Chapter 172: A Chaotic Meeting from the Start!

Ｒead ̃on‍ K​ａt&R;eaⅾiṅ​ｇC​af‍​e‍

Translator Note

Hi hi! This chapter may format weird at first on some phones due to the way the comment replies are formatted, if you encounter that it may help to decrease the font size or flip from vertical to horizontal display! If anyone encounters those issues my apologies!!

Two days after April Fools’ Day.

As I checked the video uploaded yesterday on the BlueOshi channel, I couldn’t help but smile.

The view count was unusually high.

【The Blue LUV Bodies Got Switched?!】

Views: 41,102 | Likes: 600

It had only been about 12 hours since the upload, yet it had already hit 40,000 views. Even our regular channel videos sometimes struggle to pump numbers this fast—it’s almost surreal.

Guess everyone really enjoyed the April Fools’ stream, huh? Sure, it was a bit disorienting, but I had fun too. Seems like the Star Pieces were eagerly waiting for this one.

I rewatched it while editing, and yeah, it was hilarious. I’d been too focused on my team’s side to catch the other group’s stream, but theirs was comedy gold too.

No wonder the video turned out so well.

Comments Section:

• Absolute chaos lololol
  • Technical term: a total disaster.
    • Expected fun, but this exceeded expectations lolol
      • What’ll they do next April Fools’?
• CEO Kang vs. Yukiko wasn’t role-swapping—it was a death battle lol
  • CEO Kang: ‘Kids these days are too comfortable around me.’
    • Way too comfortable…
      • ???: ‘Why does your voice sound so old today?’
        • Did you know? Blue LUV originally had six members…
• Split into two teams, but both ended up with two people fighting and one mediating—same old magic lol
  • Erin actually mediated, but Lulu also went full murder-mode…
    • • Her mental breakdown after that had me wheezing.
• Was too busy watching Lulu’s stream, but the other side was peak comedy too lol
  • Lucretia and Lilith just kept blaming each other—priceless.
    • At this point, it’s not a co-op game but a political simulator.
      • Didn’t you know? Co-op games are political games.
        • Wise words.
• Lulu’s definitely the most casual with Yukiko lol. No way she’d go full murder-mode with other members.
  • They’re the only ones who use informal speech—must be close.
    • Are they the same age?
      • No speculative IRL theories, please.
        • But it’s weird not to know lol.
          • Fr. Lulu’s always polite except with Yukiko—they’re probably the same age.

“Hehe…”

Just reading the comments had me grinning. Honestly, this alone could fuel me—I could skip breakfast.

…Not that I should, of course.

Thud—

“Nyaaah!”

“Gah—! T-Tofu! It’s dangerous there!”

As I headed to the kitchen to scrounge up food, Tofu, who had been waiting by the door, startled me. Good thing I opened it gently—she could’ve gotten hurt.

With Tofu trotting behind me, I rummaged through the fridge and found frozen mackerel.

Perfect. Mackerel rice for breakfast.

Clatter—

After thawing the fish, I started prepping ingredients for breakfast

Rustle—

“Hey, that’s not your food. Your bowl’s over there.”

“Nyaa…”

Tofu tried to sneak a paw toward the mackerel but failed under my watchful gaze. Defeated, she flopped her ears and slunk away. I smiled at her pitiful retreat—

Ding!

“Huh?”

A notification from Yuna lit up my phone:

[Yuna] – Criminal Jeong Da-jeong, hear me!

[Yuna] – To atone for murdering me on April Fools, arrive at this location by 1 PM!

[Yuna] – (Address attached)

[Yuna] – If you dress cute, your sentence will be reduced!

[Yuna] – Over!

…So she was mad. The message didn’t sound furious, but this was a full-on declaration. I’d better prepare.

Wait—dress cute? I don’t own cute clothes! Guess I’m raiding my closet instead of eating…!

***************

Later…

Huff, huff…!

Of course I missed the subway! Shouldn’t have played with Tofu before leaving! I’ve never been late before!

Still, thanks to my comfy shoes, I sprinted full-speed toward the meetup spot—a huge building up ahead. No sign of Yuna yet, but then—

“Oh, Da-jeong’s here? You’re late for once.”

“Wheeze—! S-Sorry, Yuna, I missed the subwa—…Huh?”

I gasped, then froze. The voice was deeper than expected.

…Wait. This voice—?

“Whew, why’d you run so hard? So what if you’re a little late?”

“C-CEO Kang…?!”

“Hi.”

There, sitting casually on the steps amid the passing crowd, was the CEO—her usual indifferent expression fixed on me as she raised a hand in greeting. Her outfit was, as always, effortlessly comfortable and laid-back.

But why was the CEO here…?!

“What brings you here boss…?”

“Hm? Didn’t Yuna tell you? A while back, I couldn’t treat her to a meal, so I promised her one today. Then she said she’d call you too—figured we’d hang out, all three of us.”

“Huh? R-Really?”

All Yuna had told me was to show up by 1 PM. The only extra note was to “dress cute”… Was that because our boss would be here?! I had no idea…!

“Where’s Yuna, then?”

“Oh, she’s on her way. Said she lay down for a bit and dozed off—running late.”

“Very… Yuna-like.”

Typical.

She calls two people out only to be late herself. Classic Yuna, right down to the “just a nap” turning into a full sleep.

“Oh, by the way, I watched yesterday’s video. It was fun. Your editing skills never disappoint, Da-jeong.”

“Really? Hehe…”

Her thumbs-up praise made me grin like an idiot, scratching my head. I had put extra effort into that edit.

“If it weren’t your main job, I’d recruit you as our channel’s editor… Ah, but you’d probably refuse, huh?”

“Probably…? I’d rather keep it as a hobby.”

“Yeah, figured.”

Chuckling at her own misstep, she rummaged in her pocket—then pulled out… Wait, what?

A… cigarette…?!

“C-CEO, you smoke…?”

“Ah, never mentioned it? Not often, but occasionally. Just one before Yuna gets here.”

“O-Okay… But maybe somewhere less crowded…?”

I mean, she’s an adult, so it’s her call—but it’s bad for her. Not that I’m in any position to scold her. Still, this is a busy sidewalk, couldn’t she at least find a smoking area…?

Too timid to say more, I waffled awkwardly—until:

“Boss! Da-jeong!”

“Ah, Yuna!”

“Oh, here she is.”

From the opposite direction, Yuna’s familiar voice rang out. There she was, waving eagerly, dressed in shades of blue that amplified her bright, refreshing charm.

“Ossu!”

Yuna greeted us with her latest catchphrase—a salute she’d picked up from her current favorite anime character.

“Enough with the ‘Ossu.’ Apologize for being late first,” the CEO chided.

“Ehehe, my bad! Didn’t mean to fall aslee—…Huh?!”

Yuna, ever the mischief-maker, tried to laugh off her tardiness until her eyes suddenly widened. She stomped over to CEO Kang and—

“CEO! Were you messing with Da-jeong again?!”

“Huh?”

—snatched the cigarette from her hand.

Wait, messing with me? What?

Before I could process it, CEO Kang burst into laughter, covering her mouth.

“Pfft…! Sorry, but after it worked so well on you last time, I had to try it on Da-jeong too.”

“Ugh! Mess with me all you want, but leave innocent Da-jeong alone! Da-jeong, don’t fall for it—it’s just a Pepero stick!”

“Wha—Pepero?!”

Yuna shoved the so-called “cigarette” into my face. Up close, it was clearly a white chocolate-coated Pepero.

But… wait. CEO Kang had pulled it from what looked like a cigarette pack. What was that about?!

“Then what was that pack earlier?!”

“This? Just a Pepero box. Wanna see?”

CEO Kang pulled out the “pack,” revealing more Pepero sticks inside.

“Fans kept nagging me to quit smoking, so it became a meme. One even sent me these tobacco-shaped Pepero sticks. After pranking Yuna, I had to try it on you too.”

“That’s mean…!”

Using fan-made snacks to prank your employees?! CEO, you’re the worst! A dumb-dumb! A sea cucumber! A jellyfish! Do you know how scared I was?!

“Sorry, did I scare you?”

“Of course! I was so worried you were hurting your health…!”

“Aww, really? Fine, no more pranks. Here—have one as an apology.”

Crunch, crunch.

…Okay, it was tasty.

But as I absentmindedly reached for a second—

Click.

“Gasp! Da-jeong’s smoking! Gotta post this in the group chat!”

Yuna aimed her phone at me, the Pepero box now magically in my hand. From a distance, it looked exactly like I’d been caught red-handed.

“Tsk tsk. Knew Da-jeong would pick up bad habits after streaming with those gamers…”

“This is your fault, CEO!”

With a dramatic huff, I stuffed another Pepero into my mouth.

Ugh, you’re all terrible…!

 

Translator Note

AI art… uuuuuuuuu… I’m not a fan at all but the author is using it so I feel obligated to put it in… 🙁

Anyways, if you are confused about what Pepero is, it’s basically Korean Pocky