Minji Plays Games feat. Haeun
This bitch—did she seriously still have feelings for him? After nearly causing a disaster that forced us to end the broadcast early, I didn't chew out Minji at all. Why? Because this whole mess was my fault.
I screwed up by leaving the content entirely up to Minji. I should've decided what to do and given her a script.
Yeah, I was the asshole who just told her to go ahead and stream whatever. She was the type with wild delusions to begin with, had barely ever taken the lead in front of her unnies on broadcasts, and she'd gone off the rails at that Japan event because of her game obsession. What the hell made me think I could trust her to plan her own content? Bottom line: it was my mistake from the start, so I couldn't blame her.
"So you're saying I should go on today's stream...?"
"Yeah, pretty please."
The next morning in the company office. With a dejected Minji in front of me, I asked Haeun.
"You don't have to do much. Just chime in on Minji's stream, keep her company, and stop her if she starts doing anything weird."
"Ughhh...."
Haeun let out a reluctant groan.
"I'm scared she'll screw up even worse here. Right, Haeun?"
"Ah, I won't, I promiseee...."
Minji was sniffling, swearing she wouldn't, but I just shook my head. No, you will screw up again, Minji. You always do.
"Please believe meee...."
"I believe you. I believe you're not to be trusted."
"Eeeee...."
"Why not just drop the stream and avoid the risk?"
Haeun asked cautiously.
"If it doesn't fit, better to switch to something else."
"We've already started the content, so stopping abruptly is risky too. We announced it, and quitting after just a day or two would disappoint everyone. We should at least run it for a month."
"Fair point... Sigh, why me? You do it."
"I can't monitor from the side, and you crashed yesterday's stream anyway. Plus, it's a collab stream, so you'll probably get a good reaction."
"My head's already killing me from recording sessions...."
"Then I'll do it, Sejin."
I stopped Soye as she jumped in.
"No, unnie, you've got a ton on your plate too. Starting tonight, you've got extra acting lessons."
She needed to go all-out prepping for the upcoming audition. I didn't say it outright, but Soye's acting was still a notch below Haeun's, so the extra evening lessons were for her.
"Please. You're my only hope."
At my words, Haeun glanced at Minji, then nodded.
"Ugh, fine, if you're begging that hard... I'll suffer through it."
"Thanks! I'll have the content and script ready by this afternoon."
"I-I can try one more time...."
"No, it's fine, Minji."
"Such a quick no... Hng...."
"Alright, Haeun, let's head out. Unnie's got acting lessons here, Minji's got dance practice... Everyone, work hard."
As Soye patted the whimpering Minji, Haeun and I stepped out of the office. She whispered to me.
"Hey, since I did you this favor...."
Poke.
She jabbed my side lightly.
"You owe me one later, got it?"
"Deal."
"Hehe, sweet."
Haeun grinned as I agreed readily. She was already drowning in stress, so cashing in one blank check from me to ease it was a win. Now I just had to keep pampering her in the recording studio to carry that mood through.
A little later, inside Cheon Bom's studio. During a break from intense demo work, Bom, alone in the room, quietly cracked the door open.
Sneak peek....
"You're doing great. Better quality than yesterday. And your singing's improving too."
"Haa...."
"So let's keep pushing hard."
In the lounge outside the recording booth, Lee Sejin was stroking Im Haeun's cheek and pressing their foreheads together, comforting her earnestly. And Cheon Bom was peeking at the tender skinship.
Lee Sejin takes such good care of Im Haeun....
When I'd first heard they were all in some group relationship, I'd only half-believed it. Multiple people maintaining something like that? Sounded impossible. But seeing him console Haeun like this made it feel real.
Realizing that sparked an odd anger in my chest.
Should I push her even harder for the rest of the session....
"Take a quick break then."
He patted Haeun's shoulder and headed for the booth. Bom hurriedly sat back down.
"Cheon Bom-ssi, got a sec?"
"Sure. What's up?"
Bom replied as coolly as possible, hiding that she'd been spying.
"Nothing major, just about the demo work...."
"Problem with it?"
"No, the work's fine. I think pushing Haeun to her limits like this is good."
Bom stared at him wordlessly. Unexpected—he approved.
"But... could you go a bit easier? I'm worried she'll snap if you pull too hard."
Not approval after all. He's just protecting Haeun.
Bom answered curtly.
"No choice if we want quality in time. This is all to raise the song's quality for Haeun to sing...."
"I get that, but sometimes it feels excessive. Like tormenting her is the goal."
Bom flinched at his words.
"Raising the difficulty, making it tricky for the singer to grasp...."
"Are you saying I deliberately made the song hard?"
"If not, sorry...."
Even apologizing, Sejin stared straight at her, eyes saying he knew exactly what she was thinking.
"...It's to make the final product better."
"Yeah, sure. I know you're serious about your work. Just asking you to be a little more human about it."
To Bom's excuse, Sejin smiled and reiterated to take better care of Haeun.
"...Sigh, got it. I might've gotten a bit overheated...."
"Thanks, Cheon Bom-ssi."
"Now let's resume. Bring Im Haeun back in."
Watching Sejin leave, Bom thought to herself.
Boring....
Tormenting Haeun during sessions had been secretly fun. But getting caught and called out washed that fun away.
She felt childish, and the sense of inevitable defeat gnawed at her.
Even if I bully Haeun more, Sejin will just soothe her anyway.
Realizing that made everything she did feel pointless.
"Alright, let's try again."
Haeun returned, re-energized and confident. Like a dog puffing up with its owner behind it. Seeing that, Bom thought.
...Maybe I can bully her just a little more?
Watching her like that suddenly energized me. It wasn't like he told me to stop entirely.
"For 'Even if reborn, I want to be with you,' suppress the emotion more—make it compressed."
"More? I'm already holding it back completely."
"That's compressed? Even a kid could do better."
"You little...."
Cheon Bom and Im Haeun growled at each other again.
"Both of you, ease up a bit."
This time, Sejin intervened instead of letting it slide.
"I said both of you."
"......."
"......."
"Tch, fine...."
"Understood. I'll hold back."
Bom bowed slightly in apology and began explaining to Haeun more kindly.
"Phew, let me explain a bit, Im Haeun-ssi. Suppressing emotion there isn't just lowering the tone—it's about building tension like it's about to burst. 'Compressed' means it feels ready to explode again...."
"......."
Haeun watched, dumbfounded.
She turns obedient just because of Sejin...?
This bitch—did she seriously still have feelings for him? Whether sensing the stare or not, Bom kept explaining, and Sejin watched quietly. Amid that, another layer of fury built up in Haeun's heart, her eyes wide.
Evening, inside The Queens' dorm.
<Minji Plays Games feat. Haeun>
As Park Minji started the stream, viewers flooded in instantly.
Viewer Count: 3,129
Clips from yesterday's near-disaster had gone viral, drawing crowds eager for today's mishaps.
"Hii everyoneee... It's Minji."
"Hello, this is Haeun from The Queens."
"Today... I'm streaming with unnie Haeun...."
"Minji begged me to join as a guest. Nice to see you all!"
'MommyLover' has been kicked.
"Anyway... today we'll do story progression... with yesterday's team comps... basic cons, instruments, etc... I'll strategize hard!"
"Uh, figures p—"
Thwack.
Im Haeun bonked Park Minji on the head with the whack hammer she was holding.
"Ow ow...."
"Minji, I said no to that stuff."
"E-eh, y-yes... Sorryyy...."
"Please don't make weird requests, everyone. This is a wholesome, bright stream for all ages."
"Everyone... help me not go off-script... pleeease...."
"Who'd think I came here to hit you, Minji."
"Eh? But that's exactly—"
Thwack.
"No it's not."
"Hiiing."
"N-no, unnie's not like that...."
"F-fight...?"
"Minji?"
"Aaa no, just reading chat! Starting the stream nowww...."
After some not-quite banter, Park Minji hurriedly launched the game... and viewers kept pouring in as the stream went live.