287: Chapter 267 Squirrel, Mandarin Fish, Girl, Special Forces.

Lee Tima's declaration of a "Market Rescue Mission," accompanied by the crisp scent of winter jasmine on her person, seemed to inject a shot of adrenaline into this lethargic morning. She stood in the center of the living room, her small face solemn, her gaze sweeping over the three Unnies who—at least when it came to killing fish—could be described as "defeated soldiers," looking every bit like a general appointed in a time of crisis.

"Unnies, please listen to me!" She cleared her throat and spoke in an unprecedented, solemn tone that bordered on a "pre-battle mobilization." "The objective of this mission is clear—to assist Yoona Unnie in completing her professional first-time fish-killing experience and inject soul into the character! However, the mission environment is complex—a traditional market with people coming and going. We must observe and learn low-key while also being decisive in our practical operations when necessary. Therefore..."

She paused, her eyes shining with startling brightness:

"A cool and fitting team name is the key to fostering team spirit and improving operational efficiency!"

Sunny had already put away her potato chips and was watching her with crossed arms and great interest, her face practically saying, "Let's see what kind of nonsense you can come up with." Im Yoona had also temporarily shaken off her embarrassment and was waiting curiously. Kim Taeyeon, on the other hand, had a premonition of doom, feeling that this child's train of thought was about to take another bizarre turn.

Sure enough, Lee Tima took a deep breath and said word by word, in a tone reserved for announcing major matters:

"After my rigorous thought and analysis, our team name shall be—'Squirrel Mandarin Fish Girl Special Forces'!"

A brief silence fell over the living room.

Kim Taeyeon was the first to react. She slowly raised her hand with a hint of disbelief, like a good student asking a question in class: "Question."

Lee Tima immediately entered "Commander Q&A" mode, straightening her small frame: "Yes! Please speak, Taeyeon Unnie!"

Kim Taeyeon pointed at herself, then at Sunny and Im Yoona, and finally at Lee Tima. Her expression was somewhere between "Are you kidding me?" and "I need an explanation." "This... 'Squirrel Mandarin Fish Girl Special Forces'... what were you thinking? The composition of this name... is a bit too abstract, isn't it?"

Lee Tima seemed to have been waiting for this very question. She immediately perked up and began to explain, "calling out" each person one by one.

She first extended her index finger, pointing at a bewildered Im Yoona, and said with certainty: "Squirrel."

Im Yoona: "??? Huh?" She looked down at herself, then touched her face, completely failing to understand where this metaphor came from. Squirrel? Small? Clever? Or... did it have something to do with her panic while wrestling with the fish last night?

Before Im Yoona could figure it out, Lee Tima's finger turned toward Sunny, who was stifling a laugh: "Mandarin Fish."

The smile on Sunny's face instantly froze, turning into a strange, twitching expression: "Man... Mandarin Fish? Me???" She pointed at her own nose, completely unable to associate herself with a type of fish, especially since "Mandarin Fish" sounded like a homophone for "expensive"? Was this girl making some kind of snide remark?

Then, Lee Tima withdrew her finger and made a cute pose with her hands framing her small chin like a flower supported by green leaves. She tilted her head, a smile she considered incomparably sweet appearing on her face: "And I, of course, am the Girl~ ♪"

Looking at her narcissistic yet serious expression, the vein in Kim Taeyeon's temple began to throb uncontrollably. She took a deep breath and, almost through gritted teeth, with a final "let's see what else you can make up" mindset, beat Lee Tima to the punch and provided the answer herself:

"So... the remaining 'Special Forces'... is me, right?"

Lee Tima's eyes widened instantly. She clapped her hands together with a crisp sound, her face blooming with a look of surprise and admiration as if she were looking at a peerless genius:

"Bingo! Exactly right! Taeyeon Unnie! You're simply a genius, like Gauss reborn! You understood the essence of the team name so quickly! Kim Taess~"

"Ya!!!!"

Kim Taeyeon finally reached her limit, and the string called "reason" snapped completely. She grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa (thankfully not the fishy one from last night) and made a move to throw it. Her face was flushed red, and her voice rose in a mix of indignation and amusement: "Lee Tima! Jugeulle?! (Do you want to die?!) What Gauss! What Kim Taess! And what the heck is 'Special Forces'! Why am I the 'Special Forces'! It sounds like logistics support or a background character!"

"Pfft—Hahahahaha!!!"

Beside them, Sunny finally burst into full laughter, pounding the sofa so hard she was nearly in tears: "Hahaha! My Mandarin Fish! Hahaha! Although I don't know why it's Mandarin Fish, at least it sounds more concrete than 'Special Forces'! Hahaha! Taeyeon is 'Special Forces'! Yoona is 'Squirrel'! Hahaha! Lee Tima! You're a genius! Absolutely a genius at coming up with team names!"

Im Yoona couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh as well. Watching Kim Taeyeon's frustration and Sunny's explosive laughter, much of her frustration from the previous night seemed to dissipate. She even felt that the name "Squirrel"... though strange, was a bit cuter than "Attempted Fish Killer"?

Facing Kim Taeyeon's "pillow threat" and Sunny's wild laughter, Lee Tima was not only unfazed but became even more self-righteous. She nimbly hid behind Im Yoona (deeming it safer there) and poked her small head out to defend herself:

"Unnie! The Special Forces are very important! They are the core that stabilizes morale, coordinates the overall situation, and makes calm judgments at critical moments! Just like Gauss's position in the world of mathematics—stable and reliable! Taeyeon Unnie, you perfectly fit this role! As for Sunny Unnie's Mandarin Fish... it's a delicious fish that needs to be cooked carefully, symbolizing our mission's goal (the fish) and the patience we need to put in (the cooking)! Yoona Unnie's Squirrel represents being nimble and quick-witted, the best state for learning new skills! And I, the Girl, am the team's source of vitality and creativity!"

She laid out her fallacious logic quite convincingly, the scent of winter jasmine wafting slightly with her excited explanation.

Kim Taeyeon held the throw pillow, looking at Lee Tima's "I'm perfectly right" expression, then at Sunny, who was laughing so hard she was about to convulse, and Im Yoona, who was also laughing. Her initial indignation eventually turned into a helpless sigh and a stifled smile.

She dropped the pillow and rubbed her throbbing temples: "Fine, fine... 'Special Forces' it is... Let's get to the market quickly! If I let you keep making things up, we might turn into the 'Hot Pot Base Quartet' or the 'Sweet and Sour Pork Reconnaissance Squad'!"

"Yes! Special Forces Captain!" Lee Tima immediately hopped out from behind Im Yoona and gave a sloppy salute, the scent of winter jasmine scattering. "Squirrel Mandarin Fish Girl Special Forces, objective—the seafood section of the traditional market! Let's go!"

Thus, under this bizarre and oddly comical team name, the peculiar squad consisting of "Special Forces" Kim Taeyeon, "Mandarin Fish" Sunny, "Squirrel" Im Yoona, and the self-proclaimed "Girl" and Commander-in-Chief Lee Tima finally set off on their journey to the market to save (or rather, restart) Im Yoona's fish-killing experience. Back in their apartment, the remains of the long-suffering sea bass could finally rest in peace (or rather, be forgotten).

—

Traditional markets were always filled with vibrant bustle. The air, mixed with the scents of various ingredients, the vigorous shouts of vendors, and the noisy haggling of customers, formed a vivid portrait of everyday life.

Today, however, the crowd in the seafood section near the market entrance seemed denser than usual, accompanied by bursts of low exclamations and laughter.

At the center of the focus was the "Squirrel Mandarin Fish Girl Special Forces"—or more accurately, the small figure in the group who seemed to come with her own spotlight and fresh fragrance, Lee Tima.

She was still wearing her "Cooking Master Boy" style hoodie, her armband shining, and her small face brimming with pure curiosity and excitement. Unlike the other three, who wore masks and hats to follow low-key behind her, Lee Tima was practically skipping forward. She was interested in everything—seeing lively shrimp, she would squat down to observe them for a long time; spotting uniquely colored shells, she would let out a small cry of surprise; even the dried, salted fish hanging at the stalls would pique her interest for a bit of research.

Even more striking was the crisp, faint scent of winter jasmine on her. In a market filled with the smells of fish, raw food, and spices, it was like a breath of fresh air with strong penetrative power. Even though Kim Taeyeon, Sunny, and Im Yoona were all wearing masks, that unique fragrance was still faintly detectable and seemed to form a small, olfactory "clean zone" centered around Lee Tima.

But what truly made her the focus was her natural nimbleness and cuteness. In South Korean society, where the birth rate was generally low and elders' longing for the "ideal grandchild" was growing stronger, a little girl like Lee Tima—with her exquisite looks, bright eyes, lively (though sometimes overly bouncy) behavior, and pleasant scent—was practically like a "National Granddaughter" stepped out of a dream. Her large, focused eyes when looking at fish, her slightly open mouth when discovering something new, and her cloudless, energetic smile all precisely struck the hearts of the grandfathers and grandmothers nearby, and even young passersby.

"Aigoo, this child is so beautiful!"

"She smells so good. Is it some kind of perfume? It's really pleasant."

"She looks like she brings a lot of good fortune. I'd really love to have a granddaughter like her..."

Whispers and loving gazes were constantly cast her way. Soon, bold tourists or local aunties stepped forward to strike up a conversation.

"Little girl, you're so cute! Can I take a photo of you?" a tourist auntie with a camera asked with a smile.

Kim Taeyeon instinctively wanted to step forward and stop her. As celebrities, they were always sensitive to cameras, especially given Lee Tima's special status.

But Lee Tima was faster. Without the slightest hesitation, she looked up with a smile that could melt hearts and answered clearly, "Yes~ You can! Thank you, Auntie!" After speaking, she even cooperated by making a cute peace sign, the scent of winter jasmine drifting gently with her movements.

*Click.* The sound of a satisfied shutter.

Once there was the first, there was a second, a third... Even an old lady selling vegetables insisted on stuffing a small bag of fresh strawberries, still beaded with water, into Lee Tima's hands, happily patting her head and saying, "Eat more, it'll make you look even more radiant!"

Kim Taeyeon, Sunny, and Im Yoona were caught off guard by this sudden "Lee Tima Fan Meeting" and could only stand awkwardly a bit further away, trying to minimize their presence.

Im Yoona watched Lee Tima handle the various photos and conversations with ease (and even enjoyment), then looked at the strawberries she had already started munching on at some point, as well as the various snacks she had "scrounged" from tteokbokki and fish cake stalls earlier under the pretense of "tasting" or "helping with promotion"... She couldn't help but tug on Kim Taeyeon's sleeve, her voice under the mask filled with helplessness:

"Unnie... do something about Tima! Didn't we come here for a fish-buying lesson? Why does it seem like... she's already eaten things from several stalls?" She watched helplessly as Lee Tima, having just finished the strawberries, accepted a small piece of sample soondae from a nearby enthusiastic middle-aged man, her cheeks bulging as she ate, her eyes squinting happily.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Kim Taeyeon had long since witnessed the "big eater" nature of this little girl; the scene in Jeonju Nambu Market, where Lee Tima ate her way from one end of the street to the other without ever getting full, was still vivid in her mind.

She sighed helplessly, speaking in a low voice through her mask: "... I seriously suspect now that her enthusiastic suggestion to come to the market was mainly because she was hungry."

Watching Lee Tima's petite figure, she couldn't fathom how such a small body could hold so much food.

Moreover, after eating so many miscellaneous snacks, the scent of winter plum on her hadn't been masked by the smell of food at all—in fact, it seemed even fresher? What kind of constitution was this?

Beside her, Sunny didn't share Kim Taeyeon and Im Yoona's headache.

Instead, she rubbed her chin, her eyes shining as she watched Lee Tima, who was surrounded by people and eating with great gusto, her professional instinct (variety show soul) kicking in:

"Wow... have you noticed? This girl Tima is practically the 'popularity king' and 'living food advertisement' of the market! Look at how deliciously she eats everything, how she can chat with anyone—there isn't a single grandpa, grandma, uncle, or auntie who doesn't like her..."

Sunny grew more excited the more she thought about it. "If we let her film something like 'Morning at the Market', 'Big Eater Girl Explores Shops', or even just a local tourism promotional video... we wouldn't even need a script. Just following her around eating, shopping, and filming would absolutely go viral! The ratings would be through the roof! This charisma, this way of eating, this constitution that comes with its own fragrance and buzz... it's insane!"

She seemed to already see the image of Lee Tima sweeping through major markets with a camera, triggering a craze for food and tourism.

As for Lee Tima, the center of the event, she finally seemed to remember the main task after a series of "socializing" and "eating."

She swallowed the last bite of sundae, licked the corner of her mouth (a gesture that drew another round of "cute" exclamations), and then turned around.

She waved vigorously at the three Unnies who had been forgotten in the corner, her face flushed with the satisfied glow of having eaten her fill, wearing a brilliant smile:

"Unnies! Over here! I've found the stall selling sea bass! Come quickly! The fish here is the freshest!"

Her voice was clear and bright, piercing through the noise of the market with undeniable vitality.

Kim Taeyeon, Sunny, and Im Yoona exchanged glances, seeing the same emotion in each other's eyes: helplessness, amusement, and a hint of resignation—the "well, we're already here" feeling.

It seemed that Im Yoona's fish-killing lesson was destined to unfold with difficulty amidst the small market commotion caused by Lee Tima.

And their "Girl" commander-in-chief seemed to have seamlessly switched the task of "leading the team to buy fish" into a hybrid mode of "market food tour (freeloading) and popularity display."

The sea bass stall was in a relatively quiet corner of the seafood section. The owner was a middle-aged man with an honest face, idling away while guarding a few basins of swimming sea bass.

However, with Lee Tima's clear shouts and her self-contained fragrance (along with the arrival of three women who were low-key but had outstanding auras), this small corner instantly became the focus of the market.

Some of the crowd that had just gathered around Lee Tima followed curiously, and for a moment, the originally quiet stall was packed tight.

The middle-aged owner was a bit bewildered; in all his years of selling fish, he had never seen his stall attract such "high attention," especially from that little girl at the front with sparkling eyes and a wonderful scent—she didn't look like a normal customer buying fish at all.

Kim Taeyeon, Sunny, and Im Yoona finally squeezed to the front of the stall, watching Lee Tima, who was squatting by the water basin, her little face almost pressed against the water surface, observing every sea bass with extreme focus.

"Tima, what exactly are you looking at?" Kim Taeyeon couldn't help but ask. Isn't it just picking a fish? They all look about the same.

Lee Tima didn't even lift her head, starting her "Little Class for the Successor of the Medicinal Cuisine Master (Jiang Zhiyu)" in a tone that was almost pious, soft but clear:

"Unnie, you don't understand. Fresh fish is the foundation of medicinal cuisine and the key to deliciousness. You have to look at the eyes—they must be clear and bright, not cloudy; look at the gills—bright red and clean, not dark or slimy; look at the fish body—the scales must be complete and tight with a natural luster, not dull or falling off; and you have to feel the vitality—whether it swims powerfully in the water, whether its reaction is sensitive..."

As she spoke, she pointed at the fish in the basin with her finger, speaking with great authority.

Her serious demeanor, combined with the scent of winter plum on her and the "Special Grade Chef" armband, actually dampened the surrounding noise a little.

Even the stall owner listened in a daze, subconsciously straightening his back as if he were cooperating with an "expert" inspection.

Suddenly, Lee Tima's gaze locked onto a sea bass swimming in the corner.

It was of moderate size, its scales still flashing silver in the slightly murky water, its eyes especially clear, and its tail swishing powerfully, looking exceptionally spirited among its somewhat wilted peers.

"It's the one!" Lee Tima stood up abruptly, her voice raised with excitement, her little finger pointing at that fish, her eyes shining amazingly. "I saw it at first glance! Only it!"

She turned around to face Im Yoona, spreading her arms as if announcing a sacred mission:

"Only it is worthy of our extraordinary first fish-killing experience today! Only it can withstand the training techniques that Yoona Unnie is about to deploy—starting from scratch but full of infinite potential!"

Her voice grew louder, carrying an exaggerated, theatrical infectiousness that even attracted the attention of the confused onlookers, who listened curiously.

"Only it—" Lee Tima took a deep breath, the scent of winter plum seeming to thicken, and she raised her hands high as if to embrace some great future, "—can open the door for Yoona Unnie to the pinnacle of acting! Blue Dragon Film Awards? No! That's too small-minded! It's the Oscars! The door to the Oscar statuette!"

She pointed her finger at the innocent sea bass, as if it were some magical key to opening a treasure vault:

"Yoona Unnie! Under the guidance of this fish, you will step on the stairs paved by it (?) and climb, step by step, to the supreme hall of the Best Actress! This is the choice of destiny!"

Im Yoona: "..." She looked at Lee Tima's passionate speech, then at the sea bass in the basin that had been suddenly endowed with such a heavy "historical mission," and an absurd image couldn't help but surface in her mind: herself wearing a magnificent gown, but riding on the back of a giant, glittering sea bass, the fish tail flicking as it carried her across the red carpet, straight to the Oscar stage, the emcee shouting her name in surprise...

"Hiss—" Im Yoona was so frightened by her own ridiculous imagination that she shuddered violently. What would that look like!! It's too weird!!

Beside her, Sunny was already clutching her stomach, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

She lowered her voice and teased in a breathy tone: "Yoona... with Tima's description, how come I feel... your look at that time will be a bit like that one in 'League of Legends'... Fizz? The one riding a shark?"

Kim Taeyeon couldn't help but laugh as well, patting Im Yoona's shoulder with feigned composure, comforting (?) her: "At least... you got the award, didn't you? The process... is another matter."

Im Yoona was so angry at these two sisters' "backstabbing" that she rolled her eyes and almost fainted: "Then what about my image?!! I am Im Yoona of Girls Generation! The future actress Im Yoona! Not a fantasy marine creature mount enthusiast!"

However, just as they were having this nonsensical conversation, Lee Tima's overly loud remarks, which repeatedly mentioned "Yoona Unnie," "Blue Dragon Film Awards," and "Oscars," finally acted like a drop of water falling into a frying pan, sparking a more definite reaction among the onlookers.

Some young people who had originally just thought Lee Tima was cute or were curious about what they were doing keenly caught the keywords.

"Yoona...?"

"Did someone just say 'Yoona Unnie'? And 'Blue Dragon Film Awards'?"

"The tall girl wearing a mask... her figure looks a bit familiar..."

"Could it be... Girls Generation's...?"

The crowd began to whisper, their eyes no longer just lingering on Lee Tima, but starting to scan Kim Taeyeon, Im Yoona, and Sunny, who were wearing masks and hats, with suspicion and inquiry.

A kind of "idol radar" belonging to fans or passersby was buzzing, emitting increasingly urgent "beep-beep" alarm sounds.

Kim Taeyeon was the first to notice that the atmosphere was wrong. Her eyes sharpened, and she said in a low voice: "Not good, we've been noticed."

Sunny also put away her joking expression and pulled down her hat brim.

Im Yoona's heart tightened.

No sooner said than done, just as someone in the crowd tentatively shouted "Yoo... Yoona?" The voice wasn't loud, but it exploded in the trio's ears like a thunderclap.

"Run!" Kim Taeyeon made a prompt decision, grabbing the back collar of Lee Tima, who was still expressing her feelings to the "fish of destiny," with one hand, and grabbing Im Yoona with the other, giving a low shout.

Sunny also reacted extremely quickly and followed immediately.

The three of them dragged Lee Tima, who hadn't fully grasped the situation and was still subconsciously pointing at the fish, and turned to run for their lives toward a less crowded part of the market!

"Eh? Eh eh eh? The fish! We haven't bought our fish yet!" Lee Tima was dragged along staggeringly, not forgetting to look back at the sea bass she had pinned her hopes on.

And in this chaotic moment of fleeing, Lee Tima, who was being carried like a little chick by Kim Taeyeon, looked at the back of Im Yoona running in front, which still looked slender and agile even in the hasty escape, and her train of thought connected in a bizarre way again.

She was not afraid at all; instead, it was as if she had discovered a new continent, and she yelled excitedly, her voice drifting in the wind caused by running:

"Wow! Yoona Unnie! This way of running! This agility in weaving and dodging through the crowd! You absolutely don't need a stunt double! It's too suitable for Withe!! You'd definitely be an expert in alley combat! The Oscars are secured!!"

The three running in front heard this, stumbled, and almost fell to the ground collectively.

Kim Taeyeon was so angry she looked back and roared in a low voice: "Ya! Tima! Stop talking!!!"

Sunny also shouted while running: "Shut up! Do you want us to be on the trending search tomorrow?!! 'Girls Generation market rampage, suspected of secret alley combat training for the Oscars'?!!"

Im Yoona was howling internally while running: My image! My Oscar (?)! And that "fish of destiny" that wasn't paid for!

Thus, the first market mission of the "Squirrel Mandarin Fish Girl Special Forces" ended in a sudden sprint and an even more chaotic finale.

As for Im Yoona's fish-killing lesson? It seems it will have to be planned long-term.

And that chosen sea bass was still swimming carefree in the stall's basin, completely unaware that it had just brushed past the throne of an "Oscar Best Actress" (in an extremely bizarre way).