Shaking Hearts
"My heart is shaking. 'Warrior, Freyja!'"
A female warrior in bikini armor stepped boldly into the frame from the shining warrior's hall, shouting her line. With that, the screen faded in, transforming the stage into a forest.
"Master, grant me battle for honor and glory! Ice. Split. Strike!"
The warrior charged confidently at the goblins... only to soon find herself surrounded, dropping to her knees and uttering her pathetic final words.
"Kuh... Kill me...!"
And with that, the screen flashed the words Grand Ragnarok, Finally Landing in Korea!
Grand Ragnarok, Finally Landing in Korea!
This ad recreated game character illustrations with live-action cosplay, and it quickly drew the attention of game fans shortly after release.
The target audience was limited, but the hot interest drew a fitting response: several internet articles popped up.
Articles like these, which I'd normally ignore as boomer bait, were enough to answer people's questions. The simple promo pieces meshed perfectly with fans' "I know who that is!" vibes, spreading instantly through game communities.
"That's our idol you're all suddenly into!"
The few fans didn't stop there. As interest poured into the communities—like they'd been waiting for it—The Queens' second album title track Red Lip Tint music video dropped.
"Pls make our cute precious sexy idols famous."
Fans who'd been like "I know her!" now screamed "It's perfect!" while flooding communities with the MV.
The reaction to the music video was a smashing success.
Im Haeun, who'd cosplayed and acted as a game character, now delivered her best cute-yet-sexy dance and song, blowing most guys away with the reversal charm. The insane sexiness hooked them instantly, and the glimpses of cuteness amplified it tenfold. Men's attention spilled over to Shin Soye and Park Minji beside her, captivating even those with different tastes.
"Yes, this is it!"
Nam Bu-jang exclaimed, reviewing the reactions.
"Finally seeing some real light."
"Whoa, The Queens blew up. 1.5 million views in 16 hours."
"Honestly, with this much company push, they should've hit this."
Another team manager grumbling beside Nam Bu-jang, who'd been tracking the numbers too, piped up.
"Top A-list director for the MV, Cheon Bom on composition, promo team articles right away..."
"Hey, you punk."
Snap! Nam Bu-jang flicked the manager's forehead.
"You see them working their asses off and still say that? These kids were sidelined, shooting mags and practicing endlessly, and now they're shining—got nothing nice to say?"
"No, it's not wrong. I acknowledge the effort, but this industry isn't just about hard work..."
"You were bitching about the investment we just made!"
Snap!
"Cut the crap and learn from them. What're you gonna do? Lee Sejin's dragging this alone. He's busting his ass solo to open this floodgate—don't be jealous, step up like him."
"Sorry..."
"Whoa, so he handled promo requests, MV scheduling, ad coordination, and timed it all himself?"
"Yeah. Too busy to even check stats here—off working now."
"The timing overlap was luck, though..."
"He hustled his ass off to grab that luck, idiot!"
Snap! Another flick echoed.
After wrapping talks with the game publisher, in the car.
"...Anyway, reactions are great. They're loving it."
"Ugh..."
I showed Haeun the responses on my phone as she grumbled.
"Sexy comments are a given... tons praising your singing... lots fell for the dance in the second album title track..."
"Ugh, ungh..."
Slowly, gently. In the back seat, I'd pulled Haeun onto my lap, slipping my fingers inside her bra to tease her nipples. They stiffened harder at my touch, moans leaking from her lips.
"So why the complaints?"
"Th-that's... I told you, ahn, haah..."
I pinched her nipple lightly to make answering tough.
"Huh? What?"
"My image getting fixed... haah!"
"Unng~?"
"W-wait, stop your hands..."
"Want me to stop?"
"Yeah!"
I tossed the phone aside. Then slid my free hand into her panties. Soaking wet already—I traced her juices like tasting them, then rubbed her clit. Pinching the protruding nub made her hips buck.
"Aaaah...! Wh-what, no, that's not... haang...!"
"I get you're worried about your image getting locked in."
I comforted Haeun hard. With my mouth, both hands. Her ears, breasts, secret spots—all of them.
"But we're not in a position to be picky yet, so take everything that comes and work hard. Once we level up, we can pick and choose."
"Uuugh, ah, th-that, huuuh, haaaah, aaang..."
She reacted painfully each time I pinched and twisted her nipples and clit. But they stood even stiffer, demanding more. Poke, squelch, squish... Sticky sounds started from her drenched panties.
"I'll comfort you like this, so hang in a bit longer, okay~?"
"Ugh, kuh, kuuugh... aaang, aaaang... ugh! J-just for a bit!"
With that, Haeun shoved her hand into my pants. Her warm palm felt good through my precum-soaked underwear. My hands paused, and she barely turned to glare at me.
"This isn't... aaang, haaaah... comforting... it's jealousy... right?"
"Jealousy?"
"Fans... seeing them thirst over me... haah, uuugh, uuuugh, makes you jealous... so you're tormenting me...?"
Her slender hand gripped my cock. On the tossed phone screen, her mic-grabbing pose overlapped with now.
"........."
"........."
We stared silently, then kissed. Ferociously, like devouring each other—sucking lips raw, tongues lapping at tongues and roofs of mouths.
"Haa, haa..."
Post-kiss, Haeun twisted toward me. Zipped my pants, ready to mount. I stopped her mating urge briefly.
"Wait, condom first."
Rummaged pockets—nothing.
"None?"
"...Yeah, been raw lately."
"You bastard, always raw with unnie and Minji? I've been careful..."
"Nah, just no chances. All four of us swamped—no timing?"
Last few weeks were insane work marathons. This moment with Haeun was rare; she'd know.
"Haa, then just do it raw..."
Tint, red and pink~
The ringtone blared like an interruption. Phone screen: name for tomorrow's fanmeet organizer.
"Later."
"...Fine."
No condom anyway—better this way, I guess. 'If we don't vibe now, when's the next happy time?'
Fanmeet, music shows, interviews, promos... Busier ahead.
'...No choice. Sigh...'
I picked up, Haeun fixing her clothes beside me.
A major Seoul bookstore. For The Queens' fanmeet, guys lined up in droves.
"No excessive touching, please~"
"Must buy album first~! Purchase line is opposite~!"
Part-timers managed the queue diligently, fans complying, as I buzzed around everywhere.
"Yes, 30 seconds per person max... up to 100, then cut off as discussed. Manage the line..."
Sole manager, I darted back and forth through the line repeatedly.
And each time I passed, one guy in line pulled his cap low, turning away.
"........."
After I passed, he sighed, fidgeting with a hand in his pocket. His name: Kim Su-hyeok, former The Queens manager.