Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Rosanne the Unemployed (7)
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Day two, and the only thing on the cosplay team's schedule today was a fan photoshoot.
They'd snap pictures with fans at the four photo booths set up around the place, and spend the rest of the time wandering the booths to hype up the atmosphere.
Dahye's cosplay couldn't be more perfect right now...
But could she really pull this off?
I was getting worried.
And not without reason. Considering yesterday's vibe, the crowds should've thinned out today.
But from the morning, something felt off.
The doors opened, and it was instantly swarming. Cameras that weren't there yesterday—big honking DSLRs—were popping up everywhere.
All thanks to Dalnyangnyang's influence.
📰 Tweet from Dalnyangnyang "Tomorrow at G-Fex, something huge is dropping!! I've got this insanely recommended newbie cosplayer on deck—the craziest one ever—so hit up the Eternal Princess booth hard!" I'd sent her Dahye's pics yesterday, and she got more hyped than us, bombing Twitter all evening.
Could Dahye handle this kind of heat?
Turned out... it was unnecessary worry.
This was the scene three hours into the event.
💬 Community Buzz — miggo LMAOOOO Spinning Dogs' newbie cosplayer?? Her method acting is insane lololol — ㅇㅇ Snapped one pic and got hooked—been camped at Eternal Princess booth all day. Wanna go again lololol Gotta see her one more time before heading out hehe ⭐ Top Comment — Rosannunim Sob sob sob Quality blew me away, total emotional wreck ㅠㅠㅠ She memorized EVERY line, thought she was just filling in but she prepped like crazy. So glad I stanned Rosanne ㅠㅠㅠ — ㅇㅇ Any other shoots from Rosanne sis? Bet even casual pics would slap. Phew, terrifying.
Something's gone seriously wrong here.
I couldn't focus on work at all today, just glued to the communities—and Dahye-related posts were popping up every three seconds across every board.
No surprise the internet was blowing up.
Offline was even worse.
A line snaking around our booth waited for Dahye, shutters firing dozens of times a second.
Our hired cosplay team, Spinning Dogs—one of the top teams in the country where second place would feel insulted—was getting totally overshadowed by Dahye.
Not that she didn't deserve it.
Not with that level of character immersion.
Look at that.
A shy fan approaching Dahye right now.
Without a greeting, she leans against the wall, nods him over.
Then drapes an arm over his shoulder with a seductive gaze.
"Don't stand there quivering like a coward. It doesn't suit Bell."
Whoa, damn...
A Rosanne line.
The one that triggers if you exceed the control input time.
And that was just the start.
For pose requests:
"You think you can boss me around? Don't get cocky. This is a one-time thing."
To a fan bowing in感動:
"Repay me with your life, rookie."
Is that even possible?
Turning every single line at the shoot into Rosanne dialogue.
I work at the dev company and didn't even know she had that many lines. But Dahye had them all memorized cold, nailing each one perfectly for the moment.
How deep does her fandom go...?
Perfect visual sync, bold gestures, sultry eyes and smirk. And that voice—strained like a pro voice actress, smooth as silk.
Dahye's Rosanne had transcended cosplay entirely.
Method acting at best. Possession, in my book.
With fan service that unhinged, how could she not blow up...?
Even Manager Kwak was beside me, hand over his mouth, watching in awe.
Tears of emotion in his eyes.
"Whoa... Assistant Kwon. Is she a pro? How does she do that? Even as a fan, memorizing every line...?"
"Right? Had no idea she had this talent."
"We're done here, Assistant Kwon! No need to lift a finger! You seeing the community reactions? It's chaos!"
"Yeah... You see the GIFs generating in real-time? Kinda scary, honestly."
"Saw 'em! Looks like we've got ten years' worth of memes from today. If she keeps this up the next two days, viral alone is worth 2 billion in sales."
Maybe.
Just one day with Dahye out there, and GIFs were already flooding communities.
Like he said, we might wrap G-Fex with billions in free promo.
But I wasn't so sure.
"Ha... Still two more days to go."
"Huh? Why the sigh? She can't keep it up?"
"I'd love if she could, but... Let's watch a bit longer."
Manager Kwak shrugged like what was the problem.
Dahye owned the stage right now.
Flawless smiles for cameras, even towering fans got the haughty treatment.
So yeah, no need to worry like him.
I wanted to think that, but...
I saw different things.
Her calves trembling faintly. Eyes occasionally dropping to the floor. Breath hitching every fan contact.
Why she was going so hard as Rosanne.
I knew the reason.
She'd hypnotized herself so hard—if she wasn't Rosanne, she couldn't face the crowd.
Right now, she was erasing fragile Park Dahye with everything she had, dragging out Unemployed Rosanne instead.
Could anyone even do that?
I'd last a second.
But she'd been perfect as Rosanne for hours, lighting up our booth.
Not the last thirty minutes, though.
Right then, like my fears manifesting,
Dahye—mid-photo, perfectly fine—collapsed straight down.
"Uh... miss, you okay?"
"Haa... haa... haa..."
She curled up, arms around her head, frozen.
You held out well, Park Dahye.
Time to put Rosanne away.
Heartbreaking to watch anymore.
I clapped loud to draw eyes and shouted.
"Excuse me! Model needs a break—please pause photos for a bit!"
"What?! I waited forever...!"
"Sorry. She's not feeling well, can't do long shoots. Really sorry."
I bowed a few times, and fans started backing off.
Not my fault—Dahye looked wrecked. No room to complain, even if bummed.
Then I crouched in front of her.
"Dahye, it's me. Can you see me?"
"Haa... haa... ha... Seonghyeon..."
Her raised face streamed cold sweat, lips deathly pale.
If it was gonna end like this, just say no.
Why push so hard?
"It's okay. Break time now—let's rest."
I draped my jacket over her head and slipped out of the booth.
That spot's lights hot enough to sweat you in seconds.
Her hands ice-cold.
My mistake.
When she got stubborn, I should've stopped her—even if it meant getting stubborn too...
Into the staff lounge, sat her on a bench.
Curtained off the area, handed her a prepped water bottle.
Under the jacket, still pale as a ghost.
"Dahye. No one's here now."
"Yeah, Seonghyeon... haa... I'm good now... Ah, what happened? Dizzy... Too hot maybe..."
"'Cause you gamed too hard at this."
"Right? I went all out... Hehe, haa... Little rest and I'll head back... Sorry."
"Nah, call it for today. You did plenty."
"But... till six?"
"Others are here. You've done enough—leave it to the pros. No overdoing."
"Maybe... Feel bad for Manager, though..."
"He's thrilled already. I'll handle it. Rest now."
"Okay... But Seonghyeon..."
"Yeah."
"So damn hot... Sweat killing me in these pants..."
Figures.
Leather pants under those lights... How'd she survive?
Real cosplayers are nuts.
I lifted the vented side of her pants, fanned inside.
Finally, color returned to her lips.
"Ahh... So cool... Keep going..."
"Had breaks—why not say sooner?"
"If I relaxed... couldn't go back..."
Then don't. Worth wrecking yourself?
Dahye's all or nothing.
Loves Billion Saga enough to ditch life for it; hates clear too.
Why obsess over cosplay she never cared about?
Asking now might sound scolding, but I had to.
I didn't know how to stop her rampages.
Know why, maybe stop her next time.
"Then don't, dummy. Die without cosplay? Why push so hard?"
"Wanted to be Rosanne... just once. Hehe..."
"Cosplay wasn't the goal—Rosanne was? Why obsess over her?"
"You made her. Always bragging so proudly—looked fun. Wanted to feel what it's like to have someone you're that proud of."
Ridiculous.
Me? The rampage reason?
Thinking back, 90% of my Billion Saga rants to Dahye were Rosanne.
Back then, poured my soul into work.
Forgot to separate life and game, just boasted.
Jealous of that?
Idiot.
"Dumbass. Jealous of a 2D character? Don't wreck yourself over pixels."
"Pixels?! You poured your heart into her!"
"Got paid for it! That's it! Don't dive into 2D—worry about your body."
"Pixels!?"
"Yeah, pixels! She's not worth you trashing your health. So quit it."
"Quit what?"
"The possession. Be Park Dahye."
"But... only as Rosanne can I help..."
"Ridiculous. Everything till now? All Park Dahye. You being you helps plenty—no need for possession."
She pouted, sulky.
Pout all you want.
Jealous of a character enough to trash yourself? Dumbest thing ever.
My work passion? Cashed as salary. Memories with you? Life's peak.
Get your priorities straight.
Moved her under the AC, fanned till life returned to her face.
Sweat dried too.
Now, rescue time from this monster-filled dungeon.
"Enough. Let's go rest."
"Where?"
"My hotel. You came here chasing me, right?"
"Eww, Kwon Seonghyeon perv. Dragging girls to hotels?"
"Fine, book another."
"Nooo! Joke, cancel!"
There it is, dummy.
Unlike you, I'm a functioning adult who knows his role.
So today, ready to offer my bosom to the weary evil lord.
I'm a manwhore, after all.
But Dahye just tugged my arm from the bench, no intention of moving.
"What? Not going?"
"Seong~hyeon~... Legs done. Can't walk."
Then shamelessly hugs me.
In a crowded building, anyone could barge in.
Looking like that, clinging.
Normally, I'd side-kick, but now I hugged back.
Rosanne hates human touch.
This shameless? Pure evil lord I know.
Finally like Park Dahye.
So proud... Ten minutes like this?
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