194 - I Unknowingly Rejected My Favorite

**EP.194 #194. The Long-Awaited Third Album** There were two main elements that fueled the explosive anticipation for the third album. First, Closers' fans were intensely fixated on the word "last." In any context, the word "last" naturally carried impact, and with the fanbase being the largest it had ever been, the expectations for Closers' final album were sky-high. Second, the fact that our company, Bitdam, was handling the production significantly heightened expectations. Both I and my teacher had already received considerable praise for our previous collaborative album. While very few knew that RKRO was operating under the name "Bitdam," many people placed their trust in our team as if we were some sort of revered entity. Finally, the release day was upon us. The first unveiling was scheduled for 8 PM tomorrow, but I seemed to be far more nervous than Doa. "Oppa, will you stop scrolling through the communities?" Standing behind me in pajamas, holding a mug, was Doa. Taking a keen glance at her, I promptly clicked the mouse to close the window I was viewing. "Ah, I'm going crazy." "You did well. What's there to fret over?" "Ugh... I don't know anymore." There wasn't anything I could do at this point. We had already completed everything and handed it over. Alterations weren't possible now. Doa put her cup down and wrapped me in a tight hug. "It's going to be a hit. For sure." "It has to be." "Come on, let's grab a meal together." I was slowly getting used to the meals Doa prepared. "Today's menu is~ drumroll~" Doa, playfully patting her belly like a drum, presented the dish. "Kimchi fried rice!" "…Wasn't it kimchi fried rice yesterday too?" "I had some leftover ham and leek, so I made it again." "Is that right?" I wasn't in a position to complain about the menu. "Oh, oppa." "Yeah?" "You need to compare the taste with yesterday's, alright?" "What's different?" "The video I watched was different. This one's from some 'dark recipe' or something. I followed that." It did look a bit redder than what we had yesterday. Doa wasn't particularly gifted at cooking, but she enjoyed watching videos and recreating dishes. Since she usually followed recipes, the failure rate was low, but occasionally there were mishaps. "…How is it?" "It's good." Starting with "it's good" is always a safe bet. The actual taste didn't really matter much. "Compared to yesterday? Does this taste better?" "Yesterday's felt more homemade… Today’s feels more like something you'd buy outside." "Oh… I see." Doa nodded in agreement as she took a big spoonful of the fried rice. "This one has a bit of MSG in it." "That explains the familiarity." "As long as it tastes good, that’s all that matters." For dessert, we each indulged in ice cream we had bought from the store the day before while turning on the TV. Usually, if we weren't seriously watching a movie or drama, we'd absent-mindedly turn on the news. Coincidentally, the TV was reporting on the metaverse. The VR world screens that Doa often presented on broadcasts were being shown. [Building relationships through the internet is now commonplace.] [The fascinating part is that these interactions are becoming increasingly realistic as technology advances.] [While past communications relied on text-based chatting, now we have avatars that convey voice and even facial expressions.] [The demand for online spaces will increasingly overtake physical spaces.] Doa, blinking slowly beside me, was deep in thought. "What are you thinking?" I asked someone who was at the forefront of that industry. "I'm wondering if the next generation won’t even need to make friends at school." "Come on, they still need to." "But if things advance to full-dive VR, they might not need to. They could just sit back with a stunning avatar." "I read somewhere that full-dive technology is still a long way off." "Who knows? Ten years ago, no one predicted the rise of virtual YouTubers like we have now." She had a point. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have predicted I'd be a superfan prone to spirals over digital idols. While I could believe I'd be an otaku passionate about fandoms, young Taemin wouldn't have believed I'd fall in love with a virtual idol. "Then, if one day…" The IF scenarios always felt unrealistic. "Assuming we have a child who becomes a teenager." "Yes." "And they get a girlfriend in that virtual world." Already, Doa's expression was turning sour. "So?" "They end up spending 10 hours a day with a headset on, not leaving their room." Even speaking it felt uneasy. "What would you do?" Doa, slowly arching her eyebrows, muttered succinctly. "As long as it's not a guy…" You're quite open-minded, Kim Doa. * * * I often thought that watching Closers-related events with Doa would be incredibly moving. However, just as an audience can’t be on stage with the actors, Doa, being both a streamer and viewer, had to maintain a distance during significant moments. Thus, finding myself working overtime, I trudged up the stairs carrying the beer my teacher requested. "I'm back." "Hey! Hurry up! It's about to start!" Initially, the setup with the beam projector felt odd, but having spent quite a bit of time here, I was getting accustomed to it. "What do you predict on the charts?" We had music charts, much like sales targets for salespeople and scores for students. For someone like the teacher, who had hit number one multiple times before, there would be a clear goal. "That's the idols' results, not mine." "But when you're pitching, you use your own credentials," I teased. "If it’s a hit, I'll just try to ride the wave," the teacher replied with a smirk. As I sat down and popped open a can of beer, the screen turned black, much like the lights dimming in a theater before the movie starts. Two seconds later, the calligraphy of YM Entertainment appeared on the screen. Both the teacher and I held our breath, our eyes glued to the screen. -Ding, ding, ding The animation style wasn't overly cutesy. It featured watercolor tones with images of railways and traffic signals. "Wow..." The song boasted an infectious melody—ideal for an anime movie ending OST. Although it seemed a bit unexpected, the high quality of the production was undeniable, so I watched in silence. In fact, saying it was merely high quality seemed an understatement. Especially during the chorus, where colors bled into each other on screen, the spectacle left both the teacher and me speechless and wide-eyed. How on earth... was something like that even made? The song breezed by in three minutes, leaving a cacophony of praise filling the chat box in multiple languages. Although Koreans dominated, there was also a significant amount of English, and another language I couldn't quite identify… Spanish, perhaps? The idea of someone from opposite ends of the earth, like in Spain, watching a K-Vtuber was strangely exhilarating. [Hello everyone!] After the song ended, the screen showed a group shot from the music video’s final scene, with vibrant fireworks blooming above their heads. There she was, our Doa, bending slightly forward while making a V-sign with her fingers. Usually, they'd appear as avatars for such occasions, but today seemed different—no avatars. Starting with Jennifer, other members began greeting the viewers one by one. [Hi everyone!] [Luharuha~ How's everyone doing?] [How did you like it?] On this rare occasion, Closers was hosting a radio-style broadcast. With just an illustration on display and only their voices heard, it left a lasting impression. The song’s introduction followed. First up was a mention of Bitdam. [Ash Block led the project with the help of many talented producers!] [That's right! Our very own Mini from Summer Records participated too!] Wait a minute. Kim Doa, why bring me up? "Wow, Taemin, you’ve truly made it big as a fan." The teacher chuckled, raising his beer can for a toast, which I returned with a smile. "Indeed. But wasn’t the music video just mind-blowing?" "Certainly. I expected another 3D modeling, but they brought forth pure art." Art, indeed. That seemed a better fit. If this wasn’t art, then what was? [Huge thanks to all the producers, and endless gratitude goes to our art team. How did they make it so beautiful...] On the first day of release, our track managed to climb to a stunning sixth place on the charts, surpassing several famous idol groups.