The Right Album Decision
Exactly three days had passed since Lulu's stream ended.
With those three days gone, I had no choice but to head to school, of course. Classes had started again.
"I'm off!"
"Have a good day~"
"Yeah!"
I gave an energetic goodbye and headed straight out.
Maybe because I was in such a great mood, I felt incredibly refreshed and full of energy despite only getting about four hours of sleep.
The reason was obvious: today was the day pre-orders opened for Sweet Mare's first album.
Sweet Mare's debut album, Good Night, was famous for being an absolute steal of a package.
For starters, you got the actual album, plus official merch—and not just any merch, but three items to boot.
An acrylic keyring, an acrylic stand, and even a limited photocard.
And the best part? It wasn't random gacha-style. You picked your favorite member, and you got their merch shipped straight to you.
How could anyone not be thrilled? No gambling involved from the get-go—that alone made it super appealing.
The CEO must be a true VTuber fan at heart, because they never pulled any shady moves like that. Total satisfaction.
"Hmm... should I just buy all three...?"
The album wasn't cheap, hovering in the early 30,000-won range—not much different from standard idol albums.
But factoring in the limited merch and the fact that it was Sweet Mare's first album made it worth every penny, no question.
Plus, if their popularity kept skyrocketing, later editions could end up as "first-press limited" types going for 50-60,000 won easy.
Considering that, dropping 33,000 won on the debut was a no-brainer investment.
So here I was, facing what felt like the pre-order page rush of my life—something I'd never imagined doing.
I was scrolling my phone for pro tips on snagging pre-orders when...
"...Jinwoo-ya, it's dangerous to walk while staring at your phone."
A soft, gentle voice came from right beside me.
"...Lua?"
"Hey, long time no see."
She gave a small wave and a smile, falling into step next to me naturally.
"How've you been?"
"Great, obviously. You?"
"Same. But hey, you kept up with studying even without me around?"
She looked at me with eyes full of pride, like I was some prodigy kid. I met her gaze with total confidence.
"Duh, who do you think taught me before leaving?"
She started giggling at that. But it didn't feel like mockery.
It sounded like genuine delight.
"True, I did teach you, didn't I?"
As she laughed brightly, I proudly held up my fingers like a trophy.
"Check this out."
"What?"
"My fingers—they're completely healed now."
I showed her, and she slowly reached out, placing her small, soft hand right on the finger that had torn its ligament.
—Flinch!
The moment her tiny, soft hand touched mine, my body jolted.
It was just so different from my own hand—supple, plush, small, and warm. That shock hit me hard.
"...Why're you so jumpy?"
"N-No, uh, you just grabbed it out of nowhere...?"
"It's just our hands touching."
Just hands touching? You're a girl, I'm a guy. When a girl casually grabs a guy's hand like that, how am I not supposed to jump? Especially when we're just friends?
Oblivious to my turmoil, this merciless girl kept pressing on my finger.
Her small hand applied gentle pressure, and she looked up at me from there.
"It really is all better."
"You think I'd lie?"
"Just making sure."
Making sure? What reason would I have to lie to her?
...Well, thinking back, the first time my finger ligament tore, I'd played it cool until she touched it once and I immediately yelped in pain.
That might explain her sudden suspicion.
Still, grabbing it out of the blue was a bit much.
But then...
—Press press press press
"...How long are you gonna keep poking my finger?"
"Huh?"
She startled, then abruptly let go. My hand flopped back limply, and she started glancing at me nervously, picking up her pace.
It was kinda cute, this clumsy side of Lua I hadn't seen in ages, so I chased after her without thinking.
"Why so flustered all of a sudden?"
"N-No, it's just, uh, n-nothing...!"
Im Lua, stammering like this? This wasn't just regular embarrassment. She was deeply rattled.
Perfect chance to tease her more.
"If you wanna touch more, go ahead."
"No thanks!"
"We could even hold hands, like when we were kids."
"I said no!"
I caught up to her huffing side as she marched on.
"Here."
I held out my hand playfully, and she shot me a death glare.
Like I was the most annoying person alive.
I shrugged at her, pulling my hand back.
"Let's just go."
"...Yeah, hurry up."
She slowed her brisk stride, and we ended up walking side by side to school naturally.
No conversation in the meantime, of course.
I figured I'd teased her too much; she was probably too embarrassed to speak.
Yeah, that had to be it. Probably.
*
Once we got to school and I'd set my bag down, the guys chattering in the distance all turned to stare at me in unison.
I walked over, and they immediately swarmed.
"...What're you doing?"
"Dude, what's the deal with you and Im Lua?"
"With Lua?"
"Yeah, you two were getting cozy before break, and now you're showing up all couple-y together? Dating?"
I shook my head at the ridiculous nonsense.
"No way, we're just friends."
"Just friends?"
"Can guys and girls really be 'just friends'?"
"You ditch us singles first, and you're dead."
"Pfft, shut it, Seyon."
I shut down their dumb mouths, but my head was spinning even more.
Not just adults—why did these idiots assume any guy-girl pair was a couple?
"We've been friends since we were kids, so we walked together."
"Since kids? You never hung out before."
"...We were a bit awkward for a while, that's all."
"Now you're close again, so you're dating next."
"Why do you keep pushing the couple angle?"
It was annoying, but also kinda embarrassing.
Mostly embarrassing, since I bore the bigger blame for our drifting apart.
So I steered the conversation elsewhere.
Yeah, to VTubers.
"Anyway, you guys buying the album?"
"Obviously."
"Skipping that benefit package would be weirder."
"Exactly."
"Gotta grab that benefit package, right?"
VTuber fans were already calling Sweet Mare's album the "benefit package."
Makes sense—with a physical album, limited photocard, keyring, and acrylic stand? What else would you call it?
Even bootleg merch would cost nearly 20,000 won total. Official dropping it all for 30,000 in top quality? Everyone loses their minds and buys.
"Who you getting?"
I shared my ongoing dilemma.
"Debating all three, or just Lulu."
"You can afford all three? Lulu's your oshi."
"Only three members total, so it's a bit pricey but worth it as a milestone. Even if Lulu's my top pick."
"Fair."
"Damn, buying all three? Real man move, respect."
I don't need your respect...
But whatever—that wasn't the point. Save money and get just my oshi, or support the whole group?
Lulu was my favorite, but I genuinely loved Sweet Mare too. Hence the agony.
What choice would make me look smart? How to buy without regret?
While agonizing, I decided to consult the wisest person I knew.
"...Im Lua."
"...What?"
I used her full name since classmates were around, but she seemed uncomfortable.
"Lua-ya."
"Yeah, Jinwoo-ya?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure? What?"
I explained briefly: debating one souvenir for my favorite character, or the whole set...
She pondered, then gave her sage(?) advice.
"...If your oshi matters most, isn't just them the way to go?"
"Yeah, figured."
"Yeah, it's not pocket change. Be smart about it—buy one and cherish it more."
"Right, you're spot on."
Lua was a genius.
Decision made: if I buy, just Lulu's.
...But something felt off in that exchange. A tiny sense of dissonance.
What was it? I tried to pin it down, but no time.
The teacher walked in right then.