Ti passed, and the day finally arrived when the recording of A Cup of Pause ca to an end.
"Thank you for your hard work!"
As Da-eun cheerfully spoke, applause followed in response.
"You’ve worked hard again this ti."
"Hey, was I the only one working hard? We all worked hard, didn’t we?"
"Haha... Next ti, we’ll have to split up the shooting. Twelve days straight is definitely tough."
"Huh? Is there going to be another season?"
"Isn’t the reaction more like hoping this would be the last season?"
"Heh, don’t accuse ! You know how much I love this program!"
The production team, turning off the cara and wrapping up the recording, looked just as bright as Da-eun’s voice.
Of course, it’s only natural to feel happy that the 12 days of non-stop work had finally co to an end.
Back when the uninvited guest had arrived on the first day of filming, I thought the shoot might be completely ruined, but—
Though we still had to wait and see how the results would turn out, the filming itself had gone smoothly.
Of course, that was because the disturbance caused by him hadn’t been discovered.
After finishing my conversation with him, I imdiately sent him to Edel, and because of that, no one had even seen a single strand of his hair.
When morning ca and I t the production team again, they just asked Da-eun, who looked exhausted, "Did you stay up all night?"
They didn’t notice any of the chaos that had occurred last night.
Swoosh.
"Kanna, you worked hard too."
While I was lost in thought, Da-eun ca over and naturally ruffled my hair.
"Not really. It wasn’t that hard."
"Eh? Are you just saying that because others are watching?"
"What do you an?"
"No… Kanna, when you’re at ho, you’ll stay in bed and roll around for ages even after it’s morning. You don’t get up until the sun’s high in the sky."
"...I’m not that bad."
"No, you are. Rember the ti I didn’t wake you up for breakfast and you didn’t get up until after lunchti?"
"..."
"What? Normally kids sleep a lot, and since you’re still young, it’s only natural that you sleep a lot."
"It’s not natural. First of all, I’m not a kid."
And sleeping a lot is just because it’s comfortable, not necessarily because I’m tired.
However, Da-eun lightly ignored my reflexive rebuttal.
"A sleepyhead waking up at dawn for more than ten days must have been tough. Yeah, that must’ve been hard."
"Oh, no wonder Kanna’s energy was so low this morning. That’s why."
"There aren’t many people who are high-energy early in the morning, but Kanna is especially low. Not exactly low energy, more like dazed? You wouldn’t know how cute it is when you grumble and whine when I poke you, right?"
"...That’s sothing I’d kind of like to see."
"I have a video of it. Want to see it?"
"Yes!"
"Hold on. Hmm, which one turned out the best..."
"What are you doing?"
Both Da-eun, who was showing the video, and the production team, who waited eagerly with excited expressions, seed just as eager.
Even the PD who had directly interacted with Da-eun, along with everyone else, had stopped what they were doing and was waiting for Da-eun.
Were these the sa people who had been complaining about wanting to leave early just monts ago?
It was so ridiculous that I just stood there, observing. Then Da-eun suddenly looked at and slyly lifted the corners of her mouth.
"I’d love to show you, but Kanna’s too shy, so I can’t."
"Ah..."
"Hmm. I understand everyone’s feelings. But the opinion of the person involved is more important, so please be understanding. It’s not like I want to keep Kanna’s cute monts all to myself."
"Ugh! Dictator!"
"Down with the Dictator Da-eun regi!"
"Eh? You people are saying so dangerous things?"
I don’t know who ca up with the expression, but "like attracts like" is such a fitting saying.
What I was witnessing before my eyes couldn’t be explained by anything else.
Da-eun, who had been calmly handling the jeers from the production team, turned around.
"So, what do you think?"
"What do you an?"
"I stopped you because I thought Kanna didn’t want it. Aren’t you grateful?"
"If it weren’t for you, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place…"
You can’t ask for praise for putting out a fire when you were the one who started it and even poured oil on it.
"Heh?"
"Don’t laugh."
"Heh... They say you can’t spit on a smiling face. Kanna, you’re too cold."
"I’ve said it many tis, but it’s you who made cold."
When will Da-eun realize that all of this is her doing?
I sincerely hoped that day would never co.
"By the way, when will this video be uploaded?"
"Hmm."
The PD, who had been listening to Da-eun’s question, rubbed his chin.
"Originally, we planned to do an interview like last ti and make short clips to distribute... but."
"Is it for promotion?"
"Well, yeah. But this ti, it seems unnecessary. In fact, I think it would be better to release it as soon as possible for higher viewership."
"Ah. I get it."
"...?"
Both Da-eun and the PD, who had suddenly looked at while talking, stared at , and I just blinked, clueless.
"Posting a short clip of the scene where Kanna appeared is the best kind of promotion."
"Since you’re the hottest topic right now."
"Wow. I haven’t heard that I’m hot in ages."
"...Ahem. Anyway, we plan to upload it as soon as possible. The first episode will probably be up by next week."
"That quickly?!"
"Actually, we’ve already uploaded the preview. The first segnt is already edited. I honestly thought I was going to die from exhaustion..."
"Wow, I didn’t expect you to be such an ambitious person."
"Is there any worker who doesn’t like incentives?"
"...Is it not over yet?"
I was curious about when the video we fild would go up.
But now, I just wanted to go ho already.
I looked up at Da-eun, putting all my impatience into my gaze.
Thankfully, Da-eun’s perceptiveness was still working fine.
"Heh heh. Looks like Kanna wants to go ho quickly."
"Oh, well, that won’t do. I’ll let you go soon. But before that, would you like to gather and watch the first episode together when it’s uploaded next week? We can do a live broadcast."
"Wow, you’re really trying to milk everything, aren’t you?"
"...Is that a complint?"
"Eh. Of course I wouldn’t talk badly about the PD, who’s like the sky to . Well, if the program is successful, I’ll benefit too, so I’m all for it... What about you, Kanna?"
"...?"
Suddenly, the arrow was directed at .
What do I think, huh?
She must be asking what I think about the shooting proposal from earlier, right?
"I could just watch it at ho, couldn’t I? Is it necessary to gather and watch together? Especially when you’re even going to do a broadcast?"
"Like Kanna said, watching it at ho would be more comfortable, but there’s no reason not to gather unless there’s another purpose."
"Another purpose?"
"Yeah. In this case, it’s for promotion."
"Hmm."
After listening to Da-eun, I finally understood what the PD was intending.
By placing , the center of attention, in the spotlight, they planned to draw more viewers.
As Da-eun said, they really know how to take full advantage.
I didn’t mind going along with it, since the filming had already been done, but it was still a bit of a hassle, so I delayed my answer.
"I’ll think about it."
"Alright. We still have ti."
The PD didn’t seem to need an answer right away, so he simply nodded lightly in response.
"I’ll be expecting a positive answer."
Even though he still seed to hold onto so lingering hope.
We finished the conversation and exchanged quick farewells before getting into Da-eun’s car.
Last ti, we had gone for a celebratory al after finishing the shoot, but this ti, because of the grueling schedule, we decided to part ways neatly.
We’d gather and eat together when the last episode was uploaded.
It would feel like a post-script.
"Ugh… I think I can finally breathe."
Da-eun stretched and let out a groan.
"After being tense for more than ten days, my body’s all stiff. Are you alright, Kanna?"
"I’m fine. No physical problems for ."
"Ah… Youth really is great, huh?"
"It’s not because I’m young. And you’re young too, Da-eun."
"That’s sothing you can only say because you’re still young. The vitality of teens and twenties is on a whole different level."
Ah, my back…
While Da-eun was groaning and massaging her back, she gave a sly smile.
"Still, I think I’ll be able to rest for a while now. Speaking of which, how about lunch before we go in? You didn’t get to eat much of the at you like during the shoot."
"Aren’t you just too lazy to prepare the al?"
"Oh, you caught ."
Da-eun stuck out her tongue and laughed playfully.
"So, is that a no?"
"No. I’m fine."
If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t want to push them to cook after such a grueling schedule.
After all, Da-eun isn’t my maid.
"It’s fine, but..."
But I did have a reason not to accept Da-eun’s offer.
"I still have so things to do."
"Huh?"
"You were thinking, 'How could soone who spends all day lying around at ho have sothing to do?' right?"
"No. I didn’t think that..."
Hmm, maybe I misread her.
I tried to mimic Da-eun’s usual playful style, but it wasn’t easy.
"Still, I’m a little curious. If it were Kanna, you would have told beforehand, but you didn’t say anything until now and suddenly said you had sothing to do."
"...Are you upset?"
"I’m not upset, but seeing you hiding sothing from , it feels like you’re going through your rebellious phase. A little proud, too."
"Rebellious phase…?"
That was probably the last word I would ever associate with myself.
I barely managed to hold onto my thoughts that were beginning to wander with her unexpected comnt.
"Not really. I didn’t say anything because it’s sothing you already know about."
"I know about it?"
Da-eun tilted her head.
"Ah…!"
After a mont of confusion, Da-eun suddenly exclaid as if she had realized sothing.
"You’re going to Demons, right?"
"Yeah."
It was ti to check on the stray cat I had left with Edel.
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