Chapter 196: The Predestined Ending
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 196: The Predestined Ending
Doah's streams were getting longer and longer.
She was coming home later and later.
“You worked hard.”
4:30 in the morning.
The cool air settled over the streets, and not a single person was in sight.
“Thanks for staying up and watching with me, Oppa... Are you sure you don't need to sleep?”
“I don't have to be at work until noon tomorrow.”
“That's a relief.”
Doah smiled softly.
I could feel her fingers squirming inside my hand.
“Aren't you going to collapse at this rate?”
“I'll be unemployed in two months, so I'm planning to catch up on all my sleep then.”
“You'll ruin your health. Pace yourself.”
The fans were thrilled that she was streaming more often and for longer, but knowing the real reason, I just felt sorry for her.
She doesn't want it to end.
The desire to show as much of herself as a member of CLOSER as possible.
The desire to gift her fans with as many happy memories as she could.
I wondered what expressions the Pink Army would make when they found out their graduation was confirmed.
Some would surely be heartbroken like me, while others would probably park a truck in front of YM Entertainment and protest.
Their future plans were a closely guarded secret on stream.
Doah and the other members, as they'd been instructed, didn't breathe a word about it.
“Don't you have a shoot tomorrow?”
“I do. You remembered? I have a collab stream. Heh.”
“Let's go get some sleep.”
“Okay.”
I got into bed first, and after a quick wash, Doah crawled into my arms.
“...One month left.”
“Yeah.”
“The final concert. They say it's going to be spectacular.”
“Oh, really?”
“Of course, I'll just be in the same old studio, flailing around with a VR device on... but still, they say it's going to be amazing!”
As Doah spoke like a girl lost in a dream, I stroked her hair in encouragement.
“That's great. You have to sing the song I made, too.”
“Ah, of course. The third album is insanely popular. At this point, you'd have to be a spy not to know it in this country.”
Whenever we heard a CLOSER song playing in an ice cream shop or a big cosmetics store, we would burst out laughing.
“Is there... anything you want to do after CLOSER ends...?”
“Hmm... When it's over... I'll be bored.”
“Should we go on a trip or something...?”
“A trip? But we can only go if you have time, Oppa.”
“Hey, I'm a freelancer.”
“Oh, really? Is that why you come home so late every day?”
“...Even freelancers have to get things done when there's a deadline.”
“I don't know. I'll see when the time comes. I've earned a ton of money, so I'm sure I'll find something I want to do by then. Or at least something I want to buy.”
I nodded and pulled her even closer.
“Okay. Then when the time comes, we can figure out what to do this winter.”
“Okay.”
Doah gave me a quick peck on the lips.
Since I hadn't yet gone fully independent from the team, I was putting more effort into my personal projects.
Just as the saying goes that a dog at a village school can recite a poem after three years, it had already been almost half a year since I started learning under my teacher.
Now, if I just add the synth here at the end...
The sound of the one-minute demo clip I'd made became much richer.
It was a sound I'd been dying to try, and I finally had the chance to do it.
“Oh. What's this?”
“Whoa! You scared me!”
I had been leaning forward, practically sucked into the monitor, and I jumped in surprise at my teacher's voice and spun around.
“Ah! Sir! Could you knock?”
“You're not a middle schooler caught watching porn. What's with the overreaction?”
“Well... I have a right to privacy, you know.”
“If you want to get technical, I have the authority of a boss.”
His logic was absurd, but it was more important to ask what he wanted.
“What's up?”
“Let's get lunch.”
I checked the time and let out a disbelieving laugh.
“How is it 1 PM already?”
“Guess you were working hard. Hey, let's go.”
At his call, I grabbed my cardigan and headed out.
After finishing his cigarette, my teacher said we should just get something simple today and dragged me to a cheap rice bowl place.
“Taemin.”
“Yes?”
“Hoo... I'm only telling you this because I don't really have anyone else to talk to about it, but...”
“...Did you finally get a girlfriend?”
I wondered if spring had finally come for my teacher, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
“No, you punk.”
“Then what is it? Why are you lowering your voice?”
“Brace yourself.”
“Okay.”
“It's about CLOSER...”
“Yeah.”
“They're really disbanding in November.”
He was telling me this like it was a top secret, but I was probably the first person to hear about it after the members themselves.
“Ah... that's a shame...”
“What, have you got your eye on some other VTuber or idol group these days? What's with that reaction? Has your love cooled?”
First Doah, and now him. Why were so many people complaining that I'd "cooled off" lately?
It was sad how easily everyone misunderstood.
“It's not that... but everyone knew it was a one-year contract from the start.”
“Ugh. Lately, whenever I watch Leah's streams, I can't focus at all because I keep thinking about it.”
“Thanks to you, now I won't be able to focus on Luka's streams either.”
I scooped up a piece of chicken with my spoon and retorted, my eyes narrowed.
“So I was... hoo... thinking of making a donation. How much do you think I should give?”
“Just give whatever you want.”
“How much did you give?”
“Just don't do what I did.”
The amount one could donate was relative, after all.
Ten thousand won now felt completely different from ten thousand won back when I was crazy about Luka's streams.
“Have you donated since you started getting paid?”
“...No.”
But I'm pretty sure I've bought Doah a lot of delicious food instead.
My teacher put down his spoon and suddenly pointed at me.
“You know, I think you're a fake fan. This bastard is all talk, saying he likes her, but he never shows it with his reactions or actions.”
If I tried to explain any further, I had a feeling my secret—that I was Luka's boyfriend—would be exposed.
“I'm cheering for her in my heart. In my heart.”
“Or did your girlfriend scold you? For liking her too much?”
It was a reasonable suspicion, but he was slightly off the mark.
“Yes. I was scolded.”
“Aish... You should've walked the line better. Hey, girls might say they forgive you for that kind of thing, but...”
I let his nagging go in one ear and out the other, finished up my work, and then packed my things and left the studio.
I wanted to see Doah in person and cheer her on before her stream started.
She was collaborating with a famous YouTuber, and I could already picture her being all nervous by herself.
“Doah.”
I opened the door and stepped inside the house.
There was no sign of anyone.
I dropped my bag on the sofa, glanced around the living room, and placed my hand on the doorknob of the firmly closed bedroom door.
I could hear the soft, rhythmic sound of breathing.
My girlfriend, sleeping peacefully like a baby.
Her sleeping form was so lovely that I stroked her hair, causing her to frown slightly.
“Not yet... I can't...”
“What can't you do?”
“I... can still... do more...”
I knew what she was dreaming about without her having to tell me.
Sigh...
But there was little I could do.
I'd managed to get into a well-known company and make music with famous people.
But there was no way to protect CLOSER, the group that Doah and I both loved.
I didn't think of it as some tyranny of a large corporation; it was simply fated to be this way.
Still, I had hoped the song I'd poured my heart and soul into would give her strength.
But it seemed that wasn't enough to postpone the predestined ending.
“Doah.”
It didn't seem like a good dream, so I gently shook her shoulder.
She slowly opened her eyes.
“...When'd you get here?”
“Just now.”
“...Hold me.”
That was an easy request.
I leaned over and hugged her, feeling the warmth of her body against my cheek.
“...I had a bad dream.”
“What was it about?”
“But the dream... it felt so real, and it made me sad...”
I didn't answer, just silently patted her on the back.
“Time to get up now. You have your collab stream later, our Princess Luka.”
“Right... What time is it?”
“A little after six.”
“I should go wash up.”
Doah sat up, her hair a mess, and stared blankly for a moment before heading into the bathroom.
The sound of running water.
After changing into comfortable clothes, I slumped onto the sofa with a heavy heart.
I tried not to get too invested, but with my housemate acting like this, I couldn't help but feel uneasy.
We ate together, and then Doah headed for the studio.
Feeling a certain way, I offered to walk her there today, and we left the apartment together.
“Ha! I'm going to hit a record number of viewers on today's stream!”
“Yeah! Let's soak up some of that big-shot halo effect! Let's go!”
The streamer she was collaborating with today was another giant on YouTube.
He was especially popular with international fans, so this was a chance for her to become more widely known.
I waved to her in front of the building, told her to call me when she was done, then turned and trudged back home alone.
I waited for Doah's stream on the large TV screen.
[Ah. Ah. Hello~ Luhai luhai~]
Why did all the props in the background where her avatar sat look so poignant?
The group shot of the members' avatars hanging on the back wall, like a family photo.
The CLOSER calligraphy and YM logo at the bottom of the chat window.
Even the slightly goofy-looking Pink Army doll sitting on the shelf.
Clasping my hands together, all I could do was pray to some nameless god for a miracle.