75: T-ara

“Let her try, didn't Ziyu and Zoe get along well? And they're from the same country.” Park Ji-hyo didn't think it was a big deal.

She felt that Xu Zhiyou wasn't a petty person who cared about such trivial face; it couldn't be eaten as food anyway.

“Ji-hyo, have you forgotten something? We are competitors.”

Lim Nayeon thought that after Jeongyeon said that, she would drop the idea, but instead, she got more invested the more she thought about it.

“Zoe won't mind.”

Kim Dahyun and Son Chae-young looked at each other, wondering what she was thinking. Did she really believe a few chats made them best friends?

“Ji-hyo Unnie, don't go. We just met, and that would make a bad impression.”

Son Chae-young still chose to speak up. If someone she just met made such a request, she would be very annoyed.

“I think so too.”

Sana also felt it was unreliable. She's a girl group leader; writing songs for a competitor from another company—how brainless would someone have to be to do that?

“Forget it, I was just letting her try.” Park Ji-hyo saw that none of them agreed, so she dropped it.

Chou Tzuyu let out a huge sigh of relief. She really couldn't handle this at all; things were fine as they were now.

Lim Nayeon secretly picked up her phone to ask Kim Ji-soo what Xu Zhiyou thought about such things. If not girl group dance music, she was also going to solo, right?

“What's Ji-soo doing?”

The message she just sent immediately got a reply: “Looking at comeback results. State your business, don't disturb me.”

What an attitude! She swore they'd be big stars together, and now, only a few months after debut, she's ignoring her. Sure enough, people's hearts are fickle.

“How can I get Zoe to write a song for me?” She asked directly, fearing that if she beat around the bush, Kim Ji-soo would just read it and not reply.

“You can have anything in your dreams!” Kim Ji-soo's reply was exactly as expected.

“I'm serious.”

“Do I look like I'm lying to you? Even Jennie has to write her own. Who are you to ask our leader to write a song for you? Go find your own leader.”

“Ask her and then reply to me, okay? If you keep this up, I'll really get angry.”

Kim Ji-soo was also quite puzzled. Both of them were asking her about this; Kang Seul-gi had asked her too.

“Wait, I'll ask her for you.”

“OK!”

“Zoe, Na-yeon is asking what it would take for you to write a song for her?”

Xu Zhiyou was playing a game and casually said, “Not now. If I write a song for her, wouldn't that be aiding the enemy? We'll consider it after our popularity surpasses theirs.”

“Understood!”

She opened Lim Nayeon's KKT, “She said she'll consider it after our popularity crushes yours. Writing a song for you now would be aiding the enemy.”

“Really? Don't lie to me.” Looking at this situation, they would be crushed in at most a year. It's not far off, there's hope.

As for being crushed by BLACKPINK, that's just a matter of time; there's nothing to be curious or concerned about.

“Why would I lie to you? But I'm learning myself, can't you rely on yourself? Why are you always thinking about Zoe?”

“I know my limits. I could study until I die and still not write something of the level of 'Far Away From Home.' What's the point of learning?”

“Lin Sansui, have some dignity, alright? So you're aiming for that level of song? I wouldn't even dare to dream of it. What makes you think you can? Just because you have buck teeth?!”

“Kim Hit Ball, don't go too far! I said I couldn't reach that level, when did I say I wanted that kind of song?”

Xu Zhiyou watched Kim Ji-soo typing rapidly on her phone, “Show Ge, what are you doing? Are you in love?”

“In love with what? Where would I meet a man?”

“Then what are you doing?”

“Na-yeon wants you to write a song for her and came to me to sound out your thoughts.”

Xu Zhiyou looked at her speechlessly, “So, you just told me that? Does she know?”

“No.”

“You're a devil, aren't you? That's your best friend since childhood, and you just sold her out like that?”

“What do you mean 'sold out'? What's so unspeakable about this? You're making a fuss over nothing.” After saying that, she continued typing on her keyboard.

Xu Zhiyou didn't ask further. She wasn't that resistant to writing a song for TWICE; they were quite popular now.

If TWICE made a song she wrote popular, she could collect copyright royalties. It's all for the small money; this deal is worthwhile.

But it definitely wouldn't work now. They themselves had just debuted; how could they aid the enemy?

“What are you doing? You've been playing games these past two days. Your gaming addiction is even worse than Jisoo's.” Kim Jennie leaned over to look at her.

Xu Zhiyou took the opportunity to pinch her face. Kim Jennie was truly adorable at this time; every time she saw her, she couldn't resist touching her.

“Yah! I told you not to pinch my face, can't you understand human language?” She slapped away her mischievous little hand.

“You put it out yourself, I wouldn't pinch it for nothing.”

“Too lazy to talk to you!”

She returned to her original spot. Her face hurt from being with her, so she moved next to Kim Ji-soo, and was also pinched.

She was almost pinched to the point of doubting life, so she ran to the corner to learn composition with Park Chaeyoung. She couldn't afford to provoke either of those two devils.

...

Days passed like this, and it was time for them to perform on music shows again. While waiting in the waiting room, she saw T-ARA there too.

She nudged Kim Ji-soo, who was playing a game, “What's with them? Didn't they flop? Why are they here for music shows?”

Kim Ji-soo looked up, saw it was T-ARA, and continued playing her game, “They've been cleared. Can't they return to the stage now?”

“That's pretty sad. I even wonder what role S.M. Entertainment played in this matter.”

“Shut up! You say whatever comes to your mind. What if someone else hears you?” Kim Ji-soo was so scared she dropped her game console and quickly covered Xu Zhiyou's mouth.

“It's fine, I spoke very softly. Park Jiyeon is so beautiful, and Lee Juri. Is Jeon Bo-ram really that short? Dumpling Ni, you're taller than her!”

“Aish, I told you I just look petite. I'm a tiny bit taller than Jisoo. Are you selectively ignoring that?”

“They're coming over, they're coming over! Does any of you know them?” Xu Zhiyou watched them walk straight towards them, thinking that Kim Ji-soo or one of the others knew them.

“Not me, I don't know them.” Park Chaeyoung was the first to deny it. “Me neither!” Lisa followed closely.

Before Kim Ji-soo and Kim Jennie could respond, they came over, “Annyeonghaseyo! We are T-ARA imnida!”

It almost scared the soul out of Kim Ji-soo. Having a second-generation group bow to them—what would others think of them?

“Annyeong, no, sunbaenim, hello!”

Kim Ji-soo led the way, bowing repeatedly. The game console flew directly onto Xu Zhiyou's nose, making her cry uncontrollably from the pain.

Out of politeness, Xu Zhiyou covered her nose and first greeted the six members of T-ARA, then delivered a huge kick to Kim Ji-soo's butt.

Kim Ji-soo almost fell flat on her face, “Are you crazy? There are people here!”

“You're the one who's crazy! Why did you throw the game console at my nose? Are you blind?! Can't you see such a big living person?”

“Mianhae, pfft! Wait, hahaha, later. You first, haha!” All of Kim Ji-soo's panic was dispelled by Xu Zhiyou.