Chapter 199: The Revelation
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 199: The Revelation
The fact that we'd get to keep seeing Closer was something to be grateful for, but the process made me seriously want to strangle the CEO to death.
“Oppa!”
I had been waiting right outside the studio for her stream to end, and the moment the door opened, I pulled Doah into a tight hug.
“Congratulations!”
“Ugh... Oppa... I...”
All traces of the mature woman she'd been lately were gone. Doah clung to me like a small child, sobbing her heart out.
“Ugh... really... the president... he's so mean... Waaah...”
“I'm pretty sure you weren't the only one thinking that.”
In fact, riots were breaking out in the chat and all over various online communities.
Of course, public opinion itself was positive.
After all, it meant everyone would get to keep watching Closer, the group they loved so much.
But wasn't the way they delivered the news a little too extreme?
No, seriously. And what kind of major corporation pulls a fucking prank on this scale?
This isn't some joke between small-time streamers. What the hell was that?
“Here, take this.”
I handed Doah the bouquet I'd prepared for what I thought was her graduation.
“...What's this?”
“It was supposed to be a graduation gift, but I guess it's a first-anniversary present now.”
Sniffling, Doah looked up at me.
“But... really... I'm not lying... we had no idea either...”
“But what if you hadn't agreed to the contract? What if your circumstances had changed and you couldn't do it?”
“About a month ago, they met with each of us individually... and asked what we thought about an extension... if we'd be able to do it... But even after that, hic... they said it was ending... so we'd given up... Waaaaah...”
From what Doah was saying, it seemed the company had confirmed all the members' intentions beforehand.
“Doah. It all worked out, right? Huh? Stop crying now. It's a happy day, why are you crying so much?”
“Nooo... I mean, I'm happy, but... it's so fucking embarrassing... shibaru... I said goodbye to everyone... And then at the end...”
The CEO was a menace, but at my core, I was a menace of a viewer, too.
It feels wrong to say this, but I have to admit, the Closer members' reactions were priceless.
The five avatars with their dumbfounded expressions.
Leah, blinking like a goldfish.
Fumurin, not understanding what was happening and just looking around in confusion.
Clover, who collapsed on the spot and started sobbing the moment she heard.
And Jennifer, comforting her.
And finally...
[...Is this for real?]
My dear Doah-tan, who blurted out, “Is this for real?” to the president.
Even as we were standing here talking, the '[Is this for real?]' clip was probably spreading all over the world.
“Hey. So does this mean your 'last party' is still on for tomorrow?”
“I don't know... But we made reservations... so I guess we should still go and have fun...”
Even while sniffling, she seemed excited about hanging out with the members.
“Okay. Then hang out with me today, and go have fun with your favorite unnies tomorrow.”
“...Murin isn't my unnie.”
“Just roll with it.”
Looking embarrassed, Doah playfully tapped my head with the bouquet, and I messed up her hair.
Afterward, YM Entertainment made an official announcement that Closer would be signing new contracts and would continue their activities not as a project group with a set term, but as a permanent one.
This made the audition program for the second generation of members a bit awkward, but they announced it would proceed as planned, just with a different name.
It seemed they were planning to push them as Closer's junior group.
Just how far was this VTuber craze going to go?
Just three years ago, VTubers didn't even exist.
“Taemin!”
The door swung open, and I heard my boss's voice.
“What is it now? It's not time for lunch yet.”
“Hey. I'm not your personal lunch alarm, kid.”
“Then what's up?”
He was always calling me over like it was an emergency, only to ask if I wanted to go for a smoke, tag along to the convenience store, or grab a bite. Can you blame me for reacting this way?
Sometimes, he felt more like a friend than my actual friends from school. He always explained that he was just nice to me because he was lonely.
“We got an interview request. You interested?”
“For our team? Or for me?”
“It's for the team, but I was thinking of sending you.”
“...You should be the one to go, sir.”
Shouldn't the team leader be the one to attend things like that?
“Taemin. Let's try using our brains for a second.”
My boss plopped down on the chair in front of me and began his persuasion in his signature lecture tone.
“What do you think is better for the company's image? A pot-bellied old man like me, or a tall, handsome, hip MZ generation guy like you?”
“Wouldn't it be more meaningful for the famous director, Ashblock, to go?”
“Wrong answer!”
His rebuttal was immediate and sharp.
Shit. Then don't ask a question when you've already decided the answer.
As I looked at him with an expression that said, I fell for it again, he let out a hearty laugh and started to gaslight me.
“Taemin. Don't you think you should repay me for taking you in and giving you a place to stay?”
“...So you want me to go? But what... what kind of interview is it?”
“As you know, Closer's third album was a huge hit.”
“Right.”
“So, YM is apparently filming a documentary about managing metaverse idols.”
“Ah. So they're filming the people who collaborated on the project, not the members themselves?”
“Exactly. It'll probably show things like how the modeling was done, with some narration over it.”
The idea wasn't bad, but honestly, I wasn't thrilled.
They could use that time to make more content for Luka or the other girls.
But then again, in a hundred years, this footage could become a historical document.
The history of K-VTubers.
Heh...
“Anyway. I'm counting on you, okay? It's next Wednesday. Location is the YM building!”
“...Are we really doing this?”
“It's not that hard. This is a job for the youngest on the team.”
An image of Fumurin getting ganged up on by her unnies suddenly flashed in my mind, and I nodded with a reluctant expression.
“Ah. Yes... well... I'll do it.”
“Great. Go and brag all you want~ Tell them how awesome you are~”
“I'll be humble.”
“That's fine too. Do whatever you want.”
“Yes, sir.”
And with that, my boss said his piece and disappeared.
I had no idea how popular this interview would be, but I was sure some people would recognize my face.
They'd probably be really surprised.
They thought I was a bit-part actor, but it turns out I was next door making music all this time.
Around 3 o'clock, I finished up my work and called Doah.
It wasn't her work hours yet, so I figured she'd be home.
Or maybe not. Could she have gone out?
[Hello?]
[Ah, Oppa! Where are you?]
[I'm about to head home. You?]
[I'm grabbing coffee with Murin near my place right now.]
[What? Murin came all the way to our neighborhood?]
[She said she wanted to check out our neighborhood after the party, so I invited her over.]
[Ah, I think I remember you mentioning that, but I didn't know it was today. Alright, have fun.]
[...You should come see me.]
[...Huh?]
She said she was out. Why is she telling me to come see her?
[Murin wants to see you too, Oppa. Hurry up. We're at Bong's Cafe~]
It was a cafe that a lot of kids from my university frequented.
[Hey, Doah.]
[Ah, I'm hanging up~ Oppa! Hurry!]
The call ended.
I let out a deep sigh and trudged down the subway station stairs.
Why is everyone sending me to strange places today?
The trip took about 40 minutes, and as I arrived at the cafe entrance, I saw familiar faces through the glass window.
“Oh! It's Oppa!”
Doah waved at me.
Fumurin turned around and bowed her head slightly.
“Oh! Hello, Mini oppa~”
I think this is the first time someone's called me by my stage name, Mini, like that.
“Yeah. Hey.”
“Oppa, you've gotten even more handsome.”
“Nah. I look the same as always.”
“Really? That's not what Doah unnie said.”
I glanced at Doah, asking what she meant, and Doah drew a line across her lips with her thumb, signaling for her to shut up.
“Our Murin just can't help but run her mouth, can she~”
“Ah, Unnie~ Shouldn't you be nice to me?”
“Hmm? And what might that be about?”
“You were so drunk at our party, you don't even remember, do you? You talked about Mini oppa so much.”
Doah froze as if she'd been hit by an ice spell.
“I... I talked about Taemin oppa? To you guys?”
“Pfft. Ah. I guess no one really told you, Unnie?”
“Hey. Wait a minute. What did I say? Tell me right now, Lee Gahee.”
“Eeeeh~ Mini oppa, guess what Doah unnie said~”
The two Closer members bickered in front of me.
Regardless of the content, the sight itself was fascinating.
I used to be reluctant to even talk to girls, but now, scenes like this had become quite familiar.
It was all thanks to Doah.
“Hey, hey. Stop it. Don't you dare say any nonsense to Oppa.”
“Why? It was a compliment.”
“...It was a compliment?”
Kim Doah, don't tell me you were talking shit about me at your get-together.
When I made a slightly shocked face, Doah shook her head vigorously to prove it wasn't true.
“Oppa, you know everything she says is bullshit, right?”
“So was this bullshit too?”
“Ah, what is it? Just say it. What did I say?”
“That you're so happy living with Mini oppa.”
At Miss Murin's whisper, Doah's ears turned bright red.