Singing wasn’t something I hated.
No, I’d say I actually enjoyed it.
It’s been 12 years since I started learning to sing from Double Lee.
I wouldn’t have stuck with something I disliked for such a long time.
Debuting as a rookie singer under the name Pinocchio had been a bit of a surprise, to be honest.
But in the end, everything turned out well, and I was grateful for that.
The songs tagged with “feat. Pinocchio” had decent chart success too.
Debuting as a singer was definitely a good experience.
I felt a distinct sense of accomplishment as a singer.
However, separate from the successful debut of rookie singer Pinocchio,
I was determined to keep Pinocchio’s true identity a secret.
If, by any chance, it were revealed that the singer Pinocchio and actress Lee Ha-eun were the same person...
If people discovered Pinocchio’s real identity and began focusing on my voice...
It would inevitably increase the chances of Diah’s true identity being exposed.
“They’ll figure it out eventually... but not yet.”
Strictly speaking, my voice had already been exposed for a long time.
That’s why I worked hard to differentiate my voice as an actress from the one I used as Diah during streams.
Regardless, for a VTuber, it’s better to keep the "red pill" hidden.
There might be cases where a VTuber does better after their true identity is revealed, but such situations are rare. In general, it’s a bad thing for a VTuber.
Fortunately, no one had figured out Diah’s true identity yet.
So, I planned to keep separating the voices of actress Lee Ha-eun and VTuber Diah, continuing to juggle both roles.
I had no intention of offering any more clues that Lee Ha-eun and Diah were the same person.
That’s why, when I first heard that the request was for Pinocchio, not Lee Ha-eun, I was ready to refuse outright.
But.
“They’re in a tight spot right now. You’re the only one who can step in, Ha-eun.”
After hearing just how desperate this situation was for the unknown rapper Hwang Ji-hyuk...
And realizing I was the only person who could help him right now...
“...Let’s meet them in person. I think we need to discuss this face-to-face.”
“Got it.”
In the end, I headed to Double Lee’s studio instead of home.
The hesitation I’d always had about my singing career came from personal reasons.
And while those reasons weren’t necessarily wrong or bad, they didn’t seem significant enough to ignore someone else’s desperation entirely.
Just as I put my heart into being Diah the VTuber, Hwang Ji-hyuk must have poured everything into reaching the finals of SIT ON THE MONEY.
Of course, comparing whose passion was greater was meaningless.
‘...This is tough.’
I could weigh what I’d gain by helping Hwang Ji-hyuk against what I’d gain by not helping.
After all, just because Pinocchio’s identity was revealed didn’t mean Diah’s "red pill" would automatically be exposed.
Still, I’d need to work harder to separate the voices of VTuber Diah, actress Lee Ha-eun, and singer Pinocchio.
Giving up before even trying didn’t seem right.
After weighing everything over and over again...
“Helping others always feels good. So, Ha-eun, help those you can.”
“...Okay.”
Recalling my promise to Jang Sung-ho, I finally made up my mind.
-Knock, knock.
“I’m here.”
I knocked twice on the studio door. Immediately, I was met with the slightly nervous faces of Lee Jun and Lee Geon-yeol.
‘This feels familiar.’
The usual familiarity between us was gone, replaced with a strange awkwardness.
The atmosphere in the studio was heavy.
To put it bluntly, it was suffocating.
Why even make the request if they were going to act like this?
“Excuse me, guys. Are you scared of me or something?”
“Ah, well... we thought you might be upset.”
“We were worried it seemed like we were forcing you to do something you didn’t want.”
“I’m not upset. And I don’t think your request was unreasonable.”
Honestly, I preferred when people just laid everything out on the table instead of tiptoeing around.
Though I couldn’t explain my reluctance to pursue singing, I wished they’d just talk openly.
“If I was going to refuse outright, I wouldn’t have come to the studio. So, please, explain the situation clearly.”
What followed was the story of how they first met Hwang Ji-hyuk,
how they scouted him for Double Lee’s team,
and how he ultimately made it to the finals of SIT ON THE MONEY.
“The kid is incredibly diligent. Overflowing with passion.”
“There’s something about him that just makes you want to help.”
‘...They’re completely enamored.’
After listening to endless praise for Hwang Ji-hyuk, they finally brought up the finals.
Specifically, the unavoidable circumstances that prevented the original featured singer from participating.
“So, if I step in as the featured artist, what happens?”
“What happens? Ji-hyuk wins.”
“...Is it really that simple?”
“When have we ever lied about music?”
Lee Jun’s confidence was apparent. Sitting beside him, Lee Geon-yeol added:
“It’ll be the most perfect finale SIT ON THE MONEY has ever seen.”
Their expectant gazes locked onto me.
I couldn’t bring myself to refuse outright.
The problem was, according to the rules of SIT ON THE MONEY,
every performer, including featured artists, had to perform live on stage.
‘...Why even bother with an alias at this point?’
Pinocchio’s identity would inevitably be exposed.
So.
“Can you call Hwang Ji-hyuk for me?”
To decide if this finale was worth revealing Pinocchio’s identity, I decided to speak with him directly.
Within five seconds, the call connected.
Lee Geon-yeol began explaining.
“Ji-hyuk, we spoke with Pinocchio, and...”
[ So... she said no? ]
“No, she didn’t say that.”
[ Oh? Wait, does that mean... she’ll feature?! ]
“Hold on, Ji-hyuk. It depends on how you respond. Your words will decide whether she agrees or not.”
With that, he handed me the phone in speaker mode.
“...Hello, Hwang Ji-hyuk. This is Pinocchio.”
[ H-Hello! This is Hwang Ji-hyuk!! ]
His voice was filled with nervous energy.
He was already flustered even though I hadn’t said anything yet.
I cut to the chase.
“Can you win?”
[ Win...? I want to, of course, but to do that─ ]
“Just answer yes or no.”
[ ...Yes. I can win. ]
His steady voice gave me pause.
After a moment of silence, I finally spoke.
“Keep your promise.”
I accepted the offer to feature.
A clear, serene voice filled the studio.
Her breathing never faltered, not even once.
She effortlessly shifted between chest voice and falsetto.
“What do you think? Ha-eun’s a great singer, right?”
“...I think I’m falling for her.”
“Hey, don’t take that too far. She’s still a high school student.”
The scene unfolding before Hwang Ji-hyuk was unbelievable.
It didn’t feel real at all.
Absentmindedly, he slapped his cheek. His reddening skin confirmed this wasn’t a dream.
Suppressing the overwhelming excitement bubbling inside him, he rubbed his face repeatedly.
“The world is so unfair. How is she this good at singing too?”
“Don’t underestimate her. She’s been practicing for over a decade. She’s been coming to our studio since kindergarten.”
“Our Ha-eun’s been properly trained.”
The pride in their voices was unmistakable.
Hwang Ji-hyuk let out a helpless laugh.
It was absurd.
Laughably absurd.
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“Hey, Jun. I think Ji-hyuk really fell for her.”
“Look at that grin. It’s practically touching his ears.”
“...It’s her voice. I fell for her voice.”