281: Chapter 261 The First Experience of "Killing Fish" for the Azure Dragon Film Queen Trainee: From Jealousy to a Genius Plan

In Kim Taeyeon's apartment—famous for its simplicity (or rather, its near-emptiness except for music equipment)—a tense atmosphere now lingered, smelling of raw seafood, quite out of character for its owner.

A muffled "thud" came from the kitchen, followed immediately by Im Yoona's slightly frantic low cry.

Taeyeon, leaning on the living room sofa looking at her phone, pricked up her ears, sighed, and shuffled in her slippers to the kitchen door, poking half her head inside.

The sight before her almost made her burst out laughing, but she forced herself to hold it in.

There was their maknae, Im Yoona—known for her elegance and agility, the acknowledged "visual of Girls Generation," and now called the "blue dragon best actress Candidate" by the media—wearing a Miu Miu apron that clashed violently with the kitchen's vibe, clutching a bright kitchen knife, and staring as if at a mortal enemy at a sea bass on the counter that was still twitching slightly, its scales gleaming with a cold light.

Whenever the fish's tail slapped the counter with a soft "thwack," Im Yoona would shiver along with it.

Hearing the noise at the door, Im Yoona immediately turned her head. Those deer-like eyes, which were usually full of smiles or mischief, were now filled with genuine helplessness and... a little bit of a breakdown?

"Unnie!" Her voice was trembling. "The fish... how do I kill the fish?!"

Kim Taeyeon: "..."

She was silent for two seconds, then asked back with a sense of utter sincerity and absurdity, "Yoona... are you asking me, the ultimate kitchen idiot who makes a mess just boiling ramen and might even put the seasoning packets in the wrong order, how to kill a fish?"

Im Yoona's eyes widened, and she said matter-of-factly, "Of course! You're the Unnie!"

Taeyeon was so choked by this "logical" reasoning that she almost fainted. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Hey! How could I possibly know! Besides, aren't you the self-proclaimed 'Cooking Yoona'? Didn't you do great on 'Hyori's Homestay'? You're good at frying, stir-frying, steaming, and deep-frying—isn't your persona that of a 'perfect goddess who can grace both the parlor and the kitchen'?" She deliberately emphasized the word "persona."

Hearing this, Im Yoona's exquisite face crumpled into a frown. She gritted her teeth, the knife in her hand shaking. "I! CAN! OF! COURSE! COOK!" she said, emphasizing every word. "BUT! I! HAVE! NEVER! ACTUALLY! KILLED! A! FISH! WITH! MY! OWN! HANDS!"

She looked at the sea bass still stubbornly breathing, her tone full of reverence for a living life (and a hint of disgust). "The fish used on the show were all processed fillets or semi-finished products, Unnie! This kind... this kind that's still moving... is a completely different story!"

Watching her rare, genuine state of distress that deviated from her "goddess" mold, Taeyeon suddenly felt like teasing her. Leaning against the doorframe, she dryly remarked, "And yet... you've eaten live octopus and the freshest sashimi without even blinking."

Im Yoona: "...??!!!"

She snapped her head around, glaring at Kim Taeyeon with a shocked and speechless expression that said, "Unnie, how could you say such a thing?!" as if she had heard something sacrilegious to the gods (or to food?).

"HOW! CAN! THAT! BE! THE! SAME! Unnie?!" Im Yoona's voice went up an octave. "Eating and killing are two different things! Two different things!!"

Seeing her jumping in anger but still having to face the fish, Taeyeon finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. But soon, that laughter turned into a complex understanding.

She naturally knew why Im Yoona was suddenly picking a fight with a fish.

"the crab."

That script.

That script left by Jiang Zhiyu, which exuded a dangerous yet alluring aura.

That hardcore role that required the female lead, Withe, to "roll in the mud and smell of fish at a fish-killing stall."

Im Yoona was... entering the state early, starting her "character immersion." And she was starting from the most basic, most "down-to-earth," and most difficult and uncomfortable part for a glamorous female idol like her.

This persistence, this gutsy attitude—she truly lived up to being the "candidate" favored by the industry.

Taeyeon put away her joking expression, thought for a moment, and suggested, "How about... looking for outside help? For example, post a plea for help in the Girls Generation group chat? Ask if anyone knows how to kill a fish?"

As she spoke, she actually took out her phone, making a move to send a message to that group which was permanently at 99+ unread messages and filled with all sorts of gossip, venting, shopping links, and health articles.

Hearing this, Im Yoona's mouth opened reflexively, and expressions of "horror," "rejection," and "I'd rather do it myself" flashed across her face. Clearly, she had already quickly rehearsed the chain reaction that would follow such a message:

[Taeyeon]: Help! Yoona wants to kill a fish! Who knows how?! Waiting online, urgent!

[Sunny]: ??? Yoona? Killing a fish? Hahahahaha (Laughing first)

[Hyoyeon]: Wow! Is our Yoona transitioning into an action star? Starting with killing fish?

[Sooyoung]: Send the address, I'll bring melon seeds and Coke to watch the show.

[Tiffany]: Oh my god! Yoona, do you need a hazmat suit? I know a brand...

[Yuri]: Do you need my remote spiritual support? Or... should I chant a sutra for the fish's soul?

[Seohyun]: Unnie, killing is wrong, we must respect life... (Starts a long lecture)

Just imagining that scene made Im Yoona feel faint. She had no doubt that if the message really went out, within half an hour, her small apartment kitchen would likely become a temporary Girls Generation observation tour site.

She finally just let out a deep, deep sigh, her shoulders slumped, and she said resignedly, "...Forget it, I'll just look at tutorials online myself."

Her voice was full of the tragic realization that "it's better to rely on oneself than on those sisters who just want to watch the world burn."

Seeing the maknae's expression of "The wind sighs and the Yi River is cold; the hero sets off, never to return," Taeyeon couldn't help but laugh again, but this time with more understanding and indulgence. She also knew how unreliable her teammates were when it came to "helping" (especially when it involved the kitchen and "watching the maknae make a fool of herself").

She chuckled a few times and wisely didn't insist. She just pulled her head back and left a remark: "Then... good luck. If you need a band-aid or an ambulance, call me anytime." Then she slipped back to the living room sofa and continued scrolling through her phone—though her ears remained pricked, ready to receive any new "disaster" signals from the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Im Yoona took a deep breath, put the knife down for a moment, took out her phone, and began seriously searching for "How to kill a fish: Beginner's Tutorial."

Various tutorials with pictures and even videos soon appeared on the screen. She frowned, reading them with incredible seriousness, as if studying some profound academic paper, muttering to herself, "Scale first... scrape against the grain from the tail... then gut it... remove the organs... be careful not to break the gallbladder..."

The poor sea bass, seemingly sensing its impending doom, flopped violently again.

Im Yoona's hand jerked, and her phone almost fell into the sink.

She steadied herself, gripped the knife again, and her gaze gradually became firm, even taking on a near-obsessive sharpness that belonged to an actor entering a role.

For "the crab."

For that completely different Withe, full of raw vitality.

It's just killing a fish.

The blue dragon best actress Candidate is fearless! (Probably)

She slowly raised the knife toward the counter and the fish that was still making its final stand...

The "clanging and banging," the "Ah!" the "Plop!" (the sound of something suspected of falling into water), and Im Yoona's occasional mutterings of frustration and self-encouragement continued in the kitchen for nearly an hour before finally subsiding.

Kim Taeyeon looked up from her phone screen and listened intently, confirming that only the sound of running water from the tap and... a very heavy sigh, as if all her strength had been drained, remained inside.

A few more minutes passed, and the kitchen door was pulled open.

Im Yoona walked out.

At this moment, she was a far cry from the blue dragon best actress Candidate who had challenged the "great task of fish-killing" with a Miu Miu apron and a sharp gaze a few hours ago.

The apron had been removed, but it was splattered with suspicious water stains and... a few tiny dark red marks? Her hair was messily stuck to her forehead, a few strands soaked with sweat. Her originally fair and exquisite face was flushed from the exertion, but more than that, there was a deep, physically and mentally exhausted dejection.

Like a drenched deer after a defeat, she shuffled to the sofa with her head and shoulders slumped, then with a "thud," she threw herself heavily into the soft cushions, sinking in, face up, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Ah..."

A long, frustration-filled sigh escaped her throat, echoing in the quiet living room.

Taeyeon put down her phone and turned to look at her. She wanted to laugh but also felt a bit bad for her, which finally turned into a helpless shake of the head.

Looking at her like this, she knew the results were likely not optimistic.

"How was it? Our 'Cooking Yoona' chef?" Taeyeon couldn't help asking in a teasing tone.

Im Yoona didn't even bother to lift her eyelids. She just sighed again and answered weakly, "The fish... is still alive."

"Hmm?" Taeyeon raised an eyebrow.

"It's in the sink, covered with a basin," Im Yoona's voice was muffled. "Half the scales are scraped off... the belly... I didn't dare cut too deep... I feel like it's more stubborn than I am..."

She paused and added the most crucial point: "And the kitchen... might need a professional cleaning service."

Taeyeon could well imagine what a mess it was. She couldn't help laughing and patted Im Yoona's shoulder. "Good work. At least... you've accumulated some valuable 'experience from failure'?"

Im Yoona didn't respond, just continued to stare at the ceiling, as if she could see from there how the decisive and ruthless Withe from "the crab" script was forged.

The living room fell silent, with only the sound of the two of them breathing softly.

Taeyeon's gaze fell back onto her phone screen. The interface was still on a certain chat app, her finger sliding unconsciously.

Her gaze, involuntarily, fell once again on that familiar profile picture—Jiang Zhiyu.

She didn't know how many times it had been tonight that her finger hovered over that profile, opening the private chat interface and staring blankly at the empty input box.

If I asked him...

This thought was like an undercurrent beneath the water, surfacing again and again, only to be pushed back down by her every time.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

He definitely would.

Kim Taeyeon was almost certain of it.

Jiang Zhiyu was very good at cooking, and his knife skills were especially deft.

At her home in Jeonju, she had seen him process live fish with her own eyes—his movements clean and skillful, carrying a strange kind of control that belonged to the kitchen.

If asked how to kill a fish, he would definitely be able to provide the clearest and most effective instructions, perhaps even including some tips on how to handle the fishy smell and retain its tenderness.

But...

Kim Taeyeon's fingertips rubbed against the cold edge of the screen, and the tangled mess in her heart began to knot up again.

But what?

Was it because of what Jiang Zhiyu had said in the car in Jeonju, in that thoughtful tone— "If I get closer to Yoona Noona, I will definitely be able to write better and more fitting songs."

Or was it because of that night in her dormitory when Im Yoona received the script for 'the crab', the rare hesitation and excitement she showed, and the complex light that flashed in her eyes whenever she mentioned Jiang Zhiyu's name?

Or perhaps, was it that subtle... feeling of stagnation that quietly welled up in her heart—something she couldn't even explain—every time she saw the names 'Jiang Zhiyu' and 'Im Yoona' placed together?

She should have been happy that the maknae had found a role she liked and that she might have a great collaborator to help her.

But why, when she thought about asking Jiang Zhiyu for help—asking for help for Im Yoona's sake—did she feel a strange, almost... resistant emotion in her heart?

It felt as if, once she opened her mouth, a certain delicate balance would be broken. It was as if admitting that Jiang Zhiyu was the 'more suitable' person to ask for help with 'helping Im Yoona prepare for her role' was equivalent to tacitly acknowledging some... connection she didn't really want to think about too deeply.

Kim Taeyeon's brows furrowed unconsciously, her finger hovering over the input box for a long time, until finally, she slowly pulled it away.

She locked the screen and placed the phone face down on her knees, as if that could cover up the tangled thoughts in her heart as well.

She turned to look at Im Yoona, who was still slumped on the sofa, radiating an aura of 'life is meaningless', and suggested with feigned casualness:

"How about... I go to the supermarket tomorrow and buy a fish that's already been processed? Or, we could order takeout? Sweet and sour fish? Spicy boiled fish? Steamed sea bass would also work, why go through the trouble of doing it yourself?"

Im Yoona finally rolled her eyes slightly and looked at her, her gaze carrying the stubbornness of an actor regarding 'authentic experience':

"That's different, Unnie. With killing the fish, it's not for eating, it's for... survival, or something else. I need to know that feeling."

Kim Taeyeon was silent.

She knew Im Yoona was right. For that role, this clumsy, awkward, and even failed attempt might be more valuable than skillfully making a delicious dish.

"Then..." Kim Taeyeon hesitated, swallowing the most 'reliable' option—which was, in reality, the one that made her feel the most complicated—and changed direction. "Should we ask someone else we know? For example... an actor senior we've worked with before who is good at cooking?"

Im Yoona blinked, seemingly considering the feasibility of this suggestion, but in the end, she just waved her hand powerlessly:

"Let's talk about it later... Today... just let me and that fish calm down..."

She buried her face back into the sofa cushion and let out a muffled groan.

Kim Taeyeon looked at her, then at her own darkened phone screen, and sighed silently.

In the kitchen sink, the sea bass—half-scaled, with a knife wound in its belly, but luckily still alive—was slowly blowing Bubbles at the bottom of the basin.

On the sofa in the living room was the actress who had attempted to kill the fish but failed, her fighting spirit crushed.

And the Girls Generation leader sitting to the side was trapped in some unknown, tangled thoughts about 'whom to ask for help' and 'inexplicable feelings'.

The night deepened, and the lights of Seoul shone through the window into the small apartment, which was filled with a faint fishy smell and complex worries.

— —

The Girls Generation dormitory (or rather, Sunny's personal nest) was filled with a nearly fanatical, excited energy, completely different from the owner's usual lazy image.

Sunny was holding a tablet, curled up in her favorite beanbag chair, the screen repeatedly playing two videos: one was a compilation of Lami getting takeout, turning into a cushion, and acting as a dance instructor, which Kim Minjeong had shared on Bubble; the other was a clip of IZ*ONE's Choi Yena giggling on a variety show while holding her Lemm, which could only turn into a Krabby Patty.

"Ah... damn it!" For the Nth time, Sunny let out a groan of frustration, burying her face in a pillow and rubbing it against it. "Why do they all have one! Why don't I! That Jiang Zhiyu! He's biased! Definitely biased!"

Ever since the video of Lami 'hopping to get takeout' at the SM Building went viral, the little spark of 'I want one too' in Sunny's heart had completely turned into a raging fire of jealousy.

She had seen Jiang Zhiyu's 'genius' and those strange, whimsical props with her own eyes in the 'squirtle water gun battle'!

This ultimate lazy person's artifact, which combined practicality, cuteness, and show-off attributes, was simply tailor-made for her, Lee Soon-kyu!

She had also tried frantically finding people to contact Jiang Zhiyu. But the problem was—although she had filmed a variety show with Jiang Zhiyu and could be considered an acquaintance, their relationship didn't seem to be at the level where she could just say, 'Hey, get me one too'.

After all, it looked very expensive (not for sale), and Jiang Zhiyu had clearly stated 'give away only, not for sale'. Asking for a gift like this... she, the great Sunny of Girls Generation, no matter how thick-skinned she was, felt a little embarrassed (though only a tiny bit).

Just as she was scratching her head and feeling that her 'happy homebody life' was still missing one 'all-purpose Lemm' to be perfect—

An opportunity, like a bolt of lightning, cut through the fog before her eyes!

"What?! The movie script for 'the crab' that Yoona is going to audition for next... was written by Jiang Zhiyu?!"

This news, heard from some corner (perhaps the Manager chatting, perhaps member gossip, or perhaps her all-pervasive 'intelligence network'), instantly ignited Sunny's genius brain.

A script! Written by Jiang Zhiyu! Im Yoona is going to act in it!

Isn't this a ready-made, excellent, and irresistible—reason to ask him out for a meal?!

A perfect (in her own opinion) plan unfolded rapidly in her mind like an epic chapter:

Step 1: Invite Jiang Zhiyu to a meal under the guise of 'caring about my younger sister's acting career, wanting to know about the script in advance, and vetting it for Yoona'. It's reasonable, full of senior's care, and moving.

Step 2: At the dinner table, fully utilize the lingering influence of being the 'Squirtle boss' and the charm of Girls Generation to get Jiang Zhiyu drunk! He doesn't need to be completely wasted, just slightly tipsy and easy to talk to will do.

Step 3: While he is muddled and in a good mood (how could he not be happy being treated to a meal by Girls Generation?), make a 'small' request—to custom-make a commemorative version of a Lemm for Girls Generation, and the color... let's make it pink! Girls Generation's official color! The reason could be 'celebrating the XX anniversary of Girls Generation's debut', 'commemorating a pleasant variety show collaboration', etc. High-sounding and noble!

Step 4: Once he nods in agreement (under the influence of alcohol and friendship), immediately finalize the details to prevent him from reneging when he sobers up!

Step 5: And the most critical step—once the pink Lemm is made, announce that she will 'temporarily' keep it, under the pretext that 'I am the initiator/team representative/the one who best knows how to appreciate and look after it'! Other members? They are so busy, when would they have time to look after such a sophisticated 'little cutie'? Of course, it should be taken care of by her, the most 'leisurely' (loves staying at home) and most 'responsible' (yeah, right) person!

Thinking of this, a materialized, pink-heart-flashing fantasy cloud seemed to appear above Sunny's head:

Inside the cloud was the beautiful future she imagined—

Scene 1: A beautiful, chubby, pink Lemm, inlaid with a small crown (Girls Generation's symbol), obediently helping her take an iced cola out of the fridge and steadily delivering it to her hand as she slumps on the sofa.

Scene 2: The pink Lemm turns into a massage hammer and is pounding her legs. Next to her is a mountain of snack bags, and she doesn't need to lift a finger.

Scene 3: She only needs to lie lazily at home, take a few photos or short videos of the pink Lemm doing housework or being cute with her phone, and post them on SNS, immediately triggering fans and passersby to frantically like, repost, and wail, 'I want the same one!'. Topics like #Sunny's Magic Partner# #Girls Generation Tech# easily hit the trending list. Working? She doesn't need to appear on camera at all! She earns the buzz just by lying down!

Scene 4: Next time she appears on a variety show, when other guests show off some new gadget, she can nonchalantly take out the pink Lemm and have it perform a 'transformation' or 'master bartender' act on the spot, instantly becoming the center of attention, reaping both topic buzz and variety show success!

Career (lying-down-and-winning style of working), life (complete lazy-person transformation), topics (never lacking), and even team sentiment (commemorative custom edition)... all covered!

How is this just a Lemm? This is clearly the master key to the perfect idol (lazy person) life! It's a double victory for career and life!

"Genius!" Sunny couldn't help but spring up from the beanbag chair, her eyes shining scarily, her face overflowing with a rapturous, almost villainous grin of success. "I, Lee Soon-kyu, am a genius! Einstein Sunny? No! I am even smarter than Einstein! This is a cross-era plan! Yohohohoho~~"

She finally couldn't control herself and let out that signature 'villainous' laughter, full of smugness and cunning, which echoed in the empty room.

After laughing, she immediately grabbed her phone, her fingertips flying as she began to conceive how to 'casually' and convincingly ask Im Yoona for Jiang Zhiyu's contact information, or better yet—get Yoona to help organize a 'script discussion meeting'?

As for the difficulty of getting Jiang Zhiyu drunk? With Girls Generation's Sunny taking the lead, plus the potential assistance of other members (perhaps she could drag along Yuri, who also showed interest in the Lemm? Or Sooyoung, who loves to watch the fun?), the success rate is at least 80%!

As for whether she would really 'temporarily' keep it after getting the Lemm... hehe, that would of course be 'temporarily' until the end of time!

Sunny licked her lips, as if she could already see the beautiful scene of the pink Lemm acting cute (and serving her) in her arms.

A 'Pink Lemm Seizure Operation', conducted under the name of 'caring for my younger sister' but actually for 'personal gain', was officially declared launched in Sunny's genius (and thick-skinned) brain!