I see. You mean J-pop."
For a brief moment, a cold silence passed through the room, but like the professional he was, the director quickly nodded and pointed to the pamphlet.
"If you look here, we actually teach J-pop quite well. Some people come in as a hobby and still ask for that style."
"I see…"
"Alright then, shall we head to the recording room and have you sing something? We need to hear how you sing in order to tailor the lessons."
"Ah… yes, understood."
"Follow me."
I left the office with the director and entered the recording studio right next door. It was the kind of space where you'd expect to see singers recording on variety shows, and I was busy being impressed when the director pointed toward the soundproof booth inside.
"Please go in there. Do you have a song prepared?"
"Ah, not really…"
"Then sing something you're confident in. If possible, please choose a J-pop song."
"What? A Japanese song?"
"We need to hear how you sing in that style to get a proper sense of things."
"Ah…"
Right… that makes sense.
But Japanese songs? The only ones I've ever really sung properly were those hardcore otaku songs I used at auditions.
For a moment, I hesitated, wondering whether I should say the title—but then I snapped myself back to reality.
Becoming a VTuber was my own decision, and Japanese songs are what that VTuber mainly sings.
Feeling embarrassed about saying it would be the same as admitting I'm not qualified to be a VTuber in the first place.
"Well… the title is…"
"The title…?"
"…Fuwa Fuwa Love."
"Ah… uh… I'll look for the instrumental…"
Judging by the stiff look on the director's face, I felt the urge to scrub my face in embarrassment creeping up on me.
But if I got embarrassed here, I'd really just be a weirdo.
If I act confident, the people around me will follow suit.
So I straightened my back even more and waited for the instrumental to start.
"Ah, found it. I'll play it now."
After that, I sang along to the instrumental.
It was my first time singing properly in a recording booth like this, but since I'd already hypnotized myself into confidence, it felt like my voice came out even better than usual.
"Hmm…"
Once the song ended, the director listened intently to the recording of my performance.
This is kind of embarrassing… listening that seriously, when the lyrics are—
No. No, it's not embarrassing at all.
If anything, feeling ashamed of the lyrics would be disrespectful to the lyricist who wrote them, wouldn't it?
So I stood there as calmly as possible while time passed. After finishing the recording, the director nodded.
"Wow~ that was good. You've got a nice voice to begin with… If we polish your vocalization and technique a bit, you'll be in great shape."
Thankfully, his feedback was positive, and my expression brightened on its own.
"Oh, really? I'm decent, right?"
"Yes, among regular people, you're definitely good."
See? My singing is good, right?
I almost want to record what the director just said and play it for all those community commenters I've seen.
"So, would you like to enroll?"
"Yes. I'll do it right away."
And just like that, I successfully signed up for the academy and stepped back outside.
"Oh~ so you're attending this place?"
As I stepped out of the vocal academy, Hyejeong waved at me and walked over.
"When did you get here?"
"Just now. You told me to come this way. So you're really going to this academy now?"
"Looks like it. Starting next week."
"Wow… you're serious about this?"
"I am. I turned in my withdrawal papers today."
"That far?? What are you going to do if it doesn't work out?"
"Retake the exam? Go to S University's engineering school or something."
I said it jokingly, but honestly… I really don't want to repeat a year. If anything, I'm tall enough and have good proportions—maybe I could try fashion modeling instead?
Well, I'm only twenty-one. If things don't work out, I'll find something eventually.
I don't have to go to the military, after all.
Compared to male Kim Suhyun, it's like I have two extra years.
Just thinking about not having to enlist made me grin to myself, and as I walked beside her smiling stupidly, Hyejeong frowned and looked at me.
"What?"
"Nothing. You joking about S University and grinning like that makes me want to punch you."
"There are things you wouldn't understand."
"What are you even saying?"
"Whatever. Where's the café?"
"There's an Instagram-aesthetic café around here."
"I don't use Instagram though…?"
"I do."
"…Fine. Do whatever you want."
"Then hurry up."
The Instagram café Hyejeong took me to was better than I expected.
The Instagram cafés I knew were overpriced, had low, uncomfortable tables compared to the chairs, and weird interiors. But this place had reasonable prices and normal tables. The only difference was the interior—it had a dreamy, forest-like atmosphere. You could tell a lot of effort had gone into it, so I admitted it without complaint.
"The café's nice."
"Right? I told you it's popular."
As Hyejeong said, the place was almost full. We happened to find one remaining table, sat down, ordered drinks, and talked.
"So my little brother… Yoonjae…"
"Really? But…"
It was mostly Hyejeong talking about herself while I reacted, but time passed faster than I expected.
"Oh right. Did you know this?"
"What?"
"There were supposed to be ten people at the drinking meetup, but now it's twenty."
"Why—ah."
I wondered for a moment, then immediately understood. If a female classmate who looks like Kim Su-hyeon is coming, I'd go too.
"You figured that out right away? That's kind of annoying."
"Well, it's not like I have an average face."
"Wow! Seriously! Are you insane?"
I shrugged exaggeratedly at Hyejeong, who was staring at me in disbelief, and got hit for it.
"Anyway, let's get going."
"Where was the place again?"
"Right next door."
I stood up, following Hyejeong.
Classmates, huh…
Female Kim Su-hyeon and male Kim Su-hyeon went to the same elementary, middle, and high schools.
That means some of the people there would be friends who originally knew male Kim Su-hyeon.
I briefly wondered how I should act around them, then decided to relax.
'There's no such thing as friendship between men and women, right?'
I apologized to my old friends in my head.
'Sorry, but I'm cutting you guys off.'
From now on, my friends won't be smelly guys with hairy legs, but cute girls who smell like flowers.
'Good luck. Enjoy the army.'
With a refreshingly light heart, I stepped outside.