Chapter 5
Chapter 5
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Members Over-Immersed in RP
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Knock knock.
"President, everyone's here."
"Ah, I'll be right there."
A voice I'd never heard before came from beyond the studio door after the knock.
Followed back to the cramped room by the president, I found it packed with stunningly pretty and cute women.
Aside from the bunny girl kid I'd seen earlier, there were three more, making four in total. Adding the president and me made six.
To be honest, it wasn't so much that there were a lot of people as the room was tiny.
A small group huddled around a low table barely big enough for a game board.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Kim Mi-hyo, the manager for World Live Entertainment."
'Sisters with the president?'
The names were similar—unique ones parents usually wouldn't pick.
Not that I, with no parents and a name like Gyeon-u, had room to talk.
But their looks were totally different.
Unlike the pint-sized president, the manager was tall and slender enough to make you call her "big sis" on sight.
Though I was a bit taller.
A woman with yellow hair and an exotic look—dyed or natural, who could say.
"I'm Jang Gyeon-u. Nice to meet you."
I offered a businesslike greeting first.
"Nice to meet you."
"You're the last member? You're gorgeous!"
And the two behind her seemed to be the rest of our group.
A bob-cut girl of average height, the picture of a "bishoujo."
Next to her, a tall beauty with long hair and a figure so explosive it strained her tight clothes.
So the group balance was one tall (me), one tall, one average, one tiny.
Whatever, it was virtual, so real heights didn't matter.
"Hello."
"Don't just say hi—tell me your names."
At the manager's nudge, the two finally introduced themselves.
"Wang Rang."
"I'm Evangelion."
'Chinese and Westerner?'
Idol groups aiming global always had at least one foreigner, I'd heard.
Were they scouting internationals on purpose?
"They're both Korean nationals, actually."
The manager filled in seeing my puzzled look.
But "actually"?
Eh, we'd figure it out in time.
"How's the meeting going?"
"Mm, we've got a rough direction."
"Then have some coffee and keep at it. Gyeon-u, take a seat."
And so tea time began.
Not exactly elegant.
Six of us crammed into the tiny room, around a table under 50cm tall.
"Americano okay?"
"Sure."
"Iced? Or hot?"
"Hot, please."
I took my hot Americano and sat.
"Eek, bitter! Why do people like this stuff?"
"But you said you really wanted to try coffee? As pure as possible."
The bob-cut girl—who best fit "girly"—grimaced hard.
Looks like she picked straight espresso.
Never tried coffee living in Korea?
That was wild.
"Here, have a macaron with it."
The manager opened a bag in her other hand, separate from the coffee carrier.
Out came macarons.
The trendy hit among girls, ridiculously pricey ones that made guys shake their heads.
Macarons with coffee? Felt like I didn't belong here at all.
"Gyeon-u, pick first."
"No clue what any are."
"This is chocolate, matcha, raspberry cream cheese, cherry blossom, lemon custard, strawberry."
The unnatural food colors were intriguing.
Girls must find them pretty.
Matcha sounded meh.
Go safe with chocolate.
Like when she asked iced or hot for the Americano, the manager took the leftovers after we all picked.
Big-sis type who liked looking after people?
Cool exterior, warm heart.
'Never thought I'd eat stuff like this.'
One macaron ran about 3,000 won.
Not unaffordable, but worth it?
Guys never bothered anyway.
Shelling out 3k for fancy sugar? Nah.
'Ugh, too sweet.'
Not big enough for one bite, but I split it anyway.
Crispy shell giving way to thick cream.
Sweet enough to sour your mood... or not? Why's it good?
Way better than expected.
A sip of Americano after tasting the cream? Pure bliss.
Sweet and bitter in harmony!
"Tasty."
Even Byul—whose name was ridiculously cosmic—marveled at the macaron.
She'd swapped coffee for a sweet smoothie by request, yet doubled down on sugar bombs. Kid stuff.
She was a kid, right?
Or not actually?
Maybe she was.
Kids in Korea don't usually work, but idols were one field minors thrived in.
How old was she really?
Asking would just get weird answers like "zero."
"Sweet-bitter harmony—that's life."
Evangelion, with the matcha one, spoke flawless Korean.
Native-level, meaning Korean native.
Evangelion looked like a mixed beauty, East or West blood unclear.
Her black hair with a brownish tint—dyed?
Or natural?
"Shall we get the meeting started?"
The discussion kicked off: virtual models, original songs, group concept.
Good to have references, whatever.
Hearing others' concepts, settings, and songs sparked ideas for mine.
First, the bunny girl kid from before: Yun Byeol.
Stage name: Hoshimiya Akari.
Alien from space, age 0.
First original: radio waves trying to contact Earthlings.
Average-height bob: Wang Rang.
Stage name: Wolf God Toyo.
Wolf deity of bountiful harvests, 12,000 years old.
Her song: bored, play with me concept. More puppy than wolf?
Tall with a killer figure: Evangelion.
Stage name: Sister Eva. For real!?
Hiding the red pill vibes much?
Anyway, nun who went Earth to isekai, back to Earth.
What even was that?
Some fantasy novel?
Her song: "Guys melt for anything sexy anyway." Dangerous take.
Was she okay?
No preemptive "No fourth KEYS member; run if someone claims to be" memes, right?
Virtual idol groups were weird: four as one, yet solo acts.
Each dropping originals? Production costs through the roof.
"We have the money for it! Stop doubting!"
Too used to it now?
The president snapped at my glance.
"Just saying, it'll cost a ton."
"I said we can cover it! Kyao!"
"So, Gyeon-u's concept? Song decided?"
"Concept's idol hopeful. Song, not yet."
The one from president chat: begging viewers.
Look at me, broadcasts die without you, keep watching.
Too grovelly, pathetic?
But Korean nuance matters.
I'm the best, you can't look away, worship me.
K-pop idols dropped those.
Balance ego vs. beg? Style? Faves? Dream songs?
Head spinning. Why not think seriously before?
Never imagined this chance.
Me, doing this?
"No rush today. Botch something big, regret it. But time's tight—debut schedule's packed. Nail concept by next week at least."
A week from the president.
Figure out what I wanna sing by then. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Saintess Evangelion.
Her isekai status was less passive nun praying for answers, more hero adventuring for salvation.
But folks called her saintess as God's chosen.
Smashing monster skulls with a mace, yelling "Salvation!"—a million light-years from Earth's saintess image.
'Who'd buy this as real?'
Back in reality with treasures, no need for a job. But street-drinking and singing got her scouted by Kim Mi-myo into virtual idol life.
Too lazy to brainstorm, she just used her true story as concept.
No one'd believe it anyway.
'Good call becoming an idol.'
Evangelion joined for impure reasons: fun working with cute young girls.
Actually, pre-isekai Earth, she was a guy!
Ten years as a woman there faded old memories.
Still claims male identity.
But meeting the others? All stunning bishoujo.
Tiny, cute, precious Yun Byeol—small animal girl who'd enchant anyone.
Languid Wang Rang: girly build, odd speech, but drop-dead gorgeous.
And Jang Gyeon-u: massive chest, icy beauty, gloomy huge-tits nerd vibe, fidgety and anxious!
'Heavenly harem complete. Thank you, God.'
The isekai saintess thanked God extra today.