Chapter 180: When Things Get Tough, Ask for Help!

Ｒｅａｄ​ ｏｎ Ｋ​ａｔＲｅａｄｉ​ｎｇ​Ｃａｆｅ​

A week had already passed since my collab stream with Yuna.

During that time, I finished writing the lyrics, polished the song a bit with the composer, and then fully immersed myself in recording.

At first, things seemed to go smoothly.

The composer praised me generously, and—most importantly—it felt like my vocal training hadn’t been in vain. Even the high notes, which I struggled with during practice, were now within reach.

But today, for the first time, I hit a wall.

“I’ve thrown away all my weak hesitations. Now, I won’t hesitate…”

“No, no! You’re still putting too much force into it.”

Even after nearly twenty attempts, the composer’s sharp criticism didn’t let up. I shrank a little but listened carefully to the feedback before putting my headphones back on.

“S-Sorry. Could I try one more time?”

“Okay, let’s go.”

The instrumental track played again.

“I’ve thrown away all my weak hesitations. Now…”

—Click.

The music cut off even earlier this time. I took off my headphones and peeked through the glass, catching the composer furrowing their brow slightly.

“Da-jeong, can you come out for a sec?”

“Y-Yes…”

Now that we were comfortable enough to drop formalities, the composer called me in casually. I quickly took off my headphones and scurried out of the booth, feeling like a student summoned to the principal’s office.

“You’re putting too much force into it overall. I get that you want to do well, but enthusiasm alone doesn’t always make for a good performance.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

“No need to apologize. Even pro singers struggle with this sometimes. Hmm… this is tricky to fix.”

Tapping a pen against the desk, she looked deep in thought.

Honestly, after twenty attempts with the same issue, it was no surprise they were frustrated. If anything, her patience was impressive.

“Let’s call it a day for now. The problem isn’t the recording—it’s that you need to understand the emotions behind this song better. Maybe you’re not mentally prepared yet.”

“Understand the emotions…?”

“Yeah. From what I see, even though you wrote these lyrics, you might not fully grasp the feelings they carry. You might not be ready in your heart.”

“Ah…”

I bit my lip, letting out a small sigh. I think I understood what they meant—but at the same time, I didn’t. I had prepared myself. I knew what these lyrics meant to me.

So what was missing?

That was my homework for today.

“We’ve been working at a good pace, so don’t rush. Take your time to think it over. And if you’re really stuck, ask for help.”

“Okay…! S-Sorry for the trouble today.”

“No trouble.”

With a final pat on my head, the composer sent me off. I left the studio with an awkward “Hehe…”, still smiling despite myself.

Since today was a rare day off streaming, maybe I should clear my head and take a walk.

I’ve never been the type to go out much.

Even on days off, I usually just stay home, clipping my members’ past streams or editing videos.

So when I do decide to go outside, the problem is… I never know where to go.

Unlike Yuna or Chae-yoon unnie, who have their own little hideouts—cafes or favorite spots they frequent—I don’t have any place like that.

“Maybe I should go eat something tasty…?”

I figured I might as well try one of the restaurants my members recommended.

I’d already had lunch with the composer, so I wasn’t hungry for a full meal—but I was craving something sweet.

Still, just getting a Frappuccino like usual felt too boring…

“Ah, here!”

Scrolling through our group chat, my eyes lit up when I found a place Ra-hee unnie had posted about.

A crêpe shop.

Crêpes!

The quintessential dessert from anime—right up there with parfaits!

Come to think of it, I’ve had parfaits a few times since trying one with Ra-hee unnie, but I’ve never had a crêpe before.

And just look at them! Crispy, thin pancakes layered with fruit, cream, and chocolate—how could anyone resist?!

“Drool…”

Like Tofu eyeing a treat, I couldn’t help but salivate. I immediately headed for the shop Ra-hee unnie recommended—luckily, it wasn’t too far.

“Guh…?!”

After about 20 minutes of walking, my excitement turned to horror when I saw the shop.

The line was insanely long.

Did Ra-hee unnie really brave this just for a crêpe?! It looked like an amusement park queue! (Not that I’ve ever been to one…)

Hesitating for a moment, I steeled myself and joined the very back of the line. The weather wasn’t too hot or cold, so it wouldn’t be too bad…

“…Hm? Da-jeong? Is that you?”

“Eh?”

A familiar voice suddenly called out to me. I turned—

“Huh? J-Jia unnie…?! What are you doing here…?”

Standing there was none other than Jia unnie.

Wide-eyed with surprise, I blurted out the question, but she looked just as startled. She blinked, as if she was the one who should be asking, before finally speaking.

“That’s my question… Did you come here after seeing Ra-hee’s post in the group chat too?”

“Gasp…! Y-Yeah. Don’t tell me you did too…?”

“Mhm. I suddenly craved it, and since I had some errands nearby, I dropped by.”

I see.

What an insane coincidence.

Ra-hee unnie had posted about this place a while ago—how did we end up here on the same day?

“Anyway, don’t just stand there. Wanna join me in line? I was getting bored waiting alone, so this works out.”

“Hehe, yeah. I was worried about how long I’d have to wait by myself…”

Thanks to this, I got to pass the time with Jia unnie. For me, this was a major win.

If it’s just the two of us, I could wait 24 hours!

Yeah, absolutely!

“By the way, I didn’t know you frequented places like this, Da-jeong. I thought you didn’t like going out much.”

“Ehehe… You’re right. Today’s just a one-time thing—I dropped by on my way back from recording.”

Admitting my reclusive tendencies made me awkward, so I scratched my cheek sheepishly. Jia unnie’s eyes sparkled briefly.

“Recording… with VN?”

“Yeah. But today, I messed up so badly that they told me to go home, rest, and come back later…”

“…I see. Well, everyone has days like that.”

When she heard my situation, she nodded understandingly and patted my head.

I’ve always felt this way—Jia unnie’s head pats are especially nice. It’s like she’s handling something precious.

Not that others don’t do it well, but… Jia unnie has this unique warmth to her.

“So no stream today?”

“Nope, it’s my day off.”

“Oh? Perfect. It’s my day off too. After the crêpes, wanna go somewhere to unwind?”

“I’d love to, but… where?”

I was in the mood to wander around today, but nothing came to mind. Tilting my head, I waited for her answer—and Jia unnie let out an uncharacteristic “Mmhuhu~” laugh, like something out of an anime.

“On days like this, the Han River is the answer. We can ride bikes, lay out a mat, and eat something tasty. How’s that sound?”

“Whoa…! Yes, please!”

That was exactly the kind of suggestion I needed.

Honestly, I’d always wanted to visit the Han River at least once.

Especially on a day like this, with spring in full swing.

Eating delicious food on a mat under a gentle breeze? That’s basically a picnic perfection.

“And don’t let my looks fool you—I am your senior when it comes to singing. Maybe I can help you with the part you’re stuck on?”

“P-Please do…!”

And it wasn’t just anyone offering—this was Jia unnie, the undisputed vocal ace of Blue LUV!

Turning this down would be idiotic!

As we chatted excitedly, the crowd ahead of us melted away before we knew it.

“Welcome! Ready to order?”

“One double crêpe with lots of cream and fruit, please!”

“Pfft… ‘Lots,’ she says. Too cute.”

Even though we’d be eating more later, this was a must!

Following Ra-hee unnie’s advice, I piled on toppings recklessly. Behind me, Jia unnie’s voice murmured something too quiet to hear—probably debating her own order.

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