Ha-eun couldnât help but be excited about the unexpectedly high quality of her 3D avatar.
She was also genuinely curious about just how much could be accomplished with the 3D avatar.
Thatâs why she tried out the deep bow she had been secretly practicing.
From start to finish, everything she did was meant as preliminary practice for Diahâs full-tracking broadcast.
"Couldnât someone have warned me that someone was comingâ¦?"
"How was I supposed to know Dong-jin would walk in at that exact moment?"
Having someone catch her in a circus-like pose was embarrassing enough.
The fact that it was a male senior in her workplace made it even worse.
"â¦How am I supposed to face Kang-jung nowâ¦?"
"The more you dwell on it, the weirder it gets. Just forget about itâitâll be easier for both you and Dong-jin."
The embarrassment and shame were overwhelming, far beyond what Ha-eun could handle.
Thatâs why she ended up crouching in a corner of the studio instead of continuing her personal practice.
Of course, Diahâs 3D avatar still functioned perfectly.
As a result, Diah on the screen was also crouching, her face buried in her knees.
"At least you werenât wearing something skintight. If youâd been in a bodysuit, it wouldâve been way worse than what just happened."
"Is⦠is that supposed to comfort me?"
"Probably?"
The suggestion to grab lunch came shortly after.
Ji Hye-min added that sheâd treat Ha-eun to something delicious as thanks for her hard work on the 3D avatar test.
Since it was already past noon, Ha-eun accepted the invitation.
However, as it turned out, Lee Dong-jin, who had been outside the studio, ended up joining them for the meal.
-Step, step.
-Step, step.
ââ¦This is so awkward I could dieâ¦.â
On the way to a restaurant near the LUX office, Ha-eun couldnât bring herself to say a single word to Dong-jin.
It wasnât as if Dong-jin was any less uncomfortable around her.
However, he was adamant about separating personal and professional matters.
"Um, Ha-eun?"
"Y-Yes?"
"So, about the rehearsal schedule for the one-year anniversary performanceâ¦"
Sitting across from Ha-eun at the table, Dong-jin forced himself to speak.
He needed to sort out the schedule issues first and foremost.
"It seems thereâs a delay in the delivery of the motion capture equipment we ordered from overseas. Because of that, weâll likely need to push the rehearsal dates back a bit."
What followed was a discussion about Ha-eunâs packed schedule.
Since she had to attend school in the mornings and head to filming sets in the afternoons, an alternative plan for the postponed rehearsals was suggested shortly after.
"I believe you have a The Moonlight That Parts the Clouds shoot scheduled on this day, correct?"
"Oh, yes."
"In that case, could you come to the studio after the shoot? It seems like the only time available will be later in the evening."
For Dong-jin, who had to coordinate the schedules of five people, this was the best solution.
While it was essential to prioritize Ha-eunâs schedule, the other membersâ commitments also had to be taken into account.
Fortunately, Ha-eunâs response was positive.
With that, they were able to finalize a new rehearsal schedule.
"Youâll probably be tired after filming The Moonlight That Parts the Clouds, so weâll try to wrap things up as quickly as possible."
Dong-jinâs visibly relieved expression made it clear how stressed he had been.
Only after resolving the scheduling issue did he finally pick up his utensils to eat.
Once the atmosphere at the table became more relaxed, and Ha-eun managed to push the memory of her earlier embarrassing moment out of her mind, she brought up Diahâs full-tracking broadcast.
"What do I need to do for a personal broadcast using the 3D avatar?"
"Oh, weâll show you how to link the avatar later. Alternatively, we can set it up remotely for youâ"
The discussion about 3D avatar setup continued for quite some time.
They also talked about potential content ideas for Diahâs full-tracking broadcast.
In conclusion, there were no significant issues with the content Ha-eun had planned.
Considering Ha-eunâs excellent physical abilities, everyone felt confident she would handle the full-tracking broadcast with ease.
However, there was one concern regarding future plans.
"Hmm, Ha-eun?"
"Yes?"
"Our next major project after the one-year anniversary performance is Illusionary Realmâs second generation debut."
The concern was indirectly tied to Diahâs full-tracking broadcast.
To be more precise:
"You know, Min Da-yeon might try to make you do something strange with full-trackingâ¦"
This led to a discussion about Da-yeon and her potential antics now that she knew Diah could perform full-tracking broadcasts.
The possibilities were endless, given how versatile full-tracking technology was.
"So, how about starting the 3D avatar broadcast after your free-use content ends?"
"I-Iâll consider itâ¦."
Even Ha-eun found Dong-jinâs worries quite convincing.
If Da-yeon were to incorporate full-tracking into Diahâs free-use content, it would essentially turn Diah into her personal plaything.
Ha-eun couldnât even begin to guess what Da-yeon might do.
While she was already prepping herself for the horror games Da-yeon was likely to suggest, the thought of collaborating with her remained daunting.
Thatâs why Ha-eun took Dong-jinâs advice to heart, determined to avoid creating another embarrassing situation.
The conversation shifted to Illusionary Realmâs second generation and their preparations for debut.
Ji Hye-min provided updates on how things were going.
"Itâs not much different from how it was with the first generationâ¦."
"â¦But everyoneâs wary of Da-yeon, right?"
"Yeah."@@novelbin@@
While the second generationâs preparation process wasnât problematic in itself, there was one individual among them who completely defied expectations, leaving the others unsure of how to approach them.
"It doesnât help that sheâs not exactly the most sociable person."
Since Ha-eun had been a fan of Illusionary Realm before joining, she had an easier time bonding with the other members.
But Da-yeon, who had no interest in anyone other than Diah, posed a different challenge.
Although she wouldnât openly push the second generation members away, it was unlikely she would take the initiative to connect with them either.
"So, Ha-eun."
"Yes?"
"If we ever do a group collab, could you help bridge the gap between them?"
Frankly, there was no one better suited to handle Da-yeon than Ha-eun.
As a senior member of Illusionary Realm, a friend, and a celebrity, Ha-eun seemed like the perfect intermediary between Da-yeon and the second generation.
Ha-eun had already anticipated this to some extent.
Though Da-yeonâs Hida persona was just as intimidating to her as it was to anyone else, there really was no one else for the job.
"â¦Iâll do my best."
After all, it was because of Ha-eun that Da-yeon had joined Illusionary Realmâs second generation.
While she had hoped Da-yeon wouldnât apply, Ha-eun couldnât deny her own role in the situation.
As the three of them were about to leave the restaurant, Dong-jin suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right."
A new piece of information came to light.
"One of the second-generation members, Nael, said she wanted to use Diahâs free-use content."
Recalling a conversation from a few days ago, Dong-jin mentioned Naelâs idea for a cooking broadcast with Diah.
"She wants to invite Diah to her house and cook for her."
"Cook? What kind of food?"
"Hmm⦠well, she definitely mentioned making cotton candy and said she was open to preparing other desserts."
Ha-eun knew that Nael deserved a chance to use Diahâs free-use content.
However, knowing Naelâs mischievous personality, she couldnât help but find her choice of a cooking broadcast strange.
"â¦Do you think sheâll serve something bizarre, like kimchi-flavored cotton candy?"
Ha-eun asked Dong-jin how likely it was that Nael would pull such a stunt.
Thankfully, Dong-jin reassured her.
"I already told her not to mess with the food. If anything goes wrong, it could cause health issuesâand if you get sick, thatâd be a huge problem."
Of course, Nael still didnât know that Diah was actually Ha-eun.
Dong-jin joked that Nael might faint upon discovering Diahâs true identity.
"Lately, Nael has been completely hooked on The Moonlight That Parts the Clouds. Sheâs absolutely obsessed."
"Whenever she gets the chance, she talks about you, Ha-eun."
According to Dong-jin, most of the small talk during Naelâs debut preparations revolved around Ha-eun and her character, Kim Jung-hyun.
However, for some reason, every time Nael brought up Ha-eun, Da-yeonâs mood would noticeably shift.
When Nael first mentioned collaborating with Diah, Da-yeonâs demeanor became especially sharp.
"She doesnât openly show that sheâs upset, but⦠how should I put this? Thereâs this subtle glare."
"â¦Why do you think that is?"
Dong-jin, perplexed by Da-yeonâs pointed reactions, asked Ha-eun to let him know if she ever figured out the reason behind them.
***
"Lee Ha-eun."
"?"
"Donât ever accept snacks or anything like that from someone you donât know."
"Only take what I give you."
Da-yeon, sitting right next to Ha-eun, said this as she handed over a cookie sheâd bought at the school store.
Her words sounded like the kind of safety lecture youâd hear as a childââDonât follow strangers, okay?ââso Ha-eun naturally found them odd.
When she asked why Da-yeon was saying this, she replied:
"I-I saw it on the news. Someone spiked coffee with drugs and then kidnapped people."
Da-yeon, looking slightly flustered, insisted that she was just worried about Ha-eun.
Ha-eun blinked in confusion but decided to go along with it and said she understood.
She had no idea that all of this stemmed from Da-yeonâs concern about the upcoming cooking collaboration with Nael.
After all, Da-yeon wasnât supposed to know Diahâs true identity.
So Ha-eun took her words at face value.
She didnât think the cookie in her hand carried any deeper meaning.
However, seeing Da-yeon acting uncharacteristically protective sparked a playful streak in Ha-eun.
"Should I not eat what Jung-yoon unnie gives me either?"
"M-Manager unnie is fine."
"What about the food my mom makes?"
"â¦Give me the cookie back."
Ha-eun teased her relentlessly until Da-yeon finally snapped.
As Da-yeon reached out to grab the cookie from Ha-eunâs hand, Ha-eun quickly bit into it with a mischievous grin.
"Snatch it if you can~."
But when Da-yeon actually tried to snatch it right out of her mouth, the cookie broke clean in half.
In the end, Ha-eun only managed to eat half of it.
The other half? Straight into Da-yeonâs mouth.
When Ha-eun, impressed by how sweet the cookie was, asked for another one, Da-yeonâ¦
-Swoosh.
-Chomp.
"Snatch it if you dare."
â¦mimicked Ha-eunâs earlier teasing exactly.
Ha-eun, quick with her hands, tried to swipe the cookie from Da-yeon this time.
-Snap!
But just as her hand was about to reach, Da-yeon shut her mouth and swallowed the cookie whole.
As a result, Ha-eunâs hand inadvertently struck Da-yeonâs lips.
"Ow, ow, that hurtâ¦!"
"I-Iâm sorry."
Ha-eun hastily apologized, brushing at the tint mark now smudged on her hand while glancing nervously at Da-yeon.
The faint tears forming in Da-yeonâs eyes suggested she really had been hurt.
What Ha-eun didnât notice, however, was that Da-yeon wasnât looking at her face but at her hand.
Nor did she catch the subtle tremble in Da-yeonâs gaze.