Gacha Madness and the Perfect Shot

Ding da-ra dan da-ra ding-dan~! 'Pretty impressive size.'

The buffet restaurant next to the hotel lobby on the first floor. As Yu Ga-hye filled her plate with vegetable salad and coffee, she recalled the massive sight of Lee Sejin she'd just glimpsed.

An adult man's erect length is about 13cm on average. But that was way beyond 13cm. It looked at least twice the size of a normal guy's. If he's having that kind of morning wood with a tool like that... his sex drive must be off the charts.

Her thoughts reached that point, and a question immediately popped up.

But a guy with that much libido only using the app for work...?

Men's sexual desire was a terrifying thing. They could ruin their lives over it or pay any price just to satisfy it. Yu Ga-hye had learned that much from studying psychology books and the internet. And yet, someone with an even stronger drive than most, who had the perfect tool like the hypnosis app, was only using it for work... It was suspicious no matter how she sliced it.

Suppressing basic human urges. Even when he has the means to fix it anytime... No way that's real.

Someone who could stay focused on work while bottling up that intense desire had to have some ulterior motive. There was no other explanation.

Maybe... I should get a little more aggressive in checking it out.

Yu Ga-hye sipped her coffee as she started brainstorming more proactive ways to probe.

Thanks to Yu Ga-hye, both Soye and I were left frustrated as we headed out of the hotel for the day's schedule. Soye was smiling like always, but the moment she spotted Yu Ga-hye, her face hardened.

"......."

She silently glared at Yu Ga-hye waiting by the car. Haeun and Minji beside her went oddly quiet too.

"...Sis?"

"Yeah?"

Soye turned back with a smile when I called her. Come on, wasn't it too obvious how much she hated her?

"Let's... keep smiling, smile. We're idols, right?"

I tugged the corners of her mouth upward with my fingertips.

"Okay~"

"What's that about all of a sudden? Heh heh."

"Oh, that... Rin’s face... hehe...."

Minji and Haeun laughed beside her. Good, crisis averted—I'd managed to switch up the mood ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in a pinch.

"Good morning, everyone."

"""......."""

But the second Yu Ga-hye greeted them, all three faces stiffened again. Wait, not just Soye—what was up with everyone?

"Hop right in."

Luckily, Yu Ga-hye either didn't notice their reactions or kept a straight face as she opened the car doors.

"Oh, take these too."

She handed over water bottles so nicely, but the girls just took them stone-faced.

"Thank you, Secretary Yu."

Hoping she hadn't picked up on the weird vibe, I quickly thanked her.

What's going on? Why are they suddenly giving her the cold shoulder? I got Soye, but Haeun and Minji too? I'd have to ask later when I got the chance.

Before the event kicked off, in the changing room. I gave the girls various instructions. They did great yesterday, but I'd noticed a few things to tweak.

"Haeun, that... shyness is good. Real good. But when people come up, don't glare at them quite so hard."

"They seemed to like it when I did."

"Not everyone's into that."

"Uh... but seriously, they all loved it...?"

"......."

Apparently, there were more people into that than I'd thought. Fine, no notes for Haeun then.

"Minji. No wandering around today—focus on interacting with people, got it?"

"Um... but...."

"You changed early yesterday and scoped out the whole venue, right? So today...."

"But... it was the end of the event, barely anything left... and so much I haven't seen yet...."

"Work first, work."

"...Okay."

She answered, but with a little pout. She clearly hated my orders. Yesterday's reactions made me think letting her roam free wouldn't hurt, but....

"We'll hit that place you wanted to check out after dinner. How's that? Yeah, what about Akihabara?"

"F-For real?"

Mentioning otaku heaven lit her eyes right up.

"Yeah. No big plans tonight anyway...."

"I'll work super hard...!"

Flames seemed to shoot from her pupils. Perfect, Minji sorted.

"Sejin, what about me?"

"Soye's already...."

Uh... nothing to tell her. She'd smiled the most yesterday, responded best to fans. Sure, attention skewed toward Haeun and Minji, but....

"You're doing great. Just keep it up."

"For real?"

"Yeah, really. You've always been good at this—no notes."

I even felt a bit guilty. Soye wasn't getting the spotlight.

"Hehe...."

But she melted my guilt with an innocent smile, like she always did.

"Time's up. Let's go, girls."

The Queens stood and headed out. Soye lingered last, whispering in my ear.

"You gotta play with me tonight too, right?"

She flashed a knowing smile and left without waiting for an answer. My frustrated dick twitched hard at those words alone.

But that'd be double-booking. I'd promised Minji, but Soye's look—and this morning—meant I owed her tonight too. Not enough time for both. Wonder if Sis likes Akihabara...?

Day two of the march. The girls wandered, greeting fans, showing way better form than yesterday. But the real star was the crowd's reaction. Way more people followed them around than before, snapping pics nonstop and cheering wildly. Every tsun Haeun moment got "Ooooh~!" gasps, and lines formed just to photo with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Minji.

"Mr. Nakamura, can we borrow a section of the photo zone? Better to line people up there."

"(Japanese) Hmm, good call. Let's do it."

Roaming freely was disrupting the event now, and we had to manage photos anyway. I suggested it to Nakamura in his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mascot suit again, and he quickly cleared a photo zone corner for The Queens.

Then I borrowed a mascot suit too, stood by the girls, and hawk-eyed the photographers. Too many creeps trying shady shots, thanks to how sexy they were.

Soye's really grinding....

Monitoring pics let me watch them too, and Soye stood out hustling. Her line was shorter than Haeun's or Minji's, but she listened intently to fans, struck all kinds of poses, smiled big for joint shots.... The other two were solid too, but anyone could see she was putting in work.

I wanted to snap pics on my phone, but mascot mittens made it impossible. So I asked Yu Ga-hye, who was interpreting nearby, to capture everything.

These shots'll be gold for promo. Bound to get some keepers from the volume. Use 'em everywhere.

Man, these photographers—all pros? Blasting away with huge, gorgeous DSLR lenses.

...Maybe I should grab a good camera. Even I felt the itch.

Photos wrapped, and like yesterday, the girls sat as guests at the talk booth. But positioned differently—one spot over, closer to center.

Yesterday's face-time paid off.

"(Japanese) Alright, time for gacha pulls!"

"(Japanese) Ooooooh...!"

Hm? Caught a familiar word. Gacha?

"(Japanese) The brand-new limited gacha update: Winter Explorer Oriana! Let's pull for it... and who better than Oriana herself?"

"(Japanese) Totally."

"(Japanese) Wow, Oriana pulling Oriana—epic!"

All eyes locked on Minji.

"(Japanese) Oriana voice actress, Bakku-san! Show us!"

"Ah, uh, hi...!"

Minji pulled out her phone with resolve. A broadcast cam zoomed in, projecting her screen on the massive backdrop.

She hit the 10-pull button....

"(Japanese) Aww~ Too bad!"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"(Japanese) No Oriana even with Oriana here~"

They chuckled sympathetically. But Minji stayed dead serious.

"One more."

"(Japanese) Oh, another one!"

"(Japanese) Awesome!"

"One more!"

"(Japanese) Uh, sure...."

Minji rolled again.

"(Japanese) No new yet?"

"(Japanese) She pulled every dupe already?"

The crowd started murmuring.

"(Japanese) What a shame~ Gems all gone now...."

"(Japanese) Oriana's passion is so cool."

"Not done yet."

Minji whipped out in-game purchases.

"(Japanese) Whoa, calm down, Oriana."

"(Japanese) Haha, yeah, take a breather."

"(Japanese) Gacha rage is real~!"

Minji ignored them, buying and burning gems fluidly.

"(Japanese) L-Let's take a break?"

Nakamura rushed to stop her. Her going berserk was bad PR, and showing the new char as unobtainable? Disaster.

"Just once more... please let me...."

"(Japanese) Bakku-san, deep breaths. Hoo, haa."

"Th-Then... give it back...!"

Minji shoved her phone at him when he intervened.

"(Japanese) Nakamura! Pull it!"

"(Japanese) Soothe the salt victims!"

"(Japanese) Atone for your sins again, Nakamura!"

"(Japanese) Answer for the rage of exploded accounts!"

The crowd got rowdy. Voices amped, chanting "gacha gacha"—venting their own salt tales.

Rock and a hard place. Nice. If he whiffed, we could squeeze more promo cash. Nakamura sweated in the tense air.

"(Japanese) Just so you know, me pulling doesn't guarantee anything! No promises!"

"(Japanese) Boo~ Coward~"

"(Japanese) Don't run from your crimes, Nakamura~"

Jeers mixed with cheers as his shaky hand hit the button.

"(Japanese) Yatta! We did it!"

"(Japanese) Wow, you nailed it."

"Wooo! Thank you!"

"(Japanese) Congrats~"

"(Japanese) Getting the prize, lucky~"

Nakamura and guests cheered loud. The crowd exploded too.

Nakamura grinned and bowed to the cheers. Good he pulled—could've tanked the vibe otherwise. Minji bowed deeply too, beaming pure joy.

Watching her, I thought: Time to confiscate that phone again.

Meanwhile, at the venue's edge. A guy checking his DSLR shots gasped at one.

"Whoa, this is... incredible."

It was Shin Soye—striking a pose for fans at the photo booth, captured more beautifully than ever. Not just pretty, but perfect.

"Everything's flawless...."

Anyone would call it a life-shot. Her beaming smile straight at the camera, heart hands just right, even a single sweat drop for that "model giving her all" vibe.

"Ooooh... sugoi~ What is this, seriously amazing?"

His friend peeked and marveled.

"You take it?"

"Duh, my camera."

"How'd you snag this?"

"Miracle struck."

Years of skill plus endless shots sometimes birthed magic from effort and luck. They called those "miracle moments."

"Heh, yeah it is. So cool... Selling to the organizers? They'd bite."

"Nah, not this one."

"Why not?"

"Gotta keep this pure for me. Can't sell a gem like this."

His friend nodded.

"Twitter then?"

"Obviously. Gotta flex a miracle shot ASAP...."

He uploaded it to Twitter. His buddy RT'd instantly.

And so, Soye's perfect shot began spreading across Twitter.