356: Chapter 332: Life is already tough enough; if I see news of Kim Tae-yeon getting back together with her boyfriend, I'll really die.

"Alright, alright, that's it for tonight!" Sunny clapped her hands, her face unable to hide her smile and excitement. "The first round has come to a successful conclusion—now it's time for the second round!"

A chorus of agreeing cheers and mischievous laughter erupted in the private room. The dinner itself was already secondary; the successive "high-energy scenes" tonight, especially Kim Taeyeon's shocking "sweet attack" at the end, had long since set everyone's gossip souls ablaze, and they desperately needed a private space to "review" and "discuss" it properly.

"Exactly, exactly! Taeyeon Unnie's... this 'heroic deed,' if we don't have a couple of drinks to digest it, we won't be able to sleep tonight!" Yuri immediately chimed in, her face full of the eagerness of "hurry up, hurry up, I want to start talking."

Hyoyeon, Sooyoung, and Tiffany all nodded. Even the usually composed Seohyun had sparkling eyes, clearly filled with academic (?) curiosity about the subsequent developments and the "case analysis."

Only two people raised objections.

"Unnies, I..." Im Yoona rubbed her temples, her face still flushed with a slight tipsiness, but her eyes were struggling to stay clear. "I have to go back to Ulsan for filming early tomorrow morning, I need to ensure I'm in good condition... I won't go to the second round, you guys have fun." Her tone was as natural as possible, even tinged with regret, but her tense shoulders betrayed her true thoughts—she needed to escape this scene that was making her heart chaotic.

"Hmm, Yoona Noona does indeed need to rest." Jiang Zhiyu immediately replied, his voice steady, as if the striking red mark on his neck didn't exist. He tilted slightly and patted the little head of Lee Tima, who was sitting obediently beside him. "Tima is tired too, children shouldn't stay up late, I have to take her back."

Lee Tima: "!!!"

"I'm not sleepy!" Lee Tima immediately retorted, her little face full of the desire to "eat melon to the end." But after receiving a calm, wave-less, yet warning glance from Jiang Zhiyu, she instantly wilted. Her shoulders slumped, and she tried to straighten her face, announcing in a tone so serious it was almost comical: "Ahem... right! I'm sleepy! I need to go home and sleep! My role is to be Oppa's human shield and alarm clock!" That guilty-looking act caused another burst of laughter from the group.

As for the female lead of the event, Kim Taeyeon...

"Hehe... heh..."

She had completely entered the "idiot beauty" mode after getting drunk. Half-embraced by Jiang Zhiyu, her head bobbed, and she would occasionally let out a satisfied silly laugh. There was still a suspicious crystal clear drop on the corner of her mouth (possibly fruit juice from earlier, or perhaps something else), and she would occasionally unconsciously stick out the tip of her tongue to lick the corner of her mouth, as if savoring some "delicacy." This completely relaxed (or rather, abandoned thinking) appearance, paired with her usual captain's dignity, created a full-blown contrast that left people torn between laughter and tears.

Sunny's eyes rolled, and she immediately had an idea. She leaned close to Jiang Zhiyu, lowered her voice, and whispered at a volume that "the whole private room could hear": "Oh, right, right, right, Taeyeon is so drunk, someone has to take her back. Zhiyu, look, you happen to be taking Tima, so you might as well take Taeyeon too, it's on the way!" She leaned in closer, lowering her voice, with encouragement, "Anyway, you've been drinking too and can't drive, just call a designated driver or have your driver take you. We're not at ease leaving Taeyeon like this with anyone else, right?" She deliberately emphasized the three words "not at ease."

Jiang Zhiyu was silent for a moment. He had indeed been drinking, and although it wasn't visible on the surface, driving was out of the question. However... He looked up at Kim Taeyeon, who had already entered the "who am I, where am I, but I'm so happy" state, and then glanced at Im Yoona not far away, who seemed to be tidying her bag but was actually tense all over while listening.

"Alright." He finally nodded, his tone betraying no waves. "I'll have the driver come over. With Noona like this, it's indeed not reassuring to let her go back alone."

Im Yoona pursed her lips tightly, standing to the side. According to reason, if a sister from the same group was drunk, it should have been her or another member who took her back. Moreover... the increasingly clear sourness and unease deep in her heart made her extremely unwilling to see Jiang Zhiyu and Kim Taeyeon alone, especially after what had happened. But she watched Kim Taeyeon leaning completely dependently on Jiang Zhiyu, and Jiang Zhiyu didn't seem to have any intention of pushing her away, so the words on the tip of her tongue were swallowed back. What position did she have to object? Based on... that vague favor and sense of competition?

She finally just pursed her lips, suppressing that surging emotion, and looked up to reveal an impeccable smile that belonged to the actress Im Yoona: "Then I'll trouble President Jiang. Unnie, let us know in the group chat when you get home."

"Hehe... Zhiyu... take home?" Kim Taeyeon seemed to catch the keyword, tilted her head, looked at Jiang Zhiyu blankly, and then laughed even more foolishly, "Okay..."

Parking lot.

The night breeze was cool, blowing away some of the tipsiness and the stuffiness of the private room. The other members gathered around, waiting for their cars while excitedly whispering to each other, their eyes drifting from time to time toward another car not far away.

Jiang Zhiyu half-supported and half-held the unsteady Kim Taeyeon, carefully settling her into the passenger seat, and bent over to fasten her seatbelt. The moment he got close, her faint scent of alcohol mixed with her own sweet and soft fragrance, and... a trace of the cool, refreshing scent belonging to him (likely stained onto her), lingered at the tip of his nose again. Kim Taeyeon sat obediently, still laughing foolishly, only her gaze followed Jiang Zhiyu's movements, shining brightly.

Although Lee Tima had been "force-logged out" by Jiang Zhiyu, she wasn't idle at all. Like a little butterfly, she flitted through the crowd, taking out her phone and using the excuse of "it's convenient to ask the Unnies for advice in the future," happily adding every Girls Generation member as a friend, and didn't even spare the somewhat crying-and-laughing Manager. Jiang Zhiyu watched from afar, his temples throbbing faintly; he could already foresee what kind of "bloody storm" and "rumor-mongering" would be in this kid's future group chats.

Jiang Zhiyu closed the car door, and before going around to the other side to get in, he couldn't help but raise his hand, his fingertips lightly touching the wet red mark on the side of his neck that was still clear and carried a slight stinging sensation. The touch was warm, as if it still retained that abrupt softness and the force of the sucking. In the darkness where no one could see, the tips of his ears quietly turned red.

No one had ever treated him like this before.

Even on the Tianxuan Continent, in that relationship with Baek Ji-xin which ended because of the weight of the individual versus the team, the most intimate moment was just the shy touch of a young person's first love—a light kiss on the cheek, holding hands with trepidation. It was as pure as morning dew. Deep in Jiang Zhiyu's soul, his experience with intimate relationships was almost a blank slate. He was a giant in theory, but a... 100% novice in practice.

Where had he ever experienced this kind of... direct, passionate, and even slightly barbaric "marking"?

The wide eyes when Kim Taeyeon approached just now, her warm, rapid breathing, the soft pressure when her lips pressed on, and the slight stinging sensation that followed... Every detail was replaying with extreme clarity in his mind at this moment. Especially after she let go, those misty and confused eyes, and that earth-shattering "Why... so sweet?"

Sweet?

Jiang Zhiyu subconsciously pursed his own lips, as if trying to distinguish where that illusory "sweetness" came from. His face was uncontrollably heating up, as if there was a fire burning. He took a deep breath of the cold night air, trying to suppress the inexplicable agitation in his heart.

Sitting in the driver's seat (waiting for the designated driver), he turned his head to look at Kim Taeyeon, who had settled down beside him and was tilting her head, seemingly about to fall asleep. In the dim light of the car, her cheeks were flushed, her eyelashes cast small shadows under her eyes, and her lips looked exceptionally red and full due to the alcohol and the "intense activity" just now, slightly parted, breathing steadily.

It was these lips...

Jiang Zhiyu's gaze moved away quickly as if scalded, and then couldn't help but fall back on them. His heartbeat was drumming somewhat obtrusively in the enclosed car.

He suddenly remembered in the private room, her stubbornness when she swallowed that terrible mixed drink, the unyielding light in her eyes when she glared at him; he remembered her staggering back when she rushed to the restroom; he remembered the forced momentum when she "returned as a king"; and even more, he remembered the fleeting, almost paranoid focus and longing in her eyes when she leaned in at the end.

All this chaos, embarrassment, and absurdity eventually condensed into this burning hot "seal" on his neck.

Jiang Zhiyu looked at the flickering neon lights outside the window, and glanced again at the unsightly red mark on his neck in the rearview mirror. A complex emotion mixed with helplessness, annoyance, and a secret thrill he hadn't even noticed himself surged up. He turned his head, looking at Kim Taeyeon's quiet sleeping face, and finally couldn't help it. In a tone he couldn't distinguish as resentment, teasing, or simply being at a loss, he whispered to the air, or more like to the "culprit" who could no longer hear:

"Noona..."

His voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet car, with a slight hoarseness from the alcohol, and a sense of something like a sigh.

"You like this..."

He raised his hand, his fingertips lightly touching the mark again, as if he could feel it simmering slightly under the skin.

"How am I supposed to go to work tomorrow."

Kim Taeyeon blinked her misty big eyes, following his fingers, looking at the patch of skin on the side of his neck that still looked conspicuous in the dim light of the car. She stared for a few seconds, seemingly trying hard to understand the current situation, and then—

"Pfft... hehe..." She laughed, no longer a silly laugh, but a smile with a bit of small pride, a bit of cunning, and mixed with drunkenness. She extended her finger, pointing at the "seal" in the air, and mumbled incoherently but with exceptional righteousness:

"Sweet... mark... mine..."

After speaking, she leaned back into the seat with satisfaction, closed her eyes, and still had that proud and satisfied smile on the corners of her mouth, as if she had solved a major event and could finally sleep peacefully.

Jiang Zhiyu: "..."

He froze completely, watching her calmly "claim" it and then fall asleep in seconds, the burning sensation on his face spreading all the way to his heart. Tomorrow? The President of TG Entertainment going to work with a mark that looked like a hickey? He could already see Kim Soo-yeon's raised eyebrows, Lee Tima's face-covering smirking, and the gossip rumors instantly boiling within the company... Can this job even be done?

The car drove steadily toward Kim Taeyeon's apartment. The car was quiet, leaving only the low hum of the engine and... Kim Taeyeon's long, rhythmic, tiny snoring. She had completely relaxed at some point, her head tilted, sliding down along the seatback, and finally rested comfortably on Jiang Zhiyu's shoulder, sleeping unknowingly, even smacking her lips with satisfaction.

Jiang Zhiyu's body stiffened slightly, then helplessly relaxed, letting that furry head lean against him. The tip of his nose was filled with the faint scent of her hair mixed with the lingering smell of alcohol, and the red mark on his neck seemed to be burning faintly again. He rubbed his eyebrows with a headache, trying to suppress the chaotic images in his mind and the subtle tactile sensations his body perceived.

And all of this did not escape the sharp eyes of a certain "little spy" in the back seat.

Lee Tima curled up in the spacious back seat, the screen of the phone in her hands emitting a ghostly light, illuminating her small face full of excitement and "I'm making trouble." She didn't look out the window at all; a pair of big eyes peered through the gap of the front seats from time to time, her gaze precisely scanning back and forth between Jiang Zhiyu's stiff side profile, his shoulder being leaned on by Kim Taeyeon, and—the focus—the red mark on his neck that was faintly visible even in the dim light.

On her phone screen, a newly created group chat named "No One Sleeps Tonight · Special Observation Group" was exploding with messages. Members included Sunny, Yuri, Hyoyeon, Sooyoung, Tiffany... and even Seohyun, who she had added at some point. Although Seohyun only sent a polite greeting emoji and then went silent, she was clearly silently paying attention too.

Messages were flooding the screen at an explosive speed.

Sunny: [Photo: A blurry shot of Jiang Zhiyu supporting Kim Taeyeon into the car] Escorting the "prisoner" to the scene! Level 1 alert!

Yuri: Holy crap, this posture, Taeyeon is completely hanging on him!

Hyoyeon: Where's Tima? Tima, report the situation inside the car!

Sooyoung: @AllMembers Bet a bag of spicy strips, Taeyeon will definitely have a blackout when she wakes up, and then be teased to death by us.

Tiffany: That mark... is really super obvious... Zhiyu's skin is so fair, it makes it look even redder...

Lee Tima: [Stealth shot: Close-up of Jiang Zhiyu's side profile and the red mark on his neck in the rearview mirror, Kim Taeyeon sleeping soundly on his shoulder] Real-time scene 1.0. Oppa's expression has a mix of seriousness and confusion, the seal on his neck continues to redden. Taeyeon Unnie has entered sleep mode, breathing evenly, occasionally smacking her lips.

Sunny: Good job Tima! Keep it up! Stay hidden!

Yuri: Smacking lips... is she savoring the "sweetness"? (Mischievous laugh)

Hyoyeon: I've screenshotted President Jiang's expression, it can be made into a new meme—"The confusion and helplessness after being stamped."

Lee Tima: Received instructions! Guarantee to complete the mission! (Salute emoji) Although Oppa seems a bit troubled, he keeps rubbing his eyes and sighing.

Lee Tima typed rapidly, her small face flushed with excitement, almost like she was executing a sacred spy mission. She occasionally peeked back from the rearview mirror or pretended to fix her hair.

The situation in the back seat was indeed more "exciting" than the text report.

After the car started, Kim Taeyeon's body completely relaxed, or rather, collapsed. She was originally leaning against the car window, but with the inertia of the car turning, her whole body involuntarily slid toward Jiang Zhiyu, who was sitting next to her. First, her shoulder leaned on him, then her head... Finally, in an extremely natural posture, she curled up on her side, her forehead resting in the hollow of Jiang Zhiyu's shoulder, her cheek pressed against his suit fabric that still carried the night's chill, and her hands unconsciously resting on his legs.

Her steady breathing gradually became long, and then... a tiny, extremely slight, but absolutely impossible to ignore, kitten-like snoring sound actually started.

"Hoo... mmm... hoo..."

Thin, with a bit of nasal sound, rising and falling, it actually had a strange... obedient feeling?

Jiang Zhiyu's body stiffened instantly.

Suddenly, there was a warm, soft, and fragrant "large attachment" in his arms, and it was the "perpetrator" who had just committed an "indecent" act against him and was now sleeping soundly without any precautions. The heat from her breathing penetrated through the thin shirt fabric, ironing against his skin; the slight snoring scratched his eardrums and nerves like a feather; her hand resting on his leg, her fingertips curling unconsciously, moving occasionally...

Jiang Zhiyu felt like he was holding a ticking time bomb, a bomb that emitted the fragrance of fruit and alcohol and snored. He subconsciously lightened his breathing, fearing he might disturb her and trigger some "unexpected situation." The mark on his neck was still faintly hot, constantly reminding him that everything that had just happened was not a dream.

He rubbed his brow in distress, then rubbed his eyes, trying to dispel the confusion and the rising fatigue. The alcohol he drank tonight seemed to have just started hitting him, and his temples were throbbing.

"What is all this..."

Just as he leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts—

"Click."

An extremely slight shutter sound, which seemed exceptionally clear in the quiet car, accompanied by a nearly synchronized, faint flash from a mobile phone camera (even with the sound and flash turned off, some models still have nearly invisible fill light in extremely dark environments), came from the front row.

Jiang Zhiyu opened his eyes abruptly, his gaze like lightning, shooting toward the front passenger seat.

Lee Tima was scrambling to hide her phone against her chest, her face flushed red, eyes darting away, pretending to look out the window, while humming an off-key song: "Hmm~ la la la~ the night is so beautiful~"

Jiang Zhiyu: "..."

He didn't even have to guess to know that in that [Late Night Sleepless · Legendary Gossip Discussion Group], there was probably another precious image of "Taeyeon sleeping peacefully in President Jiang's arms" at this very moment, and it was triggering a new round of "academic discussion" and meme-making craze.

This brat... she really was a professional spy!

Jiang Zhiyu only felt the vein on his temple throbbing more vigorously. He took a deep breath, deciding not to argue with this "mole" for the time being; the top priority was dealing with the bigger "trouble" in his arms.

He tried to move his shoulder, which was pressed numb, wanting to adjust his posture.

"Mm..." Kim Taeyeon grunted in her sleep, dissatisfied, rubbing her head in the crook of his shoulder, looking for a more comfortable position. The snoring paused for an instant, then started again, even slightly louder because she had been disturbed, as if in protest.

Jiang Zhiyu immediately dared not move.

He lowered his head, looking at the defenseless and even slightly silly sleeping face in his arms. Her long eyelashes cast shadows under her eyes, and her lips were slightly parted, rosy and moist. At this moment, where was any trace of the powerful leader on stage, or the "fierce" person from just now? She was completely like a drunk, helpless... cat?

This realization made a certain part of Jiang Zhiyu's heart soften inexplicably, and then he was drowned by deeper helplessness.

He maintained this stiff posture, letting the slight snoring linger in his ears, looked at the lights flying backward outside the car window again, and sighed silently.

This road, it seemed, was a bit too long.

And in the front seat, Lee Tima covered her mouth, her shoulders heaving, trying hard to stifle her laughter, her fingers flying even faster on the screen.

[Lee Tima: [Image] Live report! Target A (Taeyeon Unnie) has successfully occupied the high ground (Zhiyu Oppa's shoulder)! Target B (Zhiyu Oppa) is showing obvious physiological reactions (ears turned red! Suspected elevated body temperature!), defense system appears to have experienced a short-term crash!]

[Sunny: Hahahahaha! Well done Tima! Keep monitoring!]

[Yuri: Physiological reaction?! What physiological reaction? Elaborate!]

[Hyoyeon: Wow... playing this big?]

[Sooyoung: Taeyeon ah... what will you do when you wake up tomorrow...]

The group chat was flooded again. Lee Tima covered her mouth, trying not to laugh out loud, her shoulders heaving.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't need to look to know what that brat in the back was doing. He closed his eyes, feeling that the difficulty level of this "escort mission" tonight was increasing geometrically. In front, a drunk cat leaned in his arms, her breath alluring; behind, a spy was peeping at the screen, fearing the world wouldn't be chaotic enough. He looked down at Kim Taeyeon's defenseless sleeping face, felt the mark on his neck that had a strong sense of presence, and finally sighed deeply again, whispering to the air, as if accepting his fate:

"Noona, you really... gave me a huge problem."

This time, his tone, besides helplessness, seemed to be mixed with a trace of extremely faint indulgence that even he had not deeply explored. And Kim Taeyeon in his arms, as if sensing something, gave a soft "Mm" in her sleep, snuggled more comfortably, and the snoring started again.

Inside the small car, ambiguity and embarrassment, silence and undercurrents, intertwined into a subtle scene that made the "observers" in the back row excited and the "parties involved" in the front row have disordered heartbeats. The destination had not yet been reached, but tonight's story was clearly far from over.

——

(Damn it, K-ent was so crazy yesterday, I actually saw news about Kim Taeyeon getting back together, I'm really going to kill the clickbait accounts.)

[March 11, 2026 06:25 - First Selfie]

The sky outside the window was just beginning to brighten, the sun hadn't fully come out yet, but she could feel it would be a sunny day. Karina stretched her hand out from under the quilt and took a picture of the window. The glass was clean and bright, and she could see the outline of the building opposite.

Click.

She squinted and edited, adding a speech bubble to the photo:

"March 11, 2026, 6:25 AM. Wednesday. Woke up. The first thought is you. Every day is a repetition, but every day is different. Because I like you a little more today. Just a little. Don't be proud."

Send.

[06:33 - First Reply Video]

Karina was still lying in bed, her hair scattered messily on the pillow, her voice hoarse and sticky. She pulled the quilt up to her chin, revealing only half of her face.

"I dreamed of you last night. Dreamed that we went for a walk by the Han River together. You held my hand, I held your hand. We walked for a long, long time, walked until the sun set, walked until the moon came out. Then you said you were cold, and I said I would give you my jacket. Then I woke up. The jacket hadn't been given yet. You owe me a jacket. Remember to return it."

She yawned and shrank into the quilt.

"I'll lie down for another five minutes before getting up. You accompany me to lie down. Call me when five minutes are up. If you don't call... then I'll lie for another five minutes. Anyway, it's Wednesday today, you have to go to work too, let's laze in bed together. Although we aren't together, lying in bed at the same time counts as being together. Right?"

Video ends.

Send.

[06:50 - Second Selfie]

Karina finally climbed out of bed and walked to the window to open the curtains. It was indeed a sunny day today, the sunlight was just beginning to spill down, and the sky was a pale blue, without clouds.

Click.

Bubble text:

"Got up. It's sunny today, 5 to 13 degrees. The sun is out, there are no clouds. Did you see it? If you saw it, take a picture and show me. If you didn't see it, never mind. I'll see it for you. If I saw it, it means you saw it too. I'll share half of the sunshine I see with you. I'll share half of the warmth I feel with you. I'll share half of my mood today with you. Because of you, I'm in a good mood today. So sharing half with you is what I should do."

Send.

[07:05 - Second Reply Video]

Karina finished washing her face and recorded a video facing the mirror. There were still water droplets on her face, her bare face glowing, and she was wearing that light blue sweatshirt today, looking fresh and gentle.

"Today is Wednesday. The middle of the week. Four days until the next concert. Four days is very fast. It will pass in the blink of an eye. But you have to think of me when you blink too. Because I think of you during the time it takes to blink. I think of you every second. Every minute. Every hour. Every day."

She finished applying skincare products and patted her face.

"Okay, getting ready to go out. Training content today: rehearsal in the morning, rehearsal in the afternoon, rehearsal in the evening too. Intensive training before the concert, I'm exhausted. But thinking that I can see you in four days, I'm not tired anymore. You are my best power bank. Just plug it in and it works. So I'm plugging it in now, you charge. Hurry up."

Video ends.

Send.

[07:30 - Third Selfie]

Karina changed her clothes and stood in the entryway preparing to go out. She was wearing a light blue sweatshirt with white sweatpants, a beige short trench coat over it, her hair tied in a high ponytail, and a white mask on.

Click.

Bubble text:

"Heading out. Dressed like this today. Light blue sweatshirt, white pants, beige trench coat. Guess why I'm wearing light blue? Because the sky is blue today. I want to wear the same color as the sky. That way when you see the sky outside, it's like seeing me. Seeing me makes you think of me. Thinking of me makes you happy. Being happy means you'll be in a good mood all day. Perfect."

Send.

[07:45 - Third Reply Video]

Karina was walking on the road, the camera facing the ground. The sunlight was so good today, shining on the ground, stretching her shadow long. She deliberately stepped on her shadow as she walked, step by step.

"Walking on the road. The sun is so good. Warm. Is it this good on your side? Or is it cloudy? It doesn't matter if it's cloudy, I'll share my sunshine with you. Do you feel it? If you feel it, reply to me. If you don't feel it, feel it carefully. Feel the sunshine, feel the warmth, feel me missing you. I added missing you to the sunshine, so when you sunbathe, you will think of me. Smart, right?"

She played with stepping on her own shadow.

"Look, I'm stepping on my shadow. So what if I step on it? I'm still me. You're still you. I'm still missing you. You'll still be missing me. No matter if I can step on it or not, no matter if we can see each other or not, no matter if we are by each other's side or not. Hearts are together means we are together. Hearts are together means forever. Forever means always, always, always."

Video ends.

Send.

[08:15 - Fourth Selfie]

Karina arrived at the practice room, raised her phone, and took a picture facing the mirror. She was taking off her trench coat, revealing the light blue sweatshirt inside, her hair was a bit messy from walking, her face was flushed, and the sunlight shone through the window, sprinkling a layer of gold on her.

Click.

Bubble text:

"Arrived at the practice room. Sunlight is shining in through the window. Look, I'm in the light. This makes it easier for you to see me. Did you see me? If you saw me, nod. If you didn't see me, look carefully. I'm in the light, in the phone, in your heart. I'm everywhere. You can't hide. I can't hide from you either. Because you are in my heart. Always in my heart. Forever in my heart."

Send.

[09:00 - Fourth Reply Video]

Karina started warming up, recording a video while stretching. She propped her phone in front of the mirror, and the sunlight happened to shine on her, the whole person glowing, as if emitting light.

"Warm-up started. The sun is so good today, I have more energy for warming up. Do you know, there is Vitamin D in the sun, which is good for the body. Do I also have a Vitamin D effect on you? Good for your mood? Good if it is. Then I'll give you Vitamin Ji-min supplements every day. Dosage: Infinite. Usage: Think of me every day. Side effect: Like me more and more. No problem, right? If no problem, continue. Even if there's a problem, continue. Anyway, I don't care."

She pressed into a big split, the sunlight happened to shine on her face, and she squinted and smiled.

"Look, the sun is kissing me. Does it look like you're kissing me? If it looks like it, then it's right. I'll just pretend you're kissing me now. Kissing me through the sunshine. Warm, soft, sweet. I like it. You kiss me more in the future. Kiss me with sunshine, kiss me with moonlight, kiss me with the wind, kiss me with the rain. Kissing with anything is fine. As long as it's you kissing me, I like it all. I like it all. I like it all. Say important things three times."

Video ends.

Send.

[10:15 - Fifth Selfie]

During a break in practice, Karina sat on the floor drinking water. She raised her phone and took a picture of the sky outside the window—the sky was bluer, no clouds, and the sun was bright.

Click.

Bubble text:

"The sky is so blue. No clouds. Does it look like my mood? Because of you, my mood is blue. Not the kind of blue that is melancholy, but the kind of blue that is clear. It's a happy blue. It's a blue of liking. It's a blue of missing you. It's the blue you like. Do you like blue? If you like it, then it's right. If you don't like it, you have to like it. Because I'm wearing blue now. Because the sky is blue today. Because my mood is blue. So you must like blue."

Send.

[10:45 - Fifth Reply Video]

Karina faced the lens and started sharing training details.

"Let me tell you, what we rehearsed today was the opening dance of the concert. There is a part where I have to stand on a lifting platform and slowly rise. That platform is a bit high, and I'm a bit scared. But thinking that you are watching under the stage, I'm not scared anymore. If you are there, I feel at ease. If I feel at ease, I won't be scared. If I'm not scared, I can dance well. If I dance well, you can see a more amazing me. So you must always be there. Always in my heart. Always by my side. Always in a place where I can see you."

She stood up, gesturing what it looked like standing on the lifting platform.

"Just like this, slowly rise, and then wave to the audience. I will find you. In the middle of the first row. I remembered. I will look at you. Only look at you. Not looking at anyone else. Just look at you. You also have to look at me. Only look at me. Not looking at anyone else. Just look at me. We agreed. Pinky promise."

Video ends.

Send.

[11:30 - Sixth Selfie]

Lunchtime, the Manager delivered a boxed meal. Today is a grilled beef set meal, beef, rice, kimchi, bean sprout soup. Karina opened the lid and took a photo.

Click.

Bubble text:

"Lunch is here. Beef. Looks delicious. Did you eat? What did you eat? Take a picture and show me. If you don't take a picture... I'll imagine you are eating beef too. We eat together, although we are not together, eating beef at the same time counts as being together. Right?"

Send.

[12:00 - Sixth Reply Video]

Karina recorded a video while eating. She picked up a piece of beef and chewed it slowly.

"Delicious. Beef is really delicious. What are you eating for lunch on your side? Never mind, don't tell me. Anyway, I imagine you are eating beef too. We eat together. You take a bite, I take a bite. You take a bite, I take a bite. This way, we are eating together. Right?"

She finished chewing the beef and picked up a piece of kimchi with chopsticks.

"Kimchi is a bit spicy. But delicious. Do you love spicy food? If you love it, then it's right. If you don't love it, you have to love it. Because it's what I'm eating. What I eat is good. If it's good, you have to like it. If you like me, you have to like what I eat. So you also love spicy food. Right? If it's right, nod. Even if it's not right, nod. If I say it's right, it's right."

Video ends.

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