157 - I Unknowingly Rejected My Favorite

EP.157 #157. It'll Be Alright. After taking Clover unni to the hotel, I decided to drink a little more with her at her accommodation. It was my suggestion. Because if I left unni alone now... "Ruka, it's really fine if you go." Unni, swaying with bleary eyes. "No, no. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep. Or should I just sleep over too?" "That’s not necessary..." Saying that made it impossible for me to leave. We entered with plenty of soju, disposable items, and simple snacks and began our own second round. "I don’t think I can bear losing that person... What should I do...?" Whether it was the alcohol or Taemin oppa leaving. Rover unni opened up more honestly to me. "I... I... still really love him." Unni, bowing her head, tears trickling down. I hugged her and gently stroked her head. "...Unni, did you know?" "Know what?" "It's a bit random, but should I tell you about my boyfriend?" "Taemin’s story?" I felt like it might be okay to share it now. "My boyfriend. You don’t know who he is, right?" "We met today, so how would I know?" “I did mention him briefly in my broadcasts, but I guess you haven't seen them." Unni responded by sniffing her nose. "My boyfriend. Although it was brief... he worked as an actor." "Really?" "Yeah. There’s footage online too. He was even with our company." "An actor from YM? He must have been popular. He really is handsome." Hard to answer. "Well... if he had continued, he might have done well?" "Wait, so he’s not doing it anymore?" I started to share our stories from not too long ago, even the reason behind our secret meetings. "Wow! You almost blew the cover for Closer then?" Unni's reddened eyes widened as I told her everything up to the end. "Eh. But I have faith the company wouldn't have kicked me out." Though confident, I was indeed nervous. "Wow. You didn’t tell us about such a major thing?" "How could I... especially since Nipper unni would have killed me?" It wasn’t a joke. Even during the 'oppa' and 'dad' incident, I got an earful, so if this story reached her ears, she might blend me in a mixer. “Still, that’s cool, Doa. But I don’t think I can do that." Unni closed her eyes in resignation. "Because our problem." Her lips trembled. "Won’t disappear unless I quit being a Closer." "I wish it was a problem the company could fix, so I could whine like you..." I couldn’t bring myself to say to quit being a Closer immediately, so I groaned and blurted whatever solutions came to mind. "No, that oppa! Does he know how much you earn? Did you show him our settlement?" "Yeah, I did." "I don’t know exactly how much a teacher earns, but surely it’s more than regular office workers. And he’s still against it?" Rover unni chuckled and playfully ruffled my hair. “Ruka-tang, you’re such a kid." “No, I’m not! Why am I a kid!" "You’ll understand as time goes by." She, who was squatting, got up and brought my coat to me. "Time to head home. I feel much better, thanks to you." "Really?" "Yeah. Thanks, Ruka-tang." "I can really stay over, though." Unni shook her head strongly. "Your boyfriend is waiting. I’d feel bad keeping you from Taemin." "Sigh..." Standing at the entrance, I hugged unni once more. “Goodnight, unni." “Take care going home, Ruka." "If you want to call me while you’re in Seoul, do so anytime!" Unni nodded with a very tender expression. "Then I'll go? Call if you need anything?" As the door closed, I slowly walked to the elevator, waving back at Seo-jeong unni who kept waving until the last moment. I need to call oppa... Maybe because I was suddenly alone, I felt the tension releasing all at once. Even though I was drowsy, my fingers resolutely moved to keep my promise with oppa. [Hello?] [Uh... It's oppa...] Just hearing his voice makes me this happy. How can someone ever part from someone like this? [What's this? Are you only coming home now?] His worried words felt incredibly warm. I made one more playful twist to my words and acted cute. [I'm at the hotel... Doa is drunk...] [Oh. Tell me the address. I’ll just take a taxi and come now.] [A taxiii...? It's expensiveee...] [Well, how else would I come? We don’t have a car.] Since I was going to tell him anyway, I obediently sent the address. [Stay alert and wait. I'll be there soon.] [Okay...] Even after the call ended, I stared blankly at my phone. Clover unni must have had times like ours too. Times when just seeing each other brought happiness. ...It’s scary. This V-Tuber life. Will it become a wall that separates us one day? As time passes, oppa will prepare for his career... As we become adults... Will he wish I never did this... While fidgeting my fingers and tormenting the innocent sofa sheet, a welcome voice came from afar. "Kim Doa!" "Oh? Rukario~" I waved enthusiastically at my handsome boyfriend. "Hey, why did you drink so much?" "You ask why I drank a lot... Unni was sad... so I drank with her..." "Hmm... Is your stomach alright or do you have a headache?" "Nope... None...! An idol doesn’t collapse from this...!" "...Seriously." His large arms lifted me up effortlessly, as if I were a doll in a claw machine. "I can walk, you know." "I'm just trying to hurry since the taxi driver is waiting outside." "Sigh." Dragged out, I was practically loaded into the taxi, and we sat side by side, heading home. "I'm sleepy..." Though the backseat was spacious, I leaned against oppa’s shoulder for comfort. Today, I felt like I needed a lot of oppa’s affection. "Let’s get you to bed once we're home." Oppa gently stroked my head, soothing me. His warm touch felt so reassuring that I tugged his hand to touch my cheek. "...Oppa." "Yeah?" "Do you think Rover unni will get back together with her boyfriend?" Oppa was silent for a moment, then sighed briefly. "I hope so." "Unni still seems to really love him." "Well, they’ve been together a long time. It's understandable." "I hope we last a long time too..." I whispered my wish, and oppa grabbed my cheek and stretched it playfully. "Why say something like that so sadly?" "It’s just... drinking with unni made me feel melancholic too..." If I said anymore, I felt like I might burst into tears, so I buried myself into his embrace. It was all the alcohol’s fault. Losing control of my emotions wasn’t a pleasant feeling. "Here's my card." Once we reached home, oppa paid the fare and helped me inside. "Ah... Doa, let's lie down now." "Mm..." The soft touch of the bed felt extremely comforting. Good things should be shared. I reached out and lifted the blanket up to the sky. "Oppa! Where are you going?" "Me? I need to head home." "This is your home, where are you going!" I wasn’t fully aware of what I was saying, but one thing was clear. I didn’t want oppa to leave. "Oppa... You're leaving because I'm a V-Tuber, right!" "No! When did I ever complain about that?" He laughed awkwardly and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning over. "I like that you’re a V-Tuber, Doa." "...Really?" "Yeah. Truly. I was a fan from the beginning, remember? Even before we knew each other." Right... Oppa... You were always a die-hard fan... "But are you okay with it? You’ve been drinking, so maybe it’s best to just rest." Instead of answering, I grabbed his wrist and tugged him towards me with all my might. "What? When did you get this strong?" "I can be even stronger." Oppa leaned over me awkwardly and gave a soft chuckle. "Doa." "Yeah?" "Wanna kiss?" ...He doesn’t usually ask and does it now, of all times. "...I have alcohol breath." "So you don’t want to?" Ugh. Why is he asking all these questions? Feeling teased, I decided to pounce and planted a headbutt-like kiss on his lips. The warm breaths were a vivid reminder of his presence beside me. "...Doa." As our lips parted, a thread of moonlit saliva connected us, shimmering in the dim light. "...Yeah." "...We’ll be alright." Though he didn’t specify what would be alright, those words reassured me greatly, and slowly. In his embrace, I closed my eyes.