I Unknowingly Rejected My Favorite

“...An agency?”

The only group I belonged to was the Pink Army, you know?

Hearing the manager’s unexpected question, I blinked like a fool.

“You look so much like a model~”

I’ve heard people calling me handsome so many times, but this was the first time I’ve ever heard that I looked like a model.

Those words came out of a manager working at an entertainment agency to boot. Crazy.

“I don’t have one.”

What else could I say?

I didn’t have any, so I said I didn't have any. Was I supposed to say something else here?

She suddenly rummaged through her pocket, taking out her wallet.

Then she handed me her business card.

「YM Virtual Business Department Assistant Manager Park Yejin」

“I think it would be a really good opportunity for you to reach out and visit the company.”

“Until last year, I worked in the Street Casting Division, I have a good eye for faces!”¹

Even though I clearly came to help Doah move.

Somehow, it felt like she became a third wheel, albeit temporarily.

“Uh... Well...”

My girlfriend, who had been quietly standing and listening to our conversation, opened her mouth.

“Wouldn’t it be better to talk…inside...?”

It was mid-December.

Due to the cold snap, the streets were frozen all over.

Yeah, there wasn’t any reason to shiver and talk out here.

“Ah, right. Oops, my bad. I’m sorry Luka-ssi. Just a moment.”

As the manager scanned the key card to unlock the door, Doah and I, each holding a monitor and a computer case in our hands, stood side by side.

“Come this way.”

After entering the building and climbing the stairs, the manager opened the door for us.

“Here it is!”

The tone of her voice made it sound like she was trying to raise our expectations.

And there was a clear reason behind that.

“Woah.”

“Wow.”

Doah and I exclaimed at the same time.

Honestly, it wasn’t extraordinarily spacious or anything, but considering that Doah would be having this studio all by herself, this place seemed extremely pleasant to be in.

“How do you like it?”

When the manager made a triumphant expression, Doah nodded very vigorously.

“It’s perfect! It seems even more spacious than when I saw the photos.”

There was a neatly organized desk and chair.

Below, there was also a storage cabinet to place the computer on.

“The furniture in the back is something I prepared by splitting a bit from the company’s allocated budget.”

There was a small sofa and table placed inside the room with the desk.

It seemed like they set that place up so that the streamer could take a break after they were done streaming.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t provide a refrigerator.”

When the manager licked her lips as if it was regrettable, Doah shook her head to deny that.

“No! I’m already grateful for all this.”

“Also, you’ll probably be able to receive the full-body tracker equipment in around January or February. Whenever we finished planning for the content.”

“I see.”

As Doah looked around the room happily, the manager reached out her arm and offered her to sit.

Doah, sitting in the computer chair, pulled the chair back and spun around the room.

Seeing her playing around like an innocent child, I looked at her with a satisfied smile.

“Wow, this place is so spacious. You can even do this.”

“Of course, since you’ll be doing something like sports festivals here in the future.”

Right, there were many VR contents that would involve intense body movements.

“Speaking of, may I ask your name?”

When the manager turned her head towards me, I flinched again.

“It’s Han Taemin.”

“Taemin-ssi. Then, would it be okay if I talk a bit more about what we discussed earlier?”

It wasn’t like I could tell her not to do it here.

So, I gave her my affirmation with a reluctant expression.

“You’ve heard of our company name, correct?”

No matter how much of an otaku I was, it was pretty much impossible for someone who spent their whole life in Korea to not know YM Entertainment.

They were the ones who produced several legendary idol groups. How could I not know them?

“Yes, I have.”

“I highly recommend you talk with our company representative just once.”

Maybe because she was in a different department, she didn’t seem to have any intention to have that kind of serious talk with me here.

“I don’t need to mention about the treatment and conditions that our talents live in, you could also do various activities with various celebrities under the agency. So, make sure to contact us.”

“Ah... Yes...”

I took out the business card from my pocket and checked it again and told her I would contact her later. She only left the studio after she finished talking with Doah for around thirty minutes.

After she left, Doah and I were the only ones here.

There was a strange atmosphere between us.

“Oppa.”

Turning her chair towards me, Doah called my name.

“Yeah?”

She gestured for me to go to her.

I approached her without a word and stood next to her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hand.”

When I held out my hand, she grabbed it and pulled it hard towards her.

Naturally, my upper body bent forward and my arms moved to embrace her shoulders.

“...If you do well, you might become a celebrity, right?”

I couldn’t see what kind of expression she had, but she didn’t seem to be very happy.

“Celebrity? Me?”

“You know… This isn’t an opportunity that comes by often and all…”

Well...

Honestly, this was the first time I was ever scouted by anyone, so I had no idea if it actually was an opportunity that didn’t come by often.

“But I have no intention of doing it.”

“Why not?”

Judging from her reaction, it really seemed like she couldn’t understand why, so I just let out a bitter laugh.

“Doah, look, you knew me already. I can’t even talk to others properly and all I’ve been doing was watching anime in my room. Did you really expect me to be a celebrity?”

You know…

If we were going off the MBTI, I’d be an extreme I among Is.

It was obvious that if I did that kind of job, I’d have to constantly deal with people.

I didn’t want to live like that, nor did I have the confidence to do so.

It was enough for me for things to stay as they were.

After meeting Doah, I was finally changing little by little.

But, I had no desire to push myself for a big change.

Moreover, I absolutely refused to get involved in something that I didn’t choose to do on my own.

“But, there are so many introverted celebrities.”

“Either way, I don’t like it.”

Not wanting to continue this conversation any longer, I rubbed my cheek against her face, and Doah also gently shook my face.

“Sigh. Anyways, think about it some more later.”

“Okay, I will.”

And so, Doah’s studio move came to a successful end.

What would have happened if I had just thrown away the business card at that time?

* * *

「Ah~ Hello~ Pink Army~~~ Everyone~~~」

As if it were to express her happiness, Luka shook her head vigorously from side to side.

Her light pink hair swayed, following that motion.

The Pink Army was full of energy, enthusiastically welcoming her.

Well, they had to give a more intense greeting than usual today.

Because it was the promised day.

The day for Luka to pay the price for not clearing the game she played in her previous stream, for running away during her exam break.

「You’re telling me to keep my promise? Yes~ I understand~ I’ll stay up all night with you today. Chat, don't go to sleep either. Okay?」

Obviously many of them would go to sleep, but we, the unemployed no-lifer Pink Army Squad, wouldn't fall victim to our drowsiness!

And I was one of them.

Well, that was a bit, but there might be some of us who were really unemployed. Most of us were true fans who’d watch her until the end because of our love for her, despite having a full day tomorrow.

「Oh, you want me to talk about the exam period? Hmm... First, I’ll talk about the conclusion.」

This was one of the regrettable parts now that Luka had become my girlfriend.

The fact that I would hear stuff on the stream again that she had already told me when we talked.

When I didn’t know Doah, every single story was new, but now, about half of the zatsu was something I already knew.

「I failed~ Wow~~」

As she reported her own failure so joyfully, the chat was filled with giggling messages.

「How much do I expect the average to be? Hm... If it’s only a 3, I really need to bow to the school.」

「No! I was just really inhumanely busy!」

「Streaming, checking what the company gives me, attending group projects and quickly working on it.」

「Ah. Anyways, I still have things to do, but it isn’t as messy as before, so I’ll live.」

While talking about last-minute studying for final exams in her campus life.

[Luka-nim! Did you know Boundary is currently 18th on the music charts?]

The message flew in with a 1,000 won donation.

Luka’s light pink eyes trembled.

「Hey. Don’t lie, that’s not funny.」

While saying that, Luka-tan quickly went to look at the music chart.

The thousands of Pink Army there couldn’t help but be shocked.

Because no one could predict the music chart performance of a newly debuted virtual idol.

The site Luka went to didn’t even list the song at 18th.

[No. 11: Boundary - CLOSER]

「Wait, does this make sense?」

Luka refreshed the page several times with her mouth wide open, but the result was the same.

「No way. We’re actually 11th? Is this real? No! This can’t be… Uh…?」

The shadow of a promise slowly emerged amidst the flood of chat messages proclaiming paradise.

And the fierce onslaught from the Pink Army continued.

[h]

[o]

[r]

[r]

[o]

[r]

[g]

[a]

[m]

[e]

Luka sighed, acting as if she had a headache.

「Ah, you’re all too much.」

After finishing the first half of her stream, my girlfriend texted me.

「Can you come to the studio now by any chance?」

Well, I was already full on standby.

***

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