All eyes turned to the girl who was gently floating down to the stage, greeting the fans with a doll-like smile. Her long hair shimmered in hues of red and blue, catching the light like silk.
"There! That's Yurei—Yurei in the flesh!" Tanny's jaw dropped at the sight of his favorite idol. The rest of D\8/ quickly pulled out their phones to snap selfies with her. Tanny, in particular, was grinning ear to ear, as if he had a million things he wanted to tell her.
"Why did we have to come here again? It's kinda... cramped," Mickey muttered toward Eska—the man behind the cyan neon mask. To everyone's surprise, Eska answered fluently in Korean, his accent flawless, like it was his native tongue.
"Oh-ho~ Kkeojima, kkeojima! We won't stay long. We've got a big stage awaits tonight!"
"Where?" I asked.
"Secretto!" Esto, the drummer in the golden mask, interrupted cheerfully before gesturing toward Yurei.
"That's right!" Yurei said, her voice bright and animated. "I've been planning this all day and night since the collab was announced! I promise—it's going to be unlike any concert you've ever seen before!"
"Yurei-chan! I haven't even eaten yet, or showered, or—" Moon froze mid-sentence, realizing what he was about to say. "Eh?!"
Tom groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Okay, that's enough. You should just go lie down, man."
"Oh! We've prepared omakase for everyone!" Yurei announced, bouncing lightly before floating back up into the air.
"Private dinner?" Tanny shouted up at her. The girl giggled midair and pointed toward the glowing ad boards of Shibuya. The digital billboards suddenly flickered, their movie trailers replaced by bold pink letters that spelled out her answer: Private.
Yurei dove straight into the screen, her figure dancing between the giant displays circling Shibuya Crossing before words began flashing across every neon sign:
"D\8/ × Y.N.G — See you tonight!"
The crowd below erupted in excitement.
"Awesome!" Tanny clapped wildly as Eska waved for us to follow him. A sleek airship descended beside the stage, its hatch opening wide.
"Come on!" Jaehun grabbed my wrist. "Can't wait to taste that meal!"
"Whoa!" We all piled into the ship, which soared above Tokyo's skyline. The interior gleamed with luxury—soft leather sofas, crystal lights, and a tray of red wine from France. Yejin didn't hesitate to pour each of us a glass.
"Just a sip," she warned.
"This one," Jinam said, swirling his glass, "costs about a hundred thousand euros a bottle."
Tanny nearly spat his out. "You what—?!"
Esto leaned over and whispered something to Eska, who nodded and translated calmly, "He says it's Benoît Brasserie. One of the top wines for high society—naturally fermented, no machinery involved. But we actually prefer soju."
I took a sip. "Smooth. Really smooth."
Jinam eyed the Y.N.G duo's outfits. "Your suits look expensive. The butterfly embroidery's a nice touch. Mine's from Hong Kong—half a million yuan. The watch? Seven hundred thousand."
Tanny muttered under his breath, "Tgh! Show-off."
Eska chuckled. "Oh, ours are nothing. This hoodie's from a street market. Looked nice, so I bought it. Esto's jacket, though—custom Yokosuka, about 150,000 won. We're saving up for a house or two, maybe."
"Yessir, fifuty million, hunudred million, san-ni-ichi! ♫Hooooooo—" Esto began drumming on his knees like a beat drop.
"Stoppu, stop!" Eska waved him off. "If Esto starts singing, you'll all jump off the ship before the chorus."
Tom laughed. "If he takes that mask off, Yurei might lose her job."
The cabin burst into laughter.
"Your guitar looks amazing. Custom-made?" Moon asked, intrigued.
"Yep! Modified it myself. It can switch to bass mode too. But on stage, I preload samples—it's impossible to solo both at once you know... though it'd be wild, huh?" Eska grinned and handed it over. "Here, try it."
Tanny nudged my shoulder. "So, how's your first tour?"
"First impression? Eleven out of ten. It's huge."
He laughed. "Right? I love the energy. No pressure, just good vibes."
Just then, Eska suddenly pointed at me, his voice almost trembling. "Wait—hold up! You're White, right? From Wolves Kiss? New member?"
"Yup, the one and only. The real voice, not an AI," I said, spreading my arms dramatically.
Tanny burst out laughing. "You're such a dork."
"I follow you guys too! Every album! Especially Drop'er—love that one. ♪ Watch Ur Back, My Love♪" Eska sang off-key, making everyone cheer.
"Whoa! A real fan!" Mickey elbowed Lucky, who was daydreaming.
"Thanks for the support," I said, smiling shyly as the ship began to descend.
"Who's hunguri?" Esto called out.
"HUNGRY!!" everyone shouted in unison.
A pink butterfly emerged from my shoulder, twirling into the afternoon light. It spun in circles, speeding up time itself—day melted into night, stars bursting to life as neon lights painted Tokyo below. The butterfly dove toward the ground, striking it with a quake that rippled across the streets.
Crowds slipped on their VR visors, vanishing into a digital realm as Shibuya's map fractured like a pizza slice. Avatars flooded the glowing arena, where a massive hologram shimmered:
D\8/ × Y.N.G — Virtual Concert
The butterfly slipped through an air vent into a high-rise building, emerging inside a luxurious suite where the idols were getting ready—black and red card-themed suits gleaming under the light.
"Whoa, these are stunning. How many people are tuning in tonight?" Mickey asked.
As the butterfly landed on my diamond suit patch, Eska answered, "About a hundred thousand."
We froze.
"First virtual show in D\8/ history," someone murmured.
"Next thing you know, we'll be performing for Martians," Tom joked, earning a ba-dum-tss from Esto.
"No wonder the tickets were half-price," Minjun added.
"Where's Yurei?" Tanny asked.
"She's always ahead of us," Eska replied. "But don't worry—she'll be here soon."
"I've been dying to ask," Moon said. "Is she a ghost or an AI?"
Esto raised his hands in an X, hinting it was neither.
Just then, a girl's head—with bright red-and-green bangs and a blue ribbon—phased right through the wall. "Hey guys~!" she chirped.
"AAAHHH!" Lucky screamed, nearly knocking into Mickey.
Yurei floated in wearing a vintage 1950s European dress, her face looking different this time—like an old cartoon come to life. Everyone froze except Tanny, who clapped and laughed.
"Adorable!" he said, and little pink hearts flashed in Yurei's eyes.
"Thank you! It's Alice in Wonderland theme." She curtsied, snapping her fingers to summon a holographic clock.
"Oh! Time's up—let's go!" she shouted, running straight through the door.
Tanny grabbed my wrist. "This is gonna be insane. Let's go!" Everyone followed, led by Esto into the virtual prep room. But as I stood, I noticed Eska still tuning his guitar.
"You're not coming?" I asked.
"Not yet. Concert starts in fifteen minutes. No rush." He tested his neon rabbit mask's lights.
I sat back beside him. "This might be the biggest D8 show I've ever been part of."
"For me," Eska said softly, "every concert feels like the last. I want to give it everything, every time."
"You mean... this might actually be your last one?" He smiled faintly. "Every band ends someday. Maybe this really is ours." He handed me a bottle of water. "I'm retiring soon anyway. It's time to go home—to my family."
"I don't think being an idol's that bad," I said.
"I don't see myself as one," he replied quietly. "Being an idol means giving things up. You trade your all for the spotlight. You can't afford to make mistakes. The old you fades, replaced by something... more expensive. More artificial. Millions of people might call you their idol, Mr. White—but me? I wear a mask because it's easier to pretend. Eska isn't even my real name. And White isn't yours, either."
He looked up, the glow of his mask reflecting off my silver hair.
"We don't need masks to see each other," he said. "But somehow... something still keeps us from taking them off."
I nodded, showing my understanding. "Yeah… that's really unfortunate."
Eska tilted his head in agreement. "Right? Such a shame."
"I've failed countless times before getting to where I am now," I admitted. "Failed my family, failed at love… things I still can't forget no matter how hard I try."
"Yeah, I have a little sister," Eska said quietly. "She used to be so cheerful, always seeing the world in color. Dreamed of living in a fantasy world. But fate—" he paused, "—fate played a cruel joke on her. She's lost and slowly began to… detach from reality. She's terrified of growing up, trapped in her own world. Even though we're not related by blood, I just want her to be happy again… even if her time is running out—like sand in an hourglass."
"I'm sorry to hear that…" I said softly.
He smiled faintly behind his neon rabbit mask. "A man once told me… 'As long as you're still breathing, you haven't failed yet.'"
"Yeah," I chuckled. "Guess that's true." We both laughed lightly, a rare moment of quiet understanding.
"You have something we don't, Mr. White," Eska said, standing up. "I am rooting for you. Always." He motioned for me to follow, leading me toward the door.
I took a deep breath and stepped into the next room—where everyone was lying back in their seats, connected to the VR headsets and cables, staring blankly at the ceiling like lifeless dolls. Eska and the technicians were checking the simulation systems to make sure everything was stable.
"Whoa~ This is awesome! Look—I'm flying!" Tanny's voice echoed with excitement. I could tell they were already inside the simulated world, having fun.
"Damn it… White's still not here?" he groaned.
Hearing that, I took a seat and picked up my headset.
"Welcome to Wonderland," Eska said with a faint grin before I slipped the visor over my eyes.
A burst of white light blinded me, and when my vision adjusted, I found myself standing in the middle of Shibuya at night, surrounded by a sea of people.
"Oh! It's you—White! That's White!" Hundreds of digital avatars turned to look at me.
"Crap…" I muttered, breaking into a run, but it was too late—fans crowded around, screaming for selfies.
And then, she appeared.
A girl with a blue bow floated above the neon skyline. The ground trembled as cracks split through the streets of Shibuya—Yurei's power bending the world at her will. The quake, the air pressure, the realism—everything felt terrifyingly real. The crosswalk we stood on began to rise, lifting us high above the city as fans screamed from below.
"White! Over here!" Tanny and the rest of D\8/ waved from a neon-green rooftop.
Yurei twirled gracefully in the sky, her movements like a ballet. My body began to levitate, drawn upward toward the rooftop by her magic. Then came the echo of a ticking clock, followed by her girlish laughter.
"Ha-ha~ Welcome, everyone— to Wonderland!"
We looked down at the avatars of thousands of fans cheering beneath the shimmering lights.
"Wooo~~~~ D\8/ Y.N.G Saikooo!!"
Yurei extended her hand, slicing a building in half with her power and reshaping it into a stage. Neon billboards bent and fused into spotlights and holograms.
Now, D\8/ stood upon a stage more magnificent than any real-world concert.
Tanny landed beside me, grinning. "Ready?"
I arched an eyebrow. "Like this? Hell yeah—this is electric." I poked his nose, earning a soft laugh.
Moments later, the Rabbit and Cheshire Cat masks descended from a nearby window, sliding onto the stage to stand beside the digital idol. The lights of Shibuya flared alive, displaying our live broadcast across every screen in sight.
And finally—
"We are D\8/—one heart, no fear, bringing joy to the people!"
"KYAAAAAA!!!!"
A tidal wave of cheers filled the city as lightsticks raised toward the stars.
"Absolute Lullaby~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
Three hours later, when the concert ended, the fans began logging out one by one. The members of D8 faded from the virtual world until only Tanny and I remained.
I was about to remove my headset when he stopped me. "Wait—stay a bit longer."
He whispered something into Yurei's ear. The girl smiled, raising her hand to hand him control over the virtual world. "Have fun," she said before dissolving into pixels.
"Everyone's leaving, only you and me" Jae Hoon muttered, checking the holographic control board.
"So what now, Mr. Admin?" I teased.
He smirked. "How about a little game of Truth or Lie? If I like your answer, I'll give you admin access too." Floating above the ground, he crossed his legs midair.
"Alright, deal. You ask first." I reclined back, gazing up at the huge virtual moon. "I'll go with truth."
"Hmm~ How many followers do you have now?"
I raised my ballphone, showing him the count: 52,147,823.
"Whoa, that's growing fast! Okay, your turn. Ask me one—truth only." He lowered himself beside me, eyes glimmering under the simulated starlight.
"How long have you been recovering from bulimia?" I asked quietly.
Tanny blinked, surprised. "Oh, that. I quit ages ago. Had it when I first joined. Mickey helped me through it—told me to swap the purging for workouts instead." He laughed awkwardly. "Took forever to get over that habit."
"My turn, and I'll go with… lie," I said, stretching my legs.
"Have you ever kissed anyone?" He turned to me, grinning mischievously.
"Over a million people. Men, women—you name it." I laughed lightly.
"You must be joking. haha!"
"Alright, alright," I said, smirking. "If you had all the money in the world, what would you do?"
He thought for a moment. "End of this month, I'm giving it all to my parents. Gonna buy them a car, a nice house… they deserve it."
I nodded quietly, thinking of something Sanghye once told me. "What about you, Seokjin? What would you buy?"
"…" I bit my lip, silent.
Tanny leaned closer. "Did I… say something wrong?"
"No," I said finally. "Just… made me remember something real. Really real."
He chuckled softly. "Alright then… last question." He hesitated before asking, "Do you think we're friends now?"
I met his golden eyes and smiled faintly.
"Lovely friends."
Tanny froze for a moment—then laughed. "My lovely friends! Yeah, that's right!" He grinned wide and handed me admin access.
He soared up into the digital night sky while I closed my eyes, focusing—feeling my body rise from the ground. When I opened them again, I was floating beside him.
"Hey, look at you!" he called out, waving.
I spread my arms wide, imitating a flight pose, and Tanny laughed before zipping away. Soon, we were both chasing each other across the shimmering virtual skyline above Shibuya—two glowing figures floating through the endless night.