Chapter 198: Your Graduation
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 198: Your Graduation
Unlike yesterday, when brilliant lights danced below them, the intro to today’s graduation ceremony felt incredibly simple.
[Heeello~]
[Hi!]
[We’re seeing each other again today, aren’t we?]
[Heheheh. It’s nice to see you all again.]
[Welcome, everyone!]
I’d always thought a graduation ceremony needed to be held during the day to capture the right mood, but perhaps out of consideration for fans who had to go to school or work, CLOSER’s graduation stream began at 8 PM.
[Can you all see this? Isn’t the campfire so pretty?]
The map they were sitting in was reminiscent of a campsite. The CLOSER members sat before a campfire, each with a blanket draped over their knees, fitting for the weather.
Inside the darkened map.
The gentle campfire cast a crimson glow on their faces.
[The vibes are immaculate~ Should we take a selfie?]
Luka held up a camera and, like a broadcaster, began snapping pictures with the other members.
[Ooh. Our Nipper unnie is looking pretty~]
[Hey, hey. This is the last time, so hurry and take more.]
Half the viewers were immersed in their playful banter, which was no different from any other collab stream.
The other half was pleading with them not to leave.
As for which side I was on… well…
It was an emotion that was hard to put into words.
The feeling of something you truly loved disappearing.
The feeling that you would never be able to see it again.
Even though, in reality, Doah wasn't disappearing, nor was the character of Luka.
Even so, a corner of my heart felt cold with an emptiness I couldn't comprehend.
[Alright, alright. Enough with the pictures. We agreed to say our final goodbyes to the fans today.]
[Right, right. Should we share some stories then? Individually?]
[Ah. But if we get serious about sharing stories, we might not finish even if we go past midnight… Any chance we can extend it by a day?]
When Clover asked into the empty air, the chat exploded with a waterfall of messages begging them to do just that.
[Ah… but our CEO is scheduled to officially conduct the graduation ceremony at midnight.]
Ooh… The CEO of YM?
I had seen him a couple of times back when I was briefly part of the company.
[Hey, hey, hey. We don’t have time. We need to move this along.]
Jennifer, the leader, seemed anxious and reined in the members who kept trying to go off-topic.
[First, let’s go back a year and talk about the auditions.]
[The auditions… I was so nervous back then…]
[What are you talking about? I honestly thought I bombed the hardest after Leah.]
[Luka. Let’s use pretty words. It’s our last day.]
Doah had a few triggers, and the story of her audition was one of them.
And it wasn't a trauma unique to her.
Because I, who had been watching it live, had also been cursing up a storm.
I remember watching it, thinking it was a malicious setup.
To think that was already a year ago.
So much had happened, yet it felt like the year had passed by in a flash.
[I think we talked about our first impressions during the showcase or somewhere, but today, let’s try a little twist on that classic question~]
[Sounds good! Ask away!]
[Which member is the most different now compared to your first impression of them?]
The plan was to count to three and then point to the member who fit the description.
The members’ index fingers pointed in different directions.
Luka, for one, chose Clover.
They each took turns explaining their reasons, and the process was hilarious.
[I mean, honestly, back during the auditions, I thought Leah was just putting on a concept, you know? Because she was so quiet.]
When it was her turn, Jennifer shared her thoughts on Leah, saying it was still a mystery to her.
[You know what I mean. When someone says they do musicals on stage, you’d normally expect them to be super confident, maybe even a show-off.]
[Unnie. You said we should only use pretty words. A show-off?]
Luka-tan got her petty revenge for being called out earlier.
[Anyway. But she turned out to be a complete and total I! So that was a huge surprise for me. Okay, Luka, your turn.]
Luka scanned the faces of the members around her, then cleared her throat.
[In my case, I picked our Clover unnie.]
[Right! Why’d you pick me? Was I that different from your first impression?]
[Well, it’s not like you changed drastically or anything.]
[You really are gentle, like a teacher, and you take good care of everyone, but the one thing that surprised me was that you’re so…]
The easiest way to infuriate people is to not finish your sentence.
As Luka paused for dramatic effect, Clover’s expression immediately shifted, glaring at her as if she’d turned to the dark side.
[So what! Spit it out!]
[You’re a dork, unnie.]
[Hey. How am I a dork?]
[Our dedicated viewers probably know this, but contrary to how she speaks and appears, our Clover unnie is super clumsy, isn't she?]
The viewers in the chat were mostly in agreement, with a chorus of ‘So true~ So true~’.
[Don’t you remember? When you were preparing for your solo concert, you asked me.]
[Aaaaaaaah! Luka! We promised to keep that off the record!]
The first impressions talk had suddenly devolved into an exposé.
For the fans, a talk show like this, where the members could finally say anything, must have felt like a feast.
[Then should we each talk about our favorite song?]
[Based on what? The ones we sang? Or including covers?]
[Hmm… Since today is a special day, let’s stick to songs released under the name CLOSER.]
As soon as her turn came, Luka immediately mentioned my song, Summer Records.
[Out of all the songs I participated in, I think I liked Summer Records the best! I still listen to it at home every day.]
The members who knew our situation gave her a look that said, you’re hopeless.
The other two members, who didn't know we were dating, reacted as if it was a perfectly reasonable choice.
[Summer Records was great. But I liked our third album the best. It was our last, and… I feel like it was the one that received the most love?]
[Me too.]
To think that Jennifer and Leah’s favorite song was one I had made.
Even without the girlfriend buff, it was a deeply moving moment.
They were just chatting without any real content, but people didn't leave, staying to share the members’ final moments together.
As the clock ticked past 11, the members of CLOSER finally began to share their last words with the fans, one by one.
The order was decided by a ladder game.
Leah, who was chosen to go first, was gradually zoomed in on.
[Everyone. Hi…? Just a moment ago, we were just having fun and talking… but… uh… being asked to say… farewell like this… it feels… strange. Really strange. Maybe more than you can imagine.]
[If it weren't for all of you, I… probably wouldn't have been able to continue with music.]
[I wasn't popular, just another mediocre trainee in the industry… But… you all gave someone like me… so much undeserved attention. So much undeserved love… I’m so…]
Sigh. Just watching her made my own throat tighten.
[This past year as a member of CLOSER has been like a miracle to me.]
She delivered her final message in a voice thick with held-back tears.
[I’ll continue to work hard as a solo artist, so I hope you all will hold on to the good memories and, in another place… our members… hic.]
Deemed unable to continue, she was out. Next up were Jennifer and Fumurin.
They all cried so much that their messages weren't very long.
[Ahaah… I love you… everyone… I really love you so much…]
After Fumurin’s message, which ended in a torrent of sobs, it was finally my girlfriend’s turn.
Luka’s turn.
[Hello. It’s Luka.]
She began in a calm voice.
[I thought a lot about what on earth I should say if I ever stood in this spot today.]
[This past year, running alongside the members. I was truly happy.]
[To all of you watching now, I might look like a popular VTuber and an idol, but in reality… I was just… a normal… girl who liked games…]
[Thank you so much for letting me be with such shining people in such a shining place.]
[There are so many stories I want to tell you right now. There are so, so many things I still wanted to do with the members.]
[The fact that we couldn't do it all is a little… no. It’s very… very disappointing.]
In the end, Doah couldn't hold back her tears either and burst out crying.
[Still… thank you so much for cherishing me all this time.]
[Thank you… everyone… sob…]
[Really… thank you so much…]
The chat windows of tens of thousands of people were flooded with a sea of tears.
After the process of each member painstakingly giving their final thoughts was over, it was finally 12 o’clock.
The screen faded to black, and the CLOSER members were moved to a map that looked like a common auditorium.
[Greetings, members of CLOSER.]
It was the same avatar that had appeared at the first audition.
The CEO, who looked like a sage with a long, white beard, opened his mouth from the podium.
[First of all, I truly congratulate you on your first anniversary.]
[You have all performed wonderfully, far exceeding our expectations, and YM Entertainment wishes to express its deepest gratitude.]
The camera zoomed in on each member's face.
[And so… we have prepared a small gift for all of you who have worked so hard.]
[A gift…?]
Clover, who had been looking down, lifted her head.
[Yes. And that is…]
The CEO’s hand pressed a remote, and the entire map began to collapse.
[The graduation is canceled, everyone.]
The sage smiled as if this was the moment he had been waiting for.
No way… wait… hold on… really…?
Are they really doing this…?
Hey! You motherfuckers