Chapter 187: Lulu-chan’s Birthday Café Opens!

Ｒｅａ​ｄ ​ｏｎ ​ＫａｔＲｅ​ａｄｉｎｇＣａｆｅ​

The fragrant breezes of May passed by.

The gradually intensifying heat of June was left behind.

And finally, July arrived in full force, bringing with it the early summer’s fervor.

This July held special significance for Blue LUV fans—affectionately known as Star Pieces.

After all, it marked the release of the first original song by Lulu, the beloved youngest member of Blue LUV.

And so, as everyone counted down the days, early July arrived.

On July 6th, just one day before the song’s release, a bombshell dropped that sent fan cafés and VTuber communities into a frenzy.

【Lulu│“Will You Love Me Even Like This?” Teaser】

Views: 52,179 | Likes: 1,360

At last, the long-awaited teaser for Lulu’s new song had been released.

While teasers usually don’t garner as much attention as the actual release, this time, the view count skyrocketed at an unprecedented rate.

• It’s been an era of endless humiliation and oppression… Rise, cherries!!!!!!!!”
• Cuuuuuuuute!!!!!!!!
• Just from the teaser, my chest feels so full fr lol
  • But the title sounds kinda sad…
    • Very Lulu-chan-like title though lol
  • At least the vibe of the song itself seems bright, thank goodness
    • Fr, I was hoping it wouldn’t be too dark—the mood is perfect
  • Congrats on Lulu-chan’s first original song! Keep shining bright by our side!
  • I hope Lulu-chan sees this comment
  • Wait, but what’s the song’s vibe? Just from the intro, it already sounds amazing
    • I heard a super famous composer worked on it, so maybe that’s why
      • Just how famous are we talking? O.O
        • Did they get the person who made BTS’s songs or something? Lol
          • As if lmao
        • The company’s gonna go bankrupt making this song fr lol

Judging by the comments alone, the hype was undeniable.

It wasn’t just because this was Lulu’s first original song—

even from the brief teaser, the synergy between the music video and the song was captivating.

• The people who won the birthday café lottery get to see this live, huh? So jealous…
• Damn, I didn’t get picked…
  • Me neither…
• 300 people, who did you have to suck up to get in…
• My sister and I are both cherries, so we applied together, but only she got in… This is so unfair
  • LMAOOOOOOOOOO
    • That’s so tragic lololol
      • Bet she was freaking out lmao
        • If it were me, I’d have smashed my computer fr lol

With the birthday café schedule now announced, some couldn’t help but envy the lucky cherries who’d get to enjoy the new song together at the venue.

Of course, complaints about the limited capacity (why only 300?!) also erupted… but deep down, everyone knew.

That even accommodating 300 people was a massive effort from the company.

For a café event, that number was already unusually large.

Some even worried—would a single café really handle this many people?

Though those fears eased slightly when it was revealed that the venue was one of Seoul’s largest, second to none in scale.

And so, with Lulu’s birthday and original song release just one day away, the clock began ticking once more.

All to deliver the day everyone had been waiting for.

＊＊＊＊＊

July 7th.

The day of Tanabata.

But for Star Pieces, this day held a different meaning.

It was the day their most beloved girl came into the world.

And to celebrate this joyous occasion, even the laziest Star Pieces moved faster than ever.

Well, at least the chosen 300 did.

All to participate in Lulu’s birthday café event.

All to witness the new song’s premiere alongside fellow Star Pieces.

Fans from all over the country gathered at the designated location, undeterred by the scorching early July sun.

“Hah… hahh…”

Like a puppy panting under the summer heat, a woman named Jang Ji-won forced her legs forward, gasping for air.

“As if this heat could stop me…!”

She’d won the lottery.

She’d seized this once-in-a-lifetime chance.

No way a little sun would make her back down—she wasn’t that weak of a Star Piece.

Truthfully, she’d first fallen down the rabbit hole after seeing Lilith’s birthday ad at Hongdae Station.

But that didn’t mean her love for Blue LUV—no, for Lulu—had faded.

If anything, that day had only deepened it.

How could someone be just as tiny and precious in real life as on screen?

No matter how hard she tried to forget, the image of Da-jeong (no, Lulu—wait, no, Da-jeong?!) kept resurfacing in her mind.

Perhaps the heavens had recognized her devotion, now bordering on zealotry.

Against all odds, she’d won the birthday café lottery.

And that’s why she was here today.

“There it is…”

Maybe she should’ve taken a taxi.

Regret flickered briefly as she muttered to herself, approaching the massive building ahead.

The venue for Lulu’s birthday café was one of Seoul’s most famous cafés— a renovated two-story mansion with sprawling gardens, known for its size and scenic beauty.

She’d never been before but recognized the name from social media.

“Huh, fewer people than I expected?”

She’d assumed there’d be a long line waiting for her, but the streets were oddly quiet. Puzzled, she approached the staff at the entrance.

The song was set to premiere at 4 PM, with each guest allowed one hour inside.

That meant arriving just before 4 would ensure she could enjoy the premiere with others.

“Guess everyone’s shy?”

She’d expected crowds at this hour, but not all Star Pieces thought alike.

Or maybe many were traveling from far away.

Either way, the scene was surprisingly calm.

“Welcome! Could I check your ticket and membership, please?”

“Sure.”

She showed her phone to complete the ticket and membership check.

The staff fitted her with an admission bracelet, the kind you’d see at an amusement park.

To the right of the staff’s station, a small Lulu plush held a sign with the rules:

1. Photography and recording are allowed inside the café, but please avoid disturbing others.
2. Outside food and drinks are prohibited.
3. Aggressive behavior toward staff may result in removal.
4. Please refrain from excessive noise or causing disturbances.
5. If you don’t follow these rules, Lulu will be sad!

“Ugh, so cute…”

The plush’s teary-eyed, pleading expression—paired with that last line—made Jang Ji-won unconsciously murmur her thoughts aloud as she patted the doll.

“Right?! It’s too adorable…! I wish this was official merch.”

At that moment, the staff member on duty nodded vigorously in agreement.

Briefly overwhelmed by their intensity, Jang Ji-won froze—but quickly realized:

‘Ah, the staff are all Star Pieces too.’

Whether they were volunteers or company employees didn’t matter.

One thing was clear: they adored Lulu just as much as the fans did.

“Oh, commemorative photos can be taken over there with Lulu!”

“Huh? With her? Oh—”

Flustered, she turned—only to see the staff pointing at a life-sized Lulu cutout by a beach-themed backdrop.

‘I can’t resist this!’

Lulu was already infamous for her lethal cuteness, but here she was, striking a half-heart pose, waiting for fans to complete it!

Her inner fan-girl ignited, Jang Ji-won rushed over. A photographer, sweating buckets in the heat, approached. She almost felt bad.

“Smile big and pose with Lulu!”

“Okay!”

She curved her body slightly to match the cutout’s petite height (was this Lulu’s actual size?) and completed the heart.

Click!

“Here you go! There’s more photo ops inside, so check those out later.”

“Really? Thank you…!”

Polaroid in hand, she stepped inside—where the world became Lulu.

Posters, framed art, acrylic stands, and merch lined every wall. The largest display featured Lulu alongside the rest of Blue LUV.

“Wow…!”

She couldn’t help but marvel. ‘If only my apartment looked like this…’

“Ready to order?”

“Ah, yes! The special Frappuccino that Lulu-chan likes…”

She’d planned to get an americano, but the menu had other ideas.

Buzz—

Soon, her pager went off. At the counter, her drink came with a tray piled high with exclusive merch: photo cards, SD stickers, a coaster, and even a commemorative ticket.

“Holy…”

A staff member’s voice cut through her daze:

“It’s almost 4 PM! Star Pieces who want to watch the song premiere together, please head upstairs. It’ll also stream on the first floor and outdoors.”

The crowd surged toward the stairs—Jang Ji-won included.

The second floor was even more spacious, divided by a curtain. Beyond it, a screen and rows of chairs awaited.

As fans settled in, buzzing with anticipation—

Flicker.

『Can everyone hear me?』

“Huh?”

“Wait, what—?”

“That’s Lulu-chan’s voice!”

The screen lit up.

『Hehe, hello! Thanks for braving the heat to celebrate my birthday!』

“GAH!”

“It’s Lulu!!”

“NO WAY—”

The figure on screen wasn’t her usual avatar.

Instead, a 3D-rendered Lulu, dressed in a flowy summer gown (not her overalls!), with A-chan perched on her head, shuffled forward shyly—then beamed at the camera.

‘I’m dead.’

Jang Ji-won accepted her fate.

This was how she’d go out.

And honestly? Not a bad way to go.