chapter 16
16 – I’m That Childhood Friend
My strength is that I don’t get embarrassed about most things and act naturally.
Thanks to you, when I was young, the adults around me were curious and wondered why a child was behaving like an old child, but……
Getting attention from strangers.
As an introvert by nature, even now, when I receive unexpected attention, I am at a loss for words, like an AI chatbot whose algorithm failed.
“I really recognize it… ?”
I look back at the intersection I can’t even see anymore and take a deep breath.
Honestly, I thought the whole time I was filming the vlog that at least one person might recognize my face.
If Ever’s vlog is popular, it will not only be in the top 10 in Ingeupdong, but it will also get 2 million views.
Isn’t it natural since Ever’s YouTube subscribers are close to 100 million to begin with?
“Who would have thought that we would recognize it in less than a day?”
I always joked that the whole world was Ever, but really, the whole world was Ever and Forever.
Bong Joon-ho, Son Heung-min, BTS, Ever Let’s Go.
“… Oh, let’s go.”
Raise your upper body and look at your surroundings.
I think it is reasonable to eat dinner at this time and not eat snacks before eating, but I was so shocked that I lost all energy.
Go straight into the convenience store right in front of you.
Convenience store ice cream that I normally wouldn’t have even bothered to look at, but today it makes my mouth water so much that I pay a high price to buy it.
Ha, I sit down on the chair placed outside and let out a sigh.
I’m so exhausted, my legs are shaking and tearing open the wrapping paper is a struggle.
“… Okay. “This will last a few weeks at most.”
I only recognized one person, but he disappeared.
Suddenly, when I went back to school, I was scooping up ice cream with the included wooden spoon while dizzyingly imagining what I would do when the four months passed.
“———Oh! Chaewon’s childhood friend?!”
A muscular high school boy who looks at me and opens his eyes wide.
He was so shocked that the tall friend next to him spewed his drink onto the floor.
“… Ah.”
I was so surprised that I dropped the whole ice cream.
Ah. My Häagen-Dazs. My 5,900 won.
“Brother. Are you really Chaewon’s childhood friend?!”
He has a face value that looks like he has been in the reserve force for 5 years, a sturdy body that looks like he could easily win 3 to 500, and a powerful voice.
However, the high school boy, who is wearing a school uniform and wearing a cute bag with a key ring from Ever Goods, is clearly the Forever guy, and his eyes are shining with an expression of excitement as he covers his mouth with both hands.
No, I’m not Han Chae-won, but am I really that impressed?
“… Are you talking about the vlog that came out today?”
“Yes, that’s right! I’m a real Ever fan… ! Oh my god. Brother. No, brother. It’s an honor to meet you… !!”
Are you making fun of me just because I saw you when? My friend.
I want to throw something out, but that friend, Gwangbae, is completely angry.
“Brother, are you really childhood friends with Chaewon for 15 years?”
“Chaewon sister? “That Han Chaewon from Ever that I know?”
“Go!!!! “Where can you call that name so carelessly?”
“Chaewon. Are you done, dude? So, that brother is Chaewon’s childhood friend?”
A tall friend started to take interest in his enthusiastic friend.
It was already off work time, so there were a lot of people, but thanks to those two making a fuss while looking at me, I started to get more and more aggressive.
Did you guys boil or eat something from a train firebox?
“… Yes. “I’m that childhood friend.”
I guess I feel more at ease after going through this with someone earlier, so I nod my head with a forced smile.
But that didn’t mean I was used to this situation where people on the street stopped and looked at me, so I hurriedly picked up the dropped ice cream and got up before more people gathered.
“Oh sh*t!!! “I’m really Chaewon’s fan. Can’t you just give me a call?!?!”
“What?! “I can call Chaewon?!”
“Oh, no… ! Can’t you give me Yeongtong?! I really applied for Yeongtong fansign several times, but they all ran out… !! I really want to ask you this… !!”
“What?! “You can make a video call with Chaewon?!”
Don’t speak loudly, you crazy people.
“Oh my, what does that mean?”
“I’m not sure, but I guess that guy is a celebrity.”
“Wow. Then let’s get autographs, too.”
Everyone, it’s not like that. Because it’s not?
“Let’s sleep! Since there are a lot of people passing by, everyone must keep order…….”
No. Please.
+++
Were there 20 minutes outside?
There were a variety of outdoor activities this year, including military service and domestic and international travel, but none were as impactful or tiring as these 20 minutes.
“———Huh.”
He lets out a series of empty laughs and falls down on the bed helplessly, like a tree that has been cut down at its base.
I won’t be able to go out for the next two days.
After making up his mind, he gave up thinking blankly and buried his face in the pillow……
“… Shall we see?”
Suddenly, I thought about checking the vlog.
It’s just vlogs that I don’t like to see, but I’m also curious about people’s reactions.
Honestly, as a human being, many people talk about themselves, so how can you not be interested?
Especially after seeing the reaction of that Musclemon and his giraffe friend duo.
“… hahahaha, I’m going crazy.”
Turn over and look at the ceiling.
I know. I can roughly guess what kind of reaction it will be.
It’s not just any girl group, it’s Ever.
Not just a star, but a superstar.
If a man who was that kind of person’s childhood friend suddenly appeared, wouldn’t his reaction be obvious?
The immortality that Qin Shi Huang dreamed of?
I might be able to do that.
” Was this how Pandora felt when she opened the box? ?”
I couldn’t help but sigh at the absurdity of the ironic situation of being able to sympathize with a myth.
Despite this, it is still a desire that cannot be easily shaken off.
I kept muttering about whether I should watch it or not and was constantly worried at the crossroads of choice……
“Let’s just taste it.”
When I see malicious comments, I cry and cry.
With such helpless thoughts in mind, the very moment I turned off airplane mode to connect to Wi-Fi.
“… “You’re really annoying too.”
The phone call came at a surprising time.
It’s Sunwoo.
-Did you go see a movie or something? Why did you turn off your phone?
“I wouldn’t have been so tired if I had watched a movie at home….”
-What does that mean?
“There is something like that.”
Slowly exhale a deep sigh and raise your upper body. I put my phone on speaker mode and trudge to the small kitchen to prepare dinner.
“So. Why did you call me? “If it’s about Chaewon again, I’ll hang up.”
-…… Uh? That’s about it.
“I’ll hang up.”
-Oh, no, that’s not it… !! I didn’t call you to tell you anything!! Yay!! Don’t you hang up?!
I shake my head at the guy’s urgent voice and put my phone on the table behind me.
Should I make some pasta? I mutter to myself as I grab ingredients from the shelf and refrigerator.
“Okay. It looks urgent, so I’ll trust you. So?”
-Chaewon turned on Laban.
“… Labang?”
-Okay dude… !! You just turned on Labang on Instagram?!
The eyebrows suddenly narrow and movements stop.
Labang is an abbreviation for live broadcast. Although celebrities often turn on Labang to communicate with their fans……
“Now? “Why did you turn on Labang now that the vlog is up?”
Han Chae-won, this crazy Ji Ji-bae. Are you saying you turned on Labang even after seeing the reaction to the vlog?
‘What if it happens again like that time…? … !!’
I am at a loss for words when I look at a situation where there is no answer and only problems.
But there is a bigger problem than that.
“Hey, I don’t have an Instagram account?”
+++
『Chae__wonnie has started live broadcasting』
As soon as the notification that Chaewon has turned on the live broadcast appears, Chaeah Lee turns off the entertainment show she was watching and goes on to the live broadcast.
-Hello. Good evening everyone~.
[Chaeha~]
[Hello]
[Hii]
[チェウォンちゃん!!]
[こんにちは!]
[Hello chaewon]
Chaewon lightly waves her hands and says hello.
It’s been less than a minute since Labang started, but nearly 1,000 people have already started coming in.
“… “How can a real person be that pretty?”
No matter how many times you look at it, you can only admire its appearance.
Although she must have only applied basic foundation, Lee Chae-ah’s flawless, porcelain-like skin suddenly reminds her of the skin care products advertised by Chaewon.
Yes, don’t you think that people are so treacherous that they want to be like that?
Lee Chae-ah gets up from her seat, feeling that not everything Chae-won applies is popular among MZs for no reason.
-Today, I turned on Labang to eat with Forever. Surely you haven’t eaten already?
“I have to eat. “We must eat together.”
Although she had eaten her fill just 10 minutes ago, she walked straight to the refrigerator when Chaewon smiled cutely, asking her to eat together.
She took out the cake she had been saving to eat tomorrow, and she assumed a reverent posture so that she could concentrate more fully on her labang than ever before.
-Where am I? This is the study at my house…. Huh? Didn’t I show Forever the study?
[It was a bedroom at that time!!]
-That’s right, that’s right. Then, before we get started in earnest, I have to show Forever the study.
Chaewon performs live neatly as usual.
The live started by showing the study, showing the dinner to be eaten during the broadcast, and continued with a story about how the day was spent.
Of course, as it was a live broadcast, they responded to witty chats and questions in between.
When she broadcasts live alone, she frequently encounters situations where the ‘audio is empty’, but in Chaewon’s case, she plays her own songs or chatters constantly to set the mood, so she’s not bored at all.
In addition, the comments were not messy for an idol Labang because it was Labang’s unique natural conversation style, rather than the obsessive comments of a broadcaster that the flow of speech must somehow be continuous.
But.
[Sister, I watched your vlog today!!]
[I stayed up late watching the vlog!]
Vlog-related chats are slowly starting to appear as expected.
Lee Chae-ah also came in with expectations that Chaewon would talk about the vlog this time, and the fans who watched the vlog were no different, so the chat window was instantly filled with stories about the vlog.
-Did you see Forever’s Vlog? How was it? I worked really hard on editing this time.
Chaewon also talked a lot about vlogs, so she naturally turned the conversation to that topic.
Chaewon checked the reaction on her cell phone while covering her mouth……
-Thank goodness. Thank you all for having fun watching it.
She turns her head slightly, makes eye contact with the camera, and smiles.
[Really❤❤❤ so pretty…]
[Chaewon is the prettiest in the world]
[Chaewon is the prettiest girl in the world!!]
[She always makes us smiles and goosebumps!!!!!!]
[Woongni heals when Chaewon smiles ㅏㅏ❤ I love you!😊]
With that smile, chats pouring in praising her appearance.
– Anyway, I turned on Labang because I wanted to talk about today’s vlog.
What? You’re telling me right away like this?
-Ah, but there are probably people here who haven’t seen the vlog. If you are someone who hasn’t watched the vlog, please raise your hand.
As soon as Chaewon finished speaking, hands began to rise.
It was difficult to understand the ratio as the chat window flew by so quickly, but if you think about it, it’s probably around 7 to 3.
Of course, 7 were the ones who did not watch the vlog.
-Hmm. This would be a spoiler for no reason. Then I won’t be able to solve the behind-the-scenes story.
[No way!!!!!!!]
[Nooooob]
[Just let me know, just let me know, just let me know]
Strong requests for stories poured in from those who watched the vlog immediately after Chaewon said she was in trouble.
[I haven’t seen it yetㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[Stop spoilers!!]
[There is no way good Chaewon would say this….]
This is a desperate rejection from those who have not seen it.
“It’s your fault for seeing it late, I want to know!!”
In her case, she was one of the people who watched the Vlog, so she repeatedly wrote in the chat that she wanted to know.
-Hmmm. Maybe this is a good thing?
Chaewon slowly tilts her head to both sides and smiles.
A tense war of nerves was going on between those who saw it and those who did not.
-[But Chaewon has always been the answer.] … Who is this?
One chat caught Chaewon’s attention.
Chae-won, seeing this, smiles awkwardly with an expression that hits her right in the eye.
-Our ‘Chaewoni cutie’, I am very curious as to what this means. Can you tell me… ?
[Gasp]
[Call me my nickname. Call me my nickname. Call me my nickname.]
[How can you be pretty from that angle?ㅠㅠㅠㅠYou’re so pretty even at first glanceㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
The atmosphere became interesting in an instant.
Chaewon, who was staring intently at her camera, shrugs her shoulders and makes a characteristic playful expression.
-Ah, I originally tried to skip it because there were a lot more people who hadn’t seen it, but I couldn’t. It hurts my heart to hear that our ‘Chaewoni Cutie’ is the answer, so I’m just going to tell you.
[What does that have to do with it, sister?]
-Who cares? … That’s right. Actually, it doesn’t really matter. I was just waiting for at least one person to call me a douchebag, and then he suddenly said it like this. As expected, there will be a talk between me and Forever?
Chaewon looks at the camera while holding a calyx.
-Thank you, ‘Chaewoni cutie’. Thanks to you, I’ll feel free to talk about the behind-the-scenes story.
Then he winked lightly, and this time the chat increased sharply to the point that the chat window was paralyzed.
-Still, I will leave out as many related stories as possible for the sake of those who haven’t watched the vlog, so don’t worry too much. You know Forever? I am a loyal woman.
Chaewon sits down again with a proud expression and begins to eat the hamburger.
Afterwards, she ended by saying that she would talk in earnest after she finished eating, and they started talking about their daily lives again.
Lee Chae-ah also watched the live happily while waiting for Chaewon to tell the behind-the-scenes story as soon as possible……
“But, it’s a behind-the-scenes part of the vlog, so how can you talk about it without talking about the vlog?”
A fundamental question flashes in my head.