Chapter 147
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Wedding Invitation Gathering (2)
Wedding Invitation Gathering.
Exactly when it started, I have no idea, but it's this culture where you meet the people coming to the wedding ahead of time, hand out the invitations, and treat them to a meal.
Personally, I'd be perfectly fine with just a single text message—I'd throw on a suit and show up—but I can't figure out why they go to all this trouble. Adults must have their own customs, I guess.
"Hiik. Unnie nailed it."
Myth let out a shrill scream as she stared at her phone.
"Why?"
"No, she reserved this ridiculously expensive beef place."
"We'll just give a hefty congratulatory gift."
"Yeah, we should. Ugh, this unnie spends way too much when she gets on a roll."
I didn't bother saying, You saying that?
I'm a boyfriend who knows how to read the room.
Plus, I didn't want wrinkles forming already on this new shirt I'd just bought.
"We don't have to wear suits or anything, right...?"
"It's just close friends meeting up, so of course not. Honestly, this whole invitation thing is basically just getting together to chat and call it a day."
"Ah, is your husband-to-be not coming?"
"Nah. They usually do these separately, but it varies so much person-to-person that I can't really say for sure."
We threw on some casual clothes and headed straight to the beef place Yeon-ah unnie had invited us to.
Even from outside the building, the place reeked of luxury.
...The kind where you'd feel awkward asking for an extra bowl.
"Welcome. Do you have a reservation?"
As we opened the door and stepped inside, a waiter in crisp attire approached and asked us.
"It should be under Yeon-ah."
"Yes, got it. Right this way to Room 5."
We followed the waiter to Room 5.
What surprised me while walking—there was actually a garden inside the building, with water flowing through it.
I mean, is all this really necessary at a restaurant? But the scenery was nice, so I just went with it.
"This is my first time at a place like this. It's amazing."
"Right? First time for me too."
"Eh, really?"
Myth's eyes went wide in surprise.
I mean, what's so shocking about me not having been to a place like this before?
I tilted my head, and Myth explained.
"Chaebol family and all. I figured you'd been to spots like this plenty."
"If we had the money, maybe, but both my parents couldn't care less about extravagance."
Dad probably hit up all sorts of places during his company days, but he'd take home soju and pork belly over coming somewhere like this any day.
My allowance was right around the average, too.
Thinking about it, I really did live pretty frugally.
"Here you are. Enjoy your time."
The waiter bowed and left us in front of a door with "Room 5" boldly written in hanja.
Loud chatter was already spilling out from inside—seemed like most of them had arrived and settled in.
"...My stomach suddenly feels off."
"Ugh, you chicken. Nervous again?"
"Well, first time meeting everyone."
"Still, only a few people. Don't stress too much. Or should I leave another mark on your neck?"
"Don't do it anymore. Idiot."
I desperately pushed away Myth as she tried to bury her face in my neck.
Yeah, twice was plenty—doing it a third time would fry my brain.
Myth smacked her lips in disappointment, then knocked on the door twice.
- Oh, Myth must be here.
- Kyaaaa!!
Just from the knock, screams erupted from inside, and I could already feel my energy draining.
The door swung open, and I caught sight of the four women inside.
"Ooh, Myth, Legend dongsaeng. Been a while, everyone. Come on in, we saved seats for you."
Naturally, today's star, Yeon-ah unnie, was waving with sunglasses perched on her face.
Why the sunglasses indoors, though?
Had something happened to her eyes?
We took the empty seats.
As I sat down, a petite woman directly across from me handed me a wet towel with a greeting.
"Hello."
"Ah, hello?"
I'd heard about the three attendees beforehand—excluding me, Myth, and Yeon-ah unnie—but no way could I pick them out at a glance.
For starters, all three were VTubers.
A friendly-looking woman with a ponytail—a hairstyle you don't see much on the street.
I'd checked out their streams and past videos just in case, but was it the lack of mic correction? Or just their natural voice off-broadcast?
Truth be told, I'd only watched one video each, but I figured ten minutes would be enough to remember a voice.
Except for one—I couldn't recognize any of them by voice alone.
Maybe she noticed my confusion.
She spoke to me.
"Did you know? They have vending machines in Dubai that give out free bread."
"Ah, you're Yeon-bom-ssi."
Only after hearing her pitch her voice up a bit and amp the energy did it click.
The shorts VTuber blowing up lately, reading out fun facts.
It was Yeon-bom.
Well, obviously, but her real look was so different from her VTuber avatar that I couldn't spot her right away.
"Yes, that's me. You knew! The famous guy of the era knows who I am—what an honor—Ack?!"
"Hey, hey, Kid. No winking at someone else's man~."
Someone beside her yanked hard on Yeon-bom's hair as she clasped her hands and smiled with her eyes.
"Ah, Raru-ssi."
"Yup. I hear you're way younger than me, so dongsaeng's fine?"
"Ah, whatever's comfortable. I watched a ton of your videos as a kid."
Raru was the one I'd recognized instantly.
One of the zero-generation streamers who'd been around forever. Switched to VTuber during the big wave because "no need for cam?!"
She still pulled a solid cult following with her laid-back personality and speech.
"...Kinda embarrassing. That means you watched like seven years ago, kid."
"You were famous for mukbangs back then."
"Eh, ancient history. Can't eat as much now that I'm old... But if you wanna see one, I could film it today. Mukbang."
"Ya, you lunatic. Film a mukbang here, and you owe ten million in congrats money."
"Ehehe. Says the rich one."
I hadn't realized Raru and Yeon-ah unnie were that tight.
Off-camera, they seemed super casual. Like lifelong friends, maybe.
The nonstop trash talk was a dead giveaway they were close. Yeah.
And finally, my eyes landed on the far corner of the room.
The innermost seat, where one woman—or girl?—sat quietly with her head bowed.
She looked by far the youngest of the bunch.
Two down, so this had to be the last one.
"Hello. Alicia-ssi."
They all collabbed with Myth pretty often, after all.
I greeted her first.
Her head was bowed so low, I could barely make out her face.
"Hi. I'm Legend, Myth's boyfriend."
"Kyaaaa! Boyfriend! Ra-yeon unnie, you hear that?!"
"Ya, you punk, don't go tossing my real name around so boldly. Anyway, they're cute and fresh. Never knew Myth could flash a smirk like that."
...I'll just ignore the peanut gallery cheers for now.
I'd greeted her first, but Alicia (real name unknown) didn't respond.
Hmm, did I do something wrong? I glanced around, and everyone was grinning slyly.
This was that feeling again.
Something going on that I didn't know about.
Curious, I looked at Myth, who flashed an awkward smile and turned away.
Her go-to move when she bumps into something she shouldn't spill.
I turned back to Alicia, still bowed low.
She took a deep breath like she was steeling herself, then lifted her head.
'Whoa. That startled me.'
Alicia's face was, as expected, super young-looking.
High schooler, maybe?
Lots of middle schoolers stream these days, so not unusual, but my mental image of streamers was all adults, so it felt off somehow.
Not that I was shocked by her age—the surprise was elsewhere.
Her face was beet red, like it might pop if you poked it.
Her eyes were even a little teary, enough to worry if she was sick or something.
"You okay? Your face is really flushed."
"I-I t-to...!"
Ah, she just bit her tongue.
Alicia bowed her head again, trembling.
I could hear the crunch from here—must hurt. Hope she's okay.
Too far to reach out and help, though.
Diagonal ends of a rectangular table.
"Ugh. All that tension, and you bite your tongue that hard. Here, drink some water and calm down."
Ra-yeon unnie—aka Raru—chuckled as she patted Alicia's back.
"T-Tongue..."
"Aigoo. Okay, okay, say what you gotta say first, then whine about the pain."
"Ah, no, you can talk after it calms down..."
Alicia downed a glass of water in one go, then looked back at me.
Still flushed, but her eyes were a bit less wild.
What on earth could make her this nervous and red?
As I waited curiously, Alicia suddenly pulled out a large sheet of paper and a pen from under the table, handed them to me, and bowed her head.
"I-I'm a f-fan! Please sign!!!!"
Huh?