85: Chapter 86 Hyomin's Teasing

The night in Seoul was deep.

In that ginseng chicken soup restaurant in Cheongdam-dong, Qian Xu sat opposite Park So-yeon.

The two had finished their meal. The pot of ginseng chicken soup on the table was still steaming.

Park So-yeon put down her chopsticks and looked at Qian Xu.

"Mr. Qian, you said you had something to tell me."

"Yes." Qian Xu nodded.

"Ms. Soyeon, about what you said last night... I've been thinking about it all day."

Park So-yeon's fingers twisted the tablecloth.

"And then? Have you made up your mind?"

Qian Xu took a deep breath. "I have."

"Ms. Soyeon, you are excellent. You're beautiful, gentle, and have a beautiful singing voice. You deserve someone better."

Park So-yeon froze.

"You... are you rejecting me?"

Qian Xu looked at her. "My feelings for you are just the concern of a boss for an artist. There is no romantic attraction. I'm sorry."

Park So-yeon lowered her head. She remained silent for a long time. Then, she looked up and smiled, but her eyes were red.

"I understand. Thank you for being so direct. It's better than dragging it out."

Qian Xu looked at her. "Ms. Soyeon..."

"Don't say anything more," Park So-yeon interrupted him.

"I'm fine. Really. Being able to sing again is already a gift from heaven for me. Matters of the heart cannot be forced."

She stood up. "Mr. Qian, I'll be leaving first. See you at rehearsal tomorrow."

She turned and walked quickly out of the restaurant.

Qian Xu watched her back, feeling a bit bitter inside.

But he knew this was right. He couldn't give her false hope.

His phone vibrated. It was a message in the T-ARA group chat.

Park Hyomin sent a message: "Sisters, how was the rehearsal today?"

Jeon Bo-ram replied: "It was alright. So-yeon Unnie is in good spirits."

Ham Eun-jung replied: "We'll continue practicing the new song tomorrow."

Lee Qri replied: "I got a new look today, I'll show you all tomorrow."

Park Ji-yeon replied: "Unnies, I'm hungry..."

Qian Xu looked at the group chat and smiled. He was just about to put his phone away.

Park Hyomin sent another message: "By the way, I heard Boss Qian is treating So-yeon to dinner tonight?"

The group was silent for three seconds. Then Jeon Bo-ram replied: "Yes."

Ham Eun-jung replied: "So-yeon has something to tell him."

Park Hyomin sent a mischievous emoji: "Something to tell him? Could it be a confession?"

Qian Xu looked at the screen and froze. How did this girl know?

The group exploded. Park Ji-yeon: "What? A confession?! So-yeon Unnie confessed to Boss Qian?!"

Lee Qri: "Hyo-min, don't talk nonsense."

Park Hyomin: "I'm not talking nonsense. I heard it from Eunjung Unnie."

Ham Eun-jung: "Hyo-min! When did I tell you that?!"

Park Hyomin: "When you came back last night. You said it in the living room. You said So-yeon confessed to Boss Qian."

Ham Eun-jung: "..." "I was talking to myself! Why were you eavesdropping?!"

Park Hyomin: "I wasn't eavesdropping. You were too loud. I heard it from my room."

Jeon Bo-ram: "..." Lee Qri: "..."

Park Ji-yeon: "So So-yeon Unnie really confessed?! Did Boss Qian accept?!"

The group went silent again.

Qian Xu looked at the screen, unsure if he should reply. His phone vibrated again. It was Park Hyomin tagging him:

"@Qian Xu Boss, our lead singer confessed to you? Did you accept?"

Qian Xu looked at the message, his finger hovering over the screen. Then he typed a line:

"Hyo-min-xi, this is a private matter. It's not convenient to discuss it in the group."

Park Hyomin replied quickly: "That means you didn't accept. Otherwise, you would have said so already."

Qian Xu: "..."

The group exploded again. Park Ji-yeon: "Hyo-min Unnie, don't talk nonsense! What if Boss Qian accepted?"

Park Hyomin: "If he had accepted, he would definitely have said 'We are together.' He didn't say that. So, he didn't accept."

Lee Qri: "Hyo-min, your analysis makes some sense..."

Jeon Bo-ram: "..." Ham Eun-jung: "Hyo-min, stop messing around. So-yeon will be sad if she finds out."

Park Hyomin: "She knows. She's right next to me."

Qian Xu froze. So-yeon is next to Hyomin?

The group was silent for three seconds. Then Park So-yeon sent a message:

"Hyo-min is right. Boss Qian indeed didn't accept. I'm fine. Everyone, don't worry."

The group was silent for a while. Then Park Ji-yeon sent a message:

"Unnie... Hugs."

Jeon Bo-ram: "So-yeon Unnie... Are you okay?"

Park So-yeon: "I'm okay. Better than I imagined. At least I said it. I have no regrets."

Ham Eun-jung: "So-yeon, you are really brave."

Lee Qri: "Unnie, I'll make you something delicious tomorrow."

Park Hyomin: "Unnie, you deserve someone better. Boss Qian has no taste."

Qian Xu looked at the message, feeling both amused and helpless.

His phone vibrated again. It was a private message from Park Hyomin: "Boss, are you there?"

Qian Xu replied: "Yes."

Park Hyomin: "Did you really reject So-yeon Unnie?"

Qian Xu: "Yes. I don't have those kinds of feelings for her. I can't give her false hope."

Park Hyomin: "Alright. Although I think you have no taste, at least you're direct. That's better than stringing her along."

Qian Xu: "Thanks for understanding."

Park Hyomin: "But Boss. So-yeon Unnie is our lead singer. You rejected her. Won't it be awkward when you meet later?"

Qian Xu thought for a moment. "No. We are both adults. Work is work, and feelings are feelings."

Park Hyomin: "Fine. Then I trust you. Don't let us down."

Qian Xu: "I won't."

He put his phone away and walked out of the ginseng chicken soup restaurant. The night breeze in Seoul was a bit chilly.

He stood by the roadside, looking at the time on his phone. 9:30 PM.

His phone vibrated again. It was a group chat message. Park Hyomin sent one:

"Sisters, I have an announcement. Our boss was taken down by our lead singer. Although it wasn't successful, it at least proves that our boss isn't a block of wood."

The group exploded again. Park Ji-yeon: "Hyo-min Unnie! The way you say that! It's like Boss Qian is prey!"

Park Hyomin: "Isn't he? So-yeon Unnie is our T-ARA lead singer. Being liked by her is Boss Qian's good fortune."

Lee Qri: "Hyo-min is right. So-yeon Unnie is indeed excellent."

Jeon Bo-ram: "..."

Ham Eun-jung: "Hyo-min, stop stirring the pot. So-yeon is already very sad."

Park Hyomin: "I'm not stirring the pot. I'm just stating facts. The boss rejected So-yeon Unnie. It's his misfortune."

Park So-yeon: "Hyo-min, stop. I'm fine. Really. Everyone, don't worry about me. We have rehearsal tomorrow. Get some rest early."

Park Ji-yeon: "Unnie is right. We have rehearsal tomorrow. Everyone get some sleep."

Jeon Bo-ram: "Goodnight." Lee Qri: "Goodnight." Ham Eun-jung: "Goodnight." Park Hyomin: "Goodnight. So-yeon Unnie, you are the best."

Park So-yeon: "Thank you. Goodnight."

Qian Xu looked at the group chat and smiled. These girls are really united.

He put his phone away, got into the car, and started the engine. The car drove back to Cheongdam-dong.

On the way, his mind was full of tonight's events. So-yeon's confession. His rejection. The teasing in the group chat.

Hyomin's line, "The boss was taken down by our lead singer." Although it wasn't successful, at least they considered him one of their own.

The car stopped downstairs at the apartment building. Qian Xu turned off the engine and sat in the car. His phone vibrated again. It was a private message from Park So-yeon:

"Mr. Qian, thank you for tonight. Thank you for being so direct. You didn't let me continue to misunderstand."

Qian Xu looked at the screen and replied: "Ms. Soyeon, you deserve someone better. In terms of work, I will support you as always."

Park So-yeon: "Yes. I know. Goodnight."

Qian Xu: "Goodnight."

He put his phone down, opened the car door, and went upstairs. In the elevator, he watched the floor numbers change, feeling a bit conflicted.

Rejecting So-yeon was the right choice. But she is a good girl. I hope she can meet someone who is truly right for her.

The elevator reached the 17th floor. Qian Xu stepped out. The hallway was very quiet. He walked to his front door.

He glanced at the opposite side. Jeon Bo-ram's door was tightly closed. There was no light coming through the door crack. She was asleep.

Qian Xu opened his door, walked in, closed it, and leaned against the door panel. He took out his phone and looked at the group chat.

The last message was from Park Hyomin: "Sisters, see you at rehearsal tomorrow."

"By the way. The fact that the boss rejected So-yeon. No one is allowed to tell anyone. This is our T-ARA secret. Understand?"

Park Ji-yeon: "Understood!" Lee Qri: "Understood." Ham Eun-jung: "Yes." Jeon Bo-ram: "Understood." Park So-yeon: "Thank you everyone. Goodnight."

Qian Xu looked at the message and smiled. These girls are really cute.

He put his phone down, walked into the bedroom, lay on the bed, and stared at the ceiling. Tonight's events were finally over. Tomorrow would be a new day.