Chapter 61: My Melting Heart
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 61: My Melting Heart
People often delude themselves.
They think others will be happy to hear things like, “I mean well,” or “I’m only saying this for your own good.”
They say these things without realizing just how self-centered they truly are.
“G-Girlfriend?”
Park Jihee stammered as if she’d heard something she shouldn’t have.
“Yeah. You heard me.”
I was planning on going public anyway, so the time and place didn’t really matter.
I put a little more strength into the hand resting on Doah’s shoulder.
In response, Doah’s upper body leaned against mine.
“So hurry up and apologize.”
I didn’t know what this girl had said to Doah, but I was sure it wasn’t anything good.
Park Jihee bit her lip.
“What? Han Taemin, what’s wrong with you? Didn’t you tell me yourself that you didn’t have time to date anyone?”
“Yeah. I did back then.”
Because I was too busy watching Luka.
“But that’s not the case anymore. So if you’re not going to apologize, could you please get lost?”
Class was about to start.
Just as I had that thought, the professor walked into the classroom.
“Hah. This is ridiculous.”
As the professor showed signs of starting roll call, she spun around and strode toward the back door.
Good. Just get out of here.
I naturally pulled out the chair in front of me, sat down, and let out a sigh before looking at the seat next to me.
“...You okay?”
I felt sorry.
Both when I called her yesterday, and now.
I felt like she’d gotten tangled up with someone weird because of me...
“...How could you do that in front of everyone?”
Her small voice was laced with anxiety.
“You’re the one who said we should go public since we’d get caught anyway.”
I wanted to see her expression, but her head was bowed, her hair hiding her face from view.
“Still, you didn’t have to be so harsh...”
Was I harsh? I replayed my words in my head and tilted my head.
“I don’t think I was that harsh.”
“No. You said she was ugly. In front of everyone.”
“Ah. That.”
A smile formed on my lips.
Not that I cared.
And besides, a 3D being caked in that much makeup could never look attractive to me.
“Everyone’s ugly except for you.”
Half-serious, half-joking.
As I gave a sheepish smile, Doah poked my thigh.
“...You know you’re a total weirdo, right?”
That was the last thing she said before class began.
[Alright~ The content we’ll be doing today is~~]
Luka’s energy was through the roof, and the viewers cheered.
[Luka’s Karaoke~~~ Woohoo~~]
Sitting at my desk, I opened a bag of snacks, ready to enjoy the stream in perfect comfort.
Karaoke content.
How long had it been since she’d done a singing stream?
She used to do them quite often before the Closer auditions, but she hadn’t done one since her debut. As a member of the Pink Army who had watched every single one of her streams, this was incredibly welcome news.
[Hm? Why coin karaoke, you ask? Because you have to put in the coins for me to sing, of course!]
Luka’s avatar smiled brightly.
At the same time, a flood of question marks began to fill the chat.
But that only lasted a moment.
Once one person donated 5,000 won and requested a song, viewers swarmed in to create a list.
[Alright~ Alright~ This isn’t your everyday karaoke! A premium, one-day-only special! Yahoo! Thank you for the 5,000 won, PinkEarthenPotSquid-nim!]
The song selections were diverse.
There were popular K-pop songs, but also anime theme songs that were dripping with otaku vibes.
[Okay, I’m going to start closing requests now! If I take any more, I’ll be up all night singing, you guys.]
Sigh. Should I do it too?
Normally, I would have done it in a heartbeat, but ever since Doah found out my username, I felt like I had to be more careful.
Should I? Shouldn’t I? Should I? Shouldn’t I?
[Last one! The very last one! Anyone~? If not, then~]
Ah, screw it!
It’s your fault for using such a devious sales tactic.
I quickly sent 5,000 won, and the donation alert rang out.
[Alright~ The star of our final slot is~]
Luka’s avatar, which had been smoothly hosting the stream, froze for a moment.
But the camera perfectly reflected her expression.
Her brow furrowed slightly.
[We’ll be going with LoveSick, requested by Lucario-nim!]
As if she’d never frowned at all, she smiled and wrote my song request on her notepad.
[Then let’s get Luka’s Karaoke started!]
Doah began to sing the requested songs one by one.
The chat was filled with Pink Army emotes holding light sticks.
I don’t know who drew it, but this emote was so well-made.
This one wasn’t embarrassing in the slightest, so I could spam it freely along with everyone else.
[Looking at the flower that withers in this winter~]
Ah. Luka’s voice was just unfair.
Objectively, you couldn’t say she had a powerful high range or was an overwhelmingly skilled singer, but her voice definitely had something that could melt any man’s heart.
[You and I. Let’s cherish this time that is only for us~]
The poignant ballad came to an end.
As the instrumental faded, Luka cleared her throat.
[Ah. How was that? My voice isn’t fully warmed up yet, so I feel like it wasn’t that great.]
Her eyes darted toward the chat, as if she wanted to gauge the reaction.
These moments when she seemed to be testing the waters were so cute.
Even though she had to know everyone would say it was amazing.
Half the chat was filled with [cuteee].
The other half was heart emotes.
[Ah~ Thank you all for listening so kindly! Then, let’s keep this energy going for the next song!]
The next song was a classic anime theme song.
Hearing it in Luka’s voice seemed to make it even better.
[Omoi o tsutaetakute tamaranakute~]
Sentimental, emotional songs were nice, but this kind of song suited her well too.
As I nodded my head thinking, Now this is a club, I suddenly let out a chuckle at my own reflection.
It occurred to me that the song itself didn't really matter.
No matter what country’s song she sang, whether she was a good singer or a bad one, I would undoubtedly praise her.
I wasn’t watching her because I liked the song; I was watching her sing because I liked her.
In a way, it seemed like a perfectly natural conclusion.
And so, the nearly two-hour karaoke stream was drawing to a close.
[Ah. Ah. I’m not taking any more song requests~ everyone~ If I sing any more, I don’t think I’ll be able to do the collab stream tomorrow.]
[No! For real! Do I have to get a sore throat and take a week-long hiatus for you to get the message? Huh, Pink Army?]
To be honest, the fact that the stream was a bit short was disappointing for me too.
It’s Friday night, Luka-tan.
Play with us a little longer.
If my username hadn’t been exposed, I would’ve been typing things like [Hehe you can’t leave] in the chat.
[Alright. Then let’s get to the last song! It’s the one requested by Lu.ca.ri.o-nim, isn’t it?]
Her voice rose at the end of the sentence.
Hey. Why do you read my name one syllable at a time like that?
[LoveSick is a great song!]
[I really like it too, so I’ve listened to it a lot.]
As the instrumental began, Luka swayed her head from side to side in time with the beat.
The thought that Doah was probably swaying her head just like that in real life seemed to double the cuteness.
[Love is an incurable disease. Somebody please stop me.]
[I keep going back to you. Somebody please fix me~]
Ah, this song is so good.
I’ll have to clip this part later and save it as an audio file.
It was a song I’d always loved.
With Luka’s voice layered on top, I felt like there could be no greater happiness.
[Ah~ Lucario-nim! Were you satisfied? I hope you enjoyed it.]
None of the other viewers would have noticed, but hearing those words made me flinch.
Hey. Why did you just move on after everyone else’s turn but single me out?
[Alright. I think I’ll end the stream here for today...]
As expected.
The resistance from the Pink Army was fierce.
[What! Luka-nim! It’s only been 3 hours and 12 minutes since you started. Why are you ending it already?]
[Give me back my Friday night. Give me back my Friday night. Give me back my Friday night. Give me back my Friday night. Give me back my Friday night.]
[FR lololololololol Is ending the stream now not too much?]
Luka sighed as if she couldn’t win.
She dramatically reached a compromise with us.
[Two more songs. Exactly two. And I get to pick them, got it?]
Having received an emergency injection of stream time, the Pink Army cheered with emotes of pure, happy laughter.
[Well, since I just sang LoveSick, I guess I’ll just do more songs by the same artist.]
Doah sang two more songs by the same artist.
Then, with a simple “good night,” she ended the stream.
Bzzzzzt—
My phone vibrated.
In the past, I would have been surprised to get a message after a stream ended, wondering who it could be. But not anymore.
There was one new message.
[...You could just go to karaoke with me instead of donating 5,000 won.]
[I could sing 10 songs for you.]
Is dating always this sweet?