191 - I Unknowingly Rejected My Favorite

EP.191 #191. Continuing Forward Doh Ah was in high spirits, lounging on the sofa with a constant grin on her face. "Why are you so happy?" "Aren't you happy, oppa?" "Well, it's not that I'm not happy, but you're kind of scaring me. Constantly smiling like that." "Eeeeek!" She sprang from her seat and dashed into my arms, hugging me tightly. "This is our place now. It's strange that you’re so indifferent, oppa." “No, really, I’m happy too. When did I ever say I wasn’t?” "In all the times you said you weren’t happy." She was clearly being sarcastic, but despite my frown, she stuck out her tongue playfully, unbothered. The new place had a bedroom and an office with a computer. It wasn’t large by any means, and with two desks, the room felt packed, but Doh Ah said she liked it that way because it brought us closer together. If I put a keyboard over there, it’ll be really crammed. But creating a work-friendly environment at home would surely be beneficial in the future. “You said you started making a song?” “It's still in the planning stages, but yeah.” “When will it be ready?” "It's whenever your company gives the okay. When do you think?" I could whip up something rough in just two days, but refining it would take much longer. Especially for projects of this scale, the requirements tend to be quite demanding. “Then let me hear what you've got so far.” “Wanna hear it?” “Yeah, I'm curious.” As I sat in the computer chair and powered up the device, Doh Ah placed her palm on my head and rested her chin on it. “I haven’t even shown this to our instructor yet.” “Okay.” “There are two pieces. Listen and tell me which you think is better: number one or two.” “Got it.” It was the last song for their group, and I wanted it to be a song Doh Ah truly liked. For me, all initial melody work was done on the piano, so this version consisted of piano and simple drum sounds inserted into the computer. "This is number one?" The music started to fill the air as I clicked the mouse. One thing I've realized in this line of work is how nerve-wracking it is to share music for the first time. It's particularly more unnerving to reveal it to laymen like Doh Ah than to teachers or experts, mainly because they rarely offer solutions to any criticisms. “I like it,” she said as she listened. “And more specifically?” “Let's listen to the second one first before I say anything.” I didn’t mind hearing her thoughts later since I intended for her to hear both. “Alright, this is number two.” As I swallowed nervously, lively piano chords began to play. The first piece was reminiscent of an anime soundtrack, while the second had a catchy chorus designed to be more addictive. I thought both would suit their group well, though the second one seemed more apt for a popular pick. “I choose number two!” Doh Ah declared the winner loudly as soon as the music ended. “Really? You definitely liked number two better?” “Isn’t it the kind of song that’s perfect for doing challenges these days?” Although blunt, I was thrilled that Doh Ah understood my intention. “Exactly. You’re spot on.” “If we add some cute dance moves to this, don’t you think it’d be adorable?” “But it’s not like you’ll be dancing yourself, right?” I knew they recorded their dance movements through motion capture. “Oppa, when we do things in VR, we practice them too, you know? Did you know they even send us videos teaching the moves?” “For real?” “Oh, I guess I never mentioned it. They send us point dance tutorials, and they even offer video classes if we want.” “Are there people who’ve done that?” “Mulini and Nipper unni did.” ...Impressive. “Why didn’t you?” “Luca can't dance well enough for that.” Luca replied in her typical straightforward manner. “Was it just too much effort?" I teased with a whisper, which earned me a playful smack on the back. “No way! It’s not too much trouble! And it’s because I already know how to do it all.” “Really?” “Oppa, you have so little faith. Come on, let me show you.” Grabbing my hand, Doh Ah led me to the living room and sat me on the couch as she prepared to stand in front of the TV. “How much are you paying for this performance?” “Paying?” “This Walkcrew idol Luca is about to do a private dance just for you, oppa. Aren’t you going to pay to watch?” Letting out a half-hearted laugh, I conceded with a smile. "Name your price, then." “One billion won.” “I don’t have that kind of money. And if anyone can make a billion fast, it’s you.” I thought it wouldn’t be unachievable if she continued with Closer. “Psh, not really. Anyway, I’ll do it, but there's a condition.” “What is it?” “There’s going to be choreography for the song in the third album too, right?” “I suppose there will be.” “You have to dance it in front of me.” “You want me to dance?” “Yep.” Although Doh Ah mentioned she wasn’t great at it, I was undoubtedly worse. “You just want to see me flounder like a squid, don’t you?” “Where is there a more good-looking squid than you, oppa?” “You mean my arms and legs look floppy.” “Exactly. I wanna see you try. Deal?" Feeling like I was getting the short end of the stick but also eager to watch her adorable dance, I hooked pinkies with her to agree. Her petite finger curled around mine. “Okay, then here we go~ Music, please!” She asked me to play the music on my phone, and Doh Ah began to sway her body to their debut song, "Boundary," moving gracefully before me. “Waiting for you~ Hoo!” Honestly, I expected Doh Ah to just perform the highlight part and move on, but she surprised me by remembering the entire choreography from start to finish. “When did you practice all that?” “Before doing a solo broadcast at the studio?” “So you played the choreography video there?” “Exactly.” Imagining Doh Ah practicing diligently in the studio always amused me. “You must've practiced a lot. How did you memorize everything?” Her moves weren’t as fluid as a professional dancer's, but the fact that she executed the entire sequence without a hitch was impressive. “It’s basic idol training. Plus, oppa, you know I sometimes show these during full-length broadcasts.” The fans would absolutely love it. Even if there was no pressing need to practice, nobody would dislike seeing Luca express her affection for her songs. Many even clipped her performances during live streams. “Now that you've seen it, you should dance and upload it to Shorts later!” “Upload it where, you little…” With this added to my plate, I took Doh Ah’s cheeks and gently pinched them. “Heehee, handsome guys dancing gain popularity!” “No thank you.” Any fame from my short-lived acting days was already fading away, and I had no intention of reigniting it myself. “Ugh... Then I’ll just take a photo and keep it to myself.” “Sure, keep it private.” Rubbing her sore cheeks, Doh Ah replied, “Alright, I think it’s time for a nap.” Watching her impromptu performance lifted my spirits, and the thought of a cozy nap on our new, spacious bed sounded delightful. “Why aren’t you taking me with you?” “You can come too, Doh Ah.” “So now that we’re living together, I’m a fish you’ve caught, huh?” When did I ever say something like that? Despite her teasing, Doh Ah happily followed me, and we lay side by side on the soft pillows. With her finger, she gently poked my cheek. I playfully pretended to bite her finger, like a mischievous puppy. “Eww, my hands aren’t clean. Don’t do it.” “It’s fine. You've been home all day.” “I touched the computer, so they’re dirty.” She only cared about hygiene in situations like this. “Oh, I hope my song ends up on the third album.” “I hope so too. You’re the best at making songs there, oppa.” “You could get in trouble for saying that outside. There are a lot of famous producers at Bitdam.” “No matter what, I believe oppa will be the best.” Her pure encouragement warmed my heart. “To support you, Luca, I need to work hard. I’ll be jobless soon.” “Hey! I told you, I’m continuing as a streamer!” Whether she remains a streamer or not, it didn’t really matter to me.