Chapter 112: Island Maiden, Part 2

The two of them, feeling the disparity in their appetites, entered a well-known tteokbokki franchise and had lunch.

Hayoon wasn’t the type to consider tteokbokki a proper meal, but with her smaller appetite, even stimulating foods like this seemed to fill her up.

Besides…

“It’s here, it’s here… Picture, picture.”

Seo Ji-woo had strongly insisted on coming here.

Initially, she had asked Hayoon to take her to one of her favorite restaurants, but Hayoon replied that she didn’t have any, so they ended up at Seo Ji-woo’s desired tteokbokki franchise.

“You like it that much?”

“Of course! Have you ever lived on Ulleungdo? There are almost no franchise branches there. To eat something like this, you have to go to the mainland, and it’s not easy for a minor to go to the mainland alone, ugh.”

Seo Ji-woo shuddered as if disgusted, then rejoiced, saying that she could now eat whatever she wanted since she would be living in Seoul.

“Okay, okay, eat a lot. Chew thoroughly.”

Hayoon watched Seo Ji-woo eat heartily, picking at her own tteokbokki.

She had a filling breakfast at home, and it hadn’t fully digested yet.

She just poked at the tteokbokki with a fork, tasting it.

“Haa, haa…”

Seo Ji-woo, panting as the spiciness hit her belatedly, didn’t stop eating, as if she had finally obtained what she desired.

The two women, with appetites as different as their chest sizes, devoured the tteokbokki.

“Fuah…”

Finally, Seo Ji-woo swallowed the last piece of tteokbokki, marking the end of their lunch.

Hayoon, already somewhat full, was satisfied with just a little, and Seo Ji-woo, having been hungry, was happy to eat a lot.

It was a satisfying lunch for both of them.

“You’ve got something there.”

“Oh…”

“It’s not lip tint. Don’t just apply anything red on your lips.”

“O-Okay…”

Hayoon watched Seo Ji-woo, then took a tissue, wiped the red sauce from the corner of her mouth, and stood up.

“I’ll go pay. Let’s grab coffee at a cafe and then go to the recording studio.”

“O-Okay…”

Min Hayoon, the cool city girl, naturally took the lead with the innocent island girl.

Hayoon and Seo Ji-woo, each with a coffee in hand, sipping through straws, arrived at the familiar place.

Forest Sound.

Hayoon had visited this recording studio countless times, and there…

“You’re here?”

“Yes, Senpai.”

“S-Senpai?”

Hong Seo-hyun was waiting.

Unlike Seo Ji-woo, who was a first-timer, Hong Seo-hyun, having recorded here a few times, had come directly to Forest Sound.

“You two haven’t met, right? This is Lucy, Seo Ji-woo. And this is Scarlet, Hong Seo-hyun.”

“Nice to meet you, Ji-woo.”

“Oh, hello! I-I really enjoy your songs. I can’t rewrite lyrics, so I just sing in the original language. I think it’s amazing!”

Hong Seo-hyun, having some experience, acted naturally, while Seo Ji-woo, who rarely interacted with her peers, gave an awkward greeting.

“Hong Seo-hyun has experience recording original songs, but Ji-woo doesn’t, so if you have any questions during the recording, feel free to ask. You’ll both be recording today.”

They were scheduled to record their respective original songs today.

Although they had plans for cover duets and original duet songs, they decided to postpone them as they would be more effective after their debut.

So, today’s plan was to record their individual original songs.

“So, who’s recording first?”

“You go first, Senpai… Boss.”

“Wh-What was the name of the MR again?”

“Red Sky.”

“Ah, right, right.”

“Alright, I’m going in.”

Hong Seo-hyun stood up as if she had been waiting and entered the recording booth, putting on her headset.

Hayoon and Seo Ji-woo decided to watch the recording process from outside…

“Red Sky… mine is Blue Ocean…”

Seo Ji-woo muttered casually.

This was actually a kind of hint.

Two Utaites releasing original songs around the same time, titled Red Sky and Blue Ocean?

It was inevitable for people to think there was a connection.

“This is how we throw hints to the Vtuber fandom, aiming for song popularity and viral marketing.”

“Oh…”

The most powerful viral marketing was when the fandom enthusiastically spread hints amongst themselves.

Paying for a comment army was a waste of money and invited criticism, but voluntary viral marketing within the fandom, although it could be criticized for being uncontrolled, was undeniably effective.

–Like the sky dyed red at sunset.

Hong Seo-hyun sang, bringing out her unique vocal color.

It was an easy-listening song that focused on her naturally pleasant voice rather than vocal technique.

It was the easiest way to compensate for the lack of skills compared to professionals or experienced vocalists.

“Okay, next. Blue Ocean, come on in.”

“Alright!”

After a few hours of recording, Hong Seo-hyun and Seo Ji-woo switched places.

They would do additional recording later if needed, but it was unlikely.

Hong Seo-hyun was a good singer.

“Cough, cough, my throat is dry. Ah, it’s tough doing an original song after so long…”

“Have some coffee.”

“Thanks…?”

Hayoon handed Hong Seo-hyun a coffee, saying she did a good job. Hong Seo-hyun, sipping the coffee through a straw without thinking, suddenly paused and looked at Hayoon.

She thought she saw Hayoon’s lip tint on the straw…

And as if to confirm her suspicion, a faint peach scent lingered in her mouth.

“Ah, I took a sip by mistake. I thought it was cold brew, but it was Americano.”

“Ah… That can happen.”

Hong Seo-hyun awkwardly smiled and finished the Americano.

Wasn’t this an indirect kiss?

She thought so, but it was a mistake, so what could she do?

She didn’t dislike it, and after all the butt-groping and cheek kisses they had shared, it felt awkward to make a fuss over this…

–Blue Ocean! I look at you from beyond the horizon!

As she was thinking this, Seo Ji-woo, with her powerful voice, hit the high note.

It was a song arranged as a love song, reflecting her longing for life on the mainland while living on Ulleungdo Island. It was a refreshing song that maximized her charmingly boyish voice.

“Wow, her singing is amazing.”

Hayoon felt a sense of awe watching Seo Ji-woo.

She often listened to Hong Seo-hyun’s naturally feminine voice and had become accustomed to it, often observing her recordings in the studio.

However, Seo Ji-woo’s boyish vocals, positioned at the opposite end of the spectrum, were refreshing and even stimulating in a way.

Hayoon closed her eyes, focusing on Seo Ji-woo’s voice.

‘Hmm…?’

Feeling a surge of inexplicable annoyance, Hong Seo-hyun switched the positions of the Americano and cold brew.

Now, Hong Seo-hyun’s rose-scented lip tint was on the straw.

“Ah,
, I drank the Americano again. Sorry, Unnie…”

“Unnie?”

“Ah, Senpai.”

“Why won’t you call me Unnie…!”

While the two of them were joking around, Seo Ji-woo’s refreshing voice resonated throughout the recording studio.

The recording ended late at night.

Since they were all going in the same direction, the three women, after finishing the recording, chatted idly while waiting for a taxi.

“Where are you sleeping, Ji-woo? Did your parents book a motel? Should I book one for you? I’m an adult, an adult.”

Then, the topic of Seo Ji-woo’s accommodation came up.

Hong Seo-hyun, with the newly-turned-twenty’s desire to act like an adult, offered to book a motel for her.

“Ah, it’s okay. I’m sleeping over at Hayoon’s place…”

‘Sleeping over? ’

“Yes.”

When Seo Ji-woo said she was sleeping over at Hayoon’s, Hong Seo-hyun’s eyes widened, and she looked at Hayoon.

She herself had never even visited Hayoon’s house, let alone slept over. How could this young girl sleep over at Hayoon’s after knowing her for such a short time?

“Why?”

Of course, she couldn’t express her feelings outwardly.

It wasn’t hostility towards Seo Ji-woo, but rather a feeling of resentment towards Hayoon.

However…

“Why not let me sleep over too…”

“That’s why I put two folding beds in the Igloo.”

“No… I’ve never even been to your house…”

“Why would you come all the way to my house to sleep? I don’t usually let people into my house. I’m only letting Ji-woo stay because her home is too far away.”

“O-Oh…”

Hayoon was surprisingly cold in these situations.

She had a strong sense of home being a family space and didn’t seem to understand why Hong Seo-hyun would feel resentful about not being invited.

“The taxi’s here. Let’s go.”

“Okay…”

Hong Seo-hyun got into the taxi, feeling slightly disappointed.

She envied Seo Ji-woo.

Not a lot, just a little.

Just a tiny bit.