Chapter 80

“Let’s go. We need to go and give Ggotbi some direct compliments.”

“Huhu, I’m really going to pour it all out! I’ll tell her all about today’s concert!”

With Ayu, whose eyes were shining, we immediately headed towards the place Ggotbi had mentioned.

It took a little time because there were so many people trying to get out, but we managed to get there without much difficulty.

At that moment, we encountered a person standing in front of the entrance.

It wasn’t Ggotbi, but a woman dressed as staff who, upon seeing us, checked her mobile phone and waved at us.

“Are you Kang Ha-chan and Shin Sora? Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Mi-jin, Yoo Ah’s stylist.”

“Ah, hello. Yoo Ah has been taking care of us.”

It felt like I had become some kind of guardian, but when I greeted her politely, she smiled.

“Yoo Ah would attract too much attention if she came out, so I came instead. I’ll guide you.”

“Thank you.”

It seemed that Ggotbi had requested it.

Following her, we soon saw a lot of staff busily moving around for preparations.

I wondered if it was okay for us, outsiders, to enter so casually, but well, it was a chance to meet acquaintances.

As I was curiously looking at the world behind the stage, we soon arrived in front of a room labeled ‘Blackstar Waiting Room.’

Knock knock-

“Yoo Ah, I’ve brought Kang Ha-chan and Shin Sora.”

When she knocked and spoke, Yoo Ah’s voice saying ‘Yes!’ was heard from inside.

Then, as the door opened, there was Yoo Ah, whom we had seen on stage.

Seeing the dazzling pink hair and idol outfit up close, the impact was beyond imagination.

Especially with her already pretty face plus makeup, even I was stunned for a moment.

“Gasp, Yoo Ah is right in front of me.”

So, Ayu, a true Yoo Ah fan, was almost breathless.

As if her legs had turned to jelly, Ayu was trembling, leaning her head on me.

“She’s a goddess, she’s a goddess!”

“Ayuu, I’m embarrassed, please stop overdoing it.”

At Ayu’s words, Ggotbi, seemingly embarrassed, covered her cheeks and spoke.

Then, glancing at me, I smiled and said,

“No. You’re really pretty. You were amazing on stage. No wonder you’re the top idol in our country.”

“……”

Hearing that, Ggotbi’s face turned bright red, and she slightly bowed her head.

Our compliments seemed to be quite embarrassing for her.

“Let’s, let’s come inside and continue talking.”

Well, standing at the entrance like this was also a nuisance.

Following Ggotbi inside, I could see the idol waiting room directly.

Clothes were scattered everywhere, and there were many makeup products left out, probably for touch-ups.

The strong impression of a female idol’s waiting room made me feel like I, as a male, shouldn’t be here.

“Yoo Ah, Yoo Ah, where are the other members?”

While I was awkwardly standing, Ayu, who had quickly sat next to Yoo Ah, asked with sparkling eyes.

“Ah, they all went to grab something to eat. Since the concert’s over.”

After dancing so vigorously, they must have burned a lot of calories.

Indeed, it was a situation where they couldn’t last without eating something.

“Ggotbi, are you okay not eating anything?”

When I asked, concerned, Ggotbi raised both hands to show her health.

“Yes, I may look like this, but I’m a Returner. My stamina is different from ordinary people.”

Well, despite the idol outfit, Ggotbi is an A-class Returner.

Being an aura user before a spellcaster, she’s on a different level from ordinary people.

“And I want to diet a bit more.”

“Yoo Ah, where do you have fat to lose!”

At Ggotbi’s words, Ayu shouted fiercely.

I agreed with Ayu’s words.

Ggotbi had absolutely no fat to lose.

“No. There are places you can’t see or various things.”

“There’s none. Absolutely none. You’re the prettiest in the world right now, really.”

Like a fervent idol fan, Ayu showered Ggotbi with compliments.

Thanks to my occasional agreement, Ggotbi’s expression brightened a lot.

“Ah, wait, I need to go to the restroom.”

While talking with Ggotbi, Ayu trembled once and got up from her seat.

“The restroom is at the end of the hallway to the left. Should I take you?”

“No, no. Yoo Ah, you rest! I’ll go by myself!”

Ayu waved off Ggotbi, who was about to get up, and went out.

In an instant, only the two of us were left, and I looked back at Ggotbi.

Then, for some reason, Ggotbi lowered her head and rolled her eyes.

Is it awkward being with me?

Well, even though we talk on the phone often, it’s the first time we’ve met and talked alone.

To ease the awkwardness, I spoke.

“Now that I think about it, it’s been a while since we last saw each other.”

“Ah, it has. I’ve been busy.”

“No, I’ve been busy too. How’s the self-hypnosis since then?”

“It’s gotten much better. It’s all thanks to you.”

All I did was talk on the phone a bit.

But hearing her say it was thanks to me made me feel proud.

“Are you still using it?”

“How does it look?”

Then, Ggotbi gave a mischievous smile.

Hoho, is that a challenge?

Looking at the peach-colored hair flowing down her tilted face, I started to think seriously.

Since it’s a concert today, she might have used self-hypnosis to prevent any unstable situations.

But being Ggotbi, she might have tried to overcome it without self-hypnosis.

‘It’s ambiguous.’

Honestly, I can’t tell just by her expression.

“Uh, um, just, look at me.”

Perhaps because I was staring so intently, Ggotbi seemed to feel burdened by my gaze and waved her hand in front.

Then, with a face as red as a beet, she mumbled, so I scratched my head.

She seemed fine on stage, but she’s surprisingly sensitive to gazes.

Cute.

Ggotbi, with both hands on her cheeks, looked very confused for some reason.

“Sorry, I stared too much.”

Noticing the atmosphere getting a bit strange, I apologized, and Ggotbi said, flustered.

“It’s, it’s not that, I’m just embarrassed.”

“That’s understandable.”

She looked at me, trying to say something, then picked up a water bottle as if her throat was dry.

“Yikes!”

Then, as she opened the cap, she accidentally used too much force, splashing water on her face and clothes.

Ggotbi, still with a beet-red face, looked like she was about to cry.

“Where’s the towel? I’ll get it for you.”

“Ah, no! I’ll get it…!”

As she shouted and got up, a thud sound echoed.

Ggotbi had bumped her knee while getting up in a hurry.

“Ouch!”

Seemingly hitting a bad spot, Ggotbi let out a scream and staggered.

And because of that, Ggotbi ended up in an unstable position, standing on one foot, and her body swayed.

“Ggotbi!”

Startled, I quickly moved.

She has more concert schedules lined up after today.

She absolutely must not get injured.

Thud!

Just in time, I caught Ggotbi and, turning my back in mid-air, rolled on the floor with her in my arms.

Thank goodness I awakened my aura.

“Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

When I looked up, Ggotbi’s face was in my arms.

Peach-colored eyes, matching her hair color, met mine right in front of me.

“O, oppa, I, I’m sorry!”

Seeing her so flustered, I gave a bitter smile.

“Why are you so flustered? I’m fine.”

I’m not hurt, and Ggotbi isn’t hurt either, so what’s the problem?

I thought I should calm her down a bit.

Knock knock-

At that moment, a knocking sound suddenly echoed.

“Yoo Ah? Are you here? I want to do a concert interview!”

The knock was from a man’s voice.

When I looked at Ggotbi, she met my eyes and immediately turned pale.

“He’s, he’s Reporter Park. He writes really sensational articles…”

As she said that, Ggotbi and I locked eyes.

It’s an accident, but right now, Ggotbi and I are hugging and rolling on the floor.

If Ayu were here, it might be different, but Ayu had left for the restroom.

Only the two of us were in this room.

Dating rumors are a big deal for idols.

If a reporter sees this, it’s obvious what will happen.

Game over.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, Ggotbi moved faster than I did.

Grabbing my hand, she immediately threw herself into the wardrobe.

Despite her appearance, perhaps because she’s a Returner.

I was pulled in as if I had turned into a feather, ending up inside the wardrobe.

Since there were a lot of clothes, the wardrobe was quite cramped.

Because of that, Ggotbi and I ended up almost glued together.

With Ggotbi burying her face in my chest, I could only see the top of her head even when I looked down.

What on earth is this situation?

Being inside the wardrobe, the warmth of Ggotbi in my arms felt even stronger.

Perhaps her basic body temperature is higher than others, as she felt quite hot.

Moreover, despite having just finished a concert, she smelled incredibly good.

‘You’re, you’re too close.’

Are idol clothes this thin?

Feeling Ggotbi’s body shape pressed against me, I was extremely flustered.

“I’m coming in!”

At that moment, Reporter Park quickly opened the door and entered.

Where he left his manners, he abruptly opened the female idol’s waiting room, showing how reckless he was, just as Ggotbi had said.

“Huh, what, no one’s here?”

Reporter Park’s voice came from the other side of the thin wardrobe gap.

He seemed to be looking around inside.

“Pfft.”

Then, Ggotbi, who had buried her face in my chest, seemed to be suffocating and lifted her chin.

Then, Ggotbi’s pupils dilated as she met my eyes.

Now, with a face redder than a tomato, she mumbled her lips, and I smiled, signaling her to be quiet.

I was also very embarrassed, but given the situation, I had to endure.

“What are you doing. You.”

At that moment, Baeksan, who had only poked his head into the wardrobe, spoke to me.

I almost screamed in surprise.

When I desperately signaled with my eyes, Baeksan sighed and pulled his head out.

“I’ll let you know when that guy leaves, so wait.”

Our Returner is the best.

As I sighed in relief, I felt Ggotbi trembling.

Her pupils looked like they were about to form a swirl, like in a cartoon.

But thinking about it, did Ggotbi really need to hide with me?

She could have just dealt with Reporter Park and sent him away.

“Whoa. Old man, who are you?”

At that moment, Ayu’s voice came from outside.

Damn, why did she have to come now?

“Huh? Who are you? Looking at your visuals, are you a new idol?”

“Oh ho, old man, you have a good eye, huh?”

“Haha, to survive in this industry, I have to!”

Why do they get along so well and cause such a ruckus?

“So why are you here?”

“Ah, ahem, I’m Park Tae-yeon, and I came to get an interview with Yoo Ah.”

“…Park Tae-yeon, Park Tae-yeon, Park Tae-yeon?”

At that moment, Ayu started repeating Reporter Park’s name.

At the same time, for some reason, her voice carried a sharp edge.

“Hey, you, you’re that trash reporter who wrote that crap article about Jui dating.”

“Huh, huh?”

At the same time, Ayu’s sharp voice and Reporter Park’s flustered voice were heard.

Was there such an incident?

That must be why Ggotbi remembered him.

“You came to write some crap article about Yoo Ah too, didn’t you! You’re dead! Really!”

“Ah, no, what kind of crazy woman is this!”

“Come here! Today is your funeral day!”

“Ahhhhh!”

With a crash, the sound of Reporter Park running away echoed.

Is this the power of diamond Ayu?

As I cheered internally, the outside noise quieted down, and I sighed in relief.

“Ggotbi, he’s gone.”

“……”

For some reason, Ggotbi didn’t respond.

When I tried to check on her by lowering my head again.

Creak-

Suddenly, the wardrobe door opened.

As I closed my eyes for a moment due to the incoming light, I could soon see a person with my recovered vision.

Ayu, who I thought had chased after Reporter Park, was looking at us with an expressionless face.