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I already knew what the first thing to say when I met Ha-eun would be.

I had practiced it a few times.

However, standing in front of her, all I could offer was a symphony of guilt-ridden sobs.

– Creak!

I barely managed to reach out my trembling hands and grasp the hem of Ha-eun’s cherry blossom-colored hanbok.

At that moment, all I could think was that I needed to stop her from leaving.

“Please, don’t hate me… please…”

Emotions that had been rotting deep inside my heart burst forth in an instant.

Thick tears dripped down from my bloodshot eyes.

I could barely breathe, and my hunched shoulders shook uncontrollably.

I had so much I wanted to say, so much I needed to say.

“…I never hated you.”

But with a calm voice as usual, I crumbled without revealing any true feelings.

Eventually, there was a quiet consideration as she cautiously offered me her embrace.

The slice of cake that once radiated sweet fragrances had long since been toppled over.

Even the pristine white door of the waiting room had mysteriously closed tight.

Yet, nothing else mattered.

I couldn’t focus on anything other than the person who had still been my friend.

*

“…I’m sorry for getting upset about your grades.”

– Nod.

“I’m sorry for forcing you to look for my advertisement, too.”

– Nod.

“I’m sorry for secretly applying for the role of the queen… …Why do you keep nodding?”

With slightly sharp eyes, Ha-eun just insisted that she was listening well and explained her earlier gestures.

However, among the things that Da-yeon had apologized for, there truly hadn’t been anything that hurt her.

I never expected her to apologize for every little thing.

So then, when Da-yeon hesitated but finally extended her hand before Ha-eun,

I thought, ‘Are you really 18?’

I was taken aback, alternating between Da-yeon’s serious gaze and her hand.

Though I ended up shaking hands in reconciliation under her resolute determination,

the problem was, it didn’t just end with a handshake.

Before I knew it, a shadow loomed right in front of Ha-eun once more.

“…How old is our Da-yeon?”

“Sh, shut up! I said only hugging will make it a real reconciliation…”

If she knows I said that, she might faint.

Then, I obediently hugged her until Da-yeon was satisfied.

After all, part of the blame did lie with Ha-eun as well.

The matter that weighed on Da-yeon’s heart eventually slipped out of her mouth moments later.

“Um, back when you came to find me at the filming location… what were you there for?”

“Oh, that’s… I didn’t know what had changed about me.”

The following story was about rumors related to Ha-eun.

More precisely, it was about the sudden dating rumors involving Ha-eun.

However, before Ha-eun finished her story, Da-yeon interjected,

“So, who is he?”

She asked about a boyfriend that didn’t even exist.

“I’m not dating anyone.”

“What? Did you break up already?”

“No… I mean, I’ve never had a boyfriend.”

“So, you got dumped, huh? Well, let’s just say you never had a boyfriend at all.”

Ultimately, unnecessary misunderstandings piled up.

The pitiful look in Da-yeon’s eyes, which had been comforting Ha-eun, only added fuel to the fire.

And so, Da-yeon finally clearly stated that Ha-eun’s dating history was 0.

“Why does everyone think I have a boyfriend? What on earth makes them think that?”

With an emotional voice unusual for Ha-eun, she questioned Da-yeon about the sources of her long-standing torment.

After a moment of reflection, Da-yeon suggested three reasons.

“The girl who only used to read textbooks suddenly starts texting with a happy expression one day.”

I had no idea what expression Da-yeon referred to as happy.

However, in recent times, the only people I had been texting were members of the Fantasy Realm.

“When the phone rings, you always sneak off to the bathroom to answer it.”

Of course, those were calls with members of Fantasy Realm or Ji-Hye Min.

Since I couldn’t let anyone find out I was Dia, I had to make those choices.

“And most importantly, your throat sounds hoarse in the morning.”

“Why does it matter if my throat is hoarse?”

“It shows you were chatting late into the night with your boyfriend.”

The person I had been chatting with late at night wasn’t Ha-eun’s boyfriend, but rather the viewers of Dia, the Noeuls.

Simply put, chatting with anyone other than Noeuls until late at night would disqualify me as a VTuber.

In the end, every part of it was a misunderstanding.

However, to clear up those misunderstandings, I had to reveal the secrets of my VTuber broadcasts as well.

“It’s unfair.”

“What’s unfair when you can’t even explain it properly?”

“Anyway, it’s unfair.”

I continued to grumble, feeling frustrated.

It was after this that I sensed someone’s presence coming from beyond the waiting room’s white door.

Oh, right.

So, I headed towards the firmly closed door.

I cautiously pushed it open.

“Did you finish your talk with Da-yeon well?”

I found myself face to face with Yoo Sung-jae, who had been guarding the door to the waiting room.

“Oh, yes. Thanks to you.”

“I’m glad.”

He added that he was startled when I suddenly started crying.

Yet he didn’t ask what it was about.

To be precise, I had heard voices slipping through the door cracks to some extent.

I merely thought that it was a complicated matter for a third party like Yoo Sung-jae to intervene.

“Well then, I’ll be on my way now. See you on Friday.”

“I, um, actually have a broadcast schedule on Friday.”

“Wait, weren’t we all supposed to watch the first broadcast together? I thought we had already reserved a place.”

“Sorry, it just so happened that my schedule overlapped.”

The first broadcast of The Moonlight That Cuts Through Clouds was this Friday.

The production crew and the cast were promised to gather for the inaugural event, and Ha-eun, as the lead actress, had committed to attend.

The concern was that the live final of SIT ON THE MONEY happened to be on the same Friday.

Fortunately, the live final of SIT ON THE MONEY was scheduled to end by 10 PM, so it didn’t conflict with the first episode of The Moonlight That Cuts Through Clouds, which started at 10:30 PM.

There should be some promotional effect.

Once Ha-eun’s true identity as Pinocchio was revealed on the final stage of SIT ON THE MONEY, it would definitely draw attention to The Moonlight That Cuts Through Clouds, where she played the lead.

Since I was merely making a short appearance as a feature artist alongside Hwang Ji-hyuk, I didn’t expect a dramatically high promotional effect.

However, I figured it would at least slightly contribute to the success of The Moonlight That Cuts Through Clouds.

After all, that project meant a great deal to Ha-eun.

“I’ll be with you in spirit.”

“Well, since I can’t see your spirit, I’ll just stick a picture of you on a giant teddy bear and sit it in your chair.”

“…You’re joking, right?”

“Nope, I’m serious. I’ll even upload proof shots on social media~.”

His playful voice hinted at adding the hashtag #Traitor as well.

Before Ha-eun could even say anything, he was off like a fleeing thief.

As I squinted at Yoo Sung-jae, who was drifting away, I thought.

“…What kind of program is it that you’re filming at night?”

I was startled and almost stumbled upon seeing Da-yeon, who had been standing right behind me.

After all, Ha-eun’s participation in SIT ON THE MONEY was confidential.

Pinocchio is our secret weapon, so let’s keep it under wraps until the final stage.

It seemed wiser to keep the very existence of the singer Pinocchio hidden for a more shocking performance at the final stage.

While I needed to inform Ji-Hye Min, the head of Fantasy Realm, about the identity of Pinocchio in advance and ask for her understanding,

it was quite difficult to disclose that to Da-yeon as well.

Thus, I drew a line that I couldn’t reveal anything about the program Ha-eun was in by citing a non-existent confidentiality agreement.

Upon seeing Da-yeon’s baffled expression, I suggested we go change our clothes and shifted the topic to the outfits we were wearing.

After that, everything went smoothly as I walked alongside Da-yeon toward the dressing room for the first time in ages.

However, upon arriving at the dressing room and returning the outfit I was wearing to change back,

“Hey? Why is this wet?”

“Oh, um… I’m sorry. I accidentally spilled some water.”

I had to pass off Da-yeon’s tear stains on Ha-eun’s cherry blossom-colored hanbok as water from the bottle.

After all, there was no reason to spread the details of my situation with Da-yeon everywhere.

And so, just as Ha-eun finished preparing to go home, stepping out of the dressing room,

– Snatch!

Da-yeon, who had been waiting at the door, tightly grasped Ha-eun’s hand.

However, it seemed that just holding her hand didn’t reassure her, so she even linked arms with her.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Um, I haven’t eaten anything…”

“Then let’s go eat together. Jin-soo oppa reserved a restaurant.”

She came asking me to go have dinner with her.

She also mentioned that today was Da-yeon’s birthday.

“I haven’t even blown out my candles yet.”

“…How old is our Da-yeon?”

“Can’t you at least let me celebrate my birthday party with you?”

Eventually, we hopped into Kim Jin-soo’s van instead of Jo Jeong-yun’s and headed for a nearby restaurant.

Since it was nearly 10 PM, there were no other guests in sight besides Ha-eun and Da-yeon.

But that didn’t matter.

Having just one friend sitting across the table kept me from feeling lonely.

Da-yeon, who had been slightly giddy for some time,

So perhaps that was why.

“Hey, Ha-eun Lee. Do you remember Daramji?”

Memories from when Da-yeon first visited Ha-eun’s house several years ago surfaced.

The issue was,

“That person started some project to develop broadcasters lately, and it’s been fun. Want to check it out?”

She was trying to share a new hobby she had developed while being apart from Ha-eun.

As Ha-eun’s expression and gaze froze simultaneously at Da-yeon’s actions,

Da-yeon, completely oblivious,

“Are you okay—!!”

“Doesn’t it look cute?”

Finally, clips of Dia’s broadcast started playing right in front of Ha-eun.

For quite a while thereafter, the high-pitched voice of Dia filled the silent restaurant, and Ha-eun thought,

…Why is this happening to me?

She seriously contemplated whether to just get up and run away at that moment.

Even hiding in a mouse hole would be preferable.