344: Is it still possible to win against Guangxin in Chapter 323?

On the coffee table, that once-complete braised pig's head was now unrecognizable.

The two ears were nowhere to be found, the cheek meat had been dug out into two deep hollows, and half of the nose had been gnawed off. The remaining skeleton lay lonely in a red plastic bag, surrounded by a few scattered gnawed bones and greasy tissues.

Kim Minjeong's small face was stuffed full, looking like a hamster hoarding food; NingNing's mouth was covered in oil, her eyes still fixed on the last piece of cheek meat; Uchinaga Eri went from 'I'm definitely not eating that' at the beginning to 'This piece is mine, don't take it' now, in less than ten minutes.

Finally, when the last piece of meat was snatched away and stuffed into Kim Minjeong's mouth with quick eyes and hands, the battle for the pig's head came to an end.

The three of them collapsed on the sofa, satisfied and lazy smiles on their faces.

NingNing rubbed her slightly bulging belly, suddenly remembered something, and turned her head to look at Karina, who was still lying on another sofa with empty eyes.

"By the way, Unnie."

Her voice carried the laziness of being full and content, but her eyes sparkled with pure, unfeigned curiosity:

"Why did you go and steal..."

Before she could finish, she felt Karina's murderous glare.

"...Uh, I mean, take this thing?"

NingNing corrected herself in time, but it was already too late.

Karina's gaze cut toward her like a knife, making her involuntarily shrink her neck.

Uchinaga Eri, on the other hand, was very calm. She wiped her mouth with a tissue and spoke unhurriedly:

"Actually, given President Jiang's nature, he would have specifically sent someone to bring us delicious food."

She looked at Karina, her eyes filled with confusion: "Doesn't he often have people send us good food and fun things? For example, those limited edition snacks he brought back from Japan last time, the desserts he packed after every restaurant visit, the gifts for every holiday..."

She was right.

Jiang Zhiyu's care for aespa was visible to everyone in the industry. From before their debut to after, various holiday gifts, local specialty shares, and occasional surprise feedings had never stopped.

Therefore, he had no need at all to have Karina 'steal' a pig's head.

He could have completely had the staff send it over openly.

Karina's brow furrowed slightly.

Kim Minjeong, curled up in the corner of the sofa, sat up immediately upon hearing this topic and said in a matter-of-fact and 100% trusting tone, as if asking 'is that even a question?':

"Oppa must have his reasons!"

Her eyes were bright, like a puppy that trusted its master unconditionally.

Karina glanced at her, her mouth twitching slightly.

This little puppy, still speaking up for Jiang Zhiyu now?

"How should I know!" she said irritably, "He's a lunatic!"

NingNing tilted her head, and a sudden spark of inspiration hit her:

"Is it possible... that Master did this on purpose?"

She still used that affectionate title—'Master.'

"To see if Unnie would do as he said?" NingNing analyzed, the more she spoke, the more it made sense, "After all, Master is also a variety show PD. It's normal for him to design some nonsensical tasks to create laughs, right?"

Karina's brow furrowed even tighter.

Uchinaga Eri added, her tone carrying sincere doubt:

"Then why did Karina do it?"

She looked at Karina, her eyes full of incomprehension.

"Generally speaking, you could have just refused, right? Even though President Jiang is on good terms with us, he isn't our direct superior. And refusing wouldn't affect our friendship and bond."

Her question was like a knife, accurately stabbing into Karina's heart.

Karina's expression froze instantly.

She sat on the sofa, her hands unconsciously clenching. Those two small fists that fans called 'mangosteens' were now trembling slightly.

That's right.

I could have completely refused!

I should have said at that time—'Oppa, are you crazy?'

Or—'Oppa, I don't understand what you're talking about.'

Even with such a refusal, given Jiang Zhiyu's personality toward them, he would have just rubbed his nose, smiled, and said 'just kidding' and it would be over!

Why did I agree?!

Why did I possessedly go and do such a thing?!

I actually went and stole it!!!

In front of everyone!!!

And got caught red-handed by Lee Tima!!!

And got exposed on a livestream by Kim Minjeong!!!

I've become the laughingstock of the whole internet!!!

In Karina's mind, the scenes from this afternoon began to replay—

Jiang Zhiyu leaned close to her ear and lowered his voice to say, 'Take that pig's head away.'

Her first reaction at the time was actually not to refuse, but to think 'how can I do it.'

Why?!

Why on earth was that?!

She closed her eyes, trying hard to recall her mental state at that moment.

At that time... Jiang Zhiyu's eyes at that time.

That 'I trust you' look.

That 'you can definitely do it' affirmation.

And that... tacit understanding that seemed to say 'we're on the same side.'

Shibal!!!

Karina snapped her eyes open, her gaze filled with unbelievable shock.

I was played!!!

I was spun around in circles by that bastard with that look and tone!!!

She remembered her thoughts at the time—'If I don't do it, Minjeong and Ningning will be disappointed,' 'Can't let Jiang Zhiyu down,' 'I'm the leader, I can do this'...

What was this?!

This was basically being PUA-ed!!!

Karina's hands clenched even tighter, her knuckles starting to turn white.

Jiang Zhiyu... you schemed against me?!

You had it all planned from the beginning?!

You knew I wouldn't refuse?!

You knew I would foolishly go and carry out that ridiculous task?!

She suddenly stood up, startling Ningning next to her.

"Unnie?"

Karina didn't answer, just strode toward her room.

With a 'bang,' the door closed.

In the living room, the three of them looked at each other.

Ningning and Uchinaga Eri exchanged looks, both seeing the message 'Unnie seems really angry' in each other's eyes.

"Um..." NingNing said softly, "Should we go rest first?"

Uchinaga Eri nodded.

The two stood up and went to their respective rooms.

Soon, only Kim Minjeong was left in the living room.

She curled up on the sofa, waited for about five minutes, and after confirming all the doors were closed, she carefully reached out and pulled out the phone she had hidden in the gap of the sofa cushions long ago.

The screen lit up.

She opened Kakao and quickly typed a line:

[Kim Minjeong: Oppa! I did well, right!]

Sent.

A few seconds later, a reply came.

[Jiang Zhiyu: Total detective puppy thumbs up! Minjeong-ah, the favor you owed me is fulfilled. Let's find a time for Oppa to treat you to a meal alone.]

Kim Minjeong looked at this message, the curve of her mouth growing wider and wider, finally breaking into a brilliant smile.

[Kim Minjeong: Really? When? I want to eat Hanwoo!]

[Jiang Zhiyu: Anytime, you set the time. But you have to complete the next task well too~]

[Kim Minjeong: No problem! As long as it's something Oppa orders, I'll definitely do it!]

She hugged her phone, rolled around on the sofa, and let out a silent "hehe" laugh.

Three days ago, Jiang Zhiyu had contacted her.

He used that 'unconditional request' she had lost when she 'tested' Jiang Zhiyu in the SM practice room.

"Minjeong-ah, help me with something. When the time comes, you..."

Jiang Zhiyu explained the task over the phone, and after listening, her eyes shone amazingly bright.

"Just this?"

"Just this."

"No problem!"

So today, she hadn't gone to the company to practice at all.

She had secretly slipped to the site of the Opening Ceremony early in the morning, wearing a baseball cap and a mask, blending into the crowd, and used her phone to record the entire process of Karina stealing the pig's head.

From Karina approaching the altar, to pulling out the red plastic bag, to the three-second 'pickup,' to carrying the pig's head and pretending nothing happened as she left...

Every angle, every detail, she had filmed clearly.

Then, she returned to the dorm one step ahead of Karina, hid her phone, and waited for the subsequent 'performance.'

The livestream, the detective reasoning, the countdown description... every step was carefully designed by her.

All to make Karina the focus of the entire internet.

All to complete the task Jiang Zhiyu gave her.

Kim Minjeong looked at the video on her phone, her smile deepening.

Zhimin Unnie, sorry~

But this was Oppa's request, I couldn't help it~

And...

She licked her lips, savoring the taste of that pig's head just now.

The pig's head Oppa made is really delicious~

Meanwhile, in another room.

NingNing was lying on her bed, also holding her phone.

On the screen was a Kakao message from Jiang Zhiyu.

[Jiang Zhiyu: NingNing, thanks for today. As promised, next time you buy headphones, come to me for reimbursement.]

NingNing looked at this message, a satisfied smile curling her lips.

She was the 'Goddess of Losing Headphones.'

From debut until now, she had lost no fewer than ten pairs of wireless headphones. Every time she bought new ones, it was a significant expense.

And Jiang Zhiyu's promise meant she wouldn't have to worry about this problem for a long time to come.

She remembered the scene this afternoon where she had followed Jiang Zhiyu's instructions and persistently dragged Karina out the door.

"Unnie~ let's go together~"

"Unnie, you've been staying home so much lately, you're going to grow mushrooms!"

"Unnie~ it's rare for the three of us to go out together~"

She had acted so hard and so naturally that even Karina hadn't noticed anything unusual.

And during the time they were out, Kim Minjeong completed her task—entering Karina's room, confirming the existence of the pig's head, and then starting that livestream that blew up the whole internet.

Perfect coordination.

Flawless.

Ningning rolled over and closed her eyes in a good mood.

Unnie, don't blame me~

Who told Master to give such tempting conditions~

In the living room, Kim Minjeong was still looking at her phone.

Jiang Zhiyu sent another message:

[Jiang Zhiyu: By the way, did you film a video when you went into Zhimin's room?]

Kim Minjeong blinked and replied:

[I did! According to Oppa's request, I filmed it with an action camera! From entering the door to confirming the pig's head, the whole process!]

[Jiang Zhiyu: Good girl. Send it to me.]

[Kim Minjeong: Right away!]

She opened her album, selected the video, and clicked send.

On the screen, the progress bar pushed forward bit by bit.

Kim Minjeong looked at the 'Send Successful' notification, her smile becoming even more radiant.

Zhimin Unnie, you were filmed looking so pretty~

Maybe this video will become precious 'historical data' in the future~

She thought happily, completely unaware that her behavior, in Karina's eyes, was already equivalent to being a 'traitor.'

Two traitors in one group.

How could Karina compete with Jiang Zhiyu?

—

4:00 AM.

Karina's room was pitch black.

She lay on the bed, her eyes staring straight at the ceiling.

It had been four hours, and she still hadn't fallen asleep.

The scenes from today played repeatedly in her head—

The pig's head at the Opening Ceremony.

Jiang Zhiyu's 'I trust you' look.

Her nodding and agreeing as if possessed.

The tension and thrill of stealing the pig's head.

Lee Tima's evil countdown.

The 'Great Detective Reasoning' in Kim Minjeong's livestream.

The laughter and chatter of NingNing and Uchinaga Eri as they ate the pig's head.

And just now, NingNing and Uchinaga Eri's questions like 'why would you do that.'

Yes, why?

Why did I go and do such a thing?

I could have completely refused!

Why didn't I refuse?!

Karina closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

In her mind, everything that happened today replayed once more.

Every detail.

Every frame.

Every word.

Then, she finally figured it out.

Kim Minjeong's livestream was not a 'sudden whim' at all.

It was premeditated.

She and Jiang Zhiyu had colluded long ago.

And NingNing's persistence in dragging her out to the night market...

Was also premeditated.

The two of them had teamed up to lure her out of the dorm, creating time for Kim Minjeong to rummage for the pig's head.

Karina's fingers slowly clenched the bedsheets.

In one group...

Two traitors.

And that mastermind behind the scenes might be somewhere right now, drinking red wine, admiring today's trending searches, and feeling smug about his 'masterpiece.'

Then, she opened her eyes, looked into the empty darkness on the ceiling, and muttered to herself:

"My idol life... why has it turned into this?"

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

No one answered her.

Only the night wind outside the window gently stirred the curtains.

Her fingers slowly clenched the bedsheets beneath her.

"Jiang Zhiyu..."

She silently repeated this name in her heart, every syllable filled with teeth-gritting hatred.

"I will definitely kill you."

"In this life, no, even in the next life, don't even think about escaping!"

Her tone was full of hatred.

But beneath this hatred, there was hidden a trace of something she hadn't even noticed herself—

A naive, dangerous emotion, tinged with a certain evil possessiveness.

That emotion was like a vine growing quietly, slowly spreading in the deepest corner of her heart.

She didn't know what it was.

And she didn't want to know.

She only knew that from today on, a debt that could never be repaid had been formed between her and Jiang Zhiyu.

Outside the window, the night deepened.

The darkness before dawn enveloped the entire city.

And Karina was still lying there with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling.

In her mind, that name played on repeat.

"Jiang Zhiyu. Jiang Zhiyu. Jiang Zhiyu..."

— Three days ago. A high-end tea house in Seoul.

The fragrance of tea curled in the private room. Outside the window was a meticulously pruned Japanese-style garden landscape, where the rhythmic sound of a bamboo tube hitting stone created a Zen-like tranquility.

But this tranquility was broken by a loud bang.

"Bang!"

Lee Soo-man slammed the proposal onto the table so hard that the teacup jumped, splashing a few drops of tea that spread into dark dots on the dark sandalwood table.

"You want to bind 'the crab' with our SM's fifth-generation girl group?"

His voice was low and dangerous, his eyes sharp enough to pierce through a person's heart.

"Let our aespa's leader become a thief stealing a pig's head in public?"

Any normal company executive would have this reaction to such a proposal.

Jiang Zhiyu sat opposite him, his expression calm, even carrying a hint of a smile.

He slowly picked up the teapot, refilled his cup, then picked up the teacup, blew on it gently, and took a sip.

"As Teacher said," he put down the teacup, his tone innocent, "it's promoting family love."

Lee Soo-man's eyes narrowed.

"Besides," Jiang Zhiyu added, "it's 'Phantom Thief', not 'thief'."

Lee Soo-man stared at him for a few seconds in silence.

"Phantom Thief" and "thief" are only one word apart, but the meanings are worlds apart.

A thief is a criminal; a phantom thief is a legend.

In Jiang Zhiyu, he saw the shadow of his younger self—that ruthlessness to achieve his goals, that coldness treating everyone as pawns, that composure dancing on the tip of a knife.

But this young man was even more ruthless than he was back then.

At least back then, he wouldn't have been so blatant about putting his schemes on the table.

"How do you plan to do it?" Lee Soo-man asked, the anger in his tone fading, replaced by scrutiny and calculation.

Jiang Zhiyu's smile deepened.

"The Opening Ceremony is just a test," he said. "As for the specific operation, you'll know when the time comes."

He paused and added, "Of course, I guarantee the final effect will satisfy you. In this era, being interesting is more important than being perfect."

Lee Soo-man looked at him silently.

As an old fox in the entertainment industry, he certainly understood what Jiang Zhiyu meant.

The traffic of an idol has a ceiling, but the traffic of a "character" does not.

If Karina could be shaped from a "perfect idol leader" into a "phantom thief with a story," her future commercial value would be immeasurable.

In his mind, he could already imagine the scene—

aespa's leader, topping the trending lists because of "stealing a pig's head."

The whole internet is buzzing, everyone is watching the drama.

Then, TG Entertainment releases that "abstract comedy short film" at the right time.

"Withe and Phantom Thief Zhimin: The Pig's Head Battle."

In the ten-minute short film, "Phantom Thief Zhimin," played by Karina, engages in an absurd and wonderful chase with "Withe," played by Im Yoona, to protect a mysterious pig's head.

Action, comedy, plot twists, Easter eggs...

The buzz will explode again.

And SM's "family love" will be perfectly implanted into every viewer's heart in the process.

The corner of Lee Soo-man's mouth slowly curled up.

"Will Karina agree?" he asked.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at him, and they locked eyes for a second.

Then, both of them laughed at the same time.

That tacit smile is a kind of understanding that only those standing at the top of power can understand.

In this industry, the company's interests are always the first priority.

And in SM, artists have no right to choose.

Even if Jiang Zhiyu and Karina are friends and "industry teachers" who have known each other for many years.

Even if Lee Soo-man watched aespa walk step by step from trainees to today.

But in the face of greater interests, these are not important.

"Alright." Lee Soo-man nodded, picked up the proposal again, and flipped through a few pages. "But I want to see the full film first."

"Of course." Jiang Zhiyu nodded. "Once the finished film is out, I will send it to your office immediately."

Lee Soo-man stood up and adjusted his suit.

When he walked to the door, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

"Zhiyu."

"Yes, Teacher?"

Lee Soo-man looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes—appreciation, vigilance, and a trace of elusive wariness.

"You are moving even faster than I was back then."

After saying that, he pushed the door and left.

In the private room, only Jiang Zhiyu remained.

He sat there, looking in the direction Lee Soo-man had left, the smile on his lips slowly fading.

Then, he picked up the proposal that had been dropped and picked up again, and flipped through it.

His gaze landed on Karina's name.

He was silent for a few seconds, then muttered to himself:

"Ji-min will thank me later."

He paused and added another sentence, his tone carrying a hint of guilty conscience:

"Probably..."

Outside the window, the sound of the bamboo tube hitting the stone sounded again.

Dong.

Three days later. President of TG's office.

Sunlight spilled in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spreading a warm gold across the teak floor.

Jiang Zhiyu sat behind his desk, and on the computer screen in front of him, the video footage sent by Kim Minjeong was playing.

He pressed the play button.

In the footage, Karina was at the Opening Ceremony, cautiously approaching the altar.

Her expression was nervous and focused, her eyes scanning the surroundings as vigilantly as a leopard. Then, taking advantage of no one paying attention, she quickly took out the red plastic bag, completed the "pickup" within three seconds, and then left as if nothing had happened.

The whole movement was smooth and fluid, done in one go.

Jiang Zhiyu watched this scene, and the corner of his mouth slowly curled up.

He pressed the pause button, and the screen froze on Karina's side profile as she held the pig's head, pretending to be calm.

Then, he opened another file—the sports camera footage sent by NingNing.

This was filmed after Kim Minjeong entered Karina's room.

In the footage, Kim Minjeong sniffed the air like a little dog, then precisely locked onto the target, opened the suitcase, and took out the red plastic bag. Her eyes were sparkling, and her mouth carried a cunning smile, looking just like a little fox that had stolen some fish.

Jiang Zhiyu couldn't help but laugh out loud.

These two girls, each one is better at causing trouble than the other.

He closed the video, leaned back in his chair, folded his hands on his knees, and his gaze landed on the distant skyline outside the window.

Going through so much trouble—using Kim Minjeong's "unconditional request," paying for all of NingNing's future lost earphones, and even communicating with Lee Soo-man three days in advance—

What was it for?

Of course, it wasn't just to make Karina die of social death.

Of course, it wasn't just to satisfy his own little bad taste.

These video materials had greater uses.

Jiang Zhiyu's fingers tapped lightly on the desk, and his thoughts began to extend.

First, public opinion.

The "pig's head theft" at the Opening Ceremony had already successfully ignited the heat across the entire internet. And this heat could seamlessly connect to the promotion of "the crab."

When public opinion fermented to a certain extent, TG Entertainment would release that "abstract comedy short film"—"Withe and Phantom Thief Zhimin: The Pig's Head Battle."

In the ten-minute short film, "Phantom Thief Zhimin," played by Karina, engages in a chase with "Withe," played by Im Yoona, to protect the pig's head.

Action, comedy, plot twists, Easter eggs...

Finally, reveal the truth: It turns out all of this was an "Easter egg" planned to promote "the crab."

By then, all the spectators would suddenly realize—it turns out we were all played! Then they would willingly walk into the cinema, wanting to see what this movie that made people laugh until their stomachs hurt was really about.

Second, SM's family love.

Lee Soo-man wanted to promote "family love" at the Opening Ceremony and let aespa stand on stage to congratulate them.

But that was too perfunctory.

If you want to play, play big.

Let aespa's leader participate deeply, and even become the center of the topic. Let everyone see that the cooperative relationship between SM and TG is not just superficial politeness, but a real, deep "family" that can play together.

Moreover, through this short film, we can also explore Karina's acting style in advance.

Does she have a talent for comedy? Can she handle action scenes? Is her expression management natural enough in front of the camera?

If this attempt works well, then in the future, other members of aespa, and even other artists of SM, can try similar paths one after another.

Movies, variety shows, short dramas... Multi-pronged development is the long-term solution.

Third, Karina's personal development.

This is what Jiang Zhiyu cares about the most, and it is also the point where he feels the most guilty.

Karina is a good leader.

But the label of a good leader is sometimes a shackle.

She is too steady, too reliable, and too used to putting herself in the position of a "caregiver." This personality makes her very reliable in the team, but it also makes her lose many opportunities to "let herself go."

This "pig's head incident," although it made her die of social death once, also showed a completely different image to the whole network—

That Karina who is nervous, sneaky, and finally runs away in fear of the countdown.

Cute.

Authentic.

Down-to-earth.

Such a persona is much more three-dimensional than a simple "perfect leader," and it is easier for passersby to develop a good impression.

Moreover, if her performance in this short film is good enough, then in the future, she can completely develop in the direction of film and television.

Actress Karina.

This label has more room for imagination than "aespa leader."

Jiang Zhiyu looked out the window, the arc of his mouth slowly deepening.

Three birds with one stone.

Public opinion heat, SM cooperation, Ji-min's development.

Perfect.

It's just that...

He remembered his sentence just now, "Ji-min will thank me later," and the guilty "probably" that followed.

In his smile, there was a bit more helplessness.

"Ji-min, don't blame me."

"Wait until you become popular and become a movie queen, you will know Oppa's good intentions."

"Although the process is a bit... that... but the result is good, right?"

He comforted himself, then opened his phone and sent a message to Kim Minjeong:

[Jiang Zhiyu: The video was received, shot very well. The meal I owe you, I'll arrange it next week.]

A few seconds later, the reply came.

[Kim Minjeong: Oppa!!! I want to eat Hanwoo!!! The most expensive kind!!!]

Jiang Zhiyu smiled and replied:

[No problem.]

Then, he sent a message to NingNing:

[Jiang Zhiyu: NingNing, I remember the earphone thing. Just come to me for reimbursement next time you lose them.]

NingNing replied almost instantly:

[Master!!! Love you!!! Heart!!!]

Jiang Zhiyu looked at these two replies and shook his head.

Two traitors in one group, Ji-min, what do you really have to play with me?

He put down his phone and looked back at the computer screen.

The screen was still frozen on Karina's side profile as she held the pig's head.

He looked at that face, looked at those eyes that were slightly widened because of nervousness, looked at that side profile that was pretending to be calm but couldn't hide the panic...

Suddenly, he laughed out loud.

"Ji-min, oh Ji-min."

"Do you really think I just wanted you to steal a pig's head?"

He turned off the video, stood up, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Under the distant skyline, the outline of Seoul was clearly visible in the sun.

A new day, a new game of chess.

And he, still sitting firmly in control.

It's just... don't know what Karina is doing right now?

Is she gnashing her teeth in the dormitory cursing him?

Still lying in bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about the absurdity of life?

Or... have you already started to suspect that there is a "traitor" by your side?

Jiang Zhiyu's smile deepened.

No matter what you are doing, Ji-min.

This game of chess has only just begun.

Enjoy it.

Outside the window, the sun is shining brightly.

And in the office of the President of TG, the chess player put away the chessboard.

Waiting for the start of the next round.

—— ——

(Karina's fan-pampering moment)

[March 4, 2026 06:15 - First Selfie] The sound of pitter-patter rain came from outside the window. Karina stretched her hand out from under the blanket and took a picture of the window. The glass was covered in rainwater, and the world outside blurred into a watercolor painting. Click.

She squinted her eyes to edit, adding a speech bubble to the photo: "March 4, 2026, 6:15 AM. Wednesday. It's raining. The first thought: Did you bring an umbrella? If you didn't, I'll come pick you up. If you did... I'll still come pick you up. Because rainy days are the best for meeting. But we can't meet. So I can only miss you. Wondering if you brought an umbrella, wondering if you got caught in the rain, wondering if you are missing me just as much." Send.

[06:22 - First Reply Video] Karina was still lying in bed, listening to the sound of rain outside the window, her voice soft and carrying the huskiness of just waking up.

"It's raining... I love rainy days the most. Because you can curl up at home, do nothing, and just listen to the rain. But not today, today I have training. You have to go to work too, right? Then let's work hard together. You work hard over there, and I'll work hard over here. Even though we aren't together, working hard while listening to the rain at the same time counts as being together. Right?"

She turned over and wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. "I'll get up after lying here for five more minutes. You lie with me. Wake me up when five minutes are up. If you don't... then I'll lie here for another five minutes. Anyway, on rainy days, it doesn't matter if I'm late, right? It matters? Then I'll get up now. Because I listen when you tell me to. Am I a good girl? If I'm good, praise me. If you don't praise me, that's fine, just give me a hug. But you can't hug me right now. So you owe me. We'll make up for it when we meet. Rainy day hugs are the most comfortable. Warm, soft, and fragrant. Remember, you owe me a lot of hugs. With interest, compound interest, when we meet, we'll hug for a very, very, very long time." Video ends. Send.

[06:40 - Second Selfie] Karina finally crawled out of bed and walked to the window. She held up her phone and took a picture of the rainy scene outside—rainwater flowed down the glass, the world outside was a blur, and the buildings in the distance couldn't even be seen clearly. Click.

Speech bubble caption: "I'm up. It's raining so hard. Where are you? Are you watching the rain too? Or are you still sleeping? If you're still sleeping, get up right now, immediately. It's not that I'm forcing you to get up, it's that the sound of the rain is too loud, you can't sleep. So get up, keep me company. I'm up, so you have to be up too. Fair. Fair, fair, fair." Send.

[06:55 - Second Reply Video] Karina finished washing her face and recorded a video in front of the mirror. There were still water droplets on her face, her hair was clipped back, revealing her smooth forehead. She was wearing a light gray hoodie today, looking gentle and comfortable.

"It's raining today, the air is damp. Do you know, this kind of weather is perfect for eating something hot. Like soup rice, like ramen, like the food you make. What are you eating today? Show me. Take a picture and send it to me. If you don't... I'll just imagine it myself. Imagine you made a table full of delicious food, and then I ate it all. It's up to you."

She finished applying her skincare and patted her face. "Alright, time to get ready to go out. Today's training content: morning dance practice review, afternoon vocal practice, evening facial expression management training. Training on rainy days is the most annoying, the roads get wet, shoes get dirty, clothes get damp. But it's okay, because thinking of you makes it not annoying anymore. You are my human sunshine doll. Even though you aren't by my side, it's sunny in my heart. If it's sunny in my heart, my whole body is sunny. So you have to stay in my heart forever. You are not allowed to move out. If you move out, I'll chase you. Chase you to the ends of the earth. Once I catch you, I'll bring you back. Continue being my sunshine doll." Video ends. Send.

[07:20 - Third Selfie] Karina changed her clothes and stood in the entryway, ready to go out. Today she was wearing a light gray hoodie with black leggings, an outer dark blue windbreaker, waterproof ankle boots on her feet, and holding that transparent umbrella in her hand. Her hair was tied into a bun, and she was wearing a white mask. Click.

Speech bubble caption: "Heading out. This is what I'm wearing today. Light gray hoodie, black pants, dark blue windbreaker, waterproof boots. Transparent umbrella. Guess why I'm wearing a windbreaker? Because it's raining, because it's cold, because I don't want to catch a cold. If I catch a cold, I can't train. If I can't train, I can't dance well. If I can't dance well, I can't perform good concerts. If I can't perform good concerts, I can't see you. If I can't see you, I'll be miserable. So to keep me from being miserable, I must dress warmly. You dress warmly too. You must dress warmly. This is an order. Not a request. It's an order. You must obey." Send.

[07:35 - Third Reply Video] Karina walked down the street holding her umbrella, with the camera pointed at the ground. The rain-soaked street reflected the streetlights and shop lights; her boots stepped into a puddle, splashing up small droplets.

"Walking on the road. It's raining so hard. My shoes are waterproof, so it's fine. The umbrella is transparent, so I can see the sky. Although the sky doesn't look good today, I can see the rain. The rain is the same rain as where you are. So it counts as getting rained on together. Right?"

She deliberately stepped into a puddle, splashing up a large spray of water. "Look, I stepped in a puddle. Do I look like a child? If you think so, you're right, I am a child in front of you. You have to spoil me, coax me, and indulge me. If you don't spoil, coax, or indulge me, I'll cry. If I cry, you won't know what to do. So you might as well spoil me. It's simpler. Simple, simple, simple."

She stopped and tilted the umbrella slightly to let the camera capture the raindrops on it. "Look, raindrops. One by one. Do they look like the number of times I miss you? One raindrop is one time missing you. How much rain fell today? I don't know. Anyway, a lot, a lot, a lot. Too many to count. Too many to hold. Too many to overflow. The overflowing part is for you. Did you receive it? If you received it, reply to me. If you haven't received it, receive it carefully. Receive my longing. Receive my love. Receive everything of mine. Everything is yours." Video ends. Send.

[08:10 - Fourth Selfie] Karina arrived at the practice room and held up her phone to take a picture in the mirror. She was taking off her windbreaker, revealing the light gray hoodie underneath; her hair was a little wet from being caught in the rain on the way, and her face was flushed. Click.

Speech bubble caption: "Arrived at the practice room. My hair is a little wet. But it's okay, it'll dry in a while. Are you wet? Good if you aren't. If you are, hurry up and dry off. If you catch a cold, my heart aches. If my heart aches, I feel miserable. If I feel miserable, I'll come find you. If I find you, you'll have to coax me. So to keep me from finding you, you have to be well. Well, well. I'll be well too. We'll both be well. And then we'll meet in 18 days. We'll be well when we meet. A perfect meeting." Send.

[09:00 - Fourth Reply Video] Karina started warming up, recording the video while stretching. She propped her phone up in front of the mirror; the sound of rain outside could be heard faintly, and the lights in the practice room were warm and bright.

"Warm-up begins. It's raining today, so I need to warm up a bit longer. Otherwise, it's easy to get injured. If I get injured, I can't dance. If I can't dance, I can't hold concerts. If I can't hold concerts, I can't see you. If I can't see you, I'll be miserable. So to keep me from being miserable, you have to warm up properly. Even though you aren't training, you still have to warm up. Warm up in your heart. Warm up for me. Understand?"

She did a straddle stretch, her face almost touching her leg. "It's okay if you don't understand. As long as I understand, it's fine. I'm warming up, you're missing me. We're doing our own things. But our hearts are together. If our hearts are together, we are together. Distance isn't a problem. Weather isn't a problem. Rain isn't a problem. Nothing is a problem. Because I miss you, you miss me, that's enough. Enough, enough, enough." Video ends. Send.

[10:00 - Fifth Selfie] During a practice break, Karina sat on the floor drinking water. She held up her phone and took a picture of the rain outside the window—the rain was still falling, the water on the glass flowed in thin lines, and the world outside was a blur. Click.

Speech bubble caption: "The rain is still falling. Falling and falling. Does it look like me missing you? Missing you and missing you. Can't stop. And don't want to stop. Because missing you is a happy thing. Why stop a happy thing? Won't stop. Never stop. Keep missing you until forever. Forever, forever, forever." Send.

[10:30 - Fifth Reply Video] Karina spoke to the camera, starting to share training details.

"Let me tell you, today I reviewed the dance I learned before. It's been a while since I practiced it, so it's a bit rusty. But it'll be fine once I practice. Just like missing you, if I miss you every day, I won't get rusty. If I miss you every day, I'll get more and more familiar. The more familiar I get, the more I'll like you. The more I like you, the more I'll miss you. An infinite loop. Infinite loop, infinite loop."

She stood up and demonstrated the moves she was reviewing. "Like this, one, two, three, four, two, two, three, four. Is it cool? If it's cool, you're right. You'll see the complete version at the concert. Scream for me then. Scream the loudest. Let everyone look at you. Look at you screaming for me. Then they'll know I'm yours. And you're mine. Perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect." Video ends. Send.

[11:45 - Sixth Selfie] Lunchtime, Manager brought the lunch box. Today's special for the rainy day—Samgyetang, hot and steaming, a whole small chicken soaked in white soup, stuffed with glutinous rice and red dates. Karina opened the lid and took a picture. Click.

Speech bubble caption: "Lunch is here. Samgyetang. It's best to drink this on a rainy day. Have you had yours? If not, go have some now. If you have, show me a picture. If you don't show me... I'll just imagine you're drinking it too. We're drinking together, even though we aren't together, drinking soup at the same time counts as being together. Right? Nod if it's right. Nod even if it's not. If I say it's right, it's right. You must listen to me. Because I am your Samgyetang partner. The partner specifically for drinking soup with you. Even though you aren't by my side now, you will be in the future. I'll accompany you to drink soup every day in the future. Drink it on rainy days, drink it on snowy days, drink it on sunny days too. Drink it every day. Drink until forever." Send.

[12:15 - Sixth Reply Video] Karina recorded the video while drinking the soup. She scooped up a spoonful of soup, blew on it, drank it slowly, her expression satisfied.

"Delicious. It's hot. My body feels warm after drinking it. You have to drink hot things too. You aren't allowed to drink cold things. Cold things hurt the stomach. If your stomach gets hurt, my heart will ache. If my heart aches, I'll feel miserable. If I feel miserable, I'll come find you. If I find you, you'll have to coax me. So to keep me from finding you, you have to eat well. Drink hot, eat hot, dress warmly, take care of yourself. Because you are mine. My things cannot be broken. Cannot be broken, cannot be broken."

She picked up a piece of chicken. "This piece is for you. Open your mouth—ah—alright, you ate it. So you've had the Samgyetang too. Don't thank me. Just treat me to a real one next time. When? When it rains. Next time it rains, we'll go drink it together. Pinky swear. Pinky swear, no backing out for a hundred years. A hundred years isn't enough, it has to be forever. Forever, forever, forever." Video ends. Send.