Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Oppa? Me?
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...Oppa? Me?
The moment you see a celebrity, you just know it.
Whenever you spot a really handsome or pretty one, people always say stuff like they live in a different world, or their visuals are so sharp it's like HD quality, or the camera doesn't do them justice... I've heard all those eyewitness accounts plenty of times.
But since my childhood friend is one, even when I see someone stunningly beautiful, my reaction is just a quick Oh, she's pretty before my mind moves on. No lingering thoughts.
Guess that means I hadn't seen anyone truly beautiful until now.
"...Ever?"
The second I saw her face, my jaw dropped and wouldn't shut.
What the...? Why is she so gorgeous? Is she even human? A goddess or something?
I used to think the people leaving over-the-top, brain-melted idol fan comments were something else, full of hype and cringe. But now, with world-class visuals right in front of me, I get it. Those weren't exaggerations.
Whoa, I almost blurted out Holy shit, you're beautiful right to her face.
"Hello, Yumin."
Serin greeted me first, all friendly and warm, while I stood there gaping like an idiot.
I'm losing it. Serin knows I exist?
"Ah, y-yeah. Hello."
"I loved your vlog."
"...You watched that?"
"Of course. It's one of the top-viewed selfcams out there. Ten million views in a week."
She flashed a slight smile and extended her hand.
The day I shake hands with Ever's Kwon Serin. If this isn't peak life achievement, what is?
I was reaching out, desperately hiding my excitement, when—
"Ah—."
"Whoa, what's with that face? You were grinning like an idiot just thinking about holding Serin's hand, huh?"
The bratty one grabbed my hand roughly and started squeezing harder.
Normally, I'd shoot back with a Are you insane? glare and some choice words, but Ever was right there.
I plastered on my kindest face and cleared my throat.
"Chaewon, my friend Chaewon. If you really see me as a friend, then this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you've brought to my doorstep..."
"Can I uppercut you? What's an uppercut—can I throw a liver shot instead?"
She clamped down hard in an instant. Her grip strength was way beyond what I expected, twisting my face in pain.
"H-Hah, I surrender...!!"
"Hey, I'm in Ever too, you know?! How can your reaction be this different just 'cause I'm your childhood friend...!!"
"Okay, just let go...! It r-really hurts...?!"
"Fine! Ugh, do you even know how jealous I am right now?! You didn't react like this even when I debuted! For the last six years, how much I've wanted—"
"I'm gonna cry...!!"
Only when I bit my lip and glared did the bratty one finally ease up.
I let out a low groan and checked each knuckle with my other hand, making sure nothing was broken.
Her strength control was impeccable, though.
I winced as I flexed my hand.
"Hey, don't make a fuss. I didn't squeeze that hard."
"Try getting the same and then talk. If we weren't in front of people, you'd be—"
Right then, a realization hit me.
The people in front of me weren't ordinary.
"...You all saw that?"
I stiffly turned to face them.
There were four girls in total culture shock, and the oldest, Serin, awkwardly smiled and broke the ice.
"...You're even more buddy-buddy than in the vlog?"
Rat hole. Can I dig one if there isn't one?
"......"
"What. What's wrong."
I shot my childhood friend a resentful glare without a word, and she hit me with her ultimate move: What? What's your problem?
Her pouty face screamed she'd fire back twice as hard if I said anything, and fighting here with Ever members watching? No thanks.
"You're the best."
I've said it a million times, but nothing's more exhausting than arguing with an idiot.
Unexpected drama aside, I'd seen Ever. Good enough.
I let out a light sigh, pressed the elevator button, and...
"Yumin, what brings you to the company today?"
Serin was curious about my schedule?
I answered right away.
"Here for a planning meeting on the follow-up video to the vlog. Thanks to that, I got to meet some VIPs."
"What are you filming next?"
May's eyes sparkled as she looked at me.
That's the face of a baby bunny, for sure.
She's adorable.
"Yeah. A video capturing fifteen years with Chaewon. No idea if anyone will watch, but I'd love it if you enjoyed it."
"It's bound to do great. I've rewatched that vlog so many times because it's hilarious."
"Really? I was worried about being a nuisance on Ever's YouTube."
"Pfft, ten million views a nuisance? I wish it turned into a regular series."
"...Should I?"
"......Hey."
Minah's sincere advice had me seriously considering it, but my childhood friend was glaring daggers again, ruining the mood.
Pavlovian fear is real.
I instinctively hid my hand behind my back.
"Yumin oppa, what's your schedule like today?"
"...Oppa? Me?"
"Yes!"
Hearing "oppa" from Yerin. Am I gonna have a heart attack today?
"I-I was just heading home...?"
I wiped the grin off my face and answered honestly.
"Wanna hang out with us?"
"———?"
Two seconds to process it was Korean. One more to fully register the sentence. Three more to grasp the meaning.
"...Huh?"
ERROR. System crash.
"Sounds fun. I've been curious about you too, Yumin."
"See? Isn't my idea genius?"
"Yeah, yeah! Let's hang out together!!"
"It's okay with you, right, Yumin oppa?"
Felt like a new male teacher at an all-girls high school.
This was real life, but who cares.
If this is your play, I fold, Han Chaewon.
No one could blame me for nodding yes. Whatever her scheme, it was an irresistible poisoned chalice.
"But don't you all have schedules? That's why you're at the company, right?"
I calmly tested the waters with a casual question.
"...Uh."
"It's like home, so... yeah. We came to hang out at the company! ...But if people come over to hang, is it still home?"
"We just finished practice and were heading out...! Oh, and we all piled into the elevator going up because... uh..."
One little probe, and they were all rattled.
These girls weren't just bad actors—they were terrible.
"Chaewon unnie called us—!!"
May, blissfully unaware of the concept of subtlety, spilled it.
The members clapped hands over her mouth, but May just looked up confused.
They tried hiding their panic, but too late.
"I already figured it out."
"You girls... never act. Ever."
I stared down the ringleader, and the five-piece con artist squad let out defeated sighs.
"Sorry, unnie."
"Yumin, you're sharp."
"Right? I said we should've just been honest!!"
"Huh?"
The accomplices confessed. Weirdly enough.
"...Han Chaewon."
This bet mattered, sure, but dragging in the members?
I gave her a look like Isn't this too much? She shrugged with a hollow laugh.
"Hey, misunderstanding. It's not like they drop everything just 'cause I call. They're Ever. Not some neighborhood bum who shows up on a whim."
"Right now, you are kinda a bum—"
"Y-Yeah! Unnie asked, but we really wanted to meet you, Yumin oppa...?"
"Exactly. Not because we could play the 'unnie card' or anything."
"Lee Yerin, don't say it like that!!"
This back-and-forth was next-level perfection.
But why these amazing girls wanted to keep me around? No clue. I turned back and...
"Where'd she go?"
The mastermind vanished while I blinked.
I looked around puzzled when my phone buzzed with a text.
「Let's grab dinner later. Play with the girls till then.」
「Han Chaewon」
"...For real?"
I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity.
I would've had dinner with her anyway because of the bet.
"Oh, elevator's here."
"What should we do?"
"Dunno. Think on the way."
"Yumin oppa, hop in quick."
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
I jumped in at their urging.
Serin punched the B3 button fast, and the four girls chattered about where to go.
...But actually hanging out felt super awkward?
Ever or not, I clam up around strangers.
Sudden shyness hit hard.
Especially people pretending to be close when they're not. Most stressful vibe ever...
"Yumin oppa, what should we do?"
Minah. Can we stick to formal speech?
"...I-I'm heading home."
"I came specifically to see you, Yumin orabeoni."
"...Orabeoni? Where'd you even get that word...?"
"Saw it in historical dramas. Wanted to try it out. Hehe."
May's bright smile tugged at my lips involuntarily.
Shyness? What's that?