187 - I Unknowingly Rejected My Favorite

**EP.187 #187. I Want to See You Every Day** “...Living together?” “You said... you wanted to move in together.” “That’s right.” “Isn’t that another way of saying you want to live together?” “...I was planning to move next door. You know... the bigger house next to yours…” Doa, blinking with a confused expression, promptly kicked my shin with all her might. “Ouch!” “Hey! Who talks like that! Seriously!” “I mean, isn’t it true? Did I really say it weird?” “Yes! It’s weird! Extremely! Very! Absolutely! Really!” Well, living together... It wasn’t something I’d considered before. Would things change significantly if we lived together? We already often stayed over at each other’s places and fell asleep. I frequently went to Doa’s place after work, and there were days on weekends when we’d just hang around watching movies in her room. “...Do you want to live together?” Her reaction didn’t seem like she was against the idea. “I don’t know. I’ll just eat all the meat by myself.” Doa, sulking, stuck her chopsticks deep into the pot and pulled out a heap of meat. “Hehe...” Since I had already warned her playfully, I could only chuckle awkwardly like an old man. She won’t be able to finish all of that, yet she’s still sulking. “Just make sure to live next door even if you get married later, okay?” “Aw, come on, Doa. Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound misleading.” “I even said I’d cover the deposit...!” Doa was so upset that she started tapping her forehead with her fist. “Then, if I really suggest we move, would you come?” I asked her sincerely. Moving was inevitable. If I was hindering her comfortable living, I was always willing to relocate. “...Yeah.” She nodded her head with a slight pout. “...I want to see you every day.” Her slightly red cheeks proved her honesty. Saying she wanted to see me. It wasn’t even that grand a statement. Why did it seem insanely cute? My rattled brain showed no signs of mending. “I want to see you every day, too.” “...Really?” “That’s why I visit you all the time and always watch your streams.” Anyway, since we were talking about moving, we had to reach a conclusion about it. “Let’s think about moving a bit more. We don’t even know if there’s a suitable place in the area.” “So, you’re seriously considering living together...?” “If everything fits well?” Doa’s lips curved into a bright smile, as if she never pouted at all. “I’m so happy. I’ll cook for you every day.” “You don’t have to. There’s no need for that.” “No, no, no, no, no. I want to do it. Don’t try to stop me.” It seemed inevitable that I was looking forward to living together with my adorable girlfriend. * * * [Finally! The day we can reveal it to everyone is here~ Yay~] I hadn’t left work until late. Because today was like a festival for us. I placed a bag of popcorn on the table after popping it in the microwave. “Teacher.” “Yes?” “Don’t you ever chat when you watch streams?” Why on earth are we watching an internet stream on a projector? “I’m satisfied just watching.” “Really.” “Why? Are you the type to send emojis and join in like a kid?” ...Sure, people can chat if they want to. Why say it like that? Having been so used to a computer monitor, adjusting to such a large screen was strange. “I used to overdo it a bit.” “Why get all worked up? Just enjoy it.” What am I supposed to do when I feel compelled to donate because I like them so much? The teacher seemed to like Leah a lot but seemed to be the type to enjoy her in solitude. Fandoms often have different types: those who actively participate in events and chat passionately, and others who nurture a deep internal connection quietly. I was the former. The teacher was the latter. Today, I decided to watch the stream solemnly rather than chat. Jennifer, with her blonde hair, raised her hand high. [Everyone! When we count to three, we’ll reveal the ‘I Support You’ music video!] The fans joined in her cue, counting along. As Jennifer’s shout faded with an echo, the screen blacked out. “Hey, hey. It’s starting.” The teacher next to me was so excited, grinning from ear to ear. Ahh... I’m jealous... It's not like the excitement would drive me insane, but it was still galling that only the teacher’s song got a music video. I’ll make sure to succeed and request a music video too. Hmph. This music video’s concept seemed to reflect everyday life. During the group dance parts, they wore uniform costumes, but in other segments, they wore casual clothes for individual shots. My favorite, Luka, wore a white coat, seemingly in a pharmacist concept, and the teacher’s favorite, Leah, appeared as a musical actress. Ohh... That seems to mirror reality a bit. By the time I snapped back to reality, the song had ended, and the chat was filled with reactions of amazement and awe. [How did you all find it? Everyone!] The screen closed in on Luka for a solo shot. The Closer members had all transformed into their signature outfits they'd worn. Luka, with her white coat fluttering, waved at us with a bright smile. [Luka was kind of cute, right?] Ahh. It’s so good. While tears streamed internally, the teacher, seeing my face, burst into laughter. “Hey, Taemin. What are you doing? Ah, what’s with that expression?” “No, why? Is it weird?” “It’s amazing how you make such a pervy face with that handsome look.” Ah, forget it. What’s wrong with enjoying it? I wasn’t pretending to be an average person; there was no reason to suppress my smile. "Sensei, when Leah's interview comes up later, I'll take a picture of your face, okay?" "Hey, don't worry about me. I'm already used to being unphotogenic." "Oh, come on. That's not true. You should share in the experience, too." As he took another sip of beer, he practically popped his eyes out when Leah's segment came up. [Thank you so much, Ash Block Sensei, for creating such an amazing song!] "Did you see that? Leah said thank you to me!" Who was really the fan here, I wondered. The teacher must have thought of me as somewhat of a subordinate, because he asked me to clip it and send it to him. While I was tempted to retort with something about how Gen Z doesn’t work outside of office hours, I owed him enough gratitude to agree good-naturedly. [Shall we move on to listening to the rest of the tracks now—woohoo!] As Humoring finished her music video review interview, it was finally time to showcase the other songs. Ugh... I really hope people like my song... Most of those watching live were dedicated fans, so I wasn’t too worried about negative comments. Still, the anxiety lingered. If anyone commented, ‘It’s not as good as I expected,’ my confidence might take a hit. [Ah! May I introduce this track?] Finally, it was time for Summer Records. Luka casually raised her hand. [Since this song was created by a fan of mine, I think it’s only right that I introduce it!] Achieving fan success. Taemin Han. Now peacefully at rest. I felt ready to close my eyes permanently with no regrets. [This track, by composer RKRO, evokes the essence of summer with its lively melody and refreshing lyrics! Let’s all listen to it together!] As the track played, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the chat. As emojis of pink lightsabers swung by the fans filled the chat, my heart thumped loudly, though not jittery. [Unforgettable memories of that summer.] The song concluded with Luka's enchanting vocals on the final note, followed by another round of enthusiastic cheers. [What do you think? Isn’t it good, everyone?] Clover took over the hosting. [Summer Records was quite a favorite among our members too. Please shower it with lots of love!] With a fixed schedule, my segment swiftly passed, leaving me basking in the afterglow, slumped into my chair. "Hey, our part is over. Should we stop watching?" My teacher reached for the remote, but I shook my head. "No, I’m planning to watch it all through right here." "You’ll be late. Are you sure you’re okay with that?" "I’ll just take a taxi home." At the moment, I just wanted to savor the high of having my song appreciated worldwide. Though the live stream was planned for two parts, the teacher decided to leave after the first part where the songs were revealed. Left alone in the studio, I watched and enjoyed the entire second part featuring game collaborations. Watching such a large screen definitely doubled the emotional impact. Maybe I should suggest getting a projector after we move. The live collaboration didn’t end until midnight. By then, catching the last subway seemed nearly impossible. I decided to look for convenience over urgency and opted for a taxi back home. -Wheeeeeee- While staring at my song and album cover uploaded on the music sites, I opened Doa’s message. [Summer Records is the best!] It was a cute photo of a thumbs-up next to a tablet, displaying my song.