200 - I Unknowingly Rejected My Favorite

EP.200 #200. I Didn't Know They Were My Favorite and Broke Up. "My sister is totally head over heels for you." With a mischievous grin that suggested either accumulated stories or a simple desire to tease Doa, Muring divulged tales of that day. It wasn't the type of talk meant to upset anyone. The stories were merely about how much Doa adored or loved me. Despite telling her to stop, Doa didn't have any cards to play. She just stomped her feet and repeated, "Hzzmrg." "Thanks for the coffee~ Luka-tang~ Next time, we're meeting in my neighborhood, okay?" Today, Muring's lip piercing glittered under the café's bright lights. "I'm not going. See me separately later, okay?" "Aw, sis~ I was telling him only the stories that would earn you points, why get mad~" "Ugh~ You're driving me crazy. Get out. Just leave. Lee Gahee." Doa dragged Muring out as if demolishing a house. "Goodbye, oppa! See you again, Mini Me Brother~" ...Mini Me? The unfamiliar nickname made me chuckle as I waved my arm. "Get home safe." "Okay~!" After parting with Muring and returning home, Doa locked herself in the bedroom and didn't come out. -Tap tap tap "Doa, can I come in now?" "Yeah... come in..." As I opened the door and entered, my girlfriend greeted me with a somewhat weary face. "Why the long face after having so much fun?" "I'm having a major reality check." "Is it because of what was said about living together?" "Ahhhhh!" Mentioning what I had heard earlier, Doa let out a sound reminiscent of someone being tortured as she buried her face in a pillow. "I didn't drink... maybe I did..." Her muffled voice against the pillow sounded endearingly cute. "But everyone who's supposed to know already knows. Besides, we've been doing this for a while, so it’s not something you can hide forever." "But they tease me! It's so annoying! Did you hear how Muring talks? Every time I go to a meeting, they always have something to say!" Getting angry at me won't change anything... I felt a bit wronged since she was the one who said it. "You didn't tell Jennifer, did you? That it was me who called him oppa then?" "I don't know... I really can't remember. I drank way too much that day." "It's understandable on a day like that, but it's a bit troubling if you really can't remember." "Oh, I need to call Muring. I have to hear exactly what nonsense I uttered." With that intention, Doa declared she needed to make a call and sent me packing from the room, leaving me to wander into the living room. I opened my phone to browse a video portal site, still overwhelmed by the "Closer graduation videos" dominating my algorithm. [Closers Who Truly Had No Idea About Their Future] The scenes of members confessing by the campfire were bound to be remembered as a legendary prank. Given the backlash YM received, if their aim was noise marketing, they definitely exceeded expectations. Even news portals picked it up, while those clueless about virtual YouTubers wondered who these people were. Their comprehension of internet broadcasting was commendably high. As I watched a teary farewell video of Luka, urgent footsteps emerged from the bedroom. "Ah! Han Taemin!" Like a puffed-cheeked squirrel, she appeared. "What, did you finish the call?" "Stop watching that already!" "...No." "Come on, quit watching it. How many times have you watched it~" "I normally watch your videos at least five or six times." While she huffed audibly, she dashed towards me. The whining Doa in reality and the sobbing Luka in the virtual world blended together. It was as if the whole world revolved around Do-Do. "Uwaaaah!" Eventually, she seized my phone, pressing the end button immediately. After tossing my phone onto the sofa, Doa climbed onto my lap. "You're mean." "I know." "I'm having a hard time because I went around gushing about how much I love you. Do you want that for yourself?" "I'm struggling too because I love Luka so much." With half-closed eyes, she corrected me. "Not Luka, Doa." "Alright, I love Doa so much it's troublesome." Fixing her gaze on me, Doa pressed her lips against mine, and we shared a rather passionate kiss right there. * * * "Hello~ Mr. Mini!" "Ah, hello. Nice to meet you." "Could you please introduce yourself briefly?" Inside YM's building. In a study so ambient that it could easily be mistaken for a set, I was about to be interviewed. "Hello, I'm Mini, a new producer with Bitdam. My name is Han Taemin." Had I not acted before, talking in front of cameras like this might have been awkward. That brief stint of experience turned out useful after all. "Well, Mr. Mini! You're widely recognized as a rising star at Bitdam these days~" "Ah, it's all thanks to Team Leader Ashblock, I think. Haha." "Today, as we mentioned, we'd like to discuss the songs you've produced and your thoughts on Closer!" "Absolutely." "We've heard that you started composing because of Closer, is that true?" I nodded with a smile. "Yes, that's true. For Closer's 2.5 album, I started working solo to participate in their public project." "Wow, was that your very first time? Or were you interested before and that became the trigger?" "Not at all. I started solely because I wanted to join the Closer project." "Wow~ So your connection to them runs deeper than I thought." Indeed. These days, I'm even living under the same roof with one of the members. "You once mentioned that Luka was your favorite. Has your favorite member changed?" Excuse me, sir. Do you realize the chaos that could ensue if I changed my answer? "Nope. I'm still wholeheartedly devoted to Luka. Though I do watch the broadcasts of other members from time to time." "Wow~ It's great to see such steadfast dedication! I'm sure Luka appreciates it." After a brief exchange of personal updates, we shifted the discussion towards the preparation for the documentary. "When producing songs for a team like Closer, what do you prioritize the most?" "Hmm… I think I focus a lot on the team's color. I've tried hard not to stray too far from the direction Closer has taken thus far." "However, I've also focused on creating distinct differences from their previous album concepts, hoping to appeal even to those unfamiliar with subcultures." Answering these questions wasn't too difficult. I had received a list of questions beforehand, and they aligned well with my genuine deliberations when creating music for the team. "Thank you so much for joining us today. Lastly, is there anything you'd like to say to the members of Closer?" Gazing into the camera lens, I answered spontaneously, without having prepared a response. "I always support you all, and... please, stream for longer! Stop teasing us with two-hour sessions!" I felt that I had voiced the sentiments of many other fans as well. Upon returning home, I heard a rapid pitter-patter of footsteps approaching from the entrance. "You're back?" "Yep, I'm back." "Great work today!" Doa beamed at me with a cheerful smile, suggesting something good had happened. "What were you up to?" "I was watching hedgehog videos." "...Hedgehogs?" "Yeah, they’re super cute." "Have you eaten?" "I was waiting to eat with you." Insisting we cook with the ingredients we had at home, Doa summoned me to the kitchen after instructing me to wash my hands. "Can you chop the tofu?" "Alright." Tonight, we were having soybean paste stew and grilled mackerel. During my time living alone, I never seemed to grill fish, but having a dedicated kitchen space made it feasible now. "How was the interview?" "They just asked about how I create music, what I focus on—those sorts of things." "Really? Was it hard?" "Not really." "That's good." Doa diligently picked apart the fish with her chopsticks and placed a large chunk onto my spoon. "You should eat. Why?" "Because you worked hard. It’s a little treat." Her giggling made her look incredibly cute. After finishing our meal, we sat side by side on the sofa. In just a few hours, Doa would have to leave for her broadcast. "Oppa." Doa, who had been leaning against me and quietly watching TV, tilted her head up towards me. "Hmm?" "Thank you." "Suddenly?" I glanced at her, puzzled by the out-of-the-blue thank you. "I'm about to go back to work, and it feels like it's all thanks to you." "How is that my doing? That's thanks to your prank-loving CEO's whims." "But the CEO made such a big decision because the song you produced was a hit." Teased by my girlfriend's relentless praise, I couldn't help but smile at the compliment. "Then I should thank you too." "What are you thankful for?" I wondered... Hmm... "For coming back and being here with someone who didn’t even know you were his favorite?" "What is that supposed to mean? That's silly." Giggling, Doa gave me a peck on the cheek.