Chapter 1: Spend a Night(1)

Prologue. December 25th, Christmas.

For me, the vulgar song “3 AM, the Time Healthy Children Are Made” comes to mind more than Christmas carols.

The center of Seoul was bustling with people passing by.

I don’t usually visit places like this.

I find places with so many people a bit difficult.

But my favorite was on the billboard, so I couldn’t leave without checking it out.

In the end, I ended up coming here alone.

I stood on the side of the road for a moment and looked at the large monitor.

“That’s it.”

After waiting a little, another advertisement passed, and a pink-haired succubus appeared on the large screen in an idol-like outfit.

And the song she sang played softly underneath.

It only lasted 10 seconds, and the advertisement disappeared in a very short time.

It was an advertisement where a music streaming site selected their favorite musician and displayed it on the billboard.

“… When did you become so famous? Liquel.”

I called out her name in a low voice of admiration.

A billboard advertisement in the middle of Seoul, which can be considered a privilege of popular YouTubers.

It would be absolutely impossible to do this without the streaming power or voting power of fans.

So it was something that a fandom with moderate popularity could not have achieved.

The more I watch it like this, the more I realize her popularity.

It’s an emotion that I couldn’t easily feel when I was watching the broadcast on my phone at home.

I feel once again that my favorite is an amazing person.

And then I think about it again.

Like the other couples of this Christmas night, that day I spent the night with her….

I definitely didn’t know at the time.

That the girl I spent the night with was my favorite.

#Wolf

The sound of an alarm pierces into my hazy mind.

No.

This isn’t an alarm.

My alarm is ‘Bam baam baam~ Good morning!’

So there’s no way that the vibration that doesn’t make a sound and only makes my head ring can be an alarm.

“…Ugh… Who is it… Seriously, starting this morning.”

A voice mixed with sleepiness and irritation.

I wave my hands on the bed with my eyes barely open.

How many times did I try to stop it?

I finally managed to grab my phone after crawling under the pillow.

I had been on my phone late last night and passed out.

It was such a routine for a college student on vacation that it wasn’t even surprising anymore.

[5:00]

5 o’clock.

It couldn’t be 5 a.m.

For me, who was living in the 0th Army, 5 a.m. was still the height of my day.

So it was 5 p.m.

It was still too early for me, who usually wakes up at 8 p.m.

I looked around the room just in case, and the bright sunlight was streaming in from the window.

[Kim Dong-hyun]

I saw the familiar name of a college friend on my phone screen.

Should I just cut off contact and go to sleep?

Honestly, such thoughts filled my head, but since I was already up, I decided to answer the phone.

I knew what it would be anyway.

“…Hello.”

[Lady. What was that voice? Was that Yoon Ji-bin?]

“Yes. That’s right. You brat.”

I come to my senses a little when I hear my name on the other end of the phone.

The guy asks me in a voice that sounds like he’s squealing.

I roughly knew why.

[You know how your voice is when you’re asleep? The hamburger I just ate almost came right up. Ugh.]

“Then don’t call people when they’re sleeping.”

It must be because of my voice.

My voice, which is close to a low voice, would make the guys shiver when they hear it when I’m awake.

Honestly, I don’t know even though I keep listening….

But why is this kid calling me in broad daylight and nagging me?

[Even so, I didn’t know you’d be asleep at 5 PM. If you were human.]

“You’re not human?”

[Actually, I knew that. You’re a reptilian. There’s no way a human would look like you. Yeah, yeah.]

“Don’t be ridiculous. So what’s your business?”

[Hey. Do you know what I mean?]

“What were you just whining about? Can I break the speaker?”

[Go ahead and break it. It’ll only hurt you.]

As soon as I woke up, I heard the guy’s aegyo and my blood boiled.

The guy who looked like a triceratops spoke in a nasal voice.

“Correct. There’s not much time left until vacation, so let’s go out and have a drink.”

[Oh. He’s smart? Why is his GPA barely in the 3 range?]

“Shut up. We’re on the same level.”

[You and I are different, Ji-bin. I got a 3.5 and you got a 3, which is closer to a 2. That’s the difference between a Bronze 1, which is silver, and a Bronze 4, which is at the bottom of the ocean.]

“I really hate seeing you whine because your GPA is a little higher.”

Anyway, my answer to that offer was set in stone.

“I’m not going. I’m not going.”

[Ah-Why! Why aren’t you going! You said you’d play with me during the vacation!]

“You have a lot of friends. Go play with them. Leave me alone.”

[Isn’t it fun to go out drinking with someone like you? Seriously.]

“Come on. You need to rest your mind and body because of the pain from your breakup.”

When I talk about my breakup, my heart aches without me knowing it.

Even though a lot of time has passed, it’s still a big wound to me.

However, I pretend not to be depressed to Dong-Hyun…Because I don’t want to show myself as weak.

[How long has it been since we broke up, and you’re still whining? Ha. It’s been almost two months.]

“What do you know? I’m hurt.”

[So what are you doing at home today? Are you playing games and watching YouTube? That’s all?]

“That’s right. That’s all.”

Since I broke up with my ex-girlfriend, my life has been repeating the same pattern.

It was my way of healing my heart.

Since I can’t refute that, I change the subject.

“That’s fine. So where are you going?”

[Gamju or hunting pocha? Or a club is fine.]

Kim Dong-hyun.

This guy is music is life.

And alcohol is life.

You could say that the word gangster is a modifier for this kid.

He likes meeting people, playing, and drinking.

There’s even talk that he’s a VIP because he’s a club idiot near school and doesn’t even need to be tested.

But when I heard the destination, my already low interest level dropped even more.

“I’m not going unless we’re drinking together.”

I firmly declared.

If you go to a place like that, you’re bound to get hooked on by women.

No.

From Kim Dong-hyun’s perspective, he might be going to meet women.

Then the guy spoke to me in a tone that seemed bewildered.

[No. Ji-bin. Think about it. What kind of taste do two men drink together?]

“…I don’t know. Otherwise, I’m not going.”

[Why do you want to see me? Do you have that kind of taste? By any chance? Damn. I only thought of you as a friend.]

“You crazy kid. I’m going to swear at you, so go that far.”

If we weren’t close, he would have said something so offensive that I wouldn’t have been able to.

I don’t know how I ended up being close to someone like this.

When Dong-hyun didn’t push me hard, he started to coax me.

[Hey, hey. Women are women. I’ll pick a really good woman for you. Not trash like Lee Chung-ha.]

“…That’s okay.”

[I’m serious. Trust me just this once. Yoon Ji-bin!]

“Real women aren’t that great. I like 2D. Dong-hyun.”

[Oh my… How did she end up like this… Lee Chung-ha, you f*cking b*tch.]

He blurts out his own social suicide remarks.

As Dong-hyun curses her out for me, Lee Chung-ha.

The name of his ex-girlfriend flies into his ears.

I unconsciously tighten my grip.

‘…Bad b*tch.’

I bite my lips to keep myself from cursing.

“Hey. That’s okay. If you’re going to talk nonsense anymore, just hang up. I’ll sleep better.”

[Wait a minute! Don’t hang up!]

I don’t want Dong-hyun to find out that I’m hurt, so I hang up the phone abruptly.

Even after several months, the scars she left on me were too deep to easily disappear.

If I had smoked, I would have had a cigarette in my mouth by now.

But there were other ways to feel good besides smoking.

I lay back down on the mattress and looked at my phone screen after the call ended.

There I saw the lightning-shaped live streaming site I had been watching before falling asleep yesterday.

And the bottom bar of the replay video I was playing had reached the end….

How far did I watch it yesterday?

It must have been about 2 hours.

I dragged and searched for the timeline of the video I had been watching yesterday and had fallen asleep.

“Women forget women. That’s somewhat true.”

Most of what Dong-hyun said was nonsense, but sometimes, with a slim chance, he would say something that was true.

Like now.

“There it is. Sigh. Was that aegyo?”

If you look at the timeline, you can get a rough idea of what it was about.

Since I was never one to miss live shows in the first place, replays were always literally replays for me.

Starting the day with this will make my unpleasant mood a little better.

I thought so and pressed the play button.

[Ah. Anonymous~! A generous donation of 1 million won~! Ugh. What is it. What is it. Seriously.]

A succubus with pigtails and pink hair appears along with a large donation message.

Her pink pupils dilate and grow round as she doesn’t know what to do.

Her name is Rikyuel.

She’s been my favorite since her debut and I’ve never missed a subscription.

Her entire body, which was down for a reaction, comes up on the screen.

Then, her basic outfit of a black hoodie and short dolphin pants comes into view.

She has a childish yet mischievous expression like a mesca, and her face has a strange sexiness.

However, her small chest, small height, and childish voice combine to create cuteness.

[…Oh.]

[Look at that tail. It’s a real spade-shaped dog… I’ll stop here.]

[Hehehe]

[How long has it been since I’ve seen a full body shot?]

The chat window lights up.

A sinister-eyed heart emoticon is plastered on the screen.

A smile automatically forms on my lips when I see it.

A succubus’ spade tail.

And a loose-fitting headset with horns.

Even the wings, the symbol of the devil.

All of them were Rikyuel’s signature.

[Uh…I don’t react to 1 million won. What should I do with this…what should I do?…Ugh. What should I do? Why are you giving me this much money? It’s embarrassing.]

She looks like a devil, but her actions are angelic.

Even though it’s been a while since the broadcast, she still reacts this way when she receives a large donation.

[An anonymous sponsor donates 1,000 won!]

[Let’s be cute, shall we?]

The chairman’s reaction appeal continues.

Her round eyes suddenly turn sullen and she looks even more embarrassed than before.

[Ah…cute? Can I ask what…you want? As you know, I’m not good at cuteness. I don’t really know. Aww. Not this kind of thing?]

Rikyuel was definitely weak to flirting.

This kind of cuteness that was caught in each angle was a rare sight that was hard to see before a large sum of money was spent.

In fact, I already saw it yesterday, but I reverently brace myself and drool once more.

Ugh. Ah, it’s already delicious.

[Oh, this… it’s a bit much. This. Are you not going to do it? No…not that…I have to. Yes. I have to.]

It seemed like the cuteness had been decided.

Rikyuel’s character shuts her eyes tightly.

Soon, Rikyuel lets out a sigh.

[Are you doing it? Are you really doing it? Everyone?]

Then, the chat window explodes.

WWE begins with familiar expectations.

[Wow. Hurry up and do it.]

[Wow. Don’t bake it.]

[Aegyo! Aegyo! Aegyo! Aegyo! Aegyo!]

[Surely I wouldn’t just accept this for a million won, right????]

[Something big is coming~! Something big is coming!]

[The big one is coming!]

[I woke up my mom and dad who are sleeping right now to show you this.]

The criticism pouring out to Rikyuel, who is shy and hesitant.

[Ah… this is embarrassing. What do I do? I think I’m going to die from staring?]

However, the more she shys, the more heated the viewers’ reactions become.

Of course, I feel the same way.

[oo donates 1,000 won!]

[Rikyuel. You’re a pro, right? Let’s finish what we’re going to do quickly anyway.]

As donations and cheers from the chat window continue, Rikyuel has no choice but to mumble to herself.

Why does she find even her mumbling cute?

It’s driving me crazy.

[That’s right. I’m a pro. You’re a pro idol. Rikyuel. Let’s do it. You can do it!]

Ri-Q-el nods as if she has made up her mind.

And her pigtails start to sway, starting her aegyo.

[Woooow. Rikyuel was originally born cute…but what can I say about that… in Seo-woo-nae… huh!… phuhehe.]

However, Rikyuel is unable to finish her aegyo and has already failed to hold back laughter.

[Hey. Don’t laugh. Keep the rp!]

[Isn’t this a failure if you laugh?]

[Hold it in. Rikyuel. Endure it.]

She bites her lips tightly against the pouring boos.

And somehow she tries to continue the remaining aegyo, but.

[In Seo-woo-nae! huh!… khuhehe… hwaaaaah, I’m sorry everyone. I can’t do this! This is my limit!]

[Wow. I think I’m going to die from being embarrassed. I think I’m going to die. Baemons. Don’t cut this clip. No, even if you cut it, it’ll only be for domestic consumption. Please.]

Baemon.

Bat + Demon.

The fandom name for her fandom with a character in the form of a bat demon.

This is where Rikyuel’s dog-like naming sense is revealed.

At first, I thought it was a bit harsh, but after listening to it, I got so used to it that I didn’t feel anything.

[o o donated 1,000 won!]

[Yeah. No way. Haha.]

But Baemons were always frogs, and they liked doing things she hated, so there was no way she would listen.

[Ah-Why, really, don’t do that!]

Finishing move.

Rikyuel used a request mixed with whining!

‘…But it wasn’t very effective for the viewers.’

[Ah~ Heumulreug~!]

[Heumulreug~!]

[Haha Heumulreug]

[Ah, I have to upload a clip to the fan cafe—I have to spread it all over the neighborhood~]

In the end, Rikyuel couldn’t hold back his shame and disappeared under the desk on the screen, giggling.

I watched him and laughed bashfully.

“…She’s so damn cute.”

Mother.

My girlfriend doesn’t come out of the monitor.

I felt my heart healing as I thought to myself like that.

When I saw her, I felt instantly better, as if I had been drinking alcohol.

I’ll admit it.

No matter how much I try to deny it, it’s a fact that I can’t deny.

‘…Yes. I’m a real pervert.’