Translator: Lemon
Editor: Lovable Translation
If you were to ask, “Did any drastic changes happen after I registered on ‘U’?” I would say… no. Nothing happened. There was no special increase in followers. Every couple of days, I would receive notifications of new followers, but I left them unchecked.
I was enjoying my quiet life, not too busy to keep me away from the virtual world. I felt happy and peaceful.
Then, spring arrived.
In the morning, I crossed the underwater bridge. Unlike before, I didn’t look down; I walked firmly, looking straight ahead. The “Bear Patiently” on my school bag bounced up and down. My legs felt light enough to skip up and down as well.
I can’t really describe this feeling; all I can say is that it was an energetic, positive feeling. I surprised myself; all I did was finally sing on ‘U,’ and it drastically changed my heart. After all this time, I finally felt like a normal high-schooler.
I became a 10th grader. I looked at the chalkboard and actively participated in class. At lunch, I met up with Hiro-Chan to rush for food. We scrutinized the menu items at the busy bread counter. While eating in the classroom, Hiro-chan would share her thoughts about a book she recently read, general remarks on human history, important turning points, free competition, flaws in equality, imbalances in human mentality in the face of technological evolution, and more.
On the way home, I would deviate from my usual path, listening to a new song from a band I liked. I indulged in ice cream at a sweets shop I’d been wanting to visit. I hunched down to pat the white cat lying in a patch of sunlight right in front of the church. I walked home along the riverside paths, admiring the sunset sky.
At night, I relaxed and soaked in a bath. I dried my hair, changed into my pajamas, organized my notes from today’s classes, and prepared for tomorrow’s classes.
Days passed by without any major events.
Before I knew it, it was already early summer.
I ran on the sports ground, which was blindingly reflecting the sunlight during a P.E. class. Everyone else complained, saying they were tired, it was too hot, or they felt like they were going to collapse, but I felt incredibly happy inside. P.E. used to be depressing, but not anymore. My heart felt light, and I believed I could run anywhere.
Happily drenched in sweat, I returned to my classroom and changed back into my uniform from my P.E. attire. Where should I wander today on my way home? The pleasant wind fluttered the curtains. I tightened my necktie, packed my P.E. clothes in my bag, and glanced at my phone.
The bell rang, followed by a notification. I opened “U” without much thought.
[Belle: 32,460,428 followers]
It showed.
“What the…”
Huh?
Over 32 million followers, and the count was growing at an astonishing speed before my eyes.
WHY?
The video of Belle singing acapella that night under the dancing snow had gone viral worldwide in this short duration of time. Multiple related videos had sprouted up.
“Related videos…?”
On Belle’s simple acapella, sounds were added, and the code was reworked to transform it into a legitimate pop song. Who did this? Just as I thought, someone had fun altering Belle’s voice into a robotic one using a vocoder. Before I could even voice my confusion, the accompaniment shifted to an elegant jazz style, completely different from a moment ago. Then it switched to a deeply emotional sound.
What…?
As I marveled, various genre versions of the song appeared: hip-hop, string quartet, reggae, folk, bossa nova, EDM… Crossing all kinds of musical genres, extreme instrument techniques were freely applied to Belle’s song.
These songs converged, forming a unified orchestral composition.
And that wasn’t all.
Belle, dressed in a simple white dress, was shared here and there, donning numerous costumes. Each time she changed, Belle’s impression shifted drastically. Pop idol, opera singer-style, ’90s grunge, sporty, ’20s flapper, mannish style, powered suit, cyber-goth, riders-type, western, strike-team style, cycling style, UFC fighter type, blade runner type vinyl, modern kimono, baseball uniform… the list seemed endless.
Countless copies of ‘U’ users commented in bubbles from all over the world.
“What is this? This is amazing!”
“I’ve never heard anything like it.”
“They’re playing around with the edits too much.”
“That’s some seriously good singing.” “A unique beauty.”
“What’s the name of this song?”
“It doesn’t come up when I search for it!”
“The costume’s world-building is incredible!”
“I can’t stop thinking about this.”
“Someone tell me more about Bell!”
As acquaintances with the bubbles popping up, Belle’s followers grew by the moment.
[Belle: 38,641,027 followers]
Bell was spreading, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say “dramatically.”
Attempting to halt Belle’s rise, ‘U’s beloved As Paggysue commented confidently, in a senior-to-underclassmen manner as he leaned back on an expensive-looking couch. “Bell? Yeah, I’ve heard of her, but she really isn’t much, you know?”
The As population critical towards Bell chimed in, immediately causing the comments section to buzz.
“Yeah, yeah!”
“An eyesore.”
“Just an exaggerated pretty face.”
“Trying to sell sexy?”
“Disgusting.”
Starting with typical internet slander, it quickly evolved into a heated argument after each comment.
“She doesn’t have the basics of music creation.”
“It’s 100% editing.”
“The song and costume don’t match.”
“The lyrics are too personal.”
It had only been a blink since Bell appeared on ‘U,’ but critical As followers were already harshly criticizing her.
“Trying to show off your creativity?”
“You don’t even do anything; it’s all thanks to others.”
Critical comments flooded the screen until Belle’s video was barely visible.
“Do NOT take music lightly!” The critics all yelled together.
In the end, though, this was just a small piece of ‘U.’ ‘U’ was much more extensive than they thought.
“But… I don’t know why… this song, it caught me.”
“Why?”
“How come?”
‘U’ had a powerful inspection system that no other SNS service had installed, allowing users to view opinions without being biased or swayed by fake news, malice, prejudice, or purposefully aggravated comments. As if to prove that, Belle’s initially “critical” rating slowly shifted to “positive” as time passed.
“I feel like she’s singing for me.”
“It’s like she’s doing it just for me.”
“No, for me.”
“No, no, just for me.”
“Why?” “Why?” “Why?”
Various discussions, numerous pictures, countless videos, all came together like pieces of a mosaic, combining to create one larger image – the collective perception of “Bell” among the people of ‘U.’
Behind her, vast white wings spread, as if an angel had descended into ‘U.’
I blinked many times, my eyes wide.
Over 38,600,000 followers… that’s…
My facial muscles stiffened.
While I was still in shock, I heard someone ask, “Hey, do you know Bell?” I frantically turned back to the classroom.
Girls, still changing from their P.E. wear, were chatting happily.
“Of course.”
“Who is she?”
“She’s from ‘U,’ right?”
“She’s got some talent.”
Oh my goodness, real-time influence was already here. My heart raced wildly, unsure of what expression to wear. I hunched down, hoping no one would notice.
Perhaps that made me appear even more suspicious. A girl pulling up her socks called me out.
“Suzu?”
I left the classroom as if running away and hurried through the bustling arcade town.
This is serious.
This is serious.
Hiro-Chan this is bad!
I went from trotting to a full run. I couldn’t possibly handle this by myself. I sprinted up to Hiro-Chan’s house with such speed that I overshot it. Turning back, I rushed into her vestibule.
“Hello!”
Hiro-Chan’s mother greeted me, wearing a summery lace top.
“Oh, hi Suzu-Chan. Hiroka’s in the parlor.”
Hiro-Chan’s family were local bank managers. They lived in a traditional single-story mansion right in the center of the city, filled with multiple tatami rooms and Western-style rooms. I hurried noisily along the long wooden corridors and burst into the parlor.
“Hiro-Chan! It’s an emergency! Bell’s…”
The sukiya-style parlor had been transformed into Hiro-Chan’s workspace. Large monitors adorned the low table, while thick, hardcover books and anthologies cluttered the sofas and carpets.
“I know,” Hiro-Chan replied.
“She just ranked on ‘U’ music’s global viral chart. Just as I expected.”
“No! She’s being roasted!”
Hiro-Chan remained calm and reviewed the blossoming SNS on her secondary monitor.
“That’s expected too. Those are just cries from vested rights holders who are terrified. Having both positive and negative feedback in ‘U’ is proof of having core fans. They’re just a tiny minority. In ‘U,’ it’s the unfiltered reality of both positive and negative that shapes the real deal.”
I squirmed, burying my face in my hands.
“Half of them hate me!? I’m going to die! Really die! Die, oh die~~!!”
“It means the other half loves you. Have some confidence!”
Hiro-Chan halted my panic.
“What’s the secret to why they like you?”
“…I look pretty like Ruka-Chan.”
“And?”
“People thought it would be fun to edit.”
“And?”
“Hiro-Chan’s production. The costumes, the dance, and…”
“No~~~~~~!! Yeah, but no~~~~~~~!!”
Hiro-Chan tapped the monitor to display something.
“The biggest secret weapon is ‘U.’ ‘U’s’ body-sharing technology brings out the hidden abilities in a person. Without it, you’d just be crying like a child and never singing. Oh, and check this out,”
She handed me her smartphone.
On the screen, it said, “Who is Bell?”
“Bell’s true identity expo… what! What’s a true identity exposition!?”
“These guys’ ideas are way off. They’ve listed a bunch of world-class celebrities, but that’s nowhere close. Muwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!”
Hiro-Chan laughed mischievously.
“This is serious!”
“No one would ever think Bell’s origin is some plain girl from a remote countryside. MUWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!”
“Jeez…”
I shivered in fright.
“There’s no game more fun than this. I’m going to turn the ordinary freckle-faced girl in front of me into ‘U’s’ big star. Mu-ha-ha-ha.”
World-renowned designer As brought in costumes for Bell’s fittings, fixing her up. Hiro-Chan directed Hiro-Chan-As with a blue hat, their actions perfectly synchronized. When Hiro-Chan laughed, Hiro-Chan-As laughed too.
“And, oh, it’s going to generate an enormous income, but don’t worry. I’m going to anonymously donate it to various charities, not leaving a single dollar behind.”
On another window, various articles about child hunger, abuse, and societal problems were open. Hiro-Chan was serious about not keeping a single dollar.
At the edge of the screen, an article about a single father caught my eye. It featured a kind-looking father and two younger brothers who appeared to be even younger than me. Of course, I wasn’t the only one with a single parent.
If Bell succeeds, would that mean I would receive some form of financial help?
