Chapter 162: The Malicious Interview
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 162: The Malicious Interview
“Ah. Uhm. Ah.”
The day of the interview for the contest winners had arrived.
Sitting in front of my monitor, I couldn’t seem to calm my nerves.
I’m… so nervous!
Honestly, I would’ve been shaking even if this was just a simple viewer participation event. But the fact that all five members of CLOSER, not just one, were interviewing me and me alone was crushing me with an insane amount of pressure.
On top of that, Yoonje said he'd be watching the interview later.
The thought of people I know in real life watching my interview made me want to just say I couldn’t do it and run away.
-Vrrrrring
My phone buzzed.
I checked the name on the screen and took a short breath to compose myself.
Because it was my girlfriend and today's reporter.
Miss Kim Luka.
[Oppa. Our meeting's over! We've finished getting everything ready. Are you all prepared?]
[Me? Well... there wasn't much for me to prepare...]
Still, I had received a list of potential questions, so I did jot down some answers.
What I was thinking when I wrote the song. What inspired me, if anything.
I wasn't sure why they'd ask how I found out about CLOSER, but I neatly organized my answer for that in my notepad as well.
[Ooh... So you'll be able to do it later without getting nervous?]
The hamster emoji mocking me with a playful face felt so spiteful.
...Kim Doah. You know I'm shaking like a leaf, don't you?
[Yeah, I'll totally nail it. Pfft. It's nothing, honestly~]
I tried to play it cool, like how people with nothing to show for it often overcompensate, but Doah knew me all too well.
[Trying to act tough, huh? lol]
...You just wait.
I’ve been spoiling you, and now you're treating me like an idiot.
My anger was short-lived.
When Doah sent a text saying she had to go get started, I was left alone, trembling.
I can do this, right? No, wait. I even did that 100 Questions Questionnaire.
You're not even showing your face, it's just your voice. What are you so scared of, Han Taemin? Huh?
Cruelly, time flew by, and a red 'LIVE' indicator popped up on the official website.
[Thank you for waiting, everyone~]
It looked like there were 10,000 more viewers than their usual group collabs.
Ah. Why are so many people watching?
As the host explained the details of the contest, the members of CLOSER appeared one by one.
In VRWorld, they were wearing the same uniforms from their Boundary debut, and the matching outfits somehow felt even more intimidating.
It... It's like an outfit optimized for a group to bully one person...!
[To everyone who submitted an entry, thank you all so, so much!]
Jennifer, the leader, bowed her head deeply in greeting.
[Thanks to all of you, it looks like we'll have another album that will go down in history~ Kyaaa~]
Fumurin, the youngest, hopped up and down with cute movements, and the chat flooded with 'cuteee'.
[Everyone! You haven't heard which songs were chosen yet, have you?]
Luka, captivating the audience with her signature teasing tone.
The pink-haired avatar smiled brightly and raised her index finger high.
[Let's find out together with us, CLOSER, right now!]
Perhaps because the schedule was tight, the members' chat among themselves wasn't very long.
Why... Why are they moving on so quickly!
Just banter and play around with each other like you usually do!
People would much rather watch that than an interview with some gloomy guy!!
[Alright~ Then, the long-awaited first-place winner we'll be meeting first is! The composer of 'ENDLESS PARTY,' Ash Block-nim! Woooo!]
An ash-colored block model appeared on the monitor in their virtual world.
What the. Is that supposed to be a PNGtuber-style stand-in for an avatar?
He won the grand prize. Is it really okay for it to look so pathetic?
Even if he requested it himself, that's a bit...
[Ah. Ah. Can you hear me?]
I already knew he had a long career as an established composer, so his voice wasn't surprising.
It was the deep, low voice of a man who sounded at least in his thirties.
[Ah! Yes! Ash Block-nim! First of all, congratulations on winning the grand prize!!!]
The CLOSER members reacted like students sitting in front of a monitor for a virtual class.
[Were you familiar with our group, CLOSER, before this?]
[Ah~ Of course, I was.]
[Then, is there a member among us that you're particularly fond of?]
...That wasn't on the questionnaire.
Does everyone get a different set of questions?
A shy laugh followed, and then he cleared his throat.
[...Leah-ssi. I like you.]
The atmosphere was almost like a love confession, and the CLOSER members squealed, flailing their arms at each other's avatars.
[Ah. Then you have to say something, Leah-ssi. He seems to be a fan.]
[Ah... um... thank you so much... for liking me... I'll... work hard on the song...]
Her shy reaction set the chat on fire.
Most of the comments were about being jealous, which I could totally understand.
After all, whenever some lucky male viewer had a moment with Luka, I'd always pull out the emote of someone holding a bat.
[Yes! That was Ash Block-nim! Shall we bring on our next participant?]
I thought the host would be running the show, but ever since CLOSER appeared, Jennifer had been the one leading everything.
It wasn't awkward at all.
They were people who had been streaming consistently for hours every day.
Filling the audio was no problem, and their reactions were, needless to say, top-notch.
Fumurin and Jennifer's reactions, in particular, were perfectly on point.
The next person up was the Excellence Award winner, the composer [Three-Leaf Clover].
[Uh... In the case of Three-Leaf Clover-nim, your love for one particular member comes through so~ clearly, doesn't it?]
When Luka asked in a playful tone, the somewhat youthful voice of a boy answered, flustered.
[Ah. Um. I really didn't think I'd get picked. I just came up with the name on the spot.]
[Anyway, Three-Leaf Clover-nim! Please give us a brief introduction to your song!]
[The song I prepared is...]
The monitor for his interview actually showed a picture of a three-leaf clover.
At this point, I started to wonder what they would show when it was my turn.
It's RKRO... I doubt there's much they can do with that.
After the Excellence Award winner, it was finally time for the winners of the Merit Award.
As soon as the first person started their interview, a staff member told me to be on standby.
With my mic off and earphones in, I waited for my turn.
[Okay. Let's bring on the next person~ He's captured the insane refreshment of summer! Let's welcome RKRO-nim!]
What appeared on the interview monitor was a fancy, cursive capital 'R' written on a white background.
It seemed the production team hadn't figured out what my username was an abbreviation of.
I muted the live stream and joined the voice channel, offering an awkward greeting.
[Hello. I'm RKRO.]
[Yes! RKRO-nim! Your song for us, 'Summer Records'! Our members absolutely loved it~]
[Ah. Yes. Thank you very much.]
P-Please don't ask me anything that's not on the script!
My eyes, lost and wandering, were glued to the questionnaire, unable to look away.
[Our very own Leah actually picked your song as her absolute favorite!]
That was something Doah had never told me, but I was happy to hear it nonetheless.
[Wow. It's an honor.]
[Really... It was so good I was speechless.]
Leah's face was shown in a close-up.
But what caught my attention was Luka's face, barely visible next to her.
Your... Your expression shouldn't be like that, should it? Luka-tan?
[Could you please give us a brief introduction to the song?]
[Ah. Yes! 'Summer Records' is a song centered around a cheerful keyboard melody that captures the summer's...]
I didn't look at the chat or the stream window.
I just calmly read the black text on the white background.
After I'd gone through all the required points on the questionnaire, it was time for the main event: the free-talk session.
[But, you know...]
Luka, with a mischievous smile.
It's a voice I hear every day, but how does it sound twice as sweet through earphones?
[What does RKRO stand for, by any chance?]
[Ah. That's...]
...You're supposed to be on my side! Why are you making me do this!
[It's... from the first letters of the name Lu...cario...]
[Oh my. That 'Luka' part... was that... in reference... to me...?]
Luka covered her mouth, her eyes curving into crescents.
[Haha... That's right... Yes...]
[Well, well. It seems we have another huge Pink Army member in our midst! I'm so happy!]
Hey... Kim Luka... stop it...
[Aha~ So we have another one of these tangled relationships!!]
Finding the situation hilarious, Fumurin started commentating as if it were a love triangle.
[A tra~gic si~tuation where he received a confession from Leah unnie but only has eyes for Luka unnie~]
Seeing the chat scroll by like crazy, I really just wanted to clock out and go home.
[That's not it... I like all of you... I'm a huge fan of all the CLOSER members... hahaha...]
[Then, to wrap things up and to commemorate your award, how about a word for your favorite member, Luka?]
Luka winked and waved her hand.
[I... I love you! Luka-tan!]
Kim Doah. I hate you so much.