142: Song Yuqi

When he got off the plane in Seoul, he saw a familiar figure. He pulled down his sunglasses, looked closely, and exclaimed, "Holy cow! Isn't that Song Yuqi?"

If he remembered correctly, Song Yuqi was already a trainee at Peninsula at this time. Anyone who had been a trainee would know this social terrorist.

She was from the same hometown as him. It was fine that they hadn't met before, but now that they had, he had to grab her for a couple of drinks. Compatriots meeting compatriots often shed tears of joy.

Seeing the boarding pass clutched in her hand, he had an idea! He took a few quick steps, darted to her side, and deliberately bumped the boarding pass out of her hand.

Then he picked it up, pretended to see her name, and said in Chinese, "Song Yuqi? Excuse me, are you from China?"

"Xu Zhiyou!"

He was faking it, but Song Yuqi was genuinely surprised to see him. What kind of luck was this, running into Xu Zhiyou even when she went home?

If Minnie knew, she would go crazy with jealousy. All the online voting lately had made her feel down, and she hadn't expected the real person to return.

"It's nothing, it's nothing! I'm a trainee at CUBE, and I have a friend who's a big fan of yours. Could you sign something for me?"

"Don't be a stranger! Why sign? Are you free? I'll treat you to a couple of drinks. It's rare to meet someone from the same country."

"I'm free! Extremely free. But I need to tell my friend. I'm afraid she'll worry if I don't go to CUBE."

"No problem!"

Both of them were social butterflies, chatting enthusiastically the whole way. After arriving, they looked at the rows of barbecue restaurants.

"Rainie! I forgot this isn't back home. Hotpot is a rarity here. It looks like we can only have barbecue."

"It's okay! I'm fine with anything." As a trainee, she wasn't really supposed to eat hotpot anyway, so it saved her the trouble.

They found a crowded restaurant and ordered fish, beef, and other low-fat meats, as well as vegetables.

"Trainees can eat these, don't worry! The four members of BLACKPINK—er, no, the four people—also got through it this way. No problem!"

Song Yuqi now had solid proof that the BP members had a good relationship in private. Her subconscious reaction was the most authentic.

"I'm fine with anything!"

"Then I'll decide for you. Anyway, as a trainee, you can't just eat whatever you like, or the scale will be a nightmare."

"Do you, with all your talent, also have to follow company rules?"

Song Yuqi thought she had special privileges. After all, as a top student from Juilliard School, it was only right for her to have some.

"The rules are there. If I don't follow them, I'll only attract more hostility. There's nothing I can do!"

When Xu Zhiyou was a trainee, she did indeed follow the rules, provided no one provoked her. So she wasn't exactly lying.

"That's true! But what made you want to come here and suffer?"

"I came because I wanted to. Who says someone from a music school has to follow the path they think is right? That's so boring!"

"Huh?" Song Yuqi suddenly felt a connection. This was Xu Zhiyou's true personality, commonly known as not taking the usual path.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing! I just think you're cool."

"That's not cool, at most I'm just a bit willful because of my family's doting. Let's not talk about me. What about you? Has no one bullied you? When I first came, I was targeted. You can't be worse off than me!"

"Even someone as amazing as you was targeted?" Song Yuqi was truly curious.

"Amazing my foot! I was scolded like a dog by the performance teacher, endless after-class notes. I wrote several bundles of pen refills. Ugh! My hand hurts just thinking about it now."

"Do you need to write notes for performance class? I've never heard of that!"

"It's not important! Don't mind these details." This was her unique treatment, and it would be embarrassing to talk about, so it was better to keep it hidden.

Song Yuqi didn't ask further, just assuming it was a unique teaching method of some YG teachers.

Once the food arrived, they ate and drank. "This beef shank is really delicious, it's just too expensive!"

"The prices here are normal. We've already added each other on KKT. If you want to eat, call me, and I'll pay. I have money."

"That's not necessary! We don't get many chances to eat. Is it true what they say online, that you're planning to leave the group?"

"How is that possible? Why would I leave the group for no reason? It's great for a few of us to film variety shows together. If I left the group, I'd be doing everything alone. How lonely would that be!"

"Then it's settled! You don't know, my roommate is a fan of yours. She's been almost depressed these past two days because of the online news. I'll tell her when I get back."

"You asking me for an autograph wouldn't be for her, would it?" Xu Zhiyou could probably guess who it was. Besides Minnie, who else could be Song Yuqi's roommate?

"Yes! But I can't say the specifics. I signed a non-disclosure agreement."

"It's okay! I was a trainee too, I know! Give me your phone."

"Here! What are you going to do?"

Xu Zhiyou didn't say anything, just snapped a selfie, then signed an electronic signature and handed the phone back to Song Yuqi, saying, "Take this back and give it to her. Also, I've never signed for anyone before, so I'm a bit rusty. Don't mind it!" She really hadn't signed anything since her debut, which was quite tragic.

"You've been debuted for so long, and you've never signed anything?" Song Yuqi was a bit flustered.

"Mainly because no one has asked me for an autograph! You're the first."

"Then sign one more! I'm also a fan of yours. This is so meaningful."

Song Yuqi got a pen and paper from the waiter.

"Huh? Are you serious? Of all things, why be my fan!"

"Is there a problem? As fellow countrymen, we should support each other. I'm all about loyalty."

"No problem!"

After leaving the barbecue restaurant, Song Yuqi took two photos and left happily. Xu Zhiyou also rushed back to her dorm.

When Song Yuqi returned to CUBE, Minnie and Cho Mi-yeon smelled alcohol. Minnie pinched her nose and said disdainfully, "You've been drinking?"

"Minnie! Talk to me politely. I have a gift for you."

"Hmph! Who cares about your gift?"

"Are you sure you don't want Zoe's first signed money?"

"Yah! I'm annoyed lately. Don't provoke me, or I'll really hit you." Xu Zhiyou was across the ocean at this point, so where would Song Yuqi get an autograph?

"Ta-da!" She opened her phone to show her the selfie with the signature. Minnie's eyes lit up. "Send it to me!"

"What did you call me?"

"Yah!"

Song Yuqi then pulled out the paper autograph from her pocket and said, "This is her first autograph, you know! Think carefully before you speak."

Minnie didn't doubt it for a second, because she was also in the fan group, and Xu Zhiyou indeed hadn't signed anything. Seeing the selfie, she was certain it was her.

"Rainie Oppa! I'll give you a shoulder rub and back massage. You worked so hard! I'll help you put your things away."

"Alright, alright! Why couldn't you have been like this earlier? Here! It's all for you. I specifically got it for you. And I asked her for you, she won't be leaving the group."

She had gotten the autograph for Minnie anyway. Who else would she give it to? Who made her, Song, care about this friend? Annoying!

"Rainie! Waaah! I love you so much."

"Happy now? Your idol is back."

"Wait! How did you meet her?" Cho Mi-yeon was a bit confused.

Song Yuqi explained the whole story, and Minnie almost tore her apart. "Yah! Why didn't you make it clear you were having dinner with Zoe? You little rascal! I'm going to bite you to death."

Minnie felt like she had missed out on the world. Would it have killed her to say something? What a pain, it was infuriating.