181 - I Unknowingly Rejected My Favorite

EP.181 #181. You Enjoyed It Too. The production of the track [I Cheer for You!] by the teacher was finalized today with the completion of its mastering. The recording of this song had proceeded exclusively online since that day with no offline sessions, and thankfully, Doa managed to fulfill her part. "Luka, you worked hard. Honestly, if you hadn't pulled it off, we would have gone with someone else." The teacher nodded approvingly after listening to the final version once more. "Of course. Luka is so talented. She's a great singer." "Hey, Taemin. But doesn't that V-tuber 'Red Pill' faze you at all?" "What about it?" "You know how there are so many stories about people falling for an online persona and then getting disillusioned when they see them in real life." I almost blurted out that she’s even cuter in real life, but managed to swallow my words. "Ah, well, nothing can stop my love for Luka." "Wow... look at you, pouring it out. It's fascinating to see someone like you into these things." "But you like them too, don't you, teacher? You seem to enjoy every type of 'Red Pill' there is." "I told you, I only like Lea. Because of her singing." "There are better singers out there." I’m sure he’s seen countless great singers. "Many are good, but only a few suit my taste. The more you work in this industry, the clearer your preferences for certain voices become." Clicking the mouse, the teacher stretched luxuriously. "So, your song is next. When should we schedule the recording?" "Shouldn't it be when you’re available, teacher?" "I'm handing it over to you and planning to take a break." "Uh...?" "You’ve seen how it’s done, right?" It felt like an arcade game master expecting me to beat the game just because I had watched him play. "If seeing it was enough, I’d already be a much more amazing person." "Don't worry. I’ll conduct the final review. You can record it however you wish without feeling my eyes on you." He wasn’t wrong. There was indeed a difference in initiative when the teacher was present. No matter what I did, I’d sneak a glance to gauge his reaction. "So if I don’t know what to do, can I still call you?" "Come on, recording is just about making the kids sing, stopping, and redoing it if necessary. Call me when it’s time to edit the sound." "...Okay." "So, when should we do it?" Given two options, I named Wednesday and Thursday. Once again, it was open only to those interested. Doa and Fumuring would probably come again, but the others were uncertain. "Alright. Once this Closer Project wraps up, let's talk about the contract. How about that?" Honestly, it wouldn't matter if it happened now. Circumstances were different from when I signed with YM. Two things had changed significantly: First, I had genuinely found something I enjoyed and wanted to excel in. Second, I had a reliable mentor to lean on. And if I had to mention another, not having to sell my face was a huge plus. I wasn't fond of being stared at by others, so if I had become a celebrity, I would’ve always needed to hide alongside Doa. "Sounds good." "Okay, I’m leaving. Planning to have drinks with the V-MAX team tonight. You wanna join?" "Who are they?" "You really don’t know anything outside of V-tubers, huh?" The teacher looked at me in disbelief. "I don’t know everything about V-tubers either." "Anyway, there’s this producer – he’s not exactly my rival, but whenever I'm mentioned, he pops up like a twin." Yeah, right. Decision made. "I’m not going." "...I'm buying." "All the more reason to save you money by not going." Given what I’d already consumed off him, it seemed like the tab here might add up to quite a bit. "Suit yourself. I’m heading out then." "Yes, goodbye~" "Lock up the office properly." "Yep." After reviewing today’s lessons alone, I closed my laptop and got up from my seat. Following a check of all the equipment and ensuring the door was locked, I pulled out my phone to call Doa. [Hello.] [Huff... Huff... Hello?] [What are you up to?] [Home training...] Lately, Doa claimed she felt she'd put on weight and decided to work out at home. To me, she was simply adorable, but I didn’t plan on discouraging her from giving her all. [Alright, I’ll hang up.] [Ahh... don’t hang up! Don’t go!] [Weren’t you working out?] [Honestly... I really want to quit, but I didn’t have an excuse...] Imagining her panting and squatting in her room made me grin. [Then just don’t do it. Why put yourself through the trouble?] [No! You don’t understand, oppa. My belly fat is crazy! It’s insane!] [Was thinking of bringing home some chicken for dinner.] No immediate response. [Should I not?] [Ugh...] She must be wringing her hair in despair. [Tell me now. If you say you won’t eat, I won’t buy it.] [Where are you getting it from?] So, she doesn’t say she’ll skip it. [Hana Chicken?] [...Then I’ll have the soy sauce flavor.] Doa’s voice came through, barely audible. Ah, she’s just too cute. It was an utterly adorable predicament. I whispered sweetly to her like a devil. [It’s a nice day; should we have a beer with it?] [Ah, no beer. Absolutely not.] [Ah... so I’ll drink alone then.] I didn’t crave alcohol, but teasing Doa was too fun. [Maybe... just a small can?] Go ahead, Kim Doa. Use me as an excuse. I was already looking forward to teasing her about her belly once she’d eaten to her heart's content. After hanging up, I headed to the local chicken joint to place a takeaway order. Half soy garlic, half spicy, just as Doa requested. Even the smell was irresistibly mouthwatering. Arriving at her front door, I knocked like a father coming home. "Doa, I'm here." As I opened the door, Kim Luca greeted me. Her hair was still damp, suggesting she had just taken a shower. "Wow, the smell of chicken." "You like the chicken more than me?" Starting to feel slightly jealous. "No way. I should get my kisses in before we eat." Playfully ignoring my words, she leaned in for a kiss. Her tiny tiptoed stance was adorably cute today as well. We set the table and unwrapped the food, before each grabbing a pair of wooden chopsticks. "Oh! I opened them unevenly." "Here, use mine." Offering mine that I hadn't used yet, Doa looked up at me with one eye winking. "Ooh~ such manners~" "All part of Doa's premium service, isn't it?" "Just try helping other girls with trivial stuff. Seriously." "I mean, you told me not to even have meals, so where would I help anyone with that?" "Don't know. It’s banned, period." Clearly hungry, Doa enthusiastically tore into a chicken drumstick. "And to think you talked about dieting..." Even though she loves eating like this. "Well, today is my once-a-week cheat day." "So, tomorrow, no delicious food?" "Right. Just salad, chicken breast, and fruit for tomorrow." Seeing her holding a thickly battered piece instead of healthy chicken breast was quite ironic. "Ah, right. Doa, the recording for your Summer Records is set for next Wednesday or Thursday. You'll get a notice soon." "Really? Is it going to be similar to last time?" "But probably without the teacher this time around." "Oh, then I'll go separately with Muring." I couldn't quite pin down the reason for Doa’s sudden change in plan. "Why? It’s fine if you come along." "When else will I get the chance to be there with just you! Don’t you want to be alone with me?" "That's not it..." "Never mind, actually. I’ll go with Lea." What a sudden change of mind. I found it hard to read Doa’s thoughts. "Why? Want to work with Lea?" "Nope. I’m just curious about what she looks like." "Oh right, you said you hadn’t seen her." "Yeah, and I’m also curious to see how good she is." Sometimes actions speak louder than words. I casually gave a thumbs-up. "She’s really impressive." "Of course she is." I expected a slight jab of jealousy, but maybe she was letting it slide today. "Do you like girls who sing well?" "It’s not bad if they do, but I prefer Luka’s voice the most." If she needed confirmation, I'd seal it firmly. Kim Doa smiled, lips stained with sauce. "Hey, wipe off that sauce before you laugh." "Ah, forget it. I’ll just drink today." Forgetting the diet, Doa gulped down beer. "Yeah, eat comfortably! Eat freely!" "You drink up too! Let's get tipsy!" Of course, we weren’t going to get wasted on a small can of beer. The next day, Doa complained non-stop that her weight gain was all my fault, whining at my side the whole time. ...But you enjoyed it too.