120 - I Unknowingly Rejected My Favorite

EP.120 #120. Broth I sit quietly, staring absentmindedly at my phone screen. "Hmm..." I never had this kind of hesitation when contacting Doa. We usually chatted so casually, but now that I’m trying to initiate a conversation with them, an unusual nervousness sweeps over me. Over 300 notifications already piled up. We’re all such close friends that we don’t ever really mind what each of us has to say. It’s a norm for us to focus on sharing our interests, so unless something significant happens, I usually just skim through them casually. I touch the screen with my thumb, and the first message that pops up is... [Hey, don’t you know Haruka-chan is the top these days?] As expected, once again today, they're engrossed in their own nerdy talk that only they grasp. [What are you even saying;; just last week you were all about the Bunny Princess, and now you've switched sides?] [No, no, no, really, it's for real. I'll send you a Haruka-chan clip. You gotta watch it.] What's so special about Haruka-chan anyway, you nerds? To non-otakus, anyone who just likes a bit of manga or anime might be conveniently grouped under “otaku,” but I think this term is quite encompassing. An anime fan watches every seasonal anime. V-Tuber fans, like me, clip highlights and stick to streams all day long. Game enthusiasts don’t even waste time with chats, just relentlessly indulge in games. [Hey guys.] It's been a while since I typed in chat, so it captures their attention. [Oh. What’s up. Han Tae-min? Long time no see?] [Taemin-kun, why didn’t you ask to meet during winter break?] [I’m actually glad not seeing you.] Even without stating my purpose, just seeing them laughing among themselves made me reluctant to speak directly. Ah, damn it. Should I really show them? It could feel like I’m shooting myself in the foot, but I shook my head, recalling Doa’s face. Yeah. Doa's curious, after all. Plus, if I ever become famous and my face becomes recognizable, I might miss out on experiences like this. [Let's meet up since it's break.] It’s rare for me to be the one suggesting a meet-up, so even as I said it, I was overcome with awkward feelings. [...What’s wrong with you? Why the sudden change?] Hey, isn’t it obvious I’m doing this reluctantly? The lack of genuine warmth and the rising annoyance among the guys was palpable, but now was a time for me to be patient. [My girlfriend wants to meet you all.] Screw it. I figured it was better to dive headfirst rather than beating around the bush, so I just laid out the conclusion. A flood of question marks and bizarrely shaped emojis. [You’re dating?] [Well. It happens.] [Why didn’t you tell us?] Because I knew you’d react like this, obviously! They displayed hostility like indigenous warriors brandishing spears, but it's not like I enjoyed informing them. [...Is it someone we know?] [Nope. She’s a junior from my university.] [But didn't you say stupid stuff like Luka-tan was your girlfriend and you’d marry her? What’s up with the sudden change?] Ah. Luka-tan, my girlfriend. You've gotta be kidding me. I was itching to let my fingers type the truth, but that wouldn’t end well. [Aww... Poor Luka-tan... But it’s okay. I’ll cherish her?] Kyu-ho’s words gave me chills down my spine. [As long as I can make Luka-tan happy after ditching traitor Han Tae-min, it’s all good. Lol.] Patience. I must be patient. Gathering my resolve, I bravely typed in the chat. [So, are we meeting or not?] If they said no, I wouldn't have to endure this madness. [What should we do, everyone? I’m checking my schedule.] [Me too.] [I’m honestly curious about Han Tae-min's girlfriend, so I might just go.] Most of them seemed to consider it positively. [Wow... But Han Tae-min, is it okay if we tell your girlfriend you said 3D sucks?] [Don't do it.] Another reason I feared introducing my friends... Is that they know my more shadowy side too well. I always thought true close friends were those you could say anything to without hiding, laughing freely together. Up until I met Doa, I frequently posted words I couldn’t easily say aloud in our group chat. [Showing a Luka-tan pic would be hilarious.] Don't. The poor kid might die of embarrassment. [Aww. But Luka’s been really amusing lately.] [I haven't watched Closers lately. Domestic stuff is boring.] There it is. In the world of fandom, there always appear those elitist bastards. [Lolololol isn’t it basically an original rip-off anyway? Oh, I’ll show you a few clips. You’ll love it, trust me?] As the vibe shifted towards criticizing Luka, my annoyance soared. [What are you on about? The original doesn’t even have half the popularity of Closers. Just look at the average viewers and video stats.] [Hey! Go focus on your girlfriend, the betrayer Han Tae-min~, why bother with V-Tubers~] No! I’m telling you, my girlfriend is a V-Tuber! Realizing it might be less painful to just set the date, I replied. [Alright. How about meeting at Subway Station Exit 9 this weekend. Okay?] [Okay~ okay~ okay~] All that was left was talking sweetly to Doa... [Hey, Tae-min.] [?] [Is your girlfriend pretty?] Ah. There it was. This question hadn’t come up yet. The universal question that pops up in every guys' group chat. It’s surprising it hadn’t been asked until now. [Yeah, she is.] If she’s pretty in my eyes, then that’s what matters. [Oh. Let's see a photo.] Should I or shouldn’t I? Thinking there was no point in sharing online when we’d meet soon anyway, I considered not showing it but decided everyone would see her this weekend... Briefly uploaded a picture of Doa and me in the group chat, planning to delete it right after, but they were all on standby, and everyone managed to see it in a flash. [Tsk... A shame. I think you’re the catch.] [Agreed. You win in the looks department.] [Lolololol watched so much V-Tuber stuff, I thought you’d have higher standards.] "Ugh, these guys have never even had a girlfriend." Ah. The group chat fell into a frozen silence, with no new messages appearing. * * * "Ah! Why did you show them that picture?!" I was excited to meet his friends, but my brother's blunder was hard to forgive. "Well, you seemed to like that photo." "The reason I like it is because... I happened to look natural in it! You should’ve shown them one where I look better!" What were his friends going to think of me? "That photo was when I wasn't even wearing makeup." "...Sorry." In order to clear up this misunderstanding, I had no other choice but to dress perfectly and look my best. I wanted to be someone that matched well with my brother, someone not to be embarrassed about, so my motivation was at an all-time high. "Oppa, I'm going to show you some outfits now. Help me decide what to wear." Opening my wardrobe, I started pulling out pieces I'd been deliberating on. "How about this one?" "It's pretty." "And this one?" I tried gauging his reaction, but he kept parroting how everything was pretty. While it was nice to hear, it wasn't helpful at all. "Ugh... could you answer a bit more sincerely? I’m being serious." "But really, Doa." With a genuinely serious tone, he looked into my eyes. "What?" "I honestly think you don't need to dress up so much." "Why not?" Isn’t it natural to make an effort, especially when meeting someone for the first time? There's a reason people say first impressions are important. "Those guys won’t be dressing properly anyway." "...Huh?" What did he mean by them not dressing properly? I tilted my head in confusion, prompting him to awkwardly explain further. "I mean... well... they're not really into fashion." Not into fashion? Well, even looking at Oppa, he wasn't particularly fashion-conscious, so I guess it made sense. "Still, first impressions are impor—" "No, they don't care about their first impression. You don’t have to stress over it." His firm tone was rare, and I nodded slowly. "Uh... so, what are your friends interested in then?" Knowing their interests in advance seemed crucial to create a less awkward atmosphere, especially since I wasn't a great conversationalist. If necessary, a little preparation couldn’t hurt. Though I was most curious about Oppa’s school days, knowing other topics could help me join in on their conversations. "...V-Tubers." Did I hear that correctly? Their interest is V-Tubers…? I frowned, asking him to repeat it, and he brushed his hair back, patiently enunciating it again. "They're really into V-Tubers." The saying that birds of a feather flock together had never felt so alarming. A cold sweat trickled down my spine.