261: Chapter 241 ITZY Practice Room, TWICE Dormitory

In the afternoon, the lingering echoes of the new choreography music still resonated in ITZY's exclusive practice room. Towels and water bottles were scattered on the floor, and the air was filled with the scent of sweat and hard work. Having finished another round of high-intensity practice, the members were sprawled out on the floor, resting and replenishing their fluids.

Hwang Yeji leaned against the mirror, taking small sips of an electrolyte drink. Her chestnut-colored hair was soaked with sweat, with a few strands clinging to her forehead. She looked at the notification on her phone screen that the Manager had just sent regarding tomorrow's schedule adjustments, frowning slightly as she pondered.

Beside her, Shin Ryujin was dozing off with a towel covering her face. Lee Chaeyeon was not there; she had probably gone to "guard" Choi Yena. Shin Yuna and Lee Chaeryeong had acted mysterious early in the morning, saying they had a "special schedule" and wouldn't be practicing with the team in the afternoon, only mentioning it was an "interesting cameo" for TG Entertainment.

"What on earth did Chaeryeong and Yuna go off to do? All mysterious like that." Shin Ryujin lifted a corner of the towel, revealing her eyes, and muttered.

"They said it was a cameo for IZ*ONE seniors' variety show," Hwang Yeji put down her water bottle and wiped away her sweat. "Produced by Producer Jiang Zhi Yu, it should... be interesting, right?" She recalled the various rumors she had heard about that "genius" Producer at TG Entertainment, her tone somewhat uncertain.

Just then— "Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!"

The three of them had their phones ring almost simultaneously with the special notification sound for Kakao Talk; it was the ITZY internal group chat.

[Shin Yuna: Unnies! Reporting good news! Today's cameo filming at TG Entertainment (shameful parts omitted) has successfully concluded! President Jiang Zhiyu is going to treat us to a big meal as a reward!]

[Lee Chaeryeong: The location is— Haidilao! (Hot pot emoji)]

[Shin Yuna: Chaeryeong Unnie and I already shamelessly (?) asked President, and we can bring all of ITZY along! And... maybe TWICE Unnies will come too!]

[Lee Chaeryeong: It's a rare opportunity! And President Jiang said the fruit buffet is free! All you can eat! (Watermelon emoji) (Honeydew melon emoji)]

[Shin Yuna: Unnies! Come quickly! The address is XXXXX! It's the perfect time to head out now!]

Immediately following was a location link, showing a well-known Haidilao branch in Gangnam District.

The three who had been sprawled out sat up straight instantly, their fatigue swept away.

"Haidilao?!" Hwang Yeji blurted out, her voice slightly raised due to surprise and sudden excitement, sounding exceptionally clear in the somewhat empty practice room.

Shin Ryujin, who was stretching her legs against the mirror, paused and turned her head: "Mwo? Yeji Unnie, what did you say? Haidilao?" She had sharp ears and was particularly sensitive to words related to "eating."

Lia, who was sitting in the corner wearing headphones listening to music and reviewing English, also took off one headphone in confusion: "Haidilao? Who is going to Haidilao? Did the company approve it? Aren't we..." She subconsciously touched her jawline, which had become more defined due to her recent strict diet control.

"Haidilao!" Hwang Yeji sprang up from the floor almost instantly, her voice filled with undisguised surprise and longing, having completely forgotten the soreness in her body. For a leader like her who had an obsession with good food (especially hot pot), these three words were simply heavenly, especially after undergoing long and harsh practice and dietary control. "Producer Jiang Zhi Yu is treating? Everyone? And TWICE Unnies? Daebak!"

She immediately began calculating how much of her calorie quota remained for the day, and how to find that delicate balance between the temptation of hot pot and body management (for example, eating mainly vegetables and the clear broth?).

Sitting next to her, Shin Ryujin, who was tilting her head back to take small sips of electrolyte water while staring blankly to recover her strength, was also attracted by the commotion. She tilted her head and looked at Hwang Yeji's glowing phone screen, her brows furrowing slightly.

Shin Ryujin had an innate sharpness and a hint of imperceptible "suspicion" in her personality, especially after experiencing various variety shows and the baptism of the internet. She quickly grasped the key points in the message.

"Producer Jiang? That Producer Jiang Zhi Yu from TG Entertainment?" Shin Ryujin's voice was a bit hoarse from just exercising, but her tone was clear. "Why would he suddenly treat us? And treat all of us? He might even call TWICE Unnies?"

Her long fingers unconsciously rubbed against the water bottle as her brain raced. The name Jiang Zhiyu had been quite popular in the industry and online recently. Relying on a series of "unconventional" projects like "Twelve Star Messengers: Records of Survival in the Mortal Realm," he successfully sent IZ*ONE members to the trending searches, while also making labels like "shameful but interesting" and "Jiang-style brainstorm" deeply rooted in people's hearts. The "social death" clips and discussions about IZ*ONE members (especially the cameo by Jang Wonyoung and the special episode being filmed by Choi Yena) were overwhelming online.

Shin Ryujin spent a lot of time surfing the internet, so she had heard a little about memes and clips like "Golden Toilet," "Three-meter giant pie," "Lion Charge Duck Punch," and "What a hateful feeling." Although she found them funny, she also vaguely felt... this Producer Jiang seemed to be very good at crazily testing the boundaries between "interesting" and "putting the artist's image at risk."

"Yeji Unnie," Shin Ryujin put down the water bottle and looked at Hwang Yeji, who was still immersed in the joy of Haidilao, her tone carrying a bit of a warning. "Don't you think... it's a bit strange? Producer Jiang and us ITZY, apart from Chaeryeong and Yuna going to cameo today, haven't had much direct cooperation before. Suddenly being so generous to treat us... And, isn't what Yuna and Chaeryeong went to film today that special episode of 'Twelve Star Messengers: Records of Survival in the Mortal Realm'? I just scrolled through my phone, and it seems there are already some leaks and discussions..." She stopped there, but the meaning was clear—this meal was probably not just a simple reward; there might be a trap.

Hwang Yeji's excited brain cooled down a little after being told this by Shin Ryujin. She blinked: "Ryujin means... Producer Jiang might have other motives? For example... wants to talk about cooperation with us? Or..." She also remembered those "miserable situations" about IZ*ONE online and subconsciously touched her face, "He wouldn't also want to design some strange segments for us, would he?"

Lia, who had been sitting quietly in the corner wearing headphones and seemingly immersed in another world, suddenly took off her headphones at this moment. She had actually been secretly reading the messages in the group, and her attention was completely captured, especially when she saw the words "free fruit buffet."

Unlike Hwang Yeji's obsession with the hot pot itself, or Shin Ryujin's vigilance against potential "conspiracies," Lia's thinking had already jumped to a more concrete and "delicious" level.

"Fruit buffet..." Lia murmured, her eyes sparkling, completely ignoring the Unnies' discussion about "conspiracy theories." She quickly scrolled through her phone screen, opened Instagram, and skillfully searched, "A food blogger I follow on Instagram posted a super awesome 'Haidilao hidden eating method' a few days ago! It's using the fruits from the self-service sauce station, paired with yogurt (or their free white fungus soup?), to make a special fruit bowl! Look!"

She turned her phone screen toward Hwang Yeji and Shin Ryujin. On the screen was a colorful, refreshing, and tempting photo: a transparent bowl piled high with chunks of watermelon, honeydew melon, dragon fruit, and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with thick yogurt, and sprinkled with some crushed nuts and oatmeal, with the caption: "The correct way to open Haidilao's free fruit! Low calorie and satisfying!"

"This looks super delicious! And the calories are controllable!" Lia's tone was full of eagerness, "We can try it! Get more watermelon, the honeydew melon is also very sweet, cherry tomatoes for vitamins... It would be even better if there were blueberries! We can also ask the waiter for some honey... Ah, but honey has high calories, forget it, forget it..." She had completely entered the role of a "fruit bowl architect" and began to seriously plan the "battle plan" for later.

Hwang Yeji looked at the picture on Lia's phone and thought about the steaming hot pot (clear broth base), feeling her saliva secretion accelerate. Although Shin Ryujin's warning was reasonable, the temptation of food (and fruit) was just too great, and... Producer Jiang was a famous producer after all, and inviting TWICE seniors meant he probably wouldn't play any excessive tricks at the dining table, right? At most... talk about cooperation intentions?

"Ryujin-ah," Hwang Yeji patted Shin Ryujin's shoulder, trying to persuade her (and herself), "It should be fine. Producer Jiang is treating, it wouldn't be nice to not go. Besides, Chaeryeong and Yuna are there, they just finished filming today, they must know the specific situation. Furthermore, there are TWICE Unnies, they are experienced, if there are any problems, they will handle them. We are just going to have a meal, and by the way... um, communicate a bit."

She looked at Lia again, feeling even more tempted by her fruit bowl plan: "That fruit bowl Lia talked about sounds really good! We can try it!"

Shin Ryujin looked at the rekindled desire for food (and fruit) on the leader's face, and Lia completely immersed in the longing for the free fruit combination, knowing she probably couldn't stop them. She sighed and smiled helplessly: "Alright, alright... fine, we'll go. However," her eyes became a bit sharper, "we should all be sharp when the time comes, especially Chaeryeong and Yuna, let them talk more about today's filming. Also, if Producer Jiang mentions any 'interesting projects' or 'new cooperation ideas,' we should just listen first, don't agree easily, and discuss it with the company when we get back."

"Got it, got it!" Hwang Yeji agreed readily, already impatient to start packing her things, preparing to finish practice and go change her clothes.

Lia also happily put away her phone, already starting to rehearse in her mind how to elegantly and efficiently assemble the fruit bowl later.

Soon, Shin Yuna and Lee Chaeryeong received replies in the ITZY chat group:

[Hwang Yeji: [Received! Finishing practice and coming over immediately! Looking forward to the fruit bowl! (Smile emoji)]]

[Shin Ryujin: [Hmm, got it. We will arrive at around XX o'clock. (Calm expression)]]

[Lia: [Is there honeydew melon? What about watermelon? The cherry tomatoes must be fresh! (Starry eyes)]]

The door of the practice room was pushed open, and the maknae Shin Yuna and Lee Chaeryeong, who had finished their personal schedules, also returned. Their faces still carried the fatigue after filming, but in their eyes, there was a strange light mixed with shame, excitement, and "waiting to see a good show."

"Unnies! Are you ready? Let's head out to eat Haidilao!" Shin Yuna shouted full of energy (pretending).

"Producer Jiang said the private room is already booked, it's very large." Lee Chaeryeong added, her eyes briefly meeting Shin Ryujin's, flashing a subtle look of "you know."

The five members of ITZY, with their different moods—expectations for food, plans for free fruit, vigilance against potential "traps," and the secret expectation of the two "experienced ones" to "drag others down with them"—left the practice room and headed toward the Haidilao gathering spot, which was destined not to be peaceful tonight.

Meanwhile, in the TWICE dormitory and during gaps in their schedule, news about the dinner invitation from Jiang Zhiyu was also quietly spreading among the members... An "undercurrent" triggered by hot pot (and fruit) was about to formally converge in the steamy private room.

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

Sunlight filtered through the clean floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm patches of light onto the spacious and bright living room floor of the TWICE dorm. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee, a faint scent of citrus aromatherapy, and the lazy atmosphere of a holiday.

Today was a rare, perfect day off with no dense schedule. The members were enjoying this moment of tranquility in their own most comfortable ways.

Mina curled up in a corner of the sofa with a soft blanket over her legs, quietly flipping through a novel. Sana and Momo sat with their heads together, squeezed onto another single sofa, sharing a funny pet video on a tablet, occasionally letting out low exclamations of "Kawaii—" and soft giggles. Chaeyoung and Park Jihyo sat on the carpet with sketchbooks and paints spread out before them, seemingly doodling at random or perhaps discussing some creative inspiration. Kim Da-hyun held a guitar, sitting in the sunlight by the window, gently plucking the strings and humming a tuneless melody.

Tzuyu had just brought out a plate of washed, succulent grapes from the kitchen to share with everyone.

Meanwhile, the team's vitamin and eldest sister, Im Nayeon, sat cross-legged on the carpet in the center of the living room with her laptop and phone spread out. Her fingers slid quickly across the screen as she handled some trivial private matters and browsed SNS on the side.

Everything was peaceful and cozy until—

"Ding-dong!"

"Ding-dong, ding-dong!"

Several consecutive Kakao Talk notification sounds broke the silence. The messages came from a "JYP Family Relax Group" that included ITZY and occasionally some TWICE members to discuss things.

Im Nayeon casually clicked it open.

[JYP Relax~]

Shin Yuna: [(Expression of cautiously peeking out) TWICE Unnies! Good evening! Sorry to bother you!]

Lee Chaeryeong: [(Cute cat greeting picture) Are the Unnies resting?]

Shin Yuna: [Um... Producer Jiang Zhi Yu is treating us to dinner today. He said to thank us for the guest appearances (?) and previous collaborations, he wants to invite both ITZY and the TWICE Unnies!]

Lee Chaeryeong: [The location is Haidilao on XX Road! The time is around 7:30!]

Shin Yuna: [Are the Unnies free? Let's go together! (Starry-eyed expectation)]

The message wasn't long, but it contained a lot of information.

Im Nayeon's eyes lit up like searchlights the instant she saw the words "treating to dinner" and "Haidilao"! She suddenly looked up, her voice filled with undisguised excitement that instantly spread through the living room:

"Kids! Look! Someone's treating! Haidilao! Let's go, go, go!!!"

"What?" Momo, who was watching the pet video, felt her ears (literally) twitch. Her gluttony radar instantly activated, and she immediately dropped the tablet, bouncing off Sana. "Is there food? Where? Who's treating? Haidilao?!" A string of questions fired off like a machine gun.

The others were also drawn by this sudden "dinner invitation" and put down what they were doing to gather around.

"Producer Jiang? The one from TG Entertainment?" Chaeyoung raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a bit of an artist's scrutiny and curiosity.

"Inviting TWICE and ITZY together?" As the former leader, Park Jihyo habitually considered the relationships and intentions behind it.

"So sudden?" Mina closed her book and asked softly.

"Wow, Haidilao... I haven't had it in a long time." Sana also showed an interested expression.

However, not everyone was as purely excited as Im Nayeon and Momo.

Yoo Jeongyeon leaned against the kitchen island with her arms crossed, a half-smile on her face. Looking at the excited Im Nayeon, she spoke slowly: "Nayeon-ah, calm down. Would Producer Jiang be so kind as to just treat us to a meal?" She paused, using a "have you forgotten the lesson" tone to remind her, "Don't forget, after you guest-starred as that 'Star Demon', recently under our official TWICE TikTok account, and in the comment sections and bullet chats of various fan-made videos... it's all your emotes. Specifically, that shot of you 'munching a carrot with an aura of evil,' which has been clipped into various GIFs and paired with captions like 'Gimme that,' 'Look at me, you brat,' and 'Is this carrot ripe?' It's practically everywhere. People are even spamming it under your individual fancams."

As she spoke, she pulled out her phone, quickly opened TikTok, searched for TWICE-related topics, and turned the screen toward everyone.

Sure enough, in the comment sections of recent TikTok videos—whether official TWICE posts or members' individual dance challenges—various emotes of Im Nayeon's "Star Demon munching a carrot with a wicked smile" were appearing in a massive wave!

Top Comment 1: [Lord Star Demon Nayeon has arrived! Everyone move aside! (Attached: Im Nayeon munching a carrot with a wicked smile GIF)]

Top Comment 2: [After watching this dance, all that's left in my head is Nayeon Unnie's wicked munch... (Attached: Slow-motion carrot munching emote)]

Top Comment 3: [TWICE: We are sweet girls! Fans: No, there's a Star Demon in your team who wants to destroy the candy world (Dog head) (Attached: Photo of Im Nayeon Photoshopped with devil horns and a cape)]

In the GIF, Im Nayeon, wearing exaggerated "Star Demon" makeup and headgear, held a carrot that was completely at odds with her image. She wore an extremely "wicked and arrogant" (and hilarious) smile, then took a loud "crunch" out of it... Because the image was so contrasting and addictive, it was quickly memed to death by fans and creators, becoming one of the hottest emotes under recent TWICE-related topics.

"Pfft, hahaha!" Kim Da-hyun was the first who couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Ah! This one!" Chaeyoung also pointed at the screen and laughed, "I just saw it in a fan edit yesterday!"

Im Nayeon's expression froze, then her face turned red as she stomped her foot: "Ya! Jeongyeon-ah! That was for variety effect! It's art! Producer Jiang said it's 'gap moe,' a 'symbol of primal desire'!" She tried hard to defend herself (and Producer Jiang's creativity), but her tone was clearly lacking confidence. She knew exactly how popular that emote was now; even the members used it frequently in private.

"And!" Im Nayeon puffed out her chest, trying to rally, "Even though President Jiang's... imagination is a bit too wild, his ideas are a bit peculiar, and sometimes he makes you really want to hit him... but!" She looked around at her teammates, trying to make her words sound convincing, "He's actually a decent person! He's very talented, serious about work, and shows respect to his seniors (meaning herself)... Treating us to dinner is also an expression of goodwill! The IZ*ONE juniors and our ITZY sisters will be there. As seniors, isn't it only right for us to go look after them and join the fun?"

Yoo Jeongyeon pushed up her glasses and looked at Im Nayeon with a meaningful, teasing smile: "Nayeon-ah, when you say that, how about looking at that 'Star Demon munching a carrot with a wicked smile' emote saved on your phone first?"

"Ya! Yoo Jeongyeon!" Im Nayeon turned red instantly and lunged to cover Yoo Jeongyeon's mouth. "That... that was just for variety effect! And that emote is clearly very popular, okay!"

Yoo Jeongyeon nimbly dodged, holding her phone high as she continued her "finishing blow": "Look at this spamming! Nayeon-ah, your 'wicked smile carrot munch' is now our TWICE 'new cultural symbol'! Doesn't Producer Jiang deserve some 'credit' for this? Is his way of being a 'decent person' to create such timeless classic emotes for our visual and eldest sister?"

Tzuyu couldn't help but purse her lips and smile, saying softly, "Unnie, that GIF... is actually quite cute."

"Where is it cute! It's clearly evil! It's a dark history!" Im Nayeon wailed while covering her face, but her eyes peeking through her fingers were still aimed at the "Haidilao" information in the group chat.

Park Jihyo suppressed a smile and brought the topic back: "Alright, alright, let's be serious. Producer Jiang suddenly treating us—and two groups at once—definitely isn't as simple as just a meal. Jeongyeon is right; he has a wild imagination and many ideas. The artists who have worked with him... well, they've all been left with a deep impression. We need to think, are we going or not?"

Momo immediately raised her hand, her eyes determined: "Go! Why not go! Haidilao! And the ITZY kids are going too!" To her, the combination of gourmet food and a lively gathering was attractive enough.

Sana also nodded: "I feel like it'll be fun! And it's been a while since we've eaten with the ITZY kids."

Mina was more cautious: "Jihyo Unnie is right, Producer Jiang might have other ideas. But... if it's a dinner gathering, he probably won't talk about work too formally, right?"

Kim Da-hyun held her guitar and blinked: "Maybe he thinks Nayeon Unnie's emote is too popular and wants to discuss copyright fees with us?" she joked.

Im Nayeon finally recovered from the "emote critical hit" (or chose to selectively forget it). She patted her chest and reignited her fighting spirit: "Oh, stop overthinking it! What Jeongyeon said was just for variety! People only make emotes when the effect is good! This shows I acted well! Although President Jiang's ideas are... a bit unique, he's professional when collaborating, and treating us to dinner is a kind gesture! The ITZY kids have already agreed; as seniors, it would be so disrespectful if we didn't go! And—"

She elongated her tone, her eyes sparkling: "—what if he has more fun ideas? It's better than being bored at home! Kids! Trust your Unnie! Let's go! Haidilao! GO GO GO!"

She waved her arms, encouraging them like a little captain.

Yoo Jeongyeon looked at her and smiled helplessly, putting away her phone: "Fine, fine, let's go. I haven't had hot pot in a while anyway. But Nayeon, if Producer Jiang pulls out some weird 'carrot' or 'rice cake balls' project proposal later, don't be the first to rush up and sign it."

Im Nayeon: "...Jeongyeon-ah!" (Her "scar" was poked again.)

In the end, with Captain Park Jihyo's silent approval (and a hint of curiosity) plus the majority's leaning toward food and excitement, TWICE decided to go to the appointment.

Im Nayeon picked up her phone and replied in the group:

Im Nayeon: [Received! Thank you, President Jiang! Thank you, ITZY kids! TWICE will participate too! 7:30, Haidilao on XX Road, see you there! (Excited waving expression)]

Yoo Jeongyeon: [(Silently added a 'watching from the shadows' glasses expression behind her)]

The message was sent.

An originally quiet holiday evening thus veered onto an unknown track filled with gourmet food, laughter, and possibly "Jiang-style brain holes" and "business probing." The nine members of TWICE were about to gather at one table with their five ITZY juniors and that genius Producer Jiang Zhi Yu, whom they both "loved" (for the treats) and "hated" (for the emotes).

And a certain large private room at Haidilao was destined to become the most "lively" and "worth observing" social scene tonight.

(The living room clock ticked toward 6:30 PM. The girls began discussing what to wear and when to leave. The laziness in the air was replaced by a faint sense of anticipation and a bit of a "watching the fun" mentality.)