Inner Intimacy

Chapter 60 Inner Intimacy (10000)

Jiang Yongtai coughed twice and took down the two pieces of clothing he had just chosen from the clothes rack.

Jiang Huiyuan thought he had chosen it for her, so she reached out and took it, compared it to her own figure, and grinned happily.

"Did Oppa choose this for me?"

"No, actually I wanted to give these to Mina-chan—what do you think of these two?"

Jiang Huiyuan's smile froze on her face. Suddenly, she felt that the two pieces of clothing in her hands were a bit too hot and wanted to stuff them back into Jiang Yongtai's arms.

"I don't know, Mina unnie and I have different styles."

She coldly handed the clothes back to him.

Jiang Yongtai, can you stop being so sycophantic?! Didn't you say you weren't even together yet? Why are you sending me clothes?

"Really? I think her temperament is quite similar to yours."

Jiang Yongtai looked at the clothes in his hands from side to side. "Never mind, I think these two are fine."

He looked up at Jiang Huiyuan, whose mood had clearly improved from sunny to cloudy.

"Huiyuan, is there anything else you'd like to buy here?"

"no."

All she wanted to do now was leave the store. In fact, she could tell that the two pieces that Jiang Yongtai had chosen were very suitable for Mina, both in terms of color and cut.

Damn it, why can the clothes in this store fit two people at the same time?!

Don't you know how to differentiate yourself? Mediocre!

"Change back into your clothes, let's go to another place."

Jiang Yongtai noticed her sudden drop in interest and made a gentle suggestion.

Jiang Huiyuan responded and turned to walk back to the fitting room.

After she finished changing and came out, Jiang Yongtai paid the bill, carrying two paper bags in his hands, and the two of them left the store one after the other.

Jiang Huiyuan walked ahead silently, head down.

Jiang Yongtai sighed, quickened his pace to catch up, and bumped his shoulder into her.

Jiang Huiyuan stumbled, swayed, and frowned as she looked at him.

"What? How childish!"

Jiang Yongtai smiled, not paying any attention to her attitude.

"Okay, I've mainly wanted to spend today with you, so I won't buy anything else for Mina. Is that alright?"

He certainly knew why Jiang Huiyuan was suddenly unhappy.

It's just that he feels he and Nan-chan are about to get together, and he'll end up ignoring his younger sister like he did with Sana before.

"————Oppa can buy whatever he wants, it's none of my business."

Jiang Huiyuan stared at her toes, muttered something, but secretly perked up her ears.

If Oppa coaxes me a little more, I won't be angry anymore.

"Oh, okay then."

Jiang Yongtai pointed ahead.

"It seems Mina is missing something around her neck. There's a jewelry store up ahead, Huiyuan, would you like to come with me to take a look?"

Jiang Huiyuan suddenly looked up, about to unleash the nameless anger she had been holding back all the way on this clueless, sycophantic oppa, but she was met with his smiling face.

Following his finger, she saw no jewelry store, only a children's clothing store. She was stunned for a moment, then realized she had been tricked, and punched his arm in embarrassment and anger.

"Oppa!"

Jiang Yongtai smiled, knowing that he was close to winning her over since she was willing to talk to him.

Noticing that the crowd around them was gradually increasing, and fearing that Jiang Huiyuan would be recognized, he stepped aside to block her view, took out a new mask from his pocket, and bent down to put it on her.

He met her eyes, which were both angry and annoyed, and smiled slightly.

"Don't be angry, I'll give you back the budget—just one more item! Is that alright?"

He frowned, as if he had made a very difficult decision.

Jiang Huiyuan chuckled, temporarily setting aside her earlier minor emotions, and took his arm again, tilting her head to look at him.

She deliberately narrowed her eyes, pretending that she hadn't completely calmed down, and started bargaining.

"One isn't enough, have two!"

Jiang Yongtai shook his head vigorously.

"No, just one. I need to save up money."

"Why is Oppa saving money?"

She asked curiously, noting that her oppa didn't seem to have such high material needs.

But if he dares to say that he's saving money to marry Mina, then don't blame her for being ruthless!

Jiang Yongtai reached out and pinched her nose. "I'll take care of you in your old age, okay?"

"----Um.

"6

Jiang Huiyuan did not slap his hand away as usual, but simply responded softly with a nasal tone.

"I don't need my oppa to save money for me, I can earn it myself!"

"Oh my god, I was thinking of giving you a car after you get married, but since you say you can earn it yourself, then forget it~"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huiyuan's eyes flickered, and she then gently removed his hand from her nose, her voice suddenly softening.

"Oppa, I don't want to get married, I'll stay with you forever."

Jiang Yongtai chuckled slightly.

"Who never gets married? If my mom hears you say that, she'll give you a piece of her mind."

"Okay, I'll find some time to go home and tell my mom that I'm going to keep following Oppa around and see if she'll cause trouble for me or Oppa!"

'

'

""

Jiang Yongtai was speechless.

The two of them chatted and laughed as they visited several more women's clothing stores.

Jiang Huiyuan became more and more energetic as she strolled around, and she had long since forgotten about her bad mood from earlier in the day.

Jiang Yongtai's bags increased from one to six. Although the number wasn't exaggerated, it's true that women spend half their shopping time just browsing without buying anything!

When he was so hungry that his steps began to falter, he quickly grabbed Jiang Huiyuan, who was still trying to rush to the next shop.

"Huiyuan, that's enough for today, I can't take it anymore."

"Hey~ Oppa~"

Jiang Huiyuan turned around. She was initially a little annoyed that he had interrupted her schedule, but when she saw his exhausted expression, she swallowed back the words she was about to say.

"Okay, Oppa, what do you want to eat? It's on me!"

She patted her chest proudly.

"Anything is fine, soup or rice is okay too, you decide."

"Um----"

Jiang Huiyuan stroked her chin and began to think seriously, when suddenly her eyes lit up.

"I've got it! But Oppa, you have to wait for me to go to the bathroom first, then we'll go eat."

She stuck out her tongue; after shopping for so long, she still hadn't taken care of her personal needs.

"it is good."

Jiang Yongtai pointed to the fire escape not far away.

"Then I'll go have a smoke and wait for you."

Jiang Huiyuan nodded and then turned and jogged towards the restroom.

She wouldn't be like other women who micromanage and forbid their oppas from smoking.

That's what makes her different; she emphasizes differentiation!

Jiang Yongtai pushed open the fire door to the fire escape, but before he could even reach for his cigarette pack, his phone rang.

"KatakII"

He looked down and swiped the screen, saw it was Mina, and a smile crept onto his lips.

"Yongtai-san, what are you doing? Why haven't you texted me all afternoon—are you bored? You bad man!"

"Nan-chan, don't slander me like that. I've been spending all day with Hye-won, working hard for your future sister-in-law relationship."

"What kind of 'sister-in-law' is that? That sounds awful! Besides, I haven't even said I'd marry you yet. Remember your current status!"

The image was followed by an emoji: a penguin with its hands on its hips, a speech bubble above its head that read "Dream on."

Jiang Yongtai stared at the puffed-up penguin and couldn't help but laugh.

"Does Nan-chan have other kissing partners?" Who else could she marry if not me?

"No, right now it's only Yongtai-san, but as for the future—"

He raised an eyebrow, already planning how to settle this score with this "prospective mother-in-law" who always set boundaries for him when they met again.

"Only Yongtai-san~"

As Jiang Yongtai looked at the words, the feigned anger in his eyes vanished completely.

He let out a soft breath and typed a reply.

"Me too, Nan-chan, I'll call you when I get home."

"Okay, you stay and keep Huiyuan company~"

He put his phone back in his pocket and reached into his coat to touch his cigarette pack.

He opened the lid, and his only hope, his last cigarette, was now broken in two.

He poured it out and spread it in his palm, then looked down at his last remaining spiritual nourishment and was stunned.

He couldn't help but take a deep breath, tilt his head back, and let out a mournful cry towards the ceiling of the stairwell.

"Aish—"

Does anyone know the answer, family members?

Just when I finally wanted to smoke one, I found I was out of cigarettes!

As Jiang Huiyuan approached the entrance to the women's restroom, perhaps because the floor was a bit wet, she slipped and nearly bumped into someone who was about to enter.

She quickly steadied herself and bowed her head in apology.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

The woman in front of her turned around and nodded slightly.

Jiang Huiyuan raised her eyes, looked at the face that was wearing a mask, paused for a moment, then recognized it, let out a soft gasp, and bowed deeply.

"Hello, Seulgi sunbaenim!"

Kang Seulgi frowned slightly, looking at the girl in front of her who recognized her, her expression behind the mask a little confused.

"Who are you?"

Jiang Huiyuan straightened up, a little nervous, and spoke politely.

"Senior, I'm Kang Hye-won from IZ*ONE."

"—Jiang Huiyuan?"

'

Kang Seulgi tilted her head, mentally connecting the name with the most beautiful face on the IZ*ONE stage.

"Oh, I remember now, it's you, Huiyuan."

"Yes, senior."

Kang Seulgi smiled, her eyes crinkling, her tone casual.

"I never imagined that we would meet for the first time here."

Jiang Huiyuan pursed her lips, raised her hand to smooth the stray hairs by her ear, and spoke somewhat shyly.

"—Actually, we met our senior in the year-end Christmas special on SoundBank two years ago."

Kang Seulgi's smile froze on her face.

"----Well."

She blinked. In her memory, they seemed to have greeted each other in the lounge, but everyone was busy at the end of each year and didn't have much energy to get to know each other properly.

Seeing her like this, Jiang Huiyuan took the initiative to find a way out for her.

"It's okay, senior. We have too many members. We only exchanged brief greetings that time, so it's normal that we don't remember."

Kang Seulgi gave her a grateful look, feeling a bit more favorably towards her.

"Okay, Huiyuan is really a nice person."

She then glanced to the side and offered a somewhat hesitant but tactful reminder.

"However—it doesn't seem appropriate for us to talk here."

Jiang Huiyuan was taken aback. Realizing where the two were standing, her face flushed, and she quickly bowed.

"I'm sorry, senpai-nim."

Fortunately, there weren't many people in the bathroom, so there was no risk of the two of them being recognized.

Kang Seulgi smiled and waved her hand.

"It's alright, let's do what we need to do first."

"----Inside."

The two walked in one after the other.

Jiang Huiyuan went into the cubicle, closed the door, and covered her face with one hand.

Who would have thought you'd run into a senior while using the restroom? Are there really that many idols in Seoul?

Should we continue the small talk after we go outside, or just pretend nothing happened and slip away?

Jiang Yongtai sighed and helplessly tossed the cigarette pack, along with the two broken cigarettes, into the corner of the stairwell, into the designated area for smokers.

The trash can was placed there.

Just as I was about to push open the door and go out, I suddenly heard footsteps on the stairs behind me.

"Are you just leaving like that, Yongtai?"

He turned his head and saw a woman standing at the corner of the stairs, a freshly lit cigarette between her fingers.

She wore a black and white patchwork suit jacket, with a white shirt and a black cropped top underneath. Only the top two buttons of the shirt were casually fastened, revealing a slender waist and a firm abdomen.

Wearing a black baseball cap, with her hair down her back, she walked down the steps one by one, one hand in her jeans pocket.

Jiang Yongtai frowned slightly as he looked at the woman who had suddenly called out his name.

"Hello, do I know you?"

She pulled her mask up a little, revealing only her lips painted with dark lipstick. She chuckled softly, brought the cigarette to her lips, and took a drag.

Stop when you are two steps away from him, tilt your head slightly, and blow the smoke at him.

"You've forgotten so quickly?"

Jiang Yongtai frowned even more, staring into her eyes, and suddenly felt that the voice sounded familiar.

He paused for a moment, and an image flashed through his mind of a woman tiptoeing over to ask him for a light.

"It's you, from that alley in Hongdae—"

Bae Joo-hyun's eyes crinkled into a smile, which was taken as tacit agreement. She glanced at the trash can next to her, then looked back at him with a playful expression on her lips.

"Would you like one?"

Before Jiang Yongtai could react, she had already raised her hand and held the lit cigarette between her fingers to his lips, with a faint red lipstick mark still on the filter.

Jiang Yongtai looked down at the cigarette that was almost touching his lips, turned his face away, and his voice became deep.

"Thank you, miss, but I don't need it."

And you seem to enjoy teasing me every time you see me. Do we know each other?

Bae Joo-hyun laughed as she watched him shrink back, put the cigarette away, and put it back in her mouth, gently biting the filter with her teeth.

"This question again. You were drunk last time, but weren't you sober this time?"

She paused, looked at him through the thin layer of smoke, and spoke with a hint of ambiguous provocation.

"If you can't recognize me, you should just quit your job, Yongtai~"

Hearing her say that, Jiang Yongtai took two steps to the side, increasing the distance between them.

He tried to concentrate on reading her emotions, but when he tried to sense them, it was like throwing a pebble into a thick fog—he couldn't touch anything.

His brows furrowed even more, and he was startled. Apart from Sana and the "occasional ability user" Nan-chan, this was the first time he had encountered someone he couldn't understand at all.

What's going on?!

"What's wrong, Yongtai?"

Seeing him standing there silently with a complicated expression, Bae Joo-beom tilted her head and asked curiously.

Jiang Yongtai shook his head, temporarily suppressing his surprise and doubt, and looked the person in front of him up and down again.

She has a large head, a 50/50 body proportion, and even in high heels, she's less than 1.65 meters tall.

Bae Joo-hyun noticed his gaze, her brows furrowed, and her voice suddenly turned cold.

"It's impolite to casually comment on someone's height, Yongtai i."

"Uh—I'm sorry, Irenei."

"9

Jiang Yongtai looked up into her eyes, called out her name, but his expression was even more complicated.

He has now recognized that the cool girl in front of him is actually Bae Joo-hyun, the leader of Red Velvet and known as the goddess of South Korea!

Bae Joo-hyun raised an eyebrow, and when he called her name, she took off her mask.

That face, which could be forgiven as long as it didn't involve treason, was fully exposed under the stairwell lights.

A mischievous smile curved her lips.

"What's wrong? You look surprised?"

"Yes, I did expect that—"

Jiang Yongtai glanced at the half-smoked cigarette between her fingers and hesitated for a moment.

"Irenei smokes in private."

"I don't think anyone has ever said I can't, Yongtai~"

Bae Joo-hyun shrugged, raised her hand to take another drag, blinked at him through the smoke she exhaled, and spoke in a light, airy tone.

"Or is it that Yongtai's illusions about me have been shattered?"

"Going to post online about Red Velvet leader Irene's two faces?"

Jiang Yongtai paused for a moment, then twitched the corner of his mouth.

"Irenei seems to have misunderstood. I have no illusions about Irenei, and I would never do such a thing."

He paused, then looked at her seriously. "But—we don't seem to know each other very well, do we?"

His interactions with Bae Joo-beom were limited to a few times when they met on music shows, and they exchanged a few words about work. That was all.

He didn't understand why Pei Zhufa remembered him, and he couldn't understand why she would make those ambiguous gestures towards someone she didn't know at all during their two meetings.

Unlike some dream men who think a girl only needs to show a little concern to have their child named, Jiang Yongtai is different.

"It's because Yongtai i isn't familiar with me, but I do feel a sense of closeness to Yongtai i."

Bae Joo-beom smiled, completely unaffected by his words.

"—Inner intimacy?"

Jiang Yongtai frowned, not knowing what she was talking about.

"Yes, it's about inner intimacy."

She nodded, a playful glint in her eyes, and a slight, mischievous smile played on her lips.

"I know Yongtai's secret~"

"My secret?" Jiang Yongtai pursed his lips, his brows furrowing without relaxing from the very beginning.

What secrets do I have that this "stranger" could know?

"Yes, it's your secret. Otherwise, why would I have taken the initiative to talk to you?"

Bae Joo-hyun rolled her eyes at him, then feigned disdain and curled the corners of her mouth.

"Yongtai i shouldn't be the kind of person who has an inflated sense of self-importance, right?"

Without waiting for Jiang Yongtai's reply, she took two steps toward the trash can and stubbed out her cigarette on it.

"Alright, it was nice to meet you today, Yongtai. I'll be going now."

Hopefully, I won't see any anonymous posts online afterwards. Otherwise, hmph~

She smiled and winked at him, her voice carrying a subtle threat.

"Yongtai i will also see posts about himself and that friend."

She put on her mask, opened the fire escape door, and then stopped in her tracks.

She turned her head to the side, her eyes holding a smile that was different from before.

"Oh right, I almost forgot to say hello. Although I'm older than you, you could say that..."

She paused, her laughter deepening.

"Long time no see, my friend who used to smoke with me!"

Jiang Yongtai watched her figure disappear behind the door, and the stairwell fell silent again.

He went over what Pei Zhufa had just said.

Secretly, my friend and I smoke together.

His pupils suddenly contracted.

Could it be that she bumped into him and Sana in the fire escape of the music bank?!

Bae Joo-beom returned to the mall in a good mood. She had only taken a few steps when she saw Kang Seul-gi walking towards her with a woman wearing a mask. The two of them were chatting and laughing.

She frowned slightly. Had Seulgi run into a friend? But she didn't seem to recognize that figure.

Kang Seulgi led her people up to her, sweetly calling out "Unnie~" before introducing her to Kang Hye-won beside her.

"Hye-won, this is what I just told you, Joo-hyun unnie, say hello."

Jiang Huiyuan looked at the senior in front of her, whose style of dress was completely different from what she remembered, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she still bowed politely to greet him.

"Hello, Irene sunbaenim, I am Kang Hye-won from IZ*ONE."

"Oh, I remember you, we met two years ago."

Bae Joo-fa recognized him immediately and nodded with a smile.

Kang Seulgi blinked in surprise.

"Unnie, how did you remember so quickly? When I ran into Hye-won just now, I thought it was the first time. 'I'm not you.'"

Bae Joo-beom glanced at her younger sister, who had always had a bad memory.

Kang Hye-won quickly came to Kang Seul-gi's rescue once again.

"Seulgi unnie just didn't remember for a moment, after all, we had just debuted at that time."

Bae Joo-fa looked at the two people in front of her who had changed their way of addressing each other, and felt a little curious.

"Seulgi, how did you and Hye-won meet?"

"Oh, unnie. We bumped into each other in the restroom, and Hye-won recognized me immediately, and—"

Kang Seulgi paused, a slight blush rising to her face, and lowered her voice, leaning closer.

"Huiyuan also helped me with a small favor. He's a really nice person, so we quickly became close."

17

While in the bathroom, Kang Seulgi suddenly realized that her period had started early, but she couldn't find anything spare in her bag.

She hesitated for a long time, suppressing her embarrassment, before asking Jiang Huiyuan in the next cubicle if she had brought any.

Kang Hye-won readily handed it over, and in the process, their way of addressing each other changed from honorifics to "Unnie and Hye-won".

Bae Joo-hyun glanced at Kang Seul-gi's slightly flushed neck and then at the shy Kang Hye-won beside her, and roughly guessed what kind of trouble it was.

She nodded and thanked Kang Seulgi on her behalf.

"Thank you, Hyewon-i. Seulgi always forgets to bring that."

Kang Hye-won quickly waved her hand and smiled, "It's okay, senior. It's good that I can help Seulgi unnie."

Bae Joo-hyun smiled and glanced at the person beside her.

"Did Huiyuan come shopping alone today?"

"No, senior, I came with my oppa, he's here now—"

Jiang Huiyuan raised her hand and pointed to the fire escape behind Pei Zhufa.

"Oppa is probably still smoking in there."

Bae Joo-hyun turned around and looked in the direction she was pointing, then paused, stunned.

She had just come out from there, and Jiang Yongtai was the only one in the stairwell.

So Yongtai is Kang Hye-won's oppa?

After Sana Minatozaki, has she started dating another active idol?

My "friend" is really amazing!

And Kang Hye-won just said it so openly in front of her and Seulgi—are rookie idols these days really this bold?!

She completely forgot their surnames and directly translated Kang Hye-won's "Oppa" into another meaning in her mind.

"In that case, we won't bother you any longer, Huiyuan, thank you for today."

Bae Joo-beom suppressed her inner thoughts about the two and thanked them again.

Jiang Huiyuan knew this meant the end of the pleasantries, so she bowed slightly.

"You're welcome, senior."

Kang Seulgi patted Kang Hye-won's hand, her smile showing a hint of intimacy.

"Don't be so formal, unnie is usually very easy to talk to~"

Bae Joo-hyun abandoned her previous gentleness towards Kang Hye-won and gave Kang Seul-gi a cold laugh.

"So sometimes it's hard for me to talk, Seulgi, is that what you mean?"

Kang Seulgi was stunned for a moment. Looking at the playful look in Bae Joo-beom's eyes, she immediately realized that she was standing on the edge of a cliff.

She quickly put on a wronged expression and softened her voice.

"Unnie, when did I say that? You know I'm bad with words~"

Bae Joo-hyun rolled her eyes. How could she not see that she was pretending to be pitiful? But with outsiders present, she was too lazy to pursue the matter further.

She turned to Kang Hye-won, who was momentarily at a loss due to their "friendly interaction," and softened her tone once again.

"Hye-won, see you next time."

"Ah, yes, take care, senior."

Jiang Huiyuan snapped out of her daze and quickly and politely said goodbye.

Kang Seulgi smiled and waved at her.

"Hye-won, I'll be going now, see you next time."

"Okay, Seulgi unnie," Kang Hye-won replied with a smile.

She had a good impression of Kang Seulgi. This unnie seemed a bit simple-minded, easy to get along with, and not the kind of senior who made people nervous.

"Let's go, it's late, I'll take you for a drink and then we'll go home."

Bae Joo-beom gave Kang Hye-won a meaningful look, then turned to Kang Seul-gi beside her and said...

Kang Seulgi's eyes lit up. "Is this the place unnie frequents?"

Seeing her nod, Kang Seulgi let out a small cheer, and the two walked side by side toward the elevator.

Bae Joo-fa turned her head slightly, glancing out of the corner of her eye at the direction of the fire escape.

Yongtai, which fire escape will we meet next time?

In fact, Bae Joo-beom was the one who truly witnessed Kang Young-tae and Minatozaki Sana starting from scratch, even before they were caught by Mina.

However, we only bumped into each other twice, since it's rare for Red Velvet and Twice to make a comeback at the same time.

After Rookie vs. KnockKnock and Peek-A-Boo vs. Likey in 2017, there hasn't been a similar situation. Staggered return is good for both sides.

Both times, it happened in a KBS fire escape.

The first time, when Bae Joo-beom was resting, she slipped into the stairwell and was just about to take out the spiritual food she had hidden in the fire cabinet when she heard laughter. She looked down through the gap in the stairs.

There were two people below. One was Sana Minatozaki, who was smiling very cautiously, as if she was afraid of being discovered but couldn't help it.

The other one is the assistant PD who hasn't been with "Music Bank" for long. She's met him a few times, and I think his surname is Kang.

The two sat on the stairs sharing their recent trivial matters, with a respectful distance between them, clearly indicating that they had just become friends.

Bae Joo-beol leaned against the shadows of the stairs above, looking down at them, finding the scene rather amusing. (Emotion Bank's assistant PD)

Sana from Twice isn't afraid of being seen by others.

The second time was much more exciting.

In the same spot, on the floor above, the soft sounds of breathing and the rustling of clothes below were amplified several times in the empty hallway.

She leaned against the wall, feeling unusually embarrassed, and let the cigarette in her hand burn out, wasting it all.

Only after the embarrassing noise subsided did he glance down.

Minatozaki Sana, her face flushed, was pinned against the wall by Jiang Yongtai, her arms wrapped around his neck, her whole body going limp in his arms.

Bae Joo-fa looked away and silently labeled the two of them in her mind: They're really bold!

Aside from those two times, most of her memories belong only to her and Jiang Yongtai.

When Red Velvet made their comeback, she slipped into the same stairwell. He was leaning against the wall on the floor below, a cigarette between his fingers, frowning at his phone screen, probably replying to work messages.

She didn't make a sound, and Jiang Yongtai didn't notice her.

Later, she realized that she and Jiang Yongtai had developed some kind of unwritten understanding.

On different floors, in the same stairwell, everyone lights their own cigarette, and no one needs to greet the others.

She had seen him scratching his head in frustration over the flow chart for his music show performance.

I watched him finish a cigarette, lean against the wall, close his eyes for a few minutes, then pat his face and run back into the corridor.

I've also seen him grinning foolishly at his phone—you can tell who's on the other end just by looking at that expression.

This is the origin of the "inner intimacy" that Bae Joo-beop told Kang Young-tae.

He knew absolutely nothing about her, while she knew a great deal about him.

Unfortunately, Bae Joo-hyun never saw him in the stairwell again after that.

She heard that she had been transferred to "2 Days & 1 Night". When she went to the fire escape of Yinyin, she always felt that the upstairs and downstairs were empty and she was not used to it.

As for why I guessed that he and Minatozaki Sana had broken up, it was because Joy from the team mentioned it casually during a chat a couple of years ago.

She said her friend Sana seemed to be in a bad state recently, and was a bit listless when she asked her out.

Pei Zhufa didn't press for an answer, but she already knew the answer in her heart.

My "friend number one" and "friend number two" have probably both returned to their respective tracks.

As it turns out, her premonitions were always quite accurate.

At 10:30 p.m., Sana Minatozaki sat on the living room sofa, her lips pouting so much they could almost hold a kettle.

She stared at her phone screen, feeling incredibly wronged.

Who is Mina talking to on the phone? Why has it been going on for so long? It's been half an hour and she still hasn't hung up.

She tossed and turned until very late last night before finally falling asleep, clutching the photo frame she had snatched back from Jiang Yongtai's house.

Fortunately, Lim Nayeon doesn't have the same habit as me of "doting" on others as soon as she wakes up, otherwise I would have been caught on the very first day I brought her back.

She was listless all day, her mind replaying her "brilliant actions" from last night, getting angrier and angrier the more she thought about it.

Why did you have to say the truth in front of Kang Hye-won?

What if, when that idiot returns from Liangshan, Huiyuan tells him, "Your ex-girlfriend said she hasn't agreed to break up yet"?

How will she ever be able to hold her head high in front of Jiang Yongtai again?

I finally made it to night, and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I wanted to talk to Mina about my troubles, but I couldn't even find her.

-

Chou Tzu-yu glanced at her and, relying on her intuition from years of getting to know each other, quietly moved to the other end of the sofa.

In this state, Sana Minatozaki will grab the person next to her and use them as a pillow and punching bag within two minutes.

She guessed correctly, but unfortunately, she was too late.

Sana Minatozaki tossed her phone aside, her peripheral vision already locking onto Tzuyu, who was on the run.

"Hing~ Tzuyu, you don't want your unnie anymore either?"

Chou Tzu-yu paused for a moment, then flashed her signature silly grin.

"No, unnie, how could I? It's just that it's more comfortable sitting here."

"Yeah?"

Sana Minato kicked off her slippers, pulled her pale, fleshy legs, clad only in hot pants, onto the sofa, and chuckled softly as she crawled toward Tzuyu on all fours.

Tzuyu leaned back, watching helplessly as the legendary "Sadako" from the Twice dorm slowly approached her. Her body instinctively wanted to escape, but she was held back by the gaze.

Sana Minato successfully took over her thigh, comfortably rested her head on it, and looked up at Tzuyu's face, which was so frightened that she squeezed out a double chin.

She reached out and scratched those two soft, fleshy mounds, then confessed her confusion about Mina to her most reliable maknae.

"Tzuyu, tell me, who could your Mina unnie be talking to on the phone for so long?"

At this moment, Chou Tzu-yu felt even more aggrieved than the unnie in front of her who had "lost" her best friend. Her chin was being played with like this, and she wanted to protest but had no way to do anything about it.

"I don't know. You know perfectly well that I don't usually talk much with Mina unnie."

Sana Minatozaki had finished masturbating, so she put her hands down and sighed.

"Yeah, you two are both tight-lipped. Asking you is less helpful than asking Jihyo."

Chou Tzu-yu's lips twitched. Could this unnie who only "bullies" her not be so direct?

She decided to ignore Sana Minatozaki and refocus her attention on the TV series, "The World of the Married," which she found increasingly addictive.

But a loud "gurgling" sound came from my leg.

She looked down and saw Sana Minatozaki smiling sheepishly at her.

"Sorry, unnie hasn't had dinner yet."

"There's instant noodles in the dorm, and Momo unnie has hidden some snacks under the sofa."

"Huh? Momo hid snacks here, how come I didn't know?"

Sana Minato patted the sofa beneath her in confusion.

She knew that Momo was afraid they would devour all her food supplies, so she would hide some of her most prized snacks.

She knew of at least two secret hideouts, but she never imagined there was one under the most conspicuous sofa.

She couldn't help but think to herself, "Momo's been acting really smart lately."

But how could she like a man thirteen years older than her? Does Momo's intelligence come from her poor taste?

Sana Minatozaki shuddered. If increasing her IQ would lower her standards for choosing a partner, then she was better off staying the way she was—

"Yeah, I saw it after I came out of the shower that day, but Momo unnie didn't know I was there~"

Chou Tzu-yu grinned and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Sana Minatozaki looked at the cunning look on her maknae's face and sighed slowly in her Kansai dialect.

"Tzuyu, you're really scary~"

However, she didn't reach under the sofa for the supplies she had saved up to keep herself going; touching them would cause her to nag for a whole month.

"Tzuyu, today is Wednesday, right?"

"Yeah, is Unnie going on another tonkatsu date?"

Sana Minatozaki pouted and thought for a moment.

"Hmm... never mind, I've tried all the fried pork cutlets I can get nearby, they're just so-so."

Suddenly, a shop flashed through her mind. Jiang Yongtai had taken her there several times before. The pork chops were fried until golden and crispy, and the scalding juice made her gasp when she bit into them.

She licked her lips. Although the shop was open very late, it didn't offer delivery.

She frowned and thought for two seconds, then relaxed her brows, raised her hand, pinched Zhou Ziyu's chin, and turned her face towards herself.

"Tzuyu~ How about going out to eat with unnie~"

Chou Tzu-yu pursed her lips and reminded her with a serious expression.

"Unnie, have you forgotten? The room manager just told me to my face today that I have to diet before my comeback—"

She was already exhausted by the thought that her dinner every day would be just a bland, low-fat meal.

"But that restaurant's fried pork cutlet is really delicious!"

Sana Minatozaki looked up at her with bright, sparkling eyes.

Chou Tzu-yu remained unmoved.

"Unnie just pinched my double chin."

"

"But that shop, besides fried pork cutlets, also has really delicious stir-fried rice cakes~"

Chou Tzu-yu swallowed hard, her brows furrowing.

"Unnie, don't tempt me—I won't go!"

"But the kimchi soup at that shop is also especially delicious~"

"—Unnie—you don't need to wear makeup, right?"

Sana Minatozaki's smile widened instantly, and she quickly shook her head.

"No need, no need! We'll sneak out quietly, no shooting!"

She sprang up from Chou Tzu-yu's lap, said "I'm going to change my hoodie," and ran into the room.

Seeing her impatient expression, Chou Tzu-yu sighed, turned off the TV, and stood up from the sofa.

She was already starting to regret it, but the pork cutlet—

She nodded firmly; no one could resist a crispy fried pork chop!

"Unnie, are you sure that shop is really around here?"

As Chou Tzu-yu watched the gate of Seoul Hanlim Arts High School slowly pass by outside the car window, her tone was full of doubt.

Sana Minatozaki slowed down and glanced at the roadside signs as she casually replied.

"Yes, yes, that guy's sister used to study here and brought me here a few times."

She had completely forgotten the name of the shop and could only fumble her way along the vague route in her memory, completely unaware of what she had just said.

"—That guy? My sister? Unnie, who are you talking about?"

Chou Tzu-yu turned her gaze away from the window and curiously looked at her.

Sana Minatozaki's hand on the steering wheel stiffened slightly.

"Uh—it's just a friend I knew before, nothing special~ hehe—"

She gave an awkward laugh, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, not daring to turn her head.

This little sister is great in every way, except sometimes she's frighteningly sensitive. I should have brought Momo along.

As long as Momo has food, she won't even notice if she leaves anything behind.

"Found it! Just go in at that intersection!"

She suddenly spotted a familiar intersection, her voice instantly rose, and she pointed ahead, changing the subject.

Friend? What kind of friend could make Unnie tremble with fear?

Chou Tzu-yu squinted at her profile.

Sana Minatozaki — Something's not right!

But she didn’t press the matter. Mina had once taught her that if she couldn’t deliver a fatal blow, she should wait patiently.

Sana Minato glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, and seeing that she didn't say anything more, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief and turned the car into the alley to park.

The two put on their masks, pulled their hoods up over their heads, and got out of the car.

Sana Minato squinted as she went from shop to shop, finally stopping in front of an orange sign, her eyes lighting up instantly.

"We're here! This is it!"

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