At This Rate, They'll Steal Our Bear Doll!

Yeonhui University's student cafeteria had turned into utter chaos.

"....!"

Hundreds of eyes in the cafeteria locked onto the table near the Korean Literature department. More precisely, on Seo Eun-seong.

"Y-You... You're really Seo Eun-seong? For real?"

Kim Min-su asked repeatedly, his hands trembling as he pointed at him.

Eun-seong nodded while munching on the sausage he'd snatched from Min-su's tray.

"I told you, yeah. How many times do I have to say it? Can't even recognize your friend after I lost some weight?"

"Lost some weight? This is rebirth level! What the hell did you do in Nepal? Eat nothing but garlic and mugwort and pray or something?"

"Something like that?"

Eun-seong shrugged at Min-su's wail. It wasn't wrong. Not garlic and mugwort, but chicken and veggies while trekking the Himalayan snowfields.

"Let's eat first. I'm starving."

Eun-seong calmly started slicing his pork cutlet. Noisy surroundings be damned—the spicy pork stir-fry and cutlet right in front of him were priority.

But peaceful mealtime was already a lost cause.

Murmurs spread. Once word got out that the alpha male was 'Korean Lit's Seo Eun-seong,' students who'd been watching from afar began crowding the table one by one.

Like zoo visitors gawking at a rare animal, they stared at Eun-seong without eating, drilling holes with their eyes.

That's when it happened.

"Um... excuse me."

A brave female student approached with her tray, sliding next to Eun-seong. Long straight hair, innocent beauty—she could've been a school promo model.

"Yes?"

As Eun-seong looked up, her face flushed bright red. She couldn't meet his eyes, fumbling awkwardly.

"Um... You're Korean Lit senior Seo Eun-seong, right?"

"Yes, that's me."

"Ah... well... if it's not too much trouble... could I get your number?"

She held out her smartphone with trembling hands.

"....."

The cafeteria's air froze. Nearby guys sighed in envy; girls who'd missed their shot inwardly screamed.

"Hm... my number?"

Eun-seong scratched his head, looking troubled. Giving it out wasn't hard. But the situation was special.

"Uh... sorry. I don't have my phone right now."

"Pardon?"

"I suspended it while I was abroad. Haven't reactivated it yet."

100% truth. Before leaving for Nepal, Eun-seong had put his phone on long-term hold. Back only recently, he hadn't hit the carrier store yet. The phone in his pocket was basically a Wi-Fi-only brick.

But his innocent answer got totally twisted.

"Ah... okay... sorry..."

The girl turned beet red and fled. Whispers erupted immediately.

"Whoa? Epic? Did you see that rejection?"

"Phone suspended? That's a fresh excuse."

"Not just handsome—ice wall game on point."

"So cool... too suave..."

People misconstrued Eun-seong as an aloof cold beauty who rejected with elegant chic.

'No? It really is suspended—why won't they believe me?'

Eun-seong felt wronged.

"Hey! You con artist bastard!"

Finally snapping, Min-su smacked his back in outrage.

"Phone suspended? Bull! Just say no! Don't embarrass her!"

"It's true! I haven't gone to the store yet!"

"Shut up! Eat your damn food!"

Min-su grumbled but stood, spreading his arms to the crowd.

"Alright, everyone! We're eating! Stop gawking and eat up! Eat!"

"What? Kim Min-su? You my manager now?"

"Manager my ass? I gotta eat too, dude!"

Min-su cursed but protected Eun-seong. Friends were friends, after all. Even if it felt like payback for the stolen sausage.

"Man, school food hits different after so long? Tastes amazing."

Ignoring it all, Eun-seong shoveled in the spicy pork. Stares prickled, but cafeteria grub after ages was tear-jerkingly good.

But Eun-seong had no clue. Pics of him eating, drinking—everything—were going viral online in real time.

Meanwhile, in a black van cruising downtown Seoul.

"Uwaaa! Schedule's done!"

Choi Eun-jin stretched, sinking into her seat.

"Tired... unnies..."

Lee Ah-hyun next to her rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"....."

In the passenger seat, Seo Ha-rin stared blankly out the window.

"You girls check the internet?"

Manager Kim Tae-ho at the wheel glanced via rearview.

"Internet? Why? Another article? Tae-ho oppa?"

Ha-rin perked up instantly.

"Not an article. Yeonhui's Everytime server crashed."

"My bro's fault? Tae-ho oppa?"

Ha-rin sat up straight.

"Yup. Total mayhem 'cause of Eun-seong."

"Bear Doll?"

At 'Seo Eun-seong,' Eun-jin's eyes snapped open.

"Gotta check!"

Ha-rin whipped out her smartphone too.

"What the...?"

Ha-rin screamed at the Everytime main screen.

The board was plastered with 'Seo Eun-seong' posts.

"Oppa... what are you doing out there...?"

Ha-rin tapped the glow-up pic with shaky hands.

The photo captured her brother drinking water in the cafeteria. Just holding a stainless cup and sipping.

But sunlight ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from the window highlighted his sharp jawline and nose bridge. Even the vein bulging on his throat as he swallowed was crystal clear.

His corner glowed like a lonely, sexy noir film scene.

Comments were no different.

The comments were pure worship.

"Oppa...?"

Ha-rin couldn't close her mouth. She knew her brother was handsome now, but not this explosive.

"No way!"

Eun-jin screamed from the back.

"At this rate, they'll steal our Bear Doll! Those girls dare?!"

Eun-jin glared at her phone, fuming. Bear Doll Seo Eun-seong had been their exclusive property.

But now? On the verge of becoming everyone's lover(?).

"Unnies... look at this..."

Ah-hyun showed her phone gravely.

SNS was already buzzing with #YeonhuiGod photos of Eun-seong.

"Eun-seong oppa... got too famous. He's not my secret anymore..."

Ah-hyun's voice dripped possessiveness and crisis. Like your hidden gem spot getting TV-famous and lines forming. No—way more anxious, jittery.

"Can't leave it like this."

Ha-rin clenched her fist decisively.

"Oppa's too defenseless. Doesn't even know he's hot, wandering like that. We gotta protect him."

"Right! Can't hand our Bear Doll to those wolf girls!"

Eun-jin agreed fiercely. Ah-hyun nodded solemnly.

"I'll... join too... Gotta protect Eun-seong oppa..."

Thus, in the speeding van, Siren's three members formed the 'Seo Eun-seong Protection Squad.'

But they didn't know yet. The online storm wasn't just 'handsome' praise—it was veering complicated.

Dinner time at Ha-rin's house.

"Heh heh. Kimchi stew after ages."

I was aproned, stirring the pot. At the table, Ha-rin, Eun-jin unnie, and Ah-hyun sat stone-faced, glued to their phones.

"Rice's ready. Come eat."

I set the pot down, but they didn't budge.

"Hey~ you foodies. Not eating?"

"Oppa. Food's not the issue."

Ha-rin called gravely.

"What? More drama?"

"Look at this."

Ha-rin's phone showed a community post.

"Hm?"

I tilted my head, scrolling comments.

The community split into 'Ha-rin's real bro ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠vs doppelganger hottie' war. Most leaned doppelganger—frame and vibe too changed, even post-weight loss.

"Pfft..."

I let out a hollow laugh. Suddenly, I wasn't myself anymore.

"What? Am I Hong Gil-dong? Can't call dad dad, sis sis?"

I felt so wronged. Losing weight wasn't a crime.

"Kinda believable they'd doubt. You changed too much, Eun-seong."

Eun-jin unnie stared pointedly.

"Eun-jin unnie, so what? Go to school yelling 'I'm Ha-rin's bro' ads?"

"Eun-seong oppa, they still wouldn't believe."

Ah-hyun chimed worriedly. Current Eun-seong was way too different from before.

"Sigh? Getting annoying?"

Situation was royally tangled. Left like this, I'd be 'Ha-rin's bro name twin god' at school.

"Nope."

Ha-rin slammed the table, standing.

"This'll blow up later. Plus identity crisis. Settle it now, oppa."

"How?"

"Live."

Ha-rin's solution.

"Live?"

"Yup. Live stream. Turn it on now, show 'em. Prove you're my bro."

Ha-rin's eyes sparkled. Showing once beat a hundred words.

"Now? Mid-meal?"

"Yeah. Eating live = more real. Eun-jin unnie, Ah-hyun. Prep."

At Ha-rin's command, Eun-jin unnie and Ah-hyun nodded grimly, setting up the living room sofa and lights in seconds.

"Oppa, hide there first. Come when I call. Got it?"

"Uh, okay..."

Flustered, apron still on, I got shoved to the sofa corner, out of camera frame.

Ha-rin fixed her phone on a tripod, deep breath.

"Going live. 3. 2. 1."

Viewers skyrocketed at start. 1K. 5K. 10K. 20K. Fans flooded in.

Chat flooded with 'Seo Eun-seong' as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠expected. Yeonhui's god was huge even in Siren fandom.

"Hi everyone~ Siren Ha-rin here!"

Ha-rin waved at fans first.

"Eun-jin here!"

"Ah-hyun!"

Greetings done, Ha-rin cut to chase.

"Saw the internet chaos today, right? Yeonhui hottie Seo Eun-seong."

"Comments say he's not my bro. Too handsome, must be someone else."

Ha-rin teased, chuckling softly.

"So I brought him here. The man of the hour! My bro! Seo Eun-seong!"

Ha-rin pointed my way.

"M-Me...?"

I swallowed dryly, standing. Heart pounding. Diet proof in front of all those fans?

"Oppa! Hurry over!"

"Uh, yeah!"

I shuffled awkwardly to the sofa center. Phone lens stared me down.

"Haha... hi. Ha-rin's bro... Seo Eun-seong."

I waved stiffly.

Then it hit. Chat scroll froze—then cascaded like a waterfall.

Incredulity and cheers mixed—chat pure chaos.